Overview (Verses 53 - 57)

Possessed by Fear

Some of the hypocrites who tried to stay behind, hoping to spare themselves hardship, offered to help finance the campaign. In this way, they were holding the stick in the middle, like all hypocrites do at all times. God foiled their attempt and instructed His Messenger to declare that their spending was unacceptable by God. Their offers were motivated by fear and hypocrisy, not by genuine faith. Hence, even if the offer were made voluntarily to deceive the Muslims, or they were forced to make it for fear of being exposed for what they truly were, it was of no value. It was rejected by God and earned them no reward whatsoever: ‘Say: ‘Whether you spend willingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted from you; for you are indeed wicked people.’ What prevents their spending from being accepted from them is that they have disbelieved in God and His Messenger, and they only come to prayer with reluctance, and never donate anything [for a righteous cause] without being resentful.” (Verses 53-54)

This detailed description is true of all hypocrites wherever they happen to be. They are always full of fear, sly, deviant, making pretences that are void of all substance. They are keen to give a false impression in order to escape confrontation. The Qur’ān describes them very accurately: “They only come to prayer with reluctance.” (Verse 54) They only put up false appearances, and do not approach prayer with sincerity which would enhance their honesty. Hence, they are reluctant when they pray, because they are forced to do it. They have no real motivation to pray, except to impress the Muslims that they belong to them, when in reality they do not. The same is the case with what they spend. It is all a question of appearances.

God does not accept such false pretences which are not motivated by true faith. Indeed it is the motive which gives value to any action, and the intention behind it provides the standard by which it is judged.

Many of those hypocrites were people of affluence, having many children and occupying positions of nobility and honour in their tribes. All this counts for nothing with God and so it should be with His Messenger and the community of believers. Such privileges were not a bounty given to them by God to enjoy; they were only a means of trial which would ensure their punishment: “Let neither their riches nor their children rouse your admiration. God only wishes to punish them by means of these in this worldly life, and that their souls perish while they are unbelievers.” (Verse 55)

Wealth and children may be a blessing that God grants to any one of His servants when He guides them to be grateful for what they have been granted and to use it for good purposes. Whatever they do with God’s bounty, it is motivated by their desire to please God, and this gives them a feeling of security and reassurance. They are thus certain of the outcome: whenever they donate something they feel it a saving for their life to come, and when a calamity befalls their children or their wealth, they accept it with resignation. This gives them new reassurance and hope that God will replace their loss with something better.

On the other hand, wealth and children may be a trial by means of which God tests any of His servants whom He knows to be wicked at heart. Concerns about his wealth and children will soon give him a taste of hell, while his desire to protect what he has been given and to increase it gives him many a sleepless night. He spends his money on what will hurt him and cause his soul to perish. He will be miserable when his children fall ill, and he will be miserable when they recover. Numerous indeed are the ones who suffer in different ways on account of their children.

The hypocrites at the time of the Prophet, and those who are like them everywhere, may have plenty of wealth and plenty of children, which people may admire. Yet to them they are only a cause of suffering in one way or another. This suffering is their lot in this life. What is worse is that, because of their hypocrisy which is perfectly known to God, they are certain to end up dying as unbelievers. This abyss is the worst outcome that any human being can experience.

The statement, “and that their souls perish,” imparts its connotations to give us a sense of restless, perturbed souls, lacking all sense of security. They try to escape but are lost, perished. This impression fits in well with that of suffering as a result of having wealth and children. It is, then, all worry and misery in this life as well as the life to come. No one can be envied for such appearances which involve a very hard test indeed.

The hypocrites tried to place themselves in the ranks of believers, not because of their faith — for they had none — but because of fear coupled with hope and expectation. Hence they would swear that they were believers and that they were convinced of the truth of Islam. This sūrah exposes their reality. Hence it is described as `the sūrah which reveals the reality,’ since it shatters falsehood and tears off the mask of hypocrisy: “They swear by God that they belong to you, when certainly they do not belong to you, but are people overwhelmed by fear. If only they could find a place of shelter, or cavern, or any hiding place, they would rush headlong into it.” (Verses 56-57)

They are indeed cowards, and here we are presented with a very vivid picture of their cowardice. It is painted in a physical and mental sweep: “If only they could find a place of shelter, or cavern, or any hiding place, they would rush headlong into it.” (Verse 57) They will always look for a shelter, whatever it may be, a fort or a cave or even a tunnel, as long as it gives them protection from an imminent calamity. They are in terrible fear, chased by internal and spiritual cowardice. Hence, “They swear by God that they belong to you,” (Verse 56) using all means of emphasis and assertion in order to cover up what they harbour at heart. They only hope to ensure their safety. It is a very miserable picture of cowardly fear which only the unique style of the Qur’ān can depict as it shows the inner feelings of hearts vividly brought before our eyes.

