Al-Munafiqoun (ٱلْمُنَافِقُون)

Surah Al-Munafiqoun (الْمُنَافِقُون) is the 63rd chapter of the Quran and is named after the "hypocrites" whom it addresses directly and offers profound insights into the nature of hypocrisy, its destructive impact, as well as the importance of genuine faith. This Surah is situated in the 28th Juz (Para) and consists of 11 verses (ayah) that are divided into 2 Ruku (sections). It follows Surah Al-Jumu'ah and precedes Surah At-Taghabun. Scholars unanimously agree that Surah Al-Munafiqoun is a Madni Surah, revealed during the Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ) time in Medina after his hijrah from Mecca.

The historical context of this Surah is that the revelation of Surah Al-Munafiqoun is directly related to difficulties faced by the early Muslims in Madina and the events leading to the battle of Uhud and other crucial circumstances where the hypocrisy of hypocrites headed by Abdullah bin Ubayy emerged. They claimed to be on the side of the Muslim community but were, in fact, sowing seeds of discord and trying to divide and discourage the believers. The presence of the hypocrites who claimed to be Muslims but harbored bad intentions posed great danger to the newborn Muslim nation. The Surah was revealed as a warning to these people and also to protect the religion and teach the believers how to deal with such people.

٦٣ - ٱلْمُنَافِقُون

63 - Al-Munafiqoun

اِذَا جَاۗءَكَ الْمُنٰفِقُوْنَ قَالُوْا نَشْہَدُ اِنَّكَ لَرَسُوْلُ اؘ۝۰ۘ وَاللہُ يَعْلَمُ اِنَّكَ لَرَسُوْلُہٗ۝۰ۭ وَاللہُ يَشْہَدُ اِنَّ الْمُنٰفِقِيْنَ لَكٰذِبُوْنَ۝۱ۚ
Itha jaaka almunafiqoona qaloo nashhadu innaka larasoolu Allahi waAllahu yaAAlamu innaka larasooluhu waAllahu yashhadu inna almunafiqeena lakathiboona

English

Ahmed Ali

WHEN THE HYPOCRITES come to you, they say: "We affirm that you are the Apostle of God." God indeed knows you are His Apostle. God bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars.

1

اِتَّخَذُوْۗا اَيْمَانَہُمْ جُنَّۃً فَصَدُّوْا عَنْ سَبِيْلِ اؘ۝۰ۭ اِنَّہُمْ سَاۗءَ مَا كَانُوْا يَعْمَلُوْنَ۝۲
Ittakhathoo aymanahum junnatan fasaddoo AAan sabeeli Allahi innahum saa ma kanoo yaAAmaloona

English

Ahmed Ali

They have made their oaths a shield in order to obstruct others from the way of God. It is certainly evil what they do.

2

ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّہُمْ اٰمَنُوْا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوْا فَطُبِعَ عَلٰي قُلُوْبِہِمْ فَہُمْ لَا يَفْقَہُوْنَ۝۳
Thalika biannahum amanoo thumma kafaroo fatubiAAa AAala quloobihim fahum la yafqahoona

English

Ahmed Ali

That is because they came to believe, and then renounced (their faith). So their hearts were sealed; and now they do not understand.

3

وَاِذَا رَاَيْتَہُمْ تُعْجِبُكَ اَجْسَامُہُمْ۝۰ۭ وَاِنْ يَّقُوْلُوْا تَسْمَعْ لِقَوْلِہِمْ۝۰ۭ كَاَنَّہُمْ خُشُبٌ مُّسَـنَّدَۃٌ۝۰ۭ يَحْسَبُوْنَ كُلَّ صَيْحَۃٍ عَلَيْہِمْ۝۰ۭ ہُمُ الْعَدُوُّ فَاحْذَرْہُمْ۝۰ۭ قٰتَلَہُمُ اؙ۝۰ۡاَنّٰى يُؤْفَكُوْنَ۝۴
Waitha raaytahum tuAAjibuka ajsamuhum wain yaqooloo tasmaAA liqawlihim kaannahum khushubun musannadatun yahsaboona kulla sayhatin AAalayhim humu alAAaduwwu faihtharhum qatalahumu Allahu anna yufakoona

English

Ahmed Ali

Pleasing seem their persons when you look at them; and when they talk, you listen to their speech. Yet they are like the wooden panelling of a wall. They imagine every rebuke to be directed against them. They are the enemies, beware of them. May God damn them, how pervert are they!

