Lesson ten

Lesson ten:
Warning against hypocrisy (2\3)
The way to integrity and freedom from hypocrisy is by following the guidance of Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted) as Allah (the Most high) said concerning the hypocrites:
﴿وَلَوۡ أَنَّا كَتَبۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ أَنِ ٱقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ أَوِ ٱخۡرُجُواْ مِن دِيَٰرِكُم مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٞ مِّنۡهُمۡۖ وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ فَعَلُواْ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِۦ لَكَانَ خَيۡرٗا لَّهُمۡ وَأَشَدَّ تَثۡبِيتٗا ٦٦ وَإِذٗا لَّأٓتَيۡنَٰهُم مِّن لَّدُنَّآ أَجۡرًا عَظِيمٗا ٦٧ وَلَهَدَيۡنَٰهُمۡ صِرَٰطٗا مُّسۡتَقِيمٗا ٦٨ وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّ‍ۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّٰلِحِينَۚ وَحَسُنَ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ رَفِيقٗا ٦٩ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡفَضۡلُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ عَلِيمٗا ٧٠﴾ [النساء: 66-70].
Meaning:"… But if they had done what they were instructed, it would have been better for them and a firmer position for them in faith (66). And then We would have given them from Us a great reward (67). And We would have guided them to a straight path (68). And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger- those will be with the ones upon whom Allah bestows favor, among the Prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions (69). That is the bounty from Allah, and sufficient is Allah as knower (70). Q4: V66-70.
And it is with this you will know that the hypocrites actually suffered a great loss as a result of their turning away from the guidance of Allah, for they have certainly missed the gratification of Allah, His favor, mercy, great reward and the companionship of His Prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And they fell into their evil deeds such as their disproof of Allah and His Messenger, their evil assumption about Allah, and their followership of what angers Allah, and their dislike for what He loves and pleases, and their effort towards fighting against the Religion of Allah with their sayings and actions, and their alliance with the unbelievers from the people of the Book and the polytheists and their patronage for them against Muslims, and their harm to the believers. So, they deserved an intense punishment for the consequence of their crime. Allah (the Exalted) said:
﴿وَيُعَذِّبَ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ وَٱلۡمُنَٰفِقَٰتِ وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكَٰتِ ٱلظَّآنِّينَ بِٱللَّهِ ظَنَّ ٱلسَّوۡءِۚ عَلَيۡهِمۡ دَآئِرَةُ ٱلسَّوۡءِۖ وَغَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَعَنَهُمۡ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ جَهَنَّمَۖ وَسَآءَتۡ مَصِيرٗا ٦﴾ [الفتح: 6].
Meaning: "And that He may punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the polytheist, men and women- those who assume about Allah an assumption of evil nature. Upon them is a misfortune of evil nature; and Allah has become angry with them and has cursed them and prepared for them Hell, and evil it is as a destination. Q48: V6.
And (the Exalted) said:
﴿ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ ٱتَّبَعُواْ مَآ أَسۡخَطَ ٱللَّهَ وَكَرِهُواْ رِضۡوَٰنَهُۥ فَأَحۡبَطَ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ ٢٨﴾ [محمد: 28].  
Meaning: "That is because they followed what angered Allah and disliked His pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds. Q47: V28.
And because of the contradiction between their external and their internal, they fell into hideous and dispraise acts of lying, deception, treason, immorality and breach of promise. These have been their characters with which they are detected.
The acts of hypocrites are of two categories;
The first category: acts of paganism; whoever commits them is a disbeliever in Allah (the Almighty), out of the Religion of Islam even if he prayed and fast and claim to be a Muslim.
An example of that includes: disproving Allah and His Messenger, hatred, blasphemy, mockery of Allah and His signs and His Prophet, forming alliance with the unbelievers and supporting them against the Muslims.
Thus, these acts and the likes of it are among the violators of Islam, so whoever falls into them is a disbeliever in Allah (the almighty and the exalted). In fact, he is a pagan, out of the Religion of Islam, but if he manifests Islam, then he is a hypocrite with major hypocrisy.
