سُوْرَةُ الْمُجَادَلَةِ
Surah Al-Mujaadila (58) — Ayah 8
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ نُهُوا۟ عَنِ ٱلنَّجْوَىٰ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا نُهُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَيَتَنَـٰجَوْنَ بِٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ وَمَعْصِيَتِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَإِذَا جَآءُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ ٱللَّهُ وَيَقُولُونَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَوْلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا ٱللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ ۚ حَسْبُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ يَصْلَوْنَهَا ۖ فَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿8﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have you not seen those who were forbidden to hold secret counsels, and afterwards returned to that which they had been forbidden, and conspired together for sin and wrong doing and disobedience to the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم). And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting wherewith Allâh greets you not, and say within themselves: "Why should Allâh punish us not for what we say?" Hell will be sufficient for them; they will burn therein. And worst indeed is that destination!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَلَمْ
alam
Do not
تَرَ
tara
you see
إِلَى
ilā
[to]
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
نُهُوا۟
nuhū
were forbidden
عَنِ
ʿani
from
ٱلنَّجْوَىٰ
l-najwā
secret counsels
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
يَعُودُونَ
yaʿūdūna
they return
لِمَا
limā
to what
نُهُوا۟
nuhū
they were forbidden
عَنْهُ
ʿanhu
from [it]
وَيَتَنَـٰجَوْنَ
wayatanājawna
and they hold secret counsels
بِٱلْإِثْمِ
bil-ith'mi
for sin
وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ
wal-ʿud'wāni
and aggression
وَمَعْصِيَتِ
wamaʿṣiyati
and disobedience
ٱلرَّسُولِ
l-rasūli
(to) the Messenger
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
جَآءُوكَ
jāūka
they come to you
حَيَّوْكَ
ḥayyawka
they greet you
بِمَا
bimā
with what
لَمْ
lam
not
يُحَيِّكَ
yuḥayyika
greets you
بِهِ
bihi
therewith
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
وَيَقُولُونَ
wayaqūlūna
and they say
فِىٓ
fī
among
أَنفُسِهِمْ
anfusihim
themselves
لَوْلَا
lawlā
Why (does) not
يُعَذِّبُنَا
yuʿadhibunā
Allah punish us
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah punish us
بِمَا
bimā
for what
نَقُولُ ۚ
naqūlu
we say
حَسْبُهُمْ
ḥasbuhum
Sufficient (for) them
جَهَنَّمُ
jahannamu
(is) Hell
يَصْلَوْنَهَا ۖ
yaṣlawnahā
they will burn in it
فَبِئْسَ
fabi'sa
and worst is
ٱلْمَصِيرُ
l-maṣīru
the destination
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
8. Have you not seen those [9] who were forbidden from secret counsels, yet they return to what they were forbidden? They secretly confer about sin, transgression, and disobedience to the Messenger. And when they come to you, they greet you in a way that Allah has not greeted you, and they say to themselves, "Why does Allah not punish us for what we say?" Hell is sufficient for them, in which they will enter. What an evil destination it is!
[9]
The Whisperings of the Hypocrites:
By these people are meant the hypocrites of Madinah, who had become Muslims for certain personal reasons, but all their sympathies were with the disbelievers, whether they were the Jews of Madinah, the Quraysh of Makkah, or other Arab tribes who were polytheists and enemies of Islam. Their various actions were blameworthy and caused great distress to the Muslims. One was that they maintained secret relations with the anti-Islamic forces and kept them informed about the movements or intentions of the Muslims. Secondly, they would hold secret meetings among themselves against the Muslims and to weaken the strength of Islam. And often it would happen that when they saw a few Muslims, they would start whispering and murmuring among themselves right in front of them. The sole purpose of this was to cause mental distress to the Muslims. The third thing they did was that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would call the Muslims for consultation or some task, and the hypocrites, being called Muslims, were also reluctantly required to attend such gatherings, at that time they would say to you under their breath the same greeting they had learned from the Jews, that is, instead of "as-salamu alaik," they would say "as-samu alaik" (meaning: death be upon you), as is clear from the following hadith.
The Jews and Hypocrites Saying "As-Samu Alaik" to You:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: "When the Jews greet you, they say 'sam' (meaning: death) instead of 'salam.' So in reply to them, you should only say 'wa alaikum' (and upon you)." [بخاری، کتاب الاستیذان، باب کیف یرد علٰی اھل الذمۃ السلام]
Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that some Jews came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "As-samu alaik." I understood and said, "Alaikum as-sam wal-la'nah" (meaning: death and curse be upon you). The Prophet ﷺ said: "Aisha! Hold on! Allah loves gentleness in every matter." I said: "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, did you not hear what they said?" The Prophet ﷺ replied: "I heard, and I replied to them with 'wa alaikum.'" [بخاري۔ كتاب الاستيذان۔ باب ايضاً]
Then they would think in their hearts or discuss among themselves that if he were truly Allah's Messenger, then as a result of our curse, destruction would have come upon us. But since nothing has happened to us despite our curse, how can we believe that he is truly a Messenger? Allah informed the Muslims of all these actions of the hypocrites and also mentioned their condemnation. But He did not send destruction upon them, because Allah Almighty did not create man for compelled and forced faith. However, after death, He informed them of their evil end.
[9]
The Whisperings of the Hypocrites:
By these people are meant the hypocrites of Madinah, who had become Muslims for certain personal reasons, but all their sympathies were with the disbelievers, whether they were the Jews of Madinah, the Quraysh of Makkah, or other Arab tribes who were polytheists and enemies of Islam. Their various actions were blameworthy and caused great distress to the Muslims. One was that they maintained secret relations with the anti-Islamic forces and kept them informed about the movements or intentions of the Muslims. Secondly, they would hold secret meetings among themselves against the Muslims and to weaken the strength of Islam. And often it would happen that when they saw a few Muslims, they would start whispering and murmuring among themselves right in front of them. The sole purpose of this was to cause mental distress to the Muslims. The third thing they did was that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would call the Muslims for consultation or some task, and the hypocrites, being called Muslims, were also reluctantly required to attend such gatherings, at that time they would say to you under their breath the same greeting they had learned from the Jews, that is, instead of "as-salamu alaik," they would say "as-samu alaik" (meaning: death be upon you), as is clear from the following hadith.
The Jews and Hypocrites Saying "As-Samu Alaik" to You:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: "When the Jews greet you, they say 'sam' (meaning: death) instead of 'salam.' So in reply to them, you should only say 'wa alaikum' (and upon you)." [بخاری، کتاب الاستیذان، باب کیف یرد علٰی اھل الذمۃ السلام]
Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that some Jews came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "As-samu alaik." I understood and said, "Alaikum as-sam wal-la'nah" (meaning: death and curse be upon you). The Prophet ﷺ said: "Aisha! Hold on! Allah loves gentleness in every matter." I said: "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, did you not hear what they said?" The Prophet ﷺ replied: "I heard, and I replied to them with 'wa alaikum.'" [بخاري۔ كتاب الاستيذان۔ باب ايضاً]
Then they would think in their hearts or discuss among themselves that if he were truly Allah's Messenger, then as a result of our curse, destruction would have come upon us. But since nothing has happened to us despite our curse, how can we believe that he is truly a Messenger? Allah informed the Muslims of all these actions of the hypocrites and also mentioned their condemnation. But He did not send destruction upon them, because Allah Almighty did not create man for compelled and forced faith. However, after death, He informed them of their evil end.
