Table Of Contents

Meet the Key Figures in Surah Munafiqun: Roles, Significance & Takeaways

This Character Compendium provides a definitive resource on the key archetypes and social roles within Surah Al-Munafiqun, the 63rd chapter of the Holy Qur’an. A powerful Madinan Surah, its name, “The Hypocrites,” announces its central theme: a sharp and detailed psychological and political exposé of the hypocrites within the early Muslim community. The chapter provides a divine testimony against their lies and reveals their defining traits—their deceptive speech, their impressive but empty appearances, their cowardice, their arrogance, and their ultimate allegiance to falsehood. This is contrasted with the true believers, and the Surah concludes with a profound warning against being distracted by worldly attachments from the remembrance of Allah. Each character card delves into the specific portrayal of these archetypal behaviors, extracting the timeless lessons on sincerity, loyalty, and the true nature of faith.

---

‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy (The Chief of the Hypocrites)

Brief Biography / Background

While not mentioned by name in the Qur’an, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul is known from the Seerah and Tafsir tradition as the historical figure behind the archetype of the hypocrite leader described in this Surah. He was a prominent chieftain in Madinah who, before the Prophet’s ﷺ arrival, was on the verge of being crowned king. His resentment at losing this worldly status fueled his deep-seated hypocrisy and his constant efforts to undermine the Muslim community from within.

Role in the Surah

He is the one who uttered the seditious statement that occasioned the revelation of a key part of the Surah. During the expedition of Banu al-Mustaliq, he said to his followers, “Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they disband.” And he added, “If we return to Madinah, the more honored will surely expel therefrom the more abased.” (Al-Munafiqun, 63:7-8). He saw himself and his party as the “honored” and the Prophet ﷺ and his sincere followers as the “abased.”

Personality & Attributes

He is the ultimate archetype of the **arrogant, seditious, and resentful hypocrite**. He is characterized by his pride, his love of power, and his profound envy. His speech is divisive, and his actions are treacherous. He is the leader of the “Party of Satan.”

Major Lessons & Morals

• Arrogance and the love of worldly status are the primary roots of hypocrisy.
• A key tactic of the enemies of Islam is to try to undermine the community through economic warfare (“do not spend on them”).
• A believer must be wary of charismatic but insincere leaders who seek to create division and sow discord.

Supporting References

The Surah’s response to his statement, “And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know,” is a powerful and definitive refutation. It completely inverts his claim, establishing that true honor is not in worldly status or tribal power, but exclusively in sincere faith and allegiance to Allah.

---

Al-‘A’azz (The More Honored)

Brief Biography / Background

Al-‘A’azz, the more honored or the mightier, is the title that the Chief of the Hypocrites arrogantly claimed for himself and his followers in Madinah. It reflects a worldview where honor (‘izzah) is derived from worldly status, wealth, and tribal lineage.

Role in the Surah

This archetype is the subject of the hypocrites’ seditious boast. After a dispute between the Muhajirun and the Ansar, the Chief of the Hypocrites declared: “If we return to Madinah, the more honored will surely expel therefrom the more abased.” (Al-Munafiqun, 63:8). He considered his group, the established and wealthy elite of Madinah, to be the “honored” ones.

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by its **false pride, its elitism, and its profoundly flawed understanding of true honor**. It is a worldview based on the perishable metrics of the dunya (worldly life) and is completely blind to the reality of spiritual honor.

Major Lessons & Morals

• True honor does not come from wealth, status, or being a native of a land.
• A believer must never use worldly criteria to judge their own worth or the worth of others.
• This arrogant claim is a sign of a deeply diseased and hypocritical heart.

Supporting References

The Qur’an immediately and powerfully refutes this claim with one of the most important principles of the faith: “And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.” This verse completely redefines the basis of honor, taking it away from the worldly and grounding it permanently in the divine. True honor is to be a believer.

---

Al-‘Aduw (The True Enemy)

Brief Biography / Background

Al-‘Aduw, the Enemy, is the definitive and divinely-given title for the hypocrites. It reveals their true nature and their status as a grave and immediate danger to the Muslim community.

Role in the Surah

After describing the hypocrites’ impressive but hollow appearance, their eloquent but deceitful speech, and their extreme cowardice, the Surah gives its final and most serious verdict on them: “They are the enemy, so beware of them. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?” (Al-Munafiqun, 63:4).

Personality & Attributes

The True Enemy is the archetype of the **internal, hidden, and treacherous adversary**. They are more dangerous than an open enemy because they operate from within the ranks. They are characterized by their duplicity and their potential to cause great harm to the community if they are not recognized and guarded against.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer must be aware that the greatest danger to the community can sometimes come from the hypocrites within, not just from the open enemies without.
• The command “so beware of them” (fahdharhum) is a divine instruction to be vigilant, discerning, and not to be deceived by the outward appearances or sweet words of the hypocrites.
• The fact that Allah Himself declares them to be “the enemy” highlights the immense gravity of their spiritual disease and their political treachery.

Supporting References

This verse is a powerful call to vigilance. It teaches the believers to be wise and perceptive, and to judge people based on the reality of their actions and allegiances, not just their superficial claims. The unity and security of the Ummah depend on recognizing the true enemy.

---

Al-Adhall (The More Abased)

Brief Biography / Background

Al-Adhall, the more abased or the lowlier, is the insulting and contemptuous title that the Chief of the Hypocrites used to refer to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his sincere, poor followers, especially the Muhajirun (Emigrants).

Role in the Surah

This archetype is the object of the hypocrites’ threat. The Chief of the Hypocrites declared that when they returned to Madinah, the “more honored” (his own party) would expel the “more abased” (the party of the believers). This was a direct threat of expulsion against the Messenger of Allah himself.

Personality & Attributes

This archetype represents the **righteous who are viewed with contempt by the arrogant**. It is a testament to the fact that the scales of the world are often inverted. In the eyes of the arrogant elite, the humble and pious believers who lack worldly wealth are seen as “abased” and insignificant.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer should never be disheartened if the arrogant people of the world look down on them or consider them to be “abased.”
• True honor is with Allah, and the measures of this world are false and fleeting.
• The Qur’an completely inverts this false hierarchy, showing that the ones they call “abased” are, in fact, the truly “honored” with Allah.

Supporting References

The divine response to this insult is immediate and absolute: “And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers.” This verse is a powerful affirmation of the true dignity of the believers. It is a divine decree that can never be changed by the insults or the perceptions of the arrogant.

---

Al-Khasirun (The Losers)

Brief Biography / Background

Al-Khasirun, the Losers, are the archetype of those who have lost the ultimate transaction of life. They have traded the eternal bliss of the Hereafter for the fleeting and deceptive pleasures and distractions of this world.

Role in the Surah

This is the definitive and final title given to those who allow their wealth and their children to distract them from the remembrance of Allah. The Surah concludes with a powerful warning: “O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that – then it is those who are the losers.” (Al-Munafiqun, 63:9).

Personality & Attributes

The Losers are characterized by their **heedlessness and their flawed priorities**. They are the ones who have made the worst possible trade. They have lost the ultimate prize—the pleasure of Allah and Paradise—for the sake of temporary worldly attachments. Theirs is the ultimate and irreversible loss.

Major Lessons & Morals

• The ultimate loss is to be distracted from the remembrance of Allah.
• Wealth and children are a trial (fitnah); they can be a source of good if they bring one closer to God, or a source of ultimate loss if they divert one from Him.
• A believer must constantly be vigilant and ensure that their worldly attachments do not take precedence over their spiritual duties.

Supporting References

The Surah frames the choice in stark commercial terms. The hypocrites tried to use economics (cutting off spending) to defeat the believers. The believers are warned not to be defeated by their own economics (being distracted by their own wealth). The true “profit” is in the remembrance of Allah, and the true “loss” is in forgetting Him.

---

Al-Munafiqun (The Hypocrites)

Brief Biography / Background

Al-Munafiqun, the Hypocrites, are the central characters and the namesake of this Surah. They were a group of people in Madinah who outwardly professed Islam but inwardly harbored disbelief, doubt, and enmity towards the Prophet ﷺ and the believers. They were a source of internal strife and sedition.

