Give good news of a painful punishment to hypocrites, (138) who choose disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek honour and power through that company? Surely all honour and power belongs to Allah. (139) He has already revealed to you in the Book that when you hear Allah’s revelations being denied or ridiculed, then do not sit in that company unless they engage in a different topic, or else you will be like them. Surely Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers all together in Hell. (140) ˹The hypocrites are˺ those who wait to see what happens to you. So if Allah grants you victory, they say ˹to you˺, “Were we not on your side?” But if the disbelievers have a share ˹of victory˺, they say ˹to them˺, “Did we not have the advantage over you, yet we protected you from the believers?” Allah will judge between ˹all of˺ you on the Day of Judgment. And Allah will never grant the disbelievers a way over the believers. (141) Surely the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but He outwits them. When they stand up for prayer, they do it half-heartedly only to be seen by people—hardly remembering Allah at all. (142) Torn between belief and disbelief—belonging neither to these ˹believers˺ nor those ˹disbelievers˺. And whoever Allah leaves to stray, you will never find for them a way. (143) O believers! Do not take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Would you like to give Allah solid proof against yourselves? (144) Surely the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire—and you will never find for them any helper— (145) except those who repent, mend their ways, hold fast to Allah, and are sincere in their devotion to Allah; they will be with the believers. And Allah will grant the believers a great reward. (146)

When the hypocrites come to you ˹O Prophet˺, they say, “We bear witness that you are certainly the Messenger of Allah”—and surely Allah knows that you are His Messenger—but Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are truly liars. (1) They have made their ˹false˺ oaths as a shield, hindering ˹others˺ from the Way of Allah. Evil indeed is what they do! (2) This is because they believed and then abandoned faith. Therefore, their hearts have been sealed, so they do not comprehend. (3) When you see them, their appearance impresses you. And when they speak, you listen to their ˹impressive˺ speech. But they are ˹just˺ like ˹worthless˺ planks of wood leaned ˹against a wall˺. They think every cry is against them. They are the enemy, so beware of them. May Allah condemn them! How can they be deluded ˹from the truth˺? (4) When it is said to them, “Come! The Messenger of Allah will pray for you to be forgiven,” they turn their heads ˹in disgust˺, and you see them ˹O Prophet˺ turn away in arrogance. (5) It is the same whether you pray for their forgiveness or not, Allah will not forgive them. Surely Allah does not guide the rebellious people. (6) They are the ones who say ˹to one another˺, “Do not spend ˹anything˺ on those ˹emigrants˺ with the Messenger of Allah so that they will break away ˹from him˺.” But to Allah ˹alone˺ belong the treasuries of the heavens and the earth, yet the hypocrites do not comprehend. (7) They say, “If we return to Medina, the honourable will definitely expel the inferior.” But all honour and power belongs to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, yet the hypocrites do not know. (8) O believers! Do not let your wealth or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. For whoever does so, it is they who are the ˹true˺ losers. (9) And donate from what We have provided for you before death comes to one of you, and you cry, “My Lord! If only You delayed me for a short while, I would give in charity and be one of the righteous.” (10) But Allah never delays a soul when its appointed time comes. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do. (11)

Why are you ˹believers˺ divided into two groups regarding the hypocrites while Allah allowed them to regress ˹to disbelief˺ because of their misdeeds? Do you wish to guide those left by Allah to stray? And whoever Allah leaves to stray, you will never find for them a way. (88) They wish you would disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so you may all be alike. So do not take them as allies unless they emigrate in the cause of Allah. But if they turn away, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and do not take any of them as allies or helpers, (89) except those who are allies of a people you are bound with in a treaty or those wholeheartedly opposed to fighting either you or their own people. If Allah had willed, He would have empowered them to fight you. So if they refrain from fighting you and offer you peace, then Allah does not permit you to harm them. (90) You will find others who wish to be safe from you and their own people. Yet they cannot resist the temptation ˹of disbelief or hostility˺. If they do not keep away, offer you peace, or refrain from attacking you, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them. We have given you full permission over such people. (91)

Allah will certainly distinguish between those who have ˹sure˺ faith and the hypocrites.

O Prophet! ˹Always˺ be mindful of Allah, and do not yield to the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Do not yield to the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Overlook their annoyances, and put your trust in Allah. For Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs.

