References :"O young man, men fall into trouble because of their own mistakes, but instead of realizing or correcting themselves, they blame others or make excuses. There are times when a reason still be accepted, but to a certain extent, then all those reasons, can no longer be accepted," said the statesman to the wayfarer. He continued, "Know that falsehood, betrayal and cheating are the acts of dishonesty, which will eliminate trust in someone. Actually, dishonesty is of three kinds: in speech, in deed and in intention, they are respectively: falsehood betrayal of trust and breaking of promise. When trust is missing, faith vanishes. One who continues to behave in this way will end up as a hypocrite in belief. "
The young wayfarer asked, "What is the hypocrisy, O your majesty?" The statesman said, "The best of words is the Book of Allah and the best of paths is the path of our beloved Prophet (ﷺ). And the worst of affairs are innovations in religion, and every innovation is a bid'ah, and every bid'ah is straying from the path, and every straying leads to hell.
When Allah sent His Prophet (ﷺ) and he announced his mission, some people rejected him and some believed. Of the latter kind, some merely put one garb of faith without really believing so that they caused mischief. They are called the Munafiq or hypocrites. A hypocrite is two-faced and such people are the worst of mankind. From Abu Hurayrah, radhiyallahu 'anhu, the Prophet (ﷺ) said about them, "The worst people in the Sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be the double faced people who appear to some people with one face and to other people with another face." - [Sahih al-Bukhari]
A hypocrite is a person who hates or dislikes Islam yet claims to be a Muslim. The hypocrite will lean towards that which seems profitable and is the most dangerous of men. The history of the Muslims bears witness that they have always suffered at the hands of the hypocrites, and it is the same story today. If a ruler is a hypocrite, then Muslims suffer a set back and decline. The Prophet (ﷺ) warned the Muslims of the hypocrite very often. From Umar ibn Khattab, the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
"What I fear most for my Ummah is every eloquent-tongued hypocrite." - [Imam Ahmad]
The word Munafiq is derived from Nafiqa. The Munafiq, or the hypocrite, is so-called because he conceals disbelief and discloses the other side of his faith. Al-Hasan, rahimahullah, defined hypocrisy thus, "It is said that hypocrisy is the difference between the secret and the apparent, between the word and the deed, and between the entry and the exit. And it is said that the base of hypocrisy on which it is raised is falsehood."
Every Muslim must always be cautious and fearful of hypocrisy and he must keep away from everything that is liable to grow hypocrisy. Once it encroaches into the heart, it keeps spreading and growing, and might even cause a dent in belief and faith, leading him to the deepest pit of hell. Alternatively, it might involve him in major sins and he might not repent has a result of which he would go to hell, or, the reward for his deeds might be reduced because of his hypocrisy. Today, the malady of hypocrisy has made in-roads among the Muslims."
The young wayfarer asked, "When was the beginning of hypocrisy in Islam?" The statesman said, "There were no hypocrites during the Prophet (ﷺ) life in Makkah, rather an open hostility was the status quo. Two years after the migration of the Prophet (ﷺ) to Madinah, the battle of Badr occurred and Allah gave victory to the Muslims. AbdullahBin Ubayy Bin Salul, a powerful and rich man, was an influential person in Madinah. He was Al-Khazraj's chief and the master of both tribes of Awz and Khazraj during the period of Jahiliyyah. Whenever these warring tribes were in conflict against one another, Abdullah Bin Ubayy intervened to bring peace between them. All his efforts were directed to be acknowledgedas the sole leader of the two tribes. He had succeeded in achieving this goal and preparationswere under way for his coronation as their king when Muslims migrated to Madinah and many Madinites embraced Islam. Consequently, Abdullah Bin Ubayy's heart was filled with hatred against Islam as he could no longer be regarded as leader since Islam supersedes his influence in Madinah. But being a cunning person, he could not confront the Prophet (ﷺ) and declare his rivalry openly, so he decided to destroy Islam from within. Therefore, he and his followers accepted Islam only by name, but their hearts rejected and hatred the Prophet (ﷺ), Muslims and Islam. That was the beginning of hypocrisy in Islam."
