وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ 9
Translations
They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].
Transliteration
Wa-waddū law tudhin fa-yudhnūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how the disbelievers wish that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would compromise or soften his stance regarding their false beliefs and idolatry, so that they in turn would compromise with Islam. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the word 'tadhin' (تُدْهِنْ) means to be lenient, to compromise, or to smooth over matters by concealing the truth. The ayah condemns such compromise on matters of faith, emphasizing that the Prophet must remain firm in conveying the message of monotheism without dilution.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Qalam, revealed in Mecca during a period of intense opposition to the Prophet's message. The context reflects the Meccan pagans' attempts to negotiate with the Prophet—offering him wealth, status, and social acceptance if he would compromise on his religious convictions. The surah as a whole addresses the accusations against the Prophet and emphasizes his unwavering commitment to divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
The principle reflected here relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet said: 'Whoever seeks to please people by displeasing Allah, Allah will be displeased with him.' This reinforces the Quranic principle that compromise on faith is unacceptable.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must maintain unwavering commitment to Islamic principles and should never compromise their faith to gain worldly favor or social acceptance. True strength lies in steadfastness to truth, not in appeasing those who oppose the divine message.