At-Tawba (The Repentance)

69. “(O’ hypocrites! You are) like those who were before you, they were stronger than you in power and more abundant in wealth and children; so they enjoyed their portion; thus do you enjoy your portion as those before you did enjoy their portion; and you indulge in vain discourses as they indulged. These are those whose works are null in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the losers.”

An Admonition and a Warning

In order to awaken this group of the hypocrites, the abovementioned holy verse puts the mirror of the history before them and, comparing them with the former stubborn hypocrites, it teaches them the most instructive lessons.

It implies that they are like the former hypocrites and they follow the same path, the same program, and the same evil fate of theirs. The verse says:

“(O’ hypocrites! You are) like those who were before you…”

Those very hypocrites of old were stronger and more abundant both from the point of strength and from the point of properties and children than these ones. The verse says:

“…they were stronger than you in power and more abundant in wealth and children…”

They enjoyed their share of the bounties of this world in the way of lusts, pollutions, sins, mischief, and corruption. These hypocrites of this community also enjoyed their own share in the same way that the former hypocrites had enjoyed.

“…so they enjoyed their portion…”

Then, the Qur’ān adds in the verse:

“…thus do you enjoy your portion as those before you did enjoy their portion; and you indulge in vain discourses as they indulged…”

For an admonition and a warning to the group of hypocrites contemporary with the Prophet (S) and all the hypocrites of the world, the Qur’ān, through two phrases, remarks the end of the former hypocrites.

The first phrase is recited:

“…These are those whose works are null in this world and the Hereafter…”

And the second phrase says:

“…and those are the losers.”

Such hypocrites may enjoy some temporary and limited benefits from their hypocritical deeds in this life, but if the circumstance be observed carefully, it can be made manifest that, they enjoy of real benefits neither in this world nor in the next world.