The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And if they had been entered upon from all sides, and then asked to commit fitnah, they would have done it, and they would not have delayed in it except a little.”
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Then Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Ahzab 33:14] to the end of it. It is derived from this noble verse that the hypocrites are the most fearful of people, due to His saying: [Al-Ahzab 33:14] because they have fear of those who entered from all sides.
It is also derived from the verse the nearness of the hypocrites to disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allah), due to His saying: they are hasty, they do not delay, and they do not say, “Let us look into the matter.”
Can it be derived from this verse that there is no ruling for coercion, and that if a person disbelieves under coercion, the ruling of a disbeliever applies to his disbelief, or not? Yes, I say: Can it be derived from the verse that there is no ruling for coercion, and that one who disbelieves under coercion is sinful? It cannot be derived. Why? Because these people were asked; they were not coerced. By the mere asking, they agreed. Therefore, there is no contradiction with the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Nahl: 106]. It does not contradict this verse.
Among the benefits of the noble verse is the clarification that the life of the hypocrite is a material life; he wants to live, whether he is a disbeliever or not. This is evident from the verse, because these people, as evident from the verse, if asked to commit fitnah, they would do it. Therefore, their faith is not true faith. Otherwise, the true believer, if asked to commit shirk, would not associate partners with Allah.
And if they had been entered upon from all its [surrounding] regions and fitnah had been demanded of them, they would have done it
وَلَوْ دُخِلَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَقْطَارِهَا ثُمَّ سُئِلُوا الْفِتْنَةَ لَآتَوْهَا ...And if they had been entered upon from all its [surrounding] regions and fitnah had been demanded of them, they would have done it
وَلَوْ دُخِلَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَقْطَارِهَا ثُمَّ سُئِلُوا الْفِتْنَةَ لَآتَوْهَاIt is also derived from the verse the nearness of the hypocrites to disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allah), due to His saying:
Asked... they would have done it
سُئِلُوا ... لَآتَوْهَاCan it be derived from this verse that there is no ruling for coercion, and that if a person disbelieves under coercion, the ruling of a disbeliever applies to his disbelief, or not? Yes, I say: Can it be derived from the verse that there is no ruling for coercion, and that one who disbelieves under coercion is sinful? It cannot be derived. Why? Because these people were asked; they were not coerced. By the mere asking, they agreed. Therefore, there is no contradiction with the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief... except for one who is forced
مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِيمَانِهِ إِلَّا مَنْ أُكْرِهَAmong the benefits of the noble verse is the clarification that the life of the hypocrite is a material life; he wants to live, whether he is a disbeliever or not. This is evident from the verse, because these people, as evident from the verse, if asked to commit fitnah, they would do it. Therefore, their faith is not true faith. Otherwise, the true believer, if asked to commit shirk, would not associate partners with Allah.