At-Taubah 9:79
The verse
ٱلَّذِينَ يَلْمِزُونَ ٱلْمُطَّوِّعِينَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِى ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ إِلَّا جُهْدَهُمْ فَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنْهُمْ ۙ سَخِرَ ٱللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ٧٩
Those who point at such of the believers as give the alms willingly and such as can find naught to give but their endeavours, and deride them - Allah (Himself) derideth them. Theirs will be a painful doom. — Marmaduke Pickthall
The issue
The verse states that Allah ridicules those who ridicule Muslims. Is portraying Allah
as a cynic consistent with Allah’s transcendence? (Compare the comment on Q 3.54, where Allah is described as a deceiver).
Arabic text of this item
تقول الآية إن الله يسخر من الذين يسخرون من المسلمين. فهل تصوير الله بالساخر يتسق مع تنزيه الله؟ قارن مع التعليق على آل عمران، الآية 3: 54، حيث يوصف الله بالمكر.
Sources cited
Sources added in review (the original item cited none)
- al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ al-bayān, on Q 9:79 · link checked 2026-10-12