Children of the Ummah

Surah Al Munafiqun is the 63rd Surah of the Holy Quran. The meaning of Al Munafiqun is the Hypocrites, which is from the root word nifaq, which means hypocrisy. Generally, we have learned that this Surah was revealed for three main reasons: There were Munafiq individuals at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and we should know of them, Allah wanted to warn us from keeping the company of the Munafiqun, and Allah wanted to inform us to take heed that we, ourselves, could be of the Munafiqun. All three of these reasons can be related to this Surah, but to really know we have to do an in depth analysis of this Surah. We will take a look at the name of this Surah, period of revelation, origin and circumstances, and the overall meaning of this Surah and related verses elsewhere in the Noble Quran, Insha’Allah.

To begin, let’s take a look at the name of this Surah a little bit more. The name of this Surah is derived from a part of the first Ayah (verse) of this Surah which says, “Idha jaa kal-munafiqun” which means “When the hypocrites come to you”. In this Ayah we know that there were hypocrites in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and that they were openly approaching him (SAW). We also realize that being a Munafiq is not a small thing. Rather, it is such a severe disease of the heart, that Allah mentions it in the Quran Himself! The Sahaba were extremely cautious and concerned about this disease affecting them and being counted as one of the Munafiqun, especially Abu Rib’i Hanzala (RA), and even Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA) and ‘Umar ibn Al Khatab (RA), as illustrated in the stories from the Seerah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) at the end of this study.

It is important to know the period of revelation, because it will help us better understand what was happening during that time. This is a Madani Surah. There are many arguments and research among the scholars as to when the Surah was revealed. The scholars have concluded that this Surah was either revealed during the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) return journey from his campaign against Bani al-Mustaliq or immediately after his return to Madinah. It was found that the campaign against Bani al-Mustaliq took place in Sha’ban A.H. 6, thus the time of revelation is determined quite precisely.

Now that we know about the time of revelation, let us see what was happening during that time period. Before the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) migration to Madinah, the tribes of the Aus and Khazraj (two leading tribes of Madinah), were looking to appoint someone among themselves as a leader. They had almost agreed upon the leadership of one man. This man was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, the chief of the Khazraj tribe. Muhammad bin Ishaq stated that among the people of Khazraj his authority was never contested and never had the Aus and the Khazraj agreed to one man before this. So, the agreement between the two clans of his appointment as chief was a notable event throughout Madinah.

This was the condition when the voice of Islam reached Madinah in those days. The leaders and more influential people started to become Muslims. This happened before the Muslim migration from Makkah and before the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was even invited to come to Madinah. Abbas bin Ubadah bin Nadlah Ansari wanted to delay this invitation to the Prophet (SAW) hoping that Abdullah bin Ubayy may voluntairily become Muslim and Islam would become the center point of Madinah making the transition easier and without offending the tribes or their leaders (mainly Abdullah ibn Ubayy), but the delegation that arrived in Makkah to declare their allegiance and invitation to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did not give any importance to the proposal of Abbas bin Ubadah. They did not want to delay the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and went ahead with preparing to welcome him to Madinah.

When the Holy Prophet (SAW) arrived in Madinah, Islam had already gone so deeply into the hearts of the Ansar (the people of Madinah), that Abdullah bin Ubayy became helpless and could not see any way to keep his leadership and reluctantly became Muslim. Abdullah bin Ubayy was filled with rage and hate, because he felt that he was deprived of his kingship and leadership. Abdullah bin Ubayy claimed that he was Muslim, but in truth he had so much malice and hate for Islam, he was far from it.

Over time, Abdullah bin Ubayy’s hypocrisy was exposed day by day. He would sit in the first row at Jum’uah (Friday) and when the Prophet (SAW) would arrive to relay his sermon, he would stand up and say, “O people, the Messenger of Allah is present among you, by whom Allah has honoured you; therefore, you should listen to him and listen to what he says and obey him.” Sounds good? It was all an act. Most of the time, we will see the people who speak the loudest of such things are the most empty inside. Realistically, thinking about the time we live in now or the state we are in, if the majority of people who sit in our mosques today were present when Abdullah bin Ubayy said these fake and sarcastic words, they would probably be so delighted and think that he was a righteous and pious Muslim. This is clear on how easily we fall for manipulation and the sway of power.

On one occasion, Abdullah bin Ubayy spoke harshly to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in passing. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) told Sa’d bin Ubadah (RA, one of the main Ansar who helped with the migration) about this to which Sa’d said: “O Messenger of Allah, don’t be hard on him, for when Allah sent you to us we were making a diadem (a crown) to crown him, and, by God, he thinks that you have robbed him of his kingdom.” (Ibn Hisham vol: II, pp. 237-238).

At the Battle of Uhud, Abdullah bin Ubayy betrayed the Muslims in one of the worst ways possible. As 1,000 Muslim men marched towards the battlefield to battle 3,000 Quraish, Abdullah bin Ubayy fled with 300 of his followers leaving the Muslims with only 700 men. A brutal battle ensued, in which the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was not only injured, but the Muslims were defeated on account of mistakes and confusion. This was later seen as an obvious learning experience for the Muslims and provided them with great humbling reprimand from Allah SWT and resulting revelation that we benefit from even today.

After this incident at Uhud, most Muslims came to a complete realization that Abdullah bin Ubayy and his companions were certainly hypocrites. This is why at the very next Friday congregation after the battle of Uhud, when Abdullah bin Ubayy stood up to do his usual “speech” before the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) could do his Friday khutbah (sermon), the people pulled him down by his garments saying, “”Sit down you are not worthy to say such things.” Abdullah bin Ubayy had never been embarrassed like this before and filled with rage he began to head for the door to leave. At the door some of the Ansaar called out to him saying, “What are you doing? Go back and ask the Holy Prophet (SAW) to pray for your forgiveness.” He retorted, “I do not want him to pray for my forgiveness.” (Ibn Hisham, vol. III, p. 111).

Some time later, in A.H. 4, the battle of Bani an-Nadir took place. On this occasion, Abdullah bin Ubayy and his followers supported the enemies of the Islam even more publicly and openly. At this time, the Muslims were to be fighting against the Jewish people who had broken treaties with the Muslims. Meanwhile, on the other hand, the Munafiqun (hypocrites), some of whom were still hidden amongst the Muslims, secretly sent messages of alligance to the Jewish people. They said, “Stand firm we are with you, if you are attacked, we will help you, and if you are driven out, we too will go out with you.”

Besides the fact that that the Munafiqun had already been so exposed, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) still treated them kindly. The Munafiqun did not have the courage to fight the Muslims either. They would still pay Zakah, come to the mosque, offer prayers, and claim that they were good Muslims. They would try to hide their hypocritical acts and make excuses if they were caught. They did this because they knew of the consequences of leaving the majority Muslim population of Madinah all together. They would purposely miss opportunities to cause mischief and chaos in the community, because they knew that many disadvantages would naturally arise for them if someone figured out their lies and deception.

This farce of unity on the part of the Munafiqoon was the cause that enabled Abdullah bin Ubayy and other likeminded hypocrites to accompany Muhammad (SAW) on the campaign against Bani al-Mustaliq (a tribe that was gathering against the Muslims, later they all became Muslim after they were defeated and captured). Even though, throughout their travels to the battle with Bani al-Mustaliq, the Munafiqun plotted within the Muslims and were against them, the Muslims never disunited or stopped believing in Allah SWT. They marched on. Just imagine, how it would be for the Muslims when they were witnessing these people causing mischief in the land and community and then to also witness revelation coming from Allah SWT in regard to the same people, exposing them as hypocrites, Subhan’Allah. This obviously strengthened their faith and resolve!

The following incident is related by Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Nasai, Tirmidhi, Baihaqi, Tabari, Ibn Marduyah, Abdur Razzaq, lbn Jarir Tabari, Ibn Sa’d and Muhammad bin Ishaq through many reliable channels. This narration is a compilation of the different narrations put into one story.

After crushing down the power of the Bani al-Mustaliq, the Muslim army had made a stop in a settlement at the Well of Muraisi. All of a sudden, a dispute arose between two men who were fetching water from the well. One of these men were Jehjah bin Masud Ghifari, who was a servant of Umar ibn Al Khattab (RA) appointed to lead his horse, and the second man was Sinan bin Wabar al-Juhani, whose tribe was allies with the Khazraj tribe of Madinah. They started saying harsh words to each other causing them to get physical after Jehjah kicked Sinan, which the Ansar took as something very insulting. At this Sinan called out to the men of Ansar and the people of Jehjah, meaning he called them all to battle on this insult. This was very serious, as this dispute may have led to a battle between the Ansar and Muhajirun! Prophet Muhammad (SAW) heard all the commotion and came out saying, “What is this call of paganism? What have you to do with such a call? Leave it, it is a dirty thing.” At this the dispute was cleared and Sinan excused Jehjah and peace was restored.

