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Dr. Iyad Qunaybi
Oh reader... Examine yourself and treat yourself before... the walls are struck! "Thus, a barrier will be set between them, with a gate therein. Within are the hypocrites" [Al-Hadid: 13], a wall that will be struck between the believers and the hypocrites on the Day of Judgment, so the hypocrites will not see the light nor will they enter Paradise with the believers.
All praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, seek His help, and seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves and from the evil consequences of our deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide him, and whomsoever He allows to stray, none can guide him. And I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
O Allah, bless and grant peace to the beloved of the hearts of the believers, the delight of their eyes, the leader of the truthful and the patient, whom Allah has used to erase ignorance and misguidance, and enlighten the world with him, and made him a shining lamp... the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, peace be upon him and his family and companions.
And be pleased, O Lord, with his companions who were around him, black people, who supported him, honored him, followed the light that was revealed with him, and sacrificed their souls and wealth for him. So be pleased with them, O Lord, and raise their mention in the worlds, and gather us with them.
To proceed:
I do not see that speaking about hypocrites is given its due in our time in sermons, admonitions, and writings, despite its great danger, the people's severe heedlessness of it, and the Quran and Sunnah being filled with a great deal about this topic. Therefore, I saw fit to seek Allah's help to gather the most dangerous characteristics of hypocrites in this book, hoping that it will be material for those who are keen on the purity of their faith to study and spread among themselves, perhaps, if Allah wills, it will contribute to warning about the danger of hypocrisy and hypocrites.
I have divided the book into an introduction explaining the importance of the topic, then important concepts about the nature of hypocrisy, followed by the characteristics of hypocrites, and under each characteristic the following elements:
And that, with the permission of Allah, without any harmful abbreviation or tedious lengthening.
Hypocrisy in language is derived from the tunnel that an animal digs and has two openings, so if you approach it from one side, it escapes from the opening on the other side. Similarly, the hypocrite changes his positions between faith and disbelief according to fear and safety, and it is said that it is derived from the tunnel that the animal digs to hide and conceal himself, and similarly, the hypocrite shows faith and hides his disbelief or doubt and the disease of his heart (1).
Ibn Al-Qayyim said about the hypocrites: "The Quran almost entirely deals with them because of their abundance on the face of the earth and in the graves, so no place on earth is empty of them, lest the believers feel lonely on the roads, and the means of livelihood be obstructed by them, and the beasts and predators seize them in the wilderness." So Ibn Al-Qayyim calls for the hypocrites not to be destroyed because that would mean the destruction of many people to the extent that the means of livelihood are obstructed! And it was said to Al-Hasan Al-Basri - who is one of the Imams of the Followers - "O Abu Said, is there hypocrisy today?" He said, "If they came out of the alleys of Basra, they would be missed there!" (2).
And because of the abundance of hypocrites and the severity of their danger in every era, Allah has detailed their characteristics in many Medinan surahs. Have you not seen that Allah has described their heart disease and their deceit of the believers in Surah Al-Baqarah, then their panic and disappointment in Al-Imran, then their turning away from the judgment of Allah and His Messenger in An-Nisa, then their allegiance to the disbelievers in Al-Ma'idah, then their doubt in Allah's promise of empowerment for the religion in Al-Anfal, then their retreat from jihad and their criticism of the believers in At-Tawbah, then their lack of steadfastness in Hajj, then their selection from the religion according to their desires in An-Nur, then their lack of patience in Al-Ankabut, then their breaking the covenant of Allah in Al-Ahzab, then their cowardice in Surah Muhammad, then their evil opinion of Allah in Al-Fath, then their delusion with hopes in Al-Hadid, then their false oaths in Al-Mujadalah, then their abandonment of those who were weak among their allies in Al-Hashr, then their lack of manners with the Messenger of Allah and the believers in "Al-Munafiqun", then their deserving of harshness in Surah At-Tahrim... seventeen surahs filled with warnings against them and detailing their characteristics... Does anyone after all this think that the phenomenon of hypocrites has ended and that the verses describing them are not needed in our days except to seek blessing in their recitation and to document this phenomenon historically?!
There is no doubt that if Allah has mentioned hypocrisy frequently, we should be aware of it, so we warn against hypocrisy in ourselves, we warn against hypocrites, and we warn against implanting any of their characteristics in our children, but rather we strive to raise them in the opposite of their characteristics. Allah said: "Thus do We detail the verses, and [thus do We explain them] that the way of the criminals may become clear" [Al-An'am: 55]. And our Prophet peace be upon him said: "The sign of the hypocrite is three... and he fasts and prays and claims that he is a Muslim" (3). The Prophet peace be upon him points to characteristics in the hypocrite so that we are not deceived by his fasting, praying, and claiming that he is a Muslim, thus destroying the Islamic society while the Muslims are unaware of the danger and taking the appropriate stance against him.
The critical moment... is when the hypocrite realizes that he is doomed... He wakes up from the dream of eternal bliss in Paradise to the certainty of eternal torment in the Fire... A terrifying moment that every believer fears... Believers have passed through stages of purification, distinguishing themselves from the clear disbelievers, but there are still hypocrites among them... And the hypocrite's hopes of salvation grow, with only a few steps left to Paradise... Steps that need light to see the path... But the believers have moved forward with their light, leaving the hypocrites in darkness, as dark as their hypocrisy and doubt in this world... And the hypocrites still have hopes... They think that they will escape with what they have escaped in this world of lies and deceit... They think their trickery will succeed even with their Lord, Glorified and Exalted be He!... So the hypocrite calls out, as described by the Lord of Might, Glorified and Exalted be He:
"On the Day the hypocrites, men and women, will say to those who believed, 'Look at us and see if you can find any light from your light.' They will be told, 'Go back behind you and seek light.' And a wall will be placed between them with a door in it, with mercy within it and punishment before it' [Al-Hadid: 13]."
They return, seeking light with which they can reach eternal bliss, but the wall is placed to separate them from the believers who continue on their way to Paradise... As for the hypocrites, they are detained behind the wall... And they are in the torment of Hell!... A terrifying, decisive moment! (4).
They deceived Allah, the Exalted, for a long time, so He deceived them: "Indeed, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them" [An-Nisa: 142].
So ask yourself, my brother, and ask yourself, my sister: Will I be before the wall or after it at this moment?...
Imagine yourself, and the wall is struck behind you, so you know that you are a successful believer... You fall to your knees and cry, bowing your head in joy and gratitude to Allah, the Exalted, that His mercy has encompassed you...
Or perhaps the wall is struck before you, and the shackles are placed on your neck, and you are dragged by chains into the Fire of Hell... To its depths and its lowest abode: "Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest part of the Fire" [An-Nisa: 145]. So O Allah, grant us the first (position).
Ibn Al-Qayyim said: "The trial of Islam with them (the hypocrites) is very severe, for they are attributed to it and to its support and allegiance, while in reality they are its enemies. They manifest their enmity in every form that the ignorant might think is knowledge and reform, but it is the utmost ignorance and corruption. By Allah, how many strongholds of Islam have they demolished! And how many of its foundations have they uprooted and destroyed! And how much of its knowledge have they obscured! And how many of its raised banners have they brought down! And how often have they struck with the pickaxes of resemblance at the roots of its plants to uproot them! And how often have they blinded the sources of its provisions with their opinions to bury and cut them off! So Islam and its people will always be in a trial and affliction with them, and they will always strike at its doors with their doubts, one after another, claiming that they are thereby reformers! Indeed, they are the corrupters, but they do not feel it" (5).
And due to their danger, Allah the Exalted said: "They are the enemy, so beware of them. May Allah fight them; how perverse they are in their fraud!" [Al-Munafiqun: 4].
Thus, He confined enmity to them as if there is no enemy other than them, saying: "They are the enemy" because they are the worst of enemies.
And the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "The thing I fear most for my Ummah after me is the knowledgeable hypocrite" (6). So the knowledgeable hypocrite makes the truth ugly and beautifies falsehood with his speech... And in his wicked endeavor, he may even use the argument: "Allah said" and "the Messenger said!"... Carrying the texts to mean something other than what they were revealed for. This is one of the meanings of Ibn Al-Qayyim's statement: "And how often have they blinded the sources of its provisions with their opinions to bury and cut them off!" For the eloquent hypocrite tries to bury the truth and support the vile desires, using his eloquence and confusion of matters to blind the people.
