وَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ إِنَّهُمْ لَمِنكُمْ وَمَا هُم مِّنكُمْ وَلَـٰكِنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ يَفْرَقُونَ 56
Translations
And they swear by Allāh that they are from among you while they are not from among you; but they are a people who are afraid.
Transliteration
Wa yahlifuna billahi innahum lakum wa ma hum minkum wa lakin-nahum qawmun yafraqun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the hypocrites (munafiqun) who swear by Allah that they are among the believers, yet Allah affirms they are not truly from the believers' ranks. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, their distinguishing characteristic is fear and cowardice—they are 'a people who fear' (qaum yafraqun), referring to their anxiety about being exposed or facing hardship for their faith. The swearing by Allah is an empty oath, as their hearts contradict their words, and their lack of true conviction manifests in their fearfulness and unreliability.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan surah At-Tawbah, which extensively addresses the hypocrites of Madinah who professed Islam outwardly while concealing disbelief. The broader context (ayaat 56-66) details the characteristics and behavior of hypocrites, particularly regarding the Battle of Tabuk. This passage was revealed to alert the Muslim community to the danger posed by those who claim faith without possessing sincere conviction.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks his promise; and when he is entrusted, he betrays' (Sahih Bukhari 33). Additionally, the ayah relates to the hadith about the characteristics of hypocrites found in Sahih Muslim regarding their behavior in public versus private.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims to be discerning about the difference between outward claims and inner sincerity; true faith requires both honest words and courageous action, and we should examine whether our own deeds and commitments reflect genuine conviction or mere pretense.