After this incident, every person whose heart was disaffected by Islam and the message of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) came to Abdullah Bin Ubayy offended and filled with rage, saying, “Until now we had our hopes attached to you and you were protecting us, but now it seems you have become a helper of these paupers (beggars) against us.” Abdullah bin Ubayy was already angry and yelled out, “This is what you have done to yourselves! You have given these people shelter in your country, and have divided your property among them. So much so that they have now become our rivals. Nothing so fits us and the paupers of Quraish (or the Companions of Muhammad) as the ancient saying ‘Feed your dog to fatten it and it will devour you.’ If you hold back your property from them, they would go elsewhere. By God, when we return to Madinah, the honorable ones will drive out from it the mean ones.”

When Abdullah bin Ubayy said this, Zaid bin Aqram, a young boy was present. He heard what was said and mentioned it to one of his uncles who had happened to be one of the Ansar Chiefs, who then went to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to report what had occurred. At this Prophet Muhammad (SAW) called out Zaid and asked him what happened. Zaid repeated the whole story and every word that he heard. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW), ever the leader, said to Zaid, “Zaid, you are perhaps displeased with Ibn Ubayy, you might have been mistaken in hearing, you might have imagined Ibn Ubayy said this.” But, Zaid was sure and held firm. He said, “No, I swear by God, I have heard him say this and that.” At this the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) called Abdullah bin Ubayy who swore that he didn’t say such a thing and denied his own words entirely. The people of the Ansar also said that perhaps it was not true, as a young boy said it and that Abdullah bin Ubayy was a vulnerable old man and that he should be excused. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW), however, did not need their excuses, as he knew Zaid and Abdullah bin Ubayy very well by this time and understood what had truly taken place.

When Umar (RA) found out what had happened, he came to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and said, “Please allow me to put this hypocrite to the sword. Or, if you do not think it is fit to give me the permission you may tell Muadh bin Jabal, or Abbad bin Bishr, or Sad bin Mu’adh, or Muhammad bin Maslamah from among the Ansar to go and kill him.” Muhammad (SAW) said, “No, the people will say Muhammad kills his own Companions.”

Then, after this, he ordered the people to set off immediately towards Madinah. The march continued for 30 hours at a stretch so that the everyone would become exhausted. When he finally asked them to stop, they all fell asleep as soon as they touched the ground. He did this so that the people would be distracted from what had happened at the Well of Muraisi. On the way, Usaid bin Hudair, an Ansar Chief, met the Prophet (SAW) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, today you ordered the people to set off at a time which was disagreeable for traveling, a thing you have never done before.” The Holy Prophet replied: “Have you not heard of what your friend said?” When he asked whom he meant, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied, “Abdullah bin Ubayy”. When asked what he said, the Holy Prophet answered, “He has asserted that when he returns to Madinah the honourable ones will drive out from it the mean ones.” He answered, “By God, O Messenger of Allah, you are the honourable one and he is the mean one; you will drive him out whenever you want to!”

This news spread through the Ansar soldiers and enraged them against Abdullah bin Ubayy. The people told ibn Ubayy to go to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and request his forgiveness, but Abdullah bin Ubayy was arrogant and retorted, “You asked me to believe in him, and I believed in him; you asked me to pay the zakat on my property, and I paid the zakat too; now the only thing left is that I should bow down to Muhammad!”

This further angered the Ansar. When the caravan was approaching and about to enter Madinah, Abdullah, the son of Abdullah bin Ubayy, stood before his own father with a sword in his hand and said, “You had said that when you reached Madinah, the honorable ones would drive out the mean ones. Now, you will know who is honourable: you or Allah and His Messenger. By God, you cannot enter Madinah until the Messenger of Allah (SAW) permits you to enter.”

When he heard his son say this, Abdullah bin Ubayy cried, “O people of Khazraj, look, my own son is preventing me from entering Madinah.” The people conveyed this news to the Prophet (SAW) to which he said, “Tell Abdullah to let his father come home.” Abdullah said, “If this is the order of the Prophet, then you may enter.” At this the Prophet (SAW) said to Umar (RA), “Now what do you think, Umar? Had you killed him on the day when you asked my permission to kill him, many people would have trembled with rage. Today if I order them to kill him, they will kill him immediately.” Umar (RA) replied “By God, I realize there was greater wisdom behind what the Apostle of Allah said than what I said.”

Such were the circumstances at the time of the revelation. This Surah came at a time when the Muslims had already been physically exposed to the truth of these people and their misdeeds. They were now ready for the weight of this revelation and it’s instructions.

Now let us look at Surah Munafiqun in some detail:

When the hypocrites come to you, [O Muhammad], they say, “We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.” And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars. (1)

They have taken their oaths as a cover, so they averted [people] from the way of Allah. Indeed, it was evil that they were doing. (2)

That is because they believed, and then they disbelieved; so their hearts were sealed over, and they do not understand. (3)

And when you see them, their forms please you, and if they speak, you listen to their speech. [They are] as if they were pieces of wood propped up – they think that every shout is against them. They are the enemy, so beware of them. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded? (4)

And when it is said to them, “Come, the Messenger of Allah will ask forgiveness for you,” they turn their heads aside and you see them evading while they are arrogant. (5)

It is all the same for them whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them; never will Allah forgive them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people. (6)

They are the ones who say, “Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they disband.” And to Allah belongs the depositories of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not understand. (7)

They say, “If we return to al-Madinah, the more honoured [for power] will surely expel therefrom the more humble.” And to Allah belongs [all] honour, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know. (8)

O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that – then those are the losers. (9)

And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, “My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous.” (10)

But never will Allah delay a soul when its time has come. And Allah is acquainted with what you do. (11)

English Translation of Surah Munafiqun in Audio / MP3

1) The hypocrites were claiming that they were Muslims, but inside they were something else. What they were saying was not reflecting their actions. For example, there is a charity collecting donations to buy food and water for homeless people, it looks genuine from the outside, and they are saying their intention is to help homeless people, but in truth they are keeping all the donations for themselves and expanding their image. Likewise, this is the state of many of the Muslims of today. We see many people who claim to be Muslims, but in truth they take are unbelievers that take interest, steal, cheat people, backbite, and lie. As per ayah 1, the hypocrites would say, “We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.” But Allah then goes on to say that HE testifies that the hypocrites are liars. From this we can take that hypocrites are two-faced. They project something on the outside and feel something different on the inside. They want to be with the Muslims and belong to the group, so they will go along with whatever the Muslims do, they will pretend to practice Islam, and deceive the true believers.

2) The Munafiqun use oaths to protect themselves, which the believing Muslims didn’t find the need to do. The Munafiqun of Madinah would swear and make oaths of their faith and Islam to protect themselves from the Muslims and their status in Madinah. They were aware that if they didn’t claim that they were Muslims, the Muslims would take them as open enemies. When they would get caught doing any hypocritical acts they would swear and take oaths. Just like Abdullah bin Ubayy took an oath when the young boy, Zaid bin Aqram, caught him saying those things about the Muslims. In the time we live in now, people use ‘Wallahi’ (I swear to Allah) as a way for people to believe them. People use ‘Wallahi’ as a scapegoat and a bridge to get over whatever they are being questioned about. People know that if somebody realizes that he is a liar, a hypocrite, or does bad things, he could be punished, will become lonely, and even isolated. What’s really bad is that I have found that kids use this most often without even knowing the gravity of it. They learned this from somewhere, where could it be? So, another quality of a Munafiq is that hides his hypocritical actions with swearing to God, swearing on his parents or even his children, to make oaths protecting his true desires and nature.

