63 The Hypocrites
63:1 When the Hypocrites come to thee, they say, “We bear witness that thou art indeed the Apostle of God.” Yea, God knoweth that thou art indeed His Apostle, and God beareth witness that the Hypocrites are indeed liars.
63:2 They have made their oaths a screen (for their misdeeds): thus they obstruct (men) from the Path of God: truly evil are their deeds.
63:3 That is because they believed, then they rejected Faith: So a seal was set on their hearts: therefore they understand not.
Allah seals the hearts of those who believe and then disbelieve so that they can understand nothing.
63:4 When thou lookest at them, their exteriors please thee; and when they speak, thou listenest to their words. They are as (worthless as hollow) pieces of timber propped up, (unable to stand on their own). They think that every cry is against them. They are the enemies; so beware of them. The curse of God be on them! How are they deluded (away from the Truth)!
Disbelievers are deluded (Pickthill: perverted). They are the enemy, confounded by Allah.
63:5 And when it is said to them, “Come, the Apostle of God will pray for your forgiveness”, they turn aside their heads, and thou wouldst see them turning away their faces in arrogance.
63:6 It is equal to them whether thou pray for their forgiveness or not. God will not forgive them. Truly God guides not rebellious transgressors.
63:7 They are the ones who say, “Spend nothing on those who are with God’s Apostle, to the end that they may disperse (and quit Medina).” But to God belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth; but the Hypocrites understand not.
63:8 They say, “If we return to Medina, surely the more honourable (element) will expel therefrom the meaner.” But honour belongs to God and His Apostle, and to the Believers; but the Hypocrites know not.
Pickthill: “Might belongeth to Allah and to His messenger and to the believers.”
(Quoted by Osama bin Laden in his ‘’letter to America’’ as a justification for the 11 September 2001 attacks.)
63:9 O ye who believe! Let not your riches or your children divert you from the remembrance of God. If any act thus, the loss is their own.
Don’‘t let your children distract you from your duty to Allah.
63:10 and spend something (in charity) out of the substance which We have bestowed on you, before Death should come to any of you and he should say, “O my Lord! why didst Thou not give me respite for a little while? I should then have given (largely ) in charity, and I should have been one of the doers of good”.
63:11 But to no soul will God grant respite when the time appointed (for it) has come; and God is well acquainted with (all) that ye do.
