The Battle of Badr: Hypocrisy and the Illusion of Satan

Al-Anfal — Verses 47–49 | Explore this Quran theme on Muallim

وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ خَرَجُوا مِن دِيَارِهِم بَطَرًا وَرِئَاءَ النَّاسِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ ٤٧

And be not like those who come out of their homes boastfully and to be seen of men, and hinder (men) from the Path of Allah. and Allah is Muhitun (encircling and thoroughly comprehending) all that they do.

وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ
And be not like those who
خَرَجُوا مِن دِيَارِهِم
come out of their homes
بَطَرًا وَرِئَاءَ النَّاسِ
boastfully and to be seen of men
وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ
and hinder (men) from the Path of Allah.
وَاللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ
and Allah is Muhitun (encircling and thoroughly comprehending) all that they do.

وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَقَالَ لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَتِ الْفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ وَقَالَ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّنكُمْ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ مَا لَا تَرَوْنَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّهَ ۚ وَاللَّهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ ٤٨

And (remember) when Shaitan (Satan) made their (evil) deeds seem fair to them and said, "No one of mankind can overcome you this Day (of the battle of Badr) and verily, I am your neighbour (for each and every help)." But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he ran away and said "Verily, I have nothing to do with you. Verily! I see what you see not. Verily! I fear Allah for Allah is Severe in punishment."

وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ
And (remember) when Shaitan (Satan) made their (evil) deeds seem fair to them
وَقَالَ لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ
and said, 'No one of mankind can overcome you this Day (of the battle of Badr)'
وَإِنِّي جَارٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ
and verily, I am your neighbour (for each and every help).
فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَتِ الْفِئَتَانِ
But when the two forces came in sight of each other,
نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ
he ran away and said
وَقَالَ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ
'Verily, I have nothing to do with you.'
مِّنكُمْ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ مَا لَا
'Verily! I see what you see not.'
تَرَوْنَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ
'Verily! I fear Allah'
اللَّهَ ۚ وَاللَّهُ شَدِيدُ
for Allah is Severe in punishment.

إِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ غَرَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ دِينُهُمْ ۗ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ٤٩

When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease (of disbelief) said: "These people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion." But whoever puts his trust in Allah, then surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

إِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ
When the hypocrites said
وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ
and those in whose hearts was a disease
غَرَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ دِينُهُمْ ۗ
These people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion.
وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ
But whoever puts his trust in Allah,
فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
then surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.