2-8 And there are some people who say: We believe in Allah and the Last Day; and they are not believers.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَبِٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤۡمِنِينَ (٨)
2-8a Belief in Allah and the Hereafter stands for being a Muslim: Here belief inAllah and the Hereafter is made synonymous with being a Muslim because it is only the Quran that has clearly expounded the attributes of Allah and the issue of the Hereafter. Furthermore, in the first section, the first principle out of the principles that were established in the first section was belief in Allah and the last principle was belief in the Hereafter. So, the mention of the first and the last principles contains the entire array of the principles from the first section. The meaning of ایمان بِٱللَّهِ وَبِٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ (Belief in Allah and the Hereafter) is further evidenced here as synonymous with a Muslim because the narration from here on is about the hypocrites, called so because they professed faith in Islam by words not actions..
Two classes of people are mentioned in the first section – those who believe completely and those who reject categorically. A third class is mentioned here, those who avow belief verbally but do not believe in their heart. When the Holy Prophet migrated to Madinah, Abdullah bin Ubayy, an important chief of the Khazraj tribe, was on the verge of being made the king of Madinah. With the Prophet’s advent, the situation changed and all the tribes of Madinah including the Jews accepted the Prophet as the arbitrator of all their disputes. This threw cold water on the ambition of Abdullah bin Ubayy.
Internal enemies of Islam: In addition to those who openly opposed Islam, Abdullah bin Ubayy gathered around him a group who secretly opposed Islam. This group had nothing to do with Islam except that they pretended to be Muslims for purpose of show while doing everything in their power to uproot Islam. Allah, the Most High, protected Islam in all situations and thereby showed that no enemy external or internal could harm Islam because the hand of God was assisting Islam.
Hypocrites in the present time: Even in the current time, there are those among the Muslims who collaborate with the enemies of Islam and spare no effort to harm Islam. Although they are called Muslims, they are more like the hypocrites in the time of the Holy Prophet.
Hypocrites in practice: additionally, there are a number of Muslims who confess to belief in the Quran but when it comes to act, they follow their customs and desires, throwing the Quran behind their back. They are hypocrites in practice and the result of this practical hypocrisy can be seen in the misfortunes and afflictions of the Muslim ummah in present times.
2-9 They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, and they deceive only themselves and they perceive not.a
يُخَـٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَمَا يَخۡدَعُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَمَا يَشۡعُرُونَ (٩)
2-9a The root word of يُخَـٰدِعُونَ is خدع which means to deceive i.e. to show one thing but to have quite another in one’s heart for the purpose of harming someone. خادع is also used when there is the intention to deceive someone (T). This is the intended meaning here. The verb form of مفاعلتہ (reaction) is sometimes used for a single individual as well, as in عاقبت اللص.(punished the thief). So the meaning of يُخَـٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ is they try to deceive Allah.
يَشۡعُرُونَ: شعر means hair and its plural is اشعار as in و اشعارها (see 16:80) and شَعَرْتُ means gaining such minute knowledge as to be knowledgeable about even a hair. And شِعر is also in reality used for minute knowledge (R). Thus, شعور is more intensive than just knowledge as it implies knowing every little thing about a subject.
The deception of the hypocrites: The reason for the hypocrisy was to deceive the Muslims into thinking that they (the hypocrites) were helpers and sympathizers. In a manner of speaking this was like trying to deceive God. Ultimately, it was the hypocrites who suffered, and the Muslims were not harmed by their deception. This is what is meant by they deceive themselves.
2-10 In their hearts is a disease, so Allah increased their disease,a and for them is a painful chastisement because they lie.b
فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ۬ فَزَادَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَرَضً۬اۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمُۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡذِبُونَ (١٠)
2-10a مَّرَضٌ۬: مرض is a loss in the state of temperance specific to human beings. This can happen in two ways. One is physical as in: عَلَى ٱلۡمَرِيضِ حَرَجٌ۬ (blame on the sick) (24:61).
Spiritual disease: The other meaning of مَّرَضٌ۬ is baseness, such as ignorance, dastardliness, miserliness, hypocrisy etcetera, i.e. moral diseases (R). This is the intended meaning here, and مَّرَضٌ۬ has frequently been used in this sense throughout the Quran. Moral baseness is called a disease because it is a hindrance in attaining excellence as is disease.
