Quranic theme
Hostility
الشقاق
15 verses
The Arabic term for hostility, al-shiqaq, describes a condition where opposing parties actively inflict hardship upon one another, forming an entrenched resistance to the truth. As Ibn Jarir al-Tabari notes regarding its linguistic root (Tafsir al-Tabari jami al-bayan - ط دار التربية والتراث, 8/319), it derives from a phrase meaning each person brings upon their counterpart what is severe and difficult. In the Quranic text, this word maps the profound, active resistance of those who cut themselves off far from God (41:52). It is not portrayed as a mere difference of opinion, but as an aggressive posture where disbelievers remain steeped in arrogance (38:2).
How does hostility mask itself? Deep-seated opposition does not always announce itself with drawn weapons; it frequently hides behind pleasing worldly rhetoric and false piety. The text warns the Prophet of a specific kind of man whose views on worldly life may sound highly appealing, and who will even call upon God to witness the purity of his heart, while in reality, he is "the bitterest of opponents" (2:204). This enmity often takes an intellectual form, as those who actively pursue differences and disputes within the Scripture demonstrate that they are deeply entrenched in opposition (2:176). To confront this entrenched behavior, the Quran was made easy in the Prophet's own language specifically to deliver warnings to a "stubborn people" (19:97).
Who acts on this enmity? When hostility moves from the heart to the hands, it manifests in clear social and physical aggression. The Quran instructs believers not to fear confronting a people who broke their binding oaths, actively attempted to drive the Messenger out of his home, and initiated attacks against them first (9:13). In outlining communal relations, the text specifies that the believers will find the Jews and those who associate other deities with God to be the most hostile toward them (5:82). In direct contrast, it notes that the closest in affection are those who call themselves Christians, identifying their lack of arrogance and the presence of ascetics and people devoted to learning among them as the reasons for their warmth (5:82).
What corrupts the heart into opposition? The root of this bitter resistance lies in the human heart's vulnerability to Satanic influence. The text explains that Satan attempts to insinuate falsehoods into the wishes of every messenger and prophet, but God actively removes these insinuations to firmly establish His message (22:52). God allows these Satanic whispers to serve as a temptation exclusively for those who are "sick at heart" and those whose hearts have hardened, driving these evildoers to become profoundly opposed to the truth (22:53). When people turn their backs on belief, they lock themselves into this state of opposition, prompting the reassurance that God will protect the believers from them as the All Hearing, the All Knowing (2:137).
Opposing God and His Messenger carries the explicit promise of severe punishment (8:13). This worldly defiance ultimately collapses into public humiliation. In the end, on the Day of Resurrection, God will shame them, demanding, "Where are these 'partners' of Mine on whose account you opposed Me?" while those given knowledge will decree shame and misery upon the disbelievers (16:27).
Verses
All 15 verses, in mushaf order.
فَإِنْ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِمِثْلِ مَآ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ فَقَدِ ٱهْتَدَوا۟ ۖ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّمَا هُمْ فِى شِقَاقٍ ۖ فَسَيَكْفِيكَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
So if they believe like you do, they will be rightly guided. But if they turn their backs, then they will be entrenched in opposition. God will protect you from them: He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing. And say [believers],
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ نَزَّلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَفِى شِقَاقٍۭ بَعِيدٍ
This is because God has sent the Scripture with the Truth; those who pursue differences in the Scripture are deeply entrenched in opposition.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُۥ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَيُشْهِدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا فِى قَلْبِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ ٱلْخِصَامِ
There is [a kind of] man whose views on the life of this world may please you [Prophet], he even calls on God to witness what is in his heart, yet he is the bitterest of opponents.
۞ لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ ٱلنَّاسِ عَدَٰوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلْيَهُودَ وَٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۖ وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُم مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا نَصَـٰرَىٰ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
You [Prophet] are sure to find that the most hostile to the believers are the Jews and those who associate other deities with God; you are sure to find that the closest in affection towards the believers are those who say, ‘We are Christians,’ for there are among them people devoted to learning and ascetics. These people are not given to arrogance,
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ شَآقُّوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ ۚ وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ
That was because they opposed God and His Messenger, and if anyone opposes God and His Messenger, God punishes them severely-
أَلَا تُقَـٰتِلُونَ قَوْمًا نَّكَثُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَهُمْ وَهَمُّوا۟ بِإِخْرَاجِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَهُم بَدَءُوكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۚ أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ ۚ فَٱللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَوْهُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
How could you not fight a people who have broken their oaths, who tried to drive the Messenger out, who attacked you first? Do you fear them? It is God you should fear if you are true believers.
ثُمَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ يُخْزِيهِمْ وَيَقُولُ أَيْنَ شُرَكَآءِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تُشَـٰٓقُّونَ فِيهِمْ ۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ إِنَّ ٱلْخِزْىَ ٱلْيَوْمَ وَٱلسُّوٓءَ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
In the end, on the Day of Resurrection, He will shame them, saying, ‘Where are these “partners” of Mine on whose account you opposed [Me]?’ Those given knowledge will say, ‘Shame and misery on the disbelievers today!’
فَإِنَّمَا يَسَّرْنَـٰهُ بِلِسَانِكَ لِتُبَشِّرَ بِهِ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ وَتُنذِرَ بِهِۦ قَوْمًا لُّدًّا
We have made it easy, in your own language [Prophet], so that you may bring glad news to the righteous and warnings to a stubborn people.
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ وَلَا نَبِىٍّ إِلَّآ إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ فَيَنسَخُ ٱللَّهُ مَا يُلْقِى ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ ثُمَّ يُحْكِمُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:
لِّيَجْعَلَ مَا يُلْقِى ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ فِتْنَةً لِّلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَٱلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ لَفِى شِقَاقٍۭ بَعِيدٍ
He makes Satan’s insinuations a temptation only for the sick at heart and those whose hearts are hardened- the evildoers are profoundly opposed [to the Truth]-
بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فِى عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ
Yet the disbelievers are steeped in arrogance and hostility.
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ كَفَرْتُم بِهِۦ مَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ هُوَ فِى شِقَاقٍۭ بَعِيدٍ
Say [Prophet], ‘Have you ever thought, what if this revelation really is from God and you still reject it? Who could be more astray than someone who cuts himself off so far [from God]?’
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَشَآقُّوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ لَن يَضُرُّوا۟ ٱللَّهَ شَيْـًٔا وَسَيُحْبِطُ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ
Those who disbelieve, bar others from God’s path, and oppose the Messenger when they have been shown guidance, do not harm God in any way. He will make their deeds go to waste-
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ شَآقُّوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ ۖ وَمَن يُشَآقِّ ٱللَّهَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ
because they set themselves against God and His Messenger: God is stern in punishment towards anyone who sets himself against Him.
لَا يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمْ جَمِيعًا إِلَّا فِى قُرًى مُّحَصَّنَةٍ أَوْ مِن وَرَآءِ جُدُرٍۭ ۚ بَأْسُهُم بَيْنَهُمْ شَدِيدٌ ۚ تَحْسَبُهُمْ جَمِيعًا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ شَتَّىٰ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَعْقِلُونَ
Even united they would never fight you, except from within fortified strongholds or behind high walls. There is much hostility between them: you think they are united but their hearts are divided because they are people devoid of reason.