سورة النساء

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ مَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ لِیُطَاع بِإِذْنِ اللهِ [And We did not send any messenger except that he should be obeyed by Allah's permission] — that is, [that they obey] the command of Allah.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abdullah ibn al-Najashi says: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) saying: "وَ ما أَرْسَلْنا مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا لِیُطاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللهِ وَ لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جاؤُکَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللهَ وَ اسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللهَ تَوَّاباً رَحِیماً [And We did not send any messenger except that he should be obeyed by Allah's permission; and had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had also asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-returning, Merciful]. By Allah, this refers to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and Ali (peace be upon him), on account of what they [the wrongdoers] did; that is, O Ali (peace be upon him)! If they were to bring it (the right of leadership) to you and, on account of what they have done, seek forgiveness from Allah, and the Messenger also seek forgiveness for them, they would find Allah Oft-returning, Merciful."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurara narrates: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "Allah has addressed Ali (peace be upon him) in His Book." I said: "In which place?" He said: "In His statement: وَ لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآؤُوکَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللهَ تَوَّابا رَّحِیمًا [And had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had also asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-returning, Merciful]."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): وَ لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآؤُوکَ [And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had come to you] — the pronoun "you" (kaf) refers to Ali (peace be upon him) — فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللهَ وَ اسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللهَ تَوَّابا رَّحِیمًا [and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-Returning, Merciful].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) asked a man, "In this part of the verse where it says: جَاؤُوکَ [they came to you], who is meant by 'you'?" The man said, "I do not know." The Imam said, "What Allah the Blessed and Exalted meant in this verse is: O Ali (peace be upon him), if they had come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had also asked forgiveness for them."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): A man in the time of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his family) had committed a sin and had hidden himself, until on a deserted road he came upon Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn (peace be upon them), who were then children. He lifted the two of them onto his shoulders and brought them into the presence of the Prophet of Allah, and said, "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! I have taken refuge with Allah and with al-Hasanayn (peace be upon them)." The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) laughed so much that he placed his hand upon his blessed mouth. Then he said, "Go, I have set you free." Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said to al-Hasanayn (peace be upon them), "I have accepted your intercession concerning this man." After this incident, this verse was revealed: وَ لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جاؤُکَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللهَ وَ اسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللهَ تَوَّاباً رَحِیماً [And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-Returning, Merciful].