(14–15) “When they meet those who believe, they say, ‘We believe.’ But when they are alone with their devils, they say, ‘Indeed, we are with you; we were only mocking.’ Allah mocks them and leaves them to wander blindly in their transgression.”

This is another instance of their saying with their tongues what is not in their hearts. [This is because] when they meet with the believers, they make it appear that they follow their way and stand with them. But when they are alone with their devils—that is, their leaders and chiefs in evil—they say, “In truth, we are with you. We are only mocking the believers by making it appear to them that we follow their way.” Such is their condition, inwardly and outwardly; yet evil scheming only recoils upon those who devise it.

Allah Most High says: “Allah mocks them and leaves them to wander blindly in their transgression.” This is their recompense for mocking His servants. Part of His mockery of them is that He made their wretchedness and vile condition seem attractive to them, until they thought they were alongside the believers because Allah had not given the believers power over them. Another part of His mockery of them will occur on the Day of Resurrection: He will give them an outward light along with the believers, but when the believers proceed by their light, the hypocrites’ light will be extinguished, leaving them bewildered in darkness after having had light. How terrible is despair after hope! “They will call out to them, ‘Were we not with you?’ They will say, ‘Yes, but you led yourselves into temptation, waited, and doubted’”—to the end of the verse.

His words, “and leaves them,” mean that He increases them “in their transgression,” meaning their wickedness and disbelief, while “they wander blindly,” meaning that they remain bewildered and irresolute. This is part of Allah Most High’s mockery of them.

Allah Most High then says, revealing the true reality of their condition: