Surah Al-Baqarah: Verses 11–16 — Tafsir Discussion
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. And may salutations and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, upon his family, and upon all his Companions.
Understanding the meaning of the Qur’an, acting upon the Qur’an, reflecting on the teachings of the Qur’an, implementing it in life — today, on the journey we have begun, we will, InshaAllah, discuss verses 11 to 16 of Surah Al-Baqarah.
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1. The Background of the Hypocrites
In the last discussion, we gave an introduction about nifāq (hypocrisy). At the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah, after Allah the Exalted introduced the pious (muttaqīn) and mentioned a category of disbelievers, Allah the Exalted discussed the matter of the hypocrites in several verses. In verses 8 to 20 of Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah the Exalted discussed the matter of the hypocrites.
1.1 When Did the Hypocrites First Appear?
We need to know some background history about the hypocrites. That is: when did the hypocrites first appear? It was in Madinah — when the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions found refuge in Madinah, and when the people of Madinah assured them that they would be able to settle in Madinah and spread the call of Islam on a state basis. As a result, the first Islamic state in Islam was established in Madinah, and gradually, by winning various battles, the foundation of the Islamic state grew firm. It was at this time that the hypocrites appeared.
1.2 Why Did They Take On a Muslim Identity?
Because Islam was now strong, there was an opportunity to gain advantage by identifying as a Muslim. So a group of people — in order to take advantage of living in the Muslim society — claimed to be Muslims, but in their hearts they hated Islam. They were not merely disbelievers; they were anti-Islam. As a result, by living in the Muslim society, they secured the protection of their lives and wealth from the Muslims.
The worldly advantages they wanted to gain:
- The Muslims were now strong, and from among the Muslims they could marry Muslim women and live there.
- They could become heirs — because if a disbeliever openly declares disbelief and becomes a disbeliever, he does not inherit from his believing relatives.
For this reason they claimed to be Muslims, while in their hearts they were anti-Islam, and secretly they conspired against Islam. These are the hypocrites.
1.3 Why Were There No Hypocrites in the Meccan Era?
Before this — that is, before the establishment of the Islamic state in Madinah — hypocrites did not exist. Because before this, in the Meccan era — that is, for the 13 years after the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) — to identify oneself as a Muslim meant to bring danger upon oneself. So no one claimed to be a Muslim in order to gain some advantage. In those 13 years, those who claimed to be Muslims had to endure persecution. In whatever form, they had to be ready for oppression and sacrifice — even leaving their homeland, losing everything, for the sake of Allah’s pleasure, hoping for Paradise, hoping for the Face of Allah. If someone merely identified himself as a Muslim, there was no advantage in doing so at that time.
1.4 Relevance to the Present Age
When the Islamic state was established and Islam became strong, an advantage arose in identifying oneself as a Muslim. And at present, although most Muslim states are not Islamic states — those states do not run according to the law of Islam — even so, there is an advantage in living among Muslims with a Muslim identity. Which a group of people is indeed taking, in the Muslim society. They identify themselves as Muslims and work against Islam. So it is essential for us to know the characteristics of the hypocrites in order to recognize them.
1.5 Why So Much Emphasis on Hypocrites in the Qur’an?
Because you might think that the hypocrites were a historical group, a community that existed at a particular time — in the era of Madinah, the Madani period, when the Prophet established Islam. So where is the relevance of knowing their characteristics today? And you will be surprised.
Distribution of verses at the start of Surah Al-Baqarah:
- Five verses for the pious.
- Two verses for the disbelievers.
- Thirteen verses for the hypocrites.
It is astonishing that, if we continue this journey of our exegesis, we will see that there are many more descriptions of hypocrites in various surahs. Surah An-Nisa, Surah At-Tawbah, Surah Al-Munafiqun — there is a surah named after the hypocrites. And you will find it in many other surahs. Again and again the topic of the hypocrites comes up. Why?
Did Allah the Exalted give so many verses — to be recited until the Day of Judgment — criticizing a small group that has passed away in the past? No. There are hypocrites in our society, who are essentially just like us, and we need to recognize them. And we need to fear our own hypocrisy.
2. The Types of Nifāq
In the introduction to nifāq, we discussed what nifāq is. And we saw that nifāq is of two types.
2.1 Creedal Hypocrisy (Nifāq in ʿAqīdah/Iʿtiqād)
That is, one who nurtures disbelief in his heart, who has no faith at all, yet outwardly claims to be a great Muslim. He has fallen into nifāq. The Qur’an says of him that he will be in the lowest level of Hell. Because he is the most vile of all the classes of disbelievers.
2.2 Practical Hypocrisy (Nifāq in ʿAmal)
That is, the hypocrites have certain characteristics; if they are found in someone, then some signs of hypocrisy have been found in him. It is not that he will be in Hell forever because of this, but there is fear regarding it, an apprehension of punishment — such as:
- Telling lies
- Breaking promises
- Deviating from the truth in disputes
- Betraying trusts (amānah)
And I am sure that we Bengalis understand these characteristics very well. Living in this society, we can rather say that we are trained in them from childhood. The day a child can say that his father is not home (when he actually is), that day he is praised.
3. Recitation and Translation of the Verse
In any case, having received the introduction to nifāq, let us now see what characteristics of the hypocrites are described in Surah Al-Baqarah. These are very important. Let us read attentively.
Allah the Exalted says — “Aʿūdhu billāhi min ash-shayṭān ir-rajīm” —
“And when they are told, ‘Do not cause fasād (corruption/disorder) on the earth'” — which is translated here as “disobedience” — they say, “Innamā naḥnu muṣliḥūn” — “We are only reformers.” “Alā innahum humu’l-mufsidūn” — “Listen, it is they who are the corrupters (the disobedient to Allah)” — “wa lākil lā (yashʿurūn)” — “but they do not perceive it.”
4. Analysis of the Word “Fasād”
In these two verses, the first word we need to pay attention to is “lā tufsidū” — “do not cause fasād.”
4.1 The Difference Between the Bengali and Sharia Meanings
The word “fasād” also exists in the Bengali dictionary. When we hear this word, certain meanings come to mind. When we hear the word “fasād,” what usually comes to mind is disorder — social disorder, massacres, and the like. Someone might say that, since the word “fasād” also exists in Bengali, the translation here could also have said “do not cause fasād on the earth.” From one point of view, that would have been better. Because the Arabic word exists in Bengali exactly, so we used it. But there is a problem there.
What is meant by fasād in Sharia is a bit broader. And what we understand by fasād in Bengali is a bit narrower. That is why we tried to use a general word that includes disobedience to Allah. As a result, the broad meaning of fasād enters into it. That is why my preference is to use “disobedience” rather than “fasād.” I hope I have explained the reason. Because what is meant by fasād in Arabic — when we say “fasād” in Bengali now, we do not understand that.
4.2 The Principle of Understanding the Qur’an: Combining Two Meanings
The word “fasād” has a linguistic meaning. We must always remember that, if you want to understand the Qur’an, you have to combine two things. What are those two things? You have to combine two kinds of meanings.
- The linguistic meaning (al-maʿnā al-lughawī).