The disease of the hypocrites: Their disease is hypocrisy i.e. they have no belief in what they say and for this reason a painful chastisement (عَذَابٌ أَلِيمُۢ) is the result of their falsehood. Or this disease is their enmity towards Islam which they keep hidden and Allah’s worsening their disease is the progressive strength and splendor granted to Islam while their hypocrisy and enmity kept on increasing.
How does God increase the disease: The worsening of disease is ascribed to Allah because it is His punishment or because the events that led to the growing disease are decreed by Allah. If they wanted, they could have received guidance from these events. Thus, in the Quran Prophet Noah says: فَلَمۡ يَزِدۡهُمۡ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارً۬ا (But my call has only made them flee the more) (71:6). The purpose of the call was to summon them, not to make them flee. But the more he called them, the more they distanced themselves. Hence their distancing themselves was ascribed to Noah’s call although that was not the object of the call.
2-10b. يَكۡذِبُونَ – کزب (to lie) is the opposite of صدق (truth) and like صدق is used with reference to both words as well as actions (R). One never feels any comfort after telling a lie.
Lying is the hallmark of hypocrites: There are four characteristics of a hypocrite as noted in the Hadith. The most important of these is: اذا ھدث کذب (when he speaks, he lies). This disease is rampant among the Muslims of present times. In their conversation they lie, bear false witness, make false promises, and lie to please their bosses. A nation loses respect when there is a proliferation of such people in it.
No probability of falsehood in the narration of a Companion: In contrast, a glance at the Companions of the Holy Prophet shows that intentional lying was non-existent in their lives. So much so that if a hadith narration can be reliably traced to a Companion there is no probability of it being fabricated.
2-11 And when it is said to them, Make not mischief in the land, they say: We are but peacemakers.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ لَا تُفۡسِدُواْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ مُصۡلِحُونَ (١١)
2-12 Now surely they are the mischief-makers, but they perceive not.a
أَلَآ إِنَّهُمۡ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدُونَ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا يَشۡعُرُونَ (١٢)
2-12a تُفۡسِدُواْ – فساد is a deviation, whether small or large, from moderation. It is used for the soul, the body, or a thing that has deviated from moderation. Its antonym is صلاح (goodness) (R).
ٱلۡأَرۡضِ – الارض the meaning of the word is sourced from الرِعْده (to tremble) or الدّوار (to rotate) (t). The earth is called ارْض and thus the name itself contains a hint that the earth rotates. A particular area of the earth or a particular country may also be called ارْض . In the dictionary of technical terms (مفردات (, it is stated that the bottom of anything may be called the ارْض of that thing, just as the top of a thing may be called its سماء (sky). A mat, the area below the legs of a horse or other animal, the bottom of the sole of a shoe that touches the ground may all be called the ارْض of that thing, and a in a figurative sense the heart of the human soul (قلب) may also be called ارْض (R).
What is meant by the mischief of hypocrites and their claim to be peacemakers: The hypocrites are here stated to be mischief makers because of their secret relationships and conspiracies to destroy Islam or because internal disbelief itself is mischief. Their claim to be peacemakers is based on the notion that they have a peaceful relationship with both parties. Allah has warned the Muslims here of their mischief and informed them that in reality the hypocrites are the mischief makers. They may not consider themselves to be so because such people often find some excuse to justify their actions and satisfy their conscience. They undermine the interests of others and justify their actions as a means of reforming them. Or they may not consider themselves to be so because they do not realize that their hypocrisy may become known to others or because they will tell others that the actions they are taking are meant to be reformative in nature. Hence, they act mischievously but do not consider their actions to be so.
2-13 And when it is said to them, Believe as the people believe, they say: Shall we believe as the foolsa believe? Now surely they are the fools, but they know not.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ ءَامِنُواْ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلنَّاسُ قَالُوٓاْ أَنُؤۡمِنُ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُمۡ هُمُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا يَعۡلَمُونَ (١٣)
2-13a ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ – It is the plural of سفیه. The actual meaning of سفه is light whether in weight, color or character. Since a deficiency of intellect makes a person an intellectual light weight, a foolish or idiotic person is called سفه. Those who do not have the intellectual ability to spend their money properly have also been called سفیه in the Quran (4:5).
