| Answer: class="Paragraph">In
principle, we can pray for any person in a general way by asking God to grant
him excuse for his sins if he deserves this rebate and to grant him a place in
Paradise if he deserves this reward.
As far as the
Qur’ānic verse that you have cited is concerned, it specifically pertains to the
Idolaters of Arabia. I have explained several times before in these columns that
there are certain directives of Islam which are specific to the age of the
Prophet (sws) and his companions. In the age of Messengers of Allah, the
Almighty punishes people who persist to deny the basic truths which He unveils
through His messengers so that this exercise can become a visual evidence to the
reward and punishment that is going to take place in the Hereafter. In the age
of the Messengers, people who deliberately deny the basic truths can be
pinpointed because it is the Almighty who informs the Messengers about this. The
punishment for denying the truth in spite of being convinced about it begins in
this very world. Now asking for forgiveness for people about whom it is known
that they have been condemned to Hell, is obviously not required. The last part
of the verse clearly says that the real reason for abstention from such a prayer
is the fact that their fate has become evident because of their obdurate and
deliberate denial.
Today also
people may deny a truth in spite of being convinced about it but since we can
have no knowledge of this (because this can only be obtained through divine
revelation which, of course, no longer comes), so, in my opinion, we can pray
for any Muslim or non-Muslim in the above mentioned general way. |