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Ayah
Word by Word
لَا
(Do) not
تَحۡسَبَنَّ
think
ٱلَّذِينَ
(that) those who
يَفۡرَحُونَ
rejoice
بِمَآ
in what
أَتَواْ
(they have) brought
وَّيُحِبُّونَ
and they love
أَن
that
يُحۡمَدُواْ
they be praised
بِمَا
for what
لَمۡ
not
يَفۡعَلُواْ
they do
فَلَا
so (do) not
تَحۡسَبَنَّهُم
think (that) they
بِمَفَازَةٖ
(will) escape
مِّنَ
from
ٱلۡعَذَابِۖ
the punishment
وَلَهُمۡ
and for them
عَذَابٌ
(is a) punishment
أَلِيمٞ
painful
لَا
(Do) not
تَحۡسَبَنَّ
think
ٱلَّذِينَ
(that) those who
يَفۡرَحُونَ
rejoice
بِمَآ
in what
أَتَواْ
(they have) brought
وَّيُحِبُّونَ
and they love
أَن
that
يُحۡمَدُواْ
they be praised
بِمَا
for what
لَمۡ
not
يَفۡعَلُواْ
they do
فَلَا
so (do) not
تَحۡسَبَنَّهُم
think (that) they
بِمَفَازَةٖ
(will) escape
مِّنَ
from
ٱلۡعَذَابِۖ
the punishment
وَلَهُمۡ
and for them
عَذَابٌ
(is a) punishment
أَلِيمٞ
painful
Translation
And never think that those who rejoice in what they have perpetrated and like to be praised for what they did not do - never think them [to be] in safety from the punishment, and for them is a painful punishment.
Tafsir
Do not reckon that (laa tahsabanna, or read laa yahsabanna, 'let them not reckon') those who rejoice in what they have brought, that is, [in what] they have done by leading people astray, and who love to be praised for what they have not done, in the way of adherence to the truth, being [themselves] misguided - do not reckon them (fa-laa tahsabannahum, is for emphasis [in the case of both readings above]) secure, in a place where they can escape, from the chastisement, in the Hereafter; but instead they shall be in a place of wherein they shall be tortured, and that is Hell; there shall be a painful chastisement for them, in it (aleem means mu'lim, 'painful'). (If one reads yahsabanna, 'let them [not] reckon', the two direct objects of the first h-s-b verb would be indicated by the two direct objects of the second h-s-b verb; but if one reads tahsabanna, 'do [not] reckon', then only second direct object would be omitted).
"Chastising the People of the Scriptures for Breaking the Covenant and Hiding the Truth
Allah says;
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللّهُ مِيثَاقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكْتُمُونَهُ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَاء ظُهُورِهِمْ وَاشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ ثَمَناً قَلِيلً فَبِيْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُونَ
(And remember) when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) to make it (the truth) known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it, but they threw it away behind their backs, and purchased with it some miserable gain! And indeed worst is that which they bought.
In this Ayah, Allah chastises the People of the Scriptures, from whom Allah took the covenant by the words of their Prophets, that they would believe in Muhammad and describe him to the people, so that they would recognize and follow him when Allah sent him. However, they hid this truth and preferred the the small amounts and the material gains instead of the rewards of this life and the Hereafter that they were promised. This is a losing deal and a failing trade, indeed.
These Ayat also contain a warning for the scholars not to imitate their behavior, so that they do not suffer the same fate and become like them. Therefore, the scholars are required to spread the beneficial knowledge that they have, encouraging the various righteous good deeds. They are also warned against hiding any part of their knowledge.
A Hadith states that the Prophet said,
مَنْ سُيِلَ عَنْ عِلْمٍ فَكَتَمَهُ أُلْجِمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِلِجَامٍ مِنْ نَار
Whoever was asked about knowledge that he knew but did not disclose it, will be tied with a bridle made of fire on the Day of Resurrection.
Chastising Those Who Love to be Praised for What They Have not Done
Allah's statement
لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَا أَتَواْ وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُواْ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُواْ
Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done,
refers to those who show off, rejoice in what they do and claim to do what they have not done.
The Two Sahihs recorded that the Prophet said,
مَنِ ادَّعَى دَعْوَةً كَاذِبَةً لِيَتَكَثَّرَ بِهَا لَمْ يَزِدْهُ اللهُ إِلاَّ قِلَّة
Whoever issues a false claim to acquire some type of gain, then Allah will only grant him decrease.
The Sahih also recorded;
الْمُتَشَبِّعُ بِمَا لَمْ يُعْطَ كَلَبِسِ ثَوْبَيْ زُور
He who claims to do what he has not done, is just like a person who wears two robes made of falsehood.
Imam Ahmad recorded that;
Marwan told his guard Rafi to go to Ibn Abbas and proclaim to him, ""If every person among us who rejoices with what he has done and loves to be praised for what he has not done will be tormented, we all will be tormented.""
Ibn Abbas said, ""This Ayah was revealed about the People of the Scriptures.""
He then recited the Ayah,
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللّهُ مِيثَاقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكْتُمُونَهُ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَاء ظُهُورِهِمْ وَاشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ ثَمَناً قَلِيلً فَبِيْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُونَ
(And remember) when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) to make it (the truth) known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it, but they threw it away behind their backs, and purchased with it some miserable gain! And indeed worst is that which they bought. (3:187)
then the Ayah,
لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَا أَتَواْ وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُواْ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُواْ
Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done.
Ibn Abbas said,
""The Prophet asked them about something, and they hid its knowledge, giving him an incorrect answer. They parted after showing off and rejoicing in front of him because they answered him, so they pretended, and they were delighted that they hid the correct news about what he had asked them.""
This was recorded by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said,
""During the time of the Messenger of Allah, when the Messenger would go to battle, some hypocrite men would remain behind and rejoice because they did not accompany the Prophet in battle. When the Messenger would come back, they would ask him to excuse them swearing to having some excuse, and wanting to be praised for that which they did not do. So Allah revealed,
لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَا أَتَواْ وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُواْ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُواْ
Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done),""
to the end of the Ayah.""
And Muslim recorded similarly.
Allah said;
فَلَ تَحْسَبَنَّهُمْ بِمَفَازَةٍ مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ
think not that they are rescued from the torment,
Do not think that they will be saved from punishment, rather it will certainly strike them.
So Allah said;
وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
and for them is a painful torment.
Allah then said,
وَلِلّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارْضِ وَاللّهُ عَلَىَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Allah has power over all things.
He is the Owner of everything, able to do all things and nothing escapes His might. Therefore, fear Him, never defy Him and beware of His anger and revenge. He is the Most Great, none is greater than Him, and the Most Able, none is more able than He is."
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