Summary of Surah Munafiqun

In His Name and in the remembrance of His last Hujjat (atfs)

Summary of Surah Munafiqun

What is Hypocrisy?

The opening verse of the Surah Munafiqun explains the meaning of a Hypocrite thus:

إِذَا جَاءكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ

When the hypocrites come to you, they say: “We bear witness that thou are indeed the Messenger of Allah.” Yea, Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars (Surah Munafiqun: 1)

The word hypocrite (munafiq) is derived from the Arabic word ”nifaq” or hypocrisy. The term hypocrite refers to a person whose inward reality differs from his outward appearance, one who is two-faced or a double-dealer. Hypocrites do not use logic or rational reasoning to achieve their personal goals or profits; instead, they unjustly oppose the majority. As long as conditions permit, they will obstruct the majority, but because of their fear of the majority or their love of profit, they pretend to be friends with the majority, united to them.

Let us now look into the signs of a Hypocrite as indicated in the Surah munafiqun in Quran.

Signs of Hypocrite:

In the opening verses of this Surah, Allah reveals some signs of the Hypocrite thus:

1)اتَّخَذُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ جُنَّةً

The hypocrite makes use of oath a screen for his misdeeds

2)وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَهُمْ تُعْجِبُكَ أَجْسَامُهُمْ

Their exterior (appearance) pleases you

3)وَإِن يَقُولُوا تَسْمَعْ لِقَوْلِهِمْ

Their speech is appealing

4) كَأَنَّهُمْ خُشُبٌ مُّسَنَّدَةٌ

But, They are brittle in strength – worthless as hollow pieces of timber

5) يَحْسَبُونَ كُلَّ صَيْحَةٍ عَلَيْهِمْ

They consider every cry against themselves - fear and agitation dominate the hearts of hypocrites

Another topic dealt in this Surah is with respect to Hypocrite and repentance.

Hypocrites and Repentance

The 5^th and the 6^th verse of this chapter clearly says that there is no guidance for the hypocrites, this is because they are haughty and proud and do not believe in the intercession of the Prophet (sawa):

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا يَسْتَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ لَوَّوْا رُؤُوسَهُمْ وَرَأَيْتَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ وَهُم مُّسْتَكْبِرُونَ

“When it is said to them, 'Come, the Messenger of Allah will pray for your forgiveness,' they turn aside their heads, and you see them turning away their faces in arrogance.”

سَوَاء عَلَيْهِمْ أَسْتَغْفَرْتَ لَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ لَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

“It is the same for them whether you pray for their forgiveness or not. Allah will not forgive them. Surely, Allah guides not rebellious transgressors.”

It is due to their ignorance combined with pride (rebellion) that their hearts are sealed and now even if the Prophet (sawa) seeks forgiveness for them Allah shall not forgive them.

Hypocrites’ Dangerous Plans

In verse 7 and 8 of this surah Allah revels their plans towards the muslim, they try to make situation tough for the muslims by withdrawing financial support or by boycotting the muslims, but Allah declares that the treasures of Heavens and earth belong to Allah but the Hypocrite are not knowing it.

هُمُ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ لَا تُنفِقُوا عَلَى مَنْ عِندَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يَنفَضُّوا وَلِلَّهِ خَزَائِنُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَكِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ

“They are the ones who say, 'Spend nothing on those who are with Allah's Messenger, to the end that they may disperse (and leave Medina).' But to Allah belong the treasures of the Heavens and the Earth; but the hypocrites understand not.”

يَقُولُونَ لَئِن رَّجَعْنَا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لَيُخْرِجَنَّ الْأَعَزُّ مِنْهَا الْأَذَلَّ وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَكِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

“They say, 'If we return to Medina, surely the more honorable (element) will expel from there the meaner.' But honor belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to the Believers but the hypocrites know not.”

The Shaane Nuzool of the above verse refers to the incident that took place after the war of bani Mustalaq. Interested readers may refer to the book of Ayatullah Jafar Subhani  -  Hypocrites A commentary of Surah Munafiqun

The real value of world

The surah finally concludes by virtue of bringing to our attention the real value of this world and how a servant of Imame Zaman (atfs) should treat this world as and should look at the world to benefit in the hear after.

1)    Our wealth and children should not deviate us from our focus (service of hazrat), lest we become the loosers.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ
“Oh believers! Do not Let your riches or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. If any one acts this way, the loss is his own.”

2)    We should sacrifice our wealth for Hazrat (atfs) in our life itself, else we would end up in a situation where the angel of death comes in front of us and our wealth of this world is of no use to us.

“وَأَنفِقُوا مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلَا أَخَّرْتَنِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُن مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

”“Spend something (in charity) out of the substance which We have bestowed upon you, before death should come to any of you and he should say, 'Oh my Lord! Why didn't you give me respite for a little while? Then I would have given (largely) in charity, and I would have been one of the righteous.'”

3)    We should know well that this life is going to end and there is no respite to the appointed time of death and no noe knows when it will come to us.

“وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهَا وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

”“But Allah will not grant respite to any soul when its appointed time when has come, and Allah is well acquainted with (all) that you do.”

Let us from this brief summary ensure that we strive hard towards the service of Imame Zaman (atfs) and make each moment of this life count in his service and ensure that our soul leaves our body in a state that our head rests in the laps of our Aziz.