Quran Universe
9:64

يَحۡذَرُ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقُونَ أَن تُنَزَّلَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ سُورَةٞ تُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡۚ قُلِ ٱسۡتَهۡزِءُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡرِجٞ مَّا تَحۡذَرُونَ

Yahtharu almunafiqoona an tunazzala AAalayhim sooratun tunabbiohum bima fee quloobihim quli istahzioo inna Allaha mukhrijun ma tahtharoona

They hypocrites are apprehensive lest a surah be revealed about them, informing them of what is in their hearts. Say, "Mock [as you wish]; indeed, Allah will expose that which you fear."

Word by word
  1. يَحۡذَرُFear
  2. ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقُونَthe hypocrites
  3. أَنlest
  4. تُنَزَّلَbe revealed
  5. عَلَيۡهِمۡabout them
  6. سُورَةٞa Surah
  7. تُنَبِّئُهُمinforming them
  8. بِمَاof what
  9. فِي(is) in
  10. قُلُوبِهِمۡۚtheir hearts
  11. قُلِSay
  12. ٱسۡتَهۡزِءُوٓاْMock
  13. إِنَّindeed
  14. ٱللَّهَAllah
  15. مُخۡرِجٞ(will) bring forth
  16. مَّاwhat
  17. تَحۡذَرُونَyou fear
At-Tawbah · 9:64Madinah

Afraid a surah would come down and expose their hearts.

The surah called the Exposer

Their secret fear
private talkamong themselves
then
hope no one knowsmay Allah not reveal it
but
Allah brings it outwhat you fear
What can stay hidden
what I say in private
nothing from AllahHe knows the heart

Mujahid said the hypocrites would talk among themselves, then add: we hope Allah does not expose this secret of ours. Qatadah said this is why the surah was also called Al-Fadihah, the Exposer, because it laid bare what the hypocrites concealed.

The thing you said in the private chat, the thought you would never want shown on a screen. Allah already knows it. That is not a threat to fear but a reason to clean the inside, so nothing there needs hiding.

What I say in private stays private.

Allah knows my hidden words. Let my private self be one I am not ashamed of.

Try this

Delete one private message or thread you would be ashamed for Allah to see. Ask His forgiveness.

Related58:847:29
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

The hypocrites fear lest a Surah should be revealed about them, showing them what is in their hearts. Say: "(Go ahead and) mock! But certainly Allah will bring to light all that you fear. (64)

The Hypocrites fear Public Exposure of Their Secrets

Mujahid said, "The hypocrites would say something to each other then declare, 'We wish that Allah does not expose this secret of ours," There is a similar Ayah to this one, that is, Allah's statement,

وَإِذَا جَاءُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ اللَّهُ وَيَقُولُونَ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ لَوْلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا اللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ ۚ حَسْبُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ يَصْلَوْنَهَا ۖ فَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

(And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting wherewith Allah greets you not, and say within themselves: "Why should Allah punish us not for what we say?" Hell will be sufficient for them; they will burn therein. And worst indeed is that destination!)[58:8]. Allah said in this Ayah,

قُلِ اسْتَهْزِئُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا تَحْذَرُونَ

(Say: "(Go ahead and) mock! But certainly Allah will bring to light all that you fear."),

He will expose and explain your reality to His Messenger ﷺ through revelation. Allah said in other Ayat,

أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ أَن لَّن يُخْرِجَ اللَّهُ أَضْغَانَهُمْ

(Or do those in whose hearts is a disease (of hypocrisy), think that Allah will not bring to light all their hidden ill-wills?)[47:29], until,

وَلَتَعْرِفَنَّهُمْ فِي لَحْنِ الْقَوْلِ

(but surely, you will know them by the tone of their speech!)[47:30].

This is why, according to Qatadah, this Surah is called 'Al-Fadihah' (the Exposing), because it exposed the hypocrites.