Transliteration:( Sawaaa'un 'alaihim as taghfarta lahum am lam tastaghfir lahum lany yaghfiral laahu lahum; innal laaha laa yahdil qawmal faasiqeen )
"It is the same for them whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness; Allah will never forgive them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the rebellious people."
This verse was revealed before it was officially forbidden to pray for the forgiveness of hypocrites.
Later, verses such as Surah At-Tawbah (9:80) made it explicitly prohibited to offer such prayers for the hypocrites or disbelievers.
At this stage, the Prophet ﷺ was still permitted to pray for them, though the outcome was already decreed: no benefit would result from those prayers.
While the hypocrites gain nothing from the Prophet’s ﷺ intercession, the Prophet ﷺ still receives reward for making the supplication.
This reflects that Allah accepts the pure intention of His beloved ﷺ, even if the subject of the prayer is unworthy.
Some scholars interpret this verse to say that du'a for idolaters is strictly forbidden, while for hypocrites, there may be some leeway, as they outwardly follow Islamic laws.
The fact that Allah did not accept the Prophet’s ﷺ dua for these hypocrites is not a flaw—rather, it is a sign of his high station.
It shows that Allah only accepts prayers for those who truly value the Prophet ﷺ and his message.
The hypocrites, despite their superficial allegiance, disrespected and disbelieved inwardly, so no prayer would avail them.
Here, the term "fāsiqīn" (rebellious people) refers specifically to the hypocrites.
These are people who intentionally disobey, mock the guidance, and disrespect the Prophet ﷺ.
For such individuals, divine guidance is closed—not because it isn’t offered, but because they stubbornly reject it.
The tafsir of Surah Munafiqun verse 6 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Munafiqun ayat 5 which provides the complete commentary from verse 5 through 8.
(63:6) It is all the same for them whether you ask forgiveness for them or not; for Allah shall never forgive them.[13] Surely Allah does not direct the transgressing folk to the Right Way.[14]
13. This thing was reiterated in Surah At-Taubah, which was revealed three years after Surah Al-Munafiqoon, even in stronger words. In that Surah, Allah, while addressing the Prophet (peace be upon him) said this about the hypocrites: O Prophet (it will be all the same) whether you beg forgiveness for them or not, for Allah will not forgive them even if you beg forgiveness for them seventy times. This is because they have disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and Allah does not show guidance to the wrongdoers. (Surah At-Taubah, Ayat 84). A little further on in that Surah it was again said: And never perform the funeral prayer for anyone of them who dies nor stand at his grave, for they have denied Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) and died while they were transgressors. (Surah At-Taubah, Ayat 84).
14. Two things have been stated in this verse. First, that the prayer of forgiveness can be beneficial only for those who are guided aright. Let alone a common man, even if Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) himself prays for the forgiveness of the person, who has turned away from guidance and adopted the way of sin and transgression instead of obedience, he cannot be forgiven. Second, that it is not Allah’s way to bless with guidance those who do not seek His guidance. If a person himself turns away from Allah’s guidance, rather shakes his head with arrogance and rejects the invitation when he is called towards guidance, Allah has no need that He should go after him with His guidance and implore him to come to the right path.
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