Al-Hashr - An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'an

Table of Contents

11. Have you not observed the hypocrites who say to their friends among the people of the Scripture who disbelieve: “If you are expelled, we verily will go out with you, and we will never obey anyone against you; and if you are attacked, we will verily help you.” But Allah is Witness that they indeed are liars.

Following praising the Emigrants, the Helpers, and the Successors mentioned in the previous Verses, the blessed Verse in question depicts the hypocrites and disbelievers who were united in resisting them.

It is worthy of note that some people attend to Divine Forgiveness and some others are preoccupied with obstinacy and resisting the believers. Hypocrites sent a message to the Jews who had violated their covenant and were disfavored by the Noble Prophet of the Islamic faith (S) not to leave their vicious act since they supported them.

Thus, addressing the Noble Prophet of Islam (S), the blessed Verse is raising the question:

“Did you not see that hypocrites said unto their brethren from amongst the people of the Scriptures that if they were driven out of their land, they were prepared to wage war against the Muslims since they did not obey the Noble Prophet (S) and his Companions?”

The blessed Verse concerns a tribe of disbelievers residing in Medina. They were Banu Nadhir who failed to convert to the Islamic faith and were ordered by the Noble Prophet (S) to leave Medina or prepare themselves for a battle.

A group of hypocrites led by Ibn Ubayy and Ibn Nabtal deceived them asking them to prepare themselves for waging war against Muslims and they would render them aid and fight the Muslims and had Muslims defeated them they would accompany them in leaving their land.

Hypocrites were those who pretended to have converted to the Islamic faith but inwardly, they were disbelievers. It is in the same vein that the Holy Qur’an is explicitly saying that God Almighty bears witness that they are liars. It is the hypocrites' stratagem that they neither stand on their word nor do they keep their promise.