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Chapter 63

The Hypocritesal-Munāfiqūn ( المنافقون )

11 verses • revealed at Medinan

»The surah that declares that God bears witness that the false profession of faith by The Hypocrites is uttered only as a screen to hide their duplicity. It takes its name from its main topic, “the hypocrites” (munāfiqūn). The surah warns the believers about the treachery of the hypocrites and describes their behaviour in some detail. A specific occasion on which the hypocrites tried to stop anyone donating money to believers is described (verse 7 ff.) and God calls on the Muslims to compensate for this by giving more of their own funds to the needy (verse 9 ff.).«

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

Ali Unal: IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE ALL-MERCIFUL, THE ALL-COMPASSIONATE

1
إِذا جاءَكَ المُنافِقونَ قالوا نَشهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسولُ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسولُهُ وَاللَّهُ يَشهَدُ إِنَّ المُنافِقينَ لَكاذِبونَ

Ali Unal

Revealed in Madīnah, most probably in the sixth year after the Hijrah, this sūrah has 11 verses, and it takes its name from the word al-munāfiqūn (hypocrites) in the first verse. It reveals the inner world of the hypocrites and their plots against Islam. It orders the believers not to cling to the passing delights of the world and to remain free of hypocrisy.
When the hypocrites come to you, they say: “We bear witness that you are indeed God’s Messenger.” God knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and God bears witness that the hypocrites are certainly lying (they do not believe in the truth of what they say).1
  • The hypocrites who emphatically bore witness to the Messengership of God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, in his presence, upon him be peace and blessings, were lying, saying what they did not believe in or what was contrary to their hearts. They did so in order to hide their hypocrisy and the unbelief in their hearts. One who declares something true to be true frequently, emphatically, and without any reason, incurs doubt and should be doubted.