AL BAQARAH — Ayat 204

Tafsir Ibnu Katsir

<a name="1"></a>وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا فِى قَلْبِهِ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ - وَإِذَا تَوَلَّى سَعَى فِى الاٌّرْضِ لِيُفْسِدَ فِيهَا وَيُهْلِكَ الْحَرْثَ وَالنَّسْلَ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْفَسَادَ - وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ أَخَذَتْهُ الْعِزَّةُ بِالإِثْمِ فَحَسْبُهُ جَهَنَّمُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ - وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِى نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَآءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ رَءُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ

204. And of mankind there is he whose speech may please you (O Muhammad ), in this worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to that which is in his heart, yet he is the most quarrelsome of the opponents. 205. And when he turns away (from you O Muhammad ), his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle, and Allah likes not mischief. 206. And when it is said to him, ”Fear Allah'', he is led by arrogance to (more) crime. So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest! 207. And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is full of kindness to (His) servants. As-Suddi said that these Ayat were revealed about Al-Akhnas bin Shariq Ath-Thaqafi who came to Allah's Messenger and announced his Islam although his heart concealed otherwise. Ibn `Abbas narrated that these Ayat were revealed about some of the hypocrites who criticized Khubayb and his companions who were killed during the Raji` incident. Thereafter, Allah sent down His condemnation of the hypocrites and His praise for Khubayb and his companions: