Ma kana linnabiyyi wallatheena amanoo an yastaghfiroo lilmushrikeena walaw kanoo olee qurba (surah Tawbah: 113)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(9:113) It does not behove the Prophet and those who have believed to pray for the forgiveness of the mushriks, even though they be near kinsmen, when it has become clear to them that they deserve Hell. *111

Maa kaana lin nabiyyi wallazeena aamanooo ai yastaghfiroo lilmushrikeena wa law kaanoo ulee qurbaa mim ba`di maa tabiyana lahum annahum Ashaabul jaheem

*111) "It does not behove . . . to pray for the mushriks . . . " implies two things. First, we love them and sympathise with them. Secondly, we consider their crime to be pardonable. There is no harm to cherish these things for the one who is loyal, though a sinner, but it is absolutely wrong in principle to love and sympathise with a person who is an open rebel and to consider his case as pardonable as it renders our own loyalty doubtful. Besides, it adds to the intensity of the crime, if we pray for the forgiveness of a mushrik, who is our near relative. For it means that we consider our relationships to be more valuable than the fulfilment of the implications of our loyalty to AIIah and that our love with Allah. and His Way is not wholly unalloyed and that we desire that AIIah should also be influenced by the love we have with His rebels and pardon our criminal kinsmen, even though He should throw the other criminals into the fire of Hell. Obviously, all such things are wrong and are against loyalty and sincerity and the Faith demands that our love with Allah and His Way should be absolutely unalloyed and that His friend should be our friend and His enemy our enemy. That is why Allah has not said, "Do not pray for the forgiveness of the mushriks ", but has instead warned, lt. does not behove the Prophet and those who have believed to pray for the forgiveness of the mushriks", which implies this: "The right thing for you is that you yourselves should regard it as improper to Show sympathy with Our rebels and consider their crime as pardonable: nay, you should not wait for any Command from Us about this" .
In this connection, it should also be noted well that it is forbidden to show sympathy with the mushriks only in matters of Faith. As regards the human relationships that demand the observance of the rights of one's own relatives, of showing love, sympathy and kindness, and cherishing fellow-feelings with them it is not forbidden at all but it is considered to be a virtue. We must fulfil the worldly rights of a relative whether he be a believer or a disbeliever: we should help him in affliction and give support ,to the needy ones and the orphans and show all possible 'sympathy with a sick or wounded person, irrespective of whether he is a Muslim or a non-Muslim.