Passer asked, "O Chameleon, my brother, I beg your pardon, when I was in school, I was taught that chameleons changed color according to the color of the surrounding environment to camouflage. Is it true?" Chameleon said, "Subhanallah! We, Chameleons, can run at 33 kilometers per hour. When an enemy attacks, we will be able to easily escape, not hiding. So why do we change color? In fact, we cannot choose the color according to what we want, but depends on mood, temperature and light. If we were angry, then our skin color would turn dark. But in the mating season, our color would turn bright to attract our opposite sex, and if we were cold, our body color would darken because dark color would absorb heat more easily, our body color could change to various colors like pink, blue, orange, red, yellow, and green. What is certain is, we are different from hypocrites, those who take sides here and there, provided they benefit themselves. We are the servants of Allah who do not associate partners with Him, we always glorify Him in every breath we take."
Passer said, "So, O my brother, tell us about the hypocrites!" Chameleon said, "O my brothers and sisters, I am only a servant of Allah, poor in knowledge, what I will tell you, only what I have heard from my teacher and from the book referenced by my teacher. So, listen carrefully!
When Allah sent His Prophet (ﷺ) and he (ﷺ) 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. Narrated Abu Huraira, the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
تَجِدُ مِنْ شَرِّ النَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ ذَا الْوَجْهَيْنِ، الَّذِي يَأْتِي هَؤُلاَءِ بِوَجْهٍ وَهَؤُلاَءِ بِوَجْهٍ
"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." (HR Al-Bukhari, 6058]
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. He (ﷺ) said, as narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab,
إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَى أُمَّتِي كُلُّ مُنَافِقٍ عَلِيمِ اللِّسَانِ
"Verily, among what I fear most for my nation is every hypocrite with a knowledgeable tongue." [Musnad Aḥmad 140; Sahih (authentic) according to Ahmad Shakir]
This is why the Sahabah, radhiyallahu 'anhum, and their successors in every generation were ever wary of hypocrisy lest it grow in their hearts. And 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 irto 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. So, O my brothers and sisters, the aim of our discussion, is meant to induce us to shun hypocritical deeds and to help us recognise the hypocrite. The sincere believer may then protect himself from hypocrisy. The need of the hour is to adhere to Islam and wage jihad against the infidels, but the hypocrites have created innumerable doubts about jihad to such an extent that the Mujahids (warriors) who participate in Jihad are wavering and unsure. Besides, the hypocrites side with the disbelievers so that victory seems a distant, vague dream. Together with the enemies of Islam, the leaders of Islam countries do their bit to harm Islam.
The Arabic word Nifaq means hypocrisy. The word Munafiq is derived from Nafiqa. It means the hole of the wild rat that it conceals with just enough mud that would give in when it strikes its head on it. It keeps this side concealed and the other disclosed. The Munafiq, or the hypocrite, is so-called because he conceals disbelief and discloses (the other side) his faith. Hasan, rahmatullah alaih, 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."
Hypocrisy is a deep rooted and all-pervading spiritual disease. A person’s heart could be overflowing with it yet be oblivious of it due to its hidden and subde nature; frequendy does it lead a person to think he is acting righdy when in reality he is spreading corruption.
There are two kinds of hypocrisy, that which concerns belief, major hypocrisy or nifaq akbar or nifaq i’tiqadi, and that which is put in practice, or nifaq ‘amali, or minor hypocrisy or nifaq ashghar. Firstly, nifaq i’tiqadi, hypocrisy in belief, is to value the convictions of the infidels, 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 infidels. 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 (ﷺ). Sometimes they fought against the Muslims out of hatred and jealousy, but when their motives demanded it, they displayed immense love for the Muslims.
Secondly, nifaq ‘amali, 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.
