kh-d-'

Description

The Arabic root خدع (kh-d-ʿ) carries the core meaning of deception, trickery, and misleading others through false appearances or pretenses. In the Quranic context, this root appears primarily in discussions of the hypocrites (munāfiqūn) who attempt to deceive Allah and the believers while actually deceiving only themselves, highlighting the self-destructive nature of hypocrisy and false belief. The root emphasizes the futility of attempting to fool the All-Knowing and serves as a warning about the spiritual dangers of insincerity and duplicity in faith.