101 Page Notes

04 Surah An-Nisa (continued)

Page 101 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

4:141

4:142

4:143

4:144

4:145

4:146

4:147

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 101 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 101 of the Quran marks a powerful transition in Surah An-Nisa, spanning verses 141 through 147. This specific page serves as a deep physiological and behavioral diagnostic of the hypocrites (Munafiqin), contrasting their deceitful patterns with the path of sincere repentance, gratitude, and true faith.

The Prophetic Sunnah directly illuminates the traits described on this page, providing real-world warnings and solutions that the Prophet ﷺ taught his companions.

1. Laziness in Prayer and Showing Off (Verse 142)

"Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing off [to] the people and not remembering Allah except a little." (4:142)

This verse isolates the core spiritual disease of the hypocrite: treating acts of worship as theatrical displays for social status rather than sincere devotion.

• Hadith on the "Prayer of the Hypocrite":
  The Prophet ﷺ explicitly identified a pattern of delaying prayer out of laziness and rushing through it without mindfulness as a hallmark of hypocrisy.

"That is the prayer of the hypocrite; he sits watching the sun until it is between the horns of Satan, then he stands and repeats it four times, remembering Allah in it only a little." (Sahih Muslim 622).

• Hadith on Congregational Prayer Weight:
  Because hypocrites prayed only to "show off" to the public, they naturally avoided the prayers where darkness made it easy to hide their absence—namely, the night ('Isha) and dawn (Fajr) prayers. The Prophet ﷺ noted:

"No prayer is more burdensome to the hypocrites than the Fajr (dawn) prayer and the 'Isha (night) prayer; and if they knew their reward, they would come to them even if they had to crawl." (Sahih al-Bukhari 657).

2. Fluctuating and Wavering Intentions (Verse 143)

"Wavering between them, [belonging] neither to these [i.e., the believers] nor to those... " (4:143)

This builds directly on the previous page's warning about split loyalties. The hypocrite lives in a state of chronic psychological limbo, constantly shifting according to whoever holds power.

• Hadith on General Signs of Hypocrisy:
  The inner wavering of a hypocrite inevitably bleeds into their interpersonal interactions. In a foundational Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ outlined the practical manifestations of this unstable internal moral compass:

"The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie; whenever he promises, he breaks his promise; and if he is trusted, he proves treacherous." (Sahih al-Bukhari 33; Sahih Muslim 59).

3. The Lowest Depths of the Fire (Verse 145)

"Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire - and never will you find for them a helper." (4:145)

Islamic theology treats internal deception as a more severe transgression than open disbelief, as it actively erodes and sabotages a community from within. Consequently, the spiritual punishment is described as the absolute lowest tier (Al-Dark al-Asfal) of Hell.

• Hadith on Double-Faced Deceit:
  The Prophet ﷺ heavily condemned navigating different social circles with conflicting loyalties, mapping precisely to their ultimate cosmic punishment:

"You will find that the worst among the people on the Day of Resurrection is the two-faced person, who comes to this group with one face and to that group with another face." (Sahih al-Bukhari 7179; Sahih Muslim 2526).

4. The Path of Repentance and Sincere Gratitude (Verses 146–147)

"Except for those who repent, correct themselves, hold fast to Allah, and are sincere in their religion for Allah, for those will be with the believers..." (4:146)

"What would Allah do with [i.e., gain from] your punishment if you are grateful and believe? And ever is Allah Appreciative and Knowing." (4:147)

Page 101 closes with an immediate, compassionate lifeline. God does not desire to punish; punishment is merely the natural cosmic consequence of toxic arrogance and deceit. If a person shifts their internal state to gratitude (Shukr) and sincerity (Ikhlas), the threat of punishment vanishes entirely.

• Hadith on the Cleansing Power of Repentance:
  To ensure no one felt their hypocrisy had permanently doomed them to the "lowest depths," the Sunnah emphasizes that the door to turning back remains open until death.

"The one who repents from sin is like one who has no sin." (Sunan Ibn Majah 4250; graded Hasan by Al-Albani).

• Hadith on Sincerity Over Ritualism:
  The Prophet ﷺ taught that Allah judges the internal purity of actions, directly validating the transition requested in verse 146 from shallow performance to absolute sincerity:

"Indeed, Allah does not look at your appearance or your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and your actions." (Sahih Muslim 2564).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari.

• Al-Naysaburi, M. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim.

• Ibn Majah, M. (n.d.). Sunan Ibn Majah.

• Al-Albani, N. (Ed.). Sahih al-Jami' al-Saghir.