ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ كَرِهُوا۟ مَا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ سَنُطِيعُكُمْ فِى بَعْضِ ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِسْرَارَهُمْ 26
Translations
That is because they said to those who disliked what Allāh sent down, "We will obey you in part of the matter." And Allāh knows what they conceal.
Transliteration
Dhālika bi-annahum qālū lilladhīna karihū mā nazzala Allāhu sanuti'ūkum fī ba'di al-amr, wa-Allāhu ya'lamu isrārahum
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns those hypocrites who, despite claiming faith, privately agreed to obey the disbelievers in some matters, showing disloyalty to Allah's commands. The verse emphasizes that Allah is fully aware of their hidden intentions and secret agreements, as Ibn Kathir notes this refers to hypocrites in Madinah who attempted to compromise with the enemies of Islam. Such duplicity and concealment of disbelief while outwardly claiming faith exemplifies the characteristics of the munāfiqūn (hypocrites) discussed extensively throughout Surah Muhammad.
Revelation Context
Surah Muhammad, revealed in Madinah, addresses the reality of hypocrites within the Muslim community who posed a significant threat to the young Islamic state. This ayah specifically contextualizes the hypocrites' behavior of secretly allying with disbelievers while maintaining an outward Islamic facade, a recurring theme addressing the socio-political challenges of Madinah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The signs of a hypocrite are 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, Surah At-Tawbah 9:75-77 illustrates similar hypocritical behavior regarding secret oaths and broken promises.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that outward conformity to religion while harboring hidden disloyalty and secret compromises with evil is both futile and condemned, as Allah's knowledge encompasses all that is hidden. Believers must ensure their inner convictions align with their outer actions, maintaining sincere commitment to Islamic principles without compromise or double-dealing.