And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say, "Should we believe as the foolish have believed?" Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not.
Sahih International
Grammar, phrase by phrase
وَإِذَا
(And when)
وَإِذَاword 1
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word like 'and' that ties one part of speech to another. The prefix وَ here is that joiner, 'and', linking this new statement to what came before. L4 · R4
Time Adverb · ظرف زمانA time adverb is a naming word that pins a sentence to the moment its action happens. إِذَا means 'when', and it fixes what follows to the time it occurs: 'and when it is said to them…'. L16 · R7
قِيلَ لَهُمْ
(…it is said to them,)
Root قول — to say, speak, tell · 1,722 times in the Quran
قِيلَword 2
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. قِيلَ names an action — saying — from the root قول, to say or speak. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes an action already completed, with no prefix on its front. قِيلَ carries no such prefix, so it names a completed saying: 'it was said'. L8 · R1
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb has a و or ي among its root letters, and those weak letters love to melt into a long vowel. From the root قول, the middle و has softened into the long 'ī' sound of قِيلَ, hiding that root letter. L24 · R1
Passive Voice · المبني للمجهولA passive voice verb hides who did the action by reshaping its inner vowels: the doer is dropped and only the deed remains. In this hollow verb the reshaped vowels melt into a long 'ī', so قِيلَ opens with a kasrah ـِ — a small stroke below its first letter — giving 'it is said' without naming who said it. L11 · R4
لَهُمْword 3
Preposition · حرف جرA preposition is a little word like 'to' or 'for' that relates one thing to another and pulls the noun right after it into the genitive — the ending for a noun after a preposition, usually shown by a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix لَ here means 'to/for', and the 'they' attached to it sits in that genitive role. L4 · R1
Detached Pronoun · ضمير منفصلA pronoun is a mini-word standing in for a name, here هُمْ 'them'. Glued after the preposition لَ, it names those the words are addressed to: 'to them'. L3 · R7
The hypocrites are told to believe just as the believers believe — in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Resurrection — and to obey Allah and His Messenger.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:13
ءَامِنُوا۟
(…"Believe)
Root امن — to believe, faith, security, trust · 879 times in the Quran
ءَامِنُوا۟word 4
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. ءَامِنُوا۟ names an action — to believe — from the root امن, to have faith and trust. L1 · R7
Imperative Verb · فعل أمرAn imperative verb is a command telling 'you' to do something. ءَامِنُوا۟ is such a command spoken to a group of men, 'Believe!' — the ending وا۟ points the order at 'you all'. L10 · R1
Hamzated Verb · فعل مهموزA hamzated verb has a hamza (ء) as one of its root letters, and that hamza can shift its written seat. Built from the root امن, ءَامِنُوا۟ opens with that hamza, keeping this root among the hamzated kind. L24 · R11
Form IV Verb · أَفْعَلَA Form IV verb adds a hamza to the front of the three root letters, often meaning one causes the action to happen. ءَامِنُوا۟, from the root امن, carries that added hamza at its front, giving the command 'come to believe'. L12 · R5
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending وا۟ on ءَامِنُوا۟ is such a suffix, standing for 'you all' — those commanded to believe. L3 · R6
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, so it stands in the nominative — the doer's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending وا۟ on ءَامِنُوا۟ is that doer, 'you all'; on this attached pronoun the shape is fixed, so no ḍammah appears, but the role it fills is the nominative one. L9 · R4
كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلنَّاسُ
(…as the people have believed,")
Root امن — to believe, faith, security, trust · 879 times in the Quran
Root نوس — men, people · 241 times in the Quran
كَمَآword 5
Preposition · حرف جرA preposition is a little word like 'as' or 'like' that relates one thing to another. The prefix كَ here means 'like/as', drawing the believing of these people alongside the believing being commanded. L4 · R2
Maṣdar Particle · حرف مصدريA maṣdar particle turns the verb after it into an action-idea, so 'as they believed' reads like 'as their believing'. مَآ here does that work after كَ: 'as the believing of the people'. L20 · R15
ءَامَنَword 6
