| An-Nisa (The Women): (141) Those who lie in wait for you...

It should be noted that His statement, {Those who lie in wait for you} (الذين يتربصون بكم), is either:

1. An apposition (badal) to "those who take," or
2. A description (sifah) of the hypocrites, or
3. In the accusative case (nasb) as a form of censure (dhamm).

The term {lie in wait} (يتربصون) means they await whatever happens, whether good or evil.

If there is a victory for you (the believers) over the Jews, they say to the believers: "Did we not stand with you?" meaning, "So give us a share of the spoils (ghanīmah)."

If the disbelievers (i.e., the Jews) have a share (i.e., victory) over the Muslims, they say: "Did we not overpower you?" (ألم نستحوذ عليكم). It is said: istahwadha 'ala fulan (استحوذ على فلان), meaning he overcame him.

There are two interpretations regarding this verse:

The First Interpretation: It means, "Did we not overcome you and have the power to kill and capture you, yet we did nothing of the sort? We prevented you [from being harmed] by the Muslims by discouraging them from you, making them doubt, weakening their hearts, and being remiss in supporting them against you. So give us a share of what you have obtained."

The Second Interpretation: It means that those disbelievers and Jews had intended to enter Islam. Then the hypocrites warned them against it and exaggerated in turning them away from it, assuring them that the matter of Muhammad (PBUH) would weaken and their own power would strengthen. So, when they achieved a triumph over the Muslims, the hypocrites would say: "Did we not prevail over you regarding your opinion to enter Islam, and did we not prevent you from it, telling you that his matter would weaken and yours would strengthen? Since you have seen the truth of our saying, then give us a share of what you have found."

The essence is that the hypocrites boast to the disbelievers, saying: "It is we who guided you to these beneficial outcomes, so give us a share of what you have found."

If it is asked: Why is the victory of the Muslims called a Fath (فتح - opening/victory), while the triumph of the disbelievers is called a Nasīb (نصيب - share)?

We reply: This is to magnify the status of the believers and to belittle the portion of the disbelievers. The victory of the believers is a great matter for which the gates of heaven are opened, so that angels descend with victory for the allies of God. As for the triumph of the disbelievers, it is nothing but a base, fleeting portion, leaving behind only blame in this world and punishment in the Hereafter.

Then the Almighty said: {So Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection} (فالله يحكم بينكم يوم القيامة). This is between the believers and the hypocrites. The meaning is that Allah did not impose the final punishment upon the hypocrites in this world; rather, He postponed their penalty until the Day of Resurrection.

Then He said: {And never will Allah grant the disbelievers a way over the believers} (ولن يجعل الله للكافرين على المؤمنين سبيلا). There are two opinions regarding this:

1. The First Opinion (held by Ali, may God honor him, and Ibn Abbas, may God be pleased with them): This refers to the Hereafter, evidenced by its being connected to the preceding statement, {So Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection}.
2. The Second Opinion: It refers to this world, but it is specific to the proof/argument (al-ḥujjah). The meaning is that the proof of the Muslims is dominant over the proof of everyone else, and no one can overcome them through argument and evidence.
3. The Third Opinion: It is general concerning all matters, except what is specifically exempted by evidence.

Imam Ash-Shafi'i, may God have mercy on him, derived several rulings from this verse:

• If a disbeliever seizes the property of a Muslim and secures it through the commencement of war, he does not own it, based on this verse.
• A disbeliever is not permitted to buy a Muslim slave, based on this verse.
• A Muslim is not to be executed in retaliation for a Dhimmi (protected non-Muslim), based on this verse.

| {Indeed, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand up to [perform] prayer, they stand up lazily, showing off to the people and not remembering Allah except a little.}