Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 141

Hypocrites Wait and Watch what Happens to Muslims

Allah states that the hypocrites watch and await the harm that occurs to the believers, awaiting the time when the Muslim circumstances and religion are dissolved and the state of Kufr takes over.

فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ فَتْحٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ

(if you gain a victory from Allah) triumph, aid and booty,

قَالُواْ أَلَمْ نَكُنْ مَّعَكُمْ

(they say, "Were we not with you") trying to come closer to the believers with this statement. However,

وَإِن كَانَ لِلْكَـفِرِينَ نَصِيبٌ

(But if the disbelievers gain a success,) by gaining victory over the believers sometimes, just as occurred during Uhud, for surely, the Messengers are tested, but the final victory is theirs.

قَالُواْ أَلَمْ نَسْتَحْوِذْ عَلَيْكُمْ وَنَمْنَعْكُمْ مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(they say (to them), "Did we not gain mastery over you and did we not protect you from the believers") meaning, did we not help you in secret and try our best to confuse the believers and weaken their resolve, until you gained victory over them This statement of the hypocrites is an attempt to strengthen relations with the disbelievers, because they pretend to be friends with both parties so that they will be safe from their harm, due to their weak faith and lack of certainty. Allah said,

فَاللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ

(Allah will judge between you (all) on the Day of Resurrection) meaning, by what He knows about you, O hypocrites. Therefore, do not be deceived by being shaded under the protection of Islamic Law in this life, which is such only out of Allah's wisdom. Surely, on the Day of Resurrection, your pretending shall not benefit you, because on that Day, the secrets of the souls will be disclosed and the contents of the hearts will be collected. Allah said,

وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَـفِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلاً

(And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers). `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Yasi` Al-Kindi said, "A man came to `Ali bin Abi Talib and said, `What about this Ayah,

وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَـفِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلاً

(And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers.) `Ali said, `Come closer, come closer. Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection, and He will not grant victory for the disbelievers over the believers.' " Ibn Jurayj recorded that `Ata' Al-Khurasani said that Ibn `Abbas said that,

وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَـفِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلاً

(And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers.) "Will occur on the Day of Resurrection." As-Suddi recorded that Abu Malik Al-Ashja`i said that it occurs on the Day of Resurrection. As-Suddi said that "way" means, proof. It is possible that the meaning of, `and never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers', is in this life by being unable to exterminate the believers completely, although they sometimes gain victory over some Muslims. However, the Final Triumph will be for the believers in this life and the Hereafter. Allah said,

إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا

(Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe in the worldly life) This provides a rebuttal to the wishes of the hypocrites for the destruction of the believers, and their loyalty to the disbelievers, fearing for themselves if they are victorious. In another Ayah, Allah said,

فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يُسَـرِعُونَ فِيهِمْ

(And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease (of hypocrisy), they hurry to their friendship), until,

نَـدِمِينَ

(Regretful)

In the third verse (140): وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ (... and He has revealed to you in the Book), by referring to another verse of the Holy Qur'an which had already been revealed' as a verse of the Surah al-An'-am before the event of Hijrah in Makkah al-Mukkarrmah, it has been re-emphasized that Allah had sent, much earlier, the command that they should not even sit in the company of disbelievers and sinners. Now, surprising as it is, these heedless people have gone much beyond that by establishing friendly relations with them assuming that they were the bearers of honour and the wielders of power in their own right.

The hypocrite is one who is outwardly religious but inwardly irreligious. Having no principles, he watches out for opportunities to turn events to his own advantage. He associates himself with any group which may help him realise his worldly ambitions, be it composed of believers or of those who deny the truth. Into whichever gathering he goes, he speaks to please everybody. For reasons of worldly convenience or expediency he has to associate himself at times with believers, but he is not their well-wisher. Since the very existence of true believers becomes a criterion of Truth in a society, those who stand on the ground of false religiosity want such criteria as expose their false religiosity to be demolished. However, the evil wishers of the believers can make mischief only in this world. Believers will be safe from their mischief in the Hereafter. A hypocrite is bracketed with those who deny the truth, because in God’s judgement, there is no difference between outward religiosity and blatant irreligiosity. This is because although both the states may appear to be different, in reality they are identical. To God, what is of importance is the inward state (the reality) and not the outward appearance.