In the previous verses, the Companions (rta) of the Prophet (sws) have been directed to offer the sacred duty of Hajj and to fight the Quraysh if they stop them from doing so.

وَمِنْ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ وَإِذَا تَوَلَّى سَعَى فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيُفْسِدَ فِيهَا وَيُهْلِكَ الْحَرْثَ وَالنَّسْلَ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَسَادَ وَ إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ أَخَذَتْهُ الْعِزَّةُ بِالْإِثْمِ فَحَسْبُهُ جَهَنَّمُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ (٢٠٤-٦)

وَمِنْ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاةِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ رَءُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ (٢٠٧)

يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ فَإِنْ زَلَلْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْكُمْ الْبَيِّنَاتُ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ (٢٠٨ -٩)

هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمْ اللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِنْ الْغَمَامِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الْأُمُورُ سَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمْ آتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ آيَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ وَمَنْ يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنْ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَاللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ (٢١٠-١٢)

كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمْ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمْ الْبَيِّنَاتُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ فَهَدَى اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ مِنْ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِ وَاللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ(٢١٣)

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مَسَّتْهُمْ  الْبَأْسَاءُ  وَالضَّرَّاءُ  وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ(٢١٤)

[You have to fight those who stop you from this worship of Hajj] and [here unfortunately among you] there are some whose conversation does please you in the life of this world1: they even make God witness to what is in their hearts2; whereas, in fact, they are the deadliest among the enemies3. [This is what they say in front of you, but] no sooner do they leave you than they hasten to spread disorder in the land and ravish crops and destroy generations [of man]4, and [you well know that] God does not like disorder. When they are asked: ‘Have fear of God’, with an inclination towards sin, their arrogance prevents them [from doing so]5. So sufficient for them is Hell, an evil abode6. (204-6)

And there are others among these very people who would give away their lives in order to find favour with God. [It is these who are forgiven by the Almighty if they err] and it is to such people that God is compassionate. (207)

[These two diverse attitudes should not persist, so] believers7, submit all of you8 to God [with one attitude] and do not follow in Satan’s footsteps; he is your inveterate foe. If you lapse even after these open warnings9that have come to you, you should know that God is mighty and wise10. (208-9)

[In spite of the fact that they have been revealed the truth in its ultimate form] are they only waiting for God and His angels to come down to them in the shadow of clouds and their fate be settled then? [But this is not the way of God] and all such affairs rest with God. Ask the Israelites11 how many a manifest sign We bestowed upon them [but to no avail], and [in reality], those who change God’s gift [of guidance with deviance] after it is bestowed on them [cannot save themselves from the grasp of God] because God is stern in retribution. For these disbelievers, the life of this world has been decked with attractions. [When they are warned of its fate], they scoff at the believers12, whereas those who fear God shall be above them on the Day of Judgement. [This is the blessing of the Almighty for them] and God gives boundlessly to whom He intends13. (210-12)

[They present differences among people as a pretext for their hypocrisy14. They should know that initially] mankind was once one community. [Then differences surfaced between them]. So God sent forth prophets as bearers of glad tidings and as warners, and with these He sent down His Book as the decisive truth so that it may settle these differences between men. And the fact is that only those differed to whom it was given, after very clear signs had come to them because of malice for one another. So God guided by the backing of His grace those who believed [in the Qur’ān]15in all these differences regarding the truth, and God guides whom He intends [according to His law] to the straight path.16 (213)

[These Hypocrites think that all the hardships that they face should be overcome by the help of God without they being entrusted with any responsibility to do deal with them. Listen!] do you suppose that you would go to Paradise even though you have not encountered the circumstances which were encountered by people before you [to whom Messengers were similarly sent]? Affliction and hardships befell them; and so shaken were they that the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried out: ‘When comes the help of God?’ [At that time, the glad tidings were given]: Listen! God’s help is ever near.17 (214)

convinced about its veracity. Believers are granted success after they are made to pass through certain very trying circumstances. Here, the aforementioned Hypocrites are prodded that in the past also the Almighty’s help came after the believers successfully assailed the period of trial and now also it will come in a similar fashion.

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1. This is a reference to those Hypocrites of Madīnah who, when conversing about Jihād, would express great enthusiasm and assure their whole hearted support to the Muslims. However, when then they would leave the presence of Muhammad (sws), they would strive all out to disillusion people from his message and harm its cause in whatever way they could. They are warned that this pretentious display can only last in this world. On the Day of Judgement, they shall be fully exposed and would not be able to hide what they now may be able to conceal.

2. A common trait of a hypocrite is that he swears by God on every statement he gives in order to lend credence to his words. This is because he suffers from a kind of psychological weakness thinking that people would not believe him unless he greatly emphasizes his point.

3. The actual Arabic words used are ‘أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ’ (alladu al-khisām). The word ‘خِصَامِ’ (khisām) in the opinion of this writer is the plural of ‘خَصْم’ (khasm) and the whole expression means: ‘the most deadliest among the enemies’.

4. That is in these circumstances when the worldly retribution of the disbelievers is destined to take place, the Hypocrites instead of calling people to faith and thereby urging them to peace and harmony, want to kindle the flames of war. This of course would result in the destruction of crops and in the genocide of people.

