Surah Al-Ankabut Ayat 10 (29:10 Quran) With Tafsir

Ala-Maududi

(29:10) Among people there are some who say:^[13] “We believe in Allah.” But when such a person is made to endure suffering in Allah’s cause, he reckons the persecution he suffers at the hands of people as though it is a chastisement from Allah.^[14] But if victory comes from your Lord, the same person will say “We were with you.”^[15] Does Allah not know whatever is in the hearts of the people of the world?

13. Though the speaker is a single person, he uses the plural pronoun and says, “We have believed,” Imam Razi has pointed out a subtle point in it. He says that the hypocrite always tries to be counted among the believers and mentions his faith as though he is also a true believer like others. His case is like that of a cowardly soldier who accompanies an army to the battlefield where the soldiers have fought well and put the enemy to rout. This cowardly person might have made no contribution at all, but when he returns home, he will say, “We put up a good fight and routed the enemy,” as if he was one of the heroes of the battlefield.

14. That is, just as one should desist from disbelief and sin due to fear of Allah’s punishment, so did this man desist from faith and goodness due to fear of persecution by the people. When after belief he was confronted with threats and imprisonment and harsh treatment from the disbelievers, he thought that Allah’s punishment in Hell which he will have to suffer after death in consequence of his disbelief, will be no severer than that. Therefore, he decided that he would suffer the torment of the next world at its own time, but should give up faith and rejoin the disbelievers so that he might save himself from the torment of this world and pass an easy life.

15. That is, today he has joined the disbelievers in order to save his skin, and has abandoned the believers for he is not prepared even to suffer a thorn prick in the cause of promoting Allah’s religion. But when Allah will favor with success and victory those who are struggling in His cause with their lives and wealth, this person will come forward to have his share of the fruits of the victory and will tell the Muslims, “Our hearts were with you, we used to pray for your success, we thought very highly of your devotion to duty and your sacrifices.”

Here, one should understand that in case of an unbearable persecution and loss and extreme fear, one is permitted to disown Islam and save one’s life, provided that he remains firm in his faith with a sincere heart. But there is a big difference between the sincere Muslim who disowns Islam under compulsion in order to save his life and the opportunist who ideologically believes in Islam as a true religion but joins the disbelievers when he sees the dangers and risks. Apparently, they do not seem to be much different from each other, but the thing which sets them apart is this: The sincere Muslim who utters disbelief under compulsion not only remains attached to Islam ideologically, but practically, his sympathies remain with Islam and the Muslims; he feels happy over their successes and unhappy at their defeat. Even under compulsion he tries to avail himself of every opportunity to cooperate with the Muslims, and remains on the lookout for a chance to join his brethren in faith as soon as the grip of the enemies loosens a little. Contrary to this, when the opportunist finds that the way of the faith is difficult to follow and calculates carefully that the disadvantages of siding with Islam outweigh the advantages of rejoining the disbelievers, he turns away from Islam and the Muslims for the sake of personal safety and worldly gains, establishes friendship with the disbelievers and is prepared to carry out for his own interests any service for them, which may be utterly opposed to the faith and harmful to the Muslims. But at the same time, he does not close his eyes to the possibility that Islam also might prosper some time in the future. Therefore, whenever he gets an opportunity to talk to the Muslims, he acknowledges their ideology and admits his faith and pays homage to their sacrifices most generously, so that his verbal admissions might be helpful as and when required. In (Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 141), this same bargaining mentality of the hypocrites has been described, thus: The hypocrites are watching you closely to see (how the wind blows). If victory comes to you from Allah, they will say to you, “Were we not with you?” And if the disbelievers gain the upper hand, they will say to them, “Were we not strong enough to fight against you? Yet we defended you from the Muslims.”

Ibn-Kathir

10. Of mankind are some who say: “We believe in Allah.” But if they are made to suffer for Allah, they consider the trial of mankind as Allah’s punishment; and if victory comes from your Lord, they will say: “Verily, we were with you.” Is not Allah Best Aware of what is in the breasts of the creatures 11. And indeed Allah knows those who believe, and verily, He knows the hypocrites.

Allah mentions the descriptions of the liars who falsely claim faith with their lips, while faith is not firm in their hearts. When a test or trial comes in this world, they think that this is a punishment from Allah, so they leave Islam. Allah says:

(Of mankind are some who say: “We believe in Allah.” But if they are made to suffer for Allah, they consider the trial of mankind as Allah’s punishment;) Ibn `Abbas said, “Meaning that their trial is leaving Islam if they are made to suffer for Allah.” This was also the view of others among the Salaf. This Ayah is like the Ayah,

(And among mankind is he who worships Allah as it were upon the edge: if good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trial befalls him, he turns back on his face…) until:

(That is a straying far away) ﴿22:11-12﴾. Then Allah says:

(and if victory comes from your Lord, they will say: “Verily, we were with you.”) meaning, “if victory comes from your Lord, O Muhammad, and there are spoils of war, these people will say to you, `We were with you,’ i.e., we are your brothers in faith.” This is like the Ayat:

(Those who wait and watch about you; if you gain a victory from Allah, they say: “Were we not with you” But if the disbelievers gain a success, they say (to them): “Did we not gain mastery over you and did we not protect you from the believers”) (4:141).

(Perhaps Allah may bring a victory or a decision according to His will. Then they will become regretful for what they have been keeping as a secret in themselves) (5:52). And Allah tells us about them here:

(and if victory comes from your Lord, they will say: “Verily, we were with you.”) Then Allah says:

(Is not Allah Best Aware of what is in the breasts of the creatures) meaning, `does Allah not know best what is in their hearts and what they store secretly within themselves, even though outwardly they may appear to be in agreement with you’

(And indeed Allah knows those who believe, and verily He knows the hypocrites.) Allah will test the people with calamities and with times of ease, so that He may distinguish the believers from the hypocrites, to see who will obey Allah both in times of hardship and of ease, and who will obey Him only when things are going in accordance with their desires. As Allah says:

(And surely, We shall try you till We test those who strive hard and the patient, and We shall test your facts.) (47:31) After the battle of Uhud, with its trials and tribulations for the Muslims, Allah said:

(Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good…) (3:179)