Surah Al-Munaafiqoon (63) — Ayah 4

(Ayah 4) ➊ {وَ اِذَا رَاَيْتَهُمْ تُعْجِبُكَ اَجْسَامُهُمْ:} Most of the hypocrites were prosperous, influential, clever, and shrewd people. Their prosperity and greed for wealth were the cause of their hypocrisy. Their leader, Abdullah bin Ubayy, was also a chief in terms of wealth and was very handsome, tall, and well-built in appearance. Zayd bin Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) said about him and his companions: [ كَانُوْا رِجَالاً أَجْمَلَ شَيْءٍ ] [ بخاري : ۴۹۰۳ ] "They were very handsome men." For more details, see the commentary of verse (7) ahead. Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that (among the captives of Badr) Abbas was in Madinah, and the Ansar searched for clothes to dress him, but they found no shirt that would fit his body except the shirt of Abdullah bin Ubayy, so they dressed him in that. [ نسائي، الجنائز، باب القمیص في الکفن : ۱۹۰۳، وقال الألباني صحیح ] The scholars say that when Abdullah bin Ubayy died, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made him wear his own shirt, and besides other considerations, it was also to repay this favor. In the previous verse, Allah Almighty, along with mentioning the lack of understanding of the hypocrites with the words {’’ فَهُمْ لَا يَفْقَهُوْنَ ‘‘}, said: O addressee! When you see them, their bodies will appear very pleasing to you because of their stature and beauty, and if they speak, they are so eloquent and articulate that you would keep listening to them. Their glibness is also mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah (204). Here, some commentators have considered the addressee in {’’ وَ اِذَا رَاَيْتَهُمْ تُعْجِبُكَ اَجْسَامُهُمْ ‘‘} to be the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), but it is better to keep it general for every addressee, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had been seeing them from the beginning.

➋ It is obvious that by {’’ اِذَا رَاَيْتَهُمْ ‘‘} (when you see them), Abdullah bin Ubayy and hypocrites like him are meant, because not all hypocrites were handsome and beautiful, nor were they all so eloquent and articulate. (Al-Tasheel)

➌ {كَاَنَّهُمْ خُشُبٌ مُّسَنَّدَةٌ: ’’ خُشُبٌ ‘‘ ’’خَشَبَةٌ ‘‘} is the plural of 'khashabah', meaning "pieces of wood." This plural form is very rare. The commentators have given its example as the plural of {’’ ثَمَرَةٌ ‘‘} is {’’ ثُمُرٌ ‘‘}. {’’ مُسَنَّدَةٌ ‘‘} is a passive participle from the Bab Taf'il, meaning "leaned against the wall." That is, just as pieces of wood, despite their length, width, and beauty, lack intellect and understanding, similarly, these people are also devoid of intellect and understanding. When they sit in your gathering leaning against the wall, do not think they are men, but rather consider them as pieces of wood leaned against the wall, though they may appear beautiful outwardly. Zamakhshari said that the meaning of the verse is that despite being handsome, beautiful, tall, and broad, there is no hope of benefit from them, just as useful wood is used in roofs, doors, or windows, or somewhere else, but useless wood is just leaned against the wall.

➍ { يَحْسَبُوْنَ كُلَّ صَيْحَةٍ عَلَيْهِمْ:} In this, their cowardice is depicted: as soon as any sound is raised or there is a commotion, they think it is a calamity befalling them, that perhaps the disbelievers have attacked, in which we will have to fight and may die. (See Al-Ahzab: 19) Or that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Muslims have discovered our inner malice and an order has come against us, or that Allah Almighty has revealed a verse or surah exposing us or ordering our killing. (See At-Tawbah: 64)

➎ { هُمُ الْعَدُوُّ فَاحْذَرْهُمْ: ’’ الْعَدُوُّ ‘‘} By bringing "al" (the definite article) on the word "enemy," exclusivity is created in the statement: your real enemies are these. Because the open enmity of the disbelievers is apparent, from which it is easy to be cautious, but these are insiders and snakes in the sleeve who, pretending to be Muslims, are always with you. Their enmity is more dangerous and it is very difficult to protect oneself from it, so beware of them.

➏ {قٰتَلَهُمُ اللّٰهُ:} This is a phrase of curse: "May Allah destroy them." Here, a question arises: What need does Allah have for supplication or curse, when He can do whatever He wills? The answer is that here the curse that comes on people's tongues regarding them is quoted. The intent is to condemn them.

➐ {اَنّٰى يُؤْفَكُوْنَ:} That is, despite such clear proofs, where are these people being led astray by abandoning faith?