- The Sharia meaning (al-maʿnā ash-sharʿī).
And to understand the Sharia meaning, you have to look at the statements of the linguists. And you have to look at the statements of the Salaf. The Companions (Sahaba), the Successors (Tabiʿin), the Successors of the Successors (Taba Tabiʿin) — these three generations and their followers we call the Salaf. Essentially, we have to look at the statements of these three generations regarding language. We have to look at the statements of the linguists — those who are experts in language.
Likewise, the linguistic meaning alone will not suffice. We have to look at the Sharia meaning. Because in Sharia a slightly modified meaning may be taken from that word.
Example — the word “Ṣalāt”: If you want to understand the meaning of the word “ṣalāt” in the Qur’an, you cannot go by the linguistic meaning alone. What is the linguistic meaning of the word “ṣalāt”? You say? Supplication (duʿā). The linguistic meaning of “ṣalāt” is supplication. But when we Muslims speak of prayer, of the five daily prayers, we are not merely speaking of supplication, but of a specific act of worship, whose meaning is understood in a slightly different way. Where did that special meaning come from? To obtain this special meaning, we have to look at other verses of the Qur’an, at Hadith, and again at that other thing I mentioned earlier — regarding language, the statements of the Salaf.
So in both places — we have to look at the statements of our Companions, the Tabiʿin, and the Taba Tabiʿin. Now the word “fasād” is before us. So to understand what “fasād” means, we will look at its linguistic meaning, and along with that we will see how the word “fasād” has been applied in the Qur’an and Hadith, and what has been narrated about it in the exegesis of the three generations of the Companions and the Successors.
4.3 The Linguistic Meaning of Fasād
First, the linguistic meaning is: the desirable or proper state of something becoming altered. So fasād is something that is ideal, desirable, proper, correct — “proper” is the most beautiful word. In my opinion, my preference is “proper,” “correct,” “fitting,” or you could say many things — a balanced state, a perfect state, a well-ordered state. When this state changes, it is called fasād.
That is, look at the second point. It is not that something is harmful or spoiled from the very beginning. Rather, something becomes spoiled, or loses its usefulness and becomes harmful. For example, we can understand this very easily in the case of food. And another word we use in Bengali is “pochon” (decay/rot). Something spoiling, rotting — this is fasād. Linguistically. So the food was tasty to us, had a lovely aroma, was beneficial to our health — it spoiled, its taste became corrupted, and it became harmful for us to eat.
4.4 Fasād in the Exegesis of the Salaf
The exegetes mentioned kufr and sin in the interpretation of fasād. Let us see what the exegetes mean by fasād here. First, if you want to read the meaning of authentic exegesis, then welcome here. We try to analyze the statements of the Salaf very well. Alhamdulillah. Perhaps I do not always present all the analysis to you in detail. Because I don’t have time. This encyclopedia is available here. From it I will show you some examples. I will show examples with a screenshot of that book. I will not show all the statements. I will show one or two statements.
(a) ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿud and Ibn ʿAbbas (may Allah be pleased with them)
The linguistic meaning of fasād that we understood — what did the Salaf say? What did the Companions say? Look here, ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿud — who certainly understands Arabic. (To those who do not understand Arabic, I apologize, but let this remain in front as an example — you listen to me. Those who can read will understand that the name of ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿud is mentioned here.) And it is narrated from other Companions and from ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAbbas that the fasād they are speaking of is “al-kufr wa’l-maʿṣiyah” (disbelief and sin).
One is kufr — disbelief — and we have seen the types of kufr. It can be disbelief of the heart. Even if there is no disbelief in the heart, if someone verbally declares and denies it — he may believe in his heart but deny it with his tongue — or out of arrogance does not follow Islam, or mocks it. We have seen various types of kufr. So these do not mean only kufr; there is nothing that is kufr alone (sin also comes with it).
So what are the Companions saying? The Companions say that fasād is kufr, and “al-ʿamal bi’l-maʿṣiyah” (acting in sin). Kufr and sin — all kufr and sin are intended here.
So is this fasād a broad term? When we say fasād in Bengali, what we understand as social disorder is included, and much more is included. So earlier, when you heard the word “fasād” in Bengali, you might have thought that if someone sits at home, closes the door, and does some wrong, commits a sin, we do not call it fasād. A person who sits at home, harming no one — he is doing something wrong all by himself. Now if I say he is causing fasād, and you hear it in Bengali, you would say my wording is not correct. Is he fasād, or is he causing fasād? He has his own view, we say — even if there is disbelief in his heart — he moves about in Muslim society, harms no one, falls into no one’s hands; if I say he is a disbeliever, he is causing fasād, anyone who hears it in Bengali will say, no, this is not fasād, we do not call it fasād. What is the reason for that? Because he understands the Bengali meaning in a limited sense.
(b) Abul ʿAliyah (a Tabiʿi)
But look, for this reason we have to go — to the statements of the Salaf and to Arabic — where? Abul ʿAliyah, he is a senior Tabiʿi and an excellent exegete, although very little exegesis has been narrated from him. What does Abul ʿAliyah say — “lā tufsidū fi’l-arḍ” means: do not engage in disobedience to Allah on the earth. Then he says — “wa kāna fasāduhum dhālika maʿṣiyat Allāh” — what was their fasād? Disobedience to Allah was their fasād. Who is saying this? Abul ʿAliyah — he is a senior Tabiʿi, meaning he met the Companions.
Because if someone works against Allah on the earth, disobeys Allah or commands evil deeds — he does it himself, or commands evil, calls people toward evil, incites them, orders them, builds a cinema hall, launches something that causes people to fall into sin, disobeys Allah — he has caused fasād on the earth. Then he says something like — “li-anna ṣalāḥ al-arḍ wa’s-samāʾ bi’ṭ-ṭāʿah” (because the sound state of the earth and the sky exists through obedience to Allah). In this statement there is an indication that the cause of the open fasād people see is the hidden fasād. There is an indication in this statement.
Because when the Arabs too say the word “fasād,” what do they understand at first glance? They understand open fasād — that is, a natural disaster or social disorder, drought, lack of rain, damage to crops, ruined fields, destruction of livestock — these they understand as fasād. Abul ʿAliyah seems to be saying that fasād is disobedience to Allah. Why? Because it is due to disobedience to Allah that natural fasād descends upon the earth. That is why this too is fasād. We will see further explanation of this.
(c) Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) — and the Importance of His Tafsir
It is also narrated from Mujahid. Mujahid is a very important exegete. If you want to understand the Qur’an, you have to go to Mujahid, to Mujahid’s tafsir. Mujahid’s tafsir has a special quality. See, Mujahid is a student of Ibn ʿAbbas (may Allah be pleased with him). Much exegesis has been narrated from Ibn ʿAbbas. Suppose there are 10,000 narrations from Ibn ʿAbbas — I am not stating the exact number, but roughly. Mujahid is a student of Ibn ʿAbbas. Perhaps 5,000 narrations have been narrated from Mujahid. But sometimes Mujahid’s narration can be more important. Why?
