Verse 13

And when they are told. 'Believe as other people believe,' they answer, 'Shall we believe as the weak-minded believe?' Oh, verily, it is they, they who are weak-minded, but they know it not! (Wa idhâ qîla la-hum âminû ka-mâ amana al-nâs qâlû a' nu'minu ka-mâ âmana al-sufahâ' a' lâ innahum hum al-sufahâ' wa lâkin lâ ya'lamûn)

The positioning of this verse and its relationship with the previous one:

Consider this: in so far as these two verses (2:11, 2:13) consist of advice and guidance; the enjoining of what is lawful, adornment (al-tahlîyya), and encouragement [in the present verse] are linked to the prohibiting of what is unlawful, purification (al-takhlîyya), and intimidation in the previous one. And in so far as they both describe [the dissemblers'] crimes, their decrying the believers and pride [in the present verse] are linked to their mischief-making (ifsâd) in the previous one. Just as their mischief-making is tied to their depravity (fasâd), every sort of which is a branch of the Zaq-qum-tree of dissembling.

The relationships between the verse's phrases:

Consider this: with the sentence "And when they are told, 'Believe as other people believe' (Wa idhâ qîla la-hum âminû ka-mâ âmana al-nâs)," [the verse] first suggests with its parts the obligation of calling to sincere belief in emulation of the mass of the people, who are genuine [believers], for indeed the conscience perpetually urges them to do this. It then quotes [the dissemblers' retort]: "they answer, 'Shall we believe as the weak-minded believe?' (qâlû a' nu'minu ka-mâ amana al-sufaha)," indicating their [pique,] obduracy and pride, and their insistence on their rightness. Yes, all liars look on the false as true and think their ignorance is knowledge. For [the dissemblers'] hearts have been corrupted by dissembling, and pride and the tendency to corrupt spring from depravity, and because of this they have grown obdurate. By way of mischief-making, they secretly confabulate and plan to lead others astray. And in their pride, they consider fervent religiosity and perfect belief, the cause of independence and contentment, to be ignominy, foolishness, and indigence.

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