So what you suffered on the day the two armies met was by Allah’s Will, so that He might distinguish the ˹true˺ believers (166) and expose the hypocrites. When it was said to them, “Come fight in the cause of Allah or ˹at least˺ defend yourselves,” they replied, “If we had known there was fighting, we would have definitely gone with you.” They were closer to disbelief than to belief on that day—for saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. Allah is All-Knowing of what they hide. (167) Those who sat at home, saying about their brothers, “Had they listened to us, they would not have been killed.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Try not to die if what you say is true!” (168)

˹Remember˺ when the hypocrites and those with sickness in their hearts said, “These ˹believers˺ are deluded by their faith.” But whoever puts their trust in Allah, surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.

And ˹remember˺ when the hypocrites and those with sickness in their hearts said, “Allah and His Messenger have promised us nothing but delusion!” (12) And ˹remember˺ when a group of them said, “O people of Yathrib! There is no point in you staying ˹here˺, so retreat!” Another group of them asked the Prophet’s permission ˹to leave˺, saying, “Our homes are vulnerable,” while ˹in fact˺ they were not vulnerable. They only wished to flee. (13) Had their city been sacked from all sides and they had been asked to abandon faith, they would have done so with little hesitation. (14) They had already pledged to Allah earlier never to turn their backs ˹in retreat˺. And a pledge to Allah must be answered for. (15) Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Fleeing will not benefit you if you ˹try to˺ escape a natural or violent death. ˹If it is not your time,˺ you will only be allowed enjoyment for a little while.” (16) Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “Who can put you out of Allah’s reach if He intends to harm you or show you mercy?” They can never find any protector or helper besides Allah. (17) Allah knows well those among you who discourage ˹others from fighting˺, saying ˹secretly˺ to their brothers, “Stay with us,” and who themselves hardly take part in fighting. (18) ˹They are˺ totally unwilling to assist you. When danger comes, you see them staring at you with their eyes rolling like someone in the throes of death. But once the danger is over, they slash you with razor-sharp tongues, ravenous for ˹worldly˺ gains. Such people have not ˹truly˺ believed, so Allah has rendered their deeds void. And that is easy for Allah. (19) They ˹still˺ think that the enemy alliance has not ˹yet˺ withdrawn. And if the allies were to come ˹again˺, the hypocrites would wish to be away in the desert among nomadic Arabs, ˹only˺ asking for news about you ˹believers˺. And if the hypocrites were in your midst, they would hardly take part in the fight. (20)

The nomadic Arabs, who stayed behind, will say to you ˹O Prophet˺, “We were preoccupied with our wealth and families, so ask for forgiveness for us.” They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say, “Who then can stand between you and Allah in any way, if He intends harm or benefit for you? In fact, Allah is All-Aware of what you do. (11) The truth is: you thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families again. And that was made appealing in your hearts. You harboured evil thoughts ˹about Allah˺, and ˹so˺ became a doomed people.” (12) And whoever does not believe in Allah and His Messenger, then We surely have prepared for the disbelievers a blazing Fire. (13) To Allah ˹alone˺ belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He forgives whoever He wills, and punishes whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (14) Those who stayed behind will say, when you ˹believers˺ set out to take the spoils of war, “Let us accompany you.” They wish to change Allah’s promise. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “You will not accompany us. This is what Allah has said before.” They will then say, “In fact, you are driven by jealousy against us!” The truth is: they can hardly comprehend. (15) Say to nomadic Arabs, who stayed behind, “You will be called ˹to fight˺ against a people of great might, who you will fight unless they submit. If you then obey, Allah will grant you a fine reward. But if you turn away as you did before, He will inflict upon you a painful punishment.” (16)

The hypocrites fear that a sûrah should be revealed about them, exposing what is in their hearts. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Keep mocking! Allah will definitely bring to light what you fear.” (64) If you question them, they will certainly say, “We were only talking idly and joking around.” Say, “Was it Allah, His revelations, and His Messenger that you ridiculed?” (65) Make no excuses! You have lost faith after your belief. If We pardon a group of you, We will punish others for their wickedness. (66) The hypocrites, both men and women, are all alike: they encourage what is evil, forbid what is good, and withhold ˹what is in˺ their hands. They neglected Allah, so He neglected them. Surely the hypocrites are the rebellious. (67) Allah has promised the hypocrites, both men and women, and the disbelievers an everlasting stay in the Fire of Hell—it is sufficient for them. Allah has condemned them, and they will suffer a never-ending punishment. (68)