4

وَاِذَا قِيْلَ لَہُمْ تَعَالَوْا يَسْتَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ رَسُوْلُ اللہِ لَوَّوْا رُءُوْسَہُمْ وَرَاَيْتَہُمْ يَصُدُّوْنَ وَہُمْ مُّسْـتَكْبِرُوْنَ۝۵
Waitha qeela lahum taAAalaw yastaghfir lakum rasoolu Allahi lawwaw ruoosahum waraaytahum yasuddoona wahum mustakbiroona

English

Ahmed Ali

When you tell them: "Come, let the Apostle of God ask forgiveness for you," they turn their heads, and you see them turning away with arrogance.

5

سَوَاۗءٌ عَلَيْہِمْ اَسْتَغْفَرْتَ لَہُمْ اَمْ لَمْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَہُمْ۝۰ۭ لَنْ يَّغْفِرَ اللہُ لَہُمْ۝۰ۭ اِنَّ اللہَ لَا يَہْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفٰسِقِيْنَ۝۶
Sawaon AAalayhim astaghfarta lahum am lam tastaghfir lahum lan yaghfira Allahu lahum inna Allaha la yahdee alqawma alfasiqeena

English

Ahmed Ali

Whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask, it is all the same; God will not forgive them. Surely God does not show a disobedient people the way.

6

ہُمُ الَّذِيْنَ يَقُوْلُوْنَ لَا تُنْفِقُوْا عَلٰي مَنْ عِنْدَ رَسُوْلِ اللہِ حَتّٰى يَنْفَضُّوْا۝۰ۭ وَلِلہِ خَزَاۗىِٕنُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضِ وَلٰكِنَّ الْمُنٰفِقِيْنَ لَا يَفْقَہُوْنَ۝۷
Humu allatheena yaqooloona la tunfiqoo AAala man AAinda rasooli Allahi hatta yanfaddoo walillahi khazainu alssamawati waalardi walakinna almunafiqeena la yafqahoona

English

Ahmed Ali

They are the ones who say: "Do not spend on those who are with the Apostle of God till they break away (from him)." To God belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth; but the hypocrites do not understand.

7

يَقُوْلُوْنَ لَىِٕنْ رَّجَعْنَاۗ اِلَى الْمَدِيْنَۃِ لَيُخْرِجَنَّ الْاَعَزُّ مِنْہَا الْاَذَلَّ۝۰ۭ وَلِلہِ الْعِزَّۃُ وَلِرَسُوْلِہٖ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَلٰكِنَّ الْمُنٰفِقِيْنَ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ۝۸ۧ
Yaqooloona lain rajaAAna ila almadeenati layukhrijanna alaAAazzu minha alathalla walillahi alAAizzatu walirasoolihi walilmumineena walakinna almunafiqeena la yaAAlamoona

English

Ahmed Ali

They say: "If we now go back to Madina, the stronger will turn the weaker out." But power belongs to God, His Apostle and the faithful, though the hypocrites do not know.

8

يٰۗاَيُّہَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تُلْہِكُمْ اَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَاۗ اَوْلَادُكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اؘ۝۰ۚ وَمَنْ يَّفْعَلْ ذٰلِكَ فَاُولٰۗىِٕكَ ہُمُ الْخٰسِرُوْنَ۝۹
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la tulhikum amwalukum wala awladukum AAan thikri Allahi waman yafAAal thalika faolaika humu alkhasiroona

English

Ahmed Ali

O you who believe, let not your wealth and children make you negligent of the remembrance of God. Those who do so will be losers.

