Surah Al-Baqarah 2:9
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ · Medinan · Verse 9 of 286
يُخَٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
Translation
They seek to deceive God and the believers but they only deceive themselves, though they do not realize it.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'They think to deceive God and those who believe, but they deceive none but themselves, and they perceive it not.' al-Saadi and Ibn Kathir note the futility and the self-blindness, one cannot deceive the All-Seeing, so the only person actually fooled is the deceiver himself, and he doesn't even realise it. Ask yourself: the deepest deception is self-deception, and its mark is that I cannot see it ('they perceive it not'). When I put on a face for God and others, performing a piety or sincerity I don't have, I imagine I'm managing their perception, when really I'm only corroding my own soul and fooling no one who matters. The audience I most successfully deceive is me. Where might I be running a performance I've started to believe myself, and is the very confidence that I'm 'fine' a sign of exactly the blindness this verse names?
Grounded in classical tafsir: al-Saadi, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Ashur.
Wording
The Hypocrites' Deception
In this poignant verse, Allah Almighty reveals the inner workings of the hypocrites, a group who outwardly proclaim faith but inwardly conceal disbelief. Here, Allah is the speaker, directly addressing the futile attempts of these hypocrites to deceive Him and the believers, and exposing the true impact of their actions.
The verse begins with the word يُخَادِعُونَ (yukhādi'ūn), a term from the root meaning 'to deceive' or 'to trick'. The Arabic grammatical form used here, *mufā'alah*, often suggests a mutual action or an attempt at one. But how can anyone truly deceive Allah, who knows all secrets and intentions? As Ibn Ashur explains, deception involves presenting something outwardly to convey benefit while secretly intending harm. The hypocrites would display faith to gain worldly advantages, while hiding their true disbelief.
Scholars offer several profound insights into "deceiving Allah." One understanding, as al-Razi points out, is that their deception was primarily aimed at Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the believers. Because it concerned Allah's religion, it is ascribed to Allah Himself, magnifying the gravity of their act. Another view, mentioned by al-Zamakhshari, is that the description of "deceiving Allah" is a metaphor. Their outward actions, like feigning belief, *resembled* the actions of someone trying to deceive. Simultaneously, Allah's forbearance with them, allowing them to live among Muslims, is likewise described as a form of "deception" in the sense of a divine counter-plan, as seen elsewhere in the Quran where Allah "outsmarts" the schemers. This serves as a powerful warning: one cannot outwit the All-Knowing.
A Self-Inflicted Harm
The verse then delivers a stark truth: وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ (wa mā yakhda'ūna illā anfusa-hum), "But they deceive none but themselves." The harm of their elaborate schemes doesn't reach Allah or the true believers. Instead, the harm circles back to them. Their deception is not just futile; it's self-destructive. It brings them no lasting benefit and ultimately exposes them to punishment in this world and the Hereafter. Ibn Ashur elucidates that their deception is confined to themselves; no part of it reaches Allah or the believers. Their cunning is turned upon their own souls. This statement is often read with يَخْدَعُونَ (yakhda'ūn), the simple form of 'to deceive', which emphasizes that it is a one-sided action whose consequences inevitably rebound on them.
A Profound Unawareness
Finally, Allah says: وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ (wa mā yash'urūn), "And they do not perceive." This isn't a mere lack of knowledge; *shu'ūr* implies a deeper, more subtle perception, often associated with things not immediately obvious. Ibn Ashur clarifies that it describes a profound lack of discernment. The hypocrites are so caught in their delusion and heedlessness that they don't even *sense* or *realize* that the consequences of their actions are impacting only themselves. Al-Zamakhshari emphasizes that this harm is so clear and "sensible" that their failure to grasp it shows an extreme degree of heedlessness, as if they lack the very senses to perceive the obvious. This spiritual blindness is a devastating outcome of their hypocrisy, preventing them from seeing the clear, detrimental reality of their own actions.
Sources: Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:9 is discussed in 13 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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