Allamah Tabataba’i
An extract of al-Mizan,
Commentary of Surah al-Nisa’, verses 17-18, vol. 8, pages 61-73.
Repentance, in its full significance as laid down in the Qur’an, is among those positive teachings that are exclusive property of the Qur’an. Repentance, in the meaning of belief after disbelief and polytheism, was common in all divine religions, . the religions of Musa and ‘Isa (peace be on both), but it was seen as ‘belief,’ and that was that; there was nothing like analyzing the reality of repentance and extending it to the belief.
Not only that. It appears from the foundations on which Christianity was built as an independent religion that repentance is useless and man cannot gain any benefit from it. This may easily be seen in the arguments offered for explaining the crucifixion and atonement, as narrated in the third volume¹ of this book, where we have discussed the creation of Christ.
Nevertheless, the Church went so far in the matter of repentance that it was selling indulgence certificates, turning it into merchandise, and the priests were [and are] pardoning sins of those who confessed before them. But as for the Qur’an, it has analyzed man’s condition, seeing that he has been invited to Allah and provided with guidance, and looking at the perfection, honor, and felicity he is entitled to in the hereafter near Allah, which is indispensable in his intended journey to his Lord—and that analysis has found the man utterly poor in his person, empty-handed in his entity. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنْتُمُ الْفُقَرَاءُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
“O men! you are the ones who stand in need of Allah, and Allah is He Who is the Self-sufficient, the Praised One” (35:15).
Also, He says:
وَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا وَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ مَوْتًا وَلَا حَيَاةً وَلَا نُشُورًا
“… and they control not for themselves any harm or profit, and they control not death, nor life, nor raising (the dead) to life” (25:3).
Therefore, man has fallen in the pit of unhappiness, away from divine proximity, isolated in his neediness, as the words of Allah point to it:
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ
“Certainly, We created man in the best make” (95:4).
ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ
“Then We rendered him the lowest of the low” (95:5).
وَإِنْ مِنْكُمْ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَا ۚ كَانَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ حَتْمًا مَقْضِيًّا
“And there is not one of you but shall come down to it; this is a decided decree of your Lord” (19:71).
ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا وَنَذَرُ الظَّالِمِينَ فِيهَا جِثِيًّا
“And We will deliver those who were pious, and We will leave the unjust therein on their knees” (19:72).
فَلَا يُخْرِجَنَّكُمَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَتَشْقَىٰ
“… therefore, let him not drive you both from the garden so that you should be put to toil” (20:117).
Consequently, if he wants to achieve the position of honor and enjoy everlasting happiness, he must come out from that pit of unhappiness, return from the faraway station, and transfer himself to the proximity of his Lord. It is what is called his returning to his Lord in the basic happiness, i.e., true faith, and in secondary happiness, i.e., all good deeds. This is what is called repentance and returning to the root of happiness, i.e., polytheism, and branches of unhappiness, i.e., evil deeds other than polytheism. It is on repentance (i.e., returning to Allah and removing all the pollutions of infelicity and disobedience) that settlement in the abode of honor through true belief depends, as does enjoyment of various bounties of obedience and proximity.
In other words, man can reach nearer to Allah in the appointed abode of honor only if he repents of polytheism and all disobedience. Allah says:
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“… and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so that you may be successful” (24:31).
Thus repentance, in the meaning of returning to Allah, covers both types of repentance; rather it covers these two and other kinds also, as we shall describe later, Allah willing.