Because among the 10,000 narrations from Ibn ʿAbbas, many are weak (ḍaʿīf) narrations. Weak narrations. On the other hand, here there is a narration from Mujahid through the chain of Ibn Jurayj. Another can be found through the chain of Ibn Abi Najih — these two. Most narrations through these two chains are authentic (ṣaḥīḥ) narrations. So is what is narrated from Ibn ʿAbbas through weak chains correct? If you want to be certain, you should look at Mujahid’s tafsir. Why? Because Mujahid is a direct student of Ibn ʿAbbas. And it would be no exaggeration to say that, in the field of tafsir, Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) is the best student of Ibn ʿAbbas. Because for a long time he learned the tafsir of the entire Qur’an from Ibn ʿAbbas. He asked him repeatedly. He recited the Qur’an to him repeatedly and learned from him repeatedly. And he was also a scholar of Qur’anic recitation — which is our topic — and a scholar of tafsir. That is why what he says here is very important.
So it is narrated in many authentic narrations that when they committed sin they were told “lā tufsidū” — do not cause corruption — and they said “innamā naḥnu ʿala’l-hudā” (we are upon guidance). That is, Mujahid too made this clear: what does fasād mean in this verse? Sin. If we want to say it in one word. And many others have narrated it; I did not bring them all.
4.5 Why Even Hidden Sin Is Fasād (Point Four)
We saw that the exegetes mentioned kufr and sin in the interpretation of fasād — this is the fourth point. So even if, in your eyes, someone harms no one, his kufr and sin are fasād. As I got the hint from Abul ʿAliyah. Because when someone sins secretly, even then — we said a little earlier what is the linguistic meaning of fasād? A change from its proper state. So what was the proper or fitting state of a servant? He should be in obedience to Allah. So whenever he sins, his state is ruined from this angle. His desired state is ruined. Secondly, sinful deeds are a cause of natural disasters. So sinful deeds are also fasād from this angle — as Abul ʿAliyah said, it is through obedience that the earth and the sky certainly remain, and through sin disasters come.
4.6 The Testimony of Surah Ar-Rum, Verse 41
Allah has informed us in the Qur’an that, because of the deeds of the people of the world, calamity has spread across the seas — so that Allah may make them taste a part of their evil deeds, that they may return. Allah does not punish all sins; rather, Allah gives a small test. People’s storehouse of sins is very large. He gives a small test of it, so that people become aware. This is Allah’s mercy. This is verse 41 of Surah Ar-Rum — it is not written here; I told you it is verse 41 of the surah. He has written, “See verse 41 of Surah Ar-Rum.” To understand the meaning of fasād, we have to come to this verse.
If we explain this verse, its essence is: because of people’s sins, various natural disasters, wickedness, oppression, and tyranny spread on land and sea. They spread diseases and other perils and calamities. These happen as a part of the recompense for people’s misdeeds, so that people become cautious, abandon their sins, and return to the path of obedience to Allah. However, these are not the complete punishment for people’s sins, but only a small part of it. Those who do not become cautious and do not abandon their sins will face their full recompense in the Hereafter, which is extremely severe.
4.7 The Broad Scope of Fasād and Its Present-Day Application
So, as a result of what we have said so far, all kufr and sins are included in the Arabic word “fasād” — such as:
- Kufr
- Disobedience to Allah
- Hypocrisy (nifāq)
- Oppression (ẓulm)
- Bloodshed
- Conspiring against the Muslims
- Preventing people from coming to the path of religion
This fasād is very great. Often parents too do this with their children. There are many such families. They do not want to let their children walk the path of religion. The father who does not want to let his daughter observe the veil (purdah). You will be surprised. Until now you were surprised. But can you understand now? Can you guess a little now? I have not said very much. Yes. If I say more, there will be a problem. If I say more, it will become a family problem. The father who claims to be a Muslim, yet does not want to let his daughter observe the veil — where is his problem? I hope that after reading these verses you will understand. Because these are fasād.
5. Analysis of the Word “Muṣliḥūn”
And you have seen who was forbidden to cause this fasād. Then what do they say? Now we must look at this. They say “innamā naḥnu muṣliḥūn” — we are only reformers. This translation is not good, but I could not give a better one. I searched a lot; perhaps if you think a bit more, you will see this translation is not good. It does not properly convey the meaning of “muṣliḥūn.” Let us analyze a little.
The word “muṣliḥ” is derived from “iṣlāḥ.” And two meanings of iṣlāḥ are narrated from the Salaf.
Regarding the Salaf again: I hope those of you who regularly listen to my lectures are familiar with the word “Salaf.” For those newly listening, I will say it again — the first three generations of the Companions are essentially called the Salaf, and their followers too are called Salaf in a secondary sense. Why? What is their distinction? Their distinction is that we must understand our religion from them. What the Qur’an says, what Hadith says, what tafsir says — whatever they say, we must understand it from them; also creed (ʿaqīdah) — because they are the best generation according to the testimony of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah said of these three generations that these three generations are the best generation. So we must take our understanding of religion from them.
From them, two meanings of the word “muṣliḥ” are found.
5.1 The First Meaning: One Who Reconciles Between Two Parties
One of its meanings — the word is iṣlāḥ, and from iṣlāḥ comes muṣliḥ. One meaning of the word iṣlāḥ is to reconcile between two parties. An example of this is the exegesis found from the Salaf. They say that the hypocrites used to be seen maintaining relations with the disbelievers — especially the Jews. Because in the state of Madinah there was some treaty with the Jews. But the Jews remained hostile to Islam — except for a few who accepted Islam. When the hypocrites were asked, “Why do you have so much love for the Jews?” they would say, “We are actually trying to create unity between the two groups — unity between the Muslims and the non-Muslims.” “Innamā naḥnu muṣliḥūn” — this is one meaning. When they were told, “Do not spread fasād on the earth, do not commit wrong, do not obstruct the path of Allah’s religion, do not conspire with the disbelievers,” they would say, “No, we are maintaining good relations with the disbelievers; we are making a compromise between them for the benefit of both parties.” In this sense they say “innamā naḥnu muṣliḥūn” — this is one meaning.
5.2 The Second Meaning: Righteous / Doers of Good
The second meaning is the exegesis of Mujahid a little earlier — you saw there, did you notice, that when they were told “lā tufsidū,” they said “we are upon guidance”? This is the second meaning of iṣlāḥ, i.e., “reformers” — that is, we are righteous, doers of good — in the sense of “muttaqīn,” or as Mujahid said, in the sense of “naḥnu ʿala’l-hudā.” This is the second meaning — that is, “we are good people, the good people of your fasād system.”
5.3 A Possible Third Meaning: Removing Disorder (A Principle of Tafsir)
In this case, should we restrict ourselves to only these two meanings narrated by the Salaf? Because the Salaf often explain a partial meaning of a word by giving examples. Note — these are important principles for understanding tafsir — if that word has some other meaning, and applying that meaning does not contradict the Qur’an and Hadith, then that too can be accepted. So iṣlāḥ means: something is not in its proper state, and bringing it back to its proper state can also be called iṣlāḥ. So “innamā naḥnu muṣliḥūn” can also be in this sense — that we are setting right this undesirable situation or disorder. We are removing a problem. When they are called and told “lā tufsidū fi’l-arḍ,” they say that we are reforming — they are the peacemakers of society.