Role in the Surah

The entire Surah is a detailed and powerful exposé of their character and psychology. It begins by quoting their false testimony of faith and Allah’s immediate counter-testimony that they are “liars.” It describes how they use their oaths as a “shield,” their pleasing physical appearance, their eloquent but empty speech, and their cowardly and paranoid nature. They are likened to “propped-up timbers.” Their arrogance is exposed in their plot to expel the believers from Madinah. They are identified as the “true enemy” and the “Party of Satan.”

Personality & Attributes

The Hypocrites are the archetype of **duplicity, cowardice, arrogance, and sedition**. They are characterized by a complete disconnect between their outward appearance and their inner reality. They are impressive on the outside but spiritually hollow on the inside. They are masters of the lie, the excuse, and the secret plot.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A key sign of hypocrisy is a discrepancy between one’s words and one’s actions, and the use of false oaths to cover one’s treachery.
• A believer must be wary of being deceived by impressive appearances or eloquent speech, and must judge by the substance of a person’s faith and character.
• The ultimate fate of the hypocrites is to be counted as members of the Party of Satan and to be among the greatest of losers.

Supporting References

This Surah is considered the definitive divine statement on the nature of hypocrisy. It provides a complete diagnostic checklist for this spiritual disease. By studying the qualities of the Munafiqun, a believer can learn to recognize these traits in others and, more importantly, to guard their own heart from falling into them.

---

Allah (The One God)

Brief Biography / Background

Allah is the proper name for the One, True God, the sole Creator, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all existence. Surah Al-Munafiqun is a powerful testament to His absolute knowledge of the unseen and His ultimate authority over all honor and all possessions.

Role in the Surah

Allah is the ultimate Witness and Judge in the Surah. He is the one who bears witness that the hypocrites are liars. He is the one who knows what is in the heavens and the earth. He is the ultimate Owner of all possessions: “And to Allah belong the depositories of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not understand.” (63:7). He is the ultimate source of all honor: “And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.” (63:8). He is the one who is never unaware and who will not delay a soul when its appointed time has come.

Personality & Attributes

This Surah magnificently illustrates Allah’s attributes:

• Al-‘Alim (The All-Knowing): He knows the secrets of the hypocrites’ hearts and bears witness to their lies.
• Al-Khabir (The All-Aware): He is “aware of what you do.”
• Al-‘Aziz (The Exalted in Might): He is the true source of all honor.
• Al-Ghaniyy (The Rich): The treasuries of the heavens and earth belong to Him.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer must have a firm conviction that Allah is aware of all secrets and that no hypocrisy can be hidden from Him.
• True honor and true wealth belong to Allah alone, and are granted only to the believers, not to the arrogant.
• A believer’s life should be built on the reality of these divine truths, not on the ignorant assumptions of the hypocrites.

Supporting References

The Surah consistently refutes the hypocrites by contrasting their limited, worldly perspective with the ultimate, divine reality. The hypocrites think honor and wealth are in their own hands; the Surah declares that they are in Allah’s hands. The hypocrites think they can deceive with their words; the Surah declares that Allah knows their inner lies. It is a complete deconstruction of their worldview.

---

The Believers (Alladhina Amanu)

Brief Biography / Background

The Believers are the sincere followers of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. In this Surah, they are the community that is being warned about the hypocrites in their midst and are being called to a higher standard of faith and action.

Role in the Surah

The believers are presented as the ones who are the true possessors of honor, alongside Allah and His Messenger. They are the ones who are warned not to be like the hypocrites. The final verses of the Surah are a direct and loving address to them: “O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah.” (63:9). Their role is to be the community of faith that must guard itself against the internal disease of hypocrisy and the external distraction of worldly attachments.

Personality & Attributes

The Believers are the archetype of the **sincere, loyal, and successful servant**. They are characterized by their truthfulness and their understanding that true honor is from God. They are the ones who are called to prioritize the remembrance of Allah over all worldly things.

