سَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ إِذَا ٱنقَلَبْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لِتُعْرِضُوا۟ عَنْهُمْ ۖ فَأَعْرِضُوا۟ عَنْهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ رِجْسٌ ۖ وَمَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ 95
Translations
They will swear by Allāh to you when you return to them that you would leave them alone. So leave them alone; indeed they are evil; and their refuge is Hell as recompense for what they had been earning.
Transliteration
Sayahlifūna billāhi lakum idhā inqalabatum ilayhim lituraḍū ʿanhum faʾaʿriḍū ʿanhum innahu m rijsun wa-maʾwāhum jahannamu jazāʾan bimā kānū yaksibūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the hypocrites (munāfiqūn) who will swear oaths by Allah to convince the believers of their loyalty upon the Muslims' return from the Tabuk expedition, hoping the believers will overlook their absence. The command to turn away from them reflects their spiritual filth and rejection of divine guidance. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that their destination is Hellfire as recompense for their deeds of hypocrisy and betrayal, while Al-Tabari notes this serves as both a punishment and a clear demarcation between the faithful and the insincere.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of Surah At-Tawbah (Chapter 9), which addresses events following the Tabuk expedition (9 A.H.). Some Muslims failed to participate without valid excuse, and the hypocrites attempted to make excuses upon the Prophet's return. This surah represents a turning point in how the Islamic community should treat those who display hypocrisy and lack of commitment to the faith.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ said regarding the hypocrites: 'The sign of a hypocrite is three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is trusted, he betrays' (Sahih Bukhari 33). Additionally, the Prophet warned against accepting false oaths and excuses from those whose actions contradict their words.
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims must develop discernment to recognize insincerity and hypocrisy, and should not be swayed by mere oaths and empty words when actions contradict claims of faith. The ayah reminds us that Allah's judgment transcends worldly deception—those who betray their commitments to faith will face inevitable divine accountability.
Related Ayahs
۞ لَّئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَٱلْمُرْجِفُونَ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ لَنُغْرِيَنَّكَ بِهِمْ ثُمَّ لَا يُجَاوِرُونَكَ فِيهَآ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease and those who spread rumors in al-Madīnah do not cease, We will surely incite you against them; then they will not remain your neighbors therein except for a little,
فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَىٰهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦ بَخِلُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَتَوَلَّوا۟ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
But when He gave them from His bounty, they were stingy with it and turned away while they refused.
وَكَيْفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِندَهُمُ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ فِيهَا حُكْمُ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ ۚ وَمَآ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
But how is it that they come to you for judgement while they have the Torah, in which is the judgement of Allāh? Then they turn away, [even] after that; but those are not [in fact] believers.
قُلْ إِن كَانَتْ لَكُمُ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَالِصَةً مِّن دُونِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا۟ ٱلْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
Say, [O Muḥammad], "If the home of the Hereafter with Allāh is for you alone and not the [other] people, then wish for death, if you should be truthful."