Question regarding 4:137 and 3:86-3:90

[Yusuf Ali]

Salam Alaiykum,
I have another question to ask regarding the following verses:
3:86 How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and had witnessed that the Messenger is true and clear signs had come to them? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
3:87 Those - their recompense will be that upon them is the curse of Allah and the angels and the people, all together,
3:88 Abiding eternally therein. The punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved.
3:89 Except for those who repent after that and correct themselves. For indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
3:90 Indeed, those who reject the message after their belief and then increase in disbelief - never will their [claimed] repentance be accepted, and they are the ones astray.
4:137 Indeed, those who have believed then disbelieved, then believed, then disbelieved, and then increased in disbelief - never will Allah forgive them, nor will He guide them to a way.

What does it mean to increase in disbelief, is it to become stubborn in denial of the truth? Is it to have reached a point where you can no longer accept the truth? Will this person ever want to change their ways or will they never acknowledge and accept the truth, i.e. they will always remain in denial till they die? Or is it something different quite different? The reason I'm asking this is because 3:90 is referring to someone who has disbelieved once and increased thereof whereas in 4:137 the person has disbelieved twice and increased thereof.
I would be very much grateful if someone could shine some light on this.
Regards,
Yusuf.

[ahmad]

Wa alaykum al salam.

Dear Yusuf Ali,

In my humble opinion. I think a way you can view the issue of belief and disbelief is as a spectrum that has complete disbelief and complete belief on both ends and various shades of them in between.

Furthermore, as you can see from the following verses one can also increase in faith just as like some increase in disbelief.

Saheeh International translation*
[3:173]
Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.

[8:2]
The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely -

[9:124]
And whenever a surah is revealed, there are among the hypocrites those who say, "Which of you has this increased faith?" As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, while they are rejoicing.

[33:22]
And when the believers saw the companies, they said, "This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth." And it increased them only in faith and acceptance

What does it mean to increase in disbelief, is it to become stubborn in denial of the truth? Is it to have reached a point where you can no longer accept the truth? Will this person ever want to change their ways or will they never acknowledge and accept the truth, i.e. they will always remain in denial till they die?

The thoughts you kindly shared reflect what I believe may be the answer to your question

[Yusuf Ali]

I have despaired of Allah's mercy several times because throughout my life i felt i had fitted into this category of people. Non but the disbelieving people despair of Allah's mercy. Does my despairing mean i am of these individuals.

[ahmad]

Like you said, despairing of God's mercy is a characteristic of the disbelieving people. However, this does not make a believer that despairs of god's mercy a disbeliever. Simply because someone who disbelieves will not even try to repent because he completely despaired of God's mercy. But a believer that goes through hard times may despair. But will not despair completely. I mean to the point of no return like a someone who becomes a disbeliever.

Although the best thing to do is not despair at all.

[3:146]
And how many a prophet [fought and] with him fought many religious scholars. But they never lost assurance due to what afflicted them in the cause of Allah, nor did they weaken or submit. And Allah loves the steadfast.


I think a way to view it is just like what we discussed above: there are various grades of despair. Not all despair is equal.
Here is another verse that puts things into perspective.

[39:53]
Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."

 So as long as one seeks forgiveness, then this means that he has not completely despaired. At the end I think that it is important to remember the following verse.

[2:286]
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."

I hope this helps.

[Yusuf Ali]

Thank you SO much my dear brother! I love you !!!!!!!!!!

[Yusuf Ali]

I think I need to stop over stressing. The very first thing I did when I felt this way was I prayed for forgiveness, if i had lost all hope why did i even bother seeking forgiveness. But yes during the time of prayer i did have overpowering feelings of despair and i did incline to this most definitely. Maybe this was satan trying to lead me down to this bitter road.

[Yusuf Ali]

But I do agree that despairing of Allah's mercy (in my opinion) is attributing a quality to Allah that we have no authority of doing, for this, it maybe a form of Shirk. And from 3:90 (my own opinion) i feel its referring to an element of stubbornness/defiance or be it (again in my opinion) to increase in denial.

[ahmad]

But I do agree that despairing of Allah's mercy (in my opinion) is attributing a quality to Allah that we have no authority of doing, for this, it maybe a form of Shirk. And from 3:90 (my own opinion) i feel its referring to an element of stubbornness/defiance or be it (again in my opinion) to increase in denial.

I think your right, but its not necessarily of a form of shirk but still its wrong.

[Ismail]

Salaam.

3:90 says that the person did not return to the right path and settle down to mend his ways, and make amends to his sins, reform himself, and to remain steadfast in the right path, unlike the person referred to in 3:89.

Instead, he went on increasing in his arrogant denial of Truth.

As for 4:137, it is about hardened hypocrites, who, after wavering for some time, took the path of no return.

Much before 3:90, we have the warning to the believers not to befriend the infidels (3:28).

It were the hypocrites who used befriend the infidels and conspired with them against the believers.

Here, soon after 4:137, they are specified as hypocrites (4:138), who transgress 3:28 with impunity (4:149).

All this is summed up in Sura Al Munafqoon thus: "... That is because they believed, then disbelieved, therefore their hearts are sealed, so they understand not." (63:3)

Regards,
A. Ismail Sait.

   

[Yusuf Ali]

I thank you both immensely for your efforts in trying to make this clear to me.
Praise be to Allah!