Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 142

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Surely, the hypocrites (try to) deceive Allah while He is the One who leaves them in deception. And when they stand for Salāh, they stand up lazily, only to show people, and do not remember Allah but a little,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Surely the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but He outwits them. When they stand up for prayer, they do it half-heartedly only to be seen by people—hardly remembering Allah at all.

Ruwwad Translation Center

The hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. Whenever they stand up for prayer, they stand up reluctantly, only to be seen by people, and they do not remember Allah but a little,

A. J. Arberry

The hypocrites seek to trick God, but God is tricking them. When they stand up to pray they stand up lazily, showing off to the people and not remembering God save a little;

Abdul Haleem

The hypocrites try to deceive God, but it is He who causes them to be deceived. When they stand up to pray, they do so sluggishly, showing off in front of people, and remember God only a little,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Verily the hypocrites would beguile Allah, whereas it is He who beguileth them,; and when they stand up to prayer, they stand up languidly, making a show to the people, and they remember not Allah but little.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Hypocrites - they think they are over-reaching Allah, but He will over-reach them; When they stand up to prayer, they stand without earnestness, to be seen of men, but little do they hold Allah in remembrance;

Abul Ala Maududi

Behold, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is they who are being deluded by Him. When they rise to Prayer, they rise reluctantly, and only to be seen by men. They remember Allah but little.

Ahmed Ali

The hypocrites try to deceive God, but He (leads them to) deceive themselves. When they stand up for performing the service of prayer they do so indolently, only for show, and remember God but little,

Ahmed Raza Khan

Undoubtedly the hypocrites, in their fancy, seek to deceive Allah whereas He will extinguish them while making them oblivious; and when they stand up for prayer, they do it unwillingly and for others to see, and they do not remember Allah except a little.

Ali Quli Qarai

The hypocrites indeed seek to deceive Allah, but it is He who outwits them. When they stand up for prayer, they stand up lazily, showing off to the people and not remembering Allah except a little,

Ali Ünal

The hypocrites would trick God, whereas it is God who "tricks" them (by causing them to fall into their own traps). When they rise to do the Prayer, they rise lazily, and to be seen by people (to show them that they are Muslims); and they do not remember God (within or outside the Prayer) save a little.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Verily, the hypocrites abandon Allâh but He will abandon them. And when they stand up for Prayer they stand listlessly to show off to the people (that they worship) yet they remember Allâh but little.

English Literal

That the hypocrites deceive God, and He is deceiving them, and if they got up to the prayers, they got up lazy, they pretend/show off (to) the people, and they do not mention/remember God except a little.

Faridul Haque

Undoubtedly the hypocrites, in their fancy, seek to deceive Allah whereas He will extinguish them while making them oblivious; and when they stand up for prayer, they do it unwillingly and for others to see, and they do not remember Allah except a little.

Hamid S. Aziz

O you who believe! Take not disbelievers for friends rather than believers; do you wish to give Allah a proof (or warrant) against you?

Hilali & Khan

Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salat (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Those who wait (for misfortunes) for you. Then if you have a victory from Allah they say: Were we not with you? And if there is a chance for the disbelievers, they say: Did we not prevail over you and defend you from the believers? So Allah will judge between you on the day of Resurrection. And Allah will by no means give the disbelievers a way against the believers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely the hypocrites strive to deceive Allah, and He shall requite their deceit to them, and when they stand up to prayer they stand up sluggishly; they do it only to be seen of men and do not remember Allah save a little.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! the hypocrites seek to beguile Allah, but it is He Who beguileth them. When they stand up to worship they perform it languidly and to be seen of men, and are mindful of Allah but little;

Muhammad Sarwar

The hypocrites try to deceive God but He, in fact, deceives them. They stand up in prayer lazily just to show that they pray, but, in truth they remember God very little.

Qaribullah & Darwish

The hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but Allah is deceiving them. When they stand up to pray, they stand up lazily, showing off to the people and do not remember Allah, except a little,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for Salah, they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little.

Wahiduddin Khan

The hypocrites seek to outwit God -- but it is He who outwits them. And when they stand up for prayer, they do so reluctantly and to be seen by others, and they hardly remember God at all.

Talal Itani

The hypocrites try to deceive God, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing off in front of people, and remembering God only a little.

Tafsir jalalayn

The hypocrites seek to trick God, by manifesting the opposite of what they hide in themselves of unbelief, in order to escape His rulings in this world; but He is tricking them, He will requite them for their trickery, and so they will be disgraced in this world through God apprising His Prophet of what they hide, and punished in the Hereafter. When they stand up to pray, with the believers, they stand up lazily, reluctantly, and, for their prayers, to be seen by people, and they do not remember, pray [to], God save a little, for ostentation.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Hypocrites Try to Deceive Allah and Sway Between Believers and Disbelievers

In the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah we mentioned Allah's statement,
يُخَادِعُونَ اللّهَ وَالَّذِينَ امَنُوا
(They (think to) deceive Allah and those who believe). (2;8)

Here, Allah states,

إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يُخَادِعُونَ اللّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ

Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them.

