Lesson eleven

Lesson eleven:
warning against hypocrisy (3\3)
The punishment of a hypocrite:
Allah the (Exalted) has made the punishment of the hypocrites to be among the worst of punishments in this world and in the hereafter (and) an appropriate recompense to their deeds.
As for this world, they will be punished by a seal on their hearts and deprivation from understanding knowledge and guidance. Besides that, Allah will put in their hearts, doubts and suspicions that will not be detached from them forever. As such, they are among the most confused and hesitant people, and that is because they wanted to deceive Allah and the believers and their deception reversed unto them so they suffered bad consequences of their deceptions and the outcome of their tricks. So, whenever they make any plan against Islam and Muslims, Allah makes its consequence worst on them from where they are not conscious of. Thus, they increase in the acts of infidelity and hypocrisy, and their punishments will be in multiple, one after the other. Allah (the Exalted) said:
﴿فَطُبِعَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَفۡقَهُونَ ٣﴾ [المنافقون: 3].
Meaning: "So their hearts were sealed over, and they do not understand. Q63: V3.
And (the Exalted) said:
﴿أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشۡتَرَوُاْ ٱلضَّلَٰلَةَ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَٰرَتُهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُهۡتَدِينَ ١٦ مَثَلُهُمۡ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِي ٱسۡتَوۡقَدَ نَارٗا فَلَمَّآ أَضَآءَتۡ مَا حَوۡلَهُۥ ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمۡ وَتَرَكَهُمۡ فِي ظُلُمَٰتٖ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ ١٧ صُمُّۢ بُكۡمٌ عُمۡيٞ فَهُمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ ١٨﴾ [البقرة: 16-18].
Meaning: "Those are the ones who purchased error [in exchange] for guidance, so their transaction has brought no profit, nor were they guided (16).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 (17). Deaf, dumb and blind- so they will not return [to the right path](18). Q2: V16-18.
And the (exalted) said:
﴿إِنَّ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ يُخَٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَٰدِعُهُمۡ﴾ [النساء: 142].
Meaning: "Indeed, the hypocrites (think to) deceive Allah, but he is deceiving them. Q4: V142.
The deception of Allah to them means punishing them with the kind of their deeds, and that is a punishment on them because of the ugliness of their speeches and actions and their bad assumption of Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted) and their deception to Allah and to the believers and their opposition to Allah and fight against His Religion with cunning and deception.
Hence, by indulging in these acts, they are only deceiving themselves as Allah (the Exalted) said:
﴿يُخَٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَمَا يَخۡدَعُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَمَا يَشۡعُرُونَ ٩﴾ [البقرة: 9].
Meaning: "They [think] to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not. Q2: V9
For they do not perceive that they are only deceiving themselves. Rather, they wish for themselves an untrue desideratum and they rush after it to the extent that it inveigled and fascinated them. And they increase in sin, disbelief, disobedience, offence and misguidance (through their deeds) while they think they are doing good deeds.
And they, in all that, have only harmed themselves; they have not harmed Allah with anything neither have they harm the Prophet, nor the believers and followers of the guidance of Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted).
Among what they will be punished with in this world is their wealth and children until the departure of their souls, as Allah (the Exalted) Said:
﴿وَلَا تُعۡجِبۡكَ أَمۡوَٰلُهُمۡ وَأَوۡلَٰدُهُمۡۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَتَزۡهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمۡ وَهُمۡ كَٰفِرُونَ ٨٥﴾ [التوبة: 85].
Meaning: "And let not their wealth and children impress you. Allah only intends to punish them through them in this world and that their souls should depart [at death] while they are disbelievers. Q9: V85.
Among what they will be punished with also is what Allah will put in people's heart of hatred towards them no matter how they show love or affection to them, and that is because they seek people's pleasure in exchange for Allah's discontentment, and they prefer this world to the hereafter, and they follow what angered Allah and hate His pleasure and they turn away from following the guidance of Allah. Thus, they subjected themselves to different kinds of fear, sadness, misguidance, and misfortune, which Allah decreed on whoever turned away from following His guidance.
Allah (the Exalted) said concerning a group among them:
﴿لَا يَزَالُ بُنۡيَٰنُهُمُ ٱلَّذِي بَنَوۡاْ رِيبَةٗ فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡ إِلَّآ أَن تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ١١٠﴾ [التوبة: 110].
Meaning: "Their building which they build will not cease to be a [cause of] scepticism in their hearts until their hearts are cut [i.e, they died]. And Allah is Knowing and wise. Q9: V110.
