63:1 When
the hypocrites come to you, they say, ‘We bear witness that you are indeed the
Messenger of Allah.’ And Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and
Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are truly liars.
63:2 They
have taken their oaths as a shield, and thus, they turn others from the path of
Allah. Surely, evil is that which they used to do.
63:3 That
is because they believed, then they disbelieved; thus, a seal has been set on
their hearts so that they do not understand.
63:4 And
when you see them, their bodies please you, and if they speak, you listen to
their speech. They are like propped-up timbers. They think that every cry is
against them. They are the enemy; so beware of them. Allah has cursed them. How
they are perverted!
Tafsir
63:1 “When
the hypocrites come to you, they say, ‘We bear witness that you are indeed the
Messenger of Allah.’”
Surah
Al-Munafiqun begins by referring to one of the most obnoxious characteristics
of the hypocrites, namely, lying and deception.
O noble
Messenger Muhammad, when the hypocrites come to your assembly, they deceptively
and falsely say, ‘We bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah and that
you are truthful regarding the revelation that Allah has revealed to you.’
The hypocrites
emphasized their statement that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah in order to
give the false impression that they were truthful in their testimony.
“And Allah
knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and Allah bears witness that the
hypocrites are truly liars.”
O noble
Messenger Muhammad, Allah, Exalted be He, knows that you are truly His Prophet
and Messenger whether the hypocrites acknowledge it or not. Indeed, you do not
need the testimony of the hypocrites, for it is false. Allah bears witness that
the hypocrites are truly liars because their statements contradict what their
hearts truly believe.
The hearts of
the hypocrites conceal disbelief, doubt, and enmity toward Messenger Muhammad
and the believers.
True belief in
Allah and His Messenger is only complete when what one believes in the heart
agrees with what the tongue says. However, the hypocrites say what contradicts
their hearts. Their tongues declare belief in Allah and His Messenger, while
their hearts disbelieve in them.
63:2 “They
have taken their oaths as a shield, and thus, they turn others from the path of
Allah.”
This refers to
some of the evil means that the hypocrites use to make people believe them.
When the lies of
the hypocrites are exposed and their disbelief and hypocrisy are revealed, they
immediately resort to swearing false oaths in order to conceal their evil
nature. They swear that they never said anything against Messenger Muhammad or
the believers, although this is a sheer lie.
In other words,
the hypocrites make false oaths their shield in order to protect themselves
from any harm that may befall them if their true nature is exposed.
“And thus,
they turn others from the path of Allah. Surely, evil is that which they used
to do.”
By using false
oaths, the hypocrites turn people away from the straight path of Allah. This is
because people are deceived by these false oaths, which cause them to doubt the
truthfulness of the message of Messenger Muhammad.
Surely, evil is
that which the hypocrites used to do. They not only follow the path of
misguidance themselves, but also cause other people to follow it. Thus, they
combine more than one evil act, including:
Intentionally
making false oaths
Turning away
from the path of guidance
Causing other
people to turn away from the path of guidance
63:3 “That
is because they believed, then they disbelieved; thus, a seal has been set on
their hearts so that they do not understand.”
The hypocrites
used to lie, deceive, and turn other people away from the path of Allah because
they uttered the testimony of faith with their tongues while their hearts
disbelieved. Then they persisted in disbelief and manifested clear actions and
behaviors confirming their deep disbelief.
Thus, Allah set
a seal upon their hearts because of their persistence in disbelief, so they
could no longer understand the true meaning of sincere faith, let alone
experience the strong feeling of true belief.
Regarding the
statement, “That is because they believed, then they disbelieved...,” Abu
Al-Qasim Mahmud ibn Umar al-Zamakhshari said:
‘If you say,
“The hypocrites were always disbelievers. Thus, why is it said that they
believed and then disbelieved?” I say, “There are three meanings to this
statement:
They uttered the
testimony of faith and outwardly acted as the believers do, and then they
disbelieved. Namely, their disbelief became exposed, and their statements
confirmed their true attitude toward Islam and the Muslims.
The hypocrites
uttered the testimony of faith when they were with the believers, and then they
uttered words of disbelief when they were with their fellow hypocrites.
