Tafsir of An-Nisa' 4:143

Surah An-Nisa' 4:143

ﱼ ﱽ ﱾ ﱿ ﲀ ﲁ ﲂ ﲃ ﲄ ﲅ ﲆ ﲇ ﲈ ﲉ ﲊ ﲋ ﲌ

Wavering between them, [belonging] neither to the believers nor to the disbelievers. And whoever Allah leaves astray - never will you find for him a way.

Tafsir

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Verse range: 4:143

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مذبذبين بين ذلك ﻻ إلى هوﻻء

(They are) swaying between this and that, belonging neither to these, means that the hypocrites are swaying between faith and disbelief. So they are neither with believers inwardly or outwardly nor with disbelievers inwardly or outwardly. Rather, they are with the believers outwardly and with the disbelievers inwardly. Some of them would suffer fits of doubt, leaning towards these sometimes and towards those sometimes

كلما أضاء لهم مشوا فيه وإذآ أظلم عليهم قاموا

Whenever it flashes for them, they walk therein, and when darkness covers them, they stand still. (2:20) Mujahid said;

مذبذبين بين ذلك ﻻ إلى هوﻻء

((They are) swaying between this and that, belonging neither to these), "The Companions of Muhammad,

وﻻ إلى هوﻻء

nor to those: the Jews.'' Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn Umar said that the Prophet said,

مثل المنافق كمثل الشاة العايرة بين الغنمين تعير إلى هذه مرة وإلى هذه مرة وﻻ تدري أيتهما تتبع

The example of the hypocrite is the example of the sheep wandering between two herds, sometimes she goes to one of them, and sometimes the other, confused over whom she should follow. Muslim also recorded it. This is why Allah said afterwards,

ومن يضلل الله فلن تجد له سبيﻼ

and he whom Allah sends astray, you will not find for him a way. meaning, whomever He leads astray from the guidance,

فلن تجد له وليا مرشدا

(For him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) to lead him (to the right path)) (18:17) because,

من يضلل الله فﻼ هادي له

(Whomsoever Allah sends astray, none can guide him). (7:186) So the hypocrites whom Allah has led astray from the paths of safety will never find a guide to direct them, nor someone to save them. There is none who can resist Allah's decision, and He is not asked about what He does, while they all will be asked