ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ كَرِهُوا۟ مَا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ سَنُطِيعُكُمْ فِى بَعْضِ ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِسْرَارَهُمْ 26
Translations
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.
Transliteration
Dhālika bi-annahum qālū lilladhīna karihū mā nazzala Allāhu sanuti'ūkum fī ba'di al-amr, wa-Allāhu ya'lamu isrārahum
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns those hypocrites who, despite claiming faith, privately agreed to obey the disbelievers in some matters, showing disloyalty to Allah's commands. The verse emphasizes that Allah is fully aware of their hidden intentions and secret agreements, as Ibn Kathir notes this refers to hypocrites in Madinah who attempted to compromise with the enemies of Islam. Such duplicity and concealment of disbelief while outwardly claiming faith exemplifies the characteristics of the munāfiqūn (hypocrites) discussed extensively throughout Surah Muhammad.
Revelation Context
Surah Muhammad, revealed in Madinah, addresses the reality of hypocrites within the Muslim community who posed a significant threat to the young Islamic state. This ayah specifically contextualizes the hypocrites' behavior of secretly allying with disbelievers while maintaining an outward Islamic facade, a recurring theme addressing the socio-political challenges of Madinah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is trusted, he betrays.' (Sahih Bukhari 33). Additionally, Surah At-Tawbah 9:75-77 illustrates similar hypocritical behavior regarding secret oaths and broken promises.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that outward conformity to religion while harboring hidden disloyalty and secret compromises with evil is both futile and condemned, as Allah's knowledge encompasses all that is hidden. Believers must ensure their inner convictions align with their outer actions, maintaining sincere commitment to Islamic principles without compromise or double-dealing.
Related Ayahs
وَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ ۙ إِنَّهُمْ لَمَعَكُمْ ۚ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ خَـٰسِرِينَ
And those who believe will say, "Are these the ones who swore by Allāh their strongest oaths that indeed they were with you?" Their deeds have become worthless, and they have become losers.
مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ لَآ إِلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَلَآ إِلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ۚ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ سَبِيلًا
Wavering between them, [belonging] neither to these [i.e., the believers] nor to those [i.e., the disbelievers]. And whoever Allāh sends astray - never will you find for him a way.
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.
لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِكُمْ ۚ إِن نَّعْفُ عَن طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَآئِفَةًۢ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ
Make no excuse; you have disbelieved [i.e., rejected faith] after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were criminals.