Shafaqna English- Commentary on the 2nd Chapter of the Holy Quran by Mohammad Sobhanie.
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّـهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٨﴾ يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّـهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴿٩﴾ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّـهُ مَرَضًا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ ﴿١٠﴾
2:8 And there are some people who say: “We believe in Allah (SWT) and the Last Day”, but they do not really believe.
2:9 They desire to deceive Allah (SWT) and those who believe, but they only deceive themselves, and they do not realize it.
2:10 There is a disease in their hearts, so Allah (SWT) added to their disease, and they shall have a painful chastisement because they lied.
The Disease of Hypocrisy
Commentary: The Qur’an defines a hypocrite as one who outwardly declares having faith (آمَنَّا بِاللَّـهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ) but inwardly conceals their disbelief and resentment towards other believers (وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ).
A hypocrite lies, deceives, commands evil, forbids good[1], mocks believers behind their backs, and creates mischief in the land[2]. They think that they are deceiving Allah (SWT) and believers (يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّـهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا), but in reality, they are only deceiving themselves (وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ). The hypocrite does not realize (وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ) that he will ultimately face punishment for his lies and deceptions (وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ).
Hypocrisy is a disease (فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ) of the soul and the root of many evils. Once a hypocrite denies himself of Divine Mercy and healing, Allah (SWT) worsens the disease of hypocrisy (فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّـهُ مَرَضًا), which ultimately destroys the intellect[3].
In the commentary of Verse 2:6, it was mentioned that Allah (SWT) had made righteousness a trait that morally cultivates human character and, conversely, made wickedness a trait that seals intellect and impairs conscience. Thus, the phrase: “Allah (SWT) added to their disease” means that Allah (SWT) debases and disgraces hypocrites through because of the attributes cultivated through their wicked deeds.
Word-for-Word Translation:
2:8 [وَ] And [مِنَ] of [النَّاسِ] the people [مَن] are some who [يَقُولُ] say [آمَنَّا], we believed [بِاللَّـهِ] in Allah [وَبِالْيَوْمِ] and in the Day [الْآخِرِ] the last [وَمَا] but not [هُم] they [بِمُؤْمِنِينَ] are believers at all.
2:9 [يُخَادِعُونَ] They Seek to deceive [اللَّـهَ] Allah [وَالَّذِينَ] and those who [آمَنُوا] believe(d) [وَمَا] and not [يَخْدَعُونَ] they deceive [إِلَّا] except [أَنفُسَهُمْ] themselves [وَمَا] and not [يَشْعُرُونَ] they realize it.
2:10 [فِي] In [قُلُوبِهِم] their hearts [مَّرَضٌ] is a disease [فَزَادَهُمُ] so has increased them [اللَّـهُ] Allah [مَرَضًا] in disease [وَلَهُمْ] and for them [عَذَابٌ] is a punishment [أَلِيمٌ] painful [بِمَا] because [كَانُوا] they used to [يَكْذِبُونَ] they lie.
Notes:
[1]. At-Tawbah 9:67.
[2]. Al-Baqarah 2:8-18.
[3]. Al-Munafiqun 63:3.
- Previous version: Characteristics of Hypocrites: The Commentary of the Quran (Chapter 2:8-10) – By: Mohammad Sobhanie
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Commentary on the Holy Quran (2:13-15)