Al-Baqarah: (9-10) They Deceive Allah and Those Who Believe...

It should be known that Allah, the Exalted, mentions four reprehensible traits of the hypocrites.

The first is what is mentioned in this verse: that they {deceive Allah and those who believe}. Therefore, we must first know:

1. What is deception (mukhāda‘ah)?
2. What is meant by deceiving Allah?
3. Why did they deceive Allah?
4. What is meant by His saying: {But they only deceive themselves}?

Issue 1: Defining Deception

It is undisputed that deception is blameworthy. What is blameworthy must be distinguished from what is not, so that one avoids it.

The root of this word (khid‘ah) implies concealment. A treasury is called makhda‘ (a hidden place). The two veins in the neck (al-akhda‘ān) are so named because they are hidden. It is said that a jerboa (ḍabb) deceived (khada‘a) when it hid in its burrow and showed only a little of itself. The path of deception (khayda‘ and khidā‘) is when something is contrary to the intended goal in a way that is not noticed. The makhda‘ (a hidden place/trick) is derived from this.

Definition: Deception is showing what suggests safety and correctness while concealing what necessitates harming others and escaping accountability. It is analogous to hypocrisy (nifāq) in disbelief and showing off (riyā’) in good deeds. All of this contradicts the requirements of religion, as religion mandates uprightness, avoidance of deceit and wrongdoing, and sincerity to Allah in worship. Related to this is describing someone who shows off (murā’ī) as a mudallis (one who practices tadlīs—concealment/misrepresentation) if he shows the opposite of his intention. From this is derived tadlīs in Hadith narration, where the narrator suggests hearing from someone he did not actually hear from. If this is done openly, he is not called a mudallis.

Issue 2: How Did They Deceive Allah?

One might argue that deceiving Allah is impossible for two reasons:

1. Allah knows all inner thoughts and secrets. If they revealed what was hidden, it would not be deception. Since Allah is not unaware of the inner states, deception directed at Him is invalid.
2. The hypocrites did not believe Allah sent the Messenger to them. Therefore, their intention in their hypocrisy was not to deceive Allah.

Thus, the literal meaning of the term cannot be applied; an interpretation (ta’wīl) is necessary, which can be done in two ways:

1. Referring "Allah" to the Messenger: Allah often refers to Himself when meaning His Messenger to magnify His status. For example, He says: {Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you are only pledging allegiance to Allah} (Al-Fatḥ: 10). Conversely, He says: {And know that whatever you take as spoils of war - indeed, for Allah is one-fifth of it} (Al-Anfāl: 41), attributing the share taken by the Messenger to Himself. Since the hypocrites deceived the Messenger, it is said they deceived Allah.
2. The Form of Their Action: The form of their state with Allah—appearing to believe while being disbelievers—is the form of one who deceives. Similarly, the form of Allah’s action towards them—commanding that the rulings of Muslims be applied to them while they are counted as disbelievers by Him—is the form of Allah’s action towards them, as they complied with Allah’s command regarding them by implementing His rulings upon them.

Issue 3: The Purpose of That Deception

There are several views regarding their objective:

1. Gaining Honor: They thought that the Prophet (PBUH) and the believers would treat them with the same honor and respect as other believers if they outwardly professed faith, even if they concealed disbelief. This was their goal.
2. Extracting Secrets: They might have intended for the Prophet (PBUH) to reveal his secrets to them, and for the believers to reveal their secrets, which they would then convey to their enemies among the disbelievers.
3. Avoiding Rulings: They sought to ward off the rulings applied to disbelievers, such as killing, based on the Prophet's saying: "I have been commanded to fight people until they say, 'There is no god but Allah.'"
4. Hoping for Spoils: They hoped to gain from the spoils of war.

Objection: If so, Allah was capable of revealing to Muhammad (PBUH) the nature of their plotting and deception, thus exposing them. Why did He not do so? Answer: Allah is capable of annihilating Iblis and his progeny, yet He preserves and strengthens them, either because He does what He wills and judges as He wills, or for a wisdom only He knows.

Objection: Is there a valid reason for limiting the deception to just one party (Allah)? Answer: The author of Al-Kashshāf suggests that the meaning is "they acted," but it is phrased in the pattern of fā‘alta (reciprocal/intensive action). This pattern is generally used for exaggeration, and when an actor is struggling against an opponent (mughālabah), the action is more emphatic than if the actor performed it alone without opposition, due to the greater impetus. This is supported by the narration of Abū Ḥaywah’s recitation: {Yakhādi‘ūn Allāh} (They deceive Allah). Then, {Yakhādi‘ūn} (They deceive) serves as an explanation, or it could be a new sentence, as if to say: Why do they claim faith falsely? And what benefit does it bring them? The answer is: {They deceive}.