Major Lessons & Morals

• True honor belongs exclusively to the community of believers because of their allegiance to Allah.
• A key test for a believer is whether they allow their worldly possessions and family to distract them from their primary duty of remembering their Lord.
• The path of the believers is the direct opposite of the path of the hypocrites; one is a path of honor and success, the other of disgrace and loss.

Supporting References

The Surah serves as a crucial guide for the believers on how to maintain the health and integrity of their community. It provides them with the divine insight needed to recognize the hypocrites, and it gives them the spiritual advice needed to avoid falling into the traps of materialism that can weaken their own faith.

---

The Distracted by Wealth and Children

Brief Biography / Background

This is the archetype of the believer whose faith is sincere, but who is at risk of being diverted from their ultimate purpose by the two greatest trials and distractions of the worldly life: the pursuit of wealth and the love of one’s children.

Role in the Surah

This character is the subject of the final, powerful warning to the believers. “O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that – then it is those who are the losers.” (Al-Munafiqun, 63:9).

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by its **heedlessness and its flawed priorities**. They are not hypocrites, but they are on a dangerous path. They have allowed the legitimate and natural love for their family and possessions to become a “diversion” (tulhikum) from their primary and more important duty of remembering their Lord. This makes them one of “the losers.”

Major Lessons & Morals

• Wealth and children are a trial (fitnah); they can be a source of good if they bring one closer to God, or a source of ultimate loss if they divert one from Him.
• A believer must constantly be vigilant and ensure that their worldly attachments do not take precedence over their spiritual duties.
• The ultimate loss is to be distracted from the remembrance of Allah.

Supporting References

This verse is a profound lesson in balance. Islam does not command the abandonment of wealth or family. It commands that these things, which are blessings from Allah, should not be allowed to become barriers to Allah. The successful believer is the one who can enjoy the blessings of the dunya without ever forgetting the ultimate purpose of the akhirah.

---

The Forgiver of Sins (Allah’s attribute)

Brief Biography / Background

The Forgiver of Sins is an archetype representing Allah’s attribute of mercy and forgiveness. He is the one who accepts the repentance of His servants and forgives their shortcomings.

Role in the Surah

This attribute is mentioned in the context of the hypocrites’ arrogance. The Surah states that when they are told to come and seek forgiveness from the Messenger of Allah, they “turn their heads” in pride. The verse then makes a definitive statement about their state: “It is all the same for them whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them; never will Allah forgive them.” (63:6). This is not because Allah is unable to forgive, but because their arrogance and persistence in hypocrisy have made them unforgivable.

Personality & Attributes

The Forgiver is the archetype of **divine mercy that is conditional upon humility**. Allah is ever-ready to forgive, but He does not forgive the one who is too proud to even ask for it. His forgiveness is for the humble and the repentant, not for the arrogant and the defiant.

Major Lessons & Morals

• The key to receiving Allah’s forgiveness is to abandon arrogance and to come to Him with a humble and repentant heart.
• A refusal to seek forgiveness is a sign of a deeply diseased and prideful soul.
• A believer should never be too proud to admit their mistakes and to constantly seek the forgiveness of their Lord.

Supporting References

This verse is a terrifying warning about the consequences of pride. The hypocrites’ arrogance was so great that they scorned the very idea of seeking the Prophet’s prayer for their forgiveness. This act of profound disrespect was what sealed their fate and placed them outside the reach of the divine attribute of forgiveness.

---

The Giver of Charity before Death

Brief Biography / Background

The Giver of Charity before Death is the archetype of the repentant soul at the moment of its departure from this world. This is the person who was distracted by their wealth and children, and only upon seeing death, realizes their terrible mistake and begs for a second chance to do the good they neglected.

Role in the Surah

This character’s desperate plea is the final image of the Surah. Believers are commanded to spend in charity before this moment arrives. “And spend from that which We have provided you before death comes to one of you and he says, ‘My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous.'” (Al-Munafiqun, 63:10).

