The Perils of Nifaq (Hypocrisy) and the Importance of Ikhlas (Sincerity) in Worship

An-Nisa — Verses 37–42 | Explore this Quran theme on Muallim

الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخْلِ وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ ۗ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا ٣٧

Those who are miserly and enjoin miserliness on other men and hide what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounties. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a disgraceful torment.

الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ
Those who are miserly
وَيَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخْلِ
and enjoin miserliness on other men
وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ ۗ
and hide what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounties.
وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا
And We have prepared for the disbelievers a disgraceful torment.

وَالَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ رِئَاءَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۗ وَمَن يَكُنِ الشَّيْطَانُ لَهُ قَرِينًا فَسَاءَ قَرِينًا ٣٨

And (also) those who spend of their substance to be seen of men, and believe not in Allah and the Last Day [they are the friends of Shaitan (Satan)], and whoever takes Shaitan (Satan) as an intimate; then what a dreadful intimate he has!

وَالَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ
And (also) those who spend of their substance
رِئَاءَ النَّاسِ
to be seen of men
وَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ
and believe not in Allah
وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۗ
and the Last Day
وَمَن يَكُنِ
then what a dreadful intimate he has!
الشَّيْطَانُ لَهُ قَرِينًا فَسَاءَ قَرِينًا
and whoever takes Shaitan (Satan) as an intimate

وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَنفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَهُمُ اللَّهُ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِهِمْ عَلِيمًا ٣٩

And what loss have they if they had believed in Allah and in the Last Day, and they spend out of what Allah has given them for sustenance? And Allah is Ever All-Knower of them.

وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ
And what loss have they
لَوْ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ
if they had believed in Allah and in the Last Day,
وَأَنفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَهُمُ اللَّهُ ۚ
and they spend out of what Allah has given them for sustenance?
وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِهِمْ عَلِيمًا
And Allah is Ever All-Knower of them.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ ۖ وَإِن تَكُ حَسَنَةً يُضَاعِفْهَا وَيُؤْتِ مِن لَّدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ٤٠

Surely! Allah wrongs not even of the weight of an atom (or a small ant), but if there is any good (done), He doubles it, and gives from Him a great reward.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ ۖ
Surely! Allah wrongs not even of the weight of an atom (or a small ant)
وَإِن تَكُ حَسَنَةً يُضَاعِفْهَا
but if there is any good (done), He doubles it
وَيُؤْتِ مِن لَّدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
and gives from Him a great reward

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ شَهِيدًا ٤١

How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad SAW) as a witness against these people?

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا
How (will it be) then,
جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ
when We bring from each nation a witness
وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ شَهِيدًا
and We bring you (O Muhammad SAW) as a witness against these people?

يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَعَصَوُا الرَّسُولَ لَوْ تُسَوَّىٰ بِهِمُ الْأَرْضُ وَلَا يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثًا ٤٢

On that day those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) will wish that they were buried in the earth, but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah.

يَوْمَئِذٍ
On that day
يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَعَصَوُا الرَّسُولَ
those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) will wish
لَوْ تُسَوَّىٰ بِهِمُ الْأَرْضُ
that they were buried in the earth
وَلَا يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثًا
but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah