Overview (Verses 75 - 79)

Lying to God

The sūrah goes on to portray more cases of hypocrisy and how the hypocrites behave. “Some of them have pledged to God: ‘If He gives us of His bounty, we will certainly spend in charity, and we will be among the righteous.’ But when He had given them of His bounty they grew niggardly and turned away, heedless [of their pledges].” (Verses 75-76)

Some of these hypocrites pledge solemnly to God that if He would bestow His grace on them and give them some of His bounty, they would be very charitable to the poor and behave in the way expected of righteous people. Such a pledge, however, is given at a time when those people are poor, when their poverty makes them yearn for a time of plenty. Yet when God answers their prayers, and favours them with His bounty, they forget all about their pledges, and behave like misers. They turn away unwilling to honour their pledges. This violation of their promises and lying to God make hypocrisy take root in their hearts. Hence they continue to be hypocrites until they die.

Human beings are weak and niggardly, except for the few who manage, by God’s grace, to elevate themselves. They cannot rid themselves of their miserliness unless their hearts become full of faith, raising them above the needs of this world and freeing them of their eagerness to protect their immediate interests. This is easy if they hope to achieve something better in the hereafter, and aspire to receive God’s acceptance, which is far superior to all comforts and enjoyments. A believer’s heart is reassured by faith, does not fear to be poor as a result of spending in charity or for God’s cause, because he knows that what people may have will be exhausted and what God has in store is inexhaustible. His knowledge motivates him to pay in furthering God’s cause willingly, without any fear that he will be left in need. Even if he becomes without money, what he hopes to receive from God is infinitely better and far greater.

When a person’s heart is devoid of true faith, his natural instinct to keep his wealth for himself is aroused whenever he is called upon to give in charity or to spend something for God’s cause. The fear of poverty overrides his weaker desire to respond to such a call. He is imprisoned within his niggardliness, feeling insecure. A person who makes a pledge to God and then reneges on his pledge and lies to God is not free from hypocrisy. The Prophet is authentically quoted as saying: “The mark of a hypocrite is threefold: he lies when he speaks, reneges on his promises and betrays his trust.”

Hence their deliberately unfulfilled pledges and their repeated lies breed hypocrisy which settles permanently in their hearts, as the Qur’ānic verse describes: “In consequence, He caused hypocrisy to take root in their hearts till the Day on which they will meet Him, because they have been untrue to the pledges they made to God, and because of the lies they used to tell.” (Verse 77)

“Do they not realize that God knows both their secret thoughts and what they talk about in private, and that God has full knowledge of all things that are hidden away?” (Verse 78) Since they claim to be believers, do they not know that God knows all that there is in people’s innermost hearts, and what they may say to each other even in the most private of situations? He is certainly aware of all that is kept hidden, and aware of the most secret of intentions. Since they know all this, they should not try to conceal any bad intention, hoping that God will not be aware of it. They should not have harboured any thoughts of leaving their pledges unfulfilled, or of lying to Him.

There are several reports on the incident or incidents which led to the revelation of this verse. Whichever one is correct, the statement is general in its import. It describes a general condition and a pattern of people who have not let faith establish its roots in their hearts. If we compare the attitude of such people with that of the early Muslims, we find that those Muslims considered the payment of zakāt an aspect of God’s grace. If a person did not pay it or if it was not accepted from him, he was the loser who should be pitied for his loss. They fully understood the meaning of the following verse which gives this order to the Prophet: “Take a portion of their money as charity, so that you may cleanse and purify them thereby.” (Verse 103) Indeed the payment of zakāt was a gain not a loss. This is the difference between a duty fulfilled for the sake of God in the hope of earning His pleasure and a tax which is imposed by the law and paid to avoid punishment under the law.