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. ءَامَنَ names an action — believing — from the root امن, to have faith and trust. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes an action already completed, its plain base form carrying no prefix. ءَامَنَ has no such prefix, naming a completed believing: 'has believed'. L8 · R1
Hamzated Verb · فعل مهموزA hamzated verb has a hamza (ء) among its root letters. Built from the root امن, ءَامَنَ opens with that hamza, keeping it among the hamzated kind. L24 · R11
Form IV Verb · أَفْعَلَA Form IV verb adds a hamza to the front of the three root letters, often meaning one causes the action to happen — the way سَلِمَ 'was safe' becomes أَسْلَمَ 'submitted'. ءَامَنَ, from the root امن, carries that added hamza at its front: 'believed'. L12 · R5
ٱلنَّاسُword 7
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ٱل ('the') fixed to the front of a noun to mark one specific, known group. Here it marks نَّاسُ as 'the people', the known believers. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word that accepts the prefix ٱل ('the') is a noun — a naming word. This word carries that prefix and names a group, 'the people'. L1 · R1
Masculine Noun · اسم مذكرArabic treats every naming word as grammatically 'he' or 'she'. This word carries no feminine marker such as a ة at its end, so it falls to the default and is treated as 'he': a masculine noun. L2 · R3
Plural Noun · جمعA plural noun refers to three or more. ٱلنَّاسُ names not one person but the whole body of people, a group beyond counting two. L2 · R6
Nominative · مرفوعThe nominative is the ending a naming word takes when it is the one doing the action, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl above the last letter. ٱلنَّاسُ ends in that ḍammah ـُ, marking 'the people' as the doers of the believing. L2 · R10
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, and it stands in the nominative — the doer's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ above the last letter. ٱلنَّاسُ carries that ḍammah ـُ and is the one doing the believing: 'the people have believed'. L9 · R2
The fools they mean are the Companions of the Messenger of Allah; the hypocrites hold themselves and the believers to be of the same status, following the same path, while they take the believers to be fools.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:13
So far: “And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed,"”
قَالُوٓا۟
(…they say,)
Root قول — to say, speak, tell · 1,722 times in the Quran
قَالُوٓا۟word 8
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. قَالُوٓا۟ names an action — saying — from the root قول, to say or speak. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes a completed action, marking who did it by an ending added to the base. The ending وٓا۟ on قَالُوٓا۟ marks 'they' as the ones who spoke: 'they said'. L8 · R2
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb has a و or ي among its root letters, which love to turn into a long 'ā'. From the root قول, the middle و has become the long 'ā' of قَالُوٓا۟, hiding that root letter. L24 · R1
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending وٓا۟ on قَالُوٓا۟ is such a suffix, standing for 'they' — the speakers. L3 · R6
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, so it stands in the nominative — the doer's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending وٓا۟ on قَالُوٓا۟ is that doer, 'they'; on this attached pronoun the shape is fixed, so no ḍammah appears, but the role it fills is the nominative one. L9 · R4
أَنُؤْمِنُ
(…"Should we believe)
Root امن — to believe, faith, security, trust · 879 times in the Quran
أَنُؤْمِنُword 9
Interrogative Particle · حرف استفهامAn interrogative particle turns a statement into a question, the way English adds 'Should…?'. The prefix أَ on أَنُؤْمِنُ throws the following words into a question: 'Should we believe?'. L17 · R1
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. نُؤْمِنُ names an action — believing — from the root امن, to have faith and trust. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb describes ongoing or coming action and always opens with one of the four prefixes أ ن ي ت. نُؤْمِنُ opens with نُ, marking 'we': 'we believe'. L8 · R3
Hamzated Verb · فعل مهموزA hamzated verb has a hamza (ء) among its root letters. Built from the root امن, نُؤْمِنُ carries that hamza written as ؤ in its middle, keeping it among the hamzated kind. L24 · R11
Form IV Verb · أَفْعَلَA Form IV verb shows itself in the present tense by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl — on the prefix letter. The نُ of نُؤْمِنُ carries that ḍammah, marking it as Form IV; the ؤ in its middle is the root's own hamza, not an added one: 'should we believe?'. L12 · R7
كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ ۗ
(…as the foolish have believed?")
