(123) وَ كَذلِكَ جَعَلْنا فِي كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ أَكابِرَ مُجْرِمِيها لِيَمْكُرُوا فِيها وَ ما يَمْكُرُونَ إِلاَّ بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ ما يَشْعُرُونَ

123. " And thus We have appointed in every town its leading criminals that they may plot therein. Yet they do not plot except against their own selves but they are not aware."

Commentary :

The content of this verse points to the situation of the misguided chiefs and the leaders of infidelity and mischief. It implies that Allah has appointed some leading persons in every town who take the way of committing sin, and by means of plot and deceit, they pervert people from the straight path. The Qur'anic text is recited :

That is, the final end of disobedience and committing abundant sins was that they became the robbers of the way of truth, and misled the servants of Allah from the straight path.

So, at the end of the verse, the Qur'an continues saying :

It is clearly understood from this verse that the source of corruptions and calamities, which encompass some societies, is the mischievous men of authority and outstanding men inside these societies. These are those who, by kinds of plot and deceit, change the way of Allah and conceal the feature of truth from people.

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