Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 10

(Ayah 10) ➊ { وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَّقُوْلُ اٰمَنَّا بِاللّٰهِ … :} These are the people who became Muslim in Makkah, but their condition with the polytheists was such that they could not bear the harm given by them; when they were harmed, they would turn back to shirk in their hearts, but would hide this from the Muslims and stay with them. These people were hypocrites; Allah Almighty revealed this verse about them before the migration. This is the statement of Dahhak and Jabir bin Zayd. (Ibn Ashur) It is said, among the people is he who says, "I have believed," then when he is harmed or punished regarding Allah, he considers the punishment and harm from people to be like the punishment of Allah, even though the harm from people and the punishment of Allah have no similarity between them. The punishment from people is limited and will come to an end, at most it can last until death, whereas the punishment of Allah is forever. The punishment from people is a cause of reward for him, while the punishment of Allah is the result of His wrath. Therefore, he should have been patient over the harm and punishment from people to save himself from Allah's punishment and become deserving of eternal Paradise, but he considered the harm and punishment from people to be like the punishment of Allah and turned away from the religion, yet for worldly interests, he maintained an outward connection with the Muslims as well.

➋ { وَ لَىِٕنْ جَآءَ نَصْرٌ مِّنْ رَّبِّكَ … :} Thus, if ever help comes from the Lord Almighty, and the Muslims are granted victory, they will say, "We were with you." Is Allah not the One who knows best what is in the hearts of all the worlds? Ibn Ashur says: "It appears that in Makkah, the inward disbelief of these people and their outward association with the Muslims was a kind of agreed arrangement with the polytheists, because this surah is Makki." The verse with this meaning is: «{ وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَّعْبُدُ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى حَرْفٍ فَاِنْ اَصَابَهٗ خَيْرٌ اطْمَاَنَّ بِهٖ وَ اِنْ اَصَابَتْهُ فِتْنَةٌ انْقَلَبَ عَلٰى وَجْهِهٖ خَسِرَ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْاٰخِرَةَ ذٰلِكَ هُوَ الْخُسْرَانُ الْمُبِيْنُ }» [ الحج : ۱۱] "And among the people is he who worships Allah on an edge; if good befalls him, he is content with it, but if a trial befalls him, he turns on his face. He has lost this world and the Hereafter; that is the clear loss."

➌ Allah Almighty has described two types of those who commit disbelief due to the harm and compulsion from people: one, those who, due to compulsion, uttered the word of disbelief but remained content with Islam in their hearts; the other, those who, with open hearts, adopted disbelief in their hearts, as He said: «{ مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللّٰهِ مِنْۢ بَعْدِ اِيْمَانِهٖۤ اِلَّا مَنْ اُكْرِهَ وَ قَلْبُهٗ مُطْمَىِٕنٌّۢ بِالْاِيْمَانِ وَ لٰكِنْ مَّنْ شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا }» [ النحل : ۱۰۶ ] "Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his faith—except for one who is compelled while his heart is content with faith, but whoever opens his chest to disbelief..." The people mentioned in the verse under discussion are those whom Allah Almighty referred to with the words {’’ مَنْ شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا ‘‘} (whoever opens his chest to disbelief).

10-1. In this, the condition of the hypocrites or those with weak faith is described: when they are harmed because of faith, it becomes unbearable for them like the punishment of Allah. As a result, they turn away from faith and adopt the religion of the masses.

10-2. That is, when Muslims are granted victory and dominance.

10-3. That is, they are your religious brothers. This is the same subject that is mentioned elsewhere in this way: they keep watching you; if you receive victory from Allah, they say, "Were we not with you?" And if the situation becomes favorable for the disbelievers, they go to the disbelievers and say, "Did we not surround you? And did we not protect you from the Muslims?" (الَّذِيْنَ يَتَرَبَّصُوْنَ بِكُمْ ۚ فَاِنْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فَتْحٌ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ قَالُوْٓا اَلَمْ نَكُنْ مَّعَكُمْ ڮ وَاِنْ كَانَ لِلْكٰفِرِيْنَ نَصِيْبٌ ۙ قَالُوْٓا اَلَمْ نَسْتَحْوِذْ عَلَيْكُمْ وَنَمْنَعْكُمْ مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ ۭفَاللّٰهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ ۭ وَلَنْ يَّجْعَلَ اللّٰهُ لِلْكٰفِرِيْنَ عَلَي الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ سَبِيْلًا) 4. An-Nisa:141)

10-4. That is, does Allah not know what is in your hearts and what is hidden in your consciences, even though you outwardly show companionship with the Muslims?

And among the people is he who says (with his tongue), “We believe in Allah [15],” but when he is harmed in the cause of Allah, he considers the persecution of people as if it were the punishment of Allah [16] (and joins the disbelievers). But if help comes from your Lord [17], he will surely say, “Indeed, we were with you (in heart).” Does Allah not know well what is in the hearts of all creatures [18]?

[15] That is, he is actually weak in faith, but considers himself among the firm believers and, like them, professes and claims faith.
[16] The test for those who accept Islam begins as soon as they embrace it, and Muslims have to endure various kinds of pain and hardships from the disbelievers. This is, in fact, a cold war between truth and falsehood. And initially, since truth is weak and falsehood is at its peak, Muslims face many kinds of difficulties and troubles. Those with weak faith cannot bear this situation and seek to escape from it, and begin to renounce their claim of faith, or at least practically deny their claim.
[17] And if, after risking everything, Allah grants victory and help to the steadfast believers, then such people will immediately come forward to share in the fruits of victory and will say, “We too were with you and are your brothers in Islam.”
[18] That is, Allah knows well the reality of their verbal claims—what interests motivate them to claim faith, and what ways they devise to avoid hardships.