implies that they may be truthful in saying:

“We believe.”

Their truthfulness may mean either that they possess the qualities described in His words:

“They believe in Allah and His Messenger, then never doubt, and strive with their wealth and their lives in Allah’s cause. It is they who are truthful.”

Or it may mean that they were not like the hypocrites, but possessed some faith, even though they were not entitled to make an unqualified claim to faith. This is the more likely interpretation—and Allah knows best—for He said concerning the women whose faith was examined:

“If you know them to be believers, then do not send them back to the disbelievers.”

Yet it is impossible to rule out their experiencing doubt in the future. Moreover, Allah declared only the hypocrites to be liars, not others. He did not declare these people to be liars, but said:

“You have not believed.”

This is like the saying:

“None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”

And the sayings:

“A person who commits adultery is not a believer at the time he commits it.”

“He whose neighbour is not safe from his harm does not believe.”

Yet such people are not hypocrites. The context of the verse indicates that Allah censured them because, in their ignorance and coarseness, they regarded their acceptance of Islam as a favour, and declared what was within themselves despite Allah’s knowledge of it. For Allah Most High said:

“Say, ‘Are you teaching Allah about your religion, when Allah knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth?’”

Had there been nothing of religion in their hearts, they would not have been teaching Allah about their religion, for outward Islam is recognizable to everyone.

The preposition bā’ is used in His words:

“Are you teaching Allah about your religion?”

because the verb carries the sense of informing and telling. It is as though He said: “Are you informing Him and telling Him about your religion, when He knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth?”

The context of the verse indicates that what they informed Allah of was what Allah related of their words:

“We believe.”

For they were reporting what was in their hearts.