The reason why the hypocrites called Muslims foolish: The hypocrites considered Muslims to be foolish because they had given up their wealth, homes and relationships to follow one person. The hypocrites thought that the unbelievers would crush them in the very near future.
2-14 And when they meet those who believe, they say, We believe; and when they are alone with their devils, they say: Surely we are with you, we were only mocking.a
وَإِذَا لَقُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ شَيَـٰطِينِهِمۡ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا مَعَكُمۡ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ مُسۡتَہۡزِءُونَ (١٤)
2-14a خَلَوۡاْ – خلا is used both for time and place. In respect of time, its meaning is مضیٰ وَذَهَبَ i.e. passed or gone. This is the meaning of the word in the following examples: تِلۡكَ أُمَّةٌ۬ قَدۡ خَلَتۡۖ (These are a people that have passed away) (2:134) and قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُۚ (messengers have already passed away before him) (3:143). And خلا الیه or خلا فلان بفلان means to be alone with another person. This is the meaning here.
شَیْطٰان – Its root word is شطن which means distanced. So شیطان (devil) is that being who is distanced from the mercy of Allah. Some have said it has been derived from شاط (یشیط) which means burned in envy. شیطان according to the Quran has been created from fire.
Use of the word شیطان for humans: Persons given to bouts of extreme anger are also called شیطان. Abu Ubaidah says that شیطان is the name of every rebellious being whether belonging to the genre of jinn, humans, or animals. In a verse of the Quran, it is stated: شَيَـٰطِينَ ٱلۡإِنسِ وَٱلۡجِنِّ (the devils from among men and jinn) (6:112) which shows that there are شیطان even among humans (T).
Use of the word شیطان for moral failings: Imam Raghib says that any kind of moral failing can also be called شیطان. It is stated in the Hadith that envy is a شیطان and also that anger is a شیطان.
The coursing of شیطان through humans like blood: In one hadith, it is stated that the شیطان courses through humans like their blood. The Companions inquired from the Prophet, “O Messenger of Allah, in you too?” The Holy Prophet replied: الا ان ﷲ اعانی علیه فاسلم (The only difference is that Allah helped me against him and so he became obedient). This goes to show that the شیطان is not given dominance over humans, but humans are given dominance over the شیطان.
شیطان is the instigator of evil: شیطان is the being that uses great finesse in instigating evil. Similarly, humans that instigate evil are also شیطان. It is mentioned that this is the excuse that wrongdoers will put forward on the Day of Judgment that their leaders had started them on an evil path. The meaning of the statement in the Hadith الراکب شیطان is only that when a person sets forth alone, he puts himself in perdition.
Humans with the attributes of شیطان: The شَيَـٰطِينَ mentioned in this verse, according to almost all commentators, refers to humans with devilish attributes. According to Imam Mujahid, the شَيَـٰطِينَ of this verse refer to hypocritical and polytheist friends. Ibn Abbas states that these are: رؤساۂم فی الکفران (the chiefs of the unbelievers). In verse 76 of this surah instead of: خَلَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ شَيَـٰطِينِهِم the phrase used is: خَلَا بَعۡضُهُمۡ إِلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ۬ (…apart one with another…) which goes to show that the reference here is to humans with devilish attributes.
2-15 Allah will pay them back their mockery,a and He leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.b
ٱللَّهُ يَسۡتَہۡزِئُ بِہِمۡ وَيَمُدُّهُمۡ فِى طُغۡيَـٰنِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ (١٥)
2-15a اِسْتَهْزِاء – Kishaf has defined استهزاء as انزال الهوان و الحقارہ i.e. to bestow indignity and scorn with the purpose of showing contempt for another. Ar Ruh al-Maani states that metaphorically استهزاء means to insult and humiliate. Imam Ghazali says that استهزاء is to humiliate a person in a manner that evokes laughter. In the Quran commentary by Baydawi, it is stated that the root of استهزاء is ھزا which means disgrace, indignity, humiliation. Thus, the real significance of استهزاء is to mock another, and sniggering is way to do so. Laughter without a purpose of mocking is not called استهزاء.
