“Say, ‘Mock as you will: Allah will surely bring to light what you fear.’”

Ibn Kaysan said: This verse was revealed concerning twelve hypocrites who lay in wait for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, at a mountain pass when he returned from the expedition of Tabuk, intending to assassinate him as he ascended it. Among them was a Muslim man who had concealed his faith from them. They disguised themselves from him on a pitch-dark night. Gabriel informed the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, of what they had planned and commanded him to send someone to strike the faces of their mounts. ‘Ammar ibn Yasir was leading the Messenger of Allah’s mount, while Hudhayfah was driving it from behind. He said to Hudhayfah, “Strike the faces of their mounts.” So he struck them until he drove them away. When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, dismounted, he said to Hudhayfah, “Whom did you recognize among those people?” He replied, “I did not recognize any of them.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “They were so-and-so,” and named every one of them. Hudhayfah said, “Will you not send for them and kill them?” He replied, “I dislike that the Arabs should say: ‘Once he had prevailed over his companions, he began killing them.’ Rather, Allah will spare us their harm through the dubaylah.” (1)

Isma‘il ibn ‘Abd al-Qahir informed us; ‘Abd al-Ghafir ibn ‘Isa informed us; Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Sufyan narrated to us; Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj narrated to us; Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Ja‘far narrated to us; Shu‘bah narrated to us from Qatadah, from Abu Nadrah, from Qays ibn ‘Abadah, who said:

We said to ‘Ammar, “What do you think of your fighting? Was it an opinion that you formed—for an opinion may be right or wrong—or was it an instruction that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, entrusted to you?” He replied, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not give us any instruction that he did not give to all people.” He then said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There are twelve hypocrites in my ummah”—Shu‘bah said, “I believe he said: Hudhayfah narrated to me, ‘in my ummah’”—“who will not enter Paradise or even perceive its fragrance, until a camel passes through the eye of a needle. Eight of them will be dealt with by the dubaylah: a flame of fire that appears in their shoulders until it emerges from their chests.” (2)

“And if you ask them, they will surely say, ‘We were only engaging in idle talk and play.’ Say, ‘Was it Allah, His verses, and His Messenger that you were mocking?’ (65)”

Regarding His saying, “And if you ask them, they will surely say, ‘We were only engaging in idle talk and play,’” the reason for the revelation of this verse, according to al-Kalbi, Muqatil, and Qatadah, was that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was travelling during the expedition of Tabuk, with three hypocrites ahead of him: two of them were mocking the Quran and the Messenger, while the third was laughing.

It was said that they were saying, “Muhammad claims that he will defeat the Romans and conquer their cities. How far-fetched that is!”

It was also said that they were saying, “Muhammad claims that Quran has been revealed concerning our companions who remained in Medina, but it is merely his own speech and words.” Allah then made His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, aware of this. He said, “Hold back the caravan for me.” He then summoned them and said to them, “You said—”