سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 142
إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ يُخَـٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَـٰدِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ قَامُوا۟ كُسَالَىٰ يُرَآءُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ﴿142﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allâh, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salât (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allâh but little.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ
l-munāfiqīna
the hypocrites
يُخَـٰدِعُونَ
yukhādiʿūna
(seek to) deceive
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
and (it is) He
خَـٰدِعُهُمْ
khādiʿuhum
who deceives them
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
قَامُوٓا۟
qāmū
they stand
إِلَى
ilā
for
ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ
l-ṣalati
the prayer
قَامُوا۟
qāmū
they stand
كُسَالَىٰ
kusālā
lazily
يُرَآءُونَ
yurāūna
showing off
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
(to) the people
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَذْكُرُونَ
yadhkurūna
they remember
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
إِلَّا
illā
except
قَلِيلًۭا
qalīlan
a little
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
142. 1 Its brief explanation has already been given in Surah Al-Baqarah.
142. 2 Salah is the most important pillar of Islam and the noblest obligation, yet they also displayed laziness and sluggishness in it, because their hearts were devoid of faith, fear of Allah, and sincerity. This is why the Isha and Fajr prayers were especially burdensome for them, as the Prophet ﷺ said, "The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrite are the Isha and Fajr prayers."
142. 3 Even this prayer they performed only for show and ostentation, so that they could deceive the Muslims.
142. 4 They mention Allah only in name or perform a very brief prayer; when prayer is devoid of sincerity, fear of Allah, and humility, then performing it with tranquility becomes extremely burdensome. As is clear from (Al-Baqarah: 45). In the hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said, "This is the prayer of the hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite: he sits waiting for the sun, until when the sun is between the two horns of the devil (about to rise), he stands up and pecks out four pecks." (Sahih Muslim)
142. 2 Salah is the most important pillar of Islam and the noblest obligation, yet they also displayed laziness and sluggishness in it, because their hearts were devoid of faith, fear of Allah, and sincerity. This is why the Isha and Fajr prayers were especially burdensome for them, as the Prophet ﷺ said, "The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrite are the Isha and Fajr prayers."
142. 3 Even this prayer they performed only for show and ostentation, so that they could deceive the Muslims.
142. 4 They mention Allah only in name or perform a very brief prayer; when prayer is devoid of sincerity, fear of Allah, and humility, then performing it with tranquility becomes extremely burdensome. As is clear from (Al-Baqarah: 45). In the hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said, "This is the prayer of the hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite: he sits waiting for the sun, until when the sun is between the two horns of the devil (about to rise), he stands up and pecks out four pecks." (Sahih Muslim)
