المنافقون

See 1:1.

Commentary:

It is characteristic of a hypocrite that he makes loud profession of his faith and thus seeks to conceal the treachery and infidelity of his heart.

9:9.

Commentary:

The hypocrites make loud professions of their faith and repeatedly declare on solemn oaths that they are sincere believers. This they do in order to hoodwink honest and unsuspecting believers into thinking that they are sincere and faithful followers of Islam like themselves, and thus by winning the believers’ confidence they seek to create mischief among them. This is how they make their oaths a screen for their wicked designs.

3:91; 4:138; 16:107.

Commentary:

The hypocrites, the verse purports to say, appear to have lost all reason and understanding since they labour under the misconception that by their wiles and glib talk they can deceive Allah and His Prophet.

2:205.

Important Words:

مسندة (propped up) is derived from سند. They say سند الیه i.e. he leaned, rested or stayed himself against it or upon it. سند فی الجبلmeans, he ascended the mountain. سند (sannada) means, he set up pieces of wood as stays or props against a wall; he wore or clad himself with garments called سند (sanadun). The word also means, a thing upon or against which one leans, rests or stays himself, or a person upon whom one leans; mountain slope (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

In this verse the hypocrites have been compared to blocks of wood propped up, or pieces of wood dressed up with clothes, which signifies that a hypocrite lacks self-reliance. He is always in search of some person or thing upon which to rest or lean. Or the word may signify that his interior does not correspond to his exterior. He so conducts himself that while outwardly he appears to be a reasonable, dignified and honest person, inwardly he is quite hollow and rotten to the core. He seeks to please with his glib talk but, being a coward, he suspects danger in every crisis.

4:62.

9:80.

Commentary:

The hypocrites are the real enemies of Islam, much worse than the disbelievers (v. 5). By their secret wicked designs and machinations against Islam they irretrievably condemn themselves. As they have no faith, the verse says, asking forgiveness for them cannot benefit them in any way.

Commentary:

Insincere and dishonest himself, a hypocrite considers others to be like him. The verse points out that the hypocrites of Medina had made an entirely foolish and wrong estimate of the sincerity of purpose of the Holy Prophet’s Companions. They had quite a wrong notion that the Companions of the Holy Prophet had gathered round him from considerations of material interest, and that the moment they would find that their hopes had not materialised, they would desert him. Time completely belied their fond and futile expectations.

Commentary:

In the course of a campaign, (probably the one against Banu Mustaliq) ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy, leader of the hypocrites of Medina, is reported to have said that on his return he, "the most honourable of the inhabitants of Medina," would drive out therefrom "the meanest of them," meaning thereby that he would drive out of Medina the Holy Prophet, along with the entire band of his followers. ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy was bitterly hostile to the Holy Prophet because his hopes of becoming the Chief of Medina were shattered by the Holy Prophet’s arrival on the scene. ‘Abdullah’s son heard of this vile boast of his father, and as the party returned to Medina, he drew his sword and barred his father’s entry into the town till he had confessed and declared that he himself was the meanest of the citizens of Medina and the Holy Prophet the most honourable of them. Thus his boast recoiled on his own head.

8:29; 24:38; 64:16; 102:2.

Commentary:

The believers have been informed in this and the next verse that God demands from them the sacrifice of their wealth and offsprings in the cause of Truth, since it is sacrifice that distinguishes true believers from the hypocrites.

2:196; 9:34.

14:45.

Commentary:

The verse exhorts believers to make the best of their opportunities to serve the cause of truth with all the gifts that God had bestowed upon them, before death comes upon them i.e. before they lose the opportunity or the power to serve.

71:5.

Commentary:

The word أجل signifies a Divine decree, and the verse means that a people should make the best of their opportunities before the Divine decree comes into force; that is, because they will have outlived their usefulness, they would deserve to live no more.