Hafiz Abdus Salaam Ibn Muhammad says about it, 'If a believer happens to commit these sins once in a while, then he does not classify as a hypocrite because believers are also prone to commit sins. But, if the sin is committed habitually, then the person is a hypocrite. If all these signs are found in anyone then it is impossible that he believe in Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) sincerely. Thus, if he is a confirmed liar, he never fulfils his promise, he is given to betray then he is not only a hypocrite in practice but also in belief, because faith is included in speech and in promise. Falsehood is alien to believers. Allah says,
اِنَّمَا یَفۡتَرِی الۡکَذِبَ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاٰیٰتِ اللّٰہِ ۚ وَ اُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡکٰذِبُوۡنَ
"They only invent falsehood who do not believe in the verses of Allah, and it is those who are the liars." - (QS.16:105)
Passer asked, "What causes of hypocrisy to grow?" Chameleon said, "History reveals that one of the following three things cause hypocrisy to grow. Firstly, 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; secondly, 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; thirdly, 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."
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's (ﷺ) times. The Qur'an mentions them at different places. In one of his sayings, the Prophet (ﷺ) named only three signs, falsehood, betrayal and cheating. 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."
Passer said, "Tell us about the signs and deeds of hypocrisy in the light of the Qur'an the Hadith!" Chameleon said, "First things first, falsehood. 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. Narrated `Abdullah, the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
إِنَّ الصِّدْقَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْبِرِّ، وَإِنَّ الْبِرَّ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصْدُقُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ صِدِّيقًا، وَإِنَّ الْكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْفُجُورِ، وَإِنَّ الْفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَكْذِبُ، حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَذَّابًا
"Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar." [HR Al-Bukhari, 6094]
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr, the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا خَالِصًا، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنَ النِّفَاقِ حَتَّى يَدَعَهَا إِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ وَإِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ وَإِذَا عَاهَدَ غَدَرَ، وَإِذَا خَاصَمَ فَجَرَ
"Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up.
1. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays.
2. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.
3. Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous.
4. Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner."
[HR Al-Bukhari, 34]
He may offer the Salaah regularly and fast without break and call himself a Muslim, but if he perpetrates these things, then he is a hypocrite in the true sense. According to a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, when the Prophet (ﷺ) outlined the three characteristics, someone asked, "O Messenger of Allah, even if only one remains?" He said, "It does not cease to be in his heart as long as there remains something of it in him."
And Allah describes the conduct of the hypocrites,
وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنۡ یَّقُوۡلُ اٰمَنَّا بِاللّٰہِ وَ بِالۡیَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ وَ مَا ہُمۡ بِمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ ۘ
"And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allah and the Last Day," but they are not believers." - (QS.2:8)
یُخٰدِعُوۡنَ اللّٰہَ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا ۚ وَ مَا یَخۡدَعُوۡنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡفُسَہُمۡ وَ مَا یَشۡعُرُوۡنَ ؕ
"They [think to] deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not." - (QS.2:9)
فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِہِمۡ مَّرَضٌ ۙ فَزَادَہُمُ اللّٰہُ مَرَضًا ۚ وَ لَہُمۡ عَذَابٌ اَلِیۡمٌۢ ۬ۙ بِمَا کَانُوۡا یَکۡذِبُوۡنَ
"In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie." - (QS.2:10)
The hypocrites lie with their tongues but Allah discloses what their hearts hold. Lying is such a malady that if it is not checked, it goes on aggravating. Several lies are told to conceal one and though truth may push one into trial, the ultimate result is always good as happened with Ka'b Ibn Maalik In the present times, some people maintain that to speak lies is rewarding. What doubt remains after that their hypocrisy. To speak lies is sinful and hypocritical, Allah says,
اِذَا جَآءَکَ الۡمُنٰفِقُوۡنَ قَالُوۡا نَشۡہَدُ اِنَّکَ لَرَسُوۡلُ اللّٰہِ ۘ وَ اللّٰہُ یَعۡلَمُ اِنَّکَ لَرَسُوۡلُہٗ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ یَشۡہَدُ اِنَّ الۡمُنٰفِقِیۡنَ لَکٰذِبُوۡنَ
"When the hypocrites come to you, [O Muhammad], they say, 'We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.' And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars." - (63:1)
A false joke, jest and story are also in the same classification. The Prophet (ﷺ) said "Woe to one who lies, who lies when he speaks that people may laugh. Woe to him. Woe to him."