Issue 4: The Reading and the Consequence of Deception

There are different readings for the verb: Nafi‘, Ibn Kathīr, and Abū ‘Amr read {Wamā yakhādi‘ūn} (And they do not deceive), while the rest read {Yakhādi‘ūn} (They deceive).

• Argument for the first reading (Wamā yakhādi‘ūn): It matches the form of the preceding word.
• Argument for the second reading (Yakhādi‘ūn): Deception requires two parties; one person cannot deceive himself.

Regarding the phrase {But they only deceive themselves}, there are two interpretations:

1. The Consequence is Self-Inflicted: Allah punishes them for it, so in reality, they only deceive themselves away from goodness.
2. The Consequence Reverts to Them (Majority View): The negative result of their deception returns to them in this world. Allah repels the harm of their deception from the believers and turns it back upon them. This is like His saying: {Indeed, the hypocrites deceive Allah, and He is deceiving them} (An-Nisā’: 142), and: {We are only mocking them. * Allah mocks them} (Al-Baqarah: 14-15), and: {Shall we believe as the fools believe? Unquestionably, they are the fools} (Al-Baqarah: 13), and: {And they plotted, and Allah plotted, and Allah is the best of plotters} (An-Naḥl: 50), and: {Indeed, they plot a plot, * And I plot a plot} (Ṭāriq: 15-16), and: {Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger} (Al-Mā’idah: 33), and: {Indeed, those who abuse Allah and His Messenger} (Al-Aḥzāb: 57).

There are further points regarding the verse:

1. Readings: It was read as {Wamā yakhādi‘ūn} (from akhda‘a), and {Yakhda‘ūn} (with a fatḥah on the yā’) meaning yakhtadi‘ūn (they are being deceived), and {Yukhda‘ūn} (with a ḍammah on the yā’) in the passive voice (as if Allah is deceiving them).
2. The Self (Nafs): The Nafs refers to the essence or reality of a thing and is not restricted to bodies, as in: {You know what is within my soul, but I do not know what is within Your soul} (Al-Mā’idah: 116). Their deceiving their Nafs means the deception does not extend beyond themselves.
3. Sensation: Sensation (shu‘ūr) is knowing something through sensory perception; a person's mashā‘ir are his senses. The meaning here is that the harm befalling them is as tangible as a perceived sensation, but due to their extreme heedlessness, they are like those who do not feel.

Regarding His Saying: {In their hearts is a disease}

Know that disease (maraḍ) is a quality that causes harm in the actions emanating from the location of that quality. Since the specific function of the heart is knowing Allah, obeying Him, and worshipping Him, any quality that prevents these effects from occurring in the heart is considered a disease of the heart.

Objection (from the Mu‘tazilah): Since augmentation is of the same kind as the augmented thing, if the intended meaning of "disease" here is disbelief (kufr) and ignorance, then {Then Allah increases them in disease} must mean Allah causes disbelief and ignorance, which implies Allah is the agent of disbelief and ignorance. The Mu‘tazilah reject this for several reasons:

1. The disbelievers were extremely eager to criticize the Qur'an. If this meaning were intended, they would have said to Muhammad (PBUH): "If Allah causes disbelief in us, how do you command us to believe?"
2. If Allah were the agent of disbelief, it would be permissible for Him to manifest miracles through a liar, rendering the Qur'an no longer a proof. Why then concern ourselves with its meanings and exegesis?
3. Allah mentions these verses in the context of blaming them for their disbelief; how can He blame them for something He created within them?
4. His saying: {And for them is a painful punishment}. If Allah created this within them, just as He created their color or height, what sin have they committed to deserve punishment?
5. Allah attributes it to them by saying: {because they used to lie}. Based on this, He describes them as corrupters on earth, as fools, and that when they retire to their devils, they say, "Indeed, we are with you."

