Surah An Nur ayat 53 Tafsir Quran 24:53

﴿۞ وَأَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ لَئِنْ أَمَرْتَهُمْ لَيَخْرُجُنَّ ۖ قُل لَّا تُقْسِمُوا ۖ طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوفَةٌ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ﴾
[ النور: 53]

24:53 And they swear by Allah their strongest oaths that if you ordered them, they would go forth [in Allah 's cause]. Say, "Do not swear. [Such] obedience is known. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with that which you do."

And they swear by God solemn oaths that if you order them to participate in the struggle they will surely go forth. Say to them ‘Do not swear! Acknowledged obedience to the Prophet is better than the oaths to which you are not true. Surely God is Aware of what you do’ when you say you will obey but act otherwise.

And they -the hypocrites- make a solemn declaration with an appeal to Allah that should you O Muhammad command them to join forces even though it be at the cost of quitting their homes and forsaking their families, they shall obey. Say to them: You may spare your oaths, the nature of your obedience declares itself in your actions which together with your words do not accord; Allah is Alimun indeed of all that you do

قُل لاَّ تُقْسِمُواْ ( Say: "Swear you not..." ) meaning, do not swear this oath. طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوفَةٌ ( obedience is known. ) It was said that the meaning is, your obedience is known, i.e., it is known that your obedience is merely verbal and is not accompanied by action.
Every time you swear an oath you lie.
This is like the Ayah: يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ لِتَرْضَوْاْ عَنْهُمْ ( They swear to you that you may be pleased with them... ) 9:96 And Allah says: اتَّخَذْواْ أَيْمَـنَهُمْ جُنَّةً ( They have made their oaths a screen (for their evil actions ).) 58:16 It is part of their nature to tell lies, even in the issues they choose, as Allah says: أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ نَـفَقُواْ يَقُولُونَ لإِخْوَانِهِمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ لَئِنْ أُخْرِجْتُمْ لَنَخْرُجَنَّ مَعَكُمْ وَلاَ نُطِيعُ فيكُمْ أَحَداً أَبَداً وَإِن قُوتِلْتُمْ لَنَنصُرَنَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ - لَئِنْ أُخْرِجُواْ لاَ يَخْرُجُونَ مَعَهُمْ وَلَئِن قُوتِلُواْ لاَ يَنصُرُونَهُمْ وَلَئِن نَّصَرُوهُمْ لَيُوَلُّنَّ الاٌّدْبَـرَ ثُمَّ لاَ يُنصَرُونَ ( Have you not observed the hypocrites who say to their friends among the people of the Scripture who disbelieve: "If you are expelled, we indeed will go out with you, and we shall never obey any one against you; and if you are attacked, we shall indeed help you." But Allah is Witness that they verily are liars.
Surely, if they are expelled, never will they go out with them; and if they are attacked, they will never help them.
And if they do help them, they will turn their backs, and they will not be victorious. ) 59:11-12 Then Allah says: قُلْ أَطِيعُواْ اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ ( Say: "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger... ) meaning, follow the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger . فَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ ( but if you turn away, ) if you ignore what he has brought to you, فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ ( he is only responsible for the duty placed on him ), conveying the Message and fulfilling the trust. وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَّا حُمِّلْتُمْ ( and you for that placed on you. ) accepting that, and venerating it and doing as it commanded. وَإِن تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُواْ ( If you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance. ) because he calls to the straight path, صِرَطِ اللَّهِ الَّذِى لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( The path of Allah to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth.
.. ) 42:53 وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلاَّ الْبَلَـغُ الْمُبِينُ ( The Messenger's duty is only to convey in a clear way. ) This is like the Ayat: فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَـغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ ( your duty is only to convey and on Us is the reckoning. ) 13:40 فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ - لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُسَيْطِرٍ ( So remind them -- you are only one who reminds.
You are not a dictator over them. ) 88:21-22

(24:53) They (the hypocrites) solemnly swear by Allah and say, "If you order us, we will leave our homes." Say to them, "Do not swear oaths for your `obedience' is well known; *81 Allah is fully aware of what you are doing. " *82

And they swear by Allah their strongest meaning

*81) The verse may also mean that the obedience expected of the believers is of recognised and well known type, which is above every kind of suspicion, and not such as may need swearing of oaths to convince others of its sincerity.
Their conduct is manifest and everybody who comes into contact with them feels that they are truly obedient to Allah and His Prophet.

