61. AS-SAFF (THE RANKS)

2/ O YOU who have attained to faith! Why do you say one thing and do another?¹
3/ Most loathsome is it in the sight of God that you say what you do not do!

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¹Lit., “Why do you say what you do not do?” In the first instance, this may be an allusion to such of the Prophet’s Companions as had retreated in disorder from their battle stations at Uhud (see sûrah 3, note 90) despite their previous assertions that they were ready to lay down their lives in the cause of God and His Apostle. In a wider sense, the passage is addressed to all those who claim that they are willing to live up to anything that the divine writ declares to be desirable, and then fall short of this determination.