Tafsir Al-Jalalayn: Al-Baqara, Ayah 14
Common Words
Other Scholars on This Ayah
Tafsir
(And when they), i.e. the hypocrites, (fall in with those who believe), i.e. Abu Bakr and his companions, (they say: We believe) deep in our hearts and are genuine in our faith just as you believe deep in your hearts and are genuine in your faith; (but when they go apart to their devils), to their soothsayers and leaders who were five in number, namely, Ka'b Ibn al-Ashraf in Medina, Abu Burdah al-Aslami in Banu Aslam, Ibn al-Sawda' in Historic Syria (al-Sham), 'Abd al-Dar in Juhaynah and 'Awf Ibn 'Amir in Banu 'Amir, (they declare) to their leaders: (Lo! We are with you) we follow your religion in secret; (surely we did but mock) Muhammad (pbuh) and his Companions.
Related Hadiths
Some people said to Ibn `Umar, "When we enter upon our ruler(s) we say in their praise what is contrary to what we say when we leave them." Ibn `Umar said, "We used to consider this as hypocrisy."
“We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and we spoke of Paradise and Hell until it was as if we could see them. Then I got up and went to my family and children, and I laughed and played (with them)....
Al-Jalalayn Commentary
When they meet laqū is actually laquyū but the damma has been omitted being too cumbersome for pronunciation; likewise the yā’ is omitted because it is unvocalised and is followed by a wāw; those who believe they say ‘We believe’; but when they go apart away from them and return to their devils their leaders they say ‘We are with you in religion; we were only mocking them the believers by feigning belief.