Some scholars of tafsir [commentary of the Qur'an] said: this exception, [i.e, until their hearts are cut] is an ironical exception that is a mockery from Allah of them.
It is an appropriate recompense for their plan against the believers, their mockery of them and their machination against them in order to make things ambiguous to them and mislead them form the way of Allah. As a result of that, they are afflicted with suspicion in their hearts as a punishment for them and it will never be detached from their heart until they meet Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted).
This is besides what will befall them of special punishments as consequence of their deeds, for indeed, Allah (the Exalted) has fixed for some sins special punishments, to serve as rewards commensurate to deeds as Allah (the Exalted) said regarding a group of them.
﴿ٱلَّذِينَ يَلۡمِزُونَ ٱلۡمُطَّوِّعِينَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ فِي ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ إِلَّا جُهۡدَهُمۡ فَيَسۡخَرُونَ مِنۡهُمۡ سَخِرَ ٱللَّهُ مِنۡهُمۡ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ٧٩﴾ [التوبة: 79].
Meaning: "Those who criticize the contributors among the believers concerning [their] charities and criticize the ones who find nothing [to spend] except their effort, so they ridicule them- Allah will ridicule them, and they will find a painful punishment. Q9: V79.
Thus, their punishment for ridiculing the believers was the ridicule of Allah of them as an equivalent reward.
And the hypocrites frequently fall into sins that have punishment commensurate to the deed in this world before the hereafter, as stated in the tradition [of the Prophet (S.A.W)] that indeed, whoever searches for the defects of a Muslim, Allah will search for his defects, whoever harmed a Muslim, Allah will harm him and whoever causes difficulty upon a Muslim, Allah will cause difficulty upon him and whoever forsake a Muslim, Allah will forsake him and whoever exert pressure on a Muslim, Allah will exert pressure on him.
The hypocrites are people of evil plots. Allah (the Exalted) has said:
﴿وَلَا يَحِيقُ ٱلۡمَكۡرُ ٱلسَّيِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهۡلِهِۦ﴾ [فاطر: 43].
Meaning:"…but the evil plot does not encompass except its own people. Q35: V43
This is the explanation of some of the punishments that will befall them in this world.
As for the life after death, verily they, when they die and entered into their graves, they will certainly be in a great punishment, permanent wretchedness and an Uninterrupted heartbreak. Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (S.A.W) said:
«إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا وُضِعَ فِي قَبْرِهِ وَتَوَلَّى عَنْهُ أَصْحَابُهُ وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسْمَعُ قَرْعَ نِعَالِهِمْ أَتَاهُ مَلَكَانِ فَيُقْعِدَانِهِ فَيَقُولاَنِ مَا كُنْتَ تَقُولُ فِي الرَّجُلِ لِمُحَمَّدٍ فَأَمَّا الْمُؤْمِنُ فَيَقُولُ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ عَبْدُ اللهِ وَرَسُولُهُ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ انْظُرْ إِلَى مَقْعَدِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ قَدْ أَبْدَلَكَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مَقْعَدًا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَرَاهُمَا جَمِيعًا قَالَ قَتَادَةُ: وَذُكِرَ لَنَا أَنَّهُ يُفْسَحُ فِي قَبْرِهِ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى حَدِيثِ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: وَأَمَّا الْمُنَافِقُ وَالْكَافِرُ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ مَا كُنْتَ تَقُولُ فِي هَذَا الرَّجُلِ فَيَقُولُ لاَ أَدْرِي كُنْتُ أَقُولُ مَا يَقُولُ النَّاسُ فَيُقَالُ لاَ دَرَيْتَ، وَلاَ تَلَيْتَ وَيُضْرَبُ بِمَطَارِقَ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ ضَرْبَةً فَيَصِيحُ صَيْحَةً يَسْمَعُهَا مَنْ يَلِيهِ غَيْرَ الثَّقَلَيْنِ» [متفق علیه].
Meaning:" When the servant is placed in his grave and his companions retrace their steps, he hears the noise of their footsteps, then two angels come to him and sit him and say to him: What do you have to say about this person (the Holy Prophet) ? As for the believer, he would say: I bear testimony to the fact that he is a servant of Allah and His Messenger. Then it would be said to him: Look at your seat in the Hell- Fire, for Allah has substituted (your seat) with a seat in Paradise. Allah's Messenger (May peace be upon him) said: He would be shown both seats. But as for the hypocrite and non-believer, he will say to the angels, 'I do not know, but I used to say what the people used to say! It will be said to him, 'Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Quran).' Then he will be hit with an iron hammer between his two ears, and he will cry and that cry will be heard by whatever approaches him except human beings and jinns." Reported by Bukhari and Muslim.
