35.Another Parable of the Hypocrites
This is another parable which Allah gave about the
hypocrites who sometimes know the truth and doubt it at other times. When they
suffer from doubt, confusion and disbelief, their hearts are,
﴿كَصَيِّبٍ﴾
(Like a Sayyib), meaning, "The rain", as Ibn
Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, and several other Companions have confirmed as well as Abu
Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ata', Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qatadah,
`Atiyah Al-`Awfi, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Ad-Dahhak
said "It is the clouds." However, the most accepted opinion is that
it means the rain that comes down during,
﴿ظُلُمَـتِ﴾
(darkness), meaning, here, the doubts, disbelief and
hypocrisy.
﴿وَرَعْدٌ﴾
(thunder) that shocks the hearts with fear. The hypocrites
are usually full of fear and anxiety, just as Allah described them,
﴿يَحْسَبُونَ كُلَّ صَيْحَةٍ عَلَيْهِمْ﴾
(They think that every cry is against them) (63: 4), and,
﴿وَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُمْ لَمِنكُمْ وَمَا هُم
مِّنكُمْ وَلَـكِنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ يَفْرَقُونَ - لَوْ يَجِدُونَ مَلْجَئاً أَوْ
مَغَـرَاتٍ أَوْ مُدَّخَلاً لَّوَلَّوْاْ إِلَيْهِ وَهُمْ يَجْمَحُونَ ﴾
(They swear by Allah that they are truly of you while they
are not of you, but they are a people who are afraid. Should they find refuge,
or caves, or a place of concealment, they would turn straightway thereto in a
swift rush) (9:56-57).
﴿الْبَرْقَ﴾
(The lightning), is in reference to the light of faith that
is sometimes felt in the hearts of the hypocrites,
﴿يَجْعَلُونَ أَصْـبِعَهُمْ فِى ءَاذَانِهِم مِّنَ
الصَّوَعِقِ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ وَاللَّهُ مُحِيطٌ بِالْكـفِرِينَ﴾
(They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the
stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the
disbelievers), meaning, their cautiousness does not benefit them because they
are bound by Allah's all-encompassing will and decision. Similarly, Allah said,
﴿هَلُ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْجُنُودِ - فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ -
بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِى تَكْذِيبٍ - وَاللَّهُ مِن وَرَآئِهِمْ مُّحِيطٌ ﴾
(Has the story reached you of two hosts. Of Fir`awn
(Pharaoh) and Thamud Nay! The disbelievers (persisted) in denying. And Allah
encompasses them from behind!) (85:17-20).
****
Allah then said,
﴿يَكَادُ الْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَـرَهُمْ﴾
(The lightning almost snatches away their sight) meaning,
because the lightning is strong itself, and because their comprehension is weak
and does not allow them to embrace the faith. Also, `Ali bin Abi Talhah
reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,
﴿يَكَادُ الْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَـرَهُمْ﴾
(The lightning almost snatches away their sight), "The
Qur'an mentioned almost all of the secrets of the hypocrites.'' `Ali bin Abi
Talhah also narrated that Ibn `Abbas said,
﴿كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوْاْ فِيهِ﴾
(Whenever it flashes for them, they walk therein),
"Whenever the hypocrites acquire a share in the victories of Islam, they
are content with this share. Whenever Islam suffers a calamity, they are ready
to revert to disbelief.''. Similarly, Allah said,
﴿وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَإِنْ
أَصَابَهُ خَيْرٌ اطْمَأَنَّ بِهِ﴾
(And among mankind is he who worships Allah on the edge: If
good befalls him, he is content with that.) (22:11). Also, Muhammad bin Ishaq
reported that Ibn `Abbas said,
﴿كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوْاْ فِيهِ وَإِذَآ أَظْلَمَ
عَلَيْهِمْ قَامُواْ﴾
(Whenever it flashes for them, they walk therein, and when
darkness covers them, they stand still), "They recognize the truth and
speak about it. So their speech is upright, but when they revert to disbeleif,
they again fall into confusion.'' This was also said by Abu Al-`Aliyah,
Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and As-Suddi, who narrated it
from the Companions, and it is the most obvious and most correct view, and
Allah knows best.
