Sura An-Nisa' (The Women)

Section 21 - Fate of the Hypocrites

Deceitfulness of the hypocrites - Friendship with the enemies - Fate of the hypocrites

142. " Verily the hypocrites seek to trick Allah, but He is tricking them. And, when they stand up For prayer they stand up lazily; showing off to the people, and they do not remember Allah save a little. "

Commentary:

The purpose of ' seeking to trick Allah by hypocrites ', perhapse, is the same expression of Faith by them and playing with the commandments of Allah. And, as Imam Reza (a.s.) says: since Allah gives the retribution of thier trick, this divine retribution is called ' trick '.

" Verily the hypocrites seek to trick Allah, but He is tricking them. ..."

However, they are far from Allah and, consequently, they do not enjoy of telling Allah their secrets and praying for their needs; and that is why that when they stand for prayer they are thoroughly full of listlessness and laziness. It says:

" ... And, when they stand up for prayer they stand up lazily; ... "

The hypocrites, in fact, do not believe in Allah and His magnificent promises. Then, if they worship or do a righteous deed, it is also for showing off to people, not for the sake of Allah.

" ... showing off to people, ... "

So, if they sometimes recite the name of Allah or remember Him, it is not done sincerely and knowingly. Supposing that, might be, it is very little. It says:

" ... and they do not remember Allah save a little. "

(143) مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ لاَ إِلَى هَـؤُلاء وَلاَ إِلَى هَـؤُلاء وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلاً

143. " (The hypocrites are) swaying between this (infidelity and Faith) neither towards these (believers) nor towards those (infidels); and whoever Allah leaves to go astray, never then shall you find for him a way. "

Commentary:

The Arabic word /tathaththub/ phylologically means: ' to be moved to and fro, as anything suspended in the air '.(1)

Therefore, the hypocrites do not have a firm thing to rely on, and they sway between this and that, like a thing which is supended in the air and moves by the movement of a wind. They depend on others, so they wander without having any proper aim.

" (The hypocrites are) swaying between this (infidelity and Faith) neither towards these (believers) nor towards those (infidels); ..."

Also, they have not tranquility and peace, because they must always change their own position to a new one and hurriedly make immediate decisions.

And, to conclude, the hypocrites are stray, and have incurred the wrath of Allah. The verse continues saying:

"... and whoever Allah leaves to go astray, never then shall you find for him a way. "

(144) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاء مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَجْعَلُواْ لِلّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا مُّبِينًا

144. " O' you who have Faith ! Do not take the disbelievers for friends instead of the believers. Do you desire that you should give to Allah a manifest proof against yourselves ? "

Commentary :

The believers have not the right of accepting the mastership of the disbelievers. But it is in the case that the hypocrites have a close tie with the disbelievers. The Qur'an introduces the disbelievers as Satans of the hypocrites:

" ... when they are alone with their evil ones, ... "

And they are as brethren of the hypocrites:

" ... those who have become hypocrites? They say to those of their brethren who disbelieve ... "

The senses mentioned in Sura Nisa', No.4, Verse 139 and 141 are also indications to the quality of the connection between the hypocrites and the disbelievers.

Explanations:

1. ' Tawalla ' and ' Tabarra ' are parts of the religion.

2. Any communication, friendship, and agreement contraction that results to the loss of Muslims, should be avoided of.

3. In current foreign policy, political and economical ties, choices, appointments and desposals or any action which ends to the domination of disbelievers over Muslims is unlawful (Haram) in Islam and it is rejected.

4. Any Muslim believer who accepts to saffer abjectness, has no proof to give Allah for his action.

" ... Do you desire that you should give to Allah a manifest proof against yourselves? "

5. Accepting the mastership of disbelievers does not adapt to faith. There is no room in a heart for two opposite affections

" O' you who have Faith! ... "

(145) إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيرًا

145. " Verily the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the Fire, and never you shall find a helper for them. "

Commentary :

There are some unaware Muslims who accept the friendship of the hypocrites. To make clear the situation of the hypocrites, the Qur'an in this verse says:

" Verily the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the Fire, and never you shall find a helper for them. "

It is well understood from this verse that hypocrisy is the worst kind of infidelity from the point of view of Islam, and the hypocrites are the furthest distant people from Allah. So, it is for this reason that their abode is in the worst place and the lowest stage of Hell.

(146) إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصْلَحُواْ وَاعْتَصَمُواْ بِاللّهِ وَأَخْلَصُواْ دِينَهُمْ لِلّهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

146. " Except those who repent, and amend and hold fast to (the grace of) Allah and make their religion pure for Allah. These, then, are with the believers; and Allah will grant the believers a great reward. "

Commentary :

The way of repentance is open to all, even to the worst ones. Repentance can take a person from the position of ' the lowest stage of the Fire ' to ' the Exalted Heaven '. The Qur'an says:

" Except those who repent, ... "

Human beings are free and can change the way, i.e. they can repent:

" ... those who repent, ... "

Repentance is not only an expression of regret, but it is an inclusive improvability. The verse continues saying:

" ... and amend and hold fast (the grace of) Allah and make thier religion pure for Allah ... "

Those hypocrites who repent should not feel loneliness for the absence of their fellow-mindeds, because they find some better colleagues instead of them.

" ... these, then, are with the believers; "

Eclecticism in believes and thoughts is forbidden:

" ... and make their religion pure for Allah ... "

Then, it is to the believers to receive the true repentant ones and consider them as themselves.

