Overview (Verses 144 - 146)

Repentance Opens the Way
 
At this point when contempt of the hypocrites is at its strongest and believers’ feelings of the hypocrites’ weakness is at its highest, the believers are warned against taking the same way as the hypocrites. As we have explained, the way the hypocrites follow is that of taking the unbelievers for their allies in preference to the believers. They are warned against God’s punishment, and shown the destiny of the hypocrites in the hereafter, which is both fearful and humiliating.
 
Believers! Do not take the unbelievers for your allies in preference to the believers. Do you want to place before God a manifest proof against yourselves? The hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the fire, and you will find none who can give them support. Excepted shall be those who repent, live righteously, hold fast to God, and are more sincere in their faith in God. These shall be with the believers. God will in time grant a splendid reward for the believers. (Verses 144-146)
 
The sūrah again addresses the believers by the quality that distinguishes them from all other people and distinguishes their system, method and practices. This is the quality of faith, which makes them responsive, obeying God’s orders. As believers, they are warned against following the ways of the hypocrites and against taking the unbelievers for allies. There must have been need in the Muslim community at the time for such an address. Relations were still maintained between some of the Muslims and the Jews in Madinah, or between some Muslims and their pagan relatives in Makkah, even though these may be no more than feelings of affinity. We say that this was the case among some Muslims, because there were others who severed all their relations with the unbelievers, including their parents and children. These followed God’s instructions, making faith the only tie of social or family relations.
 
Those in the Muslim community who still maintained relations with unbelievers in Makkah or Madinah were the ones who needed this reminder that this could be the way to hypocrisy. This lesson is even more effective after the hypocrites have been depicted in their ugly, disgusting guise. Thus, the reminder serves as a warning against exposing themselves to God’s punishment: “Do you want to place before God a manifest proof against yourselves?” (Verse 144) A believer’s heart does not fear anything more than God’s displeasure and His punishment. Hence, the warning is put in the form of a question, which is sufficient to have a telling effect on those who believe in God.
 
Then comes another loud knock to alert the believers’ hearts. It is not aimed at them directly, but by implication. It comes in the form of a statement showing the hypocrites fearful and humiliating destiny: “The hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the fire, and you will find none who can give them support.” (Verse 145) They are indeed in the lowest depth, which befits their condition in this life, pulling them to the earth, making them stick to it, unable to elevate themselves in any way. That is the gravity of desire, temptation, caution, weakness and faint-heartedness. It is that which pulls them down until they reach a level where they take unbelievers for their allies while at the same time they try to win favour with the believers. That is how they justify their humiliating attitude: “wavering between this and that, [true] neither to these nor to those”. (Verse 143)
 
In life on earth, these people actually prepared themselves for their humiliating destiny “in the lowest depth of the fire”; where they could have no helpers or supporters. In this world, they befriended the unbelievers. How can the unbelievers give them support in the Hereafter?
 
Having painted this fearful scene, the sūrah opens for them the door to safety; that is the door of repentance which is open to anyone who wishes to ensure personal safety: “Excepted shall be those who repent, live righteously, hold fast to God, and are more sincere in their faith in God. These shall be with the believers. God will in time grant a splendid reward for the believers.” (Verse 146) Elsewhere in the Qur’ān the exception is outlined for those “who repent and live righteously.” Repentance and righteous living include, by necessity, seeking refuge with God and being sincere in one’s faith in God. But these two qualities are specified in this instance because the reference here is to people who wavered, vacillated, resorted to hypocrisy and allied themselves with God’s enemies. Hence, it is more fitting to add here, in the context of repentance and righteous living, a specific mention of dedication to God, seeking only His refuge and purging oneself of all wavering and vacillation. This demonstration by the repentant shows more strength and dedication.
 
That is how they are able then to elevate themselves to the ranks of the believers who seek honour with Him alone, feeling their elevation through faith, and, by the power of faith, rising high above earthly considerations. The reward reserved for the believers and those who join them is well known: “God will in time grant a splendid reward for the believers.” (Verse 146)
 
With such varied touches the reality of the hypocrites in Islamic society and their weaknesses are exposed. The believers are warned against following this course of action, which will lead to the same fate. The door to repentance is open so that anyone who wishes to save himself is able to do so.

