Transliteration:( Wa liya'lamal lazeena naafaqoo; wa qeela lahum ta'aalaw qaatiloo fee sabeelil laahi awid fa'oo qaaloo law na'lamu qitaalallat taba'naakum; hum lilkufri yawma'izin aqrabu minhum lil eemaan; yaqooloona bi afwaahihim maa laisa fee quloobihim; wallaahu a'lamu bimaa yaktumoon )
378. The defeat at Uhud is, in reality, a test for the believers and hypocrites. Those who remained steadfast on the battlefield were true believers, while those who made insulting comments were hypocrites. Allah Almighty be praised! Even the error of the Companions serves as a criterion to distinguish between believers and hypocrites. Now, if any wretch were to speak of them in insulting terms he is a hypocrite, while those who hold these Noble Companions in honour are believers. Thus, this battle will remain until Judgement Day as a criterion to distinguish between a believer and a non-believer.
379. From this we learn that to fight on the battlefield, too, is an act of worship, and to stand resolutely against the enemies so that they do not launch an attack is also an act of worship, and to refrain from participating in the battle without a valid reason, when needed, is a sign of a hypocrite. Also making false excuses like, having no experience about military matters, etc. are also signs of hypocrites. Muslims should refrain from such things.
380. Their faith is a mere external expression, while they are whole heartedly disbelievers. Inner expressions are however firmer than outward expressions. Superficially these hypocrites are nearer to the Muslims, but inwardly they are in cohoots with the disbelievers. Hence, there is no inconsistency in the verse.Â
From this we learn that Allah Almighty's spiritual nearness is closer than physical closeness. Abu Jahl, though physically near to the Holy Prophet remained distant because of his apostasy, while Hazrat Uwais Qarni (On whom be peace) though physically distant from the Holy Prophet was spiritually closer to him because of his faith.
381. Outwardly these hypocrites were saying that they knew nothing about military matters yet their actual reason was not to make enemies with the non-believers and let the Muslims be destroyed by these non-believers. Such types of hypocrites are always found in the midst of Muslims and will always continue to be in their group.
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The tafsir of Surah Imran verse 167 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Imran ayat 165 which provides the complete commentary from verse 165 through 168.
(3:167) and those who are hypocrites. And when these hypocrites were asked: Come and fight in the wayof Allah’, or (at least) ‘defend yourselves’, they answered: ‘If we but knew that there would be fighting, we would certainly have followed.[119] They were nearer then to infidelity than to faith. They utter from their mouths what is not in their hearts. Allah knows well what they conceal.
119. When ‘Abd Allah b. Ubayy decided to withdraw from the battlefield with his men several Muslims attempted to persuade him not to do so. Ibn Ubayy replied that he was sure that there would be no fighting that day, and he assured them that had he expected fighting to take place, he would have gone along with them.
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