Transliteration:( Wa izaa ra aytahum tu'jibuka ajsaamuhum wa iny yaqooloo tasma' liqawlihim ka'annahum khushubum musannadah; yahsaboona kulla saihatin 'alaihim; humul 'aduwwu fahzarhum; qaatalahumul laahu annaa yu'fakoon )
"And when you see them, their appearance pleases you, and if they speak, you listen to their speech. Yet they are like propped-up planks of wood. They think every cry is against them. They are the enemy, so beware of them. May Allah curse them. How are they deluded?"
Allah warns the believers: hypocrites may impress you with their appearance and eloquence.
Individuals like Abdullah ibn Ubayy had striking personalities and polished speech, misleading the unwary.
This is a timeless reminder—falsehood often wears the mask of refinement.
Their bodies are upright and polished, but soulless and hollow within—just like beautiful wooden beams.
These people are dependent on the support of others, having no true spiritual strength of their own.
Their faith is superficial, lacking genuine substance or devotion.
They live in fear and guilt, suspecting that every announcement or verse may be exposing them.
This constant anxiety is a result of their hidden hypocrisy, a punishment in itself.
Though they claim loyalty, their hearts harbor enmity.
These hypocrites often serve as spies, leaking information to enemies of Islam.
Their betrayal makes them more dangerous than open disbelievers.
Believers are advised: don’t be fooled by their words, outward religiosity, or Qur’anic recitation.
Discernment is essential—not all who speak of faith possess it.
This phrase, used among the noble Arabs, reflects strong condemnation, not a literal supplication.
Allah is above expressing curses like humans do—the phrase expresses anger at their deliberate deception.
The tafsir of Surah Munafiqun verse 4 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Munafiqun ayat 1 which provides the complete commentary from verse 1 through 4.
(63:4) When you look at them, their persons are pleasing, and when they speak, you pay heed to what they say.[5] But in truth they are (merely) beams of timber propped-up (against a wall).[6] They consider every shout they hear to be directed against them.[7] They are your utter enemies;[8] guard against them.[9] May Allah do away with them![10] How are they being turned away (from the Truth)?[11]
5. Abdullah bin Abbas has stated that Abdullah bin Ubayy was a strongly built, healthy, handsome and smoothtongued person, and the same was the case with most of his companions. They were all the nobles of Al-Madinah. When they came to sit in the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) assembly, they would sit reclining on cushions against the walls and would talk agreeably and convincingly. From their outward appearance and manner of speech no one could imagine that those honorable people of the city would be so wretched and degraded in their character.
6. That is, those who sit reclining on cushions against the walls, are not but but pieces of timber. Comparing them to timber is meant to imply that they are devoid of the moral sense which is the essence of humanity. Then by comparing them to blocks of timber propped up against the wall, it has also been pointed out that they are absolutely worthless, for the timber would be useful only when it has been utilized in making of a ceiling, or a door frame, or a piece of furniture. A block of timber that has just been placed against a wall serves no useful purpose at all.
7. This brief sentence portrays the state of their guilty conscience. Since they fully knew what game of hypocrisy they were playing under the screen of their superficial faith, they always remained in a state of alarm, thinking as to when the secret of their treason might be exposed, or the believers might feel disgusted with their evil deeds and machinations and take them to task for them. If ever a cry was raised anywhere in the city, or a noise was heard; they immediately grew alarmed and thought it was directed against themselves.
8. In other words, these hidden enemies are more dangerous than the open enemies.
9. That is, do not be deceived by their outward appearances. Beware of them, for they can deceive you at any moment.
10. This is not a curse but a declaration of the verdict about them by Allah that they have become worthy of His punishment and He will certainly inflict His punishment on them. It is also possible that Allah may not have used these words in their literal sense but in the meaning of a curse and condemnation according to Arabic idiom.
11. It has not been pointed out as to who perverts them from belief to hypocrisy. This by itself makes it clear that there is not one but many factors responsible for their perversion. There is Satan, there are their evil friends, and there are their own selfish motives. Someone’s wife or children become his motive, and someone is driven to perversion by the evil ones in his society, or by jealousy, spite and pride.
[1690]- i.e., bodies with empty minds and empty hearts.
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