3) Another quality of a Munafiq is that they turn away from Allah SWT and they turn others away from Allah. We know that the Munafiqun are not truly practicing the faith, but how are they taking away people from Allah’s way? The Munafiqun of Madinah, would work internally to create doubts and evil. Not only did they take away Muslims, but also non-Muslims. They would create doubts in the hearts of Muslims about certain topics, we especially see this based on what Abdullah bin Ubayy said to his cronies that Zaid bin Aqram overheard. These are the kinds of things that he must have been putting into the minds of the Ansar, Subhan’Allah. The Munafiqun would create doubts in the hearts of the Non-Muslims as well and drive them away from the true message of Islam. In this day in age, when Muslims sit in gatherings some of them taunt Islam and say, “What kind of religion tells you not to make money and take interest? Why does Allah care what I do? What joy does Allah get to put us in Hellfire? What will happen if I do this and that?” These kinds of statements create unnecessary doubts in the hearts of the people and show that there are still Munafqun amongst even us. The Munafiqun of Madinah did not have intellect and therefore any commands that were coming to them, they were not able to understand them or act upon them. They would not be able to wrap their heads around those things and would therefore deny them. The Munafiqun did not like anything that involved changing their way of life, the only things that they accepted easily were the command of salah, zakah, and even fasting, because these things didn’t require any major physical changes or giving up of their desires or positions. They didn’t want to be alone in their disobedience or feel guilty, so they wanted others to be just like them, unchanging. So, from our example, the person who does not want to change will therefore taunt the guidelines of Allah, asking condescendingly about what would happen if they were to, for example, commit zina (adultery) or backbite someone, would Allah strike them down? Astaghfirullah.  Naturally, when non-Muslims must come to them and ask them anything about faith, they would either steer them away or not have the right answers, because they cannot fully grasp the meaning of the religion and it’s guidelines themselves. Therefore, we know another quality of a Munafiq is that they are far from Allah and they take people away from Allah as well.

4) Now the next quality is based on verse 3. When we hear that they believed and then they disbelieved, we can get confused. Rather, the meaning of this is that when they ‘believe’ that is only what they are claiming, and when they disbelieve, that means that they are not acting upon the guidelines. When this verse says ‘Allah caused a seal to be set on their hearts’, it means that Allah deprived them and sealed them out of being able to adopt true belief in Islam and be noble people, because they were not acting with sincerity and with good intentions. This may remind us of the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) where he said, “There will come a time upon the Ummah when people will recite the Qur’an, but it will not go further than their throats” (Bukhari). We can relate this to when the Munafiqun of Madinah would read or hear the verses of the Quran they did so without the intention to actually understand or believe, so Allah put a blockage so that they really could not understand the Quran and change into better people. When we see the people today, we see people who say that they believe in Allah and that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is His messenger, but then we see them going against the guidelines in very blatant and aggressive ways. For example, a person who is Muslim drinks alcohol. They are saying they are Muslim, but their acts are going opposite to the guidelines of Allah. So we know that the Munafiqun believe, but they disbelieve.

5) The next thing we know about Munafiqun is that they are attractive. Abdullah bin Abbas has stated that Abdullah bin Ubayy was a strongly built, handsome, healthy and smooth-tongued person and his companions also carried these same qualities. These same men would recline on cushions against the masjid walls and would speak agreeably and convincingly. Then they are described as timber, pieces of wood, propped up against a wall. If the timber is not being used it is worthless and serves no purpose. Thus, the Munafiqun and their opinions and presence is not needed. When you would look at their outward appearance, you would have never imagined that those same men would be so dishonored and wretched in their characters. Nowadays, we have all these ‘intellectuals’ who sit around our masajid and speak very big words. People listen and follow what they say but in truth they do not apply what they say in their own lives and homes. We have many people who give what seems to be good advice to each other, but in reality may not be beneficial or the right advice according to the Quran and Sunnah. So we know that the Munafiqun are attractive, but in truth, they are empty and useless people.

6) The next thing is that they feel like every shout is towards them. This short sentence shows us that the Munafiqun were aware and guilty of their hypocrisy, but they didn’t want to hear about it. They would deem that every word, mentioning evil or hypocrisy, was towards them and suddenly come into a state of alarm, because they had a fear that the Muslims would realize their true state and their evil deeds. They wanted people to stay quiet and disliked when these type of matters or discussions arose, because they would become defensive and offended leading them to a state of weakness or heedlessness in which their truth may slip out. They liked to keep themselves under control and not show their true emotions. The same is of today; many people do not want to hear things that go against their ways of life even in passing. They don’t want people to talk against their acts and their desires. This is where the statement, “don’t judge me” is really born. Any time any one says something to better another, they are called judgmental and silenced.  For many people, changing something in their lives on the basis of Islam, makes them feel weak, as if they are admitting that something they were doing was wrong and they fear what people will think or say about them. Again, this is a type of characteristic of a Munafiq, they are going to claim Allah is their God, but then fear the people. This is why we find so many Muslims turning way from those who speak truth plainly without fear to those that stroke their egos and tell them exactly what they want to hear. That is the reason why the Munafiqun of Madinah stuck together, by the time of Abdullah ibn Ubbay’s death he had close to 1,000 followers.  Therefore, another sign of a Munafiq is that any shout they hear, they feel like it is directed towards them.

7) Munafiqun are more dangerous than anyone else. These inward enemies can be more of a danger than any outward enemies, because they know the religion and they move amongst us without fear or resistance. Some of them are even in our families and in our circle of friends. They know how to use the words of the religion and their outward “Islamic” appearance to cause doubts in the true believers. Though, we know from history that the Munafiqun were great cowards and would manipulate the gullible Muslims and non-Muslims to get their dirty work done against the Muslims. We see this from the story of Aishah (RA) lost necklace, in which Abdullah ibn Ubbay slandered her and cast serious doubt in the hearts of many gullible Muslims through his manipulation and “pious” acting, leading them to also follow his lead in slandering her and creating a very hostile environment for the family of the Prophet (SAW) and the community at large. This shows us that the Munafiqun are a danger to society as they know how to speak and influence the minds of the masses. The beautiful outcome of these situations where the Maniqun were slowly being revealed was that Abdullah ibn Ubbay and his followers were stripped of their power and influence over the general population of Madinah, by the time he died of old age, Abdullah ibn Ubbay, was nothing, but an afterthought on the minds of the Muslims. His voice was drowned out by the unstoppable tide of Islam and it’s ability to reveal the true character of man to the true submissive and sincere believer.

8) In verse 4 where it says “May Allah destroy them”, it is not a curse, but rather it is a statement declaring that they are worthy of Allah’s punishment. In Surah Al Nisa, Ayah 145, the Quran says: “Indeed, the hypocrites (will be) in the lowest depths of the Fire, and never you will find for them any helper.” Do you see how much Allah hates nifaq? Do you see how severe their punishment will be? Do you know that the Munafiqun do not care that Allah is  saying this about them? Subhan’Allah. 

9) Munafiqun are arrogant, as in ayah 5 it states how the Munafiqun turn away from the forgiveness of Allah. Abdulah ibn Ubbay and his followers shook their heads and refused to come to the Messenger (SAW) to seek forgiveness. This was a clear sign that they were not believers. Today, we commit so many sins, yet we do not give them any importance or weight, thus never truly and sincerely asking forgiveness for them. Doesn’t this also fall into the same category as disbelief in Allah’s verses? The Munafiqun are arrogant and feel they are right and justified in all they do, this is why they never ask for forgiveness and always make others look like the offenders. 

10) The Munafiqun will never be forgiven. Allah says that it will make no difference if the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) were to pray for the hypocrites of Madinah, as they will never be forgiven. This is the verse that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) based his decision to pray the funeral prayers of Abdullah ibn Ubbay, as he had felt that Allah had left the decision to actually pray for them on him, even though Allah would not forgive them either way. This decision led to the conversion of Abdullah ibn Ubbay’s 1,000 followers, so we can see some wisdom in this,  yet, a similar verse was revealed shortly after the funeral, which appears in Surah at-Taubah revealed three years after Surah Al-Munafiqun. In this verse Allah says to the Prophet (SAW) about the hypocrites: “O Prophet (it will be all the same) whether you beg forgiveness for them or not, for Allah will not forgive them even if you beg forgiveness for them seventy times. This is because they have disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and Allah does not show guidance to the wrongdoers.” (At Taubah: 80). Then later on in Surah at-Taubah it says, “And never perform the funeral prayer for any one of them who dies nor stand at his grave, for they have denied Allah and His Messenger and died while they were transgressors. ” (At-Taubah: 84). Therefore, the funeral of Abdullah ibn Ubbay was the only funeral of a Munafiq in which the Prophet Muhammad or his Companions (RA) were in attendance. Thus Muslims are not actually allowed to attend their funerals or visit their graves and Allah will never forgive them for their disbelief and the corruption they cause.

11) The hypocrites do not want good for the Muslims. They want the Muslims to be weak and unstable. They detest the unity and strength that Islam brings. They don’t want Muslims to have access to important necessities as we can clearly see from what Abdullah bin Ubayy said at the Well of Muraisi (the account the young boy Zaid bin Aqram heard). The Munafiq in his selfish and self-centered desires does not want the Muslims to hold any power or position. He wants it all to himself.

