وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ 42
Translations
And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].
Transliteration
Wa lā talbisū al-ḥaqqa bil-bāṭil wa taktumū al-ḥaqq wa antum ta'lamūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah prohibits mixing truth with falsehood and concealing knowledge of the truth while being fully aware of it. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as a divine command against intellectual dishonesty, particularly directed at the People of the Book who deliberately distorted religious teachings. The verb 'labasa' (to mix/confuse) emphasizes the deceptive intertwining of truth and falsehood, while the emphasis on 'knowing' ('wa antum ta'lamūn') underscores the moral culpability of those who consciously suppress truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the opening section of Surah Al-Baqarah addressing the Children of Israel, specifically referencing their historical pattern of concealing or misrepresenting divine revelations. The broader Medinan context addresses the hypocrites and People of the Book in Madinah who possessed knowledge of the truth regarding Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) but deliberately obscured it.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever conceals knowledge which Allah has given him, Allah will bridle him with a bridle of fire on the Day of Resurrection' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Also relevant: 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari), emphasizing the obligation to share truth rather than conceal it.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must maintain integrity in their statements and refuse to obscure truth for personal gain or worldly benefit; possessing knowledge carries the moral duty to share it honestly rather than hide or distort it for convenience or self-interest.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَٱدَّٰرَْٰٔتُمْ فِيهَا ۖ وَٱللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ
And [recall] when you slew a man and disputed over it, but Allāh was to bring out that which you were concealing.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَـٰهَدُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Indeed, those who have believed and those who have emigrated and fought in the cause of Allāh - those expect the mercy of Allāh. And Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
فَمَنۢ بَدَّلَهُۥ بَعْدَ مَا سَمِعَهُۥ فَإِنَّمَآ إِثْمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَدِّلُونَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Then whoever alters it [i.e., the bequest] after he has heard it - the sin is only upon those who have altered it. Indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
وَقَـٰتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ ٱلدِّينُ لِلَّهِ ۖ فَإِنِ ٱنتَهَوْا۟ فَلَا عُدْوَٰنَ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] religion [i.e., worship] is [acknowledged to be] for Allāh. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression [i.e., assault] except against the oppressors.