(138, 139). “Give glad tidings to the hypocrites of a painful punishment—those who take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek might through them? Indeed, all might belongs to Allah.”

“Glad tidings” is normally used of good, but it may also be used of evil when qualified, as in this verse. Allah Most High says: “Give glad tidings to the hypocrites”—that is, those who outwardly profess Islam while inwardly concealing disbelief—of the most hideous and worst tidings: a painful punishment. This is because they love the disbelievers, ally themselves with them, and support them, while abandoning loyalty to the believers. What, then, drove them to do so? Do they seek might through them?

This is indeed the reality of the condition of ⦗210⦘ the hypocrites: they thought ill of Allah, and their certainty that Allah would grant victory to His believing servants was weak. They looked only to some of the means possessed by the disbelievers, and their vision extended no further. They therefore took the disbelievers as allies, seeking might and victory through them.

Yet all might belongs to Allah. The forelocks of all His servants are in His hand, and His will prevails over them. He has guaranteed victory for His religion and His believing servants, even if this is interspersed with trials for the believers and the enemy is granted a temporary victory over them. The ultimate outcome and lasting ascendancy belong to the believers.

This verse contains a severe warning against taking the disbelievers as allies and abandoning loyalty to the believers. It shows that this is one of the traits of the hypocrites, and that faith necessarily entails loving the believers and being loyal to them, while hating the disbelievers and showing enmity toward them.