The young wayfarer asked, "What cause the hypocrisy to grow?" The statesman said, "History reveals that one of the following three things cause hypocrisy to grow. First, greed . When Islam gains ground and spreads and Muslims have the power to decide, some sick souls surface and intrude in high ranks to further their nefarious designs. Second, jealousy. Some of the people who intrude into Muslim ranks bear malice towards Islam and the Muslims they try to harm Islam through deception. They pretend to embrace Islam to save their skins but profess disbelief inwardly and are very jealous and wicked inside. Outwardly, they express love for Muslims and show that they have a missionary zeal. Third, trial. When the believers face trials through persecution at the hands of tyrants and are consigned to death because of their belief, only the sincere persevere. The hypocrites seek refuge with the disbelievers.
There are two kinds of hypocrisy. First, hypocrisy in belief is to value the convictions of the kuffar, to associate partners with Allah, to despise Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and to conceal it but pretend to have faith and love for him, to practice contrary to the declaration of faith, to prefer another than Allah for Judgement and to prefer the command for one other than the Prophet (ﷺ). Such people were undoubtedly kuffar. They had concealed disbelief for personal motives to promote their blameworthy aims. Instead of defending religion, they tried to smother the faith of the Muslims and cast-doubt in their minds about the Prophet Sometimes they fought against the Muslims out of hatred and jealousy but when their motives demanded it, they displayed immense love for the Muslims.
Second, practical hypocrisy, does not expel a person from Islam but makes him resemble a hypocrite. He has one of the signs of hypocrisy, like falsehood. Betrayal of trust, breaking a promise, abusing and reviling, and so on. It is the consensus of the ulama that such a person does not come out of the folds of Islam but is definitely a great sinner and there always is the likelihood of his becoming a hypocrite in belief.
The young wayfarer asked, "What is the sign of hypocrisy and their deeds?" The statesman said, "Allah has propounded a parable for the hypocrites. Allah says,
A parable for the hypocrites is like a people who ignited a fire in order to acquire light and benefit - for they were a people on a journey who had lost their way. When this fire had alighted and lit up their surroundings, they were able to see the right path, they were able to see what would benefit them and what would harm them; but then, suddenly, the light was extinguished and they were left in darkness.مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَلَمَّا أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَاتٍ لا يُبْصِرُونَ"Their example is that of one who kindled a fire, but when it illuminated what was around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness [so] they could not see." - [QS.2:17]
All three routes to guidance were barred them. Deaf, dumb and blind, guidance comes to a servant from three doors: what he hears with his ears; what he sees with his eyes; and what he understands with his heart; these people’s hearts are unable to comprehend, they cannot see, and neither can they hear. Hearing and intellect are the foundations of knowledge and by them does one acquire it. But they have not acquired knowledge from any of its three doors: intellect, hearing, and seeing. They had seen the path of guidance, but when the light left them, they did not return to that guidance.صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لا يَرْجِعُونَ"Deaf, dumb and blind - so they will not return [to the right path]." [QS.2:18]
Then after propounding this parable of light, Allah propounds another parable for the hypocrites, this time of water.
أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَاتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ مِنَ الصَّوَاعِقِ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ وَاللَّهُ مُحِيطٌ بِالْكَافِرِينَ"Or [it is] like a rainstorm from the sky within which is darkness, thunder and lightning. They put their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps in dread of death. But Allah is encompassing of the disbelievers." - [QS.2:19]
يَكَادُ الْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَارَهُمْ كُلَّمَا أَضَاءَ لَهُمْ مَشَوْا فِيهِ وَإِذَا أَظْلَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَامُوا وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ"The lightning almost snatches away their sight. Every time it lights [the way] for them, they walk therein; but when darkness comes over them, they stand [still]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent." - [QS.2:20]The verse refers to driving rain which pours down from the sky. Here the guidance with which He guided His servants has been likened to water because guidance gives life to the hearts as water gives life to the earth. The portion that the hypocrite gets from this guidance is the same as one who is caught in this storm-cloud but gets nothing from it save darkness, thunder, and lightning; having no notion of its many benefits such as life for the earth - its animals and vegetation - springs forth after rain. The darkness, thunder, and lightning in a storm-cloud are not matters that are desired in and of themselves, rather they are matters that lead to the accomplishment of what is desired from this cloud. The ignoramus suffices with merely seeing the outward effects of this cloud: the darkness, the thunder, the lightning, the cold, and the fact that he is prevented from travelling; but has no inkling of the huge benefit that comes as a result of this rain. This is true of every short-sighted, dull witted person; his perception does not go deeper than seeing the outward form of things and he does not what is behind them. This is the state of the majority of creation except for a few amongst them. When the short-sighted sees the hardship and toil that is to be found in Jihad, when he sees the fact that he could be wounded, censured by certain people, and excite the enmity of others; he does not go forth for Jihad. He is unable to probe deeper and realise the great benefits, the praiseworthy goals, and great rewards it contains. When one of them desires to perform the pilgrimage and sees the hardships entailed in the journey, the leaving of the comfort of his home and town , and the difficulties to be faced, he cannot see beyond this to what lies at the end of this journey and as such falters and does not undertake it.
