Verse 8


Of the people there are some who say: we believe in Allâh and in the Last Day; but they do not really believe. (Wa min al-nâs man yaqûlu âmannâ bi'llâhi wa bi'l-yawm al-âkhir wa mâ hum bi-mu'minîn.)

The verse's positioning in regard to what precedes it:

Just as two parts of a sentence are joined by a conjunction because they both contribute to what is being stated, and two clauses or sentences are joined by a conjunction since they serve the same aim; so two stories are joined since they are both consistent with the same goal. The conjunction of the story of the dissemblers and that of the unbelievers is of this latter sort; that is, the summary of the following twelve verses is joined by a conjunction with the substance (ma'âl) of the previous two verses. For since the Revelation (al-tanzîl) opens with praise [of itself]: "That is the Book," it entails praise of the believers as the fruits of that book (lit. praise); and this in turn requires disparagement of their opposites, since "things are known by their opposites." Then, to fulfil the purpose of guidance, it is fitting to follow this with the dissemblers, so that all types of people should be included.

• If you were to ask: Why does it deal concisely with the disbelievers and pure unbelief in two verses, and then deal at length with dissembling in twelve?

You would be told: For several subtle reasons:

Firstly: If unknown, an enemy is more harmful; and if he is elusive, he is more pernicious; and if he is mendacious, he causes more corruption; and if he is on the inside, he is more injurious. For an internal enemy saps one's strength and crumbles one's forces, contrarily to external enemies, for they strengthen resolve and solidarity. Alas! The harm dissembling has caused Islam is truly immense. It is the cause of the present confusion. For this reason the Qur'an frequently condemns it.

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