Consequently, on the Day of Judgment, the believers will be
given a light according to the degree of their faith. Some of them will gain
light that illuminates over a distance of several miles, some more, some less.
Some people's light will glow sometimes and be extinguished at other times.
They will, therefore, walk on the Sirat (the bridge over the Fire) in the
light, stopping when it is extinguished. Some people will have no light at all,
these are the hypocrites whom Allah described when He said,
﴿يَوْمَ يَقُولُ الْمُنَـفِقُونَ وَالْمُنَـفِقَـتُ
لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ انظُرُونَا نَقْتَبِسْ مِن نُّورِكُمْ قِيلَ ارْجِعُواْ
وَرَآءَكُمْ فَالْتَمِسُواْ نُوراً﴾
(On the Day when the hypocrites ـ men and women ـ will say to the believers: "Wait
for us! Let us get something from your light!'' It will be said to them;
"Go back to you rear! Then seek a light!'') (57:13).
Allah described the believers,
﴿يَوْمَ تَرَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ يَسْعَى
نُورُهُم بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَـنِهِم بُشْرَاكُمُ الْيَوْمَ جَنَّـتٌ
تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ﴾
(On the Day you shall see the believing
men and the believing women ـ their light running forward before them and by their right hands.
Glad tidings for you this Day! Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise)) (57:12),
and,
﴿يَوْمَ لاَ يُخْزِى اللَّهُ النَّبِىَّ وَالَّذِينَ
ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ نُورُهُمْ يَسْعَى بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَـنِهِمْ
يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَآ إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ
شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾
(The Day that Allah will not disgrace
the Prophet (Muhammad ) and those who believe with him. Their Light will run
forward before them and (with their Records ـ Books of deeds) in their right hands.
They will say: "Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us ﴿and do not put it off till we cross over
the Sirat (a slippery bridge over the Hell) safely﴾ and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You
are Able to do all things'') (66:8).
Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud commented
on,
﴿نُورُهُمْ يَسْعَى بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ﴾
(Their Light will run forward before them), "They will
pass on the Sirat. according to their deeds. The light that some people have
will be as big as a mountain, while the light of others will be as big as a
date tree. The people who will have the least light are those whose index
fingers will sometimes be lit and extinguished at other times.'' Ibn Abi Hatim
also reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "Every person among the people of
Tawhid (Islamic Monotheism) will gain a light on the Day of Resurrection. As
for the hypocrite, his light will be extinguished. When the believers witness
the hypocrite's light being extinguished, they will feel anxious. Hence, they
will supplicate,
﴿رَبَّنَآ أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا﴾
(Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us).'' Ad-Dahhak bin
Muzahim said, "On the Day of Resurrection, everyone who has embraced the
faith will be given a light. When they arrive at the Sirat, the light of the
hypocrites will be extinguished. When the believers see this, they will feel
anxious and supplicate,
﴿رَبَّنَآ أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا﴾
(Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us).''
35.Types of Believers and Types of Disbelievers
Consequently, there are several types of people. There are
the believers whom the first four Ayat (2:2-5) in Surat Al-Baqarah describe.
There are the disbelievers who were described in the next two Ayat. And there
are two categories of hypocrites: the complete hypocrites who were mentioned in
the parable of the fire, and the hesitant hypocrites, whose light of faith is
sometimes lit and sometimes extinguished. The parable of the rain was revealed
about this category, which is not as evil as the first category.
This is similar to the parables that were given in Surat
An-Nur (chapter 24). Like the example of the believer and the faith that Allah
put in his heart, compared to a brightly illuminated lamp, just like a rising
star. This is the believer, whose heart is built on faith and receiving its
support from the divine legislation that was revealed to it, without any
impurities or imperfections, as we will come to know, Allah willing.
Allah gave a parable of the disbelievers who think that they
have something, while in reality they have nothing; such people are those who
have compounded ignorance. Allah said,
﴿وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍ بِقِيعَةٍ
يَحْسَبُهُ الظَّمْآنُ مَآءً حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَهُ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْئاً﴾
(As for those who disbelieved, their deeds are like a mirage
in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until he comes up to it, he
finds it to be nothing) (24:39).
