Overview (Verse 141)

Characteristics of the Hypocrites
 
The sūrah moves on to describe the distinctive features of the hypocrites, painting a revolting image of them as they take one appearance when they meet the Muslims and change it completely when they are with the non-believers. They try to hold the stick from the middle, shifting ground like stealthy snakes and horrid worms: “[Hypocrites are] those who wait and watch what happens to you: if triumph comes to you from God, they say: “Were we not on your side?” But if the unbelievers gain a success, they say [to them]: “Have we not earned your affection by defending you against those believers?” It is God who will judge between you all on the Day of Resurrection. Never will God allow the unbelievers a way [to win a complete triumph] over the believers.” (Verse 141)
 
The image drawn here is very ugly, showing first the hatred the hypocrites harbour towards the Muslim community and the fact that they are always on the look out for an opportunity when they can harm the Muslims. At the same time, they pretend to be very friendly towards the Muslims, particularly when they are victorious. They even come up with the rhetorical question, “Were we not on your side?” What they mean is that they were with them in the battle. Indeed, they sometimes went out with the Muslim army, trying to weaken the resolve of the fighters and create discord in their ranks. Or they may mean to say simply that they were giving them mental support and providing them with much needed backing in the rear.
 
“But if the unbelievers gain a success, they say [to them]: `Have we not earned your affection by defending you against those believers?” (Verse 141) Saying so, they mean that they gave the non-believers active support, ensuring that their back was well protected, trying at the same time to weaken the Muslim front. Thus, do they shift their ground like snakes. In their heart there is poison, and on their tongues there is hypocrisy. Yet they are weak, portraying a sickening image that fills any true believer with disgust. Such a portrait indicates one of the ways the Qur’ān uses to educate believers.
 
The policy the Prophet followed with regard to the hypocrites, as directed by God, was to overlook their actions and turn away from them, while warning the believers as to their designs. This was a first stage towards the overall goal of liquidating that hateful front. However, in line with this policy, the Qur’ān leaves judgement in their case to the hereafter when they will be completely exposed and receive their fair punishment: “It is God who will judge between you all on the Day of Resurrection.” (Verse 141) On that day there will be no room for evil scheming or conspiracy. Nor will there be a chance of concealing what people truly feel.
 
The believers are then reassured by a definite promise from God that all such stealthy scheming and all conspiratorial activities in collaboration with the non- believers will in no way change the balance of power. God will not allow the non- believers to overpower the believers: “Never will God allow the unbelievers a way [to win a complete triumph] over the believers.” (Verse 141)
 
As regards the meaning of this statement a report suggests that it applies to the Day of Resurrection when God will judge between the Muslims and the hypocrites. At that point, the non-believers have no means of scoring a triumph against the believers. Another report suggests that the statement applies in this life, whereby God will never give the unbelievers a chance to eradicate the believers, although they may at times score a victory against the Muslims in some battles.
 
A Promise That Will Never Fail
 
It is perhaps more accurate to read the statement as applicable to both this life and the life to come, because it includes nothing to limit its application one way or the other. As for the life to come, the question does not need any new emphasis. However, in this life, appearances may indicate that this is not the case. But these are deceptive appearances which need to be carefully examined. The statement provides a definite promise and a clear, permanent ruling: whenever the truth of faith is firmly established in believers’ hearts so as to become their way of life, system of government, and when it manifests itself in their dedication to God’s cause in all respects, and when they address their worship to God in all matters, large and small, then God will not allow the unbelievers to score a triumph over them. This is a fact that has never been breached on any occasion in Islamic history.
 
Absolutely confident of the truth of God’s promise, I state that the believers were never defeated in any engagement in their long history, and will never be defeated in the future, unless there is a flaw in their faith. This could be in thought or action. Part of true faith is to take careful precautions and to ensure proper preparedness to strive as hard as need be for God’s cause and under His banner, with complete dedication. Temporary defeat will occur only in proportion to the flaw in the believers’ faith. Victory will be sure to return when true faith returns.
 
If we take the example of the Battle of Uĥud, we find a gaping flaw manifesting itself in disobedience of the Prophet’s orders and in yielding to the temptation of loot. In the Battle of Ĥunayn, the flaw was manifest in the Muslims’ being proud of their numbers, feeling their own strength and forgetting the true source of power. If we study every occasion in Muslim history when victory was slow in coming, we will find a flaw in each case, which may or may not be readily identifiable. As for God’s promise, it comes true at all times.
 
It is true that the believers may be subjected to a trial, but a trial has a definite purpose, which is to make them sure of true faith and to perfect it in their hearts so as to allow it to be reflected in their actions. This is what happened in Uĥud as related in Sūrah 3 (see Volume II, pp. 152-260). When the truth of faith has been tested and perfected, victory is certain to come; for God’s promise never fails.
 
However, when I refer to defeat, I have in mind something much wider than the result of a battle. I am speaking of spiritual defeat and weakened resolve. Defeat in a military engagement should not be viewed as a complete defeat unless it leads to despair and inactivity. If, on the other hand, it awakens people, rekindles their resolve, helps them identify their likely slips and gives them a true vision of the nature of their faith and the battle they are fighting, then such a defeat should be viewed as the prelude to victory, even though it may be slow in coming.
 
“Never will God allow the unbelievers a way [to win a complete triumph] over the believers.” (Verse 141) When the Qur’ān makes this very clear, it emphasises that the believing spirit will always triumph and the ideology of faith will dominate. The Qur’ān calls upon the Muslims to perfect the truth of faith in their minds, giving it full practical effect in their lives. They must not rely totally on names and labels, because victory is never achieved by names hoisted high, but by the facts they represent. All that we need to ensure victory at any time or place is to ensure that faith is pure and complete in our hearts, and that it is put to practical effect in our lives. It is part of true faith to be prepared with every available means of strength and to seek our honour only through God.
 
This definite promise from God is in full agreement with the true nature of both faith and disbelief. Faith creates a strong bond with the absolute power in the universe, which will never weaken or disappear. Disbelief, on the other hand, means a break with that power and remaining isolated from it. It is not possible for a limited, isolated and exhaustible power to triumph over one that has a strong bond with the source of power throughout the universe.
 
However, we should make a clear distinction between the truth of faith and its appearances. The truth of faith is a real power as constant as all universal laws. It influences the human soul and all its actions and activities. It is a great, powerful truth, one which is certain to overcome the truth of disbelief whenever the two are in confrontation. But when faith is no more than an appearance, then the truth of disbelief will overcome it, if it is honest to its nature and works within its domain. The truth of anything is stronger than the appearance of anything else, even though the first is that of disbelief and the second is an appearance of faith.
 
The basic rule of the battle to overcome falsehood is to establish the truth. When the truth comes into being, with all its constituent elements and all its force, the result of the battle between it and falsehood is a foregone conclusion. Falsehood may appear to be awesome, extremely powerful, but all this is deceptive. “We hurl the truth over falsehood, and it crushes the latter. Soon it withers away.” (21: 18) “Never will God allow the unbelievers a way [to win a complete triumph] over the believers.” (Verse 141)