Volume 8 Surah 9 - Enjoy Islam

Al-Tawbah (The Repentance) | MANIFESTATIONS OF HYPOCRISYin favour of the believers.Possessed by FearSome of the hypocrites who tried to stay behind, hoping to spare themselveshardship, offered to help finance the campaign. In this way, they were holding thestick in the middle, like all hypocrites do at all times. God foiled their attempt andinstructed His Messenger to declare that their spending was unacceptable by God.Their offers were motivated by fear and hypocrisy, not by genuine faith. Hence, evenif the offer were made voluntarily to deceive the Muslims, or they were forced tomake it for fear of being exposed for what they truly were, it was of no value. It wasrejected by God and earned them no reward whatsoever: ‘Say: ‘Whether you spendwillingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted from you; for you are indeed wicked people.’What prevents their spending from being accepted from them is that they have disbelieved inGod and His Messenger, and they only come to prayer with reluctance, and never donateanything [for a righteous cause] without being resentful.” (Verses 53-54)This detailed description is true of all hypocrites wherever they happen to be.They are always full of fear, sly, deviant, making pretences that are void of allsubstance. They are keen to give a false impression in order to escape confrontation.The Qur’ān describes them very accurately: “They only come to prayer with reluctance.”(Verse 54) They only put up false appearances, and do not approach prayer withsincerity which would enhance their honesty. Hence, they are reluctant when theypray, because they are forced to do it. They have no real motivation to pray, except toimpress the Muslims that they belong to them, when in reality they do not. The sameis the case with what they spend. It is all a question of appearances.God does not accept such false pretences which are not motivated by true faith.Indeed it is the motive which gives value to any action, and the intention behind itprovides the standard by which it is judged.Many of those hypocrites were people of affluence, having many children andoccupying positions of nobility and honour in their tribes. All this counts for nothingwith God and so it should be with His Messenger and the community of believers.Such privileges were not a bounty given to them by God to enjoy; they were only ameans of trial which would ensure their punishment: “Let neither their riches nor theirchildren rouse your admiration. God only wishes to punish them by means of these in thisworldly life, and that their souls perish while they are unbelievers.” (Verse 55)Wealth and children may be a blessing that God grants to any one of His servantswhen He guides them to be grateful for what they have been granted and to use it forgood purposes. Whatever they do with God’s bounty, it is motivated by their desireto please God, and this gives them a feeling of security and reassurance. They are149