Allah then gave the example of ignorant disbelievers, simple
in their ignorance. He said;
﴿أَوْ كَظُلُمَـتٍ فِى بَحْرٍ لُّجِّىٍّ يَغْشَـهُ مَوْجٌ
مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ظُلُمَـتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ
إِذَآ أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ
نُوراً فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُورٍ ﴾
(Or (the state of a disbeliever) is like the darkness in a
vast deep sea, overwhelmed by waves, topped by dark clouds, (layers of)
darkness upon darkness: if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it!
And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light)
(24:40).
Therefore, Allah divided the camp of the disbelievers into
two groups, advocates and followers. Allah mentioned these two groups in the
beginning of Surat Al-Hajj,
﴿وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يُجَـدِلُ فِى اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ
عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّبِعُ كُلَّ شَيْطَـنٍ مَّرِيدٍ ﴾
(And among mankind is he who disputes about Allah, without
knowledge, and follows every rebellious (disobedient to Allah) Shaytan (devil)
(devoid of every kind of good)) (22:3), and,
﴿ومِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يُجَـدِلُ فِى اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ
وَلاَ هُدًى وَلاَ كِتَـبٍ مُّنِيرٍ ﴾
(And among men is he who disputes about Allah, without
knowledge or guidance, or a Book giving light (from Allah)) (22:8).
Furthermore, Allah has divided the group of the believers in
the beginning of Surat Al-Waqi`ah (56) and at the end. He also divided them in
Surat Al-Insan (76) into two groups, the Sabiqun (those who preceded), they are
the "near ones" (Muqaribun) and Ashab Al-Yamin (the companions of the
right), and they are righteous (Abrar).
In summary, these Ayat divide the believers into two
categories, the near ones and righteous. Also, the disbelievers are of two
types, advocates and followers. In addition, the hypocrites are divided into
two types, pure hypocrites and those who have some hypocrisy in them. The Two
Sahihs record that `Abdullah bin `Amr said that the Prophet said,
«ثَلَاثٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا خَالِصًا،
وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنَ النِّفَاقِ
حَتَّى يَدَعَهَا: مَنْ إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ، وَإِذَا
ائْتُمِنَ خَان»
(Whoever has the following three (characteristics) will be a
pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of the following three characteristics will
have one characteristic of hypocrisy, unless and until he gives it up. Whenever
he speaks, he tells a lie. Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous.
Whenever he is entrusted, he breaches the trust)
Hence, man might have both a part of faith and a part of
hypocrisy, whether in deed, as this Hadith stipulates, or in the creed, as the
Ayah (2:20) stipulates.
36.Types of Hearts
Imam Ahmad recorded Abu Sa`id saying that the Messenger of
Allah said
«الْقُلُوبُ أَرْبَعَةٌ: قَلْبٌ أَجْرَدُ فِيهِ مِثْلُ
السِّرَاجِ يَزْهَرُ وَقَلْبٌ أَغْلَفُ مَرْبُوطٌ عَلى غِلَافِهِ وَقَلْبٌ
مَنْكُوسٌ وَقَلْبٌ مُصْفَحٌ، فَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْأَجْرَدُ فَقَلْبُ
الْمُؤْمِنِ فَسِرَاجُهُ فِيهِ نُورُهُ، وَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْأَغْلَفُ فَقَلْبُ
الْكَافِرِ، وَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْمَنْكُوسُ فَقَلْبُ الْمُنَافِقِ الْخَالِصِ
عَرَفَ ثُمَّ أَنْكَرَ وَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْمُصْفَحُ فَقَلْبٌ فِيهِ إيمَانٌ
وَنِفَاقٌ وَمَثَلُ الْإيمَانِ فِيهِ كَمَثَلِ الْبَقْلَةِ يَمُدُّهَا الْمَاءُ
الطَّيِّبُ وَمَثَلُ النِّفَاقِ فِيهِ كَمَثَلِ الْقُرْحَةِ يَمُدُّهَا الْقَيْحُ
وَالدَّمُ فَأَيُّ الْمَادَّتَيْنِ غَلَبَتْ عَلَى الْأُخْرَى غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْه»
(The hearts are four (types): polished as shiny as the
radiating lamp, a sealed heart with a knot tied around its seal, a heart that
is turned upside down and a wrapped heart. As for the polished heart, it is the
heart of the believer and the lamp is the light of faith. The sealed heart is
the heart of the disbeliever. The heart that is turned upside down is the heart
of the pure hypocrite, because he had knowledge but denied it. As for the
wrapped heart, it is a heart that contains belief and hypocrisy. The example of
faith in this heart, is the example of the herb that is sustained by pure
water. The example of hypocrisy in it, is the example of an ulcer that thrives
on puss and blood. Whichever of the two substances has the upper hand, it will
have the upper hand on that heart). This Hadith has a Jayid Hasan (good) chain
of narration.