This category is termed by some scholars as creedal hypocrisy and that is because of the introversion of the heart on infidelity, because these kinds of acts and speeches of infidelity do not emanate from a faithful heart. However, their aim (i.e. the scholars) is not to restrict hypocritical acts to issues of creed.
The second category: Dispraised acts and characters, these acts even though they do not withdraw from [Islam] on their own, only that it is not found except in a pure hypocrite. So, it is necessary for a believer to abstain from it so that there will not be a character among the characteristics of hypocrisy in him. These characters are the ones explained by the Prophet (S.A.W) in his saying:
«آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلاَثٌ: إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ، وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ». [متفق عليه].
Meaning:" there are three signs of a hypocrite: when he speaks he lies, when he makes a promise he fails, and when he is trusted he betrays. Transmitted by Bukari and Muslim on the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) and, in another narration by Muslim [he said]:
«آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلاَثٌ وَإِنْ صَامَ وَصَلَّى وَزَعَمَ أَنَّهُ مُسْلِمٌ».
Meaning:" there are three signs of a hypocrite, even if he observed fast and prayed and asserted that he was a Muslim". In the transmission of Ahmad the Prophet said:
«ثلاثٌ إذا كُنَّ في الرجُّلِ فهو المُنافِقُ الخَالِصُ...» الحديثَ، بنحوِه
Meaning:" Three signs if they are found in a man, he is then a pure hypocrite… to the end of the hadith with an approximate wordings. And in Sahih of Al- Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al'as (may Allah be pleased with them) he said: the Prophet (S.A.W) has 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 فَجَر».
Meaning:" Four characteristics anyone who possessed them is a pure hypocrite and anyone who possessed one of them possessed a characteristic of hypocrisy till he abandons it: when he talks he lies, when he makes a covenant he acted treacherously, and when he quarreled he deviated from the truth.
Therefore, whoever has the habit of lying in his speech, betrayal when he promises, and when he is trusted he acts treacherously, he is then a pure hypocrite. And [the word] (إذا) [i.e, (if)] which is not used to mean extent, implies repetition and numerousness, and this will exclude a person from whom these acts occurs in rarity and negligibly. Thus, he has committed a sinful act and an act from the acts of the hypocrites, but he will not become a hypocrite or someone with a character of hypocrisy, until he becomes used to it or is popularly known with it.
Chapter: concerning someone in whose heart is faith and hypocrisy.
As for the Major hypocrisy, it cannot be combined together with faith [in ones heart at the same time] rather; its companion is a disbeliever in Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted), even if he observed fast and prayed and asserted that he was a Muslim, because infidelity destroys the whole acts, and faith and infidelity do not join together in a heart. Allah the Exalted said:
﴿وَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِٱلۡإِيمَٰنِ فَقَدۡ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُۥ وَهُوَ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ ٥﴾ [المائدة: 5].
Meaning: "And whoever denies the faith- his work has become worthless, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. Q5: V5.
But as to the Minor hypocrisy which does not withdraws from the Religion, there may be in the heart of a Muslim some of its characters, as indicated by the above hadith of Abdullah ibn Amr bin Al'as. And in Sahih of [Imam Muslim] on the authority of Abu Hurairah, (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (S.A.W) said:
«مَنْ مَاتَ وَلَمْ يَغْزُ وَلَمْ يُحَدِّثْ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ مَاتَ عَلَى شُعْبَةٍ مِنْ نِفَاقٍ» [رواه مسلم].
Meaning: “whoever dies without fighting in the way of Allah, nor did he express any desire for Jihad, died on a branch of hypocrisy".
Huzaifa bin Alyaman (may Allah be pleased with them) said: hearts are of four [different] types;
- A Laminated heart and that is the heart of hypocrite.
- An uncircumcised heart and that is the heart of a disbeliever.
- A hairless heart as if in it is a lamp which blooms and that is the heart of a believer.
- And a heart in which there is hypocrisy and faith, its example is like an ulcer which is supplied with pus and blood, and similar to a tree which is irrigated by pernicious and nice water, whatever prevails on it dominates.
Reported by Ibn Abi Shaibah in his [book]Musannaf and in the book of Iman, and Albaniy authenticated it. However, it is considered weak by some scholars because of a cut in its chain of narration but its meaning is authentic.
A laminated heart is the inclined heart.
