12 Preface وَإِذ يَقولُ المُنافِقونَ وَالَّذينَ في قُلوبِهِم مَرَضٌ ما وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسولُهُ إِلّا غُرورًاYusuf AliAnd behold! The Hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (even) say: “God and His Apostle promised us nothing but delusion!”1Before this year’s mass attack on Medīna, the Muslims had successfully reached the Syrian border on the north, and there were hopes of reaching Yemen in the south. The Prophet had seen signs of expansion and victory for the Muslims. Now that they were shut within the Trench on the defensive, the Hypocrites taunted them with having indulged in delusive hopes. But the event showed that the hopes were not delusive. They were realised beyond expectations in a few years.