The sūrah then describes another version of the hypocrites’ view of zakāt which is contrary to that of the true believers. It also shows how the hypocrites are always given to taunting and slandering others, an indication of their perverted nature: “It is those hypocrites that taunt the believers who donate freely, as well as those who have nothing to give except what they earn through their toil, and deride them all. God derides them, and grievous suffering awaits them.” (Verse 79)

The story associated with the revelation of this verse describes the hypocrites’ crooked outlook on spending for God’s cause. It is reported that the Prophet encouraged the believers to spend freely for equipping the army which was to go to Tabūk. `Abd al-Raĥmān ibn `Awf carried 4,000 dirhams and said to the Prophet: “Messenger of God, I have 8,000, of which I have brought you half and kept half for my family.” The Prophet said to him: “May God bless you for what you have kept and what you have given.” Abū `Aqīl came with a small quantity of dates and said: “Messenger of God, all I have is some dates of which I have brought half and kept the other half for my family.” The hypocrites derided them both and said: “Abd al- Raĥmān only gave that much to show off; but do God and His Messenger need such a small quantity of dates?” Other reports suggest that they scoffed at Abū `Aqīl suggesting that he only brought his dates to remind the Prophet of his poverty.

This is how they scoffed at the believers who were prompt in giving what they could, willingly and generously, eager to contribute as best as they could to the jihād campaign. They simply do not understand the motives of any true believer and why he gives willingly, nor do they understand that a believer’s conscience urges him to do so. They do not appreciate the pure feelings which respond readily to the call to sacrifice. Hence, they describe the one who gives much as showing off and say of the one who has only little to give away that he reminds others of his poverty. They thus abuse the rich person because he gives generously, and deride the poor person because he has only very little to give. Thus, no one who gives freely is immune from their derision. They do all this while they themselves stay behind, give nothing and remain niggardly. If they give anything away, they do it only out of hypocrisy. That is the only motive they understand.

Hence they are given the decisive answer: “God derides them, and grievous suffering awaits them.” (Verse 79) What a painful ridicule which they will suffer. How can we imagine a few weak individuals suffering the ridicule of the Almighty and destined for His punishment. That is a woeful end no doubt.

Overview (Verses 75 - 79)

Lying to God

The sūrah goes on to portray more cases of hypocrisy and how the hypocrites behave. “Some of them have pledged to God: ‘If He gives us of His bounty, we will certainly spend in charity, and we will be among the righteous.’ But when He had given them of His bounty they grew niggardly and turned away, heedless [of their pledges].” (Verses 75-76)

Some of these hypocrites pledge solemnly to God that if He would bestow His grace on them and give them some of His bounty, they would be very charitable to the poor and behave in the way expected of righteous people. Such a pledge, however, is given at a time when those people are poor, when their poverty makes them yearn for a time of plenty. Yet when God answers their prayers, and favours them with His bounty, they forget all about their pledges, and behave like misers. They turn away unwilling to honour their pledges. This violation of their promises and lying to God make hypocrisy take root in their hearts. Hence they continue to be hypocrites until they die.

Human beings are weak and niggardly, except for the few who manage, by God’s grace, to elevate themselves. They cannot rid themselves of their miserliness unless their hearts become full of faith, raising them above the needs of this world and freeing them of their eagerness to protect their immediate interests. This is easy if they hope to achieve something better in the hereafter, and aspire to receive God’s acceptance, which is far superior to all comforts and enjoyments. A believer’s heart is reassured by faith, does not fear to be poor as a result of spending in charity or for God’s cause, because he knows that what people may have will be exhausted and what God has in store is inexhaustible. His knowledge motivates him to pay in furthering God’s cause willingly, without any fear that he will be left in need. Even if he becomes without money, what he hopes to receive from God is infinitely better and far greater.

When a person’s heart is devoid of true faith, his natural instinct to keep his wealth for himself is aroused whenever he is called upon to give in charity or to spend something for God’s cause. The fear of poverty overrides his weaker desire to respond to such a call. He is imprisoned within his niggardliness, feeling insecure. A person who makes a pledge to God and then reneges on his pledge and lies to God is not free from hypocrisy. The Prophet is authentically quoted as saying: “The mark of a hypocrite is threefold: he lies when he speaks, reneges on his promises and betrays his trust.”