5.4 The Disguise of the Hypocrites: In What Identity Do They Come?
Yes, so what did we get? See in what identity they come — Allah has made the identity of the hypocrites clear. They come as peacemakers. They may come as social workers — “I am solving the problems of society, removing poverty; who am I? I am a Muslim, I myself am a Muslim, my father and grandfather are Muslims, I work in the Muslim society, I am removing poverty. How do you remove poverty? I give cows to our girls on interest, I am empowering them; our women are oppressed, weak, I am empowering them — someone needs to empower them — I give them cows on interest.” This is a good work, no problem, Islam is doing it. “We will not let families remain poor. I will make them understand that our little brother — whether boy or girl — two children are enough.” Now it is becoming (that) not more than two. If there is one, better. If there are no children, better still for the Muslims. Yes. The Muslim population should be low. This is the main objective. Yes. They show it.
That is why you will see that they are actually working on behalf of the disbelievers. They work for them. But they work as Muslims. They are not against religion. They say nothing against their religion. Note — they try to align with the descriptions of the Qur’an. They do not speak against religion. They do not speak against Islam. But do they not say that the property of men and women should be equal — otherwise it is not justice, not equal? Then there are further new issues that did not exist at that time.
Because you might think that these are being said about ʿAbdullah ibn Ubayy — in the era of the hypocrites, the leader of Madinah — and are not so relevant to us. You have to look at present-day issues. Yes. Although I do not speak much about these. I personally do not speak much about social issues. But look, do you compare — transgenderism, homosexuality, which are heard of now? These are personal freedoms, the rights of each individual; we are working to establish these rights. We are not against any religion. We are doing good work. We are removing poverty. We are removing social inconsistencies. We are improving the economic situation. They come in this identity. But Allah shows us, pointing His finger at our eyes — “innamā naḥnu muṣliḥūn.”
6. Allah’s Reply: “Alā Innahum Humu’l-Mufsidūn”
Then Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, said in reply to their words — “alā innahum humu’l-mufsidūn.”
6.1 Explanation of the Word “Alā”
First we have to look at the word “alā.” In Arabic, the word “alā” is “ḥarf al-tanbīh wa’t-taʾkīd” (the particle of drawing attention and emphasis). It is such a word — it is a ḥarf (particle). In Arabic, “parts of speech” means three types: ism, fiʿl, ḥarf (noun, verb, particle). Ism is noun and adjective, fiʿl is verb, and the rest are ḥarf — preposition, conjunction — these are ḥarf. What are these in Bengali? These are avyay (particles/indeclinables).
In any case, this word is said to draw attention, and as a result the importance of the matter to which attention is being drawn increases. In Bengali, in my opinion, the closest word is “shono” (listen). You will find more in translations — some say “pay attention,” some say “know.” In Bengali we do not say to someone “know, pay attention.” In Bengali we say “listen.” “Listen, the matter is thus,” and again “listen, the matter is thus.” That is why I think “listen” is the best of all the translations here, even though it is not a literal translation. Because I have to see how, in Arabic, attention is drawn with “alā,” and in Bengali (do so) with a word that draws attention. Yes, there is no exactly equivalent word — because “listen” is a verb, and the word “alā” is a particle, not a verb — as I said. So I will not get an exact word, but a close one. That is why I feel the need to use a verb to translate it — “listen” in Bengali.
Then Allah says — it is they alone who are the corrupters, engaged in disobedience to Allah — “innahum humu’l-mufsidūn wa lākil lā (yashʿurūn)” — but they do not perceive it.
6.2 The Four Linguistic Tools of Emphasis
I will ask you to pay attention to something here. Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, has established, using four linguistic tools, that it is they alone who are the wrongdoers engaged in sin.
- “Alā” — because we said, what does “alā” do? It draws attention and gives emphasis.
- “Inna” — inna means to emphasize something. You understand the word “taʾkīd.” The word “taʾkīd” in Bengali is “tagid” — meaning to emphasize.
- The extra “hum” (ḍamīr al-faṣl) — it could have been said “innahumu’l-mufsidūn.” But another “hum” has been added to it. This “hum” is called “ḍamīr al-faṣl” (the pronoun of separation). What is its function? We will do that another time in the discussion of grammar. If we discuss everything together, we won’t be able to remember it. But one thing — its benefit is that it gives even more emphasis to the matter.
- “Al” (humu’l-mufsidūn) — and finally, instead of “hum mufsidūn,” “humu’l-mufsidūn” — with “al” — is used. This is the fourth. Because what does it mean if “al” is used? It means it is they who are all the corrupters. It seems as if all the corrupters are confined to them alone. In reality the hypocrites are corrupters, and there are corrupters outside the hypocrites too. But Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, using the particle “al,” confined fasād to the hypocrites.
So the meaning is: listen, it is they alone who are the disobedient. Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, has identified them as corrupters with four indicators (emphasizers). So you can understand how serious fasād is, but they do not perceive it.
7. “Believe as the People Believed” — The Faith of the Companions Is the Standard
When they are told, “Believe as the people have believed” — that is, all people, i.e., everyone except you. That is, believe truly as they did. Believe from the heart. Along with the verbal declaration, believe from the heart, and implement it through the actions of the limbs. The exegetes agree that “the people” here means everyone. So this is a very important verse that will save you from confusion. If we read the Qur’an a little deeply, we will find in the Qur’an all the principles that will save us from confusion.
7.1 Refutation of the “Qur’an Only” Claim
This verse proves that the faith acceptable in the sight of Allah is the faith of the Companions. So if someone says, “I believe only in the Qur’an and nothing else,” he is clearly confused — because you need to know what the faith of the Companions was. Because if you truly believe in the Qur’an, Allah has made clear in the Qur’an that you must believe as the people have believed. And “the people” in this verse means nothing but the Companions. Because at that time there were no believers other than the Companions. So the Companions are the touchstone of faith. Therefore Allah will preserve the Companions’ understanding of religion — this verse proves it.
7.2 Hatred of the Companions: A Sign of Nifāq
Then look at another thing — the Qur’an has shown us, pointing its finger at our eyes — what do they say, what do the hypocrites say? “Shall we believe as the fools have believed?” That is, they are calling the Companions fools. This is a terrible matter. So whenever you see someone harboring any kind of hatred toward the Companions, spreading hatred — you should understand that the smell of nifāq is coming from there. Beware, beware — because this is a sign of nifāq. They say the Companions were fools. The Companions did not understand religion. We understand better than the Companions. We will interpret the Qur’an. We will not take the interpretation of the Companions. We will interpret it our own way. We will not take the interpretation of the Prophet Muhammad. We will not take the interpretation of the Companions. Nifāq.
Allah has said — “alā innahum humu’s-sufahāʾ” (in the same phrasing) — likewise, the topic of creed emerges from every verse. Exactly so, if we study creed verse after verse, if we study the Qur’an properly — Allah says, “Listen, it is they alone who are the fools, but they do not know it.” Here “the people” means the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) — that is, just as the Companions verbally acknowledged the truth of the reports received about Allah, the angels, the prophets and messengers, the scriptures, the life after death, and the like, and, holding firm belief in these things in their hearts, believed truthfully and obeyed Allah’s commands. This is the meaning of the verse.
