Surah At-Tawbah, Ayah 88

After Allah mentioned the sins of the hypocrites, He praised the faithful believers and described their reward in the Hereafter,

لَـكِنِ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ جَـهَدُواْ

(But the Messenger and those who believed with him strove hard and fought) until the end of these two Ayat 9:88-89. This describes the qualities, as well as, the reward of faithful believers. Allah said,

وَأُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ الْخَيْرَاتُ

(Such are they for whom are the good things), in the Hereafter, in the gardens of Al-Firdaws and the high grades.

The expression: اُولُوا الطَّولِ (ulu 'at-caul: translated as ` the capable ones' ) (86) is not for particularization. Instead, it serves a purpose. It tells that there were others too, the ones not so capable. And the incapable ones had, at least, some obvious excuse to stay behind.

Hypocrites of this kind are always those who, because of their policy of expediency, gather around themselves the resources of position and wealth. Due to this, the general run of Muslims are impressed by their worldly position. Their glamorous lives and their glib talk make them seem great in the eyes of the common man. This can create moments of grave trial for an Islamic society, because, in a truly Islamic society, such people ought to be ignored rather than being given places of honour. The real Islamic society will not be willing to accord a position of honour to those about whom it is abundantly clear that they are Muslims in name only, being in fact loyal only to their own vested interests and worldly considerations. The fate of such people is that in Islamic functions they find a place only on the back benches; they have no share in the congregational affairs of Muslims, being held unfit to grace religious offices. Any society in which such people have been able to attain a position of honour can never be looked upon with favour by God.