۞ لَّئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَٱلْمُرْجِفُونَ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ لَنُغْرِيَنَّكَ بِهِمْ ثُمَّ لَا يُجَاوِرُونَكَ فِيهَآ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا 60
Translations
If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease and those who spread rumors in al-Madīnah do not cease, We will surely incite you against them; then they will not remain your neighbors therein except for a little,
Transliteration
Lain lam yantahi al-munafiqun wa-alladhina fi qulubihim maradun wa-al-murjifun fi al-madinah lanuqhrinnak bihim thumma la yujawirunk fiha illa qalilan
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses Prophet Muhammad with a stern warning that if the hypocrites (munafiqun), those with diseased hearts, and those who spread discord in Medina do not cease their harmful activities, Allah will empower the Prophet against them, after which they will not be able to remain as neighbors in Medina except for a brief period. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as both a threat and a promise: the hypocrites will either cease their opposition or be expelled from the Islamic state, indicating Allah's protection of the Prophet and the Muslim community from internal corruption.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed during the Medinan period when the city was plagued by hypocrites and fifth columnists who undermined the Muslim community from within. The broader context of Surah Al-Ahzab addresses threats from external enemies (the combined forces at the Battle of the Trench) and internal discord, making this ayah part of Allah's assurance to the Prophet regarding how He would handle internal saboteurs.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to Hadith Qudsi in Sahih Muslim where Allah promises to support His Prophet and believers against their enemies. Additionally, various hadiths in Sahih Bukhari describe the expulsion of Jewish tribes from Medina who were engaged in similar undermining activities, exemplifying the execution of this warning.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that while Allah grants leaders the authority to maintain order and security, the ultimate consequence for those who persistently oppose truth and spread discord is their removal from the community—reminding believers that opposing the divine message and destabilizing the righteous society has inevitable consequences, and that divine protection extends to those committed to the faith.
Related Ayahs
هُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ لَا تُنفِقُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَنْ عِندَ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ حَتَّىٰ يَنفَضُّوا۟ ۗ وَلِلَّهِ خَزَآئِنُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ
They are the ones who say, "Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allāh until they disband." And to Allāh belong the depositories of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not understand.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًۢا بَيْنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلَّا ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ
And [there are] those [hypocrites] who took for themselves a mosque for causing harm and disbelief and division among the believers and as a station for whoever had warred against Allāh and His Messenger before. And they will surely swear, "We intended only the best." And Allāh testifies that indeed they are liars.
وَمِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مَا يُنفِقُ مَغْرَمًا وَيَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُمُ ٱلدَّوَآئِرَ ۚ عَلَيْهِمْ دَآئِرَةُ ٱلسَّوْءِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And among the bedouins are some who consider what they spend as a loss and await for you turns of misfortune. Upon them will be a misfortune of evil. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
أَشِحَّةً عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ ٱلْخَوْفُ رَأَيْتَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ تَدُورُ أَعْيُنُهُمْ كَٱلَّذِى يُغْشَىٰ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۖ فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ ٱلْخَوْفُ سَلَقُوكُم بِأَلْسِنَةٍ حِدَادٍ أَشِحَّةً عَلَى ٱلْخَيْرِ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ فَأَحْبَطَ ٱللَّهُ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرًا
Indisposed toward you. And when fear comes, you see them looking at you, their eyes revolving like one being overcome by death. But when fear departs, they lash you with sharp tongues, indisposed toward [any] good. Those have not believed, so Allāh has rendered their deeds worthless, and ever is that, for Allāh, easy.