Shafaqna English- Commentary on the 2nd Chapter of the Holy Quran by Mohammad Sobhanie.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ ﴿١١﴾ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴿١٢﴾
2:11 When they are told not to commit corruption in the land, they reply, “We are only reformers”.
2:12 They, certainly, are corrupt but do not realize it.
Characteristics of Hypocrites – Part I
Commentary: Three characteristics of hypocrites are highlighted in Verses 2:11-15:
- They are corrupt while they claim righteousness
- They consider believers to be imbeciles
- They are cunning and deceitful
Hypocrites instigate corruption and malice under the guise of serving God and believers. When they are told not to make mischief on the earth (وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ), they reply, “We serve the interests of the people” (قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ). They are corrupt but do not want to acknowledge it (أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ). The incident of building Masjid Al-Dhirar (Arabic: مسجد الضرار) is an excellent example in portraying the Verses above.
A Masjid is constructed under the premise that it will be used as a place of worship. However, the hypocrites of Medina established Masjid Al-Dhirar (Arabic: مسجد الضرار) under a false premise.
Before the migration of the Prophet (PBUH) to Medina/Madinah, a Christian monk by the name of Abu Amir was a prominent figure in the city of Medina. He was an influential individual who was regularly involved in the daily political affairs of the city.
Upon the arrival of the Prophet (PBUH), Abu Amir witnessed his own social status begin to fade. He left Medina to ally with the polytheists of Mecca/Makkah. His union with the disbelievers of Mecca led him to participate in the Battles of Uhod and Hunayn. After the crushing defeat of the Battle of Hunayn, Abu Amir went to Hercules, the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, to lobby for an army to defeat the Muslims.
To regain a foothold in the city of Medina, Abu Amir wrote to the hypocrites in Medina to establish a center for him. Knowing that the Prophet (PBUH) would not allow such a facility to be built, the hypocrites approached the Prophet (PBUH) and requested for a new Masjid to be commissioned.
This new Masjid (Al-Dhirar) would accommodate those who were traveling from far distances and could not attend the Prophet’s (PBUH) Masjid or Quba Masjid. The Prophet (PBUH) acquiesced to their request and agreed to pray in the newly built Masjid after his return from his expedition of Tabuk.
After he completed his excursion of Tabuk, the Prophet (PBUH) journeyed back home to Medina. Before his arrival, angel Gabriel (AS) descended from the heavens and exposed the ominous plot of the hypocrites who were building the Masjid[1]:
وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًا بَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ اللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا الْحُسْنَىٰ وَاللَّـهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ﴿١٠٧﴾
9:107 And (there are) those who have built a Masjid to cause harm (to Islam), promote disbelief, create dissent amongst believers, and to provide a center for one who has been at war with Allah (SWT) and God’s Messenger even before. They will surely swear: “We intended nothing but good,” whereas Allah (SWT) bears witness that they are liars.
The person who had been at war with Allah (SWT) and God’s Messenger was Abu Amir. Building Masid Al-Dhirar is an example of the hypocrites’ treason under the guise of serving the interests of the believers. After this revelation, the so-called Masjid was demolished by order of the Prophet (PBUH).
Word-for-Word Translation:
2:11 [وَإِذَا]And when [قِيلَ] it is said [لَهُمْ] to them [لَا] do not [تُفْسِدُوا] spread corruption [فِي] in [الْأَرْضِ] the earth [قَالُوا] they say [إِنَّمَا] only [نَحْنُ] we [مُصْلِحُونَ] are reformers
2:12 [أَلَا] Beware, [إِنَّهُمْ] indeed they [هُمُ] themselves [الْمُفْسِدُونَ] are the ones who spread corruption [وَلَـٰكِن] and but [لَّا] not [يَشْعُرُونَ] they realize it.
Note:
[1]. At-Tawbah 9:107.
- Previous version: Characteristics of Hypocrites: Commentary of the Quran (Chapter 2:11-12) – By: Mohammad Sobhanie
- Part of series: Commentary of the Quran by Mohammad Sobhanie
- Directory of Surah Al-Baqarah
Commentary on the Holy Quran (2:13-15)