Period of Revelation
Ibn Marduyah has cited Ibn Abbas (may Allah bless them both) as saying that this Sura is Makki
and the same also is the view of Ata and Jabir. But Abu Hayyan in Al-Bahr al-Muhit has cited Ibn Abbas
Qatadah and Dahhak as saying that this Sura was revealed at Madinah. In our opinion there is an internal piece of evidence in the Sura itself which points to its being a Madani Revelation. It holds out a threat of destruction to those praying ones who are unmindful of their Prayers and who pray only to be seen. This kind of hypocrites were found only at Madinah
for it was there that Islam and the Muslims gained such strength that Islam and the Muslims gained such strength that many people were compelled to believe from expedience
had to visit the Mosque
join the congregational Prayer and prayed only to be seen of others
so as to be counted among Muslims. Contrary to this is
at Makkah concditions were altogether different. No one had to pray to be seen. There it was difficult even for the believers to pray in congregation; they prayed secretly and if a person prayed openly he did so only at the risk of his life. This kind of hypocrites found in Makkah did not comprise those who believed and Prayed to be seen but those who in their hearts had know
and acknowledged the Holy Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace) to be on the true path
but were avoiding to accept Islam in order to maintain their Position of leadership and authority
or were not prepared to take the risk of being afflicted with the kind of hardships with which they found the believers afflicted in the society around them. This condition of the hypocrites at Makkah has been described in vv. 10-11 of Sura Al- Ankabut.
Theme and Subject Matter
Its theme is to point out what kind of morals a man develops when he refuses to believe in the Hereafter. Invv 2-3 the condition of the disbelievers who openly belie the Hereafter has been described
and in the last four verses the state of those hypocrites who apparently are Muslims but have no idea of the Hereafter
its judgement
and the meting out of rewards and punishiments accordingly has been described. On the whole
tie object of depicting the attitude and conduct of two kinds of people is to impress the point that man cannot develop a strong
stable and pure character in himself unless he believes in the Hereafter