❖ The Meaning of “Disease” in the Verse: Referring to Doubt and Hypocrisy
Source: Fatawa Ameenpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
❖ Question:
What is meant by “disease” in the following verse?
❀ Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ﴾
(Surah al-Baqarah: 10)
“In their hearts is a disease, so Allah increased their disease. And for them is a painful punishment because they used to lie.”
❖ Answer:
In this noble verse, the “disease” mentioned refers to doubt and hypocrisy.
❖ Scholarly Consensus:
❀ Imam Abū al-Muẓaffar al-Samʿānī رحمه الله (d. 489 AH) stated:
“أراد بالمرض الشك والنفاق بإجماع المفسرين.”
“The disease refers to doubt and hypocrisy — and this is agreed upon by all the scholars of Tafsir.”
(Tafsīr al-Samʿānī: 1/48)
✔ Conclusion:
① The “disease” in the verse is not a physical ailment, but rather a spiritual sickness.
② Specifically, it refers to doubt in faith (shakk) and hypocrisy (nifāq).
③ This understanding is supported by the consensus of the classical commentators (mufassirīn).