Hence their deliberately unfulfilled pledges and their repeated lies breed hypocrisy which settles permanently in their hearts, as the Qur’ānic verse describes: “In consequence, He caused hypocrisy to take root in their hearts till the Day on which they will meet Him, because they have been untrue to the pledges they made to God, and because of the lies they used to tell.” (Verse 77)

“Do they not realize that God knows both their secret thoughts and what they talk about in private, and that God has full knowledge of all things that are hidden away?” (Verse 78) Since they claim to be believers, do they not know that God knows all that there is in people’s innermost hearts, and what they may say to each other even in the most private of situations? He is certainly aware of all that is kept hidden, and aware of the most secret of intentions. Since they know all this, they should not try to conceal any bad intention, hoping that God will not be aware of it. They should not have harboured any thoughts of leaving their pledges unfulfilled, or of lying to Him.

There are several reports on the incident or incidents which led to the revelation of this verse. Whichever one is correct, the statement is general in its import. It describes a general condition and a pattern of people who have not let faith establish its roots in their hearts. If we compare the attitude of such people with that of the early Muslims, we find that those Muslims considered the payment of zakāt an aspect of God’s grace. If a person did not pay it or if it was not accepted from him, he was the loser who should be pitied for his loss. They fully understood the meaning of the following verse which gives this order to the Prophet: “Take a portion of their money as charity, so that you may cleanse and purify them thereby.” (Verse 103) Indeed the payment of zakāt was a gain not a loss. This is the difference between a duty fulfilled for the sake of God in the hope of earning His pleasure and a tax which is imposed by the law and paid to avoid punishment under the law.

The sūrah then describes another version of the hypocrites’ view of zakāt which is contrary to that of the true believers. It also shows how the hypocrites are always given to taunting and slandering others, an indication of their perverted nature: “It is those hypocrites that taunt the believers who donate freely, as well as those who have nothing to give except what they earn through their toil, and deride them all. God derides them, and grievous suffering awaits them.” (Verse 79)

The story associated with the revelation of this verse describes the hypocrites’ crooked outlook on spending for God’s cause. It is reported that the Prophet encouraged the believers to spend freely for equipping the army which was to go to Tabūk. `Abd al-Raĥmān ibn `Awf carried 4,000 dirhams and said to the Prophet: “Messenger of God, I have 8,000, of which I have brought you half and kept half for my family.” The Prophet said to him: “May God bless you for what you have kept and what you have given.” Abū `Aqīl came with a small quantity of dates and said: “Messenger of God, all I have is some dates of which I have brought half and kept the other half for my family.” The hypocrites derided them both and said: “Abd al- Raĥmān only gave that much to show off; but do God and His Messenger need such a small quantity of dates?” Other reports suggest that they scoffed at Abū `Aqīl suggesting that he only brought his dates to remind the Prophet of his poverty.

This is how they scoffed at the believers who were prompt in giving what they could, willingly and generously, eager to contribute as best as they could to the jihād campaign. They simply do not understand the motives of any true believer and why he gives willingly, nor do they understand that a believer’s conscience urges him to do so. They do not appreciate the pure feelings which respond readily to the call to sacrifice. Hence, they describe the one who gives much as showing off and say of the one who has only little to give away that he reminds others of his poverty. They thus abuse the rich person because he gives generously, and deride the poor person because he has only very little to give. Thus, no one who gives freely is immune from their derision. They do all this while they themselves stay behind, give nothing and remain niggardly. If they give anything away, they do it only out of hypocrisy. That is the only motive they understand.

Hence they are given the decisive answer: “God derides them, and grievous suffering awaits them.” (Verse 79) What a painful ridicule which they will suffer. How can we imagine a few weak individuals suffering the ridicule of the Almighty and destined for His punishment. That is a woeful end no doubt.