The surah begins with a description of the hypocrites’ attempt to disguise the truth of their unbelief. They declare themselves Muslim and testify that the Prophet is God’s Messenger. They swear by God so as to convince the Muslims, while they themselves know that they are lying. Their oaths are merely a shield behind which they hope to hide their true reality and deceive the Muslims:

When the hypocrites come to you, they say, 'We bear witness that you are indeed God's Messenger.9 God knows that you are truly His Messenger and He bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars. They use their oaths as a cover [for their falseness], and they turn people away from the path of God. Evil indeed is what they do. (Verses 1-2)

They would go to the Prophet and state that they bore witness that he was God’s Messenger, but theirs was only a verbal testimony lacking all conviction. They were merely engaging in deception, hoping to hide their truth from the Muslim community and so protect themselves.

Therefore, God states that they were lying while making clear the truth of His message to the Prophet Muhammad: "God knows that you are truly His Messenger and He bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars” (Verse 1)

The phraseology here is both precise and precautionary. We note how the verse begins by confirming the truth of the Prophets message before it states that the hypocrites oaths were false. Without taking such care in its wording, the verse could suggest that denunciation of the hypocrites as liars applies to the subject matter of their statement, namely the Prophets message. The verse intends no such thing. What it aims to do is to state the truth, making it clear that they did not really believe that the Prophet’s message was true. In other words, they are not sincere in their statement.

“ They use their oaths as a cover.” (Verse 2) This short statement suggests that they used to swear an oath every time they feared exposure, or whenever one of their schemes was uncovered, or some of what they said about Muslims was reported. They hoped that such oaths would protect them from the consequences of their exposure. Thus they used their false faith as a shield to hide their reality and allow them a chance to go on with their plots and schemes against the Muslim community.

Thus, “they turn people away from the path of God.” They kept themselves and others away from God’s path, using their false oaths for that end.

“Evil indeed is what they do.” (Verse 2) Could there be anything worse than lying to mislead and deceive others?

The surah explains the reasons behind their behaviour, making it clear that they knowingly reverted to disbelief after having accepted Islam:

“ That is because they professed to believe, then they renounced faith. So, a seal has been set on their hearts and therefore they are devoid of understanding.” (Verse 3) Thus, whilst they have known what it means to accept faith, they nonetheless chose to revert to disbelief. No heart that has a sound understanding or appreciation of things, or indeed has life, would experience life under faith and then choose to return to disbelief. How can anyone who understands, appreciates and experiences the concept of life that faith promotes, with its view of the universe, and also breathes the fresh air of faith and lets the light of faith shine over his world wish to revert to the miserable and suffocating darkness of unfaith? None will make such a choice except he who is filled with grudges that blind his sight and blunt his senses. Hence, such people are in the miserable condition the verse describes: “So, a seal has been set on their hearts and therefore they are devoid of understanding” (Verse 3)

The surah draws a unique picture of such people inviting ridicule and describing them as aimless, leading a futile existence, and nursing grudges. It presents an image of them that serves as an object of ridicule:

When you see them, their outward appearance may please you; and when they speak, you listen to what they say They are like propped-up timbers. They think that every shout is directed against them. They are the real enemy; so beware of them. May God destroy them! How perverse they are! (Verse 4)

Thus, they are merely an outward appearance, not real human beings who respond and interact. They may look pleasant to the eye as long as they remain silent, but when they speak they show themselves to be devoid of sense and feeling. They are like timbers, but not just any kind of wood: they are propped up against a wall, unable to move.

This stone-cold picture shows the reaction of their souls, that is if they have souls at all. This is then complemented with a state of constant apprehension, perpetual fear and uncertainty: “They think that every shout is directed against them? (Verse 4) They know themselves to be hypocrites, covered by a thin veil of pretence, false oaths and attempts to appease. Hence, they live under the constant dread that their reality will be exposed. The surah shows them always turning around, dreading every move and every shout. They imagine that every cry is setting a chase after them. Thus, spiritually, they are like propped up pieces of wood, but when it is a question of fear for ones life or property, they look like a trembling reed in a storm. In both cases, they are the main enemy of the Prophet and the Muslim community: “ They are the real enemy; so beware of them? They are the enemy within, hiding within Muslim ranks. Hence, they represent a greater danger than the external enemy. Therefore, the Prophet is instructed to beware of them. He is not, however, instructed here to kill them. Instead, he was to pursue a different course of action, one that reflected much wisdom and confidence that their schemes would come to nothing.

“May God destroy them! How perverse they are!” (Verse 4) God will indeed be their enemy wherever they turn. Such a prayer by God Almighty means a verdict that is certain to take place. It is their inevitable outcome, as history has clearly shown.

