"Fooling Others, Losing Yourself"

They Try to Fool Allah – A Powerful Message from the Qur’an (Surah Al-Baqarah: 9)

The Verse:

يُخَـٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ ٩

"They (think to) deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive only themselves—and they don’t even realize it."

(Qur’an 2:9)

🌟 Introduction

This verse is part of a powerful group of ayahs in the second chapter of the Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah. It talks about the behavior of hypocrites—people who say they believe in Islam but don’t truly believe in their hearts.

This verse shows us how dangerous hypocrisy is—not just for others, but for the person doing it. Let’s explore this verse in simple words, and learn the deep wisdom behind it.

🕵️ “They try to deceive Allah and those who believe…”

This part of the verse tells us that some people pretend to be believers. They act like they are faithful. They say good words, join in with the Muslims, and perform Islamic actions—but they’re only faking it. In their hearts, they do not believe.

They think they’re smart. They think they’re tricking Allah and the true believers. But this is where the verse becomes powerful.

You can fool people. You might even fool close friends or family. But you can never fool Allah.

Allah knows everything—even the thoughts we keep hidden in our hearts. So, trying to deceive Allah is not just wrong—it’s foolish.

🧠 “But they deceive only themselves…”

This is the part that really hits hard. The verse tells us that these people are not fooling Allah, and they’re not really fooling the believers—they’re only fooling themselves.

But how?

They live a lie. They act like believers, but they don’t get the reward of faith. In their mind, they feel safe and smart. They think they’ve got the best of both worlds. But in reality, they are just hurting their own souls.

Their hearts become darker. Their connection to truth fades. They lose peace, honesty, and purpose. Day by day, they trap themselves in a life full of lies.

🤯 “...And they don’t even realize it.”

This part is chilling. Not only are they fooling themselves, but they are completely unaware. They don’t feel it. They don’t see it.

This is the most dangerous place to be—when someone’s heart is so lost, they don’t even know they are lost.

Allah is showing us that hypocrisy is not just an outside problem. It slowly damages a person’s inside—until they can’t feel the damage anymore. They walk around thinking they’re fine, but inside, their soul is dying.

🔍 Real Life Example

Imagine someone wearing a mask every day. They pretend to be someone else—just to fit in. At first, it feels clever. But over time, they forget who they really are. They lose their identity. And worst of all, they start to believe the mask is their true face.

This is what happens with hypocrisy.

💡 What Can We Learn From This?

This verse is not just about people from the past. It speaks to us today.

1. Be honest with Allah

No one is perfect. But we must be honest in our belief. Even if we struggle with prayer, faith, or bad habits, we should never lie to ourselves or Allah. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

2. Check your intentions

Why do we pray? Why do we fast or read Qur’an? Is it for Allah, or to impress people? Sincerity is what makes our actions count.

3. Don’t live a double life

Trying to be something you're not might work for a while, but in the end, it hurts you the most. Be real. Be true. Don’t wear a fake face in front of others and a different one in private.

4. Ask Allah for a pure heart

We all need Allah’s help to stay sincere. Make dua often:

“O Allah, make my heart firm in Your religion. Keep me away from hypocrisy. Help me to be real in faith.”

🛡️ Final Thoughts

Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 9 is a wake-up call. It reminds us that we can’t hide our real selves from Allah. Pretending doesn’t work with the One who sees our hearts. The only person we end up fooling is ourselves—and even that doesn’t last.

So let’s choose honesty, sincerity, and real faith. Even if our journey is slow, let it be true.

May Allah protect us from hypocrisy, and keep our hearts clean and full of light. Ameen.