Al-Munaafiqoon (The Hypocrites)

4. And when you look at them, they have such looks that they make you wonder and when they speak, their speech is so beautiful and attractive that you listen to their words. They are as blocks of wood, dry, brainless, futile, relying on one another. They think that every cry is against them. They are the enemies; therefore, beware of them. May Allah slay them! How are they deviating from the True Path?

In Chapter 9 (Surah al-Tawba), God Almighty addresses the Noble Prophet (S) saying unto him that the worldly possessions and the children of the hypocrites are not supposed to make you wonder.

The blessed Verse in question is saying that their looks and speech should not make you wonder. Although the blessed Verse is addressed to the Noble Prophet (S), but all Muslims are asked to beware of being impressed by the appearance and the speech of the hypocrites.

The Noble Prophet (S) in narrated as saying that believers are flexible like ears of corn; they bend against the wind, but they stand upright again. However, disbelievers are likened to black poplars, of hard wood, such that they are so inflexible that the harsh wind may eradicate them.¹

The blessed Verse in question treats of further tokens of the hypocrites, saying that when one sees them, they wonder at their comely appearance and sweet words, and whenever they talk, you listen to them. Thus, even the Noble Prophet (S) may be impressed by their sweet words, let alone others.

Besides treating of their appearances, their inward states are also dealt with in the blessed Verse, saying that inwardly,

“they are like blocks of wood relying on the wall,”

reflecting that they lack in spirit as their bodies are hollow and dependent. They lack sincerity, light, will, resolution, and faith, hence the similitude of blocks of wood relying on the wall.

In this vein, it is narrated by some Qur’an exegetes that ‘Abd Allah ibn Ubayy, the chief of the hypocrites, was a robust, good looking, and eloquent man. Upon entering the meetings of the Noble Prophet (S) and his Companions, the Companions wondered at the appearances of ‘Abd Allah ibn Ubayy and his followers and listened to their words.

However, owing to their arrogance, they went to the wall and relied on it, impressing the Companions by their appearances and words, hence the Revelation of the blessed Verse.² The blessed Verse proceeds to say that they are so superficial. They neither trust God Almighty nor are they self-confident, such that they regard any cry to be against them.

Their hearts are encompassed by fear and their souls are enwrapped by suspicion and pessimism. As the saying goes “The traitor is fearful,” they are even afraid of their own shadows. Thus, this is another token of the hypocrites.

The blessed Verse closes by warning the Noble Prophet (S) that they are your real enemies and he is asked to beware of them. The blessed Verse further says: May God Almighty slays them. How they deviate from the True Path.

It is clear that the sentence is not in the indicative mood, but it is a curse on them which reflects censure and degradation for the hypocrites, as similar expressions are used in daily speech. The point is that God Almighty uses the speech employed by people.

Thus, other tokens of the hypocrites are enumerated including their attractive appearances, their hollowness, fear, suspicion of everything and any event.

In this vein, it is narrated from the Noble Prophet (S) that believers have four kinds of enemies:

1. The Muslims envious of them

2. The hypocrites who hate them.

3. Satan who leads them astray.

4. The disbelievers who wage war against them.³