It is also important to note here, that Allah SWT has given a very detailed description of the Munafiqun in Surah Al Baqarah, from Ayah 8 to Ayah 20, as well. Do you see how important it is to Allah SWT that we know this and that we avoid these characteristics and people that He put this right at the beginning of His Book? Here are some of the qualities of a Munafiq that Allah describes in these verses and how He deals with them:

“And of the people are some who say, “We believe in Allah and the Last Day,” but they are not believers.”

“They [think to] deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not.” (Quran 2:9) – They are sneaky and think that they are clever in tricking Allah and the believers into thinking they believe, but they don’t know that they are only holding themselves back from the True Message of Islam and Allah Knows and Sees all.

“In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie.” (Quran 2:10) – Allah is telling us that their hearts are sick and they lie, so He will punish them for their wrong actions.

“And when it is said to them, “Do not cause corruption on the earth,” they say, “We are but reformers.”” (Quran 2:11) – When Allah or anyone tells them to not do bad deeds and not cause problems for the community, they say that they are only trying to make peace and bring everyone together. (Does that remind you of groups in the world today that say the same kinds things?)

“Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.” (Quran 2:12) – Even though they may look like they are making peace, they are actually causing mischief and doubt in others, but while some of them know they are wrong, some of them don’t and think that they are the good guys.

“And when it is said to them, “Believe as the people have believed,” they say, “Should we believe as the foolish have believed?” Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not.” (Quran 2:13) – When anyone asks them to come to the right path, the Path of Islam, they make fun of it and the believers as if they are superior, but they don’t understand that they are really the fools.

“And when they meet those who believe, they say, “We believe”; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, “Indeed, we are with you; we were only mockers.”” (Quran 2:14) – They are two faced and pretend to be believers when they are with the Muslims, but when they are with the people they love and support who are against the Muslims, they tell them the truth: that they are just acting like Muslims and being nice to them to make fun of them and learn their secrets.

“[But] Allah mocks them and prolongs them in their transgression [while] they wander blindly.” (Quran 2:16) – But Allah is the One Who is really mocking them, by letting them do evil deeds and be corrupt.

“Those are the ones who have purchased error [in exchange] for guidance, so their transaction has brought no profit, nor were they guided.” (Quran 2:16) – Allah is saying what the Munafiqun are losing and missing out on. They think that they are achieving something by following that the path that they are on. When we sincerely ask Allah for guidance that is what we will get, but if we sincerely want to be astray and away from Allah’s path, that is what He will give us. So the Munafiq trade heaven on earth for a short time for Hell in the Hereafter forever!

“Their example is that of one who kindled a fire, but when it illuminated what was around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness [so] they could not see.” (Quran: 2:17) – All their effort, all their work, all their sacrifice is useless, because it is not for Allah, it will do them no good in their life or the Hereafter. It will not help them become popular or loved in the community as they desire, as they will be exposed for who they really are and people will not hold them to any importance and not desire their company. Allah will not forgive them in the Hereafter, so their deeds will be useless in front of Him as well.

“Deaf, dumb and blind – so they will not return [to the right path].” (Quran: 2:18) – Allah makes their evils plans and deeds look really good to them, so they never come back to the right path. Allah says that these people cannot hear reason, they cannot speak the Truth, and they cannot see what Islam is. They are just wandering around without direction or any real goals.

Or [it is] like a rainstorm from the sky within which is darkness, thunder and lightning. They put their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps in dread of death. But Allah is encompassing of the disbelievers. (Quran: 2:19) – They purposely turn away from the message of Allah and close their ears to the Truth, like someone who covers their ears from fear during a storm when the thunder and lightening is very loud outside. 

The lightning almost snatches away their sight. Every time it lights [the way] for them, they walk therein; but when darkness comes over them, they stand [still]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. (Quran: 2:20) – When things are going well, when the Muslims are prospering, the Munafiq want to be a part of it, they love an easy and free ride, but when things become difficult and they have to struggle in the way of Allah, they don’t want to do anything and cause problems for the Muslims that do want to strive in the way of Allah. This is the way that Allah shows them the way, but they deny it and reject it, so Allah will deny them and reject them when the Time comes when they will be begging for mercy and second chances, Subhan’Allah. They don’t think Allah knows their secret thoughts and acts, but Allah knows everything and He will take each and every one of His slaves to account on the Day of Judgment.

Alhamdulillah, we have taken a look at the name of this Surah, the time of revelation, the history behind this Surah, and the meaning of the Surah. No one can surely say that they do not have any nifaq in them or that they are definitely not Munafiq. Muslims can be of the Munafiqun and they could be Munafiqun without even knowing it. We should really think of this deeply and study our beliefs, actions, and behaviour without excuses or arrogance. The punishment fits the crime very well, as this kind of person not only ruins him or herself, but cause divisions and harm in the community at large. May Allah save us from being of the Munafiqun, protect us from their ‘shar, and guide us all, Ameen.

I wanted to end by relating two significant stories from two very important Sahabah (RA) that we hold to a very high status in Islam and who were given the glad tidings that they were men of Paradise by the Prophet (SAW). If they were worried about being of the Munafiqun, then how are we not?

Abu Rib’i Hanzala (RA), one of the scribes of the Messenger of Allah, said, “Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, met me and said, ‘How are you, Hanzala?’ I said, ‘Hanzala is a hypocrite!’ He said, ‘Glory be to Allah! What are you saying?’ I said, ‘We were with Allah’s Messenger (SAW), who reminded us of the Garden and the Fire and it was as if we could see them with our eyes. When we leave the presence of Allah’s Messenger (SAW), we attend to our wives, children and estates in a state of great heedlessness.’ Abu Bakr said, ‘By Allah, we have experienced the same as this!’ So Abu Bakr and I went to visit the Messenger of Allah and I said, ‘Hanzala is a hypocrite, O Messenger of Allah!’ The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, ‘Why is that?’ I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, when we are with you, you remind us of the Garden and Fire and it is as if we could see them with our eyes. When we leave your presence, we attend to our wives, children and estates in a state of great heedlessness.’ The Messenger of (SAW) said, ‘By the One in whose hand my soul is, if you were to remain in the state you are in when you are in my presence and in the dhikr (remembrance), the angels would shake hands with you on your bed and in the street, but, Hanzala, different times are not the same.’”

Despite being one of the most noble and closest companion of the Prophet (SAW), ‘Umar bin Al Khattab (RA) feared that he belonged to the list of Munafiqun. When he heard that Our Prophet (SAW) disclosed names of the Munafiqun to Hudhayfah Ibn al-Yamman (RA), he rushed to him in anguish and asked “Am I on the list”? Hudhayfah did not reply. ‘Umar (RA) asked again and yet again Hudhayfah did not respond. The third time ‘Umar ( RA) asked, Hudhayfah replied, ”No, your name is not on the list of the Munafiqin and I will not release other names” On hearing his response, Umar (RA) was relieved. He had such immense fear of having nifaq and this fear stayed with him until the day he died, as it should with us.

Asalamu’alaikum,

Recently, some women and girls on Instagram began a challenge where they would post a picture of themselves to their “stories”. These stories had captions, that in summary, were for girls to raise each other up and accept each other, an “empowerment” exercise of sorts. They then would tag ten of their friends to also complete the challenge. Many Muslim Sisters jumped on this bandwagon, so I ended up getting tagged in some of these stories and could not help but notice a number of factors. I would like to share these thoughts, so that girls and parents can be aware (many of these points apply to brothers as well, so please hear me out), Insha’Allah.

First, in the majority of the stories that I saw, the girls have some sort of filter or special affect applied to their face. Here I saw girls using filters to modify their faces to look slim, smooth, and unnaturally bright. How is that empowerment? If we don’t feel beautiful in our own skin without having to modify our faces with filters and photoshop, then how is that empowering? It truly disturbed me. In fact, I found it heartbreaking. How is approval through deception and illusion ever going to fulfill us? Especially when Allah SWT made us beautiful just the way we are and that beauty can only be elevated by our chastity, piety, and our submission to His Will and Pleasure, Alhamdulillah.

Yet, these Sisters were seeking the approval of each other instead of their Creator. Do we work as hard to get Allah’s approval and for His pleasure? While we doll ourselves up for the public to feast their eyes on, do we remember the One Who is always watching us, aware of all we do even in private when our parents and loved ones can’t see us, and knows each and every intention and motivation? When we seek approval and validation through these passing trends and what everyone else is doing, we set ourselves up for disappointment and rejection. But, you know Who will never reject us or humiliate us if we turn to Him with all that hope? Allah SWT. He will always Love us and Cherish us. He will keep His Promises. He will Praise us in the best of gatherings, He will put happiness and satisfaction in our hearts, and He will put genuine and sincere love in the hearts of the people for us as well, Alhamdulillah.

