لَئِنْ أُخْرِجُوا۟ لَا يَخْرُجُونَ مَعَهُمْ وَلَئِن قُوتِلُوا۟ لَا يَنصُرُونَهُمْ وَلَئِن نَّصَرُوهُمْ لَيُوَلُّنَّ ٱلْأَدْبَـٰرَ ثُمَّ لَا يُنصَرُونَ 12
Translations
If they are expelled, they will not leave with them, and if they are fought, they will not aid them. And [even] if they should aid them, they will surely turn their backs; then [thereafter] they will not be aided.
Transliteration
La-in ukhrijū lā yakhrujūn ma'ahum wa la-in qūtilū lā yansurūnhum wa la-in nasarūhum layuwallunna l-adbāra thumma lā yunsarūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the hypocrites' broken covenants and false promises to the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir during their expulsion from Medina. The verse employs a rhetorical structure of conditional statements (lā'im) to expose their treachery: they swore they would not abandon the Banu Nadir if exiled, would fight alongside them if attacked, and would help them if needed—yet they did none of these things. Ibn Kathir notes this demonstrates how the hypocrites' oaths were meaningless, as they prioritized their own safety over their pledged alliances, exemplifying the characteristic weakness and duplicity of those who harbor disbelief while outwardly claiming faith.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the historical narrative of Surah Al-Hashr regarding the expulsion of Banu Nadir (a Jewish tribe in Medina) in the year 4 AH. The hypocrites (munafiqūn) of Medina had made covenants with Banu Nadir to defend them militarily and politically, but when the Prophet besieged their fortress, these hypocrites abandoned their promises entirely. The surah chronicles this broken covenant as a sign of the hypocrites' fundamental untrustworthiness and weakness of faith.
Related Hadiths
While no single hadith directly quotes this verse, Surah Al-Hashr's entire context relates to the historical event of Banu Nadir's expulsion mentioned in multiple hadith collections. Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim contain narrations about the events of Banu Nadir's expulsion that provide the historical backdrop for understanding these verses.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to be wary of those whose actions contradict their words, and to recognize that hypocrisy ultimately leads to disgrace and defeat. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder to examine our own sincerity in commitments and to avoid the trap of making promises we cannot or will not keep, as such duplicity invites divine displeasure.
Related Ayahs
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ كَرِهُوا۟ مَا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ سَنُطِيعُكُمْ فِى بَعْضِ ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِسْرَارَهُمْ
That is because they said to those who disliked what Allāh sent down, "We will obey you in part of the matter." And Allāh knows what they conceal.
أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ أَن لَّن يُخْرِجَ ٱللَّهُ أَضْغَـٰنَهُمْ
Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allāh would never expose their [feelings of] hatred?
ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَرَبَّصُونَ بِكُمْ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ فَتْحٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ قَالُوٓا۟ أَلَمْ نَكُن مَّعَكُمْ وَإِن كَانَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ نَصِيبٌ قَالُوٓا۟ أَلَمْ نَسْتَحْوِذْ عَلَيْكُمْ وَنَمْنَعْكُم مِّنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۚ فَٱللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ وَلَن يَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا
Those who wait [and watch] you. Then if you gain a victory from Allāh, they say, "Were we not with you?" But if the disbelievers have a success, they say [to them], "Did we not gain the advantage over you, but we protected you from the believers?" Allāh will judge between [all of] you on the Day of Resurrection, and never will Allāh give the disbelievers over the believers a way [to overcome them].
وَمِنْهُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ أُذُنٌ ۚ قُلْ أُذُنُ خَيْرٍ لَّكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَيُؤْمِنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
And among them are those who abuse the Prophet and say, "He is an ear." Say, "[It is] an ear of goodness for you that believes in Allāh and believes the believers and [is] a mercy to those who believe among you." And those who abuse the Messenger of Allāh - for them is a painful punishment.