Surah Al-Munafiqun, Ayah 8

Hypocrites are not interested to ask the prophet to ask Allah to forgive Them

Allah the Exalted states about the hypocrites, may Allah curse them,

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْاْ يَسْتَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ لَوَّوْاْ رُءُوسَهُمْ

(And when it is said to them: "Come, so that the Messenger of Allah may ask forgiveness from Allah for you," they twist their heads,) meaning, they turn away, ignoring this call in arrogance, belitt- ling what they are invited to. This is why Allah the Exalted said,

وَرَأَيْتَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ وَهُم مُّسْتَكْبِرُونَ

(and you would see them turning away their faces in pride.) Allah punished them for this behavior, saying,

سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَسْتَغْفَرْتَ لَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ لَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الْفَـسِقِينَ

يَقُولُونَ لَئِن رَّ‌جَعْنَا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لَيُخْرِ‌جَنَّ الْأَعَزُّ مِنْهَا الْأَذَلَّ (They say, “ If we return to Madinah, the more honourable ones will drive out the meaner ones from there.”…63:8). This too is the statement of Ibn Ubayy, the hypocrite. Although the words used by him were ambiguous, the intention was clear. He termed himself and the natives of Madinah as ‘honourable’ and the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the Emigrant Companions as (God forbid! ) the ‘meanest’. He thus provoked the Helpers of Madinah against the Emigrants that the former should drive out the latter from their city. In answer to this, Allah recoiled his boastful statement against himself by pointing out that if those who are really ‘honourable’ drive out those who are really the ‘meanest’ it will go against themselves, because all honour belongs to Him, His Messenger and the believers. The hypocrites, however, are unaware of this because of their ignorance. The concluding phrase of this verse is لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ‘…but the hypocrites do not know. [ 8]’ This may be contrasted with the concluding phrase of verse لَا یَفقَھونَ ‘ but they do not understand’. The reason for the distinction between ‘do not understand’ and ‘do not know’ is as follows: If a person thinks that he is the provider of others, this is completely irrational. This is the sign of his foolishness. Honour and dishonour, on the other hand, can fall to anyone’ s lot. Therefore, if he errs in his judgment, this is ignorance of facts or true state of affairs. Thus we have here لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ‘…but the hypocrites do not know. [ 8]

In old Madinah, there were two groups of Muslims—one, the Migrants (al-Muhajrun) and the other, the Helpers (al-Ansar)—the local hosts at Madinah. The Migrants had come to Madinah on being displaced from their native place, Makkah. Their best apparent supports were the local Muslims of Madinah, the Helpers. In the eyes of world-loving people, the Migrants seemed, therefore, to be people without honour in comparison with the Helpers who were respectable people. This was felt so keenly that on one occasion, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy clearly stated, ‘What is the status of these Migrants? If we expel them from our place, they will not find refuge anywhere in the world.’ Such words are uttered by those who are unaware of the reality that, whatever is there in this world, belongs to God. He gives to whomever He wishes and takes away from whomever He wishes.