7.3 The Meaning of “Sufahāʾ”
Does “sufahāʾ” mean “fools”? Look a little more here — “safīh” is the plural “sufahāʾ” (rather, sufahāʾ is the plural of safīh). “Safīh” means those whose intellect is not sound, ignorant of good and evil, who cannot understand good and evil. Ibn al-Qayyim said this is extreme ignorance. He does not know what is good. He chooses the very thing that is harmful. That is why, if someone is imprudent in spending money — perhaps he is 18 or 20 years old but spends money only on bad things, is repeatedly cheated, wastes money and spends it on unlawful things, squandering it — according to the rules of Islam he is a “safīh,” and in that case the Sharia will impose restrictions on him so that he cannot waste his wealth. Then, even if he is 18 or 20 years old, a guardian will be appointed for him. That guardian will look after his money. His guardian will spend for him; money will not be given to him — because he is a fool.
7.4 Why Did the Hypocrites Call the Companions “Fools”?
So what do the hypocrites mean by calling the Companions fools? Because the Companions do not understand the trick the hypocrites are playing — that merely saying “I am a Muslim” is enough. It is not that everything is accomplished by words, that everything can be done merely by words. Don’t you see this in our society now? If you say “Muslim” verbally, everything gets done. From marriage onward, everything:
- You can get married.
- You will receive inheritance.
- Muslims will perform your funeral prayer.
- You will be buried in a Muslim cemetery.
- You can live among Muslims with a Muslim identity.
- You can enjoy and have iftar in Ramadan.
- You can celebrate on Eid.
- You can sing songs.
It is enough that you are a Muslim. No one will see whether you pray or not. Those who do not understand this — the Companions do not understand this simple cleverness. The Companions did not understand it. That is why, claiming to be Muslims in their hearts and in the process of implementing Islam, how much they sacrificed — this is foolishness, great foolishness — this is what the hypocrites say. They were fools, as we said before.
8. The Double-Facedness of the Hypocrites and Allah’s Mockery
Before the believers they say, “We have believed,” but when they secretly meet with their devils — what is meant by their devils? We will see here — they say, “innā maʿakum” — we are with you — “innamā naḥnu mustahziʾūn.” We were mocking the believers a little, having fun at their expense, making them think that we are believers, but in fact we are in your group.
8.1 The Meaning of “Shayṭān”
In Arabic, every wicked, disobedient one is called a “shayṭān” (devil). A devil can be a human, a jinn, or an animal. In Arabic, “shayṭān” does not mean only a jinn. Here “shayṭān” means the human devils — that is, the companions, associates, and leaders of the hypocrites. So when they return to their associates and leaders, what do they say? They say, “We were mocking the believers a little.” What is the consequence of mocking the believers? “Allāhu yastahziʾu bihim” — Allah mocks them.
8.2 “Yamudduhum” — Two Meanings
Let us analyze the next part a little. First, if you look at the meaning of the word “yamudduhum,” you will find two kinds of meanings in the tafsir.
- Granting respite / giving slack.
- Increasing something.
And if we take the meaning of increasing, it is said “fī ṭughyānihim” (in their transgression) — “ṭughyān” means transgression / overstepping — that is, Allah increases their transgression. And since “yamuddu” also means granting respite, Imam Tabari says that He increases them by granting respite — that is, those who mock the believers, He mocks them. As a punishment for mocking the believers, Allah mocks them and grants them respite. By granting respite, He increases their transgression.
How is this? Because when a sinner, after committing sin, sees that there is no danger to him, that he is prospering more, that he is safe, that no one can catch his trick — then he no longer thinks of repentance. He does not return. And then what happens? He becomes even more reckless. This is increasing his transgression by granting respite.
Regarding the brackets in the translation: Here “kufr and disobedience” is written in brackets. That is, I called transgression “kufr and disobedience,” because when the Salaf explained the meaning of “ṭughyān” they said kufr and disobedience. The core linguistic meaning of “ṭughyān” is transgression. So what the Salaf intended was — what kind of transgression they had: kufr and disobedience. That is why I placed it in brackets. Because later I will use the phrase “increase transgression.”
So, after reviewing my translation for the fourth time — the first message was, I think, eight years ago. I have been doing this work for about eight years. Alhamdulillah. You can see the fruit of roughly eight years of work. I don’t know how much of what is here is (beneficial) for you. May Allah accept it. That is why, since the word “transgression” is there, I cleverly inserted the exegesis of the statements of the Companions and predecessors here.
8.3 “Yaʿmahūn” — The State of Being Lost
“Yamudduhum fī ṭughyānihim yaʿmahūn” — “yaʿmahūn” means they wander about confused, disoriented, bewildered, as if they have fallen into a maze — that is, they cannot get out of their confusion, they cannot get out of their doubt, they wander about in confusion. Because this “yamudduhum” is the state when Allah increases them. This is Arabic; we will learn grammar later. To make it easy to understand, let me say: when Allah increases their transgression, what is their state? The state is “yaʿmahūn.” This “hum” (them/their) is that state — “yaʿmahūn.” That is why the translation is like this — “Allah mocks them, and by granting them respite increases their transgression, and they wander about disoriented in their kufr and disobedience.” This is their recompense.
8.4 The Explanation of ʿAbd ar-Rahman as-Saʿdi: The Nature of Allah’s Mockery
ʿAbd ar-Rahman as-Saʿdi, a recent exegete (may Allah have mercy on him), said in his tafsir that this is their recompense, because they used to mock the servants of Allah. Does Allah mock them? One aspect of it is that Allah makes their vile state appear pleasing to them. The vile state of nifāq they are in begins to look beautiful to them. So they think that they are with the believers — that is, they will get away with it alongside the believers. Since Allah did not let the believers fight against them on the earth — because the believers could not prove their disbelief — because they are hypocrites, they concealed it.
8.5 Allah’s Mockery on the Day of Judgment: The Parable of the Light
One aspect of Allah’s mockery of them on the Day of Judgment is that He will give them, along with the believers, an outward light — which we saw in the last discussion. When light is needed to cross the path of the Ṣirāṭ — much light will be needed; we will need light to cross the Ṣirāṭ — we will have to do many good deeds. Allah will then give them too, along with the believers, an outward light. Then, when the believers advance with their own light, the light of the hypocrites will be extinguished. So, after receiving light, they will be plunged into darkness and lose their way. How difficult it is to despair after having received (hope)! This is what ʿAbd ar-Rahman as-Saʿdi and his predecessors called mockery — mockery from Allah.
As stated in verse 13 of Surah Al-Hadid of the Qur’an — which you saw last time — the hypocrite men and women will say to the believers, “Wait a little, let us take a portion of your light.” They will be told, “Go back behind you and seek light.” Then a wall with a gate will be raised between the hypocrites and the believers.
