1. When the hypocrites come to you they say with their tongues what is not in their hearts: ‘We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah.’ Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are certainly liars – and that they conceal the opposite of what they say.

2. They have made their oaths into a cloak to protect their property and lives and barred the Way of Allah to prevent people from doing jihad against them. What they have done is truly evil.

3. That evil-doing is because they have believed with their tongues and then returned to unbelief in their hearts, by persisting in their rejection of him. So their hearts have been sealed up with unbelief and they cannot understand faith.

4. When you see them, their beautiful outward form appeals to you, and if they speak you listen to what they say because of their eloquent speech. But they are like propped-up planks of wood (read as khushub and khushb) against a wall in their lack of understanding. They imagine every cry to be against them – like a call in the military camp or announcement of a lost camel. Their hearts are filled with terror because they think that it will be revealed that to shed their blood is lawful. They are the enemy, so beware of them – because they may divulge your secrets to the enemy. Allah fight them! “May Allah destroy them!” How they are perverted! How can they turn away from faith after the proof has been established?

5. When they are told, ‘Come and apologise, and the Messenger of Allah will ask forgiveness for you,’ they turn (read as lawwaw and lawaw) their heads in aversion to that and you see them turn away in haughty arrogance.

6. In their case it makes no difference whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them. Allah will never forgive them. Allah does not guide deviant people

7. They are the people who say to their Companions among the Ansar: ‘Do not spend on those Muhajirun who are with the Messenger of Allah, so that they may go away and leave him.’ The treasuries of the heavens and earth belong to Allah – and so He is the One who provides for the Muhajirun and for everyone else. But the hypocrites do not understand this.

8. They say, ‘If we return to Madina after the expedition to the Banu’l-Mustaliq the mightier – meaning they themselves – will drive out the inferior – meaning the believers.’ But all might (victory) belongs to Allah and to His Messenger and the believers, though the hypocrites do not know this.

9. You who believe, do not let your wealth or children divert you from the remembrance of Allah – meaning in particular the five prayers. Whoever does that is lost.

10. Give from what We have provided for you – and pay the zakat on it – before death comes to one of you and he says, ‘My Lord, if only you would give me a little more time so that I can give sadaqa – and pay zakat – and be one of the righteous and perform hajj!’ Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “No one falls short in respect of zakat and the hajj but that he will ask to go back when he dies.”

11. Allah will not give anyone more time, once their time has come. Allah is aware of what you do (read as ta‘lamuna and ya‘lamuna, “what they do”).