The Hypocrites (Al-Munafiqun)
Verses 1-3 GROUP_1481 63.1-3
1
إِذَا جَاءكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ
When the hypocrites come to you, they say, ‘We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of God.’ God knows that you are indeed His Messenger, but God bears witness that the hypocrites are surely liars—
2
اتَّخَذُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ جُنَّةً فَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُمْ سَاء مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
they use their oaths as a cover and thus they bar others from God’s way: what they have been doing is truly evil—
3
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا فَطُبِعَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ
that is because they believed and then rejected their faith: their hearts are sealed up, so that they are devoid of understanding.
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Commentary
(a) It is a sign of hypocrisy in an individual if he indulges in tall talk and resorts to swearing oaths to reassure others of the truth of his words. A sincere man is subdued out of fear of God. He speaks more from his heart than from his tongue. A hypocrite is eager for men to hear his voice, while a sincere man is eager for God to hear his voice. (b) When a man embraces the faith, he makes a sincere vow. Thereafter, different practical occasions arise in life when he is required to act according to his vow. Now, one who, on such occasions, hears the voice of his heart and fulfils the requirements of his vow, has in effect revived and confirmed his vow of faith. On the contrary, one who hears his inner voice, ignores it and acts in breach of his vow, will gradually become less and less conscious of his vow and will eventually become completely insensitive about his vow of faith. This, in fact, is the meaning of ‘their hearts are sealed up’.