Our modesty is our greatest responsibility. It is not just about dawning a hijab. It is about how we behave, how we interact with each other on and offline, and what we expose about our lives. In the age of trends, stories, and toxic feminism (movements that go against our Faith and Allah’s Commands), this commitment to modesty can become difficult to swallow not just follow. I know this and this isn’t about shame. It is a reminder. It is about empowering ourselves and practicing self love in the right way. All Good comes from Allah SWT and the way of His Messenger SAW. The way of Islam is true liberation and the ultimate road to respect, strength, and the right kind of love and attention. It all begins with us and what we are willing to do for it. We all know that posting pictures, showing off our beauty, clothing, and blessings is not permitted in Islam, then why is that we make excuses? Why do we try to find loopholes in the rulings to try to do it anyways? Why are we so desperate for superficial attention? Why do we want to follow the way of the non-Muslims so diligently, but find ways to get around or delay the things that Islam calls us to? When it comes to Islam, do we never have enough time? Are we always ready to snap a picture of our most mundane activities, but fail to remember or rush through our Adhkar (du’a and remembrance of Allah in our daily acts and prayers) most of the time? These are things to think about deeply, Insha’Allah.

Looking at all the pictures, I just kept thinking of what the great women of Islam, such as Khadijah RA, Fatima RA, Aishah RA, and all the other Sahabiyat RA, would think if they came across this. Would they participate if they were tagged in these kinds of trends? Would they post their pictures online? I suppose they would be disappointed in us. Their idea of empowerment did not come from their looks or what people thought of them. Their empowerment came through their relationship with Allah SWT, the commitment they made to the Prophet Muhammad SAW, the knowledge they sought and taught of the Qur’an and Sunnah, the support they gave to their Deen, how they treated the people around them, and the legacy they would leave behind them to motivate and elevate the generations of women after them. I wonder if these girls even realized the gift they hold in their hands and how we are wasting our time and efforts chasing lowly opinions and motivations. Honestly, are we as interested in Islam and gaining more knowledge than social media sites like Instagram and popular culture? What do we spend more time on? How can we be examples for others and invite them to Islam if we look and behave just like them? Ask yourself: Are you a leader or just another follower?

I know some of these women and girls personally. They are my Sisters in Islam. I love them. When I meet them, they want to know why I am the way I am. The question of why I don’t post any pictures of myself on social media is a common one. I tell them the reasons I have mentioned in this blog. They would then tell me to create a “private” account, so that I could control who would be able to see my pictures and posts (and some even tell me to keep it a secret from my parents). “Then what’s the point?” I ask. Why post a photo that no one or a few can see? What is the motivation behind that? Although, I would like to point out here that “private” accounts are not actually so private. With this trend, I saw many girls sharing each other’s stories on their accounts, even from “private” accounts. If I could see stories from the accounts of girls I was not following, then are they really private?

Lastly, I would like to mention one of the most unsettling factors of all this. One that I don’t think many people think about when posting their photographs online. No matter if you have your pictures on a private or public account, anybody could take a hold of your pictures and do whatever they wish with them. I have read articles where pictures were saved or screenshots were taken and were used for cyber bullying to the point that the victim was so distraught that it affected their mental health, some even committed suicide. I have seen news of some evil people using these pictures to make obscene or even pornographic images/videos through face swap/deepfake softwares. Lives can be ruined through the evil of some people, so why take the risk? Think about your future, about your parents who work so hard to keep you comfortable and safe, and above all think about Allah SWT. Besides, why would we want some creepy person to have access to our pictures and look at them for hours on end (I can’t even link some of the studies I found, they are that disturbing and disgusting). When we put something on the internet, it stays forever and we cannot control what happens to it or who is using it for what purpose. I have even heard stories of Sisters’ pictures ending up on “Muslim” dating sites and in advertising, hijabs and all! And, if that isn’t enough and if you really have the heart for it, click this link and see what some people with the wrong intentions do. Here you can see what they have done with innocent peoples’ pictures. Do we want to be a victim of magic and evil eye? This might scare us, and it’s okay to feel that way, but what steps will we take to avoid this, to protect ourselves and our families?

I am asking, begging, please my Sisters, delete your pictures, and be careful of what you post. You don’t know the true intentions of people, people that you may even trust. We have to stop this, “it won’t happen to me” attitude. Who begins these trends, who are they targeting, and what are their intentions? Who knows what evil is spread through a hashtag that anyone can look up and collect data from. Think about it. Something that seems innocent, could be the beginning of a nightmare in our lives. Take a look at the story of Barsisa below and see how subtly Shaytan works in our lives and how he deceives us. With everything going on in the world today, please rectify this now before it’s too late, Insha’Allah.

Set yourself apart from the mainstream crowd. Be outstanding in your Faith and be proud. You are not just another hashtag, you are a Muslimah. Your beauty and dignity is not for everyone to look at, lust after, or judge. It is a treasure from Allah that you must protect and cherish, Insha’Allah. This technology can be a blessing if it is used in the right way by gaining knowledge through all the online resources available at our fingertips and spreading the Message of Allah SWT and Islam. We don’t need to share our pictures to raise each other up, we can do that through motivating one another to be better Muslims and stay on the right path. True empowerment comes through our relationship with Allah SWT and anyone who helps us make that link stronger is a true friend and Sister, Alhamdulillah. Many of us are examples for the little sisters of this Ummah, for their sake, we have to be careful with how we carry ourselves and what we put out there. We will have to answer to Allah for all we said, what we did, what we posted, and even for the ones who followed us and copied our ways. Are we ready for that?

Live your best life…Live for Allah SWT. 

I know this is a hard post to digest, but I just wanted to get this out there, because I truly care about the Muslim girls of this Ummah. Please take some time to contemplate this ayah from the Noble Qur’an, Insha’Allah.

“But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not…” (The Noble Qur’an 2:216)

Share this post with ten friends that you care about. #ChallengeAccepted

Want to read more? Check these out:

All Media is Educational Media

Modesty: A Part of Iman (Sisters)

The Misfits

Allah’s Girl

We all love our children, Alhamdulillah. We only want what is best for them and Shaytan (May Allah curse him) knows this. He is a very patient hunter who is so conniving that his prey is clueless to his grand scheme. He makes us believe at times that the things we do for our children, so they feel included and not lacking, are exactly what will make them healthy and well-rounded individuals. This is his delusion. He traps us in this web of deception where everything appears acceptable on the surface, but the darkness that lingers just underneath is both frightening and all consuming.

“[Shaitan (Satan)] commands you only what is evil and Fahsha (sinful), and that you should say against Allah what you know not.” (The Noble Quran 2:169)

It was prophesied by our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW), that in the end of times the natural will become unnatural and the unnatural will become natural. You will not disagree that this is exactly what is taking place in our world right now. We live in a delusional world where it can be very difficult to face reality.

“And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.”  (The Noble Quran 3:185)

Please watch and pay close attention to this lecture, Insha’Allah. Don’t fall into the cursed one’s trap…

“Bring your people forth from the darkness to the light, and remind them of the Days of Allah. Surely in that is a sign for every one constant in patience and gratitude.” (The Noble  Qur’an 14:5)

(Audio / MP3)

Is Islam really the fastest growing religion? If so, then where are the Muslims and why are our Mosques sitting empty on a daily basis (besides the role call, obligated Jum’uah crowd)?

There is a phenomenon happening in the Western Muslim communities and beyond that we are either ignorant to or just plain ignoring. We are standing on the edge of a very serious crisis and this is a crisis of Faith. We are losing people from Islam faster than we are able to sustain them and the truth is being masked by this dangerous rhetoric being doled out by Shayukh and the general Muslim population alike. Yet, this is not a discussion on where to put blame, this is a discussion on how much we have contributed to this breakdown on a very personal level.

This lecture is a passionate plea for us to turn our attention to the matter at hand. We are too busy creating cliques at the Masajid, making it a club for our own Nationalistic interests and creating a demeaning class system that goes against everything that is elevated in Islam. Converts, Muslims coming back to Islam and our children are not welcome presences in these spaces. They are less than an afterthought or more than a nuisance. These people are ignored. While we sit in our little groups, these “others” are left to their own vices, their voices drowned out by our laughter, clinking potluck spoons and shady politicking.

Our children wander around these spaces without any connection to Allah or His Messenger, observe our thoughtless behavior, and gain or learn nothing of importance, leading them just a little bit further away from the fold of Islam. All while we pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. In the majority, their questions, their needs and their pleas fall on deaf ears, perhaps, not always in an evident way as you would imagine, but definitely in the sense of complacency, indifference, rejection and overall discourteousness.

