وَإِذَا جَآءُوكُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَقَد دَّخَلُوا۟ بِٱلْكُفْرِ وَهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا۟ بِهِۦ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْتُمُونَ 61
Translations
And when they come to you, they say, "We believe." But they have entered with disbelief [in their hearts], and they have certainly left with it. And Allāh is most knowing of what they were concealing.
Transliteration
Wa-idha ja'ookum qalū āmannā wa-qad dakhalū bil-kufri wa-hum qad kharajū bih. Wa-Allāhu a'lamu bimā kānū yaktumūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the hypocrites (munāfiqūn) who would come to the Prophet (ﷺ) and claim outward belief while harboring disbelief in their hearts. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, they entered into disbelief and left with disbelief, their hearts never truly accepting Islam despite their verbal declarations. Allah emphasizes His complete knowledge of their hidden secrets and concealed intentions, which they attempt to conceal from the believers.
Revelation Context
This verse is part of Surah Al-Ma'idah's broader discussion of those who break covenants and the hypocrites within the Muslim community during the Medinan period. It specifically addresses the hypocrites of Madinah who would come to the Prophet's gatherings with false claims of faith while maintaining their inner disbelief, a recurring theme in Medinan surahs addressing the challenges of the early Muslim state.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (Volume 1, Book 3, Hadith 124): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever claims to have seen a dream he did not see, will be commanded to tie two grains of barley together, a task he will never be able to do.' This relates to the theme of lying about one's faith. Also relevant: Surah At-Taubah 9:101 and the hadith in Sahih Muslim about the signs of the hypocrite.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah sees what is hidden in hearts and that true faith cannot be feigned—it must be genuine and sincere. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder that God's knowledge is absolute and complete, encouraging sincere devotion rather than performative religiosity, and warning against the spiritual danger of claiming belief while harboring doubt or rejection internally.