Root امن — to believe, faith, security, trust · 879 times in the Quran
Root سفه — to be unwise, stupid, foolish · 11 times in the Quran
كَمَآword 10
Preposition · حرف جرA preposition is a little word like 'as' or 'like' relating one thing to another. The prefix كَ here means 'like/as', setting the believing of the foolish beside the believing they are being urged toward. L4 · R2
Maṣdar Particle · حرف مصدريA maṣdar particle turns the verb after it into an action-idea, so 'as they believed' reads like 'as their believing'. مَآ does that work after كَ: 'as the believing of the foolish'. L20 · R15
ءَامَنَword 11
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. ءَامَنَ names an action — believing — from the root امن, to have faith and trust. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes a completed action, its plain base form carrying no prefix. ءَامَنَ has no such prefix, naming a completed believing: 'has believed'. L8 · R1
Hamzated Verb · فعل مهموزA hamzated verb has a hamza (ء) among its root letters. Built from the root امن, ءَامَنَ opens with that hamza, keeping it among the hamzated kind. L24 · R11
Form IV Verb · أَفْعَلَA Form IV verb adds a hamza to the front of the three root letters, often meaning one causes the action to happen — the way سَلِمَ 'was safe' becomes أَسْلَمَ 'submitted'. ءَامَنَ, from the root امن, carries that added hamza at its front: 'believed'. L12 · R5
ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ ۗword 12
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ٱل ('the') fixed to the front of a noun to mark a specific, known group. Here it marks سُّفَهَآءُ as 'the foolish', the group the hypocrites scorn. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word that accepts the prefix ٱل ('the') is a noun — a naming word. This word carries that prefix and names a group, 'the foolish', from the root سفه, to be foolish. L1 · R1
Masculine Noun · اسم مذكرArabic treats every naming word as grammatically 'he' or 'she'. This word carries no feminine marker such as a ة at its end, so it falls to the default and is treated as 'he': a masculine noun. L2 · R3
Plural Noun · جمعA plural noun refers to three or more. ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ names many foolish ones, its inner shape reshaped from the singular into this 'broken' plural rather than by a simple ending. L2 · R6
Nominative · مرفوعThe nominative is the ending a naming word takes when it is the one doing the action, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl above the last letter. ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ ends in that ḍammah ـُ, marking 'the foolish' as the doers of the believing named here. L2 · R10
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, and it stands in the nominative — the doer's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ above the last letter. ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ carries that ḍammah ـُ and is the one doing the believing: 'as the foolish have believed'. L9 · R2
'The fool' is the ignorant, simple-minded person with little knowledge of what benefits or harms; by scorning the believers as fools, the hypocrites reveal that it is they themselves who lack that knowledge.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:13
So far: “And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say, "Should we believe as the foolish have believed?"”
أَلَآ
(…Unquestionably,)
أَلَآword 13
Attention Particle (أَلَا) · حرف تنبيهAn attention particle opens a sentence purely to seize the listener's notice before an important statement. أَلَآ throws the door open before the truth about the hypocrites is stated: it is they who are the foolish. L20 · R19
إِنَّهُمْ
(…it is they)
إِنَّهُمْword 14
Accusative Particle (إنّ) · حرف مشبه بالفعلإِنَّ means 'indeed' and carries the doubling shaddah ـّ — a small w-shaped mark that doubles its ن. It pushes its own topic into the accusative — the ending usually shown by a fathah ـَ, a small slanted stroke above the last letter — while the comment about that topic stays in the nominative, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. Here its topic is the attached هُمْ 'they', taken as its accusative subject; a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no fathah appears, but the role it fills is the accusative one: 'indeed they…'. L15 · R3
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of another word. The ending هُمْ on إِنَّهُمْ is such a suffix, standing for 'they' — the topic that إِنَّ takes as its subject. L3 · R6
هُمُ
(…who)
هُمُword 15
Detached Pronoun · ضمير منفصلA detached pronoun is a standalone word for 'they', 'you', 'I', and the like. هُمُ is the standalone word 'they', placed between 'indeed they' and 'the foolish' to fasten the two together. L3 · R2