Different connotations when the same word is spoken for Allah and for humans: It is important to remember the same word may be used when an action or event is attributed to Allah as when it is attributed to humans, but there is an important difference. In every action, humans are dependent on instruments and resources, but God is not, and so the instrument or resource that is required is not attributable to Allah. It is only the final objective that is meant when the word is used for Allah. For example, humans are dependent on eyes and light to see, but when it is said that Allah sees, eyes and light are not purported though the objective achieved is seeing. Similarly, humans depend on ears and air to hear, but in the case of Allah, these resources are dispensed with and only the object obtained from hearing is meant. In the same manner, mercy or anger in humans is the result of emotions created within the human heart, but God’s mercy and anger are only the names of the ultimate outcome.
استهزاء (mockery) of Allah: The same is the case when mockery is attributed to Allah. Sniggering which is a way of mocking is not applicable in the case of Allah, and what is left is just humiliation. Thus, Allah’s mockery is synonymous with bringing about shame and humiliation without any associated laughter.
The mention of punishment for an action in the same words: It is a rule in the Arabic language that the punishment given for an action should be expressed in the same words as the punishable action. Ibn Jarir says that when a sentence is a reply, what is meant is not the action but rather the punishment for that action by another person. There are examples of this in the Quran. جَزَٲٓؤُاْ سَيِّئَةٍ۬ سَيِّئَةٌ۬ مِّثۡلُهَا (the recompense of evil is evil like it) (42:40). The recompense for the evil is not evil but the punishment for that evil. فَمَنِ ٱعۡتَدَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَٱعۡتَدُواْ عَلَيۡهِ (literally: Whoever then acts aggressively against you, act aggressively against him) (2:194), although by the second اعتداء is meant just punishment and not aggression. Imam Raghib has also supported this meaning and the same is to be found in Lissan al-Arab.
The philosophy of punishment: In the use of the same word for punishment, there is an indication that there are situations which make punishment permissible. So another meaning of Allah “paying back their mockery” can be that Allah will punish them for their mockery.
2-15b يَمُدُّ – the actual meaning of مِدّ is جرّ i.e. to pull (R) or بسط i.e. to spread (T) as in: لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيۡنَيۡكَ (Strain not thine eyes) (15:88) and كَيۡفَ مَدَّ ٱلظِّلَّ (how the shade extends) (25:45). It is also used to mean امھال i.e. to give respite (T) and also to render help. The first meaning is meant here. When a person rebels, Allah leaves the person in that condition just as He does if a person apostatizes, He lets the person have his way. Allah does not force anyone. This is the meaning adopted by Ibn Masud and the Companions, and the historical evidence also supports this meaning because the hypocrites were only punished during the last period of the Prophet’s life after the expedition to Tabuk.
ظُغْیَان – It is derived from طغی and its meaning is to exceed all limits when transgressing. (R)
يَعۡمَهُونَ – عمه means to be confused about a matter due to astonishment.
The difference between عمه and عمی: عمه is used only in relation to an opinion or a viewpoint while عمی i.e. blindness is used both for physical blindness as well as blindness to a viewpoint.
2-16 These are they who buy error for guidance, so their bargain brings no gain, nor are they guided.
أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشۡتَرَوُاْ ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةَ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَـٰرَتُهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُهۡتَدِينَ (١٦)
2-16a ٱشۡتَراء -ٱشۡتَروا – Is derived from شری. Generally, شِرء means to buy and بیع means to sell. The former means to pay the price and take the thing while the latter means to give the thing and take the money. However, in a barter transaction, the two words are used interchangeably. Hence ٱشۡتَراء can be used regarding any matter from which some gain can be obtained. (R).
The fate of hypocrites: To buy error from guidance is to reject the guidance that had come and instead to adopt waywardness. This is then termed a trade and it is stated: فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَـٰرَتُهُمۡ. The profit from a trade is called ربح. The profit the hypocrites had in mind was worldly gain, but they ended up with neither worldly gain nor as stated in وَمَا كَانُواْ مُهۡتَدِينَ did they get guidance. In other words, they were losers in this world as well as in their religion. It was prophesied that they would be unsuccessful in this world for which they were abandoning faith, and so it happened.