In addition to what will befall them of a special punishment due to some of their sins, as it was authentic in the [Prophetic] tradition that he who recites Qur'an and rejects it, and sleeps without observing congregational prayers will be punished in his grave. Likewise, the fornicators, those who consume usury, the backbiters, the talebearers, the false talkers, those who hindered zakah [i.e, charity] and those who break their fast before time, all of these [people] authentic traditions have stated that they will be punished in their graves, and the hypocrites commit most of these acts.
But as for the hereafter, authentic traditions of the Prophet (S.A.W) have indicated that when it is Judgment Day, and Allah assembled people in one place for judgment and then ordered that the unbelievers [be thrown] into the Hell Fire, there will be left in the [courtyard] the believers, the hypocrites and the remnant of the people of the book in the courtyard. The Prophet (S.A.W) said:
 «فيُكْشَفُ عن سَاقٍ فلا يَبْقَى أحَدٌ كانَ يَسْجُدُ طَائِعًا في الدنيا إلا أُذِنَ له في السُّجودِ، ولا يَبْقَى أحَدٌ كانَ يَسْجُدُ رِياءً أو نِفاقًا إلا صَارَ ظَهْرُه طَبَقَةً وَاحِدَةً كُلَّما أرادَ أن يَسْجُدَ خَرَّ لِقَفَاهُ...». «وذَلِكَ المُنافِقُ، وذلك الذي يَسْخَطُ اللهُ عليه». والحديثُ في صَحِيحِ مُسلمٍ من حديثِ أبي هُرَيرةَ رضِي اللهُ عنه.
Meaning: "And the [Sa’aq] Leg would be laid bare. Those who used to prostrate themselves before God obediently would be permitted by God to prostrate themselves. But there would remain one who used to prostrate out of fear (of people) and ostentation, Allah would make his back as one piece, and whenever he attempts to prostrate, he would fall on his back.
And during accountability [on Judgment Day] a hypocrite would be brought and Allah will remind him of His blessings, the hypocrite would then say: O, my Lord, I affirmed my faith in Thee and in Thy Book and in Thy Messenger and I observed prayer and fasts and gave charity, and he would speak in good terms like this as he would be able to do. And He [Allah] would say: Well, We will bring our witnesses to you. And the man would think in his mind who would bear witness upon him and then his mouth would be sealed and it would be said to his thighs, flesh and bones, speak! And his thighs, flesh and bones would bear witness to his deeds and it would be done so that he should not be able to make any excuse for himself. And such is the hypocrite; such is he with whom Allah is annoyed. (This narration is in the Sahih of Imam Muslim from the narration of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him).
And when the bridge is set over the Hell and an order is given to cross over it, those in the courtyard will be given light in proportion to their deeds. The hypocrites will be given light similar to them as a trial to them, until when they are on the bridge the light of the hypocrites goes off and the light of the believers become full as Allah (the Exalted) said:
﴿لَهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ يُحۡيِۦ وَيُمِيتُۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٌ ٢ هُوَ ٱلۡأَوَّلُ وَٱلۡأٓخِرُ وَٱلظَّٰهِرُ وَٱلۡبَاطِنُۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ ٣ هُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖ يَعۡلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا يَعۡرُجُ فِيهَاۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمۡ أَيۡنَ مَا كُنتُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٞ ٤ لَّهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرۡجَعُ ٱلۡأُمُورُ ٥ يُولِجُ ٱلَّيۡلَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِي ٱلَّيۡلِۚ وَهُوَ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ ٦ ءَامِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَأَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا جَعَلَكُم مُّسۡتَخۡلَفِينَ فِيهِۖ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَأَنفَقُواْ لَهُمۡ أَجۡرٞ كَبِيرٞ ٧ وَمَا لَكُمۡ لَا تُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولُ يَدۡعُوكُمۡ لِتُؤۡمِنُواْ بِرَبِّكُمۡ وَقَدۡ أَخَذَ مِيثَٰقَكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ ٨ هُوَ ٱلَّذِي يُنَزِّلُ عَلَىٰ عَبۡدِهِۦٓ ءَايَٰتِۢ بَيِّنَٰتٖ لِّيُخۡرِجَكُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُمۡ لَرَءُوفٞ رَّحِيمٞ ٩ وَمَا لَكُمۡ أَلَّا تُنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَٰثُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ لَا