However, there is something that seems to be lying, referred to as Tawriyah, which shows that what is spoken is not true, but from one side, the statement revealed is true. Namely, tawriyah, to reconcile Muslims with each other, to lie in war, and tawriyah of husband and wife, with the aim of bringing goodness to the household. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I do not count it as a lie," and he named each of the three things.
A person may reconcile two differing men by telling one that the other speaks highly of him and saying similar things to the other. In war, one may issue encouraging statements like 'So many disbelievers are killed,' 'reinforcements are on the way. And a husband and wife may lie to one another to increase their mutual love.
Any lie apart from this, is hypocrisy. It may be light-hearted or serious, out of necessity or to fool others, to instigate the rulers against someone, to alter a religious ruling, to forge a Hadith, to attribute reward against a piety on one's own, to convey false news of war that is fought else where, the Hadith speaks of 'lying in war' only in the very country where it is fought, like Afghanistan or Kashmir. In order to encourage the Mujahidin (warriors) and boost their moral or to demoralize the enemy. The root cause of hypocrisy is false hood. The other sign of hypocrisy also arise because of falsehood. Hence, we must doour outmost to avoid it so that there is no share of hypocrisy in our record of deeds.
The hypocrites are quick to take false oaths in order to protect themselves. Allah says,
اِتَّخَذُوۡۤا اَیۡمَانَہُمۡ جُنَّۃً فَصَدُّوۡا عَنۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللّٰہِ فَلَہُمۡ عَذَابٌ مُّہِیۡنٌ
"They took their [false] oaths as a cover, so they averted [people] from the way of Allah, and for them is a humiliating punishment." - (58:16)
اِتَّخَذُوۡۤا اَیۡمَانَہُمۡ جُنَّۃً فَصَدُّوۡا عَنۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللّٰہِ ؕ اِنَّہُمۡ سَآءَ مَا کَانُوۡا یَعۡمَلُوۡنَ
"They have taken their oaths as a cover, so they averted [people] from the way of Allah . Indeed, it was evil that they were doing." - (QS.63:2)
Zayd Ibn Arqam narrated, While I was taking part in a Ghazwa. I heard `Abdullah bin Ubai (bin Abi Salul) saying. "Don't spend on those who are with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), that they may disperse and go away from him. If we return (to Medina), surely, the more honorable will expel the meaner amongst them." I reported that (saying) to my uncle or to `Umar who, in his turn, informed the Prophet (ﷺ) of it. The Prophet (ﷺ) called me and I narrated to him the whole story. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent for `Abdullah bin Ubai and his companions, and they took an oath that they did not say that. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) disbelieved my saying and believed his. I was distressed as I never was before. I stayed at home and my uncle said to me. "You just wanted Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to disbelieve your statement and hate you." So Allah revealed (the Sura beginning with) 'When the hypocrites come to you.' (63.1) The Prophet (ﷺ) then sent for me and recited it and said, "O Zaid! Allah confirmed your statement." [HR Al-Bukhari. 4900]
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."
If any one lies in order to promote his sale then he too falls under the purview of this Hadith. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There are three to whom Allah will not speak on the day of resurrection, not look at them, a man who swears over his price that he was getting more than what he gets (for his merchandise) and he lies. And a man who takes a false oath after asr in order that he might flee with a Muslim's property at that moment." A version in Muslim, also has the words, "and Allah will not purify them and for them is a painful punishment and a man who disposes of his merchandise after taking a false oath and ends (the transaction)."
A false testimony is both a major sin and hypocrisy because it is a falsehood. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The gravest of major sins are ascribing partner to Allah, disobeying parents slaying someone and false testimony, False testimony! False testimony!"