Say, [O Muhammad], “Shall we inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work.” Those are the ones who disbelieve in the verses of their Lord and in [their] meeting Him, so their deeds have become worthless; and We will not assign to them on the Day of Resurrection any importance. (The Noble Quran 18:103-105)

If we do not wake up and realize that we have a serious crisis on our hands, we will lose this struggle and we will all be responsible. The beginning of this lecture is grounding and heartbreaking. Dr. Lang puts us in the shoes of a Convert or Muslim child living in the West walking into a Mosque using vivid and sometimes quite crude language. It’s shocking, it’s something we already knew and discounted. This is the exact affect he wanted and those, who have any softness left in their hearts or have any real sense of right and wrong, will feel the cut of this double edge sword. This is not a lecture to coddle anyone; this is a lecture to wake us up. The passion exhibited by the good Doctor can speak for itself, Alhamdulillah.

If we care an iota for the reality of future of Islam in our countries and the world at large if we continue down this road of obliviousness and can put aside our egos long enough to really see the reality of what our children are facing and becoming, then this is the talk that can propel us into recovering not only the lost, but the majority of the closet Atheists who live among us, some in our own homes without our knowledge, Insha’Allah.

We shouldn’t pray for things like Hidayah (guidance and knowledge of Islam), righteous offspring and to join the rightly guided people of Allah SWT in Jannah, if we cannot understand what those things mean, why we ask for them or how they will manifest. Allah grants all these in the opportunities we are granted to change and better ourselves everyday, but if we do not avail these opportunities and we do not understand them then are these du’a that we make really sincere or is it all just lip service? Nothing of worth comes without struggle and strife, even if that struggle is against ourselves.

Please watch; this may be exactly what we need.

Audio / MP3 / Podcast

Name: It gets its name from the first line. It is the 76th Surah in the Noble Quran.

Revelation: Most scholars state that it was revealed in Makkah, because of the way that it is written, but it is also stated that Line 8-10 was revealed in Medina.

Theme: This Surah is to remind Men and Women about who they are and why Allah made them. From the start Allah describes how we were at one time nothing but a small piece of flesh that our parents didn’t even know about. No one spoke about us; no one knew we were even there. Then, Allah made us into our forms so that He could bring us into the world to test us. He made us see and hear, gave us guidance to see if we would listen to Him, and follow him or reject Him and His Messengers (AS).

“Has there also passed on man a period of the endless time when he was not yet a thing worthy of mention? Indeed, We created man from a mixed sperm drop,  to try him, and therefore We made him capable of hearing and seeing. We showed him the way, whether to be grateful or disbelieving.” (The Noble Quran, Surah Al Insan: 1-3)

He then describes how He will punish the ones that rejected His message and did whatever they wanted and how He will reward all those that believe in His Book and Messengers. Those who kept their vows, feared the Day of Judgment, and spent from their wealth, not for the praise or rewards of the people, but only for the sake of Allah SWT and the reward that He will give for good deeds.

These will be the people who fulfill their vows (in the world), and fear the Day whose evil shall be wide-spread, and who feed, out of love for Allah, the poor and the orphan and the captive, (saying), “We are feeding you only for the sake of Allah: we neither seek any reward from you nor thanks. We dread from our Lord the torment of the Day, which will be a long, dismal Day of affliction.” (The Noble Quran, Surah Al Insan: 7-10)

Allah then gives three beautiful statements and advice to the Prophet Muhammad SAW, which are really indirectly to the disbelievers:

Those whose eyes had been within a cover [removed] from My remembrance, and they were not able to hear.” (Quran 18:101)

Then Allah describes the people who disbelieve in His Signs as people who love the world and only what they can get from it. They want everything to come easy for them and want to get immediate rewards and comfort. They ignore the call from Allah and they don’t think about the Hereafter and what Allah has promised mankind.

“These people only love the quickly attainable (world), and neglect a heavy Day that is coming ahead. It is We Who have created them and strengthened their joints, and whenever it be Our will We can change their forms.” (The Noble Quran, Surah Al Insan: 27-28)

Allah says that they don’t realize that He made them strong and made it so that they can do all the things they are doing in the world, but they don’t care and they don’t think about Allah. He says that if He wanted He could change their forms at any time, Maulana Maududi describes this “form changing” Ayat as having three potential meanings:

This is indeed an admonition. Now whoever wills, let him adopt the way to his Lord, but you cannot will it unless Allah wills. Indeed Allah is All-knowing, All Wise. He admits into His mercy whomever He wills, and for the wrongdoers He has prepared a painful torment. (The Noble Quran Al Insan: 29-31)

 Allah ends this Surah by saying that this is a reminder for all of mankind. It says that everyone is free to decide what they believe and how they act, but nothing can happen without Allah letting it happen, for the believer and disbeliever too. We don’t have full control over anything, Allah is in control and whether we want to do good or evil, He lets it happen or not happen. He controls the results of our actions and what will happen in the Hereafter. We can never say for sure, because He is the Master and it is His choice who he gives Mercy to and who He doesn’t, but He also repeats that for the people who have done wrong according to His decision, He will punish them for sure.

English Translation of Surah Al Insanin Audio / MP3

Name:

The Surah takes its name from the sentence ‘Idha jaa kal-munafiquna’ of verse 1.

Revelation:

This is a Madni Surah, because the Munafiqoon were most seen clearly in Medina.

Theme:

Before the Prophet’s SAW emigration to Medina the tribes of the Aus and the Khazraj, fed up with their mutual rivalries and civil wars, had almost agreed on the leadership of one man and were making preparations to crown him their king. This was Abdullah Ibn Ubayy bin Salul, the chief of the Khazraj. During this time, some men from Medina became Muslim and decided to invite the Prophet Muhammad SAW to become leader in Medina and help to settle their dispute. They went to Makkah to invite him without telling Abdullah Ibn Ubayy. When the Prophet Muhammad SAW came to Medina, many people started to become Muslim, when Abdullah Ibn Ubayy saw that all the other leaders were becoming Muslim as well, he and his followers also became Muslim to safeguard their roles of leadership in Medina, but the fire of rage burned bright in them and they hated Islam and The Prophet (SAW). So this made them clear Munafiqs, because even though they said they believed in Allah, they really didn’t on the inside and their hate grew and grew. Abdullah ibn Ubayy would pretend to care about the Prophet and the Muslims, just to show off what a good Muslim he was, but he would have ill feelings and whisper mean and hurtful comments and jokes behind their backs. For example, in the sermons of the Prophet SAW, he would stand up and say, “That the Prophet is speaking! So now settle down!” Even though, he tried to ruin the reputation of the new immigrants and the Prophet SAW, he wasn’t able to bring them down, so the Muslim community grew and the Prophet became a very popular and well loved leader of Medina, so much so that the Muslims of Medina were eventually ready to die for Islam and the Prophet Muhammad SAW at Badr.

Even the Prophet knew of Abdullah Ibn Ubayy’s hate, as one day the Prophet was walking and Abdullah Ibn Ubayy spoke in a mean way to the Prophet. The Prophet informed Sa`d Ibn Ubayy, a leader in Medina, about this and he said “O Messenger of Allah, don’t be hard on him, for when Allah sent you to us we were making a to crown him, and, by God, he thinks that you have robbed him of his kingdom.” This is how we see that people made excuses for the hypocrites and excused their rude and mean behaviour towards the Prophet Muhammad SAW, but soon they would realize that Abdullah Ibn Ubayy was not sincere and this was not about him just being hurt, it was about the evil that lived inside of him and his hate for Islam and The Prophet SAW.

When the battle of Badr was announced, he was shocked to see the rise of the 300 Muslim men to fight in the way of Allah and His Messenger SAW. He tried to make problems and put fear in the hearts of the Muslims, by saying that they were crazy to be going to fight 1000 people and risk their lives as they would probably just be killed. Abdullah Ibn Ubayy and his followers did not go with the army and the Muslims were successful in fighting off the Quraish in the battle, Alhamdulillah. This only made the Muslims stronger in their faith and made Abdullah Ibn Ubayy and his band of hypocrites even more angry and annoyed. Instead of realizing the amazing miracles that Allah showed them, they were stubborn and were blind to the signs of Allah, Subhan’Allah.

After they went to invade the tribe of Bani Qainuqa for the agreement that they made and then broke. He came and grabbed the Prophet SAW by the armour and said “700 people who are in this tribe are my bodyguards.” In the battle of Uhud they had 1,000 people and they did not even get there and he left with 300 men and went back to Medina. So they were left with 700 men.

