Do You Expect Them to Believe? The Question That Explains Religious Hypocrisy
Do You Expect Them to Believe? The Question That Explains Religious Hypocrisy
Quran 2:75 warns against trusting hardened hearts—faith demands sincerity, truthfulness, and learning from history’s repeated betrayals.
The Arabic Text
أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
Transliteration
Afa taṭmaʿūna an yuʾminū lakum wa-qad kāna farīqun minhum yasmaʿūna kalāma Llāhi thumma yuḥarrifūnahu min baʿdi mā ʿaqalūhu wa-hum yaʿlamūn
Simple English Translation
"Do you (believers) expect them to believe for you, while a party of them used to hear the word of Allah and then distort it after they had understood it, while they knew (what they were doing)?"
Full Explanation in Easy English
This verse shifts the focus back to the time of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), addressing the early Muslims who hoped for the acceptance of faith by the Jewish tribes of Medina. It reveals a deep, historical pattern of deliberate corruption of divine scripture, explaining why hope for their sincere belief may be misplaced.
1. The Past: The Sin of Deliberate Distortion
Direct Address to the Believers: Allah is speaking to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and the early Muslims, asking them a rhetorical question: "Do you expect them to believe for you?"
The Historical Precedent: The reason given is that a group (fariq) from among the previous People of the Book—specifically Jewish scholars—committed a grave sin:
They heard the word of Allah: They directly received and studied the revelation (the Torah) given to Prophet Musa (Moses).
They understood it clearly with their intellect ('aqalūhu).
They knowingly distorted it (yuḥarrifūnahu) after understanding.
The Nature of Tahrif (Distortion): This could mean:
Altering the text physically (changing words).
Altering the meaning through false interpretation.
Concealing parts of the scripture, such as prophecies about the coming of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
This was not a mistake; it was a conscious, deliberate act done despite their knowledge.
In the past, this established a pattern of intellectual and spiritual dishonesty among some of the bearers of previous revelation, explaining their potential resistance to the final truth.
2. The Present: Modern Forms of Tahrif (Distortion)
For us today, this verse is a profound warning for any community entrusted with divine text—especially Muslims with the Quran:
Distortion of Meaning (Tahrif al-Ma'nawi): This is the primary modern risk. Examples include:
Interpreting clear Quranic rulings to fit modern secular values, saying "that was for then, not now."
Explaining away the commandments on hijab, inheritance, or hudud punishments by claiming they don't mean what their clear Arabic words state.
Using cherry-picked, out-of-context verses to promote violent extremism or, conversely, to justify complete religious passivity.
The "While They Knew" Factor: This is about intellectual dishonesty. Scholars or influential voices who know the authentic texts and their classical interpretations but publicly promote distorted views for popularity, political gain, or to avoid controversy are echoing this ancient sin.
A Warning Against Complacency: The verse tells the early Muslims not to have unrealistic expectations about certain people's acceptance of faith. Today, it reminds Muslims that not everyone who claims to follow a scripture does so with honesty. Our duty is to convey the message clearly, not to be disillusioned when some distort it.
Today, this verse asks every Muslim, especially students of knowledge: Are you handling the Quran and Hadith with integrity? Are you presenting them truthfully, even when the truth is difficult, or are you subtly "distorting" the message to make it more palatable to your audience or your own desires?
3. The Future: The Record of Distortion and Divine Accountability
The act of distortion has severe future consequences:
A Record of Betrayal: On the Day of Judgment, those who knowingly distorted Allah's words will be held accountable for their betrayal of the divine trust (amanah). They misled themselves and others.
The Protection of the Quran: Unlike previous scriptures, Allah has promised to personally protect the Quran from textual corruption (15:9). However, the protection is from tahrif al-lafzi (textual alteration). The verse warns us that the danger now is tahrif al-ma'nawi (distortion of meaning), for which we will be held responsible.
The Criterion for Acceptance: The rhetorical question ("Do you expect them to believe?") implies that true belief requires a heart that submits to truth, not one that manipulates it. On Judgment Day, belief will be weighed by its sincerity and its adherence to the message as it was revealed, not as it was twisted.
For the future, this verse teaches that our safety lies in adhering to the Quran and Sunnah with scholarly integrity and sincere submission. It warns that deliberately distorting the message we were chosen to preserve is a direct path to divine displeasure and a grievous sin whose consequences extend into eternity.
Summary for a Contemporary Audience
Imagine a trusted lawyer is given the original copy of a will. They read it, understand it perfectly, but then deliberately change a clause before presenting it to the family, to benefit someone they prefer. They betray the deceased's intent and the law.
Your takeaway: You have been entrusted with the "will" of Allah—the Quran. The greatest betrayal is to hear it, understand it, and then knowingly distort its meaning to suit your biases, your culture, or your fear of people. This verse warns Muslims not to fall into the same pattern of intellectual dishonesty that afflicted some before us. Our duty is to uphold the message in its pure form, convey it with clarity, and trust Allah with the results. Handle the Quran with the fear of the One whose word it is, for He is not unaware of how we treat His speech.