The hypocrites also use false pretext. The Prophet (ﷺ) was occupied in the preparation for the Battle of Tabuk. He said to the chief of Banu Salama, Jadd Ibn Qays, "Are you ready to engage Banu Al-Asfar?" He said, "Do you permit me not to participate in jihad? Do not involve me in a trial. By Allah, my people know that no one loves women as I do, and I fear I might not withhold myself on seeing the women of Banu Asfar." The Prophet (ﷺ) turned away from him and said, "I give you permission." Afterwards, this verse was revealed concerning this man, Jadd Ibn Qays,
وَ مِنۡہُمۡ مَّنۡ یَّقُوۡلُ ائۡذَنۡ لِّیۡ وَ لَا تَفۡتِنِّیۡ ؕ اَلَا فِی الۡفِتۡنَۃِ سَقَطُوۡا ؕ وَ اِنَّ جَہَنَّمَ لَمُحِیۡطَۃٌۢ بِالۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ
"And among them is he who says, "Permit me [to remain at home] and do not put me to trial." Unquestionably, into trial they have fallen. And indeed, Hell will encompass the disbelievers." - (QS.9:49)
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 like to abuse others. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "A believer is not one who taunts, nor one who reviles, nor one who is immoral, nor one who is shameless." We have seen also the Prophet's (ﷺ) saying that if anyone possesses four things, then he is a hypocrite and one of these is that he abuses when he quarrels. While it is allowed to avenge an abuse and it does not classify as hypocrisy, it is not allowed to exceed or to forge falsehood. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When two men revile one another, whatever they say is against the first one as long as the wronged-one does not transgress (in seeking revenge)." If the wronged-one forges a lie against the initiator then both are hypocritical. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The two people who revile one another are both devilish, abusers and liars." But, if he endures patiently then it is good for him.
One may abuse a disbeliever and it is not a sign of hypocrisy to do it. During, the peace of Hudaybiyah, the infidel Urwah said (to the Prophet (ﷺ)), "By Allah, I see the faces belong to different tribes. They will desert you and leave you alone." At that Abu Bakr abused him, "(Go!) Lick the clitoris of Laat. Shall we desert him and leave him alone?..."
One of the signs of hipocrisy is to betray a trust. 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 (trust worthy and truthful). Allah commands the believers to be faithful to their trusts.
اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یَاۡمُرُکُمۡ اَنۡ تُؤَدُّوا الۡاَمٰنٰتِ اِلٰۤی اَہۡلِہَا ۙ وَ اِذَا حَکَمۡتُمۡ بَیۡنَ النَّاسِ اَنۡ تَحۡکُمُوۡا بِالۡعَدۡلِ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ نِعِمَّا یَعِظُکُمۡ بِہٖ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ کَانَ سَمِیۡعًۢا بَصِیۡرًا
"Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing." - (QS.4:58)
Allah has mentioned often in the Qur'an that the believer is faithful to his trusts. When He names the successful inheritors of paradise, He says,
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ
"And those who are to their trusts and promises attentive" - (QS.70:32)
And to be unfaithful to trusts is a major sign of hypocrisy. Narrated Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,
آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلاَثٌ إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ
"The sign of a hypocrite is that whenever he speaks he lies, and whenever he makes a promise he does not fulfill it, and if he is entrusted he betrays." [Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 2631; Sahih]
The Prophet (ﷺ) also said that one who betrays his trust has no faith and one who breaks his promise has no religion. The meaning of amanah (trust) is very wide it is not merely to keep some material in trust. "
The following forms are part of trust, firstly, entrusting money or property. Allah say,
وَ مِنۡ اَہۡلِ الۡکِتٰبِ مَنۡ اِنۡ تَاۡمَنۡہُ بِقِنۡطَارٍ یُّؤَدِّہٖۤ اِلَیۡکَ ۚ وَ مِنۡہُمۡ مَّنۡ اِنۡ تَاۡمَنۡہُ بِدِیۡنَارٍ لَّا یُؤَدِّہٖۤ اِلَیۡکَ اِلَّا مَادُمۡتَ عَلَیۡہِ قَآئِمًا ؕ ذٰلِکَ بِاَنَّہُمۡ قَالُوۡا لَیۡسَ عَلَیۡنَا فِی الۡاُمِّیّٖنَ سَبِیۡلٌ ۚ وَ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ عَلَی اللّٰہِ الۡکَذِبَ وَ ہُمۡ یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ
"And among the People of the Scripture is he who, if you entrust him with a great amount [of wealth], he will return it to you. And among them is he who, if you entrust him with a [single] silver coin, he will not return it to you unless you are constantly standing over him [demanding it]. That is because they say, 'There is no blame upon us concerning the unlearned.' And they speak untruth about Allah while they know [it]." ― (QS. 3:75)
Secondly, religion. Allah has declared that the Shari'ah is a trust with us, we must preserve it and not be treacherous otherwise we will not be true Muslims, but polytheists or hypocrites. Allah says,
إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنْسَانُ ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولًا
"Truly, We did offer Al-Amanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah's Torment). But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results)." - (QS.33:72)
Here, the trust includes the commands of Shari’ah, the obligatory fard and wajib duties discharging which fetches reward and neglecting them makes one liable to punishment. Allah has decided that the hypocrite's hypocrisy, the Mushrik's polytheism or idolatry and the believer's faith may become obvious. And He may reward or punish them. Allah says,
لِيُعَذِّبَ اللَّهُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ وَالْمُشْرِكَاتِ وَيَتُوبَ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
"[It was] so that Allah may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women and the men and women who associate others with Him and that Allah may accept repentance from the believing men and believing women. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful." - (QS.33:73)
Thirdly, secret or conversation. If a person confides in another then that is a trust with him and he is not allowed to disclose it to anyone else. When the Prophet (ﷺ) sent Lubabah Ibn Abdul Mundhir to Banu Qurayzah to command them to come down from their forts, they sought his advice and he pointed out to his throat, indicating that they would be executed. So, Allah revealed,
یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَخُوۡنُوا اللّٰہَ وَ الرَّسُوۡلَ وَ تَخُوۡنُوۡۤا اَمٰنٰتِکُمۡ وَ اَنۡتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ
"O you who have believed, do not betray Allah and the Messenger or betray your trusts while you know [the consequence]." - (QS.8:27)
When this verse was revealed, he bound himself to a pillar in Masjid Nabawi vowing not to eat anything nor release himself till Allah accepted his repentance. After nine days, he became unconscious and Allah accepted his repentance. That their necks would be severed was a trust with him, but he failed to preserve it. If a person looks here and there before he speaks to another, then his words are a trust with him. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When a person speaks and turns (here and there) then it is a trust."
In the same way, a meeting or a consultation is a trust as long as permission is not granted to make the proceedings public of course, if a conspiracy is hatched, say, to kill someone, then such a meeting is not a trust. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Meetings are trusts except three kinds of meetings (that resolve) to shed blood, to commit indecency and to misappropriate someone's property."
In fact it, is fard to disclose the proceedings of meetings where evil things are decided to be done so that people do not suffer unnecessarily. Also, it is not allowed to anyone to compel a member of the meeting to disclose its proceedings. The private life of a couple is also a trust. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The greatest (breach) of the trusts in Allah's sight on the day of resurrection is a man approaching his wife and the woman coming to him. Then he publicises her secrets."
Fourthly, responsibilities and offices. On for the occasion the key to of the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked for the key to the Kaaba and openned its door. As he (ﷺ) was coming out, this verse was revealed,
اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یَاۡمُرُکُمۡ اَنۡ تُؤَدُّوا الۡاَمٰنٰتِ اِلٰۤی اَہۡلِہَا
"Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due..." - (QS.4:58)
Sayyidina Abbas, radhiyallahu 'anhu, had suggested that he should be entrusted the key too in addition to the office of providing water that he already held. But the Prophet (ﷺ) restored the key to Uthman Ibn Talha, radhiyallahu 'anhu. The trust restored to him. The office should be given to one who is qualified for it. Before entrusting anyone with a responsibility or an office, he must be examined whether he is worthy of it or not, if the person who hands it over without examining him, then he himself betrays his trust. And one who is given the responsibility, must do his best to discharge it honestly, otherwise, he is treacherous. Examples are an amir, a teacher, a treasurer or any other office. They must be honest and sincere in their leadership, teaching, handling of cash, and other responsibilities, otherwise they commit breach of trust. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to Abu Dharr "O Abu Dharr, you are weak while this is a trust. On the day of resurrection, it may cause disgrace and regret except to one who takes it justly and gives the right due against it."
Another sign of hipocrisy is, to deceive. No religion approves deception. Islam retains every good thing and abolishes every thing that is bad. The Prophet (ﷺ) laid down a common principle when he said,
مَنْ غَشَّ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا
"He who deceives does not belong to us." [Jami` at-Tirmidhi; 1315; Sahih]
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."
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."