Overview (Verses 144 - 146)

Repentance Opens the Way
 
At this point when contempt of the hypocrites is at its strongest and believers’ feelings of the hypocrites’ weakness is at its highest, the believers are warned against taking the same way as the hypocrites. As we have explained, the way the hypocrites follow is that of taking the unbelievers for their allies in preference to the believers. They are warned against God’s punishment, and shown the destiny of the hypocrites in the hereafter, which is both fearful and humiliating.
 
Believers! Do not take the unbelievers for your allies in preference to the believers. Do you want to place before God a manifest proof against yourselves? The hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the fire, and you will find none who can give them support. Excepted shall be those who repent, live righteously, hold fast to God, and are more sincere in their faith in God. These shall be with the believers. God will in time grant a splendid reward for the believers. (Verses 144-146)
 
The sūrah again addresses the believers by the quality that distinguishes them from all other people and distinguishes their system, method and practices. This is the quality of faith, which makes them responsive, obeying God’s orders. As believers, they are warned against following the ways of the hypocrites and against taking the unbelievers for allies. There must have been need in the Muslim community at the time for such an address. Relations were still maintained between some of the Muslims and the Jews in Madinah, or between some Muslims and their pagan relatives in Makkah, even though these may be no more than feelings of affinity. We say that this was the case among some Muslims, because there were others who severed all their relations with the unbelievers, including their parents and children. These followed God’s instructions, making faith the only tie of social or family relations.
 
Those in the Muslim community who still maintained relations with unbelievers in Makkah or Madinah were the ones who needed this reminder that this could be the way to hypocrisy. This lesson is even more effective after the hypocrites have been depicted in their ugly, disgusting guise. Thus, the reminder serves as a warning against exposing themselves to God’s punishment: “Do you want to place before God a manifest proof against yourselves?” (Verse 144) A believer’s heart does not fear anything more than God’s displeasure and His punishment. Hence, the warning is put in the form of a question, which is sufficient to have a telling effect on those who believe in God.
 
Then comes another loud knock to alert the believers’ hearts. It is not aimed at them directly, but by implication. It comes in the form of a statement showing the hypocrites fearful and humiliating destiny: “The hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the fire, and you will find none who can give them support.” (Verse 145) They are indeed in the lowest depth, which befits their condition in this life, pulling them to the earth, making them stick to it, unable to elevate themselves in any way. That is the gravity of desire, temptation, caution, weakness and faint-heartedness. It is that which pulls them down until they reach a level where they take unbelievers for their allies while at the same time they try to win favour with the believers. That is how they justify their humiliating attitude: “wavering between this and that, [true] neither to these nor to those”. (Verse 143)
 
In life on earth, these people actually prepared themselves for their humiliating destiny “in the lowest depth of the fire”; where they could have no helpers or supporters. In this world, they befriended the unbelievers. How can the unbelievers give them support in the Hereafter?
 
Having painted this fearful scene, the sūrah opens for them the door to safety; that is the door of repentance which is open to anyone who wishes to ensure personal safety: “Excepted shall be those who repent, live righteously, hold fast to God, and are more sincere in their faith in God. These shall be with the believers. God will in time grant a splendid reward for the believers.” (Verse 146) Elsewhere in the Qur’ān the exception is outlined for those “who repent and live righteously.” Repentance and righteous living include, by necessity, seeking refuge with God and being sincere in one’s faith in God. But these two qualities are specified in this instance because the reference here is to people who wavered, vacillated, resorted to hypocrisy and allied themselves with God’s enemies. Hence, it is more fitting to add here, in the context of repentance and righteous living, a specific mention of dedication to God, seeking only His refuge and purging oneself of all wavering and vacillation. This demonstration by the repentant shows more strength and dedication.
 
That is how they are able then to elevate themselves to the ranks of the believers who seek honour with Him alone, feeling their elevation through faith, and, by the power of faith, rising high above earthly considerations. The reward reserved for the believers and those who join them is well known: “God will in time grant a splendid reward for the believers.” (Verse 146)
 
With such varied touches the reality of the hypocrites in Islamic society and their weaknesses are exposed. The believers are warned against following this course of action, which will lead to the same fate. The door to repentance is open so that anyone who wishes to save himself is able to do so.