The statement in
the Ayah refers only to those hypocrites who disbelieved after they had truly
believed.”’
Qatada, may
Allah be pleased with him, said:
‘[63:3 That is
because they believed, then they disbelieved; thus, a seal has been set on
their hearts so that they do not understand.] The hypocrites testified with
their tongues that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah, but their
hearts denied and hated that.’
63:4 And
when you see them, their bodies please you, and if they speak, you listen to
their speech. They are like propped-up timbers. They think that every cry is
against them. They are the enemy; so beware of them. Allah has cursed them. How
they are perverted!
This Ayah
eloquently portrays the hypocrites in a manner that causes every person of
sound mind to despise and disdain them and to strive to avoid them.
O noble
Messenger, when you see those hypocrites, their bodies please you because of
their beauty and attractive appearance. If they speak, you listen to their
speech and may think that they are truthful, although they are liars.
When the
hypocrites sit in your assembly, leaning their backs against the walls while
their hearts are devoid of faith and goodness, they are like propped-up timbers
that are devoid of any beneficial use.
In summary, the
hypocrites possess appealing appearances and eloquent speech; however, their
hearts are devoid of goodness. Rather, their hearts are filled with ugly
characteristics.
Allah, Exalted
be He, has likened the hypocrites to propped-up timbers in order to criticize
them and clearly demonstrate that they are devoid of goodness.
“They
think that every cry is against them.”
This Ayah
clearly demonstrates that the hypocrites are cowardly and fainthearted.
The hypocrites
think that every cry is directed against them because of their cowardly hearts,
evil intentions, and wicked souls. They think that every cry of a person
searching for his lost animal is intended to expose or punish them for their
evil deeds and wicked behavior.
It was also said
that the hypocrites feared that Allah might reveal a revelation exposing their
wickedness.
“They are
the enemy; so beware of them. Allah has cursed them. How they are perverted!”
O noble Prophet,
the hypocrites are the true enemy. They are the enemies of Allah, His Prophet,
and the believers. Their enmity is extreme and deeply rooted in their hearts.
Therefore, beware of them and do not be deceived by their outward appearance or
deceitful conduct toward you.
Allah has cursed
them because of their maliciousness and wickedness. How greatly they are
perverted and turned away from the straight path that leads to happiness in
this world and the Hereafter.
The Learned
Lessons from Surah Al-Munafiqun Ayah 1–4
·
True faith is firm belief
in the heart, and truthful speech reflects what is in the heart. Whoever says
something while believing its opposite in his heart is a liar. The hypocrites
are liars because they say what they do not believe in their hearts.
·
The hypocrites do not
hesitate to make false oaths and turn people away from Islam. They use false
oaths as a shield to protect themselves from any harm that may befall them if
their true nature is exposed. Consequently, people are deceived by their false
oaths and think that they are true believers when they are not. This behavior
causes people to turn away from embracing Islam and discourages them from
fighting for the sake of Allah, since the hypocrites themselves habitually
refrain from fighting for the sake of Allah, thereby encouraging others to
imitate their evil behavior.
·
The hypocrites are
disbelievers because they testify with their tongues that they are believers
while their hearts disbelieve. The decisive criterion for true belief is the
heart. Since the hypocrites believe only with their tongues, Allah, Exalted be
He, has placed a seal upon their hearts, making them unable to understand or
recognize the signs and proofs of true faith.
·
People are not judged by
their outward shapes, forms, or appearances. Rather, actual deeds, truthful
speech, and perceived realities are the proper standards by which they are
judged. The hypocrites possess beautiful appearances and eloquent tongues, yet
they are like bodies without souls and images without meaning.
·
Hypocrisy usually leads to
anxiety, hesitation, weakness, cowardice, defeatism, apprehension, and
restlessness. The hypocrites think that every cry is against them because of
their extreme cowardice.
·
The hypocrites are enemies
of the believers; therefore, caution should be exercised regarding their
eloquent speech, their conspiracies against the believers, and their knowledge
of the believers’ affairs, lest such information reach the enemies of the
Muslims.
·
Allah, Exalted be He, has
cursed the hypocrites because they willingly turn away from the straight path
and follow the path of misguidance, despite the presence of clear proofs
supporting the truth before them.
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