لَا يَزَالُ بُنْيَـٰنُهُمُ ٱلَّذِى بَنَوْا۟ رِيبَةً فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَّآ أَن تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ 110
Translations
Their building which they built will not cease to be a [cause of] skepticism in their hearts until their hearts are cut [i.e., stopped]. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
Transliteration
Lā yazālu bunyānuhumu alladhī banaw ribatan fī qulūbihim illā an taqaṭṭa'a qulūbuhum; wallāhu 'alīmun ḥakīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to those who built a mosque with ulterior motives of hypocrisy and disunity (the Mosque of Ḍirār), and their construction will perpetually cause doubt and unease in their hearts until their hearts are completely torn apart by regret and divine punishment. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Ṭabarī, the 'building' symbolizes their actions and intentions, and the 'doubt in their hearts' reflects the internal torment that comes from acting against truth and Allah's guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of Surah At-Tawbah (9) regarding the Mosque of Ḍirār, built by hypocrites near Medina as a rival to the Mosque of Qubāʾ. The surah addresses hypocrites who claimed to be Muslims while harboring disbelief and sedition. This particular ayah condemns the builders' actions and the psychological torment of hypocrisy that will persist until divine punishment comes.
Related Hadiths
The historical context is preserved in the Sīrah literature: The hypocrites built the Mosque of Ḍirār to create division among Muslims, and the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered its destruction. Related thematic hadith: 'The most truthful word is that of the Prophet and the most dishonourable death is that of the hypocrite' (Jāmi' At-Tirmidhī).
Themes
Key Lesson
Hidden hypocrisy and actions performed with corrupt intentions create an inescapable internal psychological torment, serving as both a punishment in this life and a sign of Allah's justice. Believers should examine their intentions and ensure their deeds are sincere for Allah's sake alone, free from selfish motives or desires to cause discord.
Related Ayahs
يَوْمَ يَقُولُ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقُونَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتُ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱنظُرُونَا نَقْتَبِسْ مِن نُّورِكُمْ قِيلَ ٱرْجِعُوا۟ وَرَآءَكُمْ فَٱلْتَمِسُوا۟ نُورًا فَضُرِبَ بَيْنَهُم بِسُورٍ لَّهُۥ بَابٌۢ بَاطِنُهُۥ فِيهِ ٱلرَّحْمَةُ وَظَـٰهِرُهُۥ مِن قِبَلِهِ ٱلْعَذَابُ
On the [same] Day the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to those who believed, "Wait for us that we may acquire some of your light." It will be said, "Go back behind you and seek light." And a wall will be placed between them with a door, its interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it is torment.
وَيُعَذِّبَ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِ ٱلظَّآنِّينَ بِٱللَّهِ ظَنَّ ٱلسَّوْءِ ۚ عَلَيْهِمْ دَآئِرَةُ ٱلسَّوْءِ ۖ وَغَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَنَهُمْ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيرًا
And [that] He may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women, and the polytheist men and polytheist women - those who assume about Allāh an assumption of evil nature. Upon them is a misfortune of evil nature; and Allāh has become angry with them and has cursed them and prepared for them Hell, and evil it is as a destination.
لِّيُعَذِّبَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِ وَيَتُوبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًۢا
[It was] so that Allāh may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women and the men and women who associate others with Him and that Allāh may accept repentance from the believing men and believing women. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.