His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "And when a surah is revealed, among them are those who say, 'Which of you has had his faith increased by this?' As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, and they rejoice." "And as for those in whose hearts is a disease, it has increased them in wickedness to their wickedness, and they died while they were disbelievers." "Do they not see that they are tried every year once or twice, yet they do not repent, nor do they remember?" This verse was revealed concerning the hypocrites. The pronoun in His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "Among them" refers back to the hypocrites. His saying, blessed and exalted is He: "Which of you has had his faith increased by this?" It is possible that it is directed to hypocrites like them, and it is possible that it is directed to a group of their relatives among the believers who lean towards them, trust in their concealment of them, and hope for their return to hypocrisy. The meaning of "Which of you has had his faith increased by this?" is to belittle and diminish the status of the surah, as if to say: 'What is strange about this?' or 'What is the proof?' Then, exalted and majestic is He, began the response to them and the ruling that dismantles their disguise. He informed that the believers had their faith increased, and that they rejoice in its words and meanings by the mercy of Allah and His pleasure. The increase in faith is a matter of confusion for people and lengthy discussion. To summarize the saying about it, the faith which is the essence of belief does not accept increase or decrease in itself. Rather, the increase occurs in the one who believes in it. When a surah is revealed from Allah, blessed and exalted is He, a specific belief occurs for the believers in it that did not exist before. Their belief in what the surah contains of news, commands, and prohibitions is an addition to what they had before. This is one aspect of the increase in faith. Another aspect is that the surah may contain evidence or a reminder for him, so the believer may have known Allah through several pieces of evidence. When the surah is revealed, it increases his evidence. This is also another aspect of the increase, and all of it is outside of the essence of belief. If it is complete, there remains no place for increase in it. Another aspect of the increase is that a person may face a slight doubt or a disturbing suspicion, and when the surah is revealed, that suspicion is lifted and he is relieved from it. This is also an increase in faith, as his belief rises from the level of opposing that suspicion to being free from it. As for the saying of those who call acts of obedience faith - and this is a metaphor among the people of the Sunnah - the increase will be arranged by the surah, as it contains commands, prohibitions, and rulings. This is the ruling of one who learns knowledge regarding the meaning of the increase and decrease of faith until the Day of Resurrection. For the learning of a person in knowledge is like the descent of a surah of the Qur'an.

And "Those in whose hearts is a disease" refers to the hypocrites. This is a comparison. The sound belief and the open heart with faith resembles the healthy state, while the corrupt belief resembles the sick state. Thus, in this expression, there is a clear metaphor because disease and health are specific to the limbs. Therefore, in beliefs, it is a metaphor. The filth in this verse is an expression of their state, which encompasses the meaning of filth in the language. This is because filth in the language comes with the meaning of dirt and also with the meaning of punishment. The state of these hypocrites is filth, and it is an immediate punishment that is capable of leading to a later punishment. The increase of filth upon filth is their blindness in disbelief and their confusion in misguidance. Allah punishes them for their disbelief and turning away by sealing their hearts and sealing them with fire. When they disbelieved in a surah, their disbelief increased, and that is an increase of filth upon their filth.

And His saying, "Do they not see that they are being tested?" The majority read: "Do they not see" with the 'ya' meaning: do the hypocrites not see? Hamzah read: "Do you not see" with the 'ta' meaning: do you not see, O believers? This is a reminder for the believers. Ibn Mas'ud, Ubayy ibn Ka'b, and Al-A'mash read: "Do you not see" meaning: you, O Muhammad. It was also narrated from Al-A'mash: "Did you not see?" Abu Hatim mentioned from him: "Did they not see?" Mujahid said: "Being tested" means: being tested by drought and hunger. Al-Naqqash narrated from him that he said: a sickness or two sicknesses. Al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Hasan and Qatadah said: it means: they are tested by the command of jihad. What appears from what is before the verse and what is after it is that the trial and test are in revealing Allah, glorified and exalted is He, their secrets and exposing their beliefs. This is the test upon which the proof is established by witnessing it and abandoning repentance. As for jihad or hunger, nothing is expected with them as we have mentioned. Thus, the meaning of the verse is: do these people not take heed, those whose secrets are exposed every year once or twice according to each one, and they know that this is from Allah, so they repent and remember Allah's promise and warning? As for the test in sickness, it is among the believers. Al-Hasan used to recite:

"Is there a sickness every year, then a recovery? So until when, until when, and to when?"

And a group said: the meaning is: they are tested by what the polytheists spread against the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, of lies. So those in whose hearts is a disease are tested in that. Al-Tabari narrated this saying from Hudhayfah, and it is strange in meaning.