(145–147) “Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, and you will never find any helper for them * except those who repent, mend their ways, hold fast to Allah, and devote their religion sincerely to Allah. They will be with the believers, and Allah will grant the believers a tremendous reward * Why would Allah punish you if you are grateful and believe? Allah is ever Appreciative, All-Knowing.”
Allah Most High relates that the hypocrites’ ultimate fate is to be in the lowest depths of torment and the worst state of punishment. They are beneath all other disbelievers because they share their disbelief in Allah and hostility toward His messengers, while surpassing them in scheming, deception, and the ability to engage in many forms of hostility against the believers without being noticed or detected. Through this, they ensured that they would be treated according to the rulings of Islam and receive things to which they were not entitled. For this and similar reasons, they deserved the severest punishment. They will have no deliverer from His torment and no supporter to ward off even some of His punishment. This applies generally to every hypocrite, except those whom Allah favors by enabling them to repent of their evil deeds; who “mend their ways,” setting right for His sake both their outward and inward states; who “hold fast to Allah,” seeking refuge in Him to attain their benefits and ward off harm; and who “devote their religion sincerely”—the religion of Islam, faith, and spiritual excellence—“to Allah.”
They thus seek Allah’s Countenance through their outward and inward deeds and become free of ostentation and hypocrisy. Whoever possesses these qualities will be “with the believers”—that is, in this world, in the intermediate realm, and on the Day of Resurrection—and “Allah will grant the believers a tremendous reward,” the true extent of which ⦗212⦘ none knows but Allah: that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and which has never occurred to any human heart.
Reflect on how He specifically mentions holding fast to Allah and sincerity, even though both are included in His words, “and mend their ways.” This is because they are both essential parts of setting matters right and are especially needed in this perilous situation, in which hypocrisy can take hold of hearts. Nothing can remove it except holding firmly to Allah, continually seeking refuge in Him, and constantly expressing one’s need of Him to ward it off. Moreover, sincerity is utterly incompatible with hypocrisy. He therefore mentions these two qualities because of their excellence, because outward and inward deeds depend upon them, and because of the pressing need for them in this situation.
Reflect also on how, after stating that these people will be with the believers, He does not say, “And He will grant them a tremendous reward,” even though they are the subject under discussion. Instead, He says, “And Allah will grant the believers a tremendous reward.” This is because of a noble principle that Allah states time and again: whenever the context concerns a particular case and He wishes to assign (1) a reward or punishment to it, while this applies both to that case and to the broader class under which it falls, He sets out the reward in relation to the general ruling that encompasses that case and others like it. This prevents anyone from imagining that the ruling is limited to the particular case. This is one of the marvelous subtleties of the Quran. Thus, the hypocrite who repents is with the believers and will receive their reward.
Allah Most High then tells us of His perfect self-sufficiency and the vastness of His forbearance, mercy, and beneficence, saying: “Why would Allah punish you if you are grateful and believe?” For Allah is Appreciative, All-Knowing. He grants abundant reward and expansive grace to those who bear heavy burdens for His sake and tirelessly persevere in their deeds. Whoever gives something up for Allah, Allah will give him something better in return.
At the same time, He knows your outward and inward states, your deeds, and the sincerity and truthfulness—or their opposites—from which those deeds proceed. He desires repentance from you, that you turn back and return to Him. If you return to Him, why would He punish you? He takes no satisfaction in tormenting you and derives no benefit from punishing you. Rather, the sinner harms none but himself, just as the deeds of the obedient benefit the obedient person himself.
Gratitude consists of the heart’s humble submission and acknowledgment of Allah’s blessing, the tongue’s praise of the One being thanked, the limbs acting in obedience to Him, and refraining from using His blessings to disobey Him.