فَأَعْقَبَهُمْ نِفَاقًا فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يَلْقَوْنَهُۥ بِمَآ أَخْلَفُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْذِبُونَ 77
Translations
So He penalized them with hypocrisy in their hearts until the Day they will meet Him - because they failed Allāh in what they promised Him and because they [habitually] used to lie.
Transliteration
Fa-a'qabahum nifaqan fi qulubihim ila yawmi yalqawnahu bima akhlafullaha ma wa'aduh wa bima kanu yakdhbun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah sealed the hearts of those hypocrites with hypocrisy until the Day they meet Him, as a consequence of breaking their covenant with Allah and their habitual lying. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain this as a punishment measure: their repeated breach of promises and deception led to a hardening of their hearts, making them increasingly incapable of sincere faith. Al-Tabari notes that this ayah illustrates the divine principle that persistent sin and dishonesty result in spiritual corruption that becomes their defining characteristic.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah At-Tawbah's discussion of the hypocrites (munafiqun) during the Medinan period. Specifically, it refers to those who made oaths to Allah but failed to fulfill them—likely referencing those who pledged to participate in the Battle of Tabuk or other obligations but made excuses instead. The surah extensively addresses hypocrisy as a disease of the heart that afflicted some in the Muslim community.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The sign of the hypocrite is three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something, he betrays the trust.' (Sahih Bukhari 33). This directly illustrates the behavior described in 9:77.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful warning that repeated dishonesty and broken promises—especially to Allah—progressively harden the heart and distance one from faith. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of integrity and fulfilling commitments, particularly in our relationship with Allah, as sincerity of heart is the foundation of true faith.