2-17 Their parable is as the parable of one who kindles a fire, but when it illumines all around him, Allah takes away their light, and leaves them in darkness — they cannot see.a
مَثَلُهُمۡ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى ٱسۡتَوۡقَدَ نَارً۬ا فَلَمَّآ أَضَآءَتۡ مَا حَوۡلَهُ ۥ ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمۡ وَتَرَكَهُمۡ فِى ظُلُمَـٰتٍ۬ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ (١٧)
2-17a: مَثَل means making a statement about a thing that is similar to another thing so that the one may clarify the other. (R).
ظُلُمَـٰتٍ۬ – Is the plural of ظلمة which is the absence of light. This word is generally used in the plural because darkness is of many types, for example, the darkness of ignorance, the darkness of superstition etcetera. Or the meaning may be intense darkness.
The parable of the fire: Two parables are narrated, one in this verse and another in verse 19. Both the parables are general, that is, the kindler of the fire is not a hypocrite but is the Messenger, just as in the second parable, the similarity with the rain is not with hypocrisy, but with Divine revelation. And it is narrated in the Bukhari that the Holy Prophet said: مثلی کمثل رجل استو قد نارا (My parable is the parable of a person who lights a fire). The essence of this parable is that the Messenger lit a fire whose light made it possible to see things. But the condition of the hypocrites is such that they have lost the power with which one sees things because both things are necessary to see – the spiritual light within a person and the external light. So, when their internal light died, the external light the Messenger lit did not benefit them. Light can only be profitable for a person who has spiritual light within him.
2-18 Deaf, dumb, (and) blind, so they return not:a
صُمُّۢ بُكۡمٌ عُمۡىٌ۬ فَهُمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ (١٨)
2-18a صُمُّ is the plural of اَصَمٌّ and means deaf. بُكۡم is the plural of اَبْکم and means dumb. عُمۡىٌ۬ is the plural of اَعْمیٰ and means blind. The terms are used in a metaphorical sense. They neither listen to the call of truth nor do they speak it, nor do they see the signs of truth. Their extreme enmity has deprived them of the ability to hear or see the truth, or they are the leaders of the hypocrites and those mentioned in the earlier verse are their followers or those who are with the enemies merely because of their cowardice and weakness.
2-19 Or like abundant rain from the cloud in which is darkness, and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder-peal, for fear of death. And Allah encompasses the disbelievers.
أَوۡ كَصَيِّبٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَـٰتٌ۬ وَرَعۡدٌ۬ وَبَرۡقٌ۬ يَجۡعَلُونَ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمۡ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِہِم مِّنَ ٱلصَّوَٲعِقِ حَذَرَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۚ وَٱللَّهُ مُحِيطُۢ بِٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ (١٩)
2-19a صَيِّبٍ۬ is derived from صوب. صَواب meaning that affair which is intrinsically likable. And صَوْب or صیّب means rain when it comes down in a way that is beneficial, and a cloud that bears such rain is also called صیّب (R).
ٱلسَّمَآءِ – سماء is the upper part of anything (R) and so the word is also used for loftiness. سماء is also spoken of rain before it reaches the earth, and سماء also means سحاب i.e. clouds as in السماء السحاب (LA)
ٱلصَّوَٲعِقِ is the plural of صاعقة which is derived from صعق and صاعقة is that frightening sound that is created by thunder. It also sometimes refers to death or punishment, but Imam Raghib maintains that these things are among its effects. So, its real meaning is a frightening noise, and the word has been used in the Quran for the frightening sound that accompanies an earthquake or a storm.
The example of rain: In this allegory, صیّب or the blessed rain refers to divine revelation, and the darkness refers to the difficulties attendant upon accepting the revelation. Thunder refers to certain frightening events, as for example, the military attacks that frighten the weak of heart. By lightening is meant those successes that light up the horizon. The reference here is to the second class of hypocrites who have not completely lost their inner light, but who have some weaknesses. When confronted with difficulties, they panic; when they see the enemy about to attack, they think that this is the end. In another place in the Quran, it is stated: يَحۡسَبُونَ كُلَّ صَيۡحَةٍ عَلَيۡہِمۡۚ (They think every cry to be against them) (63:4). The statement that Allah encompasses the disbelievers, is meant to manifest that the disbelievers would not be able to do any harm to the Muslims.
