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Explanatory Note
Next comes a comment delivering another warning in respect of the Hereafter. This new warning excludes any possibility of forgiveness to anyone who associates partners with God. At the same time, Divine mercy is shown to be greater than all other sins: “God will never forgive that partners are associated with Him. He forgives any lesser sin to whomever He wills. He who associates partners with God indeed contrived an awesome sin.” (Verse 48) This verse is stated in a context that implies an express accusation against the Jews for associating partners with God. Hence, they are called upon to return to the pure faith in His Oneness.
Nothing is mentioned here about what they said or did to brand them as polytheists. Details of that are given elsewhere. The Qur’ān reports that they claimed that “Ezra is the son of God”. (9: 30) Such a statement was made in the same vein as that of the Christians who claimed that “the Christ is the son of God”. (9: 30) Any statement of this type constitutes an act of associating partners with God. The Qur’ān also reports that both Christians and Jews “have taken their rabbis and priests as lords alongside God’. (9: 31) It has to be said that neither group used to worship rabbis or priests. They simply acknowledged their right to legislate for them, and to make certain things lawful and to forbid others. The authority to do that belongs exclusively to God. It is one of the most essential elements of Godhead. Hence, the Qur’ān classifies them among the polytheists. This is particularly significant in light of the Islamic concept as to who constitutes a Muslim and who a believer. This point will be elaborated upon further in the commentary on the rest of this sūrah.
At any rate, the Jews of Arabia at the time when Islam was revealed had had their faith adulterated with polytheistic elements. Hence, they are expressly warned here that God may forgive, as He pleases, anyone whatever sin he may have committed, other than associating partners with Him. No forgiveness is granted to any person who ends his life believing in other gods alongside God, without having repented for holding such an erroneous belief.
When a person associates partners with God, he actually severs all his relations with the Lord and Creator. Hence, there is no hope that he may be forgiven if this state of a total break of relations is maintained until his death. Anyone who maintains such an attitude until death, ignoring all the pointers to God’s oneness — in the form of clear proofs throughout the universe, and in the guidance given by prophets and messengers — is devoid of all goodness. Such a persistent denial of God’s oneness is proof of total, incurable corruption of human nature, sending it to a lowly depth from which it cannot rise. Such a person has already prepared himself for the life of Hell.
Apart from this extremely grave sin and this flagrant injustice, God forgives all sins, great or small. All these sins, including cardinal ones, may be forgiven, according to God’s will, whether one repents or not as some reports tell, as long as the person who commits them believes in God, hopes to be forgiven, believes that God is able to forgive him and that God’s forgiveness is greater than his sins. This shows that God’s mercy is without limit, inexhaustible, and may be granted to all and sundry. God’s forgiveness is open to all. We need only to seek it.
Ibn `Abbās quotes the Prophet as saying: “God says: He who knows that I am able to forgive sins shall he forgiven by Me and I do not care what offences he may have committed, as long as he has not associated any partners with Me.” (Related by al-Ţabarānī.)
This ĥadīth is particularly significant. What is important is to have a proper awareness of God’s true nature. Such an awareness gives rise to a genuine desire to do good as well as feelings of hope, fear and being ashamed of one’s faults. If an offence is committed, such feelings help one mend one’s ways and bring one nearer to forgiveness.