And due to their danger, Allah the Exalted commanded us to take a clear and firm stance against them... He was not pleased with the believers to be divided into two groups regarding them... So one group may be lenient towards them: "So why are you two groups concerning the hypocrites? Allah has cast them back for what they have earned" [An-Nisa': 88].
And what the believers love is to gather with their Prophet to fight the hypocrites and be stern with them. "O Prophet, strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them, and their refuge is Hell, and wretched is the destination" [At-Tahrim: 9].
And the Prophet, peace be upon him, negated faith from whoever did not strive - at least with his heart - against people who wore some of their characteristics, saying: "No prophet was sent by Allah to a nation before me except that he had from his nation disciples and companions who would follow his Sunnah and act upon his command. Then, after them, there would come those who would say what they do not do, and do what they are not commanded. So whoever strives against them with his hand is a believer, and whoever strives against them with his tongue is a believer, and whoever strives against them with his heart is a believer, and there is not, beyond that, the weight of a mustard seed of faith" (7).
And Allah the Exalted forbade His Prophet and the Muslims from obeying the hypocrites: "And do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites" [Al-Ahzab: 48].
And so that we are not deceived by them, Allah the Exalted has described their characteristics to us... So that when they try to deceive us, our response to them is: "Say, 'Do not make excuses; we will not believe you. Allah has informed us of the news of you'" [At-Tawbah: 94].
From all of this, one learns the extent of the necessity of knowing the characteristics of hypocrites so that we may avoid them within ourselves and recognize the hypocrites so that we may beware of them and not follow them... And the one who follows Islamic history sees that every trial that befell Islam was from their side... They blackened the pages of history, may Allah blacken their faces!
Starting with the germ of evil, Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, who often brought sorrow to the beloved Messenger of Allah and caused many of his followers to suffer... Instead of being companions in the highest ranks, he led them to the lowest level of the Fire, cursed.
To Abdullah ibn Saba, who spread his malice among the Muslims until he caused strife among them... He was a bad example for those who wore the garb of Islam over the hearts of the Magians, and they made the Ummah of Islam taste and continue to taste various kinds of torment.
To Muhammad ibn Muhammad Mu'ayyad ad-Din al-Ulqami... who betrayed Muhammad, peace be upon him, in his Ummah, supported the Tatars, and apostated from the religion, making the Muslims taste the bitterness...
To Muhammad ibn Muhammad Nasir ad-Din at-Tusi, about whom Ibn Al-Qayyim said in "Ighathat al-Lahfan": "And when the turn came to Nasir of polytheism, the atheist infidel, the minister of the atheists, Nasir at-Tusi, the minister of Hulagu, he satisfied himself (8) from the followers of the Messenger and the people of his religion, so he exposed them to the sword until he satisfied his atheist brothers, and he was satisfied, so he killed the caliph, the judges, the scholars, and the hadith scholars, and he kept the philosophers, the astrologers, the naturalists, and the sorcerers!"
To some of the rulers during the time of the Crusades and in the era of the Taifa kings in Al-Andalus... Those who wore the characteristics of hypocrites, deviated from the rule of Allah, supported the enemies of Allah, lied to their subjects, and hindered jihad in the way of Allah... So the Ummah was humiliated in their hands, torn apart, its blood was shed, and its people were taken captive...
Oh, if only the Muslims would stop being deceived by appearances, so that their eyes are not blinded to the hypocrites just because they hear Islamic names... So they think well of them and their hearts soften towards them... But the hypocrites are not worthy of that... The first is Abdullah, the second is Abdullah, the third and fourth are Muhammad... Not just Muhammad, but Muhammad ibn Muhammad! And all of them are enemies of Allah the Exalted and His Messenger Muhammad, peace be upon him...
Look at the crimes of these people against Islam and its people, and then turn your gaze to the societies of hypocrisy that weakened the Ottoman state... They tore apart the Ummah and made the Muslims orphans at the tables of the wicked.
And in every arena where the weak and their sanctities are defended, the treacherous hand of hypocrisy extends to stab the Muslims in the back and delight the eyes of their enemies... "For the manifest kufr, despite its danger and harm, is unable every time it faces the Ummah of Islam to achieve a comprehensive victory over it unless it is supported by a fifth column from within the lands of the Muslims, bearing the names of Muslims, aiding the enemies, advising them sincerely, removing obstacles from their path, and opening doors" (9).
You will not find a hypocrite declaring his enmity to Islam, but rather: "And of the people is he who says pleasing words to you in worldly life, and he testifies to Allah concerning what is in his heart, and he is of the most aggressive to opposition" [Al-Baqarah: 204].
So do not be deceived by sweet speech, and remember what was authentically reported from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he said: "The thing I fear most for my Ummah is every knowledgeable hypocrite."
And at the same time, the caution against hypocrisy and hypocrites should not lead to accusing people hastily and with every suspicion of hypocrisy, and judging what is hidden of their intentions, but we take what is apparent of their conditions. And Al-Bukhari reported that Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Indeed, there were people who were taken by revelation in the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and the revelation has ceased, and we now take you by what is apparent to us of your deeds. So whoever shows us good, we trust him and bring him close, and we have nothing to do with his inner self. Allah will hold him accountable for his inner self. And whoever shows us evil, we do not trust him nor believe him, even if he says: My inner self is good."
Abu Idris Al-Khulani reported that he heard Hudhaifa ibn Al-Yaman say: The people used to ask the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, about good, and I used to ask him about evil fearing that it might reach me, so I said: O Messenger of Allah, we were in ignorance and evil, and then Allah brought us this good, is there any evil after this good? He said: (Yes). I said: Is there any good after that evil? He said: (Yes, and it has a smoke). I said: What is its smoke? He said: (People who guide with other than my guidance, you will recognize some of them and disavow others). I said: Is there any evil after that good? He said: (Yes, callers to the gates of Hell, whoever responds to them, they will throw him into it). I said: O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us? He said: (They are from our skin, and they speak with our tongues) (10).
Ibn Hajar said in Al-Fath regarding the statement of the Prophet, peace be upon him, (They are from our skin): "And Al-Qabisi said: Its meaning is that they are outwardly upon our religion, and inwardly they oppose it."
Therefore, this book is to learn the actions of hypocrites, so that you do not trust them thereafter nor believe them.
There are certain facts that must be known so that a Muslim does not overlook the presence of hypocrisy within himself or among those around him:
Multiple Levels: A person may see good in himself and thus exclude the possibility of hypocrisy, simply because he is unaware that an individual can combine faith and hypocrisy, and that hypocrisy has levels and is not uniform. A person may have some hypocrisy or be a complete hypocrite.
Fluctuation Over Time: There may be days when his faith is strong, leading him to exclude the possibility that what he exhibits on other days are hypocritical traits, due to his ignorance that a person can fluctuate between faith and hypocrisy.
Ignorance of One's State: He may be reassured by his intention to do good and believe that if he were a hypocrite, he would know it himself. This is only due to his ignorance that a person may be a hypocrite without knowing it, to the extent that the Companions feared for themselves that there might be hypocrisy within them that they were unaware of due to its subtlety.
Most people imagine that hypocrisy is only found in someone who is completely devoid of goodness, with not an ounce of faith in their heart, and who harbors enmity and hatred towards Islam, fearing that people will find out.
The truth is that hypocrites who are in this state are evident to the rational. However, the hypocrisy that is less severe and clear is more widespread and hidden, even from its bearers, and this is where its danger lies. They do not see the signs of hypocrisy directed at them, nor do they hear them, even though the speech is directed at them, so that they may hasten to repent, correct themselves, and rid themselves of the affliction of hypocrisy.
For all these reasons, we wanted to clarify some general facts about hypocrisy before delving into the details of its characteristics. These facts are:
A person can combine faith and hypocrisy.
a) Therefore, Allah the Almighty described the state of the hypocrites on the day of Uhud: "They were closer to disbelief on that day than to faith" [Al-Imran: 167].
Ibn Kathir in his interpretation said: "They used this as evidence that a person's condition may change, so he may be in a state closer to disbelief and in a state closer to faith" (11).
b) The saying of the Prophet peace be upon him: "Whoever has four characteristics is a complete hypocrite, and whoever has one of them has a characteristic of hypocrisy until he leaves it" (12).
Look at how he peace be upon him explained that a person may exhibit characteristics that make him have some hypocrisy.
It should be mentioned that some interpreters of this hadith found it difficult because these characteristics may exist in a Muslim who is sincere in heart and tongue, and there is a consensus that he is not judged to be a hypocrite that places him in the lowest level of Hell for these characteristics. They got out of this difficulty with interpretations such as considering the mentioned hypocrisy as practical, not doctrinal, and that it is not a hypocrisy that takes him out of the religion.