This is the state of those who lack spiritual insight and are weak of faith: those who see the threats, promises, commands, and prohibitions that are to be found in the Qur'an as ordinances that are too heavy for their egos which desire only to follow their lusts. These ordinances wean the soul of its base qualities. Weaning is truly difficult for the child; and all men are children with respect to their intellects with the exception of those who have weaned and regulated them, and as such have comprehended the truth by way of knowledge and action. It is such people who are able to see what is behind this storm-cloud; what is behind the darkness, thunder, and lightning; it is such people who realise that this storm-cloud is the source of life for existence.
From Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks he tells a lie; whenever he is entrusted he proves dishonest; whenever he promises he breaks his promise." - [Sahih al-Bukhari]
'Abdullah bin 'Amr narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There are four things that whoever has them, then he is a hypocrite, and whoever has one attribute from among them, then he has an attribute of hypocrisy,until he leaves it: Whoever lies whenever he speaks, he does not fulfill whenever he promises, he is vulgar whenever he argues, and whenever he makes an agreement he proves treacherous." - [Jami' at-Tirmidhi; Sahih]
The Prophet (ﷺ) said about four things that one who possesses them is a hypocrite. These four things are not the signs of hypocrisy in belief and the perpetrator is not cast out of Islam, but they are signs of hypocrisy in practice and the perpetrator is a sinner and a disobedient. However, one who continues to behave in this way, will end up as a hypocrite in belief. The Prophet (ﷺ) made mention of these because they are important and are generally found in the hypocrites, otherwise, there are many other signs that were perpetrated in the Prophet (ﷺ) times. Among the deeds of hypocrisy, can be mentioned as follows,
Lying, is the root of all evil. It leads to hell. It brings disgrace. It belies testimony and is the base of hypocrisy and disbelief. The Prophet (ﷺ) said,
"You must be truthful, for truth guides to piety and piety leads to paradise. And if a man does not cease to speak the truth and is motivated by truth, he is recorded with Allah as the truthful. And avoid falsehood, for, falsehood leads to immodesty and immodesty leads to hell. And a person does not cease to speak lies and be motivated by it without being recorded with Allah as a Iiar." - [Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]
And the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Woe to him who tells things, speaking falsely, to make people laugh thereby. Woe to him! Woe to him!." - [Sunan Abi Dawud; Hasan by Shaikh al-Albani]
The hypocrites are quick to take false oaths in order to protect themselves. False oath is a sign of hypocrisy and also a major sin. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "the major sins are, associating partners, killing anyone and a false oath." [Sahih al-Bukhari]
If any one lies in order to promote his sale then he too falls under the purview of this Hadith. A false testimony is both a major sin and hypocrisy because it is a falsehood. The hypocrites also use false pretext. Any word or deed that has something of a lie in it is a major sin. This is why Allah has said that a painful punishment awaits the hypocrites, those who sell by telling lies and other liars.
