أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ أَن لَّن يُخْرِجَ ٱللَّهُ أَضْغَـٰنَهُمْ 29
Translations
Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allāh would never expose their [feelings of] hatred?
Transliteration
Am hasibAllathīna fī qulūbihim maraḍun an lan yukhrijAllāhu aḍghānāhum
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah questions whether those with disease (hypocrisy and malice) in their hearts think that Allah will not expose their hidden grudges and enmities. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the 'disease' (maraḍ) refers to the spiritual sickness of hypocrisy and doubt that afflicts the munāfiqūn (hypocrites), and Allah will certainly bring forth their concealed malice and hatred on the Day of Judgment. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this is a rhetorical question implying certainty—Allah definitely will expose what they hide.
Revelation Context
Surah Muhammad is a Medinan surah that extensively addresses the hypocrites of Medina who outwardly claimed faith while harboring doubt and enmity toward the Prophet and believers. This ayah appears in a passage warning hypocrites that their hidden malice and grudges cannot remain concealed from Allah, fitting the surah's broader theme of exposing the hypocrisy prevalent during the Medinan period.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Beware of the suspicion of the believers, for suspicion is the most false of speech' (Sahih Bukhari 5143). Also relevant is the hadith about hearts being tested: 'Hearts are containers, and the best of them are those who remember Allah most' (Sunan Ibn Majah).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah is fully aware of all hidden thoughts, intentions, and malice within hearts—nothing remains concealed from Him. For believers, this should inspire sincere introspection to purify one's heart from grudges and enmity, while serving as a warning that insincerity and hidden malice will ultimately be exposed.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا مَنَعَهُمْ أَن تُقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ نَفَقَـٰتُهُمْ إِلَّآ أَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا يَأْتُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كُسَالَىٰ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كَـٰرِهُونَ
And what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allāh and in His Messenger and that they come not to prayer except while they are lazy and that they do not spend except while they are unwilling.
وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مُنَـٰفِقُونَ ۖ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ۖ مَرَدُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنِّفَاقِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُمْ ۖ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ ۚ سَنُعَذِّبُهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ عَظِيمٍ
And among those around you of the bedouins are hypocrites, and [also] from the people of Madīnah. They have persisted in hypocrisy. You, [O Muḥammad], do not know them, [but] We know them. We will punish them twice [in this world]; then they will be returned to a great punishment.
لَئِنْ أُخْرِجُوا۟ لَا يَخْرُجُونَ مَعَهُمْ وَلَئِن قُوتِلُوا۟ لَا يَنصُرُونَهُمْ وَلَئِن نَّصَرُوهُمْ لَيُوَلُّنَّ ٱلْأَدْبَـٰرَ ثُمَّ لَا يُنصَرُونَ
If they are expelled, they will not leave with them, and if they are fought, they will not aid them. And [even] if they should aid them, they will surely turn their backs; then [thereafter] they will not be aided.
وَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ ۙ إِنَّهُمْ لَمَعَكُمْ ۚ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ خَـٰسِرِينَ
And those who believe will say, "Are these the ones who swore by Allāh their strongest oaths that indeed they were with you?" Their deeds have become worthless, and they have become losers.