However, in this book, we do not address this distinction between doctrinal hypocrisy and practical hypocrisy, because this distinction is only mentioned to prevent Muslims from falling into the excommunication of those who exhibit some of these characteristics from Muslims, which does not take them out of Islam. We are not here to judge whether someone who exhibits a characteristic of hypocrisy is an infidel or a Muslim, as this is a subject that requires more research and detail, and it is not the subject of this book. We are only concerned here with warning against the characteristics of hypocrisy, and in such a case, it is appropriate to use the term hypocrisy as Allah the Almighty and His Messenger peace be upon him used it, so that the deterrent is as intended, and so that the souls do not become complacent and their aversion to the characteristics of hypocrites diminishes.
c) From Hudhaifa bin al-Yaman may Allah be pleased with him, he said: "The hearts are of four types: a hardened heart, which is the heart of the hypocrite, a sealed heart, which is the heart of the disbeliever, a bare heart as if there is a lamp shining in it, which is the heart of the believer, and a heart that contains both hypocrisy and faith: it is like a wound that is filled with pus and blood, and it is like a tree that is watered with both foul and pure water, and whichever water prevails, it prevails" (13).
Look at the distinction in this narration between the complete hypocrite and the one whose heart combines faith and hypocrisy that compete with each other.
Therefore, Ibn Kathir said in his interpretation of the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah: "...And hypocrites, and they are of two types: pure, and they are the ones who are given the fiery example, and hypocrites who waver, sometimes the light of faith shines for them and sometimes it dims, and they are the ones who are given the watery example, and they are in a lighter state than those before them.
The fiery example is the saying of Allah the Almighty: "Their example is like the one who kindled a fire" [Al-Baqarah: 17].
The watery example is the saying of Allah the Almighty: "Or like a rain from the sky" [Al-Baqarah: 19].
The saying of Allah the Almighty: "Sometimes the light shines for them, so they walk in it, and when it darkens for them, they stand still" (14).
We see examples of this wavering type in our reality, such as those who speak with the speech of those who doubt some of the laws of Islam, such as polygamy, punishments, and jihad. However, when the enemies of Islam inflict new injustice on the nation, they feel that they are being targeted, and the distinction between truth and falsehood becomes clearer to them, so their faith strengthens, and zeal for the religion appears from them. However, they soon return to their state of doubt and suspicion.
Here is a warning: It is not a condition that the text about the hypocrites applies to any of us in all its parts for one to feel that it addresses him. Therefore, if a reader reads verses describing the hypocrites and initially feels that the characteristics apply to him, then a characteristic in the verses does not apply, it should not make him feel that the verses do not concern him. Rather, he has a warning and the realization of the description of hypocrisy to the extent that the verses apply to him, and he has faith to the extent that they oppose his state.
You find this understanding in the companions' dealing with the verses that describe the disbelievers. In a sound narration, Sa'd, may Allah be pleased with him, sought permission to enter upon Ibn Amir, who had a silk curtain beneath him, so he ordered it to be removed, and he entered upon him while wearing a silk garment (15). Ibn Amir said to Sa'd, "You sought permission to enter upon me while I have a silk curtain beneath me, and you ordered it to be removed." Sa'd said to him, "You are indeed a good man, O Ibn Amir, if you are not among those whom Allah, the Exalted, said: 'You have consumed your good things in the life of this world' [Al-Ahqaf: 20]... By Allah, I would prefer to lie on the embers of fire to lying on it (the silk)." (16).
Look at how this verse was revealed about the disbelievers: "And the Day those who disbelieved are exposed to the Fire: 'You have consumed your good things in the life of this world and enjoyed them. So today you will be recompensed with the punishment of humiliation for what you used to arrogantly reject in the world without right and for what you used to commit of defiance.'" [Al-Ahqaf: 20].
However, this did not prevent Sa'd, may Allah be pleased with him, from rebuking Ibn Amir with it for a similarity in a part of the verse, even though Ibn Amir is not among "those who disbelieved."
Similarly, the people of Sunnah mention Allah's saying, "What has led you into Saqr? They will say, 'We were not of those who prayed'" [Surah Al-Mudaththir: 42-43] in the context of deterring those who attribute themselves to Islam from abandoning prayer, even though in the continuation of the characteristics mentioned in these verses is: "And we used to deny the Day of Recompense," a characteristic that does not apply to many of those who abandon prayer. This is because the blame is upon every act of these acts, not upon their gathering all together.
And we mention here a statement of Ibn Ashur in his interpretation regarding the same meaning that a person has from the Quranic text to the extent that it applies to him, even if he is a Muslim and the text originally was about the disbelievers. The speech is difficult, so do not worry, O reader, from reading it if the rule has become clear to you from what has preceded:
In the context of interpreting Allah's saying, "You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred" [Al-Mujadila: 22].
Ibn Ashur, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "The scholars have taken from this verse that the people of complete faith do not love those in whom there is a meaning of opposing Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, by violating the fence of His legislation intentionally, and belittling the prohibitions of Islam, and these are..."
(1) Al-Nihaya fi Gharib al-Athar, Bab al-Nun with al-Fa and al-Qaf, p. 933 with modification. (2) Narrated by Al-Faryabi in "Description of Hypocrisy" (109) with a sound chain of narration to Al-Hasan al-Basri. (3) Muslim (59). (4) A verse indicating the striking of the surah in this book, for it means this surah that will separate between the believers and the hypocrites when they are distinguished. (5) Madarij al-Salikin - Part One p. 347-348. (6) Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad (143, 310), Ibn Abi ad-Dunya in As-Samt (148), and in Dhamm al-Ghibah (10), Al-Bazzar in his Musnad (304), Al-Faryabi in Description of Hypocrisy (24), and Ahmad Shakir and Al-Albani in As-Silsilah As-Sahihah (1013) have authenticated its chain. (7) Narrated by Muslim (50). (8) That is, he has cooled his anger and removed the hatred from his chest. (9) From a lecture (Flags of Hypocrisy) by Dr. Nasser bin Muhammad Al-Ahmed. (10) Narrated by Al-Bukhari (3606) and Muslim (1847). (11) I would like to clarify at the beginning that mentioning the interpretations of some scholars in this book does not mean that we impose the verses with their understanding over others... For most of the verses in the book are clear in their indication, praise be to Allah, and do not bear much difference. (12) Sahih al-Bukhari No. 33 (1/59), Sahih Muslim No. 88 (1/190). (13) Authenticated by Ibn al-Qayyim in "Ighathat al-Lahfan" (12/1) and Al-Albani in his commentary on "Kitab al-Iman," then he weakened it in "As-Silsilah Ad-Da'ifah" (5158). (14) See verses 17-20 of Surah Al-Baqarah. (15) A type of permissible clothing. (16) Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in "Al-Musannaf" (26238), At-Tahawi in "Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar" (6686), Al-Hakim in "Al-Mustadrak" (3697), and Al-Bayhaqi in "As-Sunan Al-Kubra" (6080). Al-Hakim said: On the condition of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, and Adh-Dhahabi agreed with him.
Like the people of injustice and aggression in actions from everything that indicates a lack of concern for the religion on the part of the perpetrator and indicates a weakness in his respect for the religion, such as those who openly commit major sins and indecencies, mockers of the warnings and admonitions, and like the people of deviation and misguidance in belief, those whose condition indicates turning away from the evidence of true belief, preferring personal desire and sectarianism over the evidence of true Islamic belief. It was narrated that Ath-Thawri said: They used to see the revelation of this verse upon those who accompany the tyrant sultans. And Malik said: Do not sit with the Qadariyyah and their likes in Allah for His saying, "You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His Messenger."
And our jurists said: It is permissible or obligatory to abandon the one who is involved in misguided innovation or indulges in major sins if he does not accept admonition. All of this is from giving some of the rulings of the meaning in which there is a legal ruling or a warning for a meaning in which there is a description of the type of meaning with the fixed ruling. This goes back to types of similarity in the ways of the cause for analogy. For things differ in similarity. End of quote.
And Ibn Ashur means by the last paragraph that what was mentioned are examples of arguing with texts that were revealed in a certain form, arguing with them for other forms in which there is a similarity to the original form, even if they do not gather all its characteristics. This includes arguing with the warning of punishment.
Just as faith increases and decreases - and this is the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah - so too does hypocrisy increase and decrease.