*82)
That is, " You might succeed in deceiving the people, but you cannot deceive Allah, Who is aware of everything, open or hidden, even of your innermost motives and intentions. "
 

قُل لاَّ تُقْسِمُواْ ( Say: "Swear you not..." ) meaning, do not swear this oath. طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوفَةٌ ( obedience is known. ) It was said that the meaning is, your obedience is known, i.e., it is known that your obedience is merely verbal and is not accompanied by action.
Every time you swear an oath you lie.
This is like the Ayah: يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ لِتَرْضَوْاْ عَنْهُمْ ( They swear to you that you may be pleased with them... ) 9:96 And Allah says: اتَّخَذْواْ أَيْمَـنَهُمْ جُنَّةً ( They have made their oaths a screen (for their evil actions ).) 58:16 It is part of their nature to tell lies, even in the issues they choose, as Allah says: أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ نَـفَقُواْ يَقُولُونَ لإِخْوَانِهِمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ لَئِنْ أُخْرِجْتُمْ لَنَخْرُجَنَّ مَعَكُمْ وَلاَ نُطِيعُ فيكُمْ أَحَداً أَبَداً وَإِن قُوتِلْتُمْ لَنَنصُرَنَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ - لَئِنْ أُخْرِجُواْ لاَ يَخْرُجُونَ مَعَهُمْ وَلَئِن قُوتِلُواْ لاَ يَنصُرُونَهُمْ وَلَئِن نَّصَرُوهُمْ لَيُوَلُّنَّ الاٌّدْبَـرَ ثُمَّ لاَ يُنصَرُونَ ( Have you not observed the hypocrites who say to their friends among the people of the Scripture who disbelieve: "If you are expelled, we indeed will go out with you, and we shall never obey any one against you; and if you are attacked, we shall indeed help you." But Allah is Witness that they verily are liars.
Surely, if they are expelled, never will they go out with them; and if they are attacked, they will never help them.
And if they do help them, they will turn their backs, and they will not be victorious. ) 59:11-12 Then Allah says: قُلْ أَطِيعُواْ اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ ( Say: "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger... ) meaning, follow the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger . فَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ ( but if you turn away, ) if you ignore what he has brought to you, فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ ( he is only responsible for the duty placed on him ), conveying the Message and fulfilling the trust. وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَّا حُمِّلْتُمْ ( and you for that placed on you. ) accepting that, and venerating it and doing as it commanded. وَإِن تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُواْ ( If you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance. ) because he calls to the straight path, صِرَطِ اللَّهِ الَّذِى لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( The path of Allah to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth.
.. ) 42:53 وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلاَّ الْبَلَـغُ الْمُبِينُ ( The Messenger's duty is only to convey in a clear way. ) This is like the Ayat: فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَـغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ ( your duty is only to convey and on Us is the reckoning. ) 13:40 فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ - لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُسَيْطِرٍ ( So remind them -- you are only one who reminds.
You are not a dictator over them. ) 88:21-22

( They swear by Allah solemnly ) ’Uthman swore solemnly by Allah ( that, if thou order them, they will go forth ) he will give up all his wealth. ( Say ) to them, O Muhammad: ( Swear not; known obedience (is better )) if you do so it is a known obedience, but you should obey Allah in relation to that which you have been commanded. ( Lo! Allah is Informed of what ye do ) of good or evil.

They swear by Allah their strongest oaths, that if only you would order them, they would leave (their homes for fighting in Allah's Cause). Say: "Swear you not; (this) obedience (of yours) is known (to be false). Verily, Allah knows well what you do."

Page 356 English transliteration