Seeking Forgiveness
وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلَّا عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ ۚ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لَأَوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ {114}
And Ibrahim’s asking ‘اسْتِغْفَارُ’ forgiveness for his (foster) father was only due to a promise which he had made to him. So when it became clear to him he was an enemy of Allah, he disavowed from him; surely Ibrahim was very tender-hearted, forbearing [9:114]
العياشي: عن إبراهيم بن أبي البلاد، عن بعض أصحابه، قال: قال أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): «ما تقول الناس في قول الله: وَ ما كانَ اسْتِغْفارُ إِبْراهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلَّا عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَها إِيَّاهُ؟ قلت: يقولون: إن إبراهيم وعد أباه أن يستغفر له؟
Al-Ayyashi, from Ibrahim Bin Abu Al Bilaad, from one of his companions who said,
‘Abu Abdullah-asws said: ‘What are the people saying regarding the Words of Allah-azwj And Ibrahim’s asking forgiveness for his (foster) father was only due to a promise which he had made to him [9:114]?’ I said, ‘They are saying that Ibrahim-as promised his-as (foster) father that he-as would seek forgiveness for him?’
قال: «ليس هو هكذا، إن إبراهيم وعده أن يسلم فاستغفر له، فلما تبين له أنه عدو لله تبرأ منه
He-asws said: ‘It is not like that. Ibrahim-as promised him that if he were to submit, he-as would seek Forgiveness for him. So, when it became clear to him-as that he was an enemy of Allah-azwj, he-as disavowed himself-as from him’.[1]
NB: Sins, Repentance and Forgiveness | Hubeali.com
[1] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 114/ 146