The hypocrites do not fulfil their promises. Allah says about promises,
وَأَوْفُوا بِالْعَهْدِ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولThis promise will be made good and the believers will demand it in the same way as a creditor demands his money. The believers are those who fulfil their promises. Allah says,
"And fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will be] questioned." - [QS.17:34]
The hypocrites had promised to Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) that they would not show their backs during the war, but they failed to keep their promise. One of them had promised to give some charity if Allah gave him wealth, but he went back on his promise. The same kind of people exist today who spend lavishly on musical evenings, but only make vain promises to give charity if Allah grants them wealth.وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لأمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ"And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive." - [QS.23:8]
To be faithful to one's trust is an attribute of a Muslim. Even before he was commissioned, the Prophet (ﷺ) was known as Amin and Sadiq (trustworthy and truthful). Allah commands the believers to be faithful to their trusts. Allah has mentioned often in the Qur'an that the believer is faithful to his trusts. And to be unfaithful to trusts is a major sign of hypocrisy.
Islam retains every good thing and abolishes every thing that is bad. No religion approves deception. The Prophet (ﷺ) laid down a common principle when he said, "He who deceives does not belong to us." - [Sahih Muslim]
And whenever he sent an army, he instructed the amir (or the commander) to retrain from deceiving anyone. He would instruct him particularly to fear Allah and to be a well-wisher of the Muslims accompanying him. He would say, "Fight in the name of Allah, in His path. Fight him who rejects Allah. And do not betray, do not deceive, do not mutilate and do not kill children." - [Sahih Muslim]
He gave the instruction not to deceive to every advancing army, small unit or a caravan. If anyone deceives after concluding a covenant whether with the Muslims or the disbelievers with the amir or with his subordinates then he does have a major sign of hypocrisy in him. The Prophet (ﷺ) said "On the day of resurrection, every deceiver will have a banner by his back whereby he would be recognised. It will be said that he is the deceiver of so-and-so." [Sahih al-Bukhari]
The young wayfarer asked, "What is the condition of the hypocrites after death?" The statesman said, "After the hypocrite is buried, his fate is no different than a disbeliever's. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, " ...Then He will meet the third and say to him the same words (as before), and he will respond, "My Rabb, I believed in You, Your Book and Your Messengers. I offered the Salah, I fasted and I gave the Zakah." He will loud himself with piety as much as he can. Allah will say. "Here (you stay) then," and He will say, "Now we bring to you our witnesses." He will wonder to himself who could testify against him. So, his mouth will be sealed and it will be said to his thighs, his flesh and his bones, "Speak!" And they will speak concerning his deeds. This will be in order that justice might be dispensed to him and Allah will be angry with that hypocrite." - [Sahih Muslim]
On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will not conceal the faults of the hypocrites, but will conceal those of the believers. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Surely Allah, the exalted, will draw the believer nearer to Him and put over him His veil and conceal him from the people and recall his sins. Allah will ask, "Do you remember that sin?" He will say, "Yes, my Rabb," and Allah will recall them all so that he will imagine to himself that he is ruined. Allah will say, "Surely, I concealed them for you in the world and today I forgive them for you." Then he will be given his book of accounts in his right hand.
But, as for the disbeliever and the hypocrite, they will be called in the presence of the entire creation. Allah says,
Then the statesman said, "O young man, hypocrisy is a disease that drives faith out of a person's heart. Sometimes, a person is unaware that hypocrisy has made a home in his heart and he performs the deeds of a hypocrite unknowingly. So, beware O young man! The hypocrite will be the worst of men on the Day of Resurrection. All reasons will be no longer accepted and no leniency will be shown to the hypocrite as well as the disbelievers. And Allah know best."وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أُولَئِكَ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ وَيَقُولُ الأشْهَادُ هَؤُلاءِ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ أَلا لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ"And who is more unjust than he who invents a lie about Allah ? Those will be presented before their Lord, and the witnesses will say, "These are the ones who lied against their Lord." Unquestionably, the curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers." - [QS.11:18]
فَالْيَوْمَ لا يُؤْخَذُ مِنْكُمْ فِدْيَةٌ وَلا مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مَأْوَاكُمُ النَّارُ هِيَ مَوْلاكُمْ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ"So today no ransom will be taken from you or from those who disbelieved. Your refuge is the Fire. It is most worthy of you, and wretched is the destination." - [QS.57:15
- 'Aaidh Alqarni, The Signs Of The Hypocrites, Darul Ishaat
- Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Characteristics of the Hypocrites, Daar Us-Sunnah
- Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Paragons of the Qur'an, Daar Us-Sunnah
