Surah 63: Al-Munafiqun

The Holy Qur’an with English Translation and Commentary (Five Volume Commentary)

[a]In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

[a] See 1:1.

When the Hypocrites come to thee, they say, ‘We bear witness that thou art indeed the Messenger of Allah.’ And Allah knows that thou art indeed His Messenger, but Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are certainly liars.[4244]

[4244] 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.

They have made their oaths a shield; thus they turn men away from the way of Allah.[b] Surely, evil is that which they have been doing.[4245]

[4245] 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.

[b] 9:9.

That is because they first believed (and), then disbelieved.[c] So a seal was set upon their hearts and consequently they understand not.[4246]

[4246] 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.

[c] 3:91; 4:138; 16:107.

And when thou seest them, their figures please thee;[a] and if they speak, thou listenest to their speech. They are as though they were blocks of wood propped up. They think that every cry is against them. They are the enemy, so beware of them. Allah’s curse be upon them! How are they being turned away from the truth![4247]

[4247] 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 الجبل means, 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.

[a] 2:205.

And when it is said to them, ‘Come,[b] that the Messenger of Allah may ask forgiveness for you,’ they turn their heads aside, and thou seest them keeping back while they are big with pride.

[b] 4:62.

It is equal to them whether thou ask forgiveness for them or ask not forgiveness for them.[a] Allah will never forgive them. Surely, Allah guides not the rebellious people.[4248]

[a] 9:80.

[4248] 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.

They it is who say, ‘Spend not on those who are with the Messenger of Allah that they may disperse and leave him;’ while to Allah belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth; but the Hypocrites understand not.[4249]

[4249] 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.

They say, ‘If we return to Medinah, the one most exalted will surely drive out therefrom the one most mean,’ while true honour belongs to Allah and to His Messenger and the believers; but the Hypocrites know not.[4250]

[4250] 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.

O ye who believe! let not your wealth and your children divert[a] you from the remembrance of Allah. And whoever does so—it is they who are the losers.[4251]

[a] 8:29; 24:38; 64:16; 102:2.

[4251] 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.

[b]And spend out of that with which We have provided you before death comes upon one of you and he says, ‘My Lord! if only Thou wouldst grant me respite for a little while,[c] then I would give alms and be among the righteous.’[4252]

[b] 2:196; 9:34.

[c] 14:45.

[4252] 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.

[a]And Allah will not grant respite to a soul when its appointed time has come; and Allah is Well-Aware of what you do.[4253]

[a] 71:5.

[4253] 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.