The Guiding Light — Page 167
S u rah al-Baqarah, Verses 9-17 167 In the verse under comment the increase of hypocrisy is attributed to God, not because God increases it but because the increase results from disregard of His commands; also because it is God who finally dispenses the good and evil consequences of human actions. The Qur’ a n has only been revealed for healing diseases. Says All a h: O mankind! There has come to you an exhortation from your Lord and a cure for whatever disease there is in the hearts (10: 58). The increasing of disease also means that the expanding power of Islam was naturally increasing the disease of the hypocrites who were all the more forced to remain, against their will, in outward friendliness with the Muslims. In the case of disbelievers the punishment mentioned is ﺬاب ﻋﻈ ﻴ ﻢ (‘az a bun ‘a zi m ) great punishment whereas in the case of hypocrites it is ﺬاب اﻟ ﻴ ﻢ ‘az a bun al i m ) grievous punishment. This is because disbelievers express their disbelief and enmity openly, while hypocrites keep their feelings of hatred and malice concealed in their hearts, thinking that they are thereby deriving twofold pleasure— one of enmity towards Islam and the other of befooling the Muslims. So the retribution in store for the hypocrites is