Surah Hud: Verse 5 - ألا إنهم يثنون صدورهم ليستخفوا... - English

The sixth verse carries a refutation of what the hypocrites and the disbelievers do. They try to camouflage their hostility, and their antagonistic activism against the Holy Prophet ﷺ as deftly as they could. Their hearts blaze with malice and enmity but they maintain a cool front, find all sorts of covers to hide their true identity and intention and surmise that no one would find out who they were really and what they were doing actually. But, the truth of the matter is that Allah Ta` ala knows it all, that which they let come out in the open and that which they conceal behind all sorts of clothes, covers and curtains: إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ‌ because, ` He is All Aware of [ even ] what lies in the hearts.'

Allah is Aware of All Things

Ibn `Abbas said, "They used to dislike facing the sky with their private parts, particularly during sexual relations. Therefore, Allah revealed this verse." Al-Bukhari recorded by way of Ibn Jurayj, who reported from Muhammad bin `Abbad bin Ja`far who said, "Ibn `Abbas recited, (أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ تَثْنَونِي صُدُورُهُمْ) "Behold their breasts did fold up." So I said: `O Abu Al-`Abbas! What does -their breasts did fold up- mean' He said, `The man used to have sex with his woman, but he would be shy, or he used to have answering the call of nature (in an open space) but, he would be shy. Therefore, this verse,

(No doubt! They did fold up their breasts,) was revealed."' In another wording of this narration, Ibn `Abbas said, "There were people who used to be shy to remove their clothes while answering the call of nature in an open space and thus be naked exposed to the sky. They were also ashamed of having sexual relations with their women due to fear of being exposed towards the sky. Thus, this was revealed concerning them." Al-Bukhari reported that Ibn `Abbas said that

(they cover themselves) means that they cover their heads.