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by **profound and futile regret**. They are the one who finally sees the true value of righteous deeds, but only when the time for performing them has passed. Their plea is sincere, but it is too late.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer must seize the opportunity of this life to spend in charity and to perform good deeds, before death arrives suddenly.
• Procrastination in doing good is a deadly trap that leads to a state of ultimate regret.
• The regret of the dying person will be so intense that they will beg for even a “brief term” to make amends. A believer should act now, while they still have time.

Supporting References

The Surah concludes with a final, sobering reality check: “But never will Allah delay a soul when its time has come.” This is the divine answer to the plea of the dying person. It is a powerful and final motivation for the living to act immediately, as there are no extensions and no second chances once the appointed term (ajal) has arrived.

---

Khashab Musannadah (The Propped-Up Timbers)

Brief Biography / Background

This is a powerful and humiliating parable used to describe the inner reality of the hypocrites. It refers to large pieces of wood that are propped up against a wall—they look solid and impressive from a distance, but they have no foundation, no life, and are completely useless. They are a facade of strength.

Role in the Surah

This simile is used to describe the true nature of the hypocrites, despite their pleasing appearances and eloquent speech. “And when you see them, their bodies please you; and if they speak, you listen to their speech. [They are] as if they were propped-up timbers.” (Al-Munafiqun, 63:4). This image exposes their spiritual hollowness and lack of any real foundation.

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by its **impressive exterior and its completely hollow and useless interior**. They have no firm foundation in faith. They are also described in the same verse as being extremely cowardly, thinking “every shout is against them.” They are spiritually dead wood, a mere decorative facade.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer should never be deceived by the outward appearance or eloquent speech of a person. The true measure of a person is their inner faith and sincerity.
• A life of hypocrisy leads to a state of spiritual hollowness, making a person look strong but being inwardly weak and useless.
• The paranoia and cowardice of the hypocrites is a direct result of their own inner emptiness and guilt.

Supporting References

Tafsir literature explains that the leader of the hypocrites, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, was a tall, handsome, and well-spoken man, which impressed many people. This verse was a divine exposé, telling the believers to look past his impressive exterior to the rotten, propped-up timber of his inner reality. It is a timeless warning against being deceived by charismatic but insincere figures.

---

The Knower of the Unseen and Seen

Brief Biography / Background

The Knower of the Unseen and Seen is an archetype representing Allah in His specific role as the one whose knowledge is absolute and encompasses all of reality, both that which is visible and manifest to His creation (ash-shahadah), and that which is hidden and unseen (al-ghayb).

Role in the Surah

This attribute of Allah is the ultimate foundation for all the warnings and rulings in the Surah. He is the one who knows the secret lies of the hypocrites. The Surah concludes by stating His all-encompassing knowledge: “And Allah is Aware of what you do.” His knowledge of their inner state is what allows Him to bear witness that they are liars, despite their outward testimony.

Personality & Attributes

This archetype represents **absolute, comprehensive, and inescapable knowledge**. Allah’s knowledge is the ultimate reality that underpins the entire moral framework of the Surah. He is the witness to the secret thoughts of the hypocrite and the sincere heart of the true believer.

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer must live with the profound awareness that nothing is hidden from Allah, neither in the vastness of the cosmos nor in the secrets of their own heart.
• This understanding is the ultimate motivation for sincere and righteous conduct in both public and private.
• The fact that Allah is “Aware of what you do” should be a source of both hope (for the righteous) and fear (for the wicked).

Supporting References

The Surah is a powerful demonstration of this attribute in action. It is a chapter that “exposes” (hence the other name for Surah At-Tawbah, Al-Fadiha, the Exposer). It brings the hidden secrets of the hypocrites’ hearts into the open, a clear sign that they are dealing with a Lord from whom nothing can be concealed.

---

Prophet Muhammad (The Messenger of Allah)

Brief Biography / Background

Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is the final messenger of Allah, to whom the Qur’an was revealed. Surah Al-Munafiqun was revealed in Madinah, and it addresses him as the leader, judge, and teacher of the Muslim community, affirming his status and defending him against the plots of the hypocrites.

