.وَإِذَا تَوَلَّى سَعَى فِي الأَرْضِ لِيُفْسِدَ فِيِهَا وَيُهْلِكَ الْحَرْثَ وَالنَّسْلَ ...
And when he turns away (from you O Muhammad), he struggles in the land to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle,
This Ayah indicates that such persons are deviant in the tongue, evil in the deeds, their words are fabricated, their belief is wicked and their works are immoral. The Ayah used the (Arabic word) Sa`a (literally, `tries' or `intends').
This word was also used to describe Pharaoh:
ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ يَسْعَى
فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى
فَقَالَ أَنَاْ رَبُّكُمُ الاٌّعْلَى
فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الاٌّخِرَةِ وَالاٍّوْلَى
إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى
Then he turned his back, Yas`a (striving hard against Allah). Then he gathered (his people) and cried aloud saying, `I am your lord, most high.' So Allah, seized him with a punishing example for his last and first transgression. Verily, in this is an instructive admonition for whosoever fears Allah. (79:22-26)
Sa`a was also used in the Ayah):
يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْاْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salah (prayer) on the day of Friday (Jumuah prayer), As`aw come to the remembrance of Allah. (62:9)
This Ayah means, `(when the call to the Friday prayer is announced) intend and then proceed to attend the Friday prayer.' We should mention that hastening to the mosque is condemned by the Sunnah (as this is another meaning for the word Sa`a):
إذَا أَتَيْتُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَلَا تَأْتُوهَا وَأَنْتُمْ تَسْعَوْنَ، وَأْتُوهَا وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّكِينَةُ والْوَقَار
When you come to attend the prayer, do not come in a Sa`i (haste). Rather, come to it while walking at ease and in peace (or grace).
The hypocrite has no motive in this life but to cause mischief and to destroy the crops and the offspring, including what the animals produce and what the people depend on for their livelihood.
Mujahid said,
"If the hypocrite strives for mischief in the land, Allah prevents the rain from falling and thus the crops and the offspring perish.''
The Ayah continues:
...وَاللّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الفَسَادَ ﴿٢٠٥﴾
...and Allah likes not mischief.
that is, Allah does not like those who possess these characteristics, or those who act like this.