Allah said,
﴿وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ
وَأَبْصَـرِهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾
(And if Allah willed, He would have taken away their hearing
and their sight. Certainly, Allah has power over all things). Muhammad bin
Ishaq reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement,
﴿وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ
وَأَبْصَـرِهِمْ﴾
(And if Allah willed, He would have taken away their hearing
and their sight), "Because they abandoned the truth after they had
knowledge in it.''
﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾
(Certainly, Allah has power over all things). Ibn `Abbas
said, "Allah is able to punish or pardon His servants as He wills.'' Ibn
Jarir commented, "Allah only described Himself with the ability to do
everything in this Ayah as a warning to the hypocrites of His control over
everything, and to inform them that His ability completely encompasses them and
that He is able to take away their hearing and sight.''
Ibn Jarir and several other scholars of Tafsir stated that
these two parables are about the same kind of hypocrite. So the `or' mentioned
in,
﴿أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ﴾
(Or like a rainstorm from the sky) means `and', just as the
Ayah,
﴿وَلاَ تُطِعْ مِنْهُمْ ءَاثِماً أَوْ كَفُوراً﴾
(And obey neither a sinner or a disbeliever among them).
Therefore, `or' in the Ayah includes a choice of using either example for the
hypocrites. Also, Al-Qurtubi said that `or' means, "To show compatibility
of the two choices, just as when one says, `Sit with Al-Hasan or Ibn Sirin.'
According to the view of Az-Zamakhshari, `so it means each of these persons is
the same as the other, so you may sit with either one of them.' The meaning of
`or' thus becomes `either.' Allah gave these two examples of the hypocrites,
because they both perfectly describe them.''
I (Ibn Kathir) say, these descriptions are related to the
type of hypocrite, because there is a difference between them as we stated. For
instance, Allah mentioned these types in Surat Bara'ah (chapter 9) when He
repeated the statement, "And among them'' three times, describing their
types, characteristics, statements and deeds. So the two examples mentioned
here describe two types of hypocrites whose characteristics are similar. For
instance, Allah gave two examples in Surat An-Nur, one for the advocates of
disbelief and one for the followers of disbelief, He said,
﴿وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍ بِقِيعَةٍ﴾
(As for those who disbelieved, their deeds are like a mirage
in a desert) (24:39), until,
﴿أَوْ كَظُلُمَـتٍ فِى بَحْرٍ لُّجِّىٍّ﴾
(Or (the state of a disbeliever) is like the darkness in a
vast deep sea) (24:40).
The first example is of the advocates of disbelief who have
complex ignorance, while the second is about the followers who have simple
ignorance. Allah knows best.
﴿يَـأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِىْ
خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ - الَّذِى جَعَلَ
لَكُمُ الاٌّرْضَ فِرَاشاً وَالسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءً وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً
فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَتِ رِزْقاً لَّكُمْ فَلاَ تَجْعَلُواْ للَّهِ
أَندَاداً وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴾
(21. O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you
and those who were before you so that you may acquire Taqwa.) (22. Who has made
the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water
(rain) from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you.
Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He alone
has the right to be worshipped).)
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