Chapter: One who mocks anything that contains mention of Allah, the Quran, or the Messenger

The words of Allah, the Exalted: “If you were to ask them, they would surely say, ‘We were only talking idly and playing…’” — the verse.

The remainder of the verse reads: “Say, ‘Was it Allah, His signs, and His Messenger that you were ridiculing?’” [9:65].

Relevance of this chapter to the Book of Monotheism: it clarifies the ruling on anyone who mocks something in which Allah, the Quran, or the Messenger ﷺ is mentioned, namely that such mockery is disbelief that nullifies tawḥīd.

“Chapter: One who mocks …” that is, a section explaining the ruling on a person who commits this act.

hazala (jest): joking as opposed to seriousness.

wa-laʾin: the prefixed lām is the lām of oath.

saʾaltahum: the address is to the Prophet ﷺ; i.e., if you were to ask those hypocrites about their ridicule of you and of the Quran.

layaqūlunna: they will certainly say, seeking to excuse themselves.

nakhūḍu wa nalʿabu: “We were only engaging in idle conversation and play; we did not mean to mock or deny, but merely to talk and amuse ourselves.”

qul abillāhi wa āyātihi wa rasūlih: say to them—rebuking them for their mockery, the address being to the Prophet ﷺ—that this excuse of theirs will not avail them with Allah