Muhammad (Muhammad)

29. Or do those in whose hearts is a disease [of hypocrisy] think that Allah will not bring to light all their hidden ill-wills [and jealousy]?

30. Had We willed, We could have shown them to you and you should have known them by their marks but surely you will know them by the tone of their speech! And Allah knows [all] your [apparent and secret] deeds.

Sinners’ disgrace is not merely for the Resurrection Day but they may be ashamed in this world too. Hypocrites may be known through their tone of speech. When the Messenger of God (S) appointed ‘Ali (as) as his successor at Ghadir Khum, some people said that Muhammad (S) did so out of nepotism. It was the occasion for sending down these Verses.¹

These Verses make mention of the marks and qualities of hypocrites and emphasize that they may not conceal their real intentions from the Prophet (S) and believers and thereby save themselves from being disgraced.

Verse 29 reads:

“Or do those in whose hearts is the disease [of hypocrisy] think that Allah will not bring to light all their hidden ill-wills [and jealousy]?” The word adhghan is the plural form of dhighn denoting “rancor, (secret) hatred.” Hypocrites entertained severe hatred against the Prophet (S) and believers and were at all times looking for the opportunity to strike a blow on them. The Holy Qur’an warns them that they may not conceal their real intentions from the Prophet (S) and believers.

Verse 30 further adds:

“Had We willed, We could have shown them to you and you should have known them by their marks,”

in other words God marks their faces by which their hypocrisy could be evident to everyone.

Thus the Verse proceeds:

“but surely you will know them by the tone of their speech! And Allah knows [all] your [apparent and secret] deeds.”

In his Mufradat Raghib says that lahn indicates deviation from linguistic norms such as incorrect conjugation and inflection or employment of metaphorical expressions in lieu of using words in their literal sense. The latter is intended by the Verse, namely such hypocrites who are sick at heart may be exposed through their use of hypocritical and mischievous metaphorical expressions.

Hypocrites make attempts at weakening the will power of the people so as they refrain from engagement in jihad. They try to make people veer off the course of truth and justice. They try to somehow assassinate the character of the pious and the pioneers of the Islamic faith.

According to a recurrently transmitted narration narrated by Abu Sa’id Khudri:

“We knew hypocrites at the time of the Messenger of God (S) through their hostile tone of speech concerning ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (as).”2

Thus an evident mark of the hypocrites was their animosity against the first believer from among men and the forerunner in supporting the cause of the Islamic faith.

As a general rule, one may not entertain anything in his heart and conceal it for long such that he may not be exposed by his tone of speech and metaphorical expressions.

Thus a narration by the Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as), says:

“One may not conceal anything without being exposed by his slips of tongue uncovering [his true intention reflected in] his face”3 .

Hypocrites’ mischievous tone of speech and their suspicious gestures and postures are to be found elsewhere in the Holy Qur’an. It is on the same grounds that a number of exegets maintain that it was following the Revelation of the Verse in question that the Prophet (S) was able to fully recognize hypocrites through their characteristics.

Thus the Noble Prophet received the Injunction to neither establish the funeral prayer for hypocrites nor ask for their forgiveness of God at their grave:

(“And never prayer [funeral prayer] for any of them [hypocrites] who dies, nor stand at his grave”4 ).

The Verse ends in;

“And Allah knows [all] your [apparent and secret] deeds.”

God Almighty is fully aware of all their innermost intentions and their outward deeds.