"... these, then, are with the believers; and Allah will grant the believers a great reward. "

(147) مَّا يَفْعَلُ اللّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِن شَكَرْتُمْ وَآمَنتُمْ وَكَانَ اللّهُ شَاكِرًا عَلِيمًا

147. " What can Allah gain by your punishment, if you be grateful and you believe? And Allah is All-Thankful, All-Knowing. "

Commentary :

If you believe and do righteous deeds and, in the meantine, you do not abuse the bounties of Allah, and be grateful for the bounties of Allah, without doubt, there will not be any divine punishment upon you. The verse says:

" What can Allah gain by your punishment if you be grateful ... "

Then, in order to emphasize this matter, it adds that the Lord is both aware of your deeds and your thoughts, and is thankful and giver for your righteous deeds. It says:

" ... And Allah is All-Thankful, All-Knowing. "

In the above mentioned verse, the subject of 'thankfulness' has occurred before the sense of ' belief '. This precedence is for the fact that: as long as a person does not know the bounties and graces of Allah and does not reach the position of gratitude, can not know Him, Himself. (Be careful.)

(148) لاَّ يُحِبُّ اللّهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوَءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ إِلاَّ مَن ظُلِمَ وَكَانَ اللّهُ سَمِيعًا عَلِيمًا

148. " Allah does not love open utterance of evil in speech except by one to whom injustice has been done, and Aallah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. "

Commentary :

In this verse and the verse next to it, a part of the ethical instructions of Islam are pointed out. At first, the verse indicates that Allah does not like that ill-speaking be performed or the vice and disgraceful actions of people be manifested by speech of others. It says:

" Allah does not love open utterance of evil in speech ... "

As Allah Himself is the Concealer of Faults, He does not love that individuals betray secrets and make manifest the vices of people so that they disgrace them.

Then, the Qur'an refers to some affairs that can be counted as the authority for such betraying secrets and ill-speaking. It says:

" ... except by one to whom injustice has been done, ... "

Such persons are right to defend themselves against the cruelty of transgressors. They can complain of them, criticize them, blame them, and back bite them. They are also right to continue doing that until they get their right and ward off the transgression.

And, as the style of the Qur'an is, in order that some persons do not misuse this exception and do not make manifest the vices of people under the pretext that they have been transgressed, at the end of the verse, it says:

" ... And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. "

(149) إِن تُبْدُواْ خَيْرًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ أَوْ تَعْفُواْ عَن سُوَءٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا قَدِيرًا

149. " If you do good openly or conceal it or pardon (others') evil, then verily Allah is All-Pardoning, All-Powerful. "

Commentary:

Whenever you are in the position of power, and forgiveness has a training effect, do forgive; and wherever silence is abasement, and it strengthens injustice, do shout.

Therefore, avengeance and retaliation is ' legitimate ', and forgiveness is ' virtue '. So, it is worthy to pardon when you are powerful. It says:

" ... then verily Allah is All-Pardoning, All-Powerful. "

Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.) says:

" When you gain power over your adversary, pardon him as gratitude for being able to overpower him." (1)

(1)Nahj-ul-Balaqah, saying No.10

(150) إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيْنَ اللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَّخِذُواْ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً
(151) أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ حَقًّا وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا

150. " Verily those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers, and desire to make division between Allah and His Messengers, and say: ' We believe in some and disbelieve in others ', and seek to choose a way in between; "

151. " These are, in truth, infidels, and We have prepared for the infidels disgraceful chastisement. "

Commentary :

The Jews and the Christians believed in some Prophets and disbelied in some other ones, and it was because of their foolishly desires and bigotries, and also because of some unreasonable insularities.

The verse says:

" Verily those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers, and desire to make division between Allah and His Messengers, and say: ' We believe in some and disbelieve in others ', ..."

It should also be attended that the process of messengership is the permanent Allah's way of treatment which are linked together like a chain, and we must believe in this process totally.

Therefore, Allah and His messengers are in the same row and there is no separation in between at all. Then, it is forbidden to disbelieve in Allah and the messengers, or to believe in Allah and disbelieve in some Prophets.

Ecleclicism and paving a way other than the way of prophets is infidelity.

" ... and seek to choose a way in between; ..."
" These are, in truth, infidels, ... "

(152) وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ أُوْلَـئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَكَانَ اللّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

152. " And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no division between any of them, He will grant them their rewards, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. "

Commentary:

In this verse, the Qur'anpoints to the position and the fate of believers. It implies that those who believed in Allah and all Histhe prophets and did not make any separation between them, have proved their own submission and sincerity unto the Truth and also proved to struggle against any bigotry. As for these Allah will bestow their rewards soon. The verse says:

" And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no division between any of them, He will grant them their rewards, ..."

And, at the end of the verse, another fact is referred to. It indicates that if this group of the believers had formerly committed such bigotries, divisions, and some other sins, and now have purified their Faith and returned to Allah, He will forgive them.

" ... and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. "

(153) يَسْأَلُكَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ أَن تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَابًا مِّنَ السَّمَاء فَقَدْ سَأَلُواْ مُوسَى أَكْبَرَ مِن ذَلِكَ فَقَالُواْ أَرِنَا اللّهِ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ ثُمَّ اتَّخَذُواْ الْعِجْلَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ فَعَفَوْنَا عَن ذَلِكَ وَآتَيْنَا مُوسَى سُلْطَانًا مُّبِينًا