Then the Battle of Bani an-Nadir took place. On this occasion he and his companions supported the enemies of Islam even more openly. On the one side, the Holy Prophet SAW and his devoted Companions were preparing for war against their enemy, the Jews, and on the other, these hypocrites were secretly sending messages to the Jews to the effect: “Stand firm we are with you: if you are attacked, we will help you, and if you are driven out, we too will go out with you.” And Allah says about this in Surah Al Hashr line 11-17:

Have you not considered those who practice hypocrisy, saying to their brothers who have disbelieved among the People of the Scripture, “If you are expelled, we will surely leave with you, and we will not obey, in regard to you, anyone – ever; and if you are fought, we will surely aid you.” But Allah testifies that they are liars. If they are expelled, they will not leave with them, and if they are fought, they will not aid them. And [even] if they should aid them, they will surely turn their backs; then [thereafter] they will not be aided. You [believers] are more fearful within their breasts than Allah. That is because they are a people who do not understand. They will not fight you all except within fortified cities or from behind walls. Their violence among themselves is severe. You think they are together, but their hearts are diverse. That is because they are a people who do not reason. [Theirs is] like the example of those shortly before them: they tasted the bad consequence of their affair, and they will have a painful punishment. [The hypocrites are] like the example of Satan when he says to man, “Disbelieve.” But when he disbelieves, he says, “Indeed, I am disassociated from you. Indeed, I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds.” So the outcome for both of them is that they will be in the Fire, abiding eternally therein. And that is the recompense of the wrongdoers.

Later, he went with the other Muslims he went on a diplomatic mission where he caused even more problems and spread rumours. He said that he was right and that he and his people would make the Muslims leave Madinah. Noticing this hypocrisy, even Umar (RA) said “can I kill him,” but the Prophet SAW, being very intelligent, said that this may cause people to think that the Prophet SAW kills his own companions, so he told Umar (RA) to leave him be. When they finally returned to Madinah, Abullah the son of Abdullah bin Ubayy, stood before his father with a drawn out sword, and said: “You had said that when you reached Medina, the honourable ones would drive out the mean ones. Now, you will know who is honourable you or Allah and His Messenger. By God, you cannot enter Medina until the Messenger of Allah SAW permits you to enter.” The Prophet allowed for him to enter and kept the peace in Madinah and the Ummah.

Meaning:

English Translation of Surah Munafiqun in Audio / MP3

How it applies to the world today?

We should look at these signs and make sure that we are not one of these people. This is a very dangerous disease and can be extremely difficult to cure. A person with this kind of evil heart, who only thinks about themselves, will never do good for others and will be toxic in all their relationships.

Allah gave the Prophet Muhammad SAW some advice when it came to the Munafiq and ignorant people, he said:

“The servants of The Compassionate are those who walk upon the earth in humility. When the ignorant address them, they say, “Peace.”” (Al Furqan, 25:63)

We should seriously take time to study this Surah and make sure that we are not one of them or that we are not keeping company with them, as:

The Prophet SAW said: “A person is on the religion of his companions. Therefore let every one of you carefully consider the company he keeps.” (Tirmidhi)

30 Signs of the Hypocrites by Aa’id al-Qarnee:

Name:

It means “The Purity”. It gets its name from the theme and subject matter, because it deals with only Tawheed in its pure and untouched form.

Revelation:

This is a Makki Surah, because it is short and speaks of Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah) and His attributes, which was the theme of early Makki Surahs. Another proof, presented by Maulana Maududi, of this Surah’s being one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed is that in the early times of Islam in Makkah Umayyah bin Khalaf, the master of Hadrat Bilal (RA), made him lie down on burning sand and placed a heavy stone on his chest, Bilal used to cry “Ahad, Ahad!” This word was derived from this very Surah, it was never used in this form before, especially when speaking about Allah. This was later a war cry of the Muslims on the battlefield against the enemies of Islam.

Theme and Subject Matter:

The Kalimah, which all Muslims recite to become Muslim, says: “there is no god but Allah”, this is what the Surah is expanding on. The Quraysh were doing shirk. They believed in Allah, but also worshiped idols who they thought could send their “du’a” to Allah for them. They claimed that the idol gods were husbands and wives, had children and some even said that angels were the daughters of Allah. They would say that these gods ate and drank just like people.

“If you ask them who created them, they will surely say, ‘Allah’.” (The Noble Quran 43:87)

Then, there were the Christians who said they believed in Allah, but also thought that Isa (AS) was His son and the Jews who said that Allah came to earth in human form and also said that Ezra (AS) was Allah’s son.

“These people have made some of His servants to be part of Him. The fact is that man is manifestly ungrateful. ” (The Noble Quran 43:15 )

There were also other religions at the time, ones that believed that the sun, moon, stars and even fire were their gods (like Salman Al Farsi’s (RA) people in Persia, who would keep fires lit and would not let them go out, as they said they were gods). They worshiped objects created by Allah as their gods, because they wanted to be able to see Him, feel him and serve Him like a human being. Many of them took care of these gods like babies and didn’t even think about the fact that they had to be the ones to take care of them and make sure they were safe and okay. This Surah was revealed to address these problems and to let the people know that Allah is only One and that He does not have any partners or family and that He is not like anything in this universe and beyond and He doesn’t need anyone to help Him or keep Him alive, as He is Ever-Living. This was one of the Surah that the Quraysh got mad at when it was revealed, because it was going to stop their idol worship, beliefs of their fathers and their business in Makkah with all the idol worshipping pilgrims visiting the Kabah each year.

English Translation of Surah al-Ikhlas

Allah is saying in the 1st line that there is only one Allah and Allah says:

“That is because Allah is the Truth, and that what they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.”

(The Noble Quran 31:30)

This ayah can explain this line in detail. Allah says that He is the One and only. There aren’t any partners with Him and He does not need anyone. He is the only one in the role of our Lord and He does not share this title or position with anyone. He is completely Unique and He is the only Truth .

Second ayah says that He is the Eternal Refuge. This can mean many things, but mainly it means that there can be nothing that can save us or forgive us or comfort us like Allah. He is always the One that we will turn to, we will ask forgiveness Of and Who we will return to when we die. This Dunya is just a place where we are visiting; Allah is our Real Home and Destination forever and ever, Insha’Allah. It also means that His Law, His Judgment and His Authority will always be the most Supreme and without it we will never succeed no matter how hard we try. Without Him and our submission to Him, we are nothing. We are dead and make ourselves lower than animals.

The third ayah says that He has NO FATHER, NO MOTHER, NO BROTHER, NO SISTER, NO WIFE, and NO SON AND NO DAUGHTER. He has no family. This also points to the Jews or Christians who have said that Allah has a son, like Isa (AS). This is not true and Allah is making sure we know that in this Ayah.

The last ayah says that nothing is the same as him. Nothing is like Him, so we can’t compare Him to anything or try to find something like Him in the heavens or the earth. It is not possible. Like we said, He is unique. There are some people, who tried to make themselves like Him and asked people to worship them like we worship Allah, but this cannot happen and Allah does not let them succeed. Like Firawn and Nimrud they tried all their life to become like Allah, faked miracles, made commands of their people and even tried to have people actually worship them, but it’s impossible and Allah destroyed them and their kingdoms. Allah even preserved the body of Firawn to show us what He does to people to try to be like Him or try to take His place in the hearts of people. Allah curses those people and wipes them out.

How it applies to the world today?

Conclusion:

The conclusion is that we need to worship Allah only and don’t be like the Quraysh who denied the message of Allah. We don’t want to be like those who were destroyed by Allah (Like the people of Lut (AS), Nuh (AS), Saleh (AS), Hud (AS) and so on). We Muslims are following these people’s acts and the same punishment will come on us if we do not turn our lives around and follow the path of Allah.

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in many Sahih Hadith, called Surah Al Ikhlas equal to “one third of the Quran”. He gave great importance to this Surah and told the Sahabah (RA) its significance in different ways so that they would recite it all the time and be reminded of true Tawheed constantly.

It’s no surprise that this is usually the easiest Surah for kids to memorize and remember. It rhymes and the lines are short. We always are making kids memorize nursery rhymes and songs, but this is so much better. I believe even a little kid, like a toddler, could memorize Surah Ikhlas and learn the meaning of it very easily. This would be better for them than all the Dunya knowledge put together…Just these few words, Alhamdulillah. I hope that after reading this, we will take this small, but powerful Surah, more seriously and help to eliminate Shirk from our Ummah once and for all, Insha’Allah.