5. The Arabic words used are ‘أَخَذَتْهُ الْعِزَّةُ بِالْإِثْمِ’ (akhazathu’l ‘izzatu bi’l-ithm). The particle ‘ب’ in this expression is that of ‘مصاحبة’ musāhabah and the word ‘الْعِزَّةُ’ (al-‘izzah) is exactly in the same meaning as in the Qur’ānic verse: (38:2) ‘بَلْ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ’

6. The implied meaning is that if these Hypocrites are not being checked for their insolence and misdemeanour, it is not because of some lenience. For such people, the raging fire of Hell lies in waiting. They shall be punished severely according to what they deserve once they encounter it.

7. The address, though made in general words, is directed at the Hypocrites who are referred to in the previous verses. They are told that instead of following the footsteps of Satan they should follow the true believers who are willing to sacrifice everything for the cause of their faith.

8. The Arabic word used is ‘كَافَّةً’ (kāfah). Grammatically it is a ‘حال’ (an accusative of state) from the subject-antecedent (ضمير الفاعل) of the verb ‘ا ْخُلُوا’ (udkhulū: enter all of you). The implied meaning is that since all Muslims are one community, they should behave as one community also as far as obeying the Almighty is concerned. This should not be the case that once they claim to be adherents to Islam, some of them should follow God and some Satan. Such an attitude can in no way be condoned once a person professes belief in God.

9. The Arabic word used is ‘بَيِّنَاتُ’ (bayyināt). It implies those verses of the Qur’ān which warn a believer from the machinations of Satan and which inform them of the requisites of faith. It is to point to this aspect that the word is translated as ‘warnings’.

10. While explaining the pertinence of these two attributes of God, Imam Amīn Ahsan Islāhī writes:

The attribute ‘عَزِيزٌ’ (‘Azīz) is mentioned here to signify two aspects: Firstly, it serves to caution the disbelievers that the Almighty is not weak or feeble; on the contrary, He possesses great might and power. So if they still succumb to Satan in spite of His warnings, then He has all the power to nab them and severely punish them – something which He has forewarned them with. Secondly, this attribute points to the reality that those who become Satan’s disciples in spite of being recipients of clear guidance are in no way doing any harm to the Almighty. In fact, they are harming themselves since the Almighty is ‘عَزِيزٌ’ (’Azīz), ie, He cannot be harmed or affected in any way.

Similarly, the attribute of ‘حَكِيمٌ’ (Hakīm) is also highlighting two aspects: Firstly, the Creator of this world is wise and prudent. As a natural consequence of this attribute, He will definitely differentiate between the fates of those who follow His guidance and those who evade it. If He does not do so and leaves His creation to themselves or deals with both these factions in the same manner, then this would mean that He is not wise at all. Moreover, this would imply that this world is not a meaningful creation and that its Creator is irresponsible who has created this universe for His entertainment and enjoyment. Secondly, the delay in the results of good and bad deeds is based on His wisdom. At times, He gives respite to the followers of Satan and at others, He puts true believers through periods of severe trial. This should neither make the evil-doers arrogant nor produce frustration in the righteous. In fact, it should be understood that the period of respite and that of trial are based on His profound wisdom. All His laws and their consequences are indomitable and invincible. They cannot be changed by the slightest. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i-Qur’ān, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), p. 499) 

11. Since these Hypocrites mostly belonged to the Israelites, they are directed here to consult their own brethren. They would tell them that no miracle, however great it is, can stir people who do not use their intellect.

12. While commenting at the self-delusion that causes such jest, Imam Amīn Ahsan Islāhī writes:

Truth and falsehood, faith and disbelief have been granted respite in this world. It is not that a person who adopts the path of piety and obedience is exempted from trials and tests. On the contrary, in certain circumstances his trial becomes more pronounced depending upon the extent of faith he has. Similarly, if a person adopts a life of sin and disbelief, it is not the practice of the Almighty to punish him immediately. On the contrary, on most occasions, he is granted so much respite that his audacity on evil augments with every passing day. It is this self-delusion that is highlighted by the word ‘زُيِّنَ’ (zuyyina: decked with attractions). In other words, so allured have the Hypocrites become to life from this aspect that they are not able to look at it from other angles. Evidently, it is Satan who has allured their eyes through the aspect referred to above, as is asserted by the Qur’ān at other places. More obvious is the fact that it is the love for immediate gains and the lust to follow base desires on the part of man that provides Satan the opportunity for this allurement. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī#, Tadabbur-i-Qur’ān, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), p. 501)

13. So great would this bestowal be that it would exceed what had been imagined by them.

14. They contend that truth and falsehood are not so distinct and definite that they can totally adopt either one of them in a decisive manner; there exist differences in both, as a result of which it is difficult for someone to be conclusive about them. Consequently, they go on to maintain that the unbiased attitude they have adopted in the ongoing conflict between good and evil is the correct one.

15. The actual word used is ‘إِذْنِهِ’which means permission. This permission from the Almighty is both to provide the evil-doers with opportunity to do more evil and to support the righteous to do more good. Here, obviously, the latter aspect is implied.

16. The implication being that the truth has always remained manifest and now also the Almighty has fully unveiled it through His Book. However, one can only be the beneficiary of this truth if he shuns malice and envy and turns to the Book of God as a true seeker of the truth. This attitude is a pre-requisite to receive guidance. It is the law of the Almighty that He gives guidance to people who uphold this attitude.

17. When the worldly retribution of people takes in the time of the Messengers of the Almighty, it always does so when people are fully made aware of the truth and they deny it in spite of being convinced about its veracity. Believers are granted success after they are made to pass through certain very trying circumstances. Here, the aforementioned Hypocrites are prodded that in the past also the Almighty’s help came after the believers successfully assailed the period of trial and now also it will come in a similar fashion.