9. Surah At Tawbah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
الْمُنَافِقُونَ
وَالْمُنَافِقَاتُ
بَعْضُهُم مِّن
بَعْضٍ...
9: 67. The Hypocrites, men and women, (have an understanding) with each other:
C1324. Literally, "the Hypocrites... are of each other".
The forms of hypocrisy may vary, but they are all alike, and they understand each other's hypocrisy. They hold together.
...يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمُنكَرِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَقْبِضُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ...
they enjoin evil, and forbid what in just, and are close with their hands.
C1325. The English phrase "close-fisted" would cover only a part of the meaning.
The hand is the symbol of power, help, and assistance. This may be financial, or it may be in other ways.
The Hypocrites pretend a great deal, but are of no use or real help to any one.
...نَسُواْ اللّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ...
They have forgotten Allah; so He hath forgotten them.
They ignore Allah: and Allah will ignore them.
...إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ ﴿٦٧﴾
Verily the Hypocrites are rebellious and perverse.
Asad’s Version:
9: 67 The hypocrites, both men and women, are all of a kind: they enjoin the doing of what is wrong and forbid the doing of what is right, and withhold their hands [from doing good]. They are oblivious of God, and so He is oblivious of them. Verily, the hypocrites – it is they , they who are truly iniquitous!