In his Tafsir, As-Suddi reported that Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud, and some Companions said; "When Allah gave these two examples of the hypocrites" meaning Allah's statements,

مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى اسْتَوْقَدَ نَاراً

(Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire), and,

Islamic concern about relationship to others

The cutting asunder of what Allah has commanded should be joined includes all kinds of relationships -- the one between Allah and His servant, the one between a man and his parents and relatives, between him and his neighbours and friends, between one Muslim and another, between one man and another. Actually, Islam means fulfilling one's obligations with regard to all these relationships,. And this is also the way to follow the Shari'ah. Deficiency in fulfilling these obligations produces all kinds of disorder among men, and thus the transgressors end up by being destructive for others and for themselves. It is these, the Holy Qur'an says, who are the losers -- in this world as in the other.