2. so, for your sake, Allah may forgive the past faults of your community* and their future shortcomings. And He may complete His Blessing upon you, and guide you upon a straight path.
*
The co-related noun is estimated and has been omitted here. The intended words are ‘ma taqaddama min dhanbi ummati-ka wa ma ta’akhkhar’. It is because the following subject relates to glad tidings of sending down tranquillity, admission to Paradise and forgiveness of sins. The meaning will become evident if verses 1 to 5 are studied together. The leading exegetes have elucidated it under verse 55 of Sura al-Mu’min. In li-dhanbi-ka, the co-related noun is ‘Umma’, which is omitted. On this basis, therefore, wastaghfir li-dhanbi-ka denotes the sins of the Umma. The leading scholars Imam al-Nasafi, Imam al-Qurtubi and al-Shawkani have drawn the same meanings. To summarise:
1. Wastaghfir li-dhanbi-ka means li-dhanbi Ummati-ka, that is ‘the sins
of your Umma’. (al-Nasafi in Madarik al-Tanzil wa Haqa’iq al-Ta’wil, 4:359.)
2. Wastaghfir li-dhanbi-ka means li-dhanbi Ummati-ka, hudhifa al-mudaf wa uqima
al-mudaf ilayh maqama-hu. It implies the sins of the Umma. The co-related
noun is omitted in the given phrase. (al-Qurtubi in al-Jami‘ li-Ahkam al-Qur’an,
15:324.)
3. Wa qila li-dhanbi Ummati-ka fi haqqi-ka. It is said that li-dhanbi-ka,
signifies the faults committed by the Umma, regarding your rights. (Ibn Hayyan
al-Andalusi in al-Bahr al-Muhit, 7:471.)
4. Wastaghfir li-dhanbi-ka means dhanbi Ummati-ka, fa-huwa ‘ala hadhfi al-mudaf.
It implies the sins of the Umma, and this interpretation is based on the
principle of omission of the co-related noun. (al-Shawkani in Fath al-Qadir,
4:497.)