Aliyu bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Faith begins in the heart [in the form of] a white dot, whenever it increases, the brightness increases until the heart becomes fully brighten. While hypocrisy begins in the heart [in the form of] a black dot, whenever it increases, the darkness increases until the heart becomes dark totally. Reported by Ibn Abi Shaibah in the book of Iman, and Albayhaqy in [his book] Shu'abul Iman, [i.e, the branches of faith].
The essence of this is that, a Muslim may have hypocrisy in him and it may be much or less depending on the level of his faith and his obedience to Allah (the great and the Exalted). Thus, among them is one who may have in him attitudes of hypocrisy. Hence, he lies ones or twice, and he sometimes breaches promise and so on.
And among them is one who frequently falls into such acts together with less remembrance of Allah and exceeding the limits of Allah on many occasions by violating the sanctities of (Allah) and negligence in the obligatory acts, and poring over desires and being deceived by ambiguities. Thus, there will be in his heart to much of hypocrisy and little faith. There is among the Muslims one who almost all the time prays in a hurry and delays it out of its fixed time and performs it in a bad way as in the Sahih of Muslim on the authority of Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) he said; I heard the Prophet (S.A.W) saying:
«تِلْكَ صَلاَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ يَجْلِسُ يَرْقُبُ الشَّمْسَ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتْ بَيْنَ قَرْنَىِ الشَّيْطَانِ قَامَ فَنَقَرَهَا أَرْبَعًا لاَ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ فِيهَا إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً» [رواه مسلم].
Meaning: "that is the Prayer of the hypocrite, he sits watching the Son until when it is between the two hones of the Devil then, he stands up and pecks it four times, he does not remember Allah in it except a little". Reported by Muslim.
Hence, such a person is among those whose heart has been over powered by hypocrisy to the extent that he deserved to be named hypocrite if not for the faith in his heart which prevented him from leaving prayer totally.
The companions of this category often fall into committing minor Riyaa , doing acts to please listeners and what invalidates acts such as reminder of it, injury in charity and seeking the world with the acts of the hereafter.
The companions of this category are on a great danger such that this negligence lead them into committing apostasy from the Religion of Allah (the Almighty) and whoever dies among them in hypocrisy while having faith in his heart, then he will be among the companions of grave offense who were promised intense punishment, but he will not remain eternally in the Hell because of the existence of his Islam. The Prophet (S.A.W) has certainly said:
«يَدْخُلُ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَهْلُ النَّارِ النَّارَ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَخْرِجُوا مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ فَيُخْرَجُونَ مِنْهَا قَدِ اسْوَدُّوا فَيُلْقَوْنَ فِي نَهَرِ الْحَيَا، أَوِ الْحَيَاةِ شَكَّ مَالِكٌ - فَيَنْبُتُونَ كَمَا تَنْبُتُ الْحِبَّةُ فِي جَانِبِ السَّيْلِ أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّهَا تَخْرُجُ صَفْرَاءَ مُلْتَوِيَةً» [رواه البخاريُّ من حديثِ أبي‌سَعِيدٍ الخُدْريِّ].
Meaning:" The people of Paradise will enter Paradise and the people of Hell will go to Hell. Then, Allah will say (to the Angels around Hell): bring out whoever has in his heart faith equal to the weight of a grain of mustard seed. So, they will be taken out but (by then) they had already become blackened (charred). Then they will be put in the river of Hayat [i.e., life] and they will revive like a grain that grows near the bank of a flood channel. Don't you see that it comes out yellow and twisted?" Reported by Albukhari from the narration of Abu Sa'id Alkhudri (may Allah be pleased with him)
But he who commits a violator among the violators of Islam, such as mockery of the Religion, abusing the Prophet (S.A.W) and supporting the disbelievers against Muslims is then a disbeliever, withdrawn from Islam and, faith has been detached from his heart, we seek refuge with Allah.
Chapter: the repentance of a hypocrite.