2-20 The lightning almost takes away their sight. Whenever it shines on them, they walk in it, and when it becomes dark to them, they stand still. And if Allah had pleased, He would have taken away their hearing and their sight. Surely Allah is Possessor of power over all things.a
يَكَادُ ٱلۡبَرۡقُ يَخۡطَفُ أَبۡصَـٰرَهُمۡۖ كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوۡاْ فِيهِ وَإِذَآ أَظۡلَمَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ قَامُواْۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمۡعِهِمۡ وَأَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬ (٢٠)
2-20a لَو – It is sometimes used as a conditional conjunction. Here too, it is used in the sense of if.
شَآءَ – According to some, مشیٔت and شَآءَ are the same, but others hold that مشیٔت is the term used for creating something and Allah’s مشیٔت is a created thing and human مشیٔت is: اصابة الشی i.e. synonymous with intention. It is in accordance with this meaning that it is correct to say: ما شاء ﷲ کان (What Allah intends, happens). So, Allah’s مشیٔت requires the existence of a thing (R).
شیءٌ – According to some, شیءٌ is that thing which is known and about which information is imparted (RM) and شیءٌ is actually the infinitive mood of شَآءَ which is the object i.e. the thing that is desired.
قَدِيرٌ is from قدرة and when it is the attribute of a human it means a state of affairs in which a person has the power to do a thing. When it is an attribute of Allah, it is a negation of any kind of helplessness. Besides Allah the phrase absolute power cannot be said of any other. For humans, it can only be said that a person has power over a particular affair. The meaning of قدیر is الفاعل لمایشاء علی قدر ما تقتضی الحکمة لا زاءدا علیه و لا ناقصا عنه (He does what he desires in the precise measure that wisdom demands – neither more than that nor less than that) (R).
In the last verse, it was stated that the disbelievers will not be able to harm Islam a whit and that Islam will be successful. Here it is stated that it will be a dazzling success.
Weak-hearted hypocrites: The condition of the weak hearted hypocrites is that when they see success, they take a few steps forward but when they perceive difficulties, they stop. Historical evidence substantiates this condition of the hypocrites. When they perceived success, they would manifest unity with Muslims, but when they saw difficulties, they started badmouthing Islam. However, their internal light was not completely extinguished as was the case with the hypocrites in the first example. So, in the end they were able to find their way to the right path.
Distinction between the perfect Divine attributes and the imperfect human attributes: It should be remembered that all the attributes of Allah are also to be found in his creation. However, the created can never partner with Allah in the perfection of His attributes because perfect partnership results in polytheism. The created have the attributes in imperfect form while the Creator’s attributes are perfect. For example, both humans and Allah have the attribute of hearing and seeing but there is no comparison between the hearing and seeing of God and that of the humans.
The will of God predominates over the will of humans: Humans have power, but it is insignificant before the power of Allah. Humans have desires but Allah’s intentions predominate human intentions. Human attributes function in a narrow and restricted sphere but Allah’s attributes have no boundaries or constraints. This is a principle that is very helpful in understanding the attributes of Allah. Just as we are subordinate to the power of Allah so are we subordinate to His will. If we were not subordinate to the will of Allah, our will would be perfect and such an association is akin to polytheism.
Proof of Oneness and objection to absolute power and its rebuttal: Allah has power over everything. The Arya Samaj countered this concept by raising two objections. First, is it possible then for Him to make another similar God with absolute powers? And second, can He banish anyone from His kingdom? These actions are contrary to His perfect attributes, and hence He does not do them. The question of power only arises over things that are not against His attributes. By way of explanation, if it is said that a certain person is so rich that he can eat what he wants and he can dress himself as he wants, then it would be foolish to question whether he can eat filth or dress in rags. In addition, by using the word شئ the Quran indicates that His power is over things that He desires i.e. things that are not against the dictates of His attributes. It is obvious that the existence of another all-powerful god or the presence of another kingdom outside His kingdom is against the demands of His attributes and hence the application of شئ does not arise. An even more important thing is that many centuries ago when there was not even a hint of these objections, the linguists described the meaning of قدیر as the doer of a thing that He wishes and in a measure that precisely fits the dictates of wisdom. Hence, the lexicon itself is sufficient to render judgment on these objections.
Bayan-ul-Quran 