Subject (Mubtada') · مبتدأThe subject is a naming word a sentence talks about — its topic — and it stands in the nominative, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. هُمُ 'they' stands as this topic; a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears, but the role it fills is the nominative one, and what follows, 'the foolish', is what is said about them. L6 · R2
ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ
(…are the foolish,)
Root سفه — to be unwise, stupid, foolish · 11 times in the Quran
ٱلسُّفَهَآءُword 16
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ٱل ('the') fixed to the front of a noun to mark a specific, known group. Here it marks سُّفَهَآءُ as 'the foolish', the known ones now named. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word that accepts the prefix ٱل ('the') is a noun — a naming word. This word carries that prefix and names a group, 'the foolish', from the root سفه, to be foolish. L1 · R1
Masculine Noun · اسم مذكرArabic treats every naming word as grammatically 'he' or 'she'. This word carries no feminine marker such as a ة at its end, so it falls to the default and is treated as 'he': a masculine noun. L2 · R3
Plural Noun · جمعA plural noun refers to three or more. ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ names many foolish ones, its inner shape reshaped from the singular into this 'broken' plural rather than by a simple ending. L2 · R6
Nominative · مرفوعThe nominative is the ending a naming word takes when it completes what is said about the topic, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl above the last letter. ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ ends in that ḍammah ـُ in its own right, as the comment about 'they': they are the foolish. L2 · R10
Predicate (Khabar) · خبرThe predicate is the part that tells you something about the topic, and it stands in the nominative, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The topic was هُمُ 'they'; ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ, carrying that ḍammah ـُ, is what is said about them — the foolish. L6 · R3
Allah affirms that it is the hypocrites who are truly the fools, since they are unaware of their own deviation and ignorance — a state more dangerous and further from the truth than that of one who knows.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:13
So far: “And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say, "Should we believe as the foolish have believed?" Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish,”
وَلَـٰكِن
(…but)
وَلَـٰكِنword 17
Supplementary Particle · حرف زائدA supplementary particle is an extra word added for weight, whose removal would not change the core meaning. The prefix وَ here rides along with 'but', adding to the flow without altering the sense. L14 · R4
Retraction Particle (بَلْ / لَٰكِن) · حرف إضراب واستدراكA retraction particle like لَٰكِن 'but' adjusts or qualifies what was just said, steering the sentence in a new direction. Here لَٰكِن turns from stating that they are the foolish to noting what they fail to grasp: 'but they know it not'. L20 · R18
لَّا يَعْلَمُونَ
(…they know [it] not.)
Root علم — to know, knowledge · 854 times in the Quran
لَّاword 18
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. لَّا is such a helper word here. L1 · R8
Negation Particle · حرف نفيA negation particle is a word meaning 'not'. لَّا negates the present-tense verb after it: 'they do not know'. L4 · R5
يَعْلَمُونَword 19
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. يَعْلَمُونَ names an action — knowing — from the root علم, to know. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb describes ongoing action and opens with one of the four prefixes أ ن ي ت. يَعْلَمُونَ opens with يَ; with لَّا before it, it means 'they do not know'. L8 · R3
The Five Verbs · الأفعال الخمسةThe Five Verbs are the five present shapes ending in نَ, one being يَفْعَلُونَ 'they do'. يَعْلَمُونَ has that ونَ ending marking 'they', and its kept نَ shows it stands in its plain mood after the simple negation لَّا. L10 · R10
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of another word. The ونَ ending on يَعْلَمُونَ is such a suffix, standing for 'they' — the ones who do not know. L3 · R6
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, so it stands in the nominative — the doer's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ونَ ending on يَعْلَمُونَ is that doer, 'they'; on this attached pronoun the shape is fixed, so no ḍammah appears, but the role it fills is the nominative one — they are the ones who do not know. L9 · R4
Because the hypocrites are so thoroughly ignorant, they are unaware of their own degree of deviation — a more dangerous and severer blindness than that of one who is aware.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:13
So far: “And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say, "Should we believe as the foolish have believed?" Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not.”