This passage warns the believers against the deceptive charm of eloquent but hypocritical or worldly individuals and strongly affirms the definitive nature of the divine message.
Arabic Text (Verses 2:204-210)
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ
وَإِذَا تَوَلَّىٰ سَعَىٰ فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيُفْسِدَ فِيهَا وَيُهْلِكَ الْحَرْثَ وَالنَّسْلَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَسَادَ
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ أَخَذَتْهُ الْعِزَّةُ بِالْإِثْمِ ۚ فَحَسْبُهُ جَهَنَّمُ ۚ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ رَءُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
فَإِن زَلَلْتُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْكُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِّنَ الْغَمَامِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ ۚ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الْأُمُورُ
Translation (English – Approximate Meaning)
- And of the people is he whose speech pleases you in worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the fiercest of opponents.
- And when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and animals. And Allah does not like corruption.
- And when it is said to him, “Fear Allah,” pride in sin seizes him. Sufficient for him is Hellfire, and how wretched a resting place.
- And of the people is he who sells himself, seeking the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is kind to [His] servants.
- O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.
- But if you slip back after clear proofs have come to you, then know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
- Do they [the hypocrites and disbelievers] await but that Allah should come to them in coverings of clouds, with the angels, and the matter is [then] decided? And to Allah [all] matters are returned.
Explanation & Commentary (Based on Tafheem-ul-Qan)
Verses 204-206: The Portrait of a Hypocritical Corruptor
· The Deceiver: This describes a specific type of person (understood by commentators to be like some hypocritical leaders in Medina or figures like Al-Akhnas ibn Shurayq from Mecca) whose eloquent speech and oaths by Allah are profoundly impressive and convincing. He presents himself as a friend.
· The Reality: Inwardly, he is “the fiercest of opponents”—harboring deep hostility. When he leaves the company of believers, he actively works to spread corruption (fasad) on earth. Maududi explains “corruption” here as undermining the social, moral, and political order based on Islam. “Destroying crops and animals” is both literal (like scorched-earth tactics) and metaphorical—destroying the means of livelihood and future generations of a community.
· The Ultimate Arrogance: When counseled to fear Allah (Taqwa), he is seized not by remorse, but by “pride in sin” (izzah bil-ithm). His arrogance is fueled by his transgression. For such a person, Hell is the fitting and inevitable end.
Verse 207: The Contrast – The True Believer
· In sharp contrast to the one who “sells” his soul for worldly gain (like the deceiver above), here is one who “sells” or dedicates his very self in the marketplace of life, seeking only the pleasure of Allah. This is the ultimate transaction—trading one’s life for divine approval. The archetype is someone like Suhaib ar-Rumi or other early Muslims who sacrificed everything for their faith.
· “And Allah is kind to [His] servants.” This is a reassurance that such supreme sacrifice does not go unnoticed; Allah is Ra’oof (Extremely Kind, Compassionate) to those who serve Him.
Verse 208: The Call to Total Commitment
· This verse addresses all believers with a comprehensive command: “Enter into Islam completely (kaaffah).” Maududi emphasizes this means embracing Islam in its entirety—accepting all its laws, principles, and codes for individual and collective life without reservation or cherry-picking.
· The opposite of this is to “follow the footsteps of Satan,” which means to fall into the partial acceptance, doubts, and compromises that Satan insinuates.
Verse 209: A Warning Against Backsliding
· Given the comprehensive command, a warning follows: If believers—after receiving clear proofs (Al-Bayyinat) in the form of the Quran and the Prophet’s teachings—stumble or slide back into old ways or partial faith, they must know the consequence.
· “Allah is Exalted in Might (Aziz) and Wise (Hakeem).”
· Aziz: His might means He will enforce His law and cannot be defeated. He will punish those who turn away.
· Hakeem: His wisdom means His law is perfect. To reject any part of it is to reject wisdom itself, leading to loss.
Verse 210: The Futility of Demanding More Proof
· This verse addresses the lingering disbelievers and hypocrites who, despite clear proofs, mockingly demanded to see Allah and the angels as a condition for belief (as mentioned in 2:55, 4:153).
· The Quran responds: Are they waiting for a terrifying, final theophany—for Allah to appear in canopies of clouds with angels—for their faith to be forced upon them? By that time, “the matter is decided”—it will be the Day of Judgment, and faith will be useless. The time for voluntary acceptance is now.
· “And to Allah [all] matters are returned.” This is a profound conclusion: All affairs, all decisions, all outcomes ultimately revert to Allah for final judgment. It is a reminder of accountability that bookends the warning against hypocrisy and the call to complete submission.
Key Themes from Tafheem-ul-Qan in these Verses:
- Discernment of Character: Believers must look beyond eloquent speech and oaths to judge people by their actions and their impact on society—whether they build or corrupt.
- The Two Transactions of the Soul: A soul can be “sold” for worldly corruption or “sold” for Allah’s pleasure. These are the two fundamental paths.
- Islam as a Comprehensive System: Faith is not a partial selection of rituals but a total way of life (ad-deen) that must be embraced fully.
- The Danger of Arrogance (Izzah bil-ithm): The worst form of arrogance is that which is fueled by and proud of its own sinfulness, closing the door to repentance.
- Finality of Divine Communication: The proofs have been given. Demanding more spectacular signs is mere evasion; the next “appearance” will be the inescapable Final Judgment.
This passage, therefore, serves as a crucial ethical and spiritual directive within the legislative context of Surah Al-Baqarah, urging complete sincerity, warning against deceptive enemies, and calling for wholehearted submission to the complete code of life revealed by Allah.
Messages from Quran 