The hypocrites imagine that by concealing their disbelief beneath a veil of apparent faith they are outwitting Allah and the believers. But Allah is Al-Khabir, the All-Aware, and no deception reaches Him. The profound irony draws out is that in attempting to deceive Allah — who cannot be deceived — the hypocrites succeed only in deceiving themselves: they destroy their own capacity for genuine faith while believing themselves clever. This self-deception is the real spiritual catastrophe, far graver than any worldly consequence, for it seals the heart against the light of guidance.

— Reflection, TathirQuran reflection — pending scholarly review