Surah At Tawbah Tafseer

The Hypocrites rely on False, Misguided Excuses

Allah said,

وَلَيِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ قُلْ أَبِاللّهِ وَايَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِوُونَ

If you ask them (about this), they declare:"We were only talking idly and joking."

Say:"Was it at Allah, and His Ayat and His Messenger that you were mocking!"

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.'

This statement was conveyed to the Messenger of Allah 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 was reciting,

أَبِاللّهِ وَايَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِوُونَ

'Was it at Allah, and His Ayat and His Messenger that you were mocking."'

Allah said