A) Allah, the Exalted, has described the hypocrites as saying: "[They are] wavering between that, belonging neither to these nor to those" [An-Nisa': 143]. Ibn Kathir said in its interpretation: "(And among them are those who are afflicted with doubt, so sometimes he inclines to these and sometimes to those)." End of quote.
B) It was narrated from Jubayr bin Nufayr that he heard Abu Darda' - while he was in the last part of his prayer and had finished the tashahhud - seeking refuge with Allah from hypocrisy, so he often sought refuge from it. Jubayr said, "And you, O Abu Darda', and hypocrisy?" He said, "(Leave me alone, leave me alone! By Allah, a man may turn away from his religion in one hour and remove himself from it)." And this is due to his, may Allah be pleased with him, intense concern for his religion and fear of temptation.
Narrated by Al-Faryabi in "Description of Hypocrisy" and through his way Adh-Dhahabi in "Siyar A'lam an-Nubala'", and he said, "Its chain is authentic."
Al-Bukhari has included in his Sahih a chapter titled: The Fear of the Believer That His Deed May Be Rejected While He Is Unaware. And he mentioned under it the narration of Ibn Abi Mulaikah about the fear of the companions for themselves from hypocrisy as will come.
And Ibn al-Qayyim said, "(As for hypocrisy: it is the severe hidden disease that a man may be full of it and not feel it)."
Madarij al-Salikin - Part One p. 347
Just as a person with a sick mouth cannot taste properly, someone with a sick heart may see corruption as goodness: "[And when it is said to them, 'Do not cause corruption on the earth,' they say, 'We are only reformers.' Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not." (2:11-12)]
The verses indicating that a person may do wrong while thinking he is doing good are many, such as Allah's saying: "[And whoever turns away from the remembrance of the Most Merciful, We appoint for him a devil who becomes an intimate companion to him. And indeed, they avert them from the way [of Allah], while they think they are guided." (43:36-37)]
And Allah's saying: "[Or who is he that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times? And it is Allah who gives little and much, and to Him you will return." (2:245)]
Here is a question that puzzles many: If a person may not feel his hypocrisy, and thinks of himself as guided and his work as good, and does not feel that he is corrupt nor know that he is foolish, why then does Allah blame him and punish him? What is his sin?
We say, with Allah's success: The beginning of decline and misguidance is in following one's desires, such that the person does not detach himself to seek the truth and know the truth. His conviction in a religion or methodology is conditioned on this religion or methodology fulfilling his desires and what he sees as his worldly interests! That is, the truth may be in a sphere that our friend does not see as agreeing with his desires and fulfilling his "interests," and in that case, the search for the truth in this sphere is not even up for discussion! Rather, the truth "must" be in the sphere that agrees with his desires. And he who does this inverts the matter, for he does not follow the evidence wherever it leads, but rather he determines the result that "must" be reached, then he manipulates the evidence to agree with this predetermined result!
We saw a stark example of this in our discussion of the myth of random evolution that many Western academics and researchers follow, we saw it in the episode "Who Supports the Continuation of the Theory of Evolution?" Imagine a professor in "Evolutionary Biology" whose doctoral thesis, which earned him the title "Ph.D." was on "How did the sense of smell evolve in humans?" Then he published dozens of researches on the details of the evolution of human abilities and senses through random mutations and blind natural selection, and for this he received grants in the hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, and under his supervision work four or five young doctors and girls from the "post-doc," and he travels around the world to present the results of his research at conferences, and lectures at the university and takes a high salary and lives in a luxurious villa that he is still paying off, and moves in his luxurious car and lives with his wife or mistress and maintains illegal relationships and lives immersed in the forbidden...
Imagine if you told him: "All of your life is based on a myth that has no relation to real science! All your certificates, researches, academic degrees, your fame, your travels, your status... all are based on a delusion that your ancestors conspired to spread, a big lie that you have drunk into your hearts..."
How would he react?! He -in the vast majority of cases- would not accept to even discuss the matter, nor would he accept to think about it at all. Rather, he would work to "block" -to block and prevent- even the thought of the possibility of the correctness of your words! He would not put the matter on the table for examination. Because the correctness of your words means -in his view- the collapse of his life and the loss of all his privileges and desires. Admitting the correctness of your words means -for him- that he is expelled from the "scientific community" and thrown out... and he imagines himself as a "homeless" beggar, begging people for a little money to buy a bottle of wine!
Therefore, your words "must" not be correct, and the truth "must" not be in what you say! Because the consequences of this truth are unbearable for him. Especially since he is not of those who rely on Allah and are prepared to sacrifice for the sake of Allah and the Hereafter.
You may see one of these people polite in discussion, accepting the other opinion, and admitting to some of his mistakes if it seems to him, making you think that he is a seeker of truth in general, and that he possesses these qualities in every situation, so you wonder that he would be of those deserving of punishment in the Hereafter if he dies upon what he is upon. And you are unaware that these qualities are only possessed by him as long as they do not threaten his life system or personal interests with complete collapse after he has become accustomed to them.
Such a person is enslaved to his desires, and does not want the truth as long as it is outside the circle that agrees with his desires. And you see these people, if the grip of desire is loosened on one of them and he thinks about himself a little, the light of truth appears to him, and his way is shown to him, calling him to his nature. But he does not delay in closing his ears and blinding his eyes and covering his heart from this call, and he is rewarded according to his deeds: "[Then is one who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth like one who is blind? But they do not give thought." (13:19)
This sealing of the hearing and the heart, and the veiling of the sight, is the result of his turning away from the truth, and it was not an injustice from Allah, but because this person is a slave to his desires and prefers them over the knowledge of the truth. And the more the person is blind, the more Allah increases his blindness and distances him from liberation from the slavery of desire: "[And We will turn their hearts and their eyes, as they did not believe in it the first time, and We will leave them in their transgression, wandering blindly." (6:110)
And from the sickness of his heart by following desire and did not rid himself of it, and did not strive to cure it, but rather lied to conceal it, and engaged in deeds that increase its severity, his reward was that Allah increased his sickness: "[In their hearts is a disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they used to lie." (2:10) So let the person beware of being blind to the truth he has tasted, otherwise the task becomes difficult after that!
The beginning of the calamity is following desire: "[Then is one who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth like one who is blind? But they do not give thought." (13:19)
Notice the connection between following desire and beautifying evil work... and this is what happens with the disbeliever and the hypocrite and the misguidance of Muslims. So one of them sees his evil work as good and sees himself as guided and does not feel that he is corrupt, but (they said, "We are only reformers"), and does not know that he is foolish, but rather sees himself as wise and clever. And he may try to achieve these meanings in reality "good work, guidance, reform, wisdom" but in the meaning that he wants for them, and on condition that they are in the circle that agrees with his desires and fulfills his interests! And the attempt to achieve them outside this circle is not even up for discussion!
And thus, understand many people, such as the holders of religious positions from the people of Islam and the people of other religions, whose worldly life and distinctions are attached to their religious position, and like the followers of many parties. And in light of this, understand the violent reaction of the leaders of Mecca when the Prophet (peace be upon him) came with what threatened the system of shirk from which they were profiting.
And in light of this, understand why many of the people of knowledge go astray in debates and disputes, for none of them has any concern except proving the correctness of his saying, where the correctness of his opponent's saying entails -in his view- the fall of his dignity and the loss of his leadership and the dispersion of many of his followers and the loss of his distinctions and the rise of his opponent at his expense. So the truth "must" not be in what the opponent says! So you see him interpret and cling to his understanding of a religious text, and turn away from other texts and evidence, and in all of this he convinces himself that he is a reformer, a doer of good, a guided one, for "the interest of the call and the religion" is -in his view- in the preservation of his dignity and the appearance of his dominance over his opponent in every respect and in every dispute, and any scratch to that is a scratch to the interest of the call and the religion, they claimed!
And if you understand all of this, you will know why Islam commands its people to disobey desire, and to strive against the self, and why it commands them to lighten the burden of the world, and to be ascetic in it, and warns them against being immersed in it and indulging in its desires... for that is the cause of being veiled from guidance, and the slavery of desire, and the difficulty of detachment for the truth, and the occurrence of enmity and conflict among creation. And you will know why the prophets would say to their people: "[And I do not ask you for it any payment. My payment is only from the Lord of the worlds." (26:109)
Do not be surprised by the title "He may think that the hypocrite is doing well" nor be surprised by Allah's words about the hypocrites: "[And when it is said to them, 'Do not cause corruption on the earth,' they say, 'We are only reformers.' Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they do not perceive] [Al-Baqarah 11-12]."
