Then Allah issues a warning to the hypocrites, those who make an outward display of faith while concealing their disbelief,

﴿وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ﴾

(those in whose hearts is a disease,) `Ikrimah and others said that this refers to adulterers in this instance.

﴿وَالْمُرْجِفُونَ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ﴾

(and those who spread false news among the people in Al-Madinah) means, those who say that the enemy has come and war has started, which is a lie and a fabrication. Unless they give up these actions and return to the truth,

﴿لَنُغْرِيَنَّكَ بِهِمْ﴾

(We shall certainly let you overpower them,) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "We will give you power over them.'' Qatadah said: "We will incite you against them.'' As-Suddi said: "We will inform you about them.''

﴿ثُمَّ لاَ يُجَاوِرُونَكَ فِيهَآ﴾

(then they will not be able to stay in it) means, in Al-Madinah,

﴿إِلاَّ قَلِيلاًمَّلْعُونِينَ﴾

(but a little while. Accursed...) `this describes their state while they are in Al-Madinah for this short time before they are expelled and sent far away.'

﴿أَيْنَمَا ثُقِفُواْ أُخِذُواْ﴾

(they shall be seized wherever found,) means, `they will be attacked, because they are so weak and so few,'

﴿وَقُتِّلُواْ تَقْتِيلاً﴾

(and killed with a (terrible) slaughter.) Then Allah says:

﴿سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِى الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلُ﴾

(That was the way of Allah in the case of those who passed away of old,) meaning, this is how Allah dealt with the hypocrites when they persisted in hypocrisy and disbelief and did not give it up; He incited the believers against them and caused them to prevail over them.

﴿وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلاً﴾

(and you will not find any change in the way of Allah.) means, the way in which Allah deals with this does not alter or change.

﴿يَسْـَلُكَ النَّاسُ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّهِ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ تَكُونُ قَرِيباً - إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَنَ الْكَـفِرِينَ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ سَعِيراً - خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَداً لاَّ يَجِدُونَ وَلِيّاً وَلاَ نَصِيراً - يَوْمَ تُقَلَّبُ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِى النَّارِ يَقُولُونَ يلَيْتَنَآ أَطَعْنَا اللَّهَ وَأَطَعْنَا الرَّسُولاَ - وَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّآ أَطَعْنَا سَادَتَنَا وَكُبَرَآءَنَا فَأَضَلُّونَا السَّبِيلاْ - رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِهِمْ ضِعْفَيْنِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ وَالْعَنْهُمْ لَعْناً كَبِيراً ﴾

(63. People ask you concerning the Hour, say: "The knowledge of it is with Allah only. What do you know It may be that the Hour is near!'') (64. Verily, Allah has cursed the disbelievers, and has prepared for them a flaming Fire.) (65. Wherein they will abide forever, and they will find neither a a protector nor a helper.) (66. On the Day when their faces will be turned over in the Fire, they will say: "Oh, would that we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger.'') (67. And they will say: "Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled us from the way.'') (68. "Our Lord! Give them double torment and curse them with a mighty curse!'')