9

وَاَنْفِقُوْا مِنْ مَّا رَزَقْنٰكُمْ مِّنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ يَّاْتِيَ اَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ فَيَقُوْلَ رَبِّ لَوْلَاۗ اَخَّرْتَنِيْۗ اِلٰۗى اَجَلٍ قَرِيْبٍ۝۰ۙ فَاَصَّدَّقَ وَاَكُنْ مِّنَ الصّٰلِحِيْنَ۝۱۰
Waanfiqoo min ma razaqnakum min qabli an yatiya ahadakumu almawtu fayaqoola rabbi lawla akhkhartanee ila ajalin qareebin faassaddaqa waakun mina alssaliheena

English

Ahmed Ali

Spend of what We have given you before death comes to one of you, when he will say: "O Lord, why did you not defer my term for a while that I could give alms and be among the doers of good?"

10

The Theme and Subject Matter of Surah Al-Munafiqoun (الْمُنَافِقُون)

Surah Al-Munafiqoun offers profound insights into the nature of hypocrisy and provides guidance on how to identify and tackle this problem while also addressing several important themes relevant to the Muslim community and individual believers.

1. Exposing Characteristics of Hypocrites

The Surah describes the traits of hypocrites by telling how the hypocrites claim to be pious but, in reality, are miscreants and pretend to pay allegiance to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) but they harbor unbelief and hostility in their hearts. It is through their lying tongues that they manipulate society and amass personal gains at the expense of the Muslim fraternity (63:1). It comes in hadith that: 

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit: When the Prophet (ﷺ) went out for (the battle of) Uhud, some of his companions (hypocrites) returned (home). A party of the believers remarked that they would kill those (hypocrites) who had returned, but another party said that they would not kill them. So, this Divine Inspiration was revealed: "Then what is the matter with you that you are divided into two parties concerning the hypocrites." (4.88) The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Medina expels the bad persons from it, as fire expels the impurities of iron." (Sahih al-Bukhari 1884)

2. The Dangers of Hypocrisy

The Surah is built around the theme of hypocrisy and proceeds to convey its ravaging effects to the community of the faithful. They individually work to spread discord and bring division to a society with true believers of a cause; the society can be weakened by the presence of such hypocrites that cause the breakdown of trust and unity needed in any society to develop.

3. The Importance of Sincerity

The Surah focuses on the concept of hypocrisy, which is considered the opposite of true faith, and calls on the Muslim community not to fall into the trap of hypocrisy. A true believer thus stands firmly in support of the legitimate sovereignty of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and obeys Him and the Prophet (ﷺ) as well as supports the Muslims. 

4. The Consequences of Hypocrisy

The Surah then calls on the hypocrites and warns them of the wrath of Allah that awaits them in the hereafter for all their actions and vows that their actions shall be unmasked before Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and they are punished for their acts of hypocrisy. 

5. The Call to True Belief/Reflection on Mortality and Accountability

Surah Al-Munafiqoun urges the believers to increase their taqwa and stay away from the evils of hypocrisy and reminds them to be steadfast in their faith and good deeds as they will be questioned on their deeds in the afterlife (63:9).

Virtues and Benefits of Surah Al-Munafiqoun

The recitation and contemplation of Surah Al-Munafiqoun have several positive impacts on the faith of Allah's believers. Through reading these verses, believers can increase their knowledge about Islam and improve their belief in it. 

There are many rewards and blessings associated with Surah Al-Munafiqoun, if one is to recite and ponder over its verses. By reading the Surah and reflecting on its message of sincerity and alertness, a person is warned or reminded to be careful of being a hypocrite because the Surah describes hypocrites in detail and calls on anyone who finds any of these traits within himself or herself to have a change of heart. This helps Muslims be mindful of their actions and assists them in working towards being better Muslims with true devotion to their faith.

The Surah seriously condemns hypocrisy and calls for unity and solidarity among the Muslim community. It then proceeds to encourage Muslims to be firm in their while reminding them of the challenges of hypocrisy and persecution faced by the early Muslim community.