"It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists." The exegesis of Qatadah: He said: It was revealed in Surat Bani Isra'il: "And say, 'My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.'" Then He revealed in this verse: "It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed..." until the end of the verse. So it is not appropriate for a Muslim to ask forgiveness for his parents if they are polytheists, nor to say: 'My Lord, have mercy upon them.' And His saying, Exalted is He: "After it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire," meaning:
﴿مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُوا للْمُشْرِكين﴾ تَفْسِيرُ قَتَادَةَ: قَالَ: كَانَ أُنْزِلَ فِي سُورَةِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ﴿وَقُلْ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا﴾ ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ فِي هَذِهِ الآيَةِ ﴿مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا﴾ الآيَةَ، فَلا يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرَ لِوَالِدَيْهِ إِذَا كَانَا مُشْرِكَيْنِ، وَلا أَنْ يَقُولَ: رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا (ل ١٣٤) وَقَوْلُهُ ﷿: ﴿مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيم﴾ أَي:
