#9: Al-Baqarah (2:8-10)
Hypocrisy and how It Seals the Heart from Guidance and Leads to Ruin
Today, we’ll be exploring Surah Al-Baqarah, verses 8 to 10—continuing from where we left off last time with verse 7. If you remember, we reflected on how Allah seals the hearts, hearing, and vision of those who deliberately reject the truth. This wasn’t just about disbelief—it was a conscious decision to turn away, repeatedly, until their ability to respond to truth was completely shut down.
We saw how scholars like Zamakhshari, Alusi, and Raghib Al-Isfahani explained that the sealing isn’t literal—it’s a metaphor for how spiritual faculties become blocked over time. Alusi called it a divine punishment—their hearts were once capable of guidance, but arrogance led them to slam the door shut. The deeper they sank into denial, the harder it became for them to receive truth, and eventually, Allah allowed them to remain in that state.
Then, we took it further by connecting this spiritual concept to what modern neuroscience reveals about deception and cognitive dissonance. Just like a heart sealed by arrogance, a brain engaged in chronic lying rewires itself. The first lie might feel uncomfortable, but with repetition, the emotional discomfort fades. Over time, lying becomes second nature—the brain stops reacting, just like a sealed heart no longer responds to divine guidance.
Now, as we move into verses 8 to 10, things take a turn. We shift from those who openly reject the truth to those who pretend to believe while hiding disbelief in their hearts. These are the hypocrites—the ones who present themselves as believers but are, in reality, working against faith.
This is where things get dangerous—because hypocrisy isn’t just about personal failure. It’s like a virus that spreads within a community, creating confusion and eroding trust from the inside. If disbelief is a visible enemy, hypocrisy is the enemy within—the kind that’s harder to detect and even harder to root out.
Allah describes these hypocrites as having a disease in their hearts, and because of their deceit, Allah increases their sickness. It’s the same pattern we see in both spiritual and scientific realms—the deeper one goes into deception, the more destructive it becomes. Just like how lying reshapes the brain and erodes moral sensitivity, hypocrisy corrodes the soul and drags the individual—and society—further from the truth.
The transition from verse 7 to verses 8-10 is significant. It shows that spiritual decline doesn’t always announce itself through outright rejection—it can wear the mask of belief, hiding behind words of faith while working to dismantle truth from within. And that’s why hypocrisy is even worse than disbelief—it looks righteous, but it destroys silently.
Next, we’ll dive into the linguistic breakdown of these verses, uncovering the layers of meaning within every word. After that, we’ll explore what the four scholars—Zamakhshari, Alusi, Raghib Al-Isfahani, and Tabari—have to say. And finally, I’ll share some reflections on how these verses relate to our world today—drawing parallels between cognitive dissonance, societal hypocrisy, and the collapse of trust.
So, let’s get started—first with the linguistic breakdown of these verses. Ready? Bismillah.
Linguistic Breakdown of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:8-10)
Now, let’s dive into the linguistic layers of verses 8-10 to get a deeper understanding of what is being conveyed. Each word in the Qur’an holds immense depth, and breaking them down reveals subtle nuances. Below are the verses along with a word-by-word breakdown.
Word-by-Word Breakdown and Meaning
Verse 8: وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَمَا هُمْ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ (wa min an-nāsi)
وَ (wa): "And" or "from among."
مِنَ (min): "From" or "among."
النَّاسِ (an-nāsi): "The people" or "mankind."
This phrase introduces the subject: some people are being identified—those whose outward behavior contrasts with their inward reality.
مَنْ يَقُولُ (man yaqūlu)
مَنْ (man): "Who" or "whoever."
يَقُولُ (yaqūlu): "Says" or "claims."
These are individuals who claim belief with their tongues, but their hearts betray their words.
آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ (āmannā billāhi)
آمَنَّا (āmannā): "We have believed."
بِاللَّهِ (billāhi): "In Allah."
This is their verbal confession of faith—claiming to believe in Allah.
وَبِالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ (wa bil-yawm al-ākhir)
وَ (wa): "And."
بِالْيَوْمِ (bil-yawm): "In the day."
الآخِرِ (al-ākhir): "The Last" or "the Hereafter."
They also claim belief in the Day of Judgment, a core element of faith.
وَمَا هُمْ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ (wa mā hum bi-mu’minīn)
وَمَا (wa mā): "But not" or "and they are not."
هُمْ (hum): "They."
بِمُؤْمِنِينَ (bi-mu’minīn): "Believers."
This reveals the truth behind their hypocrisy—they are not believers, despite their outward statements.
Verse 9: يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ (yukhādiʿūna Allāha)
يُخَادِعُونَ (yukhādiʿūna): "They seek to deceive."
اللَّهَ (Allāha): "Allah."
This word implies deception. They think they can deceive not just people, but Allah Himself.
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا (wa alladhīna āmanū)
وَ (wa): "And."
الَّذِينَ (alladhīna): "Those who."
آمَنُوا (āmanū): "Believe."
Their deception extends to believers, making them appear as part of the community while hiding disbelief within.
وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ (wa mā yakhdaʿūna illā anfusahum)
وَمَا (wa mā): "And not."
يَخْدَعُونَ (yakhdaʿūna): "They deceive."
إِلَّا (illā): "Except."
أَنفُسَهُمْ (anfusahum): "Themselves."
In reality, their deception harms only themselves. They are blinded by their lies, thinking they can manipulate truth without consequence.
وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ (wa mā yashʿurūn)
وَمَا (wa mā): "And they do not."
يَشْعُرُونَ (yashʿurūn): "Perceive" or "realize."
They fail to understand the gravity of their hypocrisy and the damage it causes.
Verse 10: فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ
فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ (fī qulūbihim maraḍun)
فِي (fī): "In."
قُلُوبِهِم (qulūbihim): "Their hearts."
مَّرَضٌ (maraḍun): "A disease."
This metaphor suggests spiritual sickness—their hearts are infected with doubt, deceit, and denial.
فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا (fa zādahumu Allāhu maraḍan)
فَ (fa): "So."
زَادَهُمُ (zādahumu): "Increased them."
اللَّهُ (Allāhu): "Allah."
مَرَضًا (maraḍan): "In disease."
As they persist in their hypocrisy, Allah increases their sickness, allowing them to sink deeper into their self-delusion.
وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (wa lahum ʿadhābun alīmun)
وَلَهُمْ (wa lahum): "And for them."
عَذَابٌ (ʿadhābun): "Punishment."
أَلِيمٌ (alīmun): "Painful."
They will face a painful punishment—both in this life and the Hereafter.
بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ (bimā kānū yakdhibūn)
بِمَا (bimā): "Because of what."
كَانُوا (kānū): "They used to."
يَكْذِبُونَ (yakdhibūn): "Lie."
Their punishment is directly linked to their lies—not just any falsehood but the kind of lying that leads to spiritual corruption.
Key Insights from the Linguistic Breakdown
I- Layers of Deception and Malice
The term يُخَادِعُونَ (yukhādiʿūn)—"they seek to deceive"—captures more than mere hypocrisy. It suggests that their goal isn’t just to maintain appearances; it’s to infiltrate and damage the message from within. There’s a deliberate malice here—a hatred so deeply seated that they refuse to see beyond their own prejudice. Even while pretending to accept the truth outwardly, their intent is to undermine it. They keep a mask of faith, not for sincerity, but as a weapon against the very belief they profess.
II- Disease of the Heart—A Self-Inflicted Tragedy
مَرَضٌ (maraḍ)—the "disease in their hearts"—isn’t just a random affliction. It reflects a progressive sickness, fed by their own lies and hostility. What started as rejection has evolved into a self-imposed blindness, growing deeper with every deceit. Allah allows their sickness to increase—not out of arbitrariness but because they continue down the same path, locking themselves in their own deception. Their hearts have become calloused, incapable of receiving truth.
III- A Mask for Destruction—The Enemy Within
This kind of duplicity is more dangerous than outright disbelief. Unlike clear opposition, which can be confronted directly, the hypocrite operates from within, posing as a friend while working as a saboteur. This is the enemy within, eroding the community's foundations by pretending to align with it.
Could this condition of hypocrisy and deception be compared to what happens in some modern systems? Consider how certain ideologies infiltrate movements or communities under the guise of support, only to derail or corrupt them from within. How often do we see individuals, organizations, or even leaders professing one belief outwardly, only to work against it in practice? Could this subtle form of betrayal—the disguised saboteur—be a reason why movements or communities often collapse from the inside, long before external enemies have a chance to destroy them?
In ancient Greece, Alcibiades, a brilliant but treacherous Athenian general, played both sides during the Peloponnesian War. Outwardly, he aligned with Athens, professing loyalty to the democracy. But when he was accused of sacrilege, he fled to Athens’ enemy, Sparta, offering them his strategic insight to help destroy his homeland. At first, Sparta welcomed him, believing he had abandoned Athens. But Alcibiades’ deceit ran too deep—while pretending to help the Spartans, he secretly sabotaged their efforts and seduced the king’s wife, setting in motion his own downfall. Soon, both Athens and Sparta turned against him. Exiled and hunted by both sides, Alcibiades was finally betrayed and killed—a tragic end for someone who thought he could play both sides without consequence.
This parallel shows how hypocrisy eventually catches up with the hypocrite—just as Alcibiades thought he could deceive both Athens and Sparta, the hypocrites in these verses end up deceiving only themselves. Their hatred and duplicity poison their own hearts, leading them to a ruinous fate.
Interpretations of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:8-10)
Now, let’s look at how these verses where interpreted by four of most famous scholars of Tafsir, Imam Alusi, Zamkhshari, Raghib Al-isfahani and Imam Tabari.
1. Zamakhshari’s Interpretation
الخداع في هذا الموضع معناه التلبيس، وهو إظهار خلاف ما في الباطن بنية الإضرار بالدين وأهله. ومرض القلب إشارة إلى الحسد والحقد والضغينة التي تملأ قلوبهم، ولا يتوقف عند حد، بل يزداد كلما ازدادوا خداعًا وكذبًا. وقولهم "آمنا بالله وباليوم الآخر" إنما هو زيف لتحقيق مأرب دنيوي، وهم يحسبون أن هذا يخدع الله ويخدع المؤمنين.
"Deception here means misleading others by showing the opposite of what is hidden within, with the intent to harm the faith and its followers. The 'disease of the heart' refers to envy, malice, and resentment, which fill their hearts and grow stronger with each act of deception and lie. Their statement, 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day,' is a mere falsehood to achieve worldly benefits, and they foolishly believe that this can deceive Allah and the believers."
2. Alusi’s Interpretation
المرض في قلوبهم ليس ابتداءً من الله، بل هو نتيجة اختيارهم للكذب والنفاق. فكلما كذبوا ونافقوا، زادهم الله في ذلك المرض، كعقاب على إصرارهم. الخداع الذي يمارسونه ليس خداعًا حقيقيًّا لله، لكنه يدل على جهلهم وغرورهم، إذ يظنون أن ظاهر القول كافٍ للتغطية على فساد الباطن.
"The disease in their hearts did not originate from Allah; rather, it is a result of their choice to lie and practice hypocrisy. Every time they lie or deceive, Allah increases them in that disease as a punishment for their persistence. The deception they attempt is not a real deception of Allah, but it reflects their ignorance and arrogance, as they believe that outward words are enough to cover the corruption within."
3. Raghib Al-Isfahani’s Interpretation
الخداع هو مظهر من مظاهر الكذب المتعمد، حيث يتظاهر المنافق بالإيمان لإخفاء كفره. المرض الذي في قلوبهم هو انحراف داخلي يجعلهم غير قادرين على تقبل الحق. وزيادة هذا المرض تدل على أن النفاق والرياء يزيدان الإنسان بعدًا عن الهداية، حتى يصبح أسيرًا لفساده.
"Deception is a form of deliberate falsehood, where the hypocrite pretends to believe to hide their disbelief. The disease in their hearts is an internal corruption that makes them incapable of accepting the truth. The increase in this disease shows that hypocrisy and pretense push a person further from guidance, until they become prisoners of their own corruption."
4. Tabari’s Interpretation (Arabic)
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَمَا هُمْ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ: هؤلاء هم الذين يظهرون الإيمان بألسنتهم، ويبطنون الكفر في قلوبهم، مخافةً من العقاب أو طمعًا في منفعة دنيوية. فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ: أي شكّ ونفاق، فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا: بتركهم واستدراجهم، ولهم عذاب أليم بكذبهم ونفاقهم.
"Among the people are those who say, 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day,' but they are not believers: These are those who display faith with their tongues while hiding disbelief in their hearts—out of fear of punishment or in pursuit of worldly gain. 'In their hearts is a disease' refers to doubt and hypocrisy, and 'Allah increased them in their disease' means He left them to it, allowing them to fall deeper into it. For them is a painful punishment for their lies and hypocrisy."
Hypocrisy Rooted in Envy – A Self-Inflicted Destruction
Khada (خَدَعَ) and the Hypocritical Heart: The Qur'an’s use of the term Khada reflects a deception carried out under the illusion of safety, where the deceiver assumes they are immune from repercussions. This form of deceit, seen in the verse, "يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:9), is profound. Al-Alusi explains this in Ruh al-Ma'ani by emphasizing the psychological state in which the hypocrites feign faith outwardly, while their inner disbelief festers—deceiving others while ultimately entrapping themselves.
In this context, Khada is not just trickery but a self-imposed delusion. According to Al-Munjid, deception here implies "إيهام الأمان لبلوغ الغاية"—the deceiver creates a sense of peace and trust in others to pursue personal goals. This aligns with modern studies in neuropsychology, which show that such behaviors can stem from malice, envy, and fear of exposure, all of which activate the brain's amygdala and other centers associated with threat perception and reward.
Comparative Terms of Betrayal and Deception: The Qur'an differentiates between various forms of deceit, each capturing distinct emotional and moral dimensions:
Khana (خَانَ): "نقض العهد وإفشاء السر" – Breach of trust. As in Surah Al-Anfal 8:58, where betrayal involves a conscious act of breaking promises.
Khazala (خَذَلَ): "تخلّي الصديق عند الحاجة" – Abandoning an ally in need.
Khatara (خَتَرَ): "استمرار الخداع بقصد إثارة الفوضى" – Persistent, chaotic deception. This resonates with the idea in Surah Al-Anbiya 21:22, where multiple deceptions would lead to universal disorder.
Each of these terms maps onto distinct psychological profiles, as highlighted by Raghib Al-Isfahani. Khana signifies broken relational trust, while Khazala reflects emotional abandonment, akin to betrayal trauma.
The Hidden Drivers of Hypocrisy: Malice, Envy, and Delusion: The root of hypocrisy lies in malice and envy, which manifest through actions like Khada. Neuroscientific studies suggest that envy activates regions like the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), responsible for processing social pain, and the ventral striatum, associated with reward-seeking behavior. Hypocrites deceive not just for gain but also to sabotage others out of envy, disguising their intent behind false righteousness.
In Ruh al-Ma’ani, Al-Alusi highlights how enmity becomes the prime driver of hypocritical behavior:
"هم يَخْدَعُونَ نَفْسَهم وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ" – "They deceive their own selves without realizing it." This mirrors how chronic deception rewires cognitive pathways, leading individuals to justify their hypocrisy to the point that they themselves believe in the facade.
Linking Spiritual and Psychological Insights: The Quranic depiction of Khada encapsulates a cycle of deceit and self-sabotage. Modern psychological frameworks, such as cognitive dissonance theory, align with this understanding, where holding conflicting beliefs (faith and disbelief) results in internal tension. Hypocrites, seeking to avoid this discomfort, immerse themselves in self-deceptive behaviors. However, neuroscience shows that chronic self-deception impairs emotional regulation and increases the risk of mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Research shows that chronic self-deception is not sustainable and creates long-term cognitive strain. Studies, such as those by Festinger (1957), suggest that individuals will attempt to reduce this discomfort by either changing their beliefs or rationalising their actions, often leading to greater internal conflicts. Persistent malice and enmity impact the brain in several measurable ways:
Amygdala Activation: Enmity activates the amygdala, which regulates emotions, particularly fear and anger. Chronic enmity keeps the amygdala in a heightened state, leading to long-term stress responses.
Prefrontal Cortex Dysregulation: The prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making and emotional regulation, becomes impaired through chronic deception. Over time, hypocrites find it increasingly difficult to align their internal states with external behaviours.
Case Study: A study by Eisenberger et al. (2003) found that social rejection and sustained negative emotions activate the same neural pathways as physical pain, demonstrating how chronic malice can become a form of emotional and cognitive suffering .
Malice-driven behaviors, such as deceit, alter neurochemical processes:
Increased Cortisol Levels: Persistent deceit and hostility increase cortisol, the stress hormone. High cortisol levels over prolonged periods impair hippocampal function, crucial for memory and emotional regulation.(Sapolsky, 2000).
Dopamine Dysregulation: Individuals driven by malicious intent may experience short-term dopamine surges when their deceit yields success. However, chronic reliance on deceit creates a cycle of addictive behavior, requiring ever-greater deceptions for the same emotional reward. (Volkow et al., 2011)
Research Findings: A study in Psychological Science (Garrett et al., 2016) found that repeated acts of lying desensitise the brain’s emotional response to dishonesty, reinforcing deceitful behavior over time .
The Arabic terms used in the Quran provide nuanced understandings of deceit. Khada involves the illusion of safety while deceiving others. Gharra (57:14) reflects being deluded by temporary gains. Khiana (8:58) involves betrayal of trust, and Khatara implies continuous, chaotic deception. These terms illustrate how deception manifests in different contexts—often as a strategy to maintain false security. Al-Raghib Al-Isfahani’s Commentary: He notes that deceit begins subtly, like a friend concealing malice (خَفِي), but gradually transforms into open betrayal (خَانَ) and chaos (خَتَرَ) . This progression mirrors psychological observations where small lies escalate into compulsive deceit, reflecting deeper emotional disorders.
