Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Hypocrites annoy the Prophet Allah says, some hypocrites bother the Messenger of Allah ﷺ by questioning his character, saying, هُوَ أُذُنٌ (he is (lending his) ear), to those who say anything about us; he believes whoever talks to him. Therefore, if we went to him and swore, he would believe us. Similar was reported from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah. Allah said, قُلْ أُذُنُ خَيْرٍ لَّكُمْ (Say: "He listens to what is best for you"), he knows who's saying the truth and who is lying, يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَيُؤْمِنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (he believes in Allah; has faith in the believers), he believes the believers, وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمْ (and is a mercy to those of you who believe"), and a proof against the disbelievers, وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (But those who annoy Allah's Messenger, will have a painful torment.)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Hypocrites revert to Lies to please People Qatadah said about Allah's statement, يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ لَكُمْ لِيُرْضُوكُمْ (They swear by Allah to you (Muslims) in order to please you) "A hypocrite man said, `By Allah! They (hypocrites) are our chiefs and masters. If what Muhammad says is true, they are worse than donkeys.' A Muslim man heard him and declared, `By Allah! What Muhammad says is true and you are worse than a donkey!' The Muslim man conveyed what happened to the Prophet who summoned the hypocrite and asked him, «مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى الَّذِي قُلْتَ؟» (What made you say what you said) That man invoked curses on himself and swore by Allah that he never said that. Meanwhile, the Muslim man said, `O Allah! Assert the truth of the truthful and expose the lies of the liar.' Allah revealed this Verse."' Allah's statement, أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّهُ مَن يُحَادِدِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ (Know they not that whoever opposes and shows hostility to Allah and His Messenger,) means, have they not come to know and realize that those who defy, oppose, wage war and reject Allah, thus becoming on one side while Allah and His Messenger on another side, فَأَنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِداً فِيهَا (certainly for him will be the fire of Hell to abide therein), in a humiliating torment, ذَلِكَ الْخِزْىُ الْعَظِيمُ (That is the extreme disgrace)9:63, that is the greatest disgrace and the tremendous misery.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Hypocrites revert to Lies to please People Qatadah said about Allah's statement, يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ لَكُمْ لِيُرْضُوكُمْ (They swear by Allah to you (Muslims) in order to please you) "A hypocrite man said, `By Allah! They (hypocrites) are our chiefs and masters. If what Muhammad says is true, they are worse than donkeys.' A Muslim man heard him and declared, `By Allah! What Muhammad says is true and you are worse than a donkey!' The Muslim man conveyed what happened to the Prophet who summoned the hypocrite and asked him, «مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى الَّذِي قُلْتَ؟» (What made you say what you said) That man invoked curses on himself and swore by Allah that he never said that. Meanwhile, the Muslim man said, `O Allah! Assert the truth of the truthful and expose the lies of the liar.' Allah revealed this Verse."' Allah's statement, أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّهُ مَن يُحَادِدِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ (Know they not that whoever opposes and shows hostility to Allah and His Messenger,) means, have they not come to know and realize that those who defy, oppose, wage war and reject Allah, thus becoming on one side while Allah and His Messenger on another side, فَأَنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِداً فِيهَا (certainly for him will be the fire of Hell to abide therein), in a humiliating torment, ذَلِكَ الْخِزْىُ الْعَظِيمُ (That is the extreme disgrace)9:63, that is the greatest disgrace and the tremendous misery.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Hypocrites fear Public Exposure of Their Secrets Mujahid said, "The hypocrites would say something to each other then declare, `We wish that Allah does not expose this secret of ours," There is a similar Ayah to this one, that is, Allah's statement, وَإِذَا جَآءُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ اللَّهُ وَيَقُولُونَ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَوْلاَ يُعَذِّبُنَا اللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ حَسْبُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ يَصْلَوْنَهَا فَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ (And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting wherewith Allah greets you not, and say within themselves: "Why should Allah punish us not for what we say" Hell will be sufficient for them; they will burn therein. And worst indeed is that destination!) 58:8. Allah said in this Ayah, قُلِ اسْتَهْزِءُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا تَحْذَرُونَ (Say: "(Go ahead and) mock! But certainly Allah will bring to light all that you fear."), He will expose and explain your reality to His Messenger through revelation. Allah said in other Ayat, أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَّرَضٌ أَن لَّن يُخْرِجَ اللَّهُ أَضْغَـنَهُمْ (Or do those in whose hearts is a disease (of hypocrisy), think that Allah will not bring to light all their hidden ill-wills) 47:29, until, وَلَتَعْرِفَنَّهُمْ فِى لَحْنِ الْقَوْلِ (but surely, you will know them by the tone of their speech!)47:30. This is why, according to Qatadah, this Surah is called `Al-Fadihah' (the Exposing), because it exposed the hypocrites.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Hypocrites rely on False, Misguided Excuses `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "During the battle of Tabuk, a man was sitting in a gathering and said, `I have never seen like these reciters of ours! They have the hungriest stomachs, the most lying tongues and are the most cowardice in battle.' A man in the Masjid said, `You lie. You are a hypocrite, and I will surely inform the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. ' This statement was conveyed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and also a part of the Qur'an was revealed about it."' `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "I have seen that man afterwards holding onto the shoulders of the Messenger's camel while stones were falling on him, declaring, `O Allah's Messenger! We were only engaged in idle talk and jesting,' while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was reciting, أَبِاللَّهِ وَءَايَـتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِءُونَ ("Was it at Allah, and His Ayat and His Messenger that you were mocking") 9:65."' Allah said, لاَ تَعْتَذِرُواْ قَدْ كَفَرْتُمْ بَعْدَ إِيمَـنِكُمْ (Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed.) on account of your statement and mocking, إِن نَّعْفُ عَن طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنْكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَآئِفَةً (If We pardon some of you, We will punish others among you) for not all of you will be forgiven, some will have to taste the torment, بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ مُجْرِمِينَ (because they were criminals), they were criminals because of this terrible, sinful statement.