The surah continues to describe their actions, revealing the rancour in their hearts. It shows how they schemed against the Prophet, yet were quick with their lies when exposed. These were their known qualities:

When they are told, 'Come, so that God's Messenger may ask forgiveness for you, ’ they turn their heads away. You see them drawing back in arrogance. As for them, it is all the same whether you pray for their forgiveness or you do not pray. God will not forgive them; for God does not bestow His guidance on such transgressor folk. They are the ones who say [to one another]: 'Do not give anything to those who are with God's Messenger, so that they may abandon him.' To God belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites cannot understand. They say, 'When we return to Madinah, the more honourable will surely drive out those who are contemptible. 'All honour belongs to God, His Messenger and the believers, but the hypocrites do not know. (Verses 5-8)

Several early scholars confirm that these verses relate to an incident in which ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy featured prominently. Ibn Ishaq gives a detailed account of it in his report on the expedition to forestall a planned attack by the al-Mustalaq tribe:

The Muslims were still encamping at the spring which provided the stage for their battle. Servants were taking horses to the water to drink. Among them was Jahjah, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattabs servant.

Apparently, there was some scrambling at the water among the servants. Jahjah clashed with an ally’ of the Khazraj, named Sinan ibn Wabr. Neither man seemed to be endowed with much wisdom:

punches were exchanged and each appealed to his ‘group’ for help.

Jahjah called on the Muhajirin to defend him, while Sinan called on the Ansar. ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy felt very angry when he heard of this. He was attended by a group of his people, including a young man called Zayd ibn Arqam. He said to them: “I have never known such humiliation as has befallen us today. They [the Muhajirin] are now standing up to us in our own home town. They are ungrateful to us for our favours. Our case with the refugees of the Quraysh is an apt example of the proverb: ‘Fatten your dog and he will eat you.’ When we go back to Madlnah the honourable among the two of us will certainly chase the humble out of it. You have only yourselves to blame for all this. You have taken them into your own homes and given them your own money until they have become rich. I swear that if you stop helping them with what you have, they will leave you and go elsewhere.” Zayd ibn Arqam recounted all this to the Prophet who was attended by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab. ‘Umar suggested that the Prophet should command ‘Abbad ibn Bishr to kill ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy. The Prophet said: “How would you like it, ‘Umar, if people started to say that Muhammad is killing his Companions?

Indeed, I shall not do that. However, give orders to depart now.” Thus, these orders were given at a time when the Prophet never used to depart.

‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy learnt that the Prophet had been told what he had said. He therefore hastened to him and denied any knowledge of what had been attributed to him. He swore by God that he did not say anything of the sort. Those of the Prophets Companions who were present tried to pacify matters. They were still keen that ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy should be given his chance to accept Islam. After all, he had been well respected among his people before the advent of Islam. They suggested to the Prophet that Zayd ibn Arqam might have misquoted or misheard ‘Abdullah.

When we consider the events and look at the people involved, as also the Quranic comments, we see the divine method of cultivating the first Muslim community and we marvel at how God conducts matters and events.

Thus, we see the first Muslim community infiltrated by hypocrites who live within its ranks for almost ten years, during the Prophets lifetime, and he does not expel them. In fact, God does not make them known to him by name or person until shortly before his own death.

He would know such a one only by the tone of his speech, the way he twisted words and tried to hide things. He also knew them by their reactions to things and events. God had willed this so that people were not allowed to judge others’ intentions and hearts. Judgement on these is for God alone. He alone knows what people harbour in their hearts and He alone requires people to account for them. As for us, we judge people by what we see before our eyes. Thus, no one is judged on the basis of suspicion. Even when God identified for His Messenger those who remained hypocrites until shortly before his death, the Prophet did not expel them from the Muslim community when they continued to put up a show that they were Muslims and fulfilled Islamic obligations.

Instead, he kept such knowledge to himself, informing only one of his Companions, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, of their identity. Neither of them publicized the information. Indeed, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab wanted to be sure even of himself. Hence he went to Hudhayfah to ask him whether the Prophet had mentioned him as being among the hypocrites.

Hudhayfah would only reply that he was not one of them, adding no further information. The Prophet was also ordered not to pray for any of them who might have died. His Companions would thus know by his absence from thtjandzah prayer [i.e. the prayer for a dead person] that the deceased was among the hypocrites. After the Prophets own death, Hudhayfah also refrained from attending the jandzah prayer of any hypocrite mentioned to him by the Prophet. ‘Umar too would not offer the janazah prayer for a dead person until he had made sure that their faith had remained untainted. If he saw Hudhayfah attending the prayer, he too would offer it. If not, he would not offer it either, but also would say nothing about this.

Thus events moved, as God had willed, fulfilling their intended purposes. They served to provide lessons and to cultivate the minds, manners and morals of the Muslim community. Furthermore, the event which led to the revelation of these verses serves to point out a number of values.

We see first 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy: a man living among the Muslim community, close to the Prophet. Events take place in succession and signs of different sorts are seen, all confirming the truth of the Islamic faith and the message preached by the Prophet. Yet 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy’s heart is not responsive to faith. Apparently, God has not granted him the blessing of accepting faith. Something stands between him and this great flow of light: it is the grudge he harbours for not being made king of the Aws and Khazraj. He had been all but proclaimed king when the people of Madlnah began to accept Islam, following the Prophet’s arrival there. This was enough for him to turn away from Islam and its divine guidance, regardless of how it was confirmed by evidence and signs aplenty. Indeed, he lived in the midst of the Muslim community, witnessing the radical change Islam brings into peoples lives.