8.6 Ibn Taymiyyah: How Allah’s Mockery Is Praiseworthy
When applied to Allah, how do we understand these words? Ibn Taymiyyah says that mockery or scheming is blameworthy when it is conduct in which an evil is concealed — for the purpose of denying the truth or of oppression — while outwardly displaying kindness. So when is mockery or scheming blameworthy? When it is done to deny the truth or for the purpose of oppression. When someone, with evil intent and concealing an evil intent, behaves outwardly in the opposite way, that is blameworthy. But is Allah’s mockery of the hypocrites the recompense for their evil conduct? Therefore it is excellent justice and praiseworthy. That is, Allah mocks — there is nothing surprising in it, nothing to be offended by — because Allah mocks only those who behaved badly toward the believers, as a punishment for them. They tried to mock, tried to mock the believers, or did so — as a recompense for that. When Allah does this, it is justice, and it is praiseworthy.
Just as when someone tries to deceive a good person — I am giving the example of a good person for ease of understanding — when that person is intelligent, he avoids his deception, and instead traps him in the opposite snare — then what do we call this? This is justice, and it is praiseworthy. In the case of Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, this is even more applicable. So Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, does mock — yes — but this is said conditionally, not unconditionally. Those who mock the believers, Allah mocks them as a recompense, and in that case it is the best justice — this is the praiseworthy belief we must hold.
9. The Failed Trade of the Hypocrites
It is they who purchased misguidance in exchange for guidance. What did they buy? They made a trade. The hypocrites made a trade. What trade did they make? They purchased misguidance in exchange for guidance. Becoming godless, they sold guidance and bought it (misguidance). Their trade was not profitable. Why were they not guided on the Day of Judgment?
10. Summary of the Characteristics of the Hypocrites
The characteristics of the hypocrites that we found — number one. They commit sins and misdeeds and claim collusion with the disbelievers. Then you will understand the characteristics of the hypocrites. How do they, by committing evil deeds and misdeeds, destroy society?
- They destroy the families of the Muslims.
- They make many people disbelievers.
- They turn them away from religion.
- They feed them interest (ribā) and create hatred for religion.
What do they call these? They do all these things under the guise of good deeds and give them beautiful names — this is the development of society, the empowerment of women, and so on. It goes on like this; they regard the true believers as fools. If they can recognize the hypocrites, (so they maintain good relations with everyone). They maintain good relations with everyone. They do not speak openly against religion. They secretly mock the believers.
11. Grammatical Analysis (Word by Word)
Let us do grammar. Yes. Very interesting. Today’s grammar, InshaAllah, we will finish by 10 o’clock. The Isha prayer at the mosque is very late. We are forced to start the program a little late. If any of you are tired, or fear you will not catch the Fajr prayer, lie down now. Listen to it later. It will remain, InshaAllah.
11.1 “Wa Idhā Qīla Lahum”
“Wa idhā qīla lahum” — And when it is said to them — let us analyze. We know “wa” — we have seen it many times. “Wa” means “and,” etc., and “wa” is usually used at the beginning of a sentence in Arabic. “Idhā” means “when.” “Qīla” comes from “qāla” in the passive voice. “Qāla” means past — “he said.” “Qīla” means “it was said” — passive voice. Active–passive — “it was said,” but here it is being said that it comes in the present sense.
A principle regarding tense: Remember one thing — tense is a matter in Arabic. Even if the structure of a word is in the past tense, the meaning can be present, the meaning can be future — it has to be understood through other words. When it comes with “idhā” — when such a thing happens — then it usually comes with “idhā” in the past tense, but the meaning is present. Then in translation it should be said “it is said” (is being said), not “it was said.”
“Lahum”: When “idhā” is said — “lahum” means “for them.” “Lahum.” The word “lām” comes in many meanings. Here we can say “for.” But saying “for them” is not understood in Bengali. Its meaning is “it is said to them,” in this sense. “It is said to them” — comes with “lām.”
Yes, I said to him. I told him — if you want to say it in Arabic, you have to say it with “lām.” “I said to Muhammad” — “qultu li-Muhammad” — “qultu Muhammad” means “qultu li-Muhammad.” Here it is not said “lahum lihum” like that; rather “li” plus “hum” means the same “lahum.” That is, it is said to them.
11.2 “Lā Tufsidū fi’l-Arḍ”
When they are told, “lā tufsidū fi’l-arḍ” (do not cause corruption on the earth) — the meaning is very clear — “lā” means the negative prohibition. “Tufsidū fī” means “in / within.” “Arḍ” means “earth” — do not cause corruption on the earth. Here, many times, when we explain grammar and vocabulary, the translation will be a bit odd — to explain the meanings, “cause a bit of corruption within the earth.” Yes, here it says “within.” But in the final translation it says “on the earth.” It sounds beautiful — “do not cause corruption on the earth.” “Do not cause corruption on the earth” — it sounds beautiful. “Within the earth” does not sound beautiful. But now, to explain the meaning, I have written it this way.
“Tufsidū” and the jazm (dropping): Now, look at “tufsidū” — what happened? It comes from “afsada.” Past tense, past. Then, to indicate the prohibition, the “salt” (jazm) will occur (the vowel drops). It will not be said “lā tufsidūna.” It will be said “lā tufsidū.”
Example 1 (not prohibition, but statement): Let me explain with an example. Suppose a teacher and some students come to me and say, “Ustadh, we are being slandered — that we are causing corruption.” Then I reassure them: I know you are not causing corruption. This sentence — when I said “you are not causing corruption” — did I forbid them, “do not cause corruption,” or did I not forbid them? I informed them that you are not causing corruption — “annakum lā tufsidūn.” Then I would say “tufsidūn” with the “salt” (the nūn) — “I know annakum lā tufsidūn,” I know that you are not causing corruption, I know this is slander. So here it comes with the “nūn.”
Example 2 (prohibition): And look at another example — I call them and forbid them: “O servants of Allah, the students are causing corruption; do not cause corruption” — but you are causing corruption — what would I say? I would say it without the “salt” (the nūn). What is happening here is that the hypocrites are being told “lā tufsidū fi’l-(arḍ)” and are being forbidden. So what happened here? The “salt” occurred (the nūn was dropped). Yes, I hope you understand.
11.3 “Qālū Innamā Naḥnu Muṣliḥūn”
Then they say, “qālū innamā naḥnu muṣliḥūn” — we are only reformers. “Qālū” comes from “qāla.” When “wāw” is added to “qāla” — “qāla” is past tense — “he said.” “Māḍī” means “he said.” When “wāw” is joined, it becomes plural — “they said.” “Qālū” — here this alif comes (in writing); it is the writing convention; forget the alif, but the main thing is that “qāl” is joined with “wāw” to become “qālū.” That is, “they said.” Here it comes in the sense of “they say” — why “say”? Because we saw a little earlier that it came with “idhā” in the past tense; a sentence with “idhā,” when it comes in Arabic, has the present meaning. That is why the meaning is “qālū” — when they are told “do not cause corruption,” they say “innamā” — “inna” means “only” — we only — “naḥnu” we only — “muṣliḥ” we are only reformers; nothing other than reformers; we do nothing other than reform; we do not engage in disobedience.