If a hypocrite repents from hypocrisy before his death and he corrects his deed, and he resort to Allah and become sincere to Him (the great and the exalted) in Religion, then his repentance is authentic and accepted. Allah (the Exalted) said:
﴿إِنَّ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ فِي ٱلدَّرۡكِ ٱلۡأَسۡفَلِ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمۡ نَصِيرًا ١٤٥ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصۡلَحُواْ وَٱعۡتَصَمُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَأَخۡلَصُواْ دِينَهُمۡ لِلَّهِ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَۖ وَسَوۡفَ يُؤۡتِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ أَجۡرًا عَظِيمٗا ١٤٦ مَّا يَفۡعَلُ ٱللَّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمۡ إِن شَكَرۡتُمۡ وَءَامَنتُمۡۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ شَاكِرًا عَلِيمٗا ١٤٧﴾ [النساء: 145-147].
Meaning: "indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the Fire- and never will you find for them a helper (145). Except for those who repent, correct themselves, hold fast to Allah, and are sincere in their Religion for Allah, for those will be with the believers. Allah is going to give the believers a great reward (146). What would Allah do with [i.e, gain from] your punishment if you are grateful and believe? And ever is Allah Appreciative and knowing (147). Q4: V145-147.
Likewise, the Muslim in whom is an attitude of hypocrisy, if he repents from it and forsakes that attitude Allah will forgive him, and he will become free from hypocrisy.
There is in regards to this issue a funny riddle forwarded by Huzafa ibn Yaman (may Allah be pleased with them) to the students of Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), for he stood over them in the presence of Abdullahi bin Mas'ud saluted them and said: verily, hypocrisy has been revealed on some people that were more pious than you, Abdullah bin Mas'ud –on hearing that - smiled because he got what he meant. The companions of ibn Mas'ud then said; glory be to Allah!! Allah has indeed said:
﴿إِنَّ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ فِي ٱلدَّرۡكِ ٱلۡأَسۡفَلِ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ﴾ [النساء: 145].
Meaning:" Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the Fire. Q4: V145.
Then, after the dispersal of the council, Huzaifa said to Aswad bin Yazid Annakha'i- one of the copanions of Ibn Mas'ud: verily, hypocrisy has been revealed on some people that were more pious than you and they repented and Allah accept their repentance.
In another narration he said: And they, when they repented became better than you.
And he mean by them, some of those whom were hypocrites during the time of the Prophet (S.A.W) and then repented, corrected (their deeds) and perfected their Islam. Thus, they became better than those who came after them from the Tabiu'n, because of their companionship [with the Prophet (S.A.W)] and their jihad with him. (This narration has been transmitted by Albukhari in his Sahih).
Chapter: It is necessary for the believers to practice what will save them from hypocritical attitudes and the acts of hypocrites. Among that is the repetition of repentance and seeking for [Allah's] forgiveness, and being cautious of the limits of Allah and glorifying His commands and disassociation from polytheism and its companions, observing prayers, giving out charities, sincerity to Allah, His Messenger, His Book and to the leaders and the general Muslims.
And among that is love for jihad in the cause of Allah and expressing desire for that.
Among that also is enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong and advising each other on truth, and advising each other on patience and encouraging one another on feeding the poor and disbursement for the sake of Allah faithfully and hoping to attain Allah's rewards.
For whoever does that is saved from hypocrisy.
It is transmitted in Almusnad and other hadith books from the narration of Umar bin Alkhattab (may Allah be pleased with him) he said; that the Prophet (S.A.W) has indeed, said:
«مَنْ سَرَّتْهِ حَسَنَتُهُ وَسَاءَتْهُ سَيِّئَتُهُ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ».
Meaning:" whoever is pleased with his good deed and sad with his bad deed is a believer.
Thus, whoever falls into sin and his sin grieved him that is an example of good faith in him and a hope for his repentance, seeking of forgiveness and conciliation. And whoever is pleased with his sin, and is gladden by his evil deed, that is a sign of hypocrisy in his heart.
It is reported in the [book of] Sunan of Attirmidhy on the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) he said; the Prophet (S.A.W) said:
«خَصْلَتَانِ لَا تَجْتَمِعَانِ فِي مُنَافِقٍ، حُسْنُ سَمْتٍ، وَلَا فِقْهٌ فِي الدِّينِ». [صححه الألبانيُّ].
Meaning: "Two characters can never be joined together in the heart of a hypocrite, good will and understanding in Religion. Authenticate by Albany.