And His words: "[And when it is said to them, 'Believe as the people have believed,' they say, 'Shall we believe as the fools have believed?' Unquestionably, it is they who are the fools, but they know [it] not] [Al-Baqarah 13]."
And His words: "[And whoever is removed from the remembrance of the Most Merciful - We appoint for him a devil; and indeed, the devils are for him companions. And indeed, they avert them from the way [of Allah], while they think they are [on] guidance] [Az-Zukhruf 36-37]."
And His words: "[Then is he who was adorned with the evil of his deed satisfied with it?] [Fatir 8]."
Other reasons may also lead a person to do wrong while thinking he is doing good, such as being indifferent to seeking the truth in the first place. In any case: "[Indeed, Allah does not do injustice to the people at all, but it is the people who are unjust to themselves] [Yunus 44]."
If this was the case with the Companions, what about us?
A) Al-Bukhari narrated in the chapter on faith from Ibn Abi Mulaika, one of the Followers, that he said: "I met thirty of the Prophet's companions, peace be upon him, each of them feared hypocrisy for himself."
B) And from Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: Umar was called to a funeral, so he went out for it or intended to, but I stopped him and said: "Sit down, O Commander of the Faithful, for he is one of them." He said: "I adjure you by Allah, am I one of them?" Hudhayfa said: "No, and I do not declare anyone innocent after you."
Hathimi said in Al-Majma': Al-Bazzar narrated it, and his narrators are trustworthy. Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Isa attributed it in his thesis: "A Critical Study of the Narrations Regarding the Character of Umar ibn Al-Khattab" to Ibn Abi Shayba in Al-Musannaf, Al-Fasawi in Al-Ma'rifah, Al-Tabari in Al-Tarikh, Wakee' in Al-Zuhd, and Al-Khara'iti in "Masawii' Al-Akhlaq," and he said: Its chain is connected with Wakee' and its narrators are trustworthy... So the report is authentic.
So Hudhayfa, may Allah be pleased with him, was the keeper of the Prophet's, peace be upon him, secret. The Prophet informed him of the names of the hypocrites. When Hudhayfa saw Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, heading towards the funeral of a man who appeared to be a Muslim, he stopped him, preventing him and informing him that he was one of them. It was as if the situation shook Umar, so he feared for himself and swore Hudhayfa: "I adjure you by Allah, am I one of them?" And someone might wonder and say: How could Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, ask this question when he is one of the ten promised Paradise? But a person may sometimes be oblivious to some realities, so it is not impossible that Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was oblivious to this prophetic promise of Paradise, which he received early, with the awe of the situation of death on hypocrisy before the awakening of the soul of Al-Farooq, may Allah be pleased with him.
And Hudhayfa's answer was: "No, and I do not declare anyone innocent after you," meaning: I do not open this door for myself—the door of declaring people innocent of hypocrisy, for it is better for them to remain fearing it and being cautious.
When we hear these reports, we usually stop at admiring the piety of the Companions and consider that they feared hypocrisy "beyond what is necessary!" But this is not what should be understood from them; the Companions were the most knowledgeable of the nation, so they give things their appropriate weight and fear what should be feared. Their fear indicates the subtlety of hypocrisy to the extent that it can exist in the soul without its owner feeling it. It is fitting for them to fear it, and it is fitting for us as well. The more a person's faith and understanding of the nature of hypocrisy increase, the more their fear of it increases.
And so were the Followers, may Allah be pleased with them, fearing hypocrisy for themselves.
C) And Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: "By Allah, no believer or pious person has passed except that he feared hypocrisy, and none has been safe from it except a hypocrite." Al-Khallal narrated it in "As-Sunnah" (1656) with a sound chain of narration to Al-Hasan.
D) And Ibn Sirin, one of the imams of the Followers, may Allah have mercy on them, said: "There is no verse in the Quran that I fear more for myself than this: 'And of the people is he who says, "We believe in Allah and the Last Day," but they are not believers.' [Al-Baqarah: 8]."
E) And Ayub As-Sakhtiyani said: "Every verse in the Quran that mentions hypocrisy, I fear it for myself."
F) And Mu'awiyah ibn Qurra said: Umar feared it—meaning he feared hypocrisy—and I am safe from it?!
The reports from the Followers were mentioned by Ibn Rajab in Fath Al-Bari.
These are five important facts about the nature of hypocrisy. Now that you have learned them, let us look at the characteristics of hypocrites as mentioned in the Quran and the Sunnah to beware of them.
The hypocrite may doubt the existence of Allah or the prophethood of His Messenger, peace be upon him, or the suitability of Islam for life. The characteristic of doubt is the most important characteristic of hypocrisy, and it is the cause of other hypocritical characteristics as you will see.
Evidence that the hypocrite doubts in religion:
Allah says, describing the hypocrites: "In their hearts is a disease, so Allah has increased their disease" [Al-Baqarah: 10], and Ibn Kathir narrated from a number of the Companions the meaning of the word (disease) that it is doubt.
And He said in the verse that distinguishes between the hypocrites and the believers: "They said, 'Yes,' but they were deceiving themselves and delaying [Allah's commandment]" [Al-Hadid: 14]... "[And delaying]" their doubt is their doubt.
And the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, explained the danger of this doubt: "Three people will not be asked about: a man who disputes with Allah His might, for his might is pride and his lower garment is his honor, a man who doubts in the matter of Allah, and the one who despairs of the mercy of Allah." And his saying "They will not be asked about" means that they are doomed. Ahmad narrated it in his Musnad, Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, and Al-Albani authenticated it.
This doubt (riba) is the cause of other hypocritical characteristics:
So the hypocrites, due to their doubt:
And the hypocrite's bad deeds in general are mostly due to their doubt in religion. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said about His saying, "I thought that I would meet my reckoning" [Al-Haqqah: 20]: "The believer has the best opinion of his Lord, so he does good, and the hypocrite has a bad opinion, so he does bad."
And "I thought" in the believer's saying "I thought that I would meet my reckoning" is with the meaning of certainty as it is in many places in the Quran. So the believer was certain of the reckoning, so he did good, and the hypocrite doubted, so he did bad.
His doubt weakens his reliance on Allah and his expectation of the reward and punishment in the Hereafter. So he cheats, bribes, oppresses, eats forbidden money, allies with the strong even if they are on falsehood, and does what he sees as satisfying his desires and ensuring his life, whether it is halal or haram.
People do not find it difficult to accept that those who deny Islam and oppose it are disbelievers who deserve punishment. However, many wonder: if a person reviews the evidence of Islam, thinks about it, and does not convince himself of the existence of Allah the Almighty, His Oneness, or the prophethood of His Messenger (peace be upon him), or doubts the truth of Islam, even though he "tried to be fair," what is his sin?
Here is a very important answer: this question contains an error contrary to reason and evidence, which is the assumption that a person may review the evidence of Islam seeking the truth and not be convinced of its validity.
Allah the Almighty says: "And certainly We have brought to you clear signs, and none will disbelieve in them except the wicked." (Al-Baqarah 2:99). The one who disbelieves in the signs of Allah the Almighty is not because of a lack of evidence in these signs, but because the disbeliever in them is habitually wicked, meaning deviating from the path of guidance and truth, either by not paying attention to it at all, or because he does not look at the signs with a correct, detached, truth-seeking view.
Allah the Almighty has given every responsible human being a sound heart and a sound mind, so he must approve of Islam by nature and see its evidence with his mind. Any detached view that is not convinced by the Quran is described as: "Indeed, Allah commands justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded." (An-Nahl 16:90).
Any detached view that is not convinced by the Quran in which: "Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people, to judge with justice. Indeed, excellent is that with which Allah instructs you, if only you would be mindful." (An-Nisa 4:58).
You may say: "Yes, but on the other hand, in the Quran there are verses of fighting or multiple marriages or others."
We say: these verses are contrary to human desires and their distorted perception due to the futility of media and stereotypes. Nevertheless, the one who leaves all that is in the Quran that addresses the mind and nature without obstruction and clings to these examples is only following his desires and wants to cling to something that justifies his turning away from comprehending the evidence of Islam or denying it.