Role in the Surah

He is the one to whom the hypocrites come and give their false testimony: “When the hypocrites come to you, they say, ‘We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.’ And Allah knows that you are His Messenger…” (63:1). He is the one they insult with their twisted greetings and whose authority they seek to undermine. He is the one they threaten to expel from Madinah. The Surah defends his true honor, stating that all honor belongs to Allah, to His Messenger, and to the believers.

Personality & Attributes

He is the archetype of the **truthful, honored, and authoritative Messenger of God**. His status as the “Messenger of Allah” (Rasulullah) is an absolute truth that is affirmed by both the hypocrites’ lying tongues and by Allah’s own divine testimony. He is the leader of the “Party of Allah.”

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer must have an unshakeable conviction in the truth of the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ.
• True honor belongs to the Messenger of Allah, and any attempt by the hypocrites to abase him is doomed to fail.
• Obedience and loyalty to the Prophet are key signs that distinguish a true believer from a hypocrite.

Supporting References

The opening verse is a masterpiece of rhetoric. It affirms the truth of the Prophet’s mission (“Allah knows that you are His Messenger”) while simultaneously condemning the insincerity of the ones who are uttering it (“Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars”). It establishes the Prophet’s honor on the most solid of foundations while demolishing the credibility of his enemies.

---

The Spenders on the Messenger’s Followers

Brief Biography / Background

The Spenders on the Messenger’s Followers are the archetype of the generous believers, specifically the Ansar (Helpers) of Madinah. They are the ones who opened their homes and their wealth to the poor Emigrants who had left everything behind in Makkah for the sake of their faith.

Role in the Surah

Their noble act of spending is the direct target of the hypocrites’ evil plot. The Chief of the Hypocrites tried to undermine the Muslim community by cutting off this vital lifeline. He said to his followers, “Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they disband.” (Al-Munafiqun, 63:7).

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by its **generosity, its loyalty, and its commitment to Islamic brotherhood**. They are the ones who sustain the poor and the weak within the community, and their spending is a powerful weapon for the cause of Islam. They understand that all wealth is from Allah.

Major Lessons & Morals

• Spending on the poor and needy believers, especially those who have sacrificed for the faith, is a noble and praiseworthy act.
• Economic solidarity is a key pillar of the Muslim community and a powerful defense against the plots of the hypocrites.
• A believer should have a firm conviction that all the “treasuries of the heavens and the earth” belong to Allah, and that spending for His cause will never diminish them.

Supporting References

The Qur’an immediately refutes the hypocrites’ plot with a profound theological truth: “And to Allah belong the depositories of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not understand.” This is a powerful reassurance to the believers. It tells them not to fear the economic blockade of the hypocrites, because their provision is not in the hands of men, but in the hands of the Lord of the worlds, whose treasuries can never be depleted.

---

The Taker of Oaths as a Shield

Brief Biography / Background

The Taker of Oaths as a Shield is the archetype of the hypocrite whose primary tool of deception is the false oath. They use the sanctity of a solemn oath not to affirm the truth, but to conceal their lies and to protect themselves from accountability.

Role in the Surah

This is the first characteristic of the hypocrites that the Surah exposes after declaring them to be liars. “They have taken their oaths as a shield, so they avert [people] from the way of Allah. Indeed, it is evil what they have been doing.” (Al-Munafiqun, 63:2).

Personality & Attributes

This archetype is characterized by its **deceit, its treachery, and its abuse of sacredness**. They have no real reverence for the name of Allah, but use it as a “junnah” (a shield, a cover) for their seditious activities. Their actions are described as being “sa’a” (evil, foul).

Major Lessons & Morals

• A believer must understand that a solemn oath is a serious matter and must never be used to conceal a lie.
• The frequent and casual use of false oaths is a defining characteristic of the hypocrites.
• The act of using the religion itself as a “shield” for one’s evil intentions is one of the most detestable of all sins.

Supporting References

The hypocrites would use their oaths to convince the Muslims of their sincerity, to excuse themselves from their duties, and to cover up their plots. This verse is a divine exposé of their primary methodology. It teaches the believers to be discerning and to not be automatically deceived by a person’s oaths, but to judge them by the reality of their actions and allegiances.