وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا خَرَجُوا۟ مِنْ عِندِكَ قَالُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ مَاذَا قَالَ ءَانِفًا أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ طَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ
<h2 class="title">The Description of the Situation of the Hypocrites and the Command to maintain Tawhid and seek Forgiveness</h2><p>Allah describes the hypocrites' stupidity and limited understanding. They used to sit before Allah's Messenger and listen to his words without understanding anything. Then when they left from his presence,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَالُواْ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ</div><p>(they say to those who have received knowledge) from the Companions</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَاذَا قَالَ ءَانِفاً</div><p>("What is it that he has said just now") meaning, at this moment. They did not understand what he said, nor did they care about it. Allah says,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَاتَّبَعُواْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ</div><p>(Such are the men whose hearts Allah has sealed because they followed their lusts.) which means that they had neither sound understanding nor correct intentions. Allah then says,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْاْ زَادَهُمْ هُدًى</div><p>(And as for those who accept guidance, He increases them in guidance) which means that those who seek guidance, Allah facilitates it for them; He guides them to it, makes them firm on it, and gives them more of it.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَءَاتَـهُمْ تَقُوَاهُمْ</div><p>(and bestows on them their Taqwa. ) meaning, He inspires them to their righteous guidance. Allah then says,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلاَّ السَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ بَغْتَةً</div><p>(Do they then await except that the Hour should come upon them suddenly) meaning, while they are unaware of it.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَقَدْ جَآءَ أَشْرَاطُهَا</div><p>(But already there have come (some of) its portents;) meaning, the signs of its approach. This is similar to Allah's saying,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">هَـذَا نَذِيرٌ مِّنَ النُّذُرِ الاٍّوْلَى - أَزِفَتِ الاٌّزِفَةُ </div><p>(This is a warner of the warners of old. The approaching Day has drawn near.) (53:56-57) And His saying,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ </div><p>(The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split.) (54:1) And His saying,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَتَى أَمْرُ اللَّهِ فَلاَ تَسْتَعْجِلُوهُ</div><p>(The command of Allah is coming, so do not be impatient for it.) (16:1) And His saying,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَـبُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِى غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ </div><p>(The people's Day of Reckoning has approached while they turn away in heedlessness.) (21:1) Thus, the Messenger's advent is one of the signs of the Hour, because he is the Finality of the Messengers. With him, Allah has completed the religion and established the evidence against all people in a way that was never done by a previous Prophet. Allah's Messenger has most clearly informed about the signs and indications of the Hour, as we have discussed elsewhere. Al-Bukhari recorded from Sahl bin Sa`d, may Allah be pleased with him, that he saw Allah's Messenger bring his index and middle fingers together while he said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«بُعِثْتُ أَنَا وَالسَّاعَةَ كَهَاتَيْن»</div><p>(I have been sent before the Hour as these two (fingers).) Allah continues,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأَنَّى لَهُمْ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ذِكْرَاهُمْ</div><p>(and when it (actually) is on them, how can they benefit then by their reminder) meaning, how would remembering benefit the disbelievers when the Hour comes upon them This is similar to Allah's saying,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الإِنسَـنُ وَأَنَّى لَهُ الذِّكْرَى</div><p>(On that Day will the human being remember, but what would that remembrance avail him then) (89:23) And His saying,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِهِ وَأَنَّى لَهُمُ التَّنَاوُشُ مِن مَّكَانِ بَعِيدٍ </div><p>(They will say (in the Hereafter): "Now we believe in it!" But how could they claim belief from such a far place) (34:52) Allah then says,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلأاللَّهِ</div><p>(So know that La ilaha illallah) This is a declaration that there is no true God except Allah. It is not something that is easy for him to command the people to have knowledge of. That is why Allah connected it with,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ</div><p>(and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and women.) In the Sahih, it is recorded that Allah's Messenger used to say,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«اللْهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي خَطِيئَتِي وَجَهْلِي وَإِسْرَافِي فِي أَمْرِي وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي، اللْهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي هَزْلِي وَجِدِّي، وَخَطَئِي وَعَمْدِي، وَكُلُّ ذلِكَ عِنْدِي»</div><p>(O Allah, forgive my sin, my ignorance, my immoderation in my affairs, and all that You know better about my (faults) than myself. O Allah, forgive for me my joking, my seriousness, my unintended error, and my deliberate (mistakes) -- and I have done of all that.) It is also reported in the Sahih that he used to say at the end of the prayer,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«اللْهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ، وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي، أَنْتَ إِلهِي لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا أَنْت»</div><p>(O Allah, forgive for me what I have previously done, what I may commit in future, what I have committed secretly, what I have committed openly, what I have done excessively, and all sins that You know better than me. You are my God. There is no (true) God except You.) It is also recorded in the Sahih that he used to say,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تُوبُوا إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ، فَإِنِّي أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ فِي الْيَوْمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّة»</div><p>(O people! Repent to your Lord! Verily, I ask Allah for forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times every day.) Allah then says,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَاكُمْ</div><p>(And Allah knows well your moving about, and your place of rest.) means, He knows how you behave during the day, and where you settle at night. This is similar to His saying,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّـكُم بِالَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ</div><p>(It is He Who takes your souls by night and knows all that you do by day.)(6:60) And He says,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ </div><p>(And there is no moving creature on earth but its provision is up to Allah, and He knows its dwelling place and its deposit (before birth and after death) -- all is in a clear register.) (11:6)</p>