Now I have removed the word “fasād.” I kept it at the beginning for your understanding. Why we do not put “fasād” in the translation — I have explained that. They say, “We are only reformers.”
11.4 “Alā Innahum Humu’l-Mufsidūn”
“Alā innahum humu’l-mufsidūn” — Listen, indeed they — “innahu, inna” means “indeed,” “hum” means “they” — indeed it is they — again it is they who are “al-mufsidūn,” the corrupters. How does “mufsidūn” come here? A little earlier we saw how “muṣliḥ” comes from “aṣlaḥa” — the reformer. Likewise “afsada” means “he caused corruption.” “Mufsid” means “one who causes corruption.” The plural with “al” is “mufsidūn,” and the “nūn.” I explained that it is as if Allah made all the corrupters of this community that way. So it is they alone who cause corruption and no one else — this is a kind of hyperbole (mubālaghah). That is, excessive emphasis is being given. Listen, indeed it is they who are the corrupters.
11.5 “Lā Yashʿurūn”
But “lā yashʿurūn” — they do not perceive. Look here — they do not perceive. A statement is being made. This is not a prohibition, “do not perceive” — rather it is being said, “they do not perceive.” That is why this “salt” here (is different) — “shaʿara” means “he perceived,” “yashʿuru” means “he perceives,” and adding “wāw” gives “they perceive”; “lā yashʿuru” means “they do not perceive.” Now I say, to make it clear, that they do not perceive — listen, it is they alone who are engaged in Allah’s (disobedience), though they do not perceive it. Why did we not write another translation of this? Because we already got it once before. “Lahu” means we have understood.
11.6 “Āminū Kamā Āmana’n-Nās” and “Mā Maṣdariyyah”
When they are told “āminū” it means “you all believe” — how? It comes from “āmanū” — “he believed.” In Arabic, when you want to give a command, it is said “āmin” — “you (singular) believe.” But it is given directly to the one being addressed, the second person — “āmin,” you believe. When “wāw” is added to it, it becomes “you all believe” — “āminū.” Then “āminū” means “you all believe.” “Kamā āmana’n-nās” means “just as” — with “kāf” (kamā). “Āmana’n-nās” — “nās” means people, “āmana” means, as we saw, “he believed.” That is, the people have believed. The people have believed. Believe as they (the people) have believed — this could be the meaning.
Why “mā” is not in the translation: What is “mā” here, and why is “mā” not in the translation? Now I explain. Actually, with “kāf” a noun (ism) comes — but “āmana” is a verb. “Kāf” cannot directly take a verb. If we were to say this generally, outside the Qur’an, it would normally be said “āminū ka-īmāni’n-nās.” “Īmān” means faith. “Nās” means “like the faith of people.” Believe like the faith of the people. It would be said this way. But here, when the word “īmān” is used — what kind of word is this “īmān”? It is called a “maṣdar” (verbal noun / gerund). That is, the action “āmana” — its name is “īmān” (faith). It should have been said this way: “āminū ka-īmāni’n-nās” — with the maṣdar. But when there is no maṣdar and instead there is a verb (fiʿl), then “kāf” cannot directly take it as a maṣdar. This “mā” comes to convert it into a maṣdar. That is why this “mā” is called “mā maṣdariyyah” (mīm-alif).
If you look at “kāf,” here there is directly “āmana’n-nās” — here there is a verb; you cannot take it (directly); you have to take it in the maṣdar sense, convert it to the maṣdar meaning — to convert it to this meaning, “like the faith of the people,” this “mā” comes (mīm-alif, “mā”). This “mā” comes in many meanings, of which this is one — it is called “mā maṣdariyyah.” It is not written here, but take a small note or remember — “maṣdariyyah mā.” “Mā” is of many types — one is the negative “mā” (mā nāfiyah); a little later we will see the negative “mā” come. So this one is maṣdariyyah. That is, it gives the verb that comes after it the meaning of a maṣdar. That is, “believe like the faith of the people” — this is the meaning. That is why “mā” cannot be kept in the translation.
11.7 “Anuʾminu Kamā Āmana’s-Sufahāʾ”
“Qālū” they say “anuʾminu” — Shall we believe? Shall we believe? “Anuʾminu kamā āmana’s-sufahāʾ” — like the faith of the fools; shall we believe like the faith of the fools? Yes. “Kamā āmana” I have understood — and I did not break it down here — a little earlier we saw what “kamā āmana” means, so I understood the meaning. They say — Shall we believe? Shall we believe like the faith of the fools? Here from “āmana” — he believed, “yuʾminu” he believes, “nuʾminu” we believe — “nā” (nūn) means “naḥnu” (we) — “naḥnu” means “we,” “nuʾminu” we believe, “anuʾminu” — “an” or “am” — yes, in Arabic we said the same word together in present-future — “Shall we believe?” This “hamza” is “hamzat al-istifhām” (the interrogative hamza) — are we believing / shall we believe? “Anuʾminu kamā āmana’s-sufahāʾ” — as the fools have believed — shall we believe like the faith of the fools? “Sufahāʾ” — the plural of “safīh” — meaning fools; we have explained it.
11.8 “Alā Innahum Humu’s-Sufahāʾ wa Lākil Lā Yaʿlamūn”
“Alā innahum humu’s-sufahāʾ” — its meaning is clear; we saw it before. “Wa lākil lā yaʿlamūn” — but they do not know. “ʿAlim, yaʿlamūn” — from “yaʿlamūn” — “ʿalima” means “he knew,” “yaʿlamu” means “he knows,” “yaʿlamūn” means “they” — actually the meaning is “they (know).” Alright, this is the translation of the whole.
11.9 “Wa Idhā Laqu’l-Ladhīna Āmanū Qālū Āmannā”
Then, “wa idhā laqū” — when “laqiya” is joined with “wāw” — it means “they met.” Here, because of “idhā,” the meaning will be “they meet.” When they meet — “alladhīna” — it is saying that a group of people, whose identity is found in the next part — “alladhīna” who — “āmanū” those who believed. “Alladhīna āmanū” means those who believed. When they meet those who believe — “qālū” — then they say “āmannā” — we too have believed. “Āmana” — with “wāw” added becomes “āmanū” — we saw this before, right? “Āmana” means “he believed,” “wāw” means “they believed” — here the meaning is “alladhīna āmanū,” meaning those who believed. When they meet the believers, they say “qālū” — we have seen what they say — “qāla” with “wāw” added becomes “qālū” — we saw this before. “Āmannā” — “āmana” he believed; if not joined, “āmannā” we believed. If it is not joined with the word “āmana,” then it means “we have believed.” So when they meet the believers, they say “we have believed.”
11.10 “Wa Idhā Khalaw Ilā Shayāṭīnihim” — Taḍmīn
And “wa idhā khalaw ilā shayāṭīnihim” — And when they secretly meet with their devils — “shayāṭīn” is the plural of “shayṭān” — their devils, that is, their associates and leaders are called their devils, because they are devils, they are evil. Then what do they say? Alright, first look at something that is not translated here. I will explain why. Before that, let us look at “shayṭān.” From “shayṭān” the plural is “shayāṭīn” — “hum” or “him” always means “their” or “their shayāṭīn.” “With their devils” — “khalā” means to meet secretly / in private. In plural it means “they meet secretly.”