In any case, the one who doubts the truth of Islam is not excused. Rather, his affliction is in following his desires, as we have explained under the title "4) The hypocrite may think he is doing well." Following desires deprives him of comprehending the evidence of Islam with a sincere, detached, and correct view. His doubt or lack of conviction is because he did not comprehend the evidence with its conditions, i.e., he did not look with a correct view. Even if he does not disbelieve in denial, he disbelieves in turning away from the correct contemplation of the evidence, which led him to doubt.
Allah the Almighty says: "But if they do not respond to you, then know that they only follow their [own] desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allah? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people." (Al-Qasas 28:50).
The one who does not submit to Islam is either veiled by following his desires from the certainty of the truth of Islam, or veiled by following his desires from submitting to Islam in denial after he was certain of its truth. In both cases, he is a wrongdoer deserving of punishment.
Thus, you learn that the question: "What is the hypocrite's sin if he doubts Islam even though he reviewed its evidence with detachment?" is a baseless question. Ibn Taymiyyah said in "Al-Aqidah Al-Wasitiyyah": "Whoever contemplates the Quran seeking guidance from it will find the path of truth."
On the other hand: whoever contemplates the Quran following his desires will not find the path of truth. And Ibn Al-Qayyim said in "Madarij Al-Salikin": "As for the disbelief of doubt: it does not affirm its truth or falsity, but doubts in its matter, and this doubt does not persist except if he compels himself to turn away from looking at the signs of the truth of the Messenger (peace be upon him) as a whole, so he does not hear them nor pay attention to them. As for when he pays attention to them and looks at them: doubt does not remain with him, for they necessitate truth, especially when combined, their indication of truth is like the sun's indication of daytime."
It is not possible for a person to review the evidence of Islam, which establishes the argument, with a detached and sincere review, and not be convinced by it. Rather, his lack of acceptance is due to a lack of detachment and following desires, not because the argument did not stand before him.
The fault is not in the religion of Allah nor in the lack of evidence in it: "Say, 'To Allah belongs the conclusive argument. If He had willed, He would have guided you all.'" (Al-An'am 6:149).
Allah the Almighty has created all people with an inclination towards His religion: "And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them witness against themselves, [His saying], 'Am I not your Lord?' They said, 'Yes, we have testified.' [This] - lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, 'Indeed, we were of this unaware.'" (Al-A'raf 7:172-173).
And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "No child is born except upon the natural disposition, then his parents make him a Jew, Christian, or a Magian."
The fault is in the heart that does not submit to the religion of Allah. Our discussion here is about the lack of submission to Islam as a whole. As for finding something in oneself from some details of the Sharia, we will speak about it under the characteristic of "hating what Allah has revealed."
So how, if a person believes and then his following of desires removes him from this faith! Do not be surprised if it is stamped on his heart so that he begins to doubt the greatest truths. Allah the Almighty says about the hypocrites: "That is because they believed, then they disbelieved, so their hearts were sealed, and they do not understand." (Al-Munafiqun 63:3).
And Allah the Almighty says: "How will Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and witnessed that the Messenger is true and the clear proofs came to them? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people." (Al-Imran 3:86).
We seek refuge in Allah from following desires and how it leads its follower to ruin!
Sins sicken the heart, increasing the power of desire over it, and desire leads to doubt. We say this to Muslims who complain about doubt in their religion, lack of certainty, and the inability to distinguish truth in times of difference. Beware of sins, for they sicken the heart, allowing desire to overpower it, potentially obscuring the ability to discern truth and guidance through Islamic evidence, leading to doubt in God's religion and falling into hypocrisy. The heart is corrupted by sins just as the senses are corrupted by exposure to harmful elements.
He whose mouth is bitter will find bitterness even in pure water.
If the heart is afflicted with sins, the evidence for this is abundant in the Quran and Sunnah. Among them is Allah's statement: "So what is the matter with the hypocrites that you are in two factions? And Allah has caused to stray a great many for their sins" [An-Nisa: 88], meaning He turned them away and caused them to fall into disbelief due to their sins.
And He said about the Children of Israel: "But when they deviated, He caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people" [Al-Saff: 5].
Truth comes from knowledge, and a person may forget knowledge due to sin. It is narrated that Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I think a man may forget knowledge just as he learns it due to the sin he commits."
Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Among sins are those that cause the concealment of beneficial knowledge or part of it, even leading to the forgetting of what was learned."
Among the evidence that the sickness of the heart is caused by sins is Allah's statement: "Their buildings which they built will remain a ruin because they harmed themselves thereby. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people" [At-Tawbah: 110], meaning that the construction of the hypocrites' harmful mosque resulted in doubt and hypocrisy in their hearts. Therefore, one must beware of committing a sin that may increase the sickness of the heart and doubt, as long as its effects remain, even if the person has forgotten it and does not pay attention to this source of the heart's sickness, or trivializes it, thinking that merely stopping it is sufficient to remove its effects without correcting what was corrupted. This is like someone who spreads a post on social media supporting falsehood or deterring from truth, or shares immoral videos and images that tempt the youth of Muslims. Whoever does such acts is susceptible to the negative effects of their sins on their hearts, leading to doubt and hypocrisy, as long as the effects remain, even if the person forgets that they committed this "ongoing sin." So beware, O wise ones!
Therefore, our Prophet, peace be upon him, taught us sensitivity towards sins and the sincerity of repentance from them. Muslim narrated from Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to say in his prostration: "O Allah, forgive me all my sins, their subtlety and their obviousness, their first and their last, their public and their private."
Among the evidence from the Sunnah that sins lead to hypocrisy is the Prophet's statement, peace be upon him: "Whoever hears the call to prayer on Friday and does not come to it, then hears it again and does not come to it, then hears it again and does not come to it, Allah will seal his heart and make his heart the heart of a hypocrite."
And among the evidence is the Prophet's statement, peace be upon him: "Temptations are presented to the hearts like reeds in a mat, one after another. So any heart that accepts them will have a black spot, and any heart that rejects them will have a white spot, until they become two types of hearts: one white like the white stone of Safa, which no temptation will harm as long as the heavens and the earth endure, and the other black, inverted like a pitcher, perforated, not recognizing good nor denouncing evil, except what it accepts from its desires."
This is a great hadith that requires contemplation:
Notice how falling into temptations leads the heart to be dominated by desire, bringing us back to the title: "Sins sicken the heart, increasing the power of desire over it."
"Desire gains power over it, and desire leads to doubt."
If sins are presented to you, remember that your stance towards them determines whether a white spot will fortify your heart against temptations or a black spot will sicken it, gradually making it a breeding ground for doubt and hypocrisy!
Among the evidence that sin leads to the sickness of the heart is the statement of our Prophet, peace be upon him: "When a servant commits a sin, a black spot is marked on his heart. If he then withdraws, seeks forgiveness, and repents, his heart is polished. If he returns to it, the spot increases until it covers his heart, which is the 'ran' that Allah mentioned: {Nay, but over their hearts is the 'ran' of what they have earned} [Al-Mutaffifin: 14]." [^1]
These verses and hadiths indicate that the temptation of desire leads to the temptation of doubt, and that sins tarnish faith. Let no one be deceived by the thought that even if he is persistent in sin, his faith in his heart is complete. Whoever thinks that he can indulge in sins without his faith being affected by their consequences has fallen into a great error, which is the security from the plot of Allah the Almighty, who says: "So let those who oppose the command of the Messenger beware lest some trial befalls them or a painful punishment" [An-Nur: 63].
The worst temptation is that their hearts become sick due to their opposition to the command of Allah and His Messenger, leading to disbelief or hypocrisy.
Security from the plot of Allah is: committing sins while not fearing that Allah will punish you for them in this world or the Hereafter, nor that Allah will obscure your heart with the evil of this sin, like someone who lets his eyes roam over what Allah has forbidden while saying: "This will not affect my faith in my heart." Such a person may be described by the statement of Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him: "The greatest of major sins is associating partners with Allah, despairing of the mercy of Allah, and being secure from the plot of Allah." [^2]
The sinner suppresses the call of faith in his heart three times: before committing the sin to accept it, during committing it to enjoy it, and after committing it to avoid remorse. If this suppression occurs frequently, it will overwhelm the effect of faith in his heart and leave him with sickness and doubt.
Additionally, if the sinner is not immediately punished, he may initially praise Allah for His mercy. However, if he repeatedly commits the sin and does not see punishment, he may become secure from the plot of Allah and doubt the existence of reward and punishment altogether! He forgets that this world is a place of trial, not a place of reward. Moreover, he is being punished without realizing it. What punishment is worse than the sickness of the heart and the deprivation of obedience through sins?
