hypocrisy until he abandons it: when he speaks he lies, when he promises (1) he breaks it, when he makes a covenant he betrays it, and when he disputes he erupts into wickedness.

Likewise, turning away from jihad belongs to this same category, for it is one of the traits of the hypocrites. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever dies without having fought in battle, nor even having resolved inwardly to do so, dies upon one branch of hypocrisy.” Muslim recorded this (2).

Allah revealed Sūrat Barāʾah—also called “al-Fāḍiḥah” (the Disgracer) because it exposed the hypocrites. The two Imams included in their Ṣaḥīḥs (3) a report from Ibn ʿAbbās who said: “It is al-Fāḍiḥah; it kept being revealed—‘and among them…, and among them…’—until the people thought no one would remain except that he was mentioned therein.”

Al-Miqdād b. al-Aswad said: “It is the Sūrah al-Buḥūth (the Searcher) because it searched out the hidden intentions (4) of the hypocrites.”

Qatādah said: “It is al-Muthīrah (the Stirrer) because it stirred up the scandals of the hypocrites.”

Ibn Isḥāq (5) said: “It is al-Mubʿathirah.” The words baʿtharah and ithārah are very close in meaning.

Ibn ʿUmar said that it is al-Muqashqishah, because it cures one of the disease of hypocrisy; it is said of a sick person, taqashqasha, when he recovers.

Al-Aṣmaʿī said: “Both of the two Sūrahs of Sincerity were also called al-Muqashqishatān, because they…"