of Nekounam, (Session 165)
Surah Al-Baqarah, as a resplendent gem within the treasury of the Holy Quran, offers unparalleled guidance to humanity through its profound and enlightening verses. Verse Eight of this Surah, by elucidating the characteristics of hypocrites and the concept of mukhdaah (concealment), opens a gateway to understanding specific hypocrisy and its effects on the religious community. This treatise, adopting a scientific and dignified approach, provides a comprehensive analysis of this verse from philosophical, psychological, and lexical perspectives. The aim is to present a systematic viewpoint for learned and specialised audiences by integrating the content of the lectures and supplementary analyses to deepen the comprehension of Quranic knowledge and its application in epistemological and social domains. The present text conveys all details meticulously in a stately language befitting the academic environment and enriches its semantic depth through literary metaphors and allegories.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَبِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ يُخَٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ (البقرة: 8-9)
Translation: And of mankind are some who say: "We believe in Allah and the Last Day," yet they are not believers. They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive none except themselves, and they perceive it not.
Verse Eight introduces hypocrites who claim faith yet lack genuine belief, delineating their covert behaviour. This verse mirrors the true face of hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy is divided into two types: general and specific. General hypocrisy stems from weak faith and ignorance and is prevalent among many believers. This form of hypocrisy can be mitigated gradually through worship and self-purification. However, specific hypocrisy is a penetrating form characterised by complete absence of faith and the intention to deceive Allah and the believers.
When a man commits fornication, faith departs from him.
This tradition indicates the fragility of faith in the face of sin; however, specific hypocrisy, due to lack of faith, incurs more severe rulings.
The term yukhdin in the verse means concealment, not trickery or cunning. Hypocrites concealed information about Islam and the Prophet to hinder the strengthening of Muslims' faith. This concealment is akin to a chest imprisoning the truth.
Lexical analysis reveals:
This distinction delineates precise boundaries of Quranic meanings.
Hypocrites, due to lack of divine perception (wa m yashurn), are incapable of grasping the truth of God and imagine they can deceive Him through concealment. Perception, a finer comprehension than knowledge, is like a light whose absence keeps hypocrites in the darkness of ignorance.
The jurisprudential system in religious sciences, due to lack of systematic structure, lacks necessary efficacy. A jurist must specify the topic, ruling, and criterion in every discussion. The absence of this triad resembles a building constructed without foundation.
Every Sharia ruling has a criterion and philosophy that must be measured by the balance of reason and philosophy of rulings. Rulings without criteria are like statements cast into a void.
Some exegeses, by failing to differentiate between general and specific hypocrisy, label all hypocrites uniformly. This error is like a painter who blurs the details of the face of truth.
Incorrect interpretation and alteration of meanings, such as metaphorically converting mukhdaah, lead to the spiritual distortion of the Holy Quran. Interpretation must preserve the true meanings of the verses.
Lexicology, as the engineering of literature, is the key to precise understanding of Quranic concepts. Neglecting the meanings of words is like a path that leads to the erroneous interpretations.
No science is complete without psychology and sociology. The Holy Quran and Sunnah are rich sources in these sciences and must be studied systematically. These sciences are like keys unlocking the locks of Quranic knowledge.
Hypocrites, through concealment, hid information about Islam and the Prophet from Jews and Christians to prevent the strengthening of Muslims' faith. This behaviour is an effort to extinguish the light of truth in society.
The behaviour of hypocrites resembles a child worried about the separation from their mother, trying through concealment to maintain their place. This allegory reflects the hidden motives of hypocrites.
True Godliness depends on faith in the absolute and overseeing God of the universe, not an imaginary or mental deity. Hypocrites are at the level of god-making or god-denial and lack true Godliness.
Relativism in belief, which respects every faith equally, is incompatible with true Godliness. This view acts like a barrier preventing the attainment of absolute truth.
The educational system in religious sciences, due to lack of systematic structure and attention to the philosophy of rulings, results in superficial understanding of religious texts. This deficiency resembles a building erected without firm foundations.
Scientific critique should not be mixed with disrespect towards religious scholars. Such respect is like the gratitude for the blessing of having such personalities within the society.
Verse Eight of Surah Al-Baqarah, by explicating specific hypocrisy and the concept of mukhdaah, analyses the behaviour of hypocrites who conceal truth while claiming faith. The interdisciplinary analysis of this verse demonstrates the distinction between general and specific hypocrisy, the importance of lexicology, and the necessity of psychological and sociological sciences in Quranic exegesis. Mukhdaah, as concealment, is distinct from trickery and cunning and stems from the lack of divine perception. The critique of jurisprudential and exegetical religious systems emphasises the need to reconstruct these systems with an engineering approach. True Godliness, opposing ideological relativism, invites faith in the absolute God. This discourse, preserving all details and adding supplementary analyses, offers a comprehensive and scientific perspective for Quranic studies researchers, serving as a foundation for advanced studies in exegesis and religious knowledge.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