We will now discuss the Qur’anic verses that refer to those events:

“ When they are told, 'Come, so that God's Messenger may ask forgiveness for you, 'they turn their heads away. You see them drawing back in arrogance.” (Verse 5) They perform their actions, say whatever they may say, and then if they realize that the Prophet heard of their behaviour they resort to cowardly ways. They swear an oath in an attempt to protect themselves. If, when feeling secure that they do not have to face the Prophet, someone says to them, 'Come, so that God's Messenger may ask forgiveness for you,' they turn away in arrogance. Both characteristics of cowardice and arrogance go hand in hand among hypocrites.

However, such behaviour normally belongs to those who hold position and influence among people, yet feel themselves too weak for direct confrontation. They resort to arrogant behaviour as long as they do not have to confront the truth. Yet when they are confronted with it, cowardice and false oaths are their mark.

Therefore, the surah addresses the Prophet, telling him what God has determined in the hypocrites case, and since Gods judgement has been passed, there is no longer any use in praying for their forgiveness: “As for them, it is all the same whether you pray for their forgiveness or you do not pray. God will notforgive them; for God does not bestow His guidance on such transgressor folk." 6)

The surah goes on to relate some aspects of their transgression that were the cause of Gods judgement: “ They are the ones who say [to one another]: ‘Do not give anything to those who are with God's Messenger, so that they may abandon him ” What they say betrays their wickedness and spitefulness. Their plan to starve the Prophets Companions is the same strategy employed by all opponents of truth and faith in all generations and communities. In their perverted view, they think that all people are like them in giving paramount importance to food and survival. This was the plan the Quraysh followed when they imposed a total boycott on the Hashimite clan, to which the Prophet belonged, so that they would abandon him and hand him over to them. As we are told in this verse, it was also the plan upheld by the hypocrites. They hoped that it would ensure that, once hunger had bitten hard among the believers, they would abandon the Prophet. The communists did the same when they denied the religious among their people the right to their rations.

They wanted them to starve to death, or at least until they abandoned their faith in God and stopped praying. Today, the same plan is adopted by other forces hostile to Islamic revival in the Muslim world. They place believers under siege, starving them and closing down all avenues of earning a living.2

Thus, we see the opponents of faith, old and new, resorting to this obnoxious and dreadful method, forgetting the simple truth of which the Qur’an reminds them in the same verse: “ To God belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites cannot understand." (Verse 7)

The last address in the surah is made to the believers whom God placed, together with His Messenger, in His own rank, making them share in His honour and dignity. He wants them to climb to this high summit, ridding themselves of any characteristic that is akin to those of the hypocrites. They should prefer such superior elevation to everything else, including their property and offspring. Nothing must be allowed to divert their attention from aspiring to such lofty heights:

Believers! Do not let your riches or your children make you oblivious of the remembrance of God. Those who do so will surely be the losers.

Give, then, out of what We have provided for you, before death comes to any of you, and then he says, l My Lord, if You would grant me a delay for a short while, I would give in charity and be one of the righteous.9

God does not grant a delay to any soul when its term has come. God is fully aware of all that you do. (Verses 9-11)

Money and children can preoccupy a person making him oblivious to everything else, that is, unless his heart alerts him to the aim of his existence, making him feel that he has a superior goal. This goal must be one that is worthy of the creature in whom God has blown of His own spirit, giving him the aspiration to achieve a few divine characteristics, albeit within his own human limitations. God has given him riches and offspring so as to fulfil his task of building human life on earth, but not so that he is so fully preoccupied with them that they distract him from remembering God and from being in contact with the source of his humanity. Those that are so distracted “will surely be the losers? (Verse 9) The first thing they lose is their human identity, which is dependent on maintaining the bond with the source of mans humanity. Whoever loses himself has lost everything, regardless of the size of his wealth and the number of his offspring.

With respect to charitable donations, the surah here touches their hearts in several ways: “Give, then, out of what We have provided for you? (Verse 10) This reminds us of the source of all that we have. It is all from God in whom we believe and who instructs us to be generous and charitable. Such giving should be done “before death comes to any of you... ” It should be a result of the persons own action before death overtakes him and he leaves everything behind for others to enjoy. If he does not do so then he will look around only to discover that he has put nothing forward for his own salvation. This is the worst stupidity and the greatest loss.

He will then feel pangs of regret and wish he could have more time to be charitable and join with those people who are righteous. Such wishes benefit him nothing, for “God does not grant a delay to any soul when its term has come? (Verse 11) How can he now put forward anything when the chance is gone? “God is fully aware of all that you do? (Verse 11) Several touches within a short space are thus made at the right place, immediately after depicting the hypocrites’ characteristics and their scheming against the believers. When the believers stand firm in God’s own rank, they will be protected against the hypocrites. It serves them well, then, to fulfil the duties that their faith requires of them. They must never abandon their remembrance of God, as this is the source of their ultimate safety. Thus does God use the Qur’an to educate and cultivate believers’ minds and hearts.