88 Preface ۞ فَما لَكُم فِي المُنافِقينَ فِئَتَينِ وَاللَّهُ أَركَسَهُم بِما كَسَبوا ۚ أَتُريدونَ أَن تَهدوا مَن أَضَلَّ اللَّهُ ۖ وَمَن يُضلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبيلًاYusuf AliWhy should ye be divided into two parties about the Hypocrites?1 God hath upset them for their (evil) deeds. Would ye guide those whom God hath thrown out of the Way? For those whom God hath thrown out of the Way, never shalt thou find the Way.When the desertion of the hypocrites at Uḥud nearly caused a disaster to the Muslim cause there was great feeling among the Muslims of Medīna against them. One party wanted to put them to the sword: another to leave them alone. The actual policy pursued avoided both extremes, and was determined by these verses. It was clear that they were a danger to the Muslim, community if they were admitted into its counsels, and in any case they were a source of demoralisation. But while every caution was used, no extreme measures were taken against them. On the contrary, they were given a chance of making good. If they made a sacrifice for the cause (“flee from what is forbidden,” see next verse), their conduct purged their previous cowardice, and their sincerity entitled them to be taken back. But if they deserted the Muslim community again, they were treated as enemies, with the additional penalty of desertion which is enforced by all nations actually at war. Even so, a humane exception was made in the two cases specified in 4:90.