When the Jews dared to pray against the Prophet, peace be upon him, by saying "Al-sam 'alayka" and were not immediately punished, they became secure from the plot of Allah and His punishment for them: "And when they come to you, they say, 'We believe,' but they have come only to dispute and argue. And when they leave you, they conspire about a matter of enmity. But Allah is fully aware of what they conceal. And you see them coming about you, huddled together, fearing you. And when they meet a group of them, they say, 'Be cautious of them,' and Allah increases them in enmity. Indeed, they are the ones who are corrupt" [Al-Mujadila: 8].
In conclusion, sin leads to the sickness of the heart, which in turn allows desire to dominate the heart. If desire gains power, it may lead its owner to doubt the religion, and doubt may lead to other hypocritical traits. We will further prove this sequence in other places, if Allah wills.
The one who obeys gathers his faith to drive him to act in obedience before doing it, then continues with it during its performance, and then rejoices in it after completing it.
Allah the Almighty says: {And the example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [growing on] a firm land; it increases in bliss and multiplies in fruit, and its yield is doubled for them. And Allah gives increase to whom He wills.} [Al-Baqarah: 261].
They spend in the way of Allah seeking thereby that Allah may establish their hearts upon faith. [^3] And He the Almighty says: {And if they had done what they were commanded, it would have been better for them and a stronger establishment.} [An-Nisa: 66].
Increasing faith and certainty is from the immediate reward of Allah to the believer for his obedience: {And Allah increases those who guide [others] in guidance.} [Maryam: 76].
Whoever finds doubt in his heart about religion should first resort to supplication. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "The hearts of the children of Adam are all between two fingers of the Merciful, like one heart, He turns it wherever He wills." Then the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "O Allah, Turner of the hearts, turn our hearts to Your obedience." [^4]
And in the sacred hadith: "O My servants, all of you are astray except those whom I have guided, so seek guidance from Me, and I will guide you." [^5]
He should then recall the connection between sin and weakness of certainty, and desires and doubts. Then he should seek beneficial knowledge. It is narrated from Ibn Al-Daylami that he said: "Something of this nature occurred to me, and I feared that it would corrupt my religion and my affair. So I went to Abu bin Ka'b and said, 'O Abu Al-Mundhir, something of this nature has occurred to me, and I fear for my religion and my affair.' He then told me something about it, perhaps Allah will benefit me with it." [^6]
Ibn Al-Daylami did not leave this thought to ferment in his heart, but rather hastened to a companion to remove his doubt with the light of revelation he heard from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
We also advise following the series "Journey of Certainty" by the poor servant Iyad Qunaybi, as it contains strengthening of certainty and a scientific methodology to rid oneself of doubts and uproot them. Many brothers and sisters have declared their return to Islam after watching the series, having been afflicted by doubts and misgivings, praise be to Allah first and last.
We also advise following the "Women's Series" by the poor servant, as it addresses many of the doubts and misgivings that arise regarding the status of women in Islam, and it has also had a positive effect.
Not all thoughts of doubt are damaging to faith. The previous discussion was about the doubt that settles in the heart, not the satanic whispers that one seeks Allah's help to repel. Allah the Almighty says: {And when something from Satan touches them, they remember [their Lord], and then they see.} [Al-A'raf: 201].
Some of the companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, came to him and said: "We find within ourselves things that one of us would be too ashamed to speak of." He said: "Have you found that?" They said: "Yes." He said: "That is the essence of faith." [^7]
And a man came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and said: "I keep myself busy with the matter that I would rather be a burning ember than speak of it." That is, this companion prefers to be burned rather than reveal what is whispering in his chest. So the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Praise be to Allah who has reduced the matter to whispering." [^8] Meaning, He has made the utmost that the devil can do to this servant is to whisper to him.
Certainty has degrees, not just one degree. We say this so that no one may accuse himself or others of hypocrisy if he does not reach the perfect degree of certainty.
But how can we say that certainty has degrees? Is man either a believer, a doubter, or a denier? Is certainty a decisive belief that is not mixed with doubt?
Yes, but this belief, in turn, has degrees. When you believe in the existence of Allah with a decisive and firm belief that is not mixed with doubt, you have passed the required line, meaning you have escaped the attraction of doubts and hesitation. However, people differ in their flight after that.
Enter a garden and look at its trees; they are all living trees standing on their trunks. But are they the same? No; you will find a tree standing on roots close to the surface of the earth, making it easy to uproot, while you will find another with deep roots, making it difficult to uproot, and you will find another with more and deeper roots; it cannot be uprooted at all, it may be cut down, killed, but it cannot be uprooted. So is certainty in the hearts.
A group of Muslims may all have living certainty, just as these trees are alive, but there is a great difference in their steadfastness when exposed to trials. Also, these trees are not the same in their fruiting; some benefit only themselves, while others drop their fruit on people and they seek shade under them.
So is certainty. Therefore, even the possessor of certainty needs to water the tree of his certainty so that it does not dry up and die, but rather grows and bears fruit, benefits, and strikes its roots deep into the earth.
Here, the connection to the characteristic of "doubt in religion" appears. This turning away is a result of doubt, and doubt is a result of following desires, and desires take hold of the sick heart that is made sick by sins.
Allah the Almighty says: {Then is it the judgment of [the days of] ignorance they desire? And who is better in judgment than Allah for a people who are certain.} [Al-Ma'idah: 50]. The lack of certainty, that is, doubt, makes its possessors seek the judgment of ignorance.
And He the Almighty describes the hypocrites: {And when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them, lo and behold, a party of them turn away * And if they had the truth, they would have come to him humbly * Is there disease in their hearts, or do they doubt, or do they fear that Allah and His Messenger will wrong them in judgment? Rather, it is they who are the wrongdoers.} [An-Nur: 48-50].
Their turning away from referring to Allah and His Messenger is a result of doubt (doubt), which is related to the disease of the heart.
And He the Almighty says: {And judge, [O Muhammad], between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations. And beware of them, lest they tempt you away from some of what Allah has revealed to you. And if they turn away, then know that Allah only intends to impose a penalty on them for some [of] their sins.} [Al-Ma'idah: 49].
Their sins that they committed and their following of their desires made Allah's hearts sick until they turned away from referring to what He has revealed and to His Messenger, peace be upon him.
The hypocrite's doubt in religion makes his calculations materialistic, so he does not look to the otherworldly benefit in the establishment of Allah's rulings, nor does he believe that the rectification of his worldly affairs is also by adhering to the command of Allah and the command of His Messenger, peace be upon him.
Allah the Almighty says in Surah An-Nisa: "Have you not seen those who claim that they have believed in what was revealed to you and what was revealed before you? They wish to refer to the Taghut (false deities) for judgment, while they have been ordered to reject them. And Satan wishes to lead them far astray. When it is said to them, 'Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,' you see the hypocrites turning away from you with aversion. But how will it be when they face a disaster for what their hands have put forth, and they come to you swearing by Allah, 'We intended nothing but good and harmony'?" [An-Nisa: 60-62].
Ibn Kathir said: "Meaning: They make excuses to you and swear that they intended nothing by going to others and referring to them instead of you except good and harmony, i.e., flattery and appeasement, not believing in the correctness of that government." [^9]
They may claim to respect the Sharia of Allah and that they only refer to man-made and foreign laws to avoid the evil of the nations (flattery) and to achieve the benefit of the people (goodness).
Ibn Taymiyyah said: "If hypocrisy is established and faith is removed merely by turning away from the ruling of the Messenger and desiring to refer to others, and this abandonment is mere and may be caused by the strength of desire, then what about defamation, insult, and the like?" [^10] He thus explains that hypocrisy is established merely by abandoning referring to Allah and His Messenger, even if the one referring is convinced of the correctness of the religion, and even if the motive is desire and following whims, not denial and rejection of the religion.
Allah the Almighty says after these verses: "Those are the ones of whom Allah knows what is in their hearts, so turn away from them and admonish them and speak to them a severe word. We have not sent any messenger except to be obeyed by permission of Allah. And if they, when they wronged themselves, had come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Accepting of repentance and Merciful." [An-Nisa: 63-64].
So, it is astonishing to see those who claim to honor the Prophet peace be upon him, then turn away from his detailed rulings in all aspects of life... and he peace be upon him was not sent except to be obeyed, so what is the benefit of claiming to honor him while turning away from his Shariah?
