May Allah pardon you, why did you give them leave to stay behind before it became clear to you as to who were truthful and who were liars.” (9:43)
It may appear that Allah expressed His displeasure with the Prophet for giving permission of leave to certain persons accepting their pleas on their face values without verifying their merits. However, a closer look at the manner the verse begins and closes shows the affection of Allah in addressing him. It is in fact a disapproval of those persons who sought to leave the frontline of the struggle at a particular moment and go back to their homes.
They made false pretexts saying that their family members were not safe and were in dangers, so they wanted to join them. Allah has, in fact, reprimanded them while expressing His kindness to the Prophet. So, the verse begins with the words, “May Allah pardon you.” This may be also translated as, “Allah has pardoned you.” It means that O my dear Messenger, you were so kind to those false pretenders that you didn’t wait to see whether they are truthful or liars. As they were liars, Allah did not approve of their pleas and did not pardon them. Although your act of kindness is not approved in their favour, you stand pardoned. This is a beautiful manner of showering love towards the Messenger that the words of pardon precede the mention of the act of disapproval.
“And had We not made you stand firm, you would have inclined to them a little.”(17:74)
This is an expression to highlight the security from any tilt towards any proposal from any evil person or group whose sole intention was to jeopardize the purity of the faith and message propagated by the Prophet. Allah made him firm leaving no possibility of tilting towards his adversaries, who are thus informed, rather warned, that he is not any ordinary person but has the full backing and support of Allah.
“We know well that their talk grieves you, though in truth they do not deny you but the evil-doers deny the verses/signs of Allah.”(6:33)
The Prophet was distressed by the untoward comments of those who denied him as if he was telling lies. Once Abu Jahal told him, “We don’t say you are a liar, but what you have brought is a lie.” Such comments and consequent rebuttals that ‘although you are a truthful person yet your message is not true’ pained the Prophet. He was upset and hurt. Allah consoled him, saying that these wicked people were not denying him but were denying the verses of Allah. So, he should not take it on himself as they were not repudiating him in person but the verse of Allah brought by him.
“They denied these (verses) wrongfully out of their wickedness and pride, in spite of their minds being convinced of their truth.” (27:14)
Their denial of the verses of Allah had no merit in itself, but a result of their wickedness. Obviously, the acceptance of the verses of Allah would mean correcting their faiths and behaviour which they were not willing to do on account of their vested interests and false pride. Allah informed the Prophet that they were convinced about the truthfulness of the verses revealed through him.
In other words, Allah consoled the Prophet that neither he nor the message that came through him failed, rather their terse comments and bad behaviours emanated from their own vanity and mischief were directed against Allah. Such encouraging words of consolation flew from the love and affection of Allah towards the Prophet.
“Indeed, prophets before you have been denied and they were patient under the denial until Our help reached them.”(6:34)
The required behaviour from the Prophet was akin to the behaviours of earlier prophets who were also denied and persecuted, who remained steadfast until help from Allah came to their rescue. There was a good tiding in this verse that help from Allah will come soon, rather it was knocking at the door.
Scholars have also pointed out one specific aspect of the special fondness and honour of Allah towards the prophet that He addressed other Prophets and Messengers by their names, for example “O Adam (2:23)”, “O Nuh” (11:48), “O Ibrahim”(37:104-05), “O Musa” (20:14), O Da’ud”(38:26), “O Isa”(3:55),”O Zakariya”(19:7) and “O Yahya” (19:12). However, He addressed Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless and grant him peace, with titles such as “O Messenger” (5:67), “O Prophet” (33:45), “O Enwrapped” (73:1), and “O Enshrouded” (74:1).