O Prophet! Struggle against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be firm with them. Hell will be their home. What an evil destination! (73) They swear by Allah that they never said anything ˹blasphemous˺, while they did in fact utter a blasphemy, lost faith after accepting Islam, and plotted what they could not carry out. It is only through resentment that they pay Allah and His Messenger back for enriching them out of His bounty! If they repent, it will be better for them. But if they turn away, Allah will torment them with a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no one on earth to protect or help them. (74) And there are some who had made a vow to Allah: “If He gives us from His bounty, we will surely spend in charity and be of the righteous.” (75) But when He gave them out of His bounty, they withheld it and turned away indifferently. (76) So He caused hypocrisy to plague their hearts until the Day they will meet Him, for breaking their promise to Allah and for their lies. (77) Do they not know that Allah ˹fully˺ knows their ˹evil˺ thoughts and secret talks, and that Allah is the Knower of all unseen? (78)

˹There are˺ those who slander ˹some of˺ the believers for donating liberally and mock others for giving only the little they can afford. Allah will throw their mockery back at them, and they will suffer a painful punishment. (79) ˹It does not matter˺ whether you ˹O Prophet˺ pray for them to be forgiven or not. Even if you pray for their forgiveness seventy times, Allah will never forgive them. That is because they have lost faith in Allah and His Messenger. And Allah does not guide the rebellious people. (80)

Some of the nomads around you ˹believers˺ are hypocrites, as are some of the people of Medina. They have mastered hypocrisy. They are not known to you ˹O Prophet˺; they are known to Us. We will punish them twice ˹in this world˺, then they will be brought back ˹to their Lord˺ for a tremendous punishment.

If the hypocrites, and those with sickness in their hearts, and rumour-mongers in Medina do not desist, We will certainly incite you ˹O Prophet˺ against them, and then they will not be your neighbours there any longer. (60) ˹They deserve to be˺ condemned. ˹If they were to persist,˺ they would get themselves seized and killed relentlessly wherever they are found! (61) That was Allah’s way with those ˹hypocrites˺ who have gone before. And you will find no change in Allah’s way. (62)

Have you ˹O Prophet˺ not seen the hypocrites who say to their fellow disbelievers from the People of the Book, “If you are expelled, we will certainly leave with you, and We will never obey anyone against you. And if you are fought against, we will surely help you.”? But Allah bears witness that they are truly liars. (11) Indeed, if they are expelled, the hypocrites will never leave with them. And if they are fought against, the hypocrites will never help them. And even if the hypocrites did so, they would certainly flee, then the disbelievers would be left with no help. (12) Indeed, there is more fear in their hearts for you ˹believers˺ than for Allah. That is because they are a people who do not comprehend. (13) Even united, they would not ˹dare˺ fight against you except ˹from˺ within fortified strongholds or from behind walls. Their malice for each other is intense: you think they are united, yet their hearts are divided. That is because they are a people with no ˹real˺ understanding. (14) They are ˹both just˺ like those who recently went down before them: they tasted the evil consequences of their doings. And they will suffer a painful punishment. (15) ˹They are˺ like Satan when he lures someone to disbelieve. Then after they have done so, he will say ˹on Judgment Day˺, “I have absolutely nothing to do with you. I truly fear Allah—the Lord of all worlds.” (16) So they will both end up in the Fire, staying there forever. That is the reward of the wrongdoers. (17)

so that Allah will punish hypocrite men and women and polytheistic men and women, and Allah will turn in mercy to believing men and women. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 

Also ˹so that˺ He may punish hypocrite men and women and polytheistic men and women, who harbour evil thoughts of Allah. May ill-fate befall them! Allah is displeased with them. He has condemned them and prepared for them Hell. What an evil destination!

On that Day hypocrite men and women will beg the believers, “Wait for us so that we may have some of your light.” It will be said ˹mockingly˺, “Go back ˹to the world˺ and seek a light ˹there˺!” Then a ˹separating˺ wall with a gate will be erected between them. On the near side will be grace and on the far side will be torment. (13) The tormented will cry out to those graced, “Were we not with you?” They will reply, “Yes ˹you were˺. But you chose to be tempted ˹by hypocrisy˺, ˹eagerly˺ awaited ˹our demise˺, doubted ˹the truth˺, and were deluded by false hopes until Allah’s decree ˹of your death˺ came to pass. And ˹so˺ the Chief Deceiver deceived you about Allah. (14) So Today no ransom will be accepted from you ˹hypocrites˺, nor from the disbelievers. Your home is the Fire—it is the ˹only˺ fitting place for you. What an evil destination!” (15)

˹It all happened˺ so Allah may reward the faithful for their faithfulness, and punish the hypocrites if He wills or turn to them ˹in mercy˺. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.