وَإِن يَكُن لَّهُمُ ٱلْحَقُّ يَأْتُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ مُذْعِنِينَ 49
Translations
But if the right is theirs, they come to him in prompt obedience.
Transliteration
Wa in yaku lahum al-haqqu ya'too ilayhi mudh'ineen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the hypocrisy of those who, when truth is presented to them, come submissively and obediently to accept it, yet they do so reluctantly and without genuine conviction. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this refers to the hypocrites (munafiqun) of Madinah who would outwardly comply with the Prophet's judgments when cornered by evidence, but their hearts remained unconvinced. The ayah highlights the contradiction between external submission and internal resistance to divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Nur's discussion of the hypocrites' behavior and their conflicted nature. It follows verses describing how hypocrites dispute with Allah and His Messenger, establishing the thematic backdrop of their inconsistency in accepting truth depending on whether it serves their interests.
Related Hadiths
The ayah relates to the general theme in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim regarding hypocrisy (nifaq), particularly hadiths describing the signs of the hypocrite, such as their inconsistency between word and deed. Specifically relevant is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari about the hypocrites' reluctant obedience despite outward compliance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to examine the sincerity of our own submission to Allah and His guidance—true obedience must come from a willing heart, not merely external compliance. We should strive to align our inner convictions with our outward actions, avoiding the spiritual disease of hypocrisy that the Quran repeatedly warns against.
Related Ayahs
يُنَادُونَهُمْ أَلَمْ نَكُن مَّعَكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ وَلَـٰكِنَّكُمْ فَتَنتُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَتَرَبَّصْتُمْ وَٱرْتَبْتُمْ وَغَرَّتْكُمُ ٱلْأَمَانِىُّ حَتَّىٰ جَآءَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ وَغَرَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْغَرُورُ
They [i.e., the hypocrites] will call to them [i.e., the believers], "Were we not with you?" They will say, "Yes, but you afflicted yourselves and awaited [misfortune for us] and doubted, and wishful thinking deluded you until there came the command of Allāh. And the Deceiver [i.e., Satan] deceived you concerning Allāh.
طَاعَةٌ وَقَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ ۚ فَإِذَا عَزَمَ ٱلْأَمْرُ فَلَوْ صَدَقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ
Obedience and good words. And when the matter [of fighting] was determined, if they had been true to Allāh, it would have been better for them.
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ ٱئْذَن لِّى وَلَا تَفْتِنِّىٓ ۚ أَلَا فِى ٱلْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُوا۟ ۗ وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمُحِيطَةٌۢ بِٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
And among them is he who says, "Permit me [to remain at home] and do not put me to trial." Unquestionably, into trial they have fallen. And indeed, Hell will encompass the disbelievers.
۞ أَتَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?