Overview - Surah 63: al-Munafiqun (The Hypocrites )

The Surah deals with the phenomenon of hypocrisy. It criticizes hypocrisy and condemns the hypocrites. It also exhorts the Believers to be sincere in their faith and make charity.

This Surah takes its name after the first Ayat of the Surah, إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّـهِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّـهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ "When the hypocrites come to you, [O Muhammad], they say, "We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah." And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars." [63:1].

There are 11 Ayat in this Surah.

The Surah deals with the phenomenon of hypocrisy. It criticizes hypocrisy and condemns the hypocrites. It also exhorts the Believers to be sincere in their faith and make charity.

This Surah takes its name after the first Ayat of the Surah, إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّـهِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّـهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ "When the hypocrites come to you, [O Muhammad], they say, "We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah." And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars." [63:1].

There are 11 Ayat in this Surah.

Theme 1: Warning about the Hypocrites

The theme of this Surah is invitation to the faith and obedience (to God) and the teaching of good morals. The sequence followed is that the first four verses are addressed to all people; verses 5-10 to those who do not believe in the invitation of the Qur’an; and verses 11-18 to those who accept and believe in this invitation.

Theme 1: Warning about the Hypocrites

The theme of this Surah is invitation to the faith and obedience (to God) and the teaching of good morals. The sequence followed is that the first four verses are addressed to all people; verses 5-10 to those who do not believe in the invitation of the Qur’an; and verses 11-18 to those who accept and believe in this invitation.

The whole surah deals with the issues related to the Munafiqeen [hypocrites].

The whole surah deals with the issues related to the Munafiqeen [hypocrites].

• There is a connection between the beginning of Surah as-Saff [61], al-Jum'uah [62] and al-Munafiqun [63]. In Surah as-Saff, Allah speaks of those who say that which they do not do. In the following Surah, this concept is mentioned again in the example of Jewish scholars who are like donkeys contradicting and not benefiting from the knowledge they are carrying. Then this is again followed by the next Surah, which begins with the statements of the Hypocrites who are saying they testify to the truth, whereas in reality they are liars. All three being examples of contradictions between word and deed.
• In Ayat 9 and 10 of both Surah al-Jumu'ah [62] and al-Munafiqun [63] - we are told not be distracted from the Dhikr [remembrance] of Allah by wealth.
• There is an advice in both Surah al-Munafiqun [63] and at-Taghabun [64] to the believers with respect to their children
  
  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ "O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that - then those are the losers." [63:9]
  
  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِكُمْ وَأَوْلَادِكُمْ عَدُوًّا لَّكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُمْ ۚ وَإِن تَعْفُوا وَتَصْفَحُوا وَتَغْفِرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ  "O you who have believed, indeed, among your wives and your children are enemies to you, so beware of them. But if you pardon and overlook and forgive - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." [64:14]

• There is a connection between the beginning of Surah as-Saff [61], al-Jum'uah [62] and al-Munafiqun [63]. In Surah as-Saff, Allah speaks of those who say that which they do not do. In the following Surah, this concept is mentioned again in the example of Jewish scholars who are like donkeys contradicting and not benefiting from the knowledge they are carrying. Then this is again followed by the next Surah, which begins with the statements of the Hypocrites who are saying they testify to the truth, whereas in reality they are liars. All three being examples of contradictions between word and deed.
• In Ayat 9 and 10 of both Surah al-Jumu'ah [62] and al-Munafiqun [63] - we are told not be distracted from the Dhikr [remembrance] of Allah by wealth.
• There is an advice in both Surah al-Munafiqun [63] and at-Taghabun [64] to the believers with respect to their children
  
  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ "O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that - then those are the losers." [63:9]
  
  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِكُمْ وَأَوْلَادِكُمْ عَدُوًّا لَّكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُمْ ۚ وَإِن تَعْفُوا وَتَصْفَحُوا وَتَغْفِرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ  "O you who have believed, indeed, among your wives and your children are enemies to you, so beware of them. But if you pardon and overlook and forgive - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." [64:14]

• The Prophet would recite this Surah in the prayer of Jumuah. Ibn Abbas reports that, وَأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِي صَلاَةِ الْجُمُعَةِ سُورَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ "....He used to recite in Jumu'a prayer Surahs Jumu'a and al-Munafiqin." Sahih Muslim 

• The Prophet would recite this Surah in the prayer of Jumuah. Ibn Abbas reports that, وَأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِي صَلاَةِ الْجُمُعَةِ سُورَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ "....He used to recite in Jumu'a prayer Surahs Jumu'a and al-Munafiqin." Sahih Muslim 

(63:4) is the longest Ayat of this Surah with 22 words. It also has two words unique in the Qur'an - خُشُبٌ مُّسَنَّدَةٌ wood propped up.

وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَهُمْ تُعْجِبُكَ أَجْسَامُهُمْ ۖ وَإِن يَقُولُوا تَسْمَعْ لِقَوْلِهِمْ ۖ كَأَنَّهُمْ خُشُبٌ مُّسَنَّدَةٌ ۖ يَحْسَبُونَ كُلَّ صَيْحَةٍ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ هُمُ الْعَدُوُّ فَاحْذَرْهُمْ ۚ قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّـهُ ۖ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ "And when you see them, their forms please you, and if they speak, you listen to their speech. [They are] as if they were pieces of wood propped up - they think that every shout is against them. They are the enemy, so beware of them. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?" (63:4)

(63:4) is the longest Ayat of this Surah with 22 words. It also has two words unique in the Qur'an - خُشُبٌ مُّسَنَّدَةٌ wood propped up.

وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَهُمْ تُعْجِبُكَ أَجْسَامُهُمْ ۖ وَإِن يَقُولُوا تَسْمَعْ لِقَوْلِهِمْ ۖ كَأَنَّهُمْ خُشُبٌ مُّسَنَّدَةٌ ۖ يَحْسَبُونَ كُلَّ صَيْحَةٍ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ هُمُ الْعَدُوُّ فَاحْذَرْهُمْ ۚ قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّـهُ ۖ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ "And when you see them, their forms please you, and if they speak, you listen to their speech. [They are] as if they were pieces of wood propped up - they think that every shout is against them. They are the enemy, so beware of them. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?" (63:4)

• Hypocrisy is such a sin against Islam and Muslims that even the Rasool's prayer cannot obtain forgiveness for them from Allah.
• Let not your riches or children divert you from the remembrance of Allah, lest you become a real loser.يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ "O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that - then those are the losers." (63:9)
• Dhikr is a means free oneself from hypocrisy.

• Hypocrisy is such a sin against Islam and Muslims that even the Rasool's prayer cannot obtain forgiveness for them from Allah.
• Let not your riches or children divert you from the remembrance of Allah, lest you become a real loser.يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ "O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that - then those are the losers." (63:9)
• Dhikr is a means free oneself from hypocrisy.

• Surah 63. Al-Munafiqun - Saad al Ghamidi  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm3_A4Ap5tY&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN&index=63
• Surah 63. Al-Munafiqun Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYjnlTSrqGo&index=63&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM​
• Surah 63. Al-Munafiqun  Muhammad Al Luhaydan  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHfZC8xBYTw&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe&index=63​
• Surah 63. Al-Munafiqun Muhammad Minshawi  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFGmzyfcX9c&index=63&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG​
• Dr Israr Ahmed Tafsir Surah Al-Munafiqun to Surah Al Haqqah1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtmdDq1wJyQ&index=103&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263​
• Surah Al-Munafiqun to Surah Al Haqqah2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v70lKTopmXE&index=104&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263​