Since this is established, we must interpret (ta’wīl), which can be done in several ways:

1. Disease as Grief (Ghamm): It is said, "My heart is sick from such-and-such," meaning grief. The hypocrites' hearts became sick when they saw the Prophet's cause and status growing day by day, which threatened their leadership. It is narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) passed by ‘Abdullāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl while he was on a donkey, and Ibn Ubayy said, "Move your donkey away, O Muhammad, for its stench has harmed me." Some Anṣār said, "Excuse him, O Messenger of Allah, for we had intended to make him our leader before you arrived." When their grief intensified due to the rising status of the Prophet (PBUH), Allah described that state by saying: {Then Allah increases them in disease}, meaning He increased their grief upon their grief by further elevating the Prophet's status.
2. Disease as Increasing Disbelief due to Increased Obligations: Their disbelief and disease increased due to the increase in religious obligations. This is like His saying in Sūrat At-Tawbah: {And it increases them only in revulsion} (At-Tawbah: 125). The Sūrah did not cause this, but when they disbelieved upon its revelation, their revulsion increased, so the increase was attributed to Allah. Similar examples include Noah’s saying: {I called my people night and day, * But my call increased them only in fleeing} (Nūḥ: 5-6)—the call itself did nothing, but they fled more because of it. Also, {And among them is one who says, "Give me leave [to stay behind] and do not put me to trial"} (At-Tawbah: 49)—if the Prophet did not permit him, he would not have been tried, but he was tried upon going out, so the trial was attributed to him. And: {And it will only increase many of them, what has been revealed to you from your Lord, in insolence and disbelief} (Al-Mā’idah: 64). And: {But when a warner came to them, it only increased them in aversion} (Fāṭir: 42). Similarly, if you advise someone who persists in corruption, you say, "My advice only increased you in evil." Thus, when these hypocrites were disbelievers and Allah called them to the laws of His religion, they disbelieved in those laws, and their disbelief increased as a result; hence, the increase in their disbelief was attributed to Allah.
3. Disease as Withholding Divine Favor (Alṭāf): The meaning of {Then Allah increases them in disease} is the withholding of further divine favors (alṭāf). Due to this withholding, He abandons them, similar to {May Allah fight them! How are they deluded!} (Al-Munāfiqūn: 4).
4. Disease as Weakness of Gaze/Intention: The Arabs describe a languid gaze as a disease, saying, "A girl with a diseased gaze (marīḍat al-ṭarf)." Jareer said:

   Indeed, the eyes whose gaze is diseased Killed us, yet did not revive our slain. Here, the disease is weakness in intention. Initially, their hearts were strong in contention and open hostility, but their power was broken, leading them to hypocrisy out of fear and brokenness. Allah says: {Then Allah increases them in disease}, meaning He increased that brokenness, cowardice, and weakness. Allah confirms this with: {And He cast terror into their hearts, [causing them to destroy] their houses by their own hands and the hands of the believers} (Al-Ḥashr: 2).

5. Disease as Heart Pain: The disease can be interpreted as heart pain. When a person is afflicted by envy, hypocrisy, and witnessing what is detestable, if this persists, it can alter the heart's temperament and cause it pain. Interpreting the word in this way adheres to its literal meaning and is thus preferable to other interpretations.

Regarding {And for them is a painful punishment}: The author of Al-Kashshāf says: Alam (pain) leads to alīm (painful), just as waja‘ (ache) leads to wajī‘ (aching). Describing the punishment this way is like saying, "Their greeting among themselves was a painful striking." The pain, in reality, belongs to the one who inflicts the pain, just as the seriousness (jidd) belongs to the serious person.

Regarding {because they used to lie}: There are points here:

1. Lying is reporting something contrary to reality. A denier does not call it lying unless the reporter knows the reported matter contradicts reality. This verse is evidence against such a view.
2. The phrase {And for them is a painful punishment because they used to lie} explicitly states that their lying is the cause of the painful punishment. This implies that all lying is forbidden. As for the narration that Abraham (PBUH) told three lies, the intended meaning was allusion (ta‘rīḍ), but because its outward form resembled lying, it was named as such.
3. There are two readings for {yakdhibūn} (they lie):
   • {Yakdhibūn} (with a kasrah on the yā’): Their lying refers to their denial of {Allah and the Last Day}.
   • {Yakadhibūn} (with a fatḥah on the yā’): This is the opposite of truthfulness (ṣidq), or it is an intensive form of lying, just as truthfulness is intensified by saying ṣidq.

Verse 7: {And when it is said to them, "Do not cause corruption on the earth," they say, "We are only reformers." * Unquestionably, they are the corrupters, but they do not perceive.}