لَوْ يَجِدُونَ مَلْجَـًٔا أَوْ مَغَـٰرَٰتٍ أَوْ مُدَّخَلًا لَّوَلَّوْا۟ إِلَيْهِ وَهُمْ يَجْمَحُونَ 57
Translations
If they could find a refuge or some caves or any place to enter [and hide], they would turn to it while they run heedlessly.
Transliteration
Law yajidoona maljaan aw magharatin aw muddalaan lawallaw ilayhi wa hum yajmahoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the hypocrites' desperation to escape from Allah and His Messenger if they could find any refuge, cave, or passage to hide in, rushing headlong toward it without restraint. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this illustrates the extreme aversion and hatred hypocrites harbored toward the truth and the Islamic community, demonstrating that their outward compliance was merely superficial while their hearts remained in rebellion. The imagery of 'yamjahoon' (rushing wildly) emphasizes their uncontrolled desire to flee, revealing the depth of their internal corruption.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah At-Tawbah's broader exposition of the hypocrites (munafiqun) of Madinah, particularly those who refused to join the expedition to Tabuk. The surah was revealed in the 9th year of Hijrah and extensively addresses the characteristics, deceptions, and ultimate fate of hypocrites who outwardly professed Islam while inwardly rejecting faith.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The example of a hypocrite is like a sheep between two flocks—he goes to one, then to the other' (Sahih Muslim 2784). This hadith complements the ayah's description of the hypocrite's wavering and desperate nature.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a reminder that attempting to flee from truth and divine guidance is futile and reflects a corrupted heart; believers should examine their intentions and sincerity, ensuring their faith is rooted in genuine conviction rather than mere external conformity.
Related Ayahs
قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَآ إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَىٰنَا ۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ
Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allāh has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allāh let the believers rely.
۞ إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتُ لِلْفُقَرَآءِ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَٱلْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَٱلْغَـٰرِمِينَ وَفِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۖ فَرِيضَةً مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
Zakāh expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed for it and for bringing hearts together [for Islām] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allāh and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allāh. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ جَـٰهِدِ ٱلْكُفَّارَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَمَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
O Prophet, fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them. And their refuge is Hell, and wretched is the destination.
لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِكُمْ ۚ إِن نَّعْفُ عَن طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَآئِفَةًۢ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ
Make no excuse; you have disbelieved [i.e., rejected faith] after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were criminals.