The change of preposition — why “ilā” instead of “bā”: “Khalā” usually comes with “bā” (بـ). So it should have been said “khalaw bi-shayāṭīnihim.” But when it comes with “ilā” (إلى) — this is a wonderful matter in Arabic. See, “khalā” should have been “bi-shayāṭīnihim,” right? That is the natural rule — because they meet secretly with the devils. But instead of the preposition (ḥarf al-jarr) that was supposed to come, another preposition comes — which indicates that there is another (implied) verb here. You have to understand that there is another verb here. What is it? The verb that goes with the word “ilā” — “inṣarafū” (they turned away / withdrew).
So for this reason the Qur’an expresses a broad meaning in a few words. The meaning has become “inṣarafū ilā shayāṭīnihim” — that is, meeting secretly is also there, but (turning away is also there). The “bā” that was supposed to come — “bā” — has been included here by changing it to “ilā.” The verb with which the preposition “ilā” is placed — what is that verb? “Inṣarafū” means to turn away. That is, when they turn their faces away from the believers and meet secretly with their devils — then the meaning “wa khalā bihim” (to meet privately with them) will also be present, because this (“khalā”) meaning is clear, and the meaning of “inṣarafa” (turning away) is also included here — solely because of the preposition “ilā.”
The definition of the “taḍmīn” rule: The name of this rule is “taḍmīn” (تضمين) — that is, one verb carries the meaning of another verb. The verb “khalā,” through this preposition “ilā,” also carries the meaning of “inṣarafa” and gives a broad meaning. That is, what will the full meaning be now? The full meaning will be: when they turn toward their devils and meet secretly with them. So, to translate properly, it should be translated this way — “And when they turn toward their devils and (withdrawing) meet privately with them.” The preposition “ilā” indicates that there is another verb here — “inṣarafa” (to turn away) — which is not explicit here, but will come into the meaning. And meeting privately with them — because “khalā” is also here.
These two together give the meaning “khalā bihim” — to join with them — because “khalā” comes with “bā,” or (comes differently here), as I said before, and joins with them privately.
11.11 “Innā Maʿakum Innamā Naḥnu Mustahziʾūn”
Then, when they join privately, they turn away toward the devil and join privately with them — then they say “innā maʿakum” — “inna” means indeed we — “maʿakum” with you — “maʿ” means “with,” “kum” means “you (plural),” “maʿakum” with you — “innamā (naḥnu) mustahziʾūn” — “inna” we saw before — we are only “mustahziʾūn,” mockers — “mustahzi” is singular, with “ūn” added it becomes “mustahziʾūn,” meaning plural — we are mocking. “Innā maʿakum” we are with you, we are only mocking.
11.12 “Allāhu Yastahziʾu Bihim”
“Allāhu yastahziʾu bihim” — “Allāhu yastahzi” means to mock — “bihim” is joined with “yastahzi” — with them. “Bā” is a preposition. Just as it is said “interested in,” it is said “prefer to.” In Arabic, as in “yastahziʾu bihim.” When translating we can say “with / at.” Allah mocks them. It does not say “Allāhu yastahzihum.” What does it say in Arabic? “Yastahzi bihim” — He mocks them. From “istahzaʾa” comes “yastahzi” — past “he mocked,” “yastahzi” he mocks.
11.13 “Wa Yamudduhum fī Ṭughyānihim Yaʿmahūn”
“Wa yamudduhum” — “yamuddu” means, as we explained, granting them respite — “fī ṭughyānihim” in their transgression — “yaʿmahūn” they wander about in confusion. “Madda, yamuddu” — this word is from “madda” — past “madda” he granted respite, “yamuddu” he grants respite — present-future. “ʿAmaha, yaʿmahu” means to lose one’s way — “ʿamaha” means he wandered about in confusion, “yaʿmahu” he wanders about in confusion, “yaʿmahūn” they wander about or lose their way.
11.14 “Ulāʾika’l-Ladhīna’shtarawu’ḍ-Ḍalālata bi’l-Hudā”
“Ulāʾika” they — “ulāʾika” means “they” — “alladhīna” they who — what did they do — “ishtaraw” — “ishtarā” means “he bought,” with “wāw” added, “they” — we know “ishtaraw” they bought — what? “Aḍ-ḍalāla” means misguidance — “bi’l-hudā” — “hudā” means guidance — in exchange for guidance. Why is a vowel (pesh / ḍammah) also placed on the “wāw” in “ishtaraw”? Because it must be taken from the “ḍād,” since there is “al” here; if you do not read the “al” and take the “ḍād” directly, there will be a problem if there is sukūn on the “wāw.” That is why the reading rule was changed with a ḍammah, and this is called “iltiqāʾ” (the meeting of two vowelless letters). Otherwise the word was “ishtarā.” So this ḍammah comes only for reading. “Bi’l-hudā” means in exchange for guidance.
11.15 “Famā Rabiḥat Tijāratuhum” — Mā Nāfiyah
“Famā rabiḥat” — take “fā” here in the sense of “but / so.” “Mā” here — do not understand it (like the previous one) — here “mā” is in the sense of “lā” — “mā rabiḥat” it was not profitable. “Rabiḥa” means to be profitable. When “rabiḥa” is feminine, it becomes “rabiḥat.” Why feminine? Because here its subject is “tijāra” (trade). It is being said that the trade was not profitable. That is why, since the word “tijāra” (trade) has a round “tā” (tāʾ marbūṭah) at the end — see this “tijāra” — it is joined with “hum” (tijāratuhum) — anyway, it is there. That is why it is a feminine word. That is why it is “rabiḥat.” Yes, “rabiḥat” means to be profitable. “Mā rabiḥat” means it was not profitable. “Rabiḥat” means profitable, “mā rabiḥat” means (it was not profitable). So this “mā” is not the “mā maṣdariyyah” we saw a little earlier — this is the negative “mā” (mā nāfiyah) — in the sense of “lā.” “Mā rabiḥat tijāra” — their trade was not profitable.
11.16 “Wa Mā Kānū Muhtadīn”
“Wa mā” too is not so obvious — “wa mā kānū muhtadīn.” “Kānū” — “kāna” means “he was.” Adding “wāw” gives “they” — “mā kānū” means “they were not.” “Kānū” means they were, “mā kānū” means they were not. “Muhtadīn” means they were not guided — “muhtadīn” means guided. “Ihtadā” means “he was guided.” One who is guided is called “muhtad.” When “wāw / in” is added it becomes plural — as when “in” is added it becomes plural. Why “in” had to be added to make it plural — this is due to a certain condition, which we will learn later. So in meaning “muhtadūn” and “muhtadīn” are the same. Meaning those who were guided; that is, they were not guided.
In simple terms — they were not on the right path. That is, in the trade they did, they sold guidance and, in exchange for guidance, bought misguidance. In this transaction they were not on the right path. As a result, they suffered loss.
Subḥāna’llāhi wa bi-ḥamdih, ashhadu allā (ilāha illā anta…).