the lectures of Nokounam, , Session (174)
Verse fourteen of Surah Al-Baqarah, by elucidating the dual behaviour of the hypocrites in their encounters with the believers and the devils, and by referring to divine mockery and the consequences of rebellion, opens a window towards a profound understanding of the phenomenon of hypocrisy and its effects on the human heart and will. This verse, with an emphasis on the role of devils and divine mockery as a secondary attribute of majesty, clarifies the theological, psychological, and social dimensions of hypocrisy. This work, adopting a scientific and systematic approach, analyses the content presented and, with a lofty language befitting the academic atmosphere, examines the behaviour of the hypocrites, the role of the devils, and their theological consequences. The objective is to provide a coherent text suitable for an educated audience that, while maintaining full fidelity to the original content, also manifests its scientific depth and richness.
وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا إِلَىٰ شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُوا إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِئُونَ اللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
Translation: And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We have believed"; but when they are alone with their devils, they say, "Indeed, we are with you; we were only mocking." Allah mocks them and prolongs them in their transgression [while] they wander blindly.
Verse fourteen of Surah Al-Baqarah introduces hypocrisy as a multifaceted phenomenon manifested in the dual behaviour of the hypocrites. The hypocrites, when confronted with the believers, claim faith, but in solitude with their devils, explicitly express their alliance with them and mock the believers. This conduct indicates a lack of sincerity and cohesion in the will and heart of the hypocrites.
Hypocrisy, by creating weakness in the will and absence of faith, leads to unhealthy and problematic deeds. This frailty exposes the hypocrites to mockery and humiliation, not artificially, but as a natural consequence of their actions. The Holy Quran points to the consequences of unhealthy deeds in the following verse:
وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
Translation: And they deceive not except themselves, but they perceive [it] not.
The term شياطينهم (their devils) in the verse is used instead of disbelievers or hypocrites, and carries a heavy connotative load. This term can refer to devils among humans (disbelievers or hypocrites) or devils among the jinn. The selection of this term indicates the depth of misguidance and the influence of the devils on the behaviour of the hypocrites.
The devils, as misleading agents, dwell within the minds and hearts of the hypocrites, reinforcing their dual behaviour. This influence intensifies particularly during moments of weak faith, driving the hypocrites towards rebellion and misguidance.
The phrase اللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ (Allah mocks them) refers to divine mockery, introduced as a secondary attribute of Gods majesty. This attribute, unlike the primary attributes of majesty, is a result of the hypocrites own deeds rather than an inherent attribute. Divine mockery, in fact, signifies the revelation of the weakness and inefficacy of the hypocrites actions within the cosmic order.
The phrase وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ (and He prolongs them in their transgression [while] they wander blindly) indicates that Allah leaves the hypocrites in their rebellion so that they become immersed in confusion and misguidance. This confusion results from the absence of faith and will, which leads to weakness in action and decision-making.
فَذَرْهُمْ فِي غَمْرَتِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ
Translation: So leave them in their [empty] discourse, until a time.
Faith, as a light that illuminates the heart, strengthens human will and brings cohesion to ones actions. In contrast, lack of faith leads to weakness of will and inefficacy of deeds, exposing the hypocrites to mockery and humiliation.
Even believers may be influenced by devils during moments of weak faith. Repentance and remembrance, as spiritual tools, help repel these influences and preserve mental health. The Holy Quran highlights the importance of repentance in the following verse:
وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ
Translation: And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him.
Recognition of devils among humans and jinn, as a scientific and Quranic topic, requires profound research. Such recognition assists in distinguishing between human and satanic behaviours and prevents the misleading effects of the devils. The differences among humans, jinn, Iblis, and angels are evident in their speech, behaviour, and characteristics, necessitating precise analysis.
In contrast to devils, who are agents of misguidance, angels serve as spiritual escorts, supporting and guiding the believers. This duality of guidance and misguidance in the divine creation system plays a crucial role in determining human destiny.
وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُمْ حَفَظَةً
Translation: And He sends guardians over you.
Despite quantitative growth, religious sciences have declined in quality. These fields must transform into centres of comprehensive sciences capable of guiding society. Focus on peripheral topics and lack of coherent planning have diminished the influence of religious sciences.
The epistemic growth of religious sciences matches the industrial advances of developed countries; however, this capacity remains unexploited due to insufficient utilisation of Quranic and narrative sources. The Holy Quran and traditions are rich sources to meet the epistemic needs of the world.
وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا
Translation: And whoever is granted wisdom has certainly been given much good.
The interpretation of verse fourteen of Surah Al-Baqarah, by emphasising hypocrisy, divine mockery, and the role of devils, provides a scientific and theological framework for analysing the behaviour of the hypocrites. Hypocrisy, as a multifaceted phenomenon, stems from lack of faith and weakness of will, exposing the hypocrites to divine mockery. Divine mockery is a secondary attribute of majesty that is the natural consequence of the hypocrites actions within the system of creation. Devils, whether among humans or jinn, by reinforcing hypocrisy, drive the hypocrites towards rebellion and confusion, whereas angels guide the believers. Faith, by strengthening will and cohesion of actions, leads to mental health and spirituality, while hypocrisy results in weakness and inefficacy. The critique of religious sciences and the necessity of transformation in the educational system stress the importance of utilising Quranic and narrative capacities. This work, by presenting a scientific and elevated viewpoint, invites educated audiences to contemplate the capacities of the Holy Quran and the necessity of recognising devils and their effects.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
