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Ayah
Word by Word
أَعَدَّ
Allah has prepared
ٱللَّهُ
Allah has prepared
لَهُمۡ
for them
عَذَابٗا
a punishment
شَدِيدًاۖ
severe
إِنَّهُمۡ
Indeed, [they]
سَآءَ
evil is
مَا
what
كَانُواْ
they used to
يَعۡمَلُونَ
do
أَعَدَّ
Allah has prepared
ٱللَّهُ
Allah has prepared
لَهُمۡ
for them
عَذَابٗا
a punishment
شَدِيدًاۖ
severe
إِنَّهُمۡ
Indeed, [they]
سَآءَ
evil is
مَا
what
كَانُواْ
they used to
يَعۡمَلُونَ
do
Translation
Allāh has prepared for them a severe punishment. Indeed, it was evil that they were doing.
Tafsir
God has prepared for them a severe chastisement. Evil indeed is that which they [are wont to] do, in the way of acts of disobedience.
Chastising the Hypocrites
Allah chastises the hypocrites for secretly aiding and supporting the disbelievers even though, in reality, they were neither with the disbelievers nor with the Muslims. Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,
مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذلِكَ لَا إِلَى هَـوُلاءِ وَلَا إِلَى هَـوُلاءِ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلً
(They are) swaying between this and that, belonging neither to these nor to those; and he whom Allah sends astray, you will not find for him a way. (4:143)
Allah said here,
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم
Have you not seen those who take as friends a people upon whom is the wrath of Allah?
referring to the Jews with whom the hypocrites were allies in secret.
Allah said,
مَّا هُم مِّنكُمْ وَلَا مِنْهُمْ
They are neither of you nor of them,
meaning, that these hypocrites are neither with the believers, nor with their allies the Jews,
وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
and they swear to a lie while they know.
meaning, the hypocrites lie when they vow, knowing that they are lying, which is called the vow of Al-Ghamus. We seek refuge with Allah from their ways.
When the hypocrites met the believers they said that they believed and when they went to the Messenger, they swore to him by Allah that they were believers. They knew that they were lying in their vow, and they knew that they did not declare their true creed. This is why Allah witnessed here that they lie in their vows and know that they are lying, even though their statement (about the Prophet being Allah's Prophet) is true in essence.
Allah the Exalted said,
أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا إِنَّهُمْ سَاء مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
Allah has prepared for them a severe torment. Evil indeed is that which they used to do.
meaning, Allah has prepared a painful torment for the hypocrites on account of their evil deeds, their aid and support of the disbelievers and their deceit and betrayal of the believers.
The statement of Allah the Exalted
اتَّخَذُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ جُنَّةً فَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
They have made their oaths a screen. Thus they hinder (others) from the path of Allah,
meaning, the hypocrites pretended to be believers and concealed disbelief under the shield of their false oaths. Many were unaware of their true stance and were thus deceived by their oaths. Because of this, some people were hindered from the Path of Allah
فَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
so they shall have a humiliating torment.
meaning, as recompense for belittling the significance of swearing by the Mighty Name of Allah, while lying and concealing betrayal.
Allah the Exalted said
لَن تُغْنِيَ عَنْهُمْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ شَيْيًا
Their children and their wealth will avail them nothing against Allah.
meaning, none of their possessions can avert the affliction when it is sent their way,
أُوْلَيِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
They will be the dwellers of the Fire to dwell therein forever.
Allah the Exalted said
يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا
On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all together;
referring to the Day of Resurrection when He will gather them all together and leave none of them out,
فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ
then they will swear to Him as they swear to you. And they think that they have something.
meaning, they will swear to Allah the Exalted and Most Honored that they were following the guidance and the correct path, just as they used to swear to the believers in this worldly life. Verily, those who live following on a certain path will most likely die while on it. Thus, they will be resurrected upon their path. The hypocrites will think that their vows will help them with Allah, just as they helped with the people, who were obliged to treat them as they pretended to be, Muslim. This is why Allah said,
وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ
(And they think that they have something), meaning, on account of swearing to their Lord (that they used to be believers).
Allah rebukes this idea of theirs;
أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ
Verily, they are liars!
stressing that they are lying,
Allah then said
اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَأَنسَاهُمْ ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ
The Shaytan has overpowered them. So he has made them forget the remembrance of Allah.
meaning, Shaytan has taken over their hearts to the point that he made them forget Allah the Exalted and Most Honored. This is what the devil does to those whom he controls.
Abu Dawud recorded that Abu Ad-Darda' said that he heard the Messenger of Allah say,
مَا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ فِي قَرْيَةٍ وَلَاا بَدْوٍ لَاا تُقَامُ فِيهِمُ الصَّلَاةُ إِلاَّ قَدِ اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَعَلَيْكَ بِالْجَمَاعَةِ فَإِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُ الذِّيْبُ الْقَاصِيَة
Any three in a village or desert among whom the Salah is not called for, will have the Shaytan control them. Therefore, adhere to the Jama`ah, for the wolf eats from the strayed sheep.
Za'idah added that As-Sa'ib said that Jama`ah, refers to, Praying in congregation.
Allah the Exalted said,
أُوْلَيِكَ حِزْبُ الشَّيْطَانِ
They are the party of Shaytan.
referring to those who are controlled by the devil and, as a result, forgot the remembrance of Allah,
أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطَانِ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ
Verily, it is the party of Shaytan that will be the losers!
The Opponents of Allah and His Messenger are the Losers;
Allah warns,
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُوْلَيِكَ فِي الَاذَلِّينَ
Those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, they will be among those most humiliated.
Allah and His Messenger shall prevail. Allah the Exalted asserts that the rebellious and stubborn disbelievers who defy Him and His Messenger, those who do not embrace the religion and stay away from Truth, are in one area, while the guidance is in another area,
أُوْلَيِكَ فِي الَاذَلِّين
They will be among those most humiliated.
they are among the miserable, the cast out, banished from goodness; they are the humiliated ones in this life and the Hereafter.
Allah said
كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَاَغْلِبَنَّ أَنَا وَرُسُلِي
Allah has decreed:Verily, I and My Messengers shall be the victorious.
meaning, He has decreed, written in the First Book, and decided in the decree that He has willed -- which can never be resisted, changed or prevented -- that final victory is for Him, His Book, His Messengers and the faithful believers, in this life and the Hereafter:
إِنَّ الْعَـقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
Surely, the (good) end is for those who have Taqwa. (11:49)
إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الاٌّشْهَـدُ
يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ الظَّـلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَهُمُ الْلَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ
Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe in the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth, the Day when their excuses will be of no profit to the wrongdoers. Theirs will be the curse, and theirs will be the evil abode. (40:51-52)
Allah said here,
كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَاَغْلِبَنَّ أَنَا وَرُسُلِي إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ
Allah has decreed:Verily, I and My Messengers shall be the victorious. Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.
meaning, the Almighty, All-Powerful has decreed that He shall prevail over His enemies. Indeed, this is the final judgement and a matter ordained; the final triumph and victory are for the believers in this life and the Hereafter.
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