Overview (Verses 53 - 57)

Possessed by Fear

Some of the hypocrites who tried to stay behind, hoping to spare themselves hardship, offered to help finance the campaign. In this way, they were holding the stick in the middle, like all hypocrites do at all times. God foiled their attempt and instructed His Messenger to declare that their spending was unacceptable by God. Their offers were motivated by fear and hypocrisy, not by genuine faith. Hence, even if the offer were made voluntarily to deceive the Muslims, or they were forced to make it for fear of being exposed for what they truly were, it was of no value. It was rejected by God and earned them no reward whatsoever: ‘Say: ‘Whether you spend willingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted from you; for you are indeed wicked people.’ What prevents their spending from being accepted from them is that they have disbelieved in God and His Messenger, and they only come to prayer with reluctance, and never donate anything [for a righteous cause] without being resentful.” (Verses 53-54)

This detailed description is true of all hypocrites wherever they happen to be. They are always full of fear, sly, deviant, making pretences that are void of all substance. They are keen to give a false impression in order to escape confrontation. The Qur’ān describes them very accurately: “They only come to prayer with reluctance.” (Verse 54) They only put up false appearances, and do not approach prayer with sincerity which would enhance their honesty. Hence, they are reluctant when they pray, because they are forced to do it. They have no real motivation to pray, except to impress the Muslims that they belong to them, when in reality they do not. The same is the case with what they spend. It is all a question of appearances.

God does not accept such false pretences which are not motivated by true faith. Indeed it is the motive which gives value to any action, and the intention behind it provides the standard by which it is judged.

Many of those hypocrites were people of affluence, having many children and occupying positions of nobility and honour in their tribes. All this counts for nothing with God and so it should be with His Messenger and the community of believers. Such privileges were not a bounty given to them by God to enjoy; they were only a means of trial which would ensure their punishment: “Let neither their riches nor their children rouse your admiration. God only wishes to punish them by means of these in this worldly life, and that their souls perish while they are unbelievers.” (Verse 55)

Wealth and children may be a blessing that God grants to any one of His servants when He guides them to be grateful for what they have been granted and to use it for good purposes. Whatever they do with God’s bounty, it is motivated by their desire to please God, and this gives them a feeling of security and reassurance. They are thus certain of the outcome: whenever they donate something they feel it a saving for their life to come, and when a calamity befalls their children or their wealth, they accept it with resignation. This gives them new reassurance and hope that God will replace their loss with something better.

On the other hand, wealth and children may be a trial by means of which God tests any of His servants whom He knows to be wicked at heart. Concerns about his wealth and children will soon give him a taste of hell, while his desire to protect what he has been given and to increase it gives him many a sleepless night. He spends his money on what will hurt him and cause his soul to perish. He will be miserable when his children fall ill, and he will be miserable when they recover. Numerous indeed are the ones who suffer in different ways on account of their children.

The hypocrites at the time of the Prophet, and those who are like them everywhere, may have plenty of wealth and plenty of children, which people may admire. Yet to them they are only a cause of suffering in one way or another. This suffering is their lot in this life. What is worse is that, because of their hypocrisy which is perfectly known to God, they are certain to end up dying as unbelievers. This abyss is the worst outcome that any human being can experience.

The statement, “and that their souls perish,” imparts its connotations to give us a sense of restless, perturbed souls, lacking all sense of security. They try to escape but are lost, perished. This impression fits in well with that of suffering as a result of having wealth and children. It is, then, all worry and misery in this life as well as the life to come. No one can be envied for such appearances which involve a very hard test indeed.

The hypocrites tried to place themselves in the ranks of believers, not because of their faith — for they had none — but because of fear coupled with hope and expectation. Hence they would swear that they were believers and that they were convinced of the truth of Islam. This sūrah exposes their reality. Hence it is described as `the sūrah which reveals the reality,’ since it shatters falsehood and tears off the mask of hypocrisy: “They swear by God that they belong to you, when certainly they do not belong to you, but are people overwhelmed by fear. If only they could find a place of shelter, or cavern, or any hiding place, they would rush headlong into it.” (Verses 56-57)

They are indeed cowards, and here we are presented with a very vivid picture of their cowardice. It is painted in a physical and mental sweep: “If only they could find a place of shelter, or cavern, or any hiding place, they would rush headlong into it.” (Verse 57) They will always look for a shelter, whatever it may be, a fort or a cave or even a tunnel, as long as it gives them protection from an imminent calamity. They are in terrible fear, chased by internal and spiritual cowardice. Hence, “They swear by God that they belong to you,” (Verse 56) using all means of emphasis and assertion in order to cover up what they harbour at heart. They only hope to ensure their safety. It is a very miserable picture of cowardly fear which only the unique style of the Qur’ān can depict as it shows the inner feelings of hearts vividly brought before our eyes.