In these verses, the Qur'an offers a timeless psychological truth: deception born out of malice ultimately consumes the deceiver. The nuances in words like Khada, Khana, Khazala, and Khatara reflect different facets of betrayal and deception, capturing the moral and emotional complexities inherent in human behavior. The Quranic message converges with neuroscience, showing that self-deception and hypocrisy are self-destructive, driving the individual further from truth and peace. This deep insight serves as both a warning and a call for introspection—to align our outer actions with our inner beliefs and seek sincerity in all matters. Is it not true that the diseases of the heart go beyond the physical, manifesting in ways that poison the soul? As Al-Alusi's Ruh al-Ma’ani and the insights of Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, and others among the early generations indicate, the "disease" (مَرَض) mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 10, carries both literal and metaphorical dimensions. On one level, it is described as the darkness of the heart—“وَمَن لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُورٍ” (And whomever Allah does not grant light, for him there is no light). This implies not just a spiritual ailment, but also a disconnect from guidance, rendering the heart incapable of absorbing divine light and truth.
The verse further emphasizes that the hypocrites' disease lies in their malice towards Islam’s triumph and the believers' unity. Their opposition arises not from simple disbelief but from a deep-seated grudge against what the Prophet ﷺ and his companions stood for. As they witness the Prophet ﷺ’s success and the believers' cohesion, this malice morphs into a consuming internal turmoil. Ibn Al-Qayyim likens this condition to an embittered soul that feeds on its own venom. This state aligns with psychological studies that show how sustained envy and hostility can have psychosomatic effects, aggravating physical ailments such as hypertension and heart disease.
This hidden grudge, explained by Al-Alusi, reveals that the hypocrites’ hearts are riddled with metaphorical toxins—fear, cowardice, and envy. Their deception (خَادَعُوا) is not merely an attempt to undermine the believers but also a self-deception, as the harm ultimately circles back to them. This aligns with cognitive-behavioral research showing that chronic deceit distorts emotional perception, leaving the deceiver trapped in an endless loop of distrust and fear, unable to escape the mental prison they have built.
Alusi captures this elegantly by saying that the disease is not limited to the physical heart—“ولو كانت قلوبهم مريضة لكانت أجسامهم كذلك” (If their hearts were truly diseased, their bodies would follow). This reflects the interconnectedness of mind and body, now supported by modern science. Prolonged emotional turmoil—especially linked to malice—alters the brain’s neurochemical balance. Increased amygdala activity in response to chronic hostility reduces the effectiveness of the prefrontal cortex, impairing emotional regulation and rational thought.
Alusi’s analysis finds support in neuroscience, where the concept of emotional contagion explains how unchecked hostility feeds back into one’s health, leading to anxiety and depression. The Prophet’s ﷺ statement, “There is a piece of flesh in the body that, if sound, the whole body is sound; and if corrupt, the whole body is corrupt—it is the heart,” perfectly encapsulates this interplay between mental and physical well-being.
Thus, the disease in their hearts becomes both the cause and consequence of their hypocrisy. They deceive, thinking they are safe within their malice, yet it is this very malice that consumes them from within. The Quran captures this with surgical precision—“فزادهم الله مرضًا” (So Allah increases them in disease). This is not merely a punishment; it is a natural consequence of their refusal to reform. Just as the brain rewires itself in response to repeated actions, their spiritual and emotional degradation deepens with every act of deceit, solidifying their hypocrisy.
In the end, hypocrisy isn’t merely an ethical lapse or a spiritual weakness—it transforms into a psychological affliction. The heart, consumed by envy, treachery, and malice, drags the soul toward self-destruction, much like an untreated wound that spreads infection throughout the body. The message here is profound: a heart devoid of sincerity and love becomes filled with poison—a poison that doesn’t remain contained but spreads outward, corroding relationships, communities, and societies. Even more devastating, it seals the heart from accepting the truth, dooming the individual to a life of misery in this world and an even worse fate in the Hereafter.
The Prophet ﷺ cautioned against envy, a core trait of the hypocrite’s heart, saying: "Beware of envy, for envy consumes good deeds just as fire consumes firewood." (Sunan Abu Dawud 4903). This internal state of rejecting what one knows to be true is best summarized by the Qur'an: "وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا" — "And they rejected them, while their [inner] selves were convinced thereof, out of injustice and arrogance." (Surah An-Naml 27:14).
وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ (And Allah knows best).