Allah the Almighty says after that: "But no, by your Lord, they are not believers until they make you judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves; then they do not find within themselves difficulty from what you have judged and submit in full submission." [An-Nisa: 65]. So, in the verse, there are three conditions, and there is no faith in the absence of any one of them. And note His saying, "then they do not find within themselves difficulty from what you have judged" ... The believer's chest is pure for the ruling of Allah and His Messenger peace be upon him. While the hypocrite hates the rulings of Allah and His Messenger peace be upon him or some of them, and this is the next characteristic that we will discuss from the characteristics of the hypocrites.
And he deceives Allah the Almighty and the Muslims, and even himself, that he adheres to "some" of the Sharia. Allah the Almighty says: "O Messenger, let not those grieve you who hasten into disbelief of those who say, 'We believe' with their mouths, but their hearts believe not." [Al-Ma'idah: 41].
Until He says: "They say, 'If this should be given to you, then take it; but if you are not given it, then beware.'" [Al-Ma'idah: 41]. Ibn Kathir said: "They said to each other: 'Come, let us refer to him - meaning the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him - in the matter of two who committed adultery. If he rules with flogging and cauterization, then take it from him, and make it a proof between you and Allah, and it will be a prophet from the prophets who has ruled between you in this matter. But if he rules with stoning, then do not follow him in that.'" [^11]
They thus {deceive Allah and those who believe, but they do not deceive except themselves and perceive [it] not} [Al-Baqarah: 9]. Then Allah the Almighty says: "And whoever Allah wants to let astray - you will never find for him a way. Those are the ones whom Allah did not want to purify their hearts." [Al-Ma'idah: 41] ... So, their "selectivity" from the religion is due to the disease of their hearts.
Until He says: "Listeners to falsehood, devourers of [what is] unlawful." [Al-Ma'idah: 42] ... So, the disease of their hearts resulted from their sins, from much listening to falsehood with acceptance and dealing with bribes and unlawful money and the like.
And Allah the Almighty also described this "selectivity" among the hypocrites: "And when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them, indeed, a party of them turns away in aversion. But if they have the truth, they come to him in submission." [An-Nur: 48-49].
And among them are those who select from the religious texts to exploit them for their benefit and subjugate people with them, then turn away from what contradicts their whims. And they have not established the religion in their lives, not even partially, because this part they have adhered to is only following their whims, not submission and surrender to Allah the Almighty, so their intentions are thus nullified.
Sayyid Qutb may Allah have mercy on him said: "The 'religion of Allah' does not suit a servant who wears the clothes of servitude, stands in the presence of his 'masters,' and directs them where they want! He is expelled from their presence, so he leaves while bowing to the ground before them... then stands behind the door - in the posture of servants - awaiting the signal! He is called to serve, so he bows to the ground before them, and says, 'At your service, my master!' as those who are called 'men of religion' do! No! The 'religion of Allah' is not satisfied except to be a master, dominant, strong, independent, noble, a ruler not ruled, a leader not led." [^12]
And I will not forget the words of an American man who said to me in defense of their democracy, which I translated: "I think we should allow God to intervene in our lives only to the extent we want." {And they have not appraised Allah with true appraisal} [Az-Zumar: 67], and perhaps some of the "selectors" when they read the American's words would detest it, even though it is only an expression in words of the condition of the "selectors."
In contrast: "The saying of the believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is only that they say, 'We hear and obey.' And those are the successful." [An-Nur: 51], hearing and obeying without resorting to another reference, and that is in every position, with every verse and legislation.
Compare that with the disease of the feminist tendency that separates religion and its rulings based on the measurement of deviant and changing Western values and standards. And refer to the treatment of this disease in our visual series titled "The Woman Series."
When a dispute arises among family members, some resort to local institutions in Muslim countries that carry out the agendas of international organizations and follow them in defining the rights and duties of each individual. These organizations relentlessly strive to dismantle the family unit and obscure the innate nature of their children, as detailed in the series "The War on Innate Nature." They define rights and duties in ways contrary to Islam, and their charters represent a "religion" that replaces Islam in the true sense of the word—a religion that permits what Allah has forbidden, such as fornication and deviance, and forbids what Allah has permitted, such as marriage before the age of eighteen, even if the young man or woman is qualified for it. Their legislation regarding women, guardianship, custody, and other concepts is also contrary to Islamic teachings.
When a family dispute arises, some family members, whether a son, daughter, wife, or sister [^13], may turn to these institutions to intervene in family matters and enable the individual who sought their help to obtain what is not rightfully theirs according to Islamic law. In this case, this individual has disregarded the law of Allah and referred to something that opposes it. Be aware of this and do not let pride lead you to sin.
Every Muslim should ask themselves: Is what they seek in the dispute a right granted to them by Islamic law? Or is it not a right according to Islamic law but a right according to those who permit what Allah has forbidden and forbid what Allah has permitted? If so, how can they demand it and seek the help of these institutions to extract it from other family members?
If what they seek in the dispute is a rightful right that is being denied to them by a family member, and they are not content to give it up, then they should resort to lawful means of obtaining it, including arbitration and seeking the help of respected individuals. They should not turn to these institutions, which have no concern for reform and whose reference is not Islamic law, but rather to present reports to international organizations detailing cases of "success" in implementing covenants and treaties contrary to Islamic law, and carrying out agendas to dismantle Muslim families and spread individualism and selfishness in society.
This is a major door of evil that has recently been opened wide in Muslim countries, with the increasing activity of these institutions and the reduction of clauses in the "Personal Status Law" in accordance with some Islamic legal rulings. The same applies to disputes that arise between a husband and his wife's family or vice versa.
May Muslims fear their Lord in this regard, men and women, young and old, boys and girls. May the children, youth, and young women of Muslims remember this and not expose themselves to falling into this trait of hypocrisy without realizing it.
The disease of the hypocrite's heart makes him hate what Allah has revealed. The sick heart sees good as ugly and ugly as good.
Allah the Almighty says about the disbelievers: {That is because they hated what Allah has revealed, so He rendered their deeds void.} [ Muhammad: 9].
And He says about the hypocrites: {Those who turn back after the guidance has become clear to them, Satan has enticed them and prolonged [their] hope. That is because they said to those who hated what Allah has revealed, "We will obey you in part of the matter." And Allah knows their secrets.} [ Muhammad: 25-26].
Al-Qurtubi narrated from Ibn Abbas, Ad-Dahhak, and As-Suddi that these verses are about the hypocrites.
When the hypocrites mingled with the disbelievers who hated what Allah had revealed and promised them obedience in some matters, the disease of hatred for revelation transferred to their sick hearts.
Allah the Almighty says thereafter: {So how will it be when the angels take them in death, striking their faces and their backs? That is because they followed what angered Allah and hated His pleasure, so He rendered their deeds void.} [ Muhammad: 27-28].
Notice how they said to those who hated what Allah had revealed, "We will obey you in part of the matter," so the infection of hatred transferred to them {and hated His pleasure}, meaning they hated what brought them closer to the pleasure of Allah the Almighty, including His law and what He has revealed, so they deserved that when they died, the angels would strike their faces, which they turned towards the haters, and their backs, which they turned away from the word of Allah.
{So He rendered their deeds void} ... how terrifying a word! How serious it is that one's chest may contain a disease that spoils the serenity of their life, then in the Hereafter, it destroys their good deeds and makes them scattered dust! Do not think that this disease is rare, nor judge in advance that you are completely free from it. Come with us, may Allah protect you, and come with us, may Allah protect you, to know:
First: The manifestations and symptoms of this disease, so we may search for them in our hearts, then:
Second: To know its consequences and dire results so we may beware of them, then:
Third: To know its causes so we may uproot them from our lives, then:
Fourth: To know its treatment and antidote so we may seek healing with it, and our lives may be purified, and we may meet Allah with a sound heart by His will. This section we will discuss at the end of the book, where we talk about protecting and treating the self from hypocrisy.
Examples from reality:
It is not surprising that a woman would hate for her husband to marry another woman or to beat her; this is a normal and expected feeling with no sin in it. However, the sin and calamity lie in hating the ruling of polygyny itself or the ruling of beating itself, so she doubts the wisdom and justice of Allah in it, instead of exerting herself to understand the meaning of beating and its conditions and studying the divine wisdom in its legislation.
Important Note: Here, an important note must be made: Not everyone who falls into violating a verse of Allah's verses is considered a hater of this verse, nor is everyone who criticizes what is claimed to be an application of a ruling of Allah's rulings a hater of this ruling.
A woman may wear makeup out of weakness or following her desires, and a woman may speak in a way that suggests she hates Allah's command to