“When you set sails in ships, rejoicing over a fair breeze, then all of a sudden a strong wind begins to rage against the passengers and waves begin to surge upon them from every side and they realize that they have been encircled by the tempest. At that time they pray to Allah with sincere faith, saying: `If you save us from this peril, we will become Your grateful servants.’ But when He delivers them, the same people begin to rebel on the earth against the Truth.” (The Noble Quran 10:22-23)

Is it makki or madini surah? Abu Hayyan, Iman Suyuti and Shaukani said that this Surah is a Makki surah.

Theme and Subject Matter

It talks about the people who worship the world. It says how all these things that we see as good, benefiting and blessings are nothing but a trial for us.

Translation of Surah al-Tukathur

Your craze for more and more and mutual rivalry for worldly gains has made you heedless, until you reach the graves.

By no means!

Soon you shall know!

Again (note it well) by no means!

Soon you shall know.

Nay! Had you known with certainty of knowledge (the end of this way of life you would never have acted thus).

You shall certainly see Hell.

Again (note it well that) you shall most certainly see it.

Then, on that Day, you shall certainly be called to account for the blessings and comforts of life.

POINT ONE

Alhakum is originally from lahv (heedless), but in Arabic this word is used for every occupation which occupies man so completely that he becomes heedless of the more important things in life and his priorities. Therefore, alhakum at-takathur would mean: “Takathur (greed for more and more) has so occupied you that its pursuit has made you heedless of every higher thing in life”.  Mankind has such a desire for more and more.

POINT TWO

Why does Allah say “until you reach the graves”? It means that once we die and see all of the things that Allah promised in the Hereafter come true in front of our eyes, we will know the truth. We will regret not believing in the things unseen when we can actually see them! Also, because, the first line says “Your craze for more and more and mutual competition for worldly gains has made you heedless”, it explains that we will wake up to reality once all that is taken away from us and we are not distracted anymore. We spend our life in delusions and enjoyments until we die. Basically, that we waste our life away until we are not able to do those things we so enjoyed to the point that we ignored the Truth of this life and the Hereafter.

POINT THREE

In the 4 line, it says “By no means! Soon you shall know!”

In the 5th line, it says “Again (note it well) by no means! Soon you shall know!”

It means that we will realize that we were in darkness – bad and evil.  We will know the truth about where we were and where we will end up. This is Allah’s promise, that He will definitely reveal the Truth of this life to us and it will come soon…

POINT FOUR

It says “You shall certainly see Hell. Again, you shall most certainly see it.” It means no matter what, no matter how much we regret, if we didn’t walk right and wake up in the world when we were given the chance, we will surely see the Hellfire. “Then, on that Day, you shall certainly be called to account for the blessings and comforts of life”.

A Hadith regarding this Ayah: it has been reported from the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace): “That the believers and the disbelievers, both will have to account for the blessings granted by Allah. However, the people who did not show ingratitude, but spent their lives as grateful servants of Allah, will come out successful from the accountability, and those who proved thankless to Allah for His blessings and committed ingratitude by word or by deed, or by both; will emerge as failures and be sent to the hell-fire.”

This Surah is very powerful. It helps us to become grounded and to realize that this life will not last forever. Islam is a way of life and it is how we should live our lives. If we do not realize this and train ourselves to be strong and dedicated to Allah and Islam, we may get this world, but we will not get anything good in the Hereafter.

How frightening it will be to wake up in the grave and realize that we have nothing from the Dunya left and no good deeds to help us?!“

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “Three things follow the dead person to his grave, two of which return and one of which remains with him. His family, money and deeds accompany him to the grave, then his family and wealth return and his deeds stay with him.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

Recently, I have been thinking about how we as Muslims can identify and protect ourselves from Shaitan and his whispers. This is the main problem in the world. If people could differentiate between right and wrong the world would be a much better place.

To begin let’s see this ayah in surah Al-Araf,

And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah . Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing. (The Noble Quran 7:200)

Shaitan is a misguider. He is an enemy made of fire. Shaitan has one goal to misguide the righteous believers Of Allah (Swt). For example, imagine this, a flock of sheep are walking into the wolfs trap. When the wolf sees, the smart sheep going away from the trap, the wolf will try to get the sheep back in his trap. Like so shaitan is looking to put people into the trap of his to bring them onto the disbelieving path. When he sees the believer, who is Intelligent enough to walk on the right path he goes and tries to distract them with worldly delusional like figures to lure the believer onto the wrong path. In surah Al Mujadila it says:

Shaitan (Satan) has overtaken them. So, he has made them forget the remembrance of Allah. They are the party of Shaitan (Satan). Verily, it is the party of Shaitan (Satan) that will be the losers!” (The Noble Quran 58:19)

Some of the ways shaitan can deceive us are by whispering to you to do things. This is called Waswasah. Another way he can deceive is by making you jealous, lazy, shy and arrogant. He can also deceive through other people. In a way waswaas or the whispers of shaitan can be a good sign. Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on this hadeeth (narration): “The Prophet’s words, ‘That is a clear sign of faith’ means, the fact that when you get a waswasah and think of it as something terrible, is a clear sign of faith. The fitnah of waswaas either will bring you closer to Allah (swt) or misguide you to the wrong path of shaitan taking you farther from Allah (swt).

There is a story about an Intelligent man who never met shaitan. So he called shaitan. The man asked: May I ask you a Question. Why not was the reply. He then asked, Why didn’t you bow to Adam (as) when you were told? Because you only bow to Allah was his reply. The man then said  But Allah is the one that asked you to bow down. Shaitan was left a miserable loser at the end.

Who is shaitan?

Shaitan is a jinn, a creation made of fire. Although many people mistake him as an Angel. Many people may think this from a piece of history listed so far back it comes before our prophet Adam (as) was created. Now you see shaitan used to be called Iblees. He was a very great servant of Allah to the point he was RANKED as great as an Angel. You see he was not an Angel himself but was ranked close to one.

If shaitan was so righteous why is he so bad now?

Now Allah had a great plan, he was going to create a Human being. The first human being. Do you know who that is? That is our First Prophet and messenger, Adam(as). Now when Adam was created, Allah (swt) commanded the Angels and shaitan to bow down to Adam (as). All but one bowed, shaitan.

Wa-ith qulna lilmala-ikatiosjudoo li-adama fasajadoo illa ibleesa abawastakbara wakana mina alkafireen

“….And they prostrated except Iblis (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allah)” (Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah: 34).

He said: “Why should I bow to him he is made of dirt and dust while I am made of fire.” From that day on shaitan became very bad and jealous. He deceived our beloved parents Adam (as) and Hawwa (as) his wife. He had tricked them in paradise into eating from a tree Allah had forbidden the two to eat from.

Did Allah let shaitan misguide the people? Was there any dialogue?

When shaitan was certain he was doomed, he resolved to mislead whoever he could from the slaves of Allah, so that they would be with him in Hell-fire. After Allah gave him the reprieve until the Day of Judgment, he made misleading man as his Number one goal. It says in Surah al Araf verses 16-17

[Satan] said, “Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path.. Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You].”

Wont it be shaitans fault for misguiding us? *He started with his waswasah….

It is stated that on the day of judgement when Allah asks shaitan why did you misguide all these people to the hell fire? Shaitan will reply I didn’t misguide them…I just whispered to them and gave them the thought, they chose to listen and proceed.

How do we protect ourselves from him and his fitnah?

By saying audhubillahiminashaitanirajim we can scare of shaitan making him smaller and run away. We also have to follow the proper etiquette and dua in our everyday life. For example, when we enter the washroom we must say:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ

bismillaah, allaahumma innee a‛oodhu bika minal-khubuthi wal-khabaa’ith.

O Allah, I seek refuge with you from all evil and evil-doers.

Before we eat we should say Bismillah. (In the name of Allah.) The longer version is: Allahomma barik lana fima razaqtana waqina athaban-nar. Bismillah. (Oh Allah! Bless the food You have provided us and save us from the punishment of the hellfire. In the name of Allah.)

These dua will help us to overcome shaitan and for him to not be able to overcome us.

How can we guide people to the truth? Are we allowed to say anything?

it says in surah AL- ‘IMRAN

You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.”

So, therefore due to this ayah it explains to us that we have to set an example for mankind, Including other Muslims. Then it goes on to say that we enjoin what is right, lawful, halal and that we forbid what is wrong, Prohibited, Haram. For example, if a teacher is teaching students, she only teaches right and not wrong because she doesn’t want to misguide her students with wrong information.

Where will we find the truth?

The Quran and Sunnah Is the best place to go. We have the guidelines from the Quran and we have the example from the Sunnah, which is the actions of the prophet Muhammad (saw). Likewise, you may think of him as a living Quran.

Jazakallah Khair for reading.

This lecture is available in audio.