4183 - Muhammad ibn al-'Abbas narrated to us, Muhammad ibn 'Amr narrated to us, Zunayj narrated to us, Salamah narrated to us, he said: Muhammad ibn Ishaq said regarding "and seek forgiveness for their sins, and who can forgive sins except Allah?": They sought forgiveness for them and knew that no one forgives sins except Him.

His saying, the Exalted: "And do not persist in what they have done"

[The First Aspect]

4184 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj narrated to us, 'Abd al-Hamid al-Himmani narrated to us, from 'Uthman ibn Waqid, from Abu Nusayrah, from a freed slave of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said: "He has not persisted (isarra) who seeks forgiveness, even if he returns to it seventy times in the day."

[The Second Aspect]

4185 - My father narrated to us, Qabisah ibn 'Uqbah narrated to us, Sufyan narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, from Mujahid, regarding "And do not persist in what they have done while they know," he said: They did not continue upon the disobedience.

It was narrated from Muqatil that he said: They did not remain upon those sins.

4186 - al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Rabi' narrated to us, 'Abd al-Razzaq informed us, Ma'mar informed us, from al-Hasan, regarding "And do not persist in what they have done," he said: Committing a sin intentionally is persistence (israr) until one repents.

Ma'mar said, and Qatadah said: He said: They stood fast in the acts of disobedience to Allah, and the fear of Allah did not restrain them until the command of Allah came to them.

And the third aspect:

4187 - Ahmad ibn 'Uthman ibn Hakim narrated to us, Ahmad ibn Mufaddal narrated to us, Asbat narrated to us, from al-Suddi, regarding His saying: "And do not persist in what they have done," [meaning:] they do not remain silent and not seek forgiveness.

It was narrated from 'Ata' al-Khurasani that he said: They do not overlook it.

4188 - Muhammad ibn al-'Abbas narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Ishaq said: "And do not persist in what they have done," meaning: they did not remain upon My disobedience, like the conduct of one who associated partners with Me in what they did, [as] one who disbelieved in Me.

His saying, the Exalted: "in what they have done"

4189 - I read to Muhammad, Muhammad narrated to us, Muhammad narrated to us, from Bukayr, from Muqatil, regarding His saying: "And do not persist in what they have done," [meaning:] they did not remain upon those sins, and they knew their sins.