يَسۡتَوِي مِنكُم مَّنۡ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبۡلِ ٱلۡفَتۡحِ وَقَٰتَلَۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَعۡظَمُ دَرَجَةٗ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنفَقُواْ مِنۢ بَعۡدُ وَقَٰتَلُواْۚ وَكُلّٗا وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ ١٠ مَّن ذَا ٱلَّذِي يُقۡرِضُ ٱللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنٗا فَيُضَٰعِفَهُۥ لَهُۥ وَلَهُۥٓ أَجۡرٞ كَرِيمٞ ١١ يَوۡمَ تَرَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ يَسۡعَىٰ نُورُهُم بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَبِأَيۡمَٰنِهِمۖ بُشۡرَىٰكُمُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ جَنَّٰتٞ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَاۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ ١٢ يَوۡمَ يَقُولُ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقُونَ وَٱلۡمُنَٰفِقَٰتُ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱنظُرُونَا نَقۡتَبِسۡ مِن نُّورِكُمۡ قِيلَ ٱرۡجِعُواْ وَرَآءَكُمۡ فَٱلۡتَمِسُواْ نُورٗاۖ فَضُرِبَ بَيۡنَهُم بِسُورٖ لَّهُۥ بَابُۢ بَاطِنُهُۥ فِيهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَةُ وَظَٰهِرُهُۥ مِن قِبَلِهِ ٱلۡعَذَابُ ١٣ يُنَادُونَهُمۡ أَلَمۡ نَكُن مَّعَكُمۡۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰ وَلَٰكِنَّكُمۡ فَتَنتُمۡ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَتَرَبَّصۡتُمۡ وَٱرۡتَبۡتُمۡ وَغَرَّتۡكُمُ ٱلۡأَمَانِيُّ حَتَّىٰ جَآءَ أَمۡرُ ٱللَّهِ وَغَرَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡغَرُورُ ١٤ فَٱلۡيَوۡمَ لَا يُؤۡخَذُ مِنكُمۡ فِدۡيَةٞ وَلَا مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْۚ مَأۡوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُۖ هِيَ مَوۡلَىٰكُمۡۖ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ ١٥﴾ [الحدید: 2-15].
Meaning: "On the day you see the believing men and believing women, their light proceeding before them and on their right, [it will be said], and “Your good tidings today are [of] gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein you will abide eternally, that is the greatest success (12) On the [same] Day the hypocrites, men and women will say to those who believed, "Wait for us that we may acquire some of your light." It will be said, "Go back behind you and seek light." And a wall will be placed between them with a door, its interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it is torment (13) They [i.e, the hypocrites] will call to them [i.e, the believers], "Were we not with you?" they will say, "Yes, but you afflicted yourselves and awaited [misfortune for us] and doubted, and wishful thinking deluded you until there came the command of Allah. And the deceiver [i.e, Satan] deceived you concerning Allah (14) So today no ransom will be taken from you or from those who disbelieved. Your refuge is Fire. It is most worthy of you, and wretched is the destination (15)." Q57: V12-15.
But as for their punishment in the Hell fire, that is the degrading, painful, ruinous and a permanent punishment. Allah has decreed for them the lowest depth in it. Thus, they are among the worst of the companions of the Hell in punishment.
Allah (the Exalted) said:
﴿إِنَّ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ فِي ٱلدَّرۡكِ ٱلۡأَسۡفَلِ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمۡ نَصِيرًا ١٤٥﴾ [النساء: 145].
Meaning: "Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the Fire- and never will you find for them helper. Q4: V145.
And they, because of their hidden disbelief and their ally to the unbelievers, Allah combined them together with the unbelievers in the Hell Fire as Allah the Exalted said:
﴿إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ جَامِعُ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ وَٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا ١٤٠﴾ [النساء: 140].
Meaning: "Indeed, Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in the Hell all together. Q4: V140. And Allah (the Exalted) said:
﴿وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ وَٱلۡمُنَٰفِقَٰتِ وَٱلۡكُفَّارَ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَاۚ هِيَ حَسۡبُهُمۡۚ وَلَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ مُّقِيمٞ ٦٨﴾ [التوبة: 68].
Meaning: "And Allah has promised the hypocrites, men and women and the disbelievers the fire of Hell, wherein they will abide eternally. It is sufficient for them. And Allah has coursed them, and for them is an enduring punishment. Q9: V68.