4. Sura an-Nisa

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ...  

4: 62.  How then, when they are seized by misfortune, because of the deeds which their hands have sent forth?

... ثُمَّ جَآؤُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلاَّ إِحْسَانًا وَتَوْفِيقًا ﴿٦٢﴾

Then they come to thee, swearing by Allah: "We meant no more than goodwill and conciliation!"

أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللّهُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ ...  

4: 63.  Those men, Allah knows what is in their hearts;

... فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَعِظْهُمْ وَقُل لَّهُمْ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلاً بَلِيغًا﴿٦٣﴾

so keep clear of them,

but admonish them, and speak to them a word to reach their very souls.

C582. How should hypocrites be treated?

To take them into your confidence would of course be foolish. To wage unrelenting war against them may destroy the hope of reforming them and purging them of their hypocrisy.

The Prophet of Allah keeps clear of their wiles, but at the same time, does not hesitate to show them the error of their ways, nor to put in a word in season, to penetrate their hearts and win them back to Allah.

Asad’s Version:

4: 62

Asad But how [will they fare] when calamity befalls them [on the Day of Judgment] because of what they have wrought in this world –whereupon they will come to you, swearing by God, “Our aim was but to do good, and to bring about harmony”? [Note 82]

Yusuf Ali How then when they are seized by misfortune because of the deeds which their hands have sent forth? Then they come to thee swearing by Allah: "We meant no more than good-will and conciliation!"

Pickthall How would it be if a misfortune smote them because of that which their own hands have sent before (them)? Then would they come unto thee, swearing by Allah that they were seeking naught but harmony and kindness.

Transliteration Fa kaifa iza_ asa_bathum musibatum bima_ qaddamat aidihim summa ja_'u_ka yahlif_na billa_(i), in aradna_ illa_ ihsa_naw wa taufiqa_(n).

[[ Asad’s note 82 – I.e., they will plead that their aim was no more than a harmonization of the Quranic ethics with a “humanistic” (that is, man-centered) world-view: a plea which the Quran implicitly rejects as being hypocritical and self-deceptive )cf.2:11-12). As regards the phrase “whereupon they will come to you”, see verse 41 of this surah.]]

4: 63

Asad As for them – God knows all that is in their hearts; so leave them alone, and admonish them, and , speak unto them about themselves in a gravely searching manner:

Yusuf Ali Those men Allah knows what is in their hearts; so keep clear of them but admonish them and speak to them a word to reach their very souls.

Pickthall Those are they, the secrets of whose hearts Allah knoweth. So oppose them and admonish them, and address them in plain terms about their souls.

Transliteration Ula_'ikal lazina ya'lamulla_hu ma_ fi qulu_bihim fa a'rid 'anhum wa 'izhum wa qul lahum fi anfusihim qaulam baliga_(n). fastagfarulla_ha wastagfara lahumur rasu_lu lawajadulla_ha tawwa_bar rahima_(n).

[[ Ali’s note - 582 How should hypocrites be treated? To take them into your confidence would of course be foolish. To wage unrelenting war against them may destroy the hope of reforming them and purging them of their hypocrisy. The Prophet of Allah keeps clear of their wiles, but at the same time, does not hesitate to show them the error of their ways, nor to put in a word in season, to penetrate their hearts and win them back to Allah. (4.63) ]]