ٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَهُمْ جُنَّةً فَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ سَآءَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ 2
Translations
They have taken their oaths as a cover, so they averted [people] from the way of Allāh. Indeed, it was evil that they were doing.
Transliteration
Ittakhazu aymanahum junnatan fasaddu 'an sabili Allah. Innahum sa'a ma kanu ya'malun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how the hypocrites use their oaths as a shield (junnah) to conceal their disbelief and obstruct people from the path of Allah. Ibn Kathir explains that they swear falsely to gain trust and credibility while secretly working against Islam, and their deeds are condemned as evil. Al-Tabari notes that their oaths become a barrier protecting them from accountability in their own minds, yet Allah sees through their deception.
Revelation Context
This surah addresses the hypocrites (munafiqun) of Medina who professed Islam outwardly while harboring disbelief and hostility inwardly. This specific ayah reflects the broader Medinan context where hypocrites would use false oaths and deceptive speech to maintain their position in the Muslim community while undermining Islamic teachings and the Prophet's authority.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The sign of a hypocrite is three: when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted, he betrays' (Sahih Bukhari 33). Additionally, Surah Al-Munafiqun 63:2-3 is directly addressed to those who use false oaths, as mentioned in various Hadith collections discussing the characteristics of munafiqun.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns believers against using false speech and oaths to conceal true intentions or mislead others, emphasizing that Allah knows all hidden matters and such deception will ultimately be exposed and condemned. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder that authenticity and sincerity in faith cannot be masked by outward appearances or verbal claims.
Related Ayahs
وَلَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ عَـٰهَدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ لَا يُوَلُّونَ ٱلْأَدْبَـٰرَ ۚ وَكَانَ عَهْدُ ٱللَّهِ مَسْـُٔولًا
And they had already promised Allāh before not to turn their backs [i.e., flee]. And ever is the promise to Allāh [that about which one will be] questioned.
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.
يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ لِتَرْضَوْا۟ عَنْهُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَرْضَوْا۟ عَنْهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَرْضَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ
They swear to you so that you might be satisfied with them. But if you should be satisfied with them - indeed, Allāh is not satisfied with a defiantly disobedient people.
فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ إِذَا هُمْ يَنكُثُونَ
But when We removed from them the affliction, at once they broke their word.