The Description of the Situation of the Hypocrites and the Command to maintain Tawhid and seek ForgivenessAllah describes the hypocrites' stupidity and limited understanding. They used to sit before Allah's Messenger and listen to his words without understanding anything. Then when they left from his presence,قَالُواْ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ(they say to those who have received knowledge) from the Companionsمَاذَا قَالَ ءَانِفاً("What is it that he has said just now") meaning, at this moment. They did not understand what he said, nor did they care about it. Allah says,أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَاتَّبَعُواْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ(Such are the men whose hearts Allah has sealed because they followed their lusts.) which means that they had neither sound understanding nor correct intentions. Allah then says,وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْاْ زَادَهُمْ هُدًى(And as for those who accept guidance, He increases them in guidance) which means that those who seek guidance, Allah facilitates it for them; He guides them to it, makes them firm on it, and gives them more of it.وَءَاتَـهُمْ تَقُوَاهُمْ(and bestows on them their Taqwa. ) meaning, He inspires them to their righteous guidance. Allah then says,فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلاَّ السَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ بَغْتَةً(Do they then await except that the Hour should come upon them suddenly) meaning, while they are unaware of it.فَقَدْ جَآءَ أَشْرَاطُهَا(But already there have come (some of) its portents;) meaning, the signs of its approach. This is similar to Allah's saying,هَـذَا نَذِيرٌ مِّنَ النُّذُرِ الاٍّوْلَى - أَزِفَتِ الاٌّزِفَةُ (This is a warner of the warners of old. The approaching Day has drawn near.) (53:56-57) And His saying,اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ (The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split.) (54:1) And His saying,أَتَى أَمْرُ اللَّهِ فَلاَ تَسْتَعْجِلُوهُ(The command of Allah is coming, so do not be impatient for it.) (16:1) And His saying,اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَـبُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِى غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ (The people's Day of Reckoning has approached while they turn away in heedlessness.) (21:1) Thus, the Messenger's advent is one of the signs of the Hour, because he is the Finality of the Messengers. With him, Allah has completed the religion and established the evidence against all people in a way that was never done by a previous Prophet. Allah's Messenger has most clearly informed about the signs and indications of the Hour, as we have discussed elsewhere. Al-Bukhari recorded from Sahl bin Sa`d, may Allah be pleased with him, that he saw Allah's Messenger bring his index and middle fingers together while he said,«بُعِثْتُ أَنَا وَالسَّاعَةَ كَهَاتَيْن»(I have been sent before the Hour as these two (fingers).) Allah continues,فَأَنَّى لَهُمْ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ذِكْرَاهُمْ(and when it (actually) is on them, how can they benefit then by their reminder) meaning, how would remembering benefit the disbelievers when the Hour comes upon them This is similar to Allah's saying,يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الإِنسَـنُ وَأَنَّى لَهُ الذِّكْرَى(On that Day will the human being remember, but what would that remembrance avail him then) (89:23) And His saying,وَقَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِهِ وَأَنَّى لَهُمُ التَّنَاوُشُ مِن مَّكَانِ بَعِيدٍ (They will say (in the Hereafter): "Now we believe in it!" But how could they claim belief from such a far place) (34:52) Allah then says,فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلأاللَّهِ(So know that La ilaha illallah) This is a declaration that there is no true God except Allah. It is not something that is easy for him to command the people to have knowledge of. That is why Allah connected it with,وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ(and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and women.) In the Sahih, it is recorded that Allah's Messenger used to say,«اللْهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي خَطِيئَتِي وَجَهْلِي وَإِسْرَافِي فِي أَمْرِي وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي، اللْهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي هَزْلِي وَجِدِّي، وَخَطَئِي وَعَمْدِي، وَكُلُّ ذلِكَ عِنْدِي»(O Allah, forgive my sin, my ignorance, my immoderation in my affairs, and all that You know better about my (faults) than myself. O Allah, forgive for me my joking, my seriousness, my unintended error, and my deliberate (mistakes) -- and I have done of all that.) It is also reported in the Sahih that he used to say at the end of the prayer,«اللْهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ، وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي، أَنْتَ إِلهِي لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا أَنْت»(O Allah, forgive for me what I have previously done, what I may commit in future, what I have committed secretly, what I have committed openly, what I have done excessively, and all sins that You know better than me. You are my God. There is no (true) God except You.) It is also recorded in the Sahih that he used to say,«يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تُوبُوا إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ، فَإِنِّي أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ فِي الْيَوْمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّة»(O people! Repent to your Lord! Verily, I ask Allah for forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times every day.) Allah then says,وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَاكُمْ(And Allah knows well your moving about, and your place of rest.) means, He knows how you behave during the day, and where you settle at night. This is similar to His saying,وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّـكُم بِالَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ(It is He Who takes your souls by night and knows all that you do by day.)(6:60) And He says,وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ (And there is no moving creature on earth but its provision is up to Allah, and He knows its dwelling place and its deposit (before birth and after death) -- all is in a clear register.) (11:6)