أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ أَن لَّن يُخْرِجَ ٱللَّهُ أَضْغَـٰنَهُمْ 29
Translations
Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allāh would never expose their [feelings of] hatred?
Transliteration
Am hasibAllathīna fī qulūbihim maraḍun an lan yukhrijAllāhu aḍghānāhum
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah questions whether those with disease (hypocrisy and malice) in their hearts think that Allah will not expose their hidden grudges and enmities. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the 'disease' (maraḍ) refers to the spiritual sickness of hypocrisy and doubt that afflicts the munāfiqūn (hypocrites), and Allah will certainly bring forth their concealed malice and hatred on the Day of Judgment. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this is a rhetorical question implying certainty—Allah definitely will expose what they hide.
Revelation Context
Surah Muhammad is a Medinan surah that extensively addresses the hypocrites of Medina who outwardly claimed faith while harboring doubt and enmity toward the Prophet and believers. This ayah appears in a passage warning hypocrites that their hidden malice and grudges cannot remain concealed from Allah, fitting the surah's broader theme of exposing the hypocrisy prevalent during the Medinan period.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Beware of the suspicion of the believers, for suspicion is the most false of speech' (Sahih Bukhari 5143). Also relevant is the hadith about hearts being tested: 'Hearts are containers, and the best of them are those who remember Allah most' (Sunan Ibn Majah).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah is fully aware of all hidden thoughts, intentions, and malice within hearts—nothing remains concealed from Him. For believers, this should inspire sincere introspection to purify one's heart from grudges and enmity, while serving as a warning that insincerity and hidden malice will ultimately be exposed.
Related Ayahs
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.
۞ قَدْ يَعْلَمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُعَوِّقِينَ مِنكُمْ وَٱلْقَآئِلِينَ لِإِخْوَٰنِهِمْ هَلُمَّ إِلَيْنَا ۖ وَلَا يَأْتُونَ ٱلْبَأْسَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
Already Allāh knows the hinderers among you and those [hypocrites] who say to their brothers, "Come to us," and do not go to battle, except for a few,
وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مُنَـٰفِقُونَ ۖ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ۖ مَرَدُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنِّفَاقِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُمْ ۖ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ ۚ سَنُعَذِّبُهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ عَظِيمٍ
And among those around you of the bedouins are hypocrites, and [also] from the people of Madīnah. They have persisted in hypocrisy. You, [O Muḥammad], do not know them, [but] We know them. We will punish them twice [in this world]; then they will be returned to a great punishment.
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.