The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 48
CH. 2 AL-BAQARAH is the faculty of insight not depending upon the senses for its exercise, something that rises from within. In the verse the word has been used to signify that though the disease of the hypocrites lies in their hearts, yet their insight gives them no warning. Commentary: The verse makes it clear that effective faith is based upon truth and sincerity. Faith not so based amounts to deception and God cannot be deceived. The verse has given rise to some objections: 1. How can it be possible for any man to deceive God? 2. The word is derived from the verb which مفاعلة in the measure of خارع denotes two parties mutually engaged in the same operation. The words all would, therefore, mean that hypocrites and God are both engaged in deceiving each other. In answer to the first objection it may be said that the word used here is and not us, the former, as explained above, signifying only an attempt at deception and not actual deception. The objection is, therefore, without foundation. The second objection also does not hold good. The measure able does not always carry the sense of mutual participation. Sometimes it signifies only one of the parties so engaged. For example, in the sentence meaning, "I punished the thief" the word belongs to the measure of all, yet here it does not denote mutual participation in the act. It only means, I punished the thief. A note on the hypocrites will not be 48 PT. 1 out of place here. Before the coming of Islam into Medina, the city's inhabitants included two pagan Arab tribes known as Aus and Khazraj, and three Jewish tribes named Banū Quraizah, Banu Naḍīr and Banū Qainuqā'. The two pagan tribes outnumbered the Jews but were inferior to them in wealth and education. The Jews thus exercised great influence over the pagans of Medina. In order to further increase their influence, they encouraged internecine feuds among their idolatrous neighbours. A few years before the rise of Islam the pagan tribes of Medina, realizing how they had been duped, decided to organize themselves under a duly elected king. Their choice fell upon one 'Abdullāh bin Ubayy, chief of the tribe of Khazraj, and they were preparing for his coronation when news came to them of the rise of Islam in Mecca. Events suddenly began to take a different turn. The idolatrous tribes of Aus and Khazraj became attracted towards Islam and began to embrace the new faith in large numbers, believing that the solution of their difficulties lay not in electing a king but in accepting Islam. Soon after the Holy Prophet migrated to Medina, the tide of enthusiasm became irresistible; and 'Abdullah bin Ubayy and his party felt it wise to follow their tribesmen into the new faith. They did not realize at the time that the establishment of Islam would mean the frustration of their own hopes. When, however, the power of Islam became established, they realized that they had put an end to their hopes. This realization