There is no doubt that Allah can never be deceived, for He has perfect knowledge of the secrets and what the hearts conceal. However, the hypocrites, due to their ignorance, scarce knowledge and weak minds, think that since they were successful in deceiving people, using Islamic Law as a cover of safety for themselves, they will acquire the same status with Allah on the Day of Resurrection and deceive Him too.

Allah states that on that Day, the hypocrites will swear to Him that they were on the path of righteousness and correctness thinking that such statement will benefit them with Allah.

For instance, Allah said,

يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهِ جَمِيعاً فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُم

On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all together; then they will swear to Him as they swear to you. (58;18)

Allah's statement,
وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ
(but it is He Who deceives them) means,

He lures them further into injustice and misguidance. He also prevents them from reaching the truth in this life and on the Day of Resurrection.

Allah said,

يَوْمَ يَقُولُ الْمُنَـفِقُونَ وَالْمُنَـفِقَـتُ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ انظُرُونَا نَقْتَبِسْ مِن نُّورِكُمْ

On the Day when the hypocrites ـ men and women ـ will say to the believers;"Wait for us! Let us get something from your light!" It will be said;"Go back to your rear! Then seek a light!" until,
وَبِيْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
(And worst indeed is that destination). (57;13-15)

A Hadith states;

مَن سَمَّعَ سَمَّعَ اللهُ بِهِ وَمَنْ رَاءَى رَاءَى اللهُ بِه

Whoever wants to be heard of, Allah will make him heard of, and whoever wants to be seen, Allah will show him.

Allah's statement,

وَإِذَا قَامُواْ إِلَى الصَّلَةِ قَامُواْ كُسَالَى

And when they stand up for Salah, they stand with laziness.

This is the characteristic of the hypocrites with the most honored, best and righteous act of worship, the prayer. When they stand for prayer, they stand in laziness because they neither truly intend to perform it nor do they believe in it, have humility in it, or understand it. This is the description of their outward attitude!

As for their hearts, Allah said,

يُرَاوُونَ النَّاسَ

to be seen of men,

meaning, they do not have sincerity when worshipping Allah. Rather, they show off to people so that they gain closeness to them. They are often absent from the prayers that they can hide away from, such as the Isha prayer and the Dawn prayer that are prayed in darkness.

In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah said,

أَثْقَلُ الصَّلَةِ عَلَى الْمُنَافِقِينَ صَلَةُ الْعِشَاءِ وَصَلَةُ الْفَجْرِ وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِيهِمَا لَاَتَوْهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا وَلَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ امُرَ بِالصَّلَةِ فَتُقَامُ ثُمَّ امُرَ رَجُلً فَيُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ ثُمَّ أَنْطَلِقَ مَعِيَ بِرِجَالٍ مَعَهُمْ حُزَمٌ مِنْ حَطَبٍ إِلى قَوْمٍ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الصَّلَةَ فَأُحَرِّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ بُيُوتَهُمْ بِالنَّار

The heaviest prayers on the hypocrites are the Isha and Dawn prayers. If they know their rewards, they will attend them even if they have to crawl.

I was about to order someone to pronounce the Adhan for the prayer, then order someone to lead the prayer for the people, then order some men to collect fire-wood (fuel); then I would burn the houses around men who did not attend the (compulsory congregational) prayer.

In another narration, the Prophet said,

وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ عَلِمَ أَحَدُهُمْ أَنَّهُ يَجِدُ عَرْقًا سَمِينًا أَوْ مِرْمَاتَيْنِ حَسَنَتَيْنِ لَشَهِدَ الصَّلَاةَ وَلَوْلَاا مَا فِي الْبُيُوتِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَالذُّرِّيَّـةِ لَحَرَّقْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ بُيُوتَهُمْ بِالنَّار

By Him, in Whose Hand my soul is, if anyone of them had known that he would get a bone covered with good meat or two (small) pieces of meat between two ribs, he would have turned up for the prayer, and had it not been that the houses have women and children in them, I would burn their homes around them.

Allah's statement,

وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللّهَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً



And they do not remember Allah but little.

means, during the prayer they do not feel humbleness or pay attention to what they are reciting. Rather, during their prayer, they are inattentive, jesting and avoid the good that they are meant to receive from prayer.

Imam Malik reported that Al-Ala' bin Abdur-Rahman said that Anas bin Malik said that the Messenger of Allah said,

تِلْكَ صَلَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ

تِلْكَ صَلَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ

تِلْكَ صَلَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ

يَجْلِسُ يَرْقُبُ الشَّمْسَ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتْ بَيْنَ قَرْنَيِ الشَّيْطَانِ قَامَ فَنَقَرَ أَرْبَعًا لَا يَذْكُرُ اللهَ فِيهَا إِلاَّ قَلِيلً

This is the prayer of the hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite.

He sits watching the sun until when it goes down between the two horns of the devil, he stands up pecks out four Rak`ahs (for Asr) without remembering Allah during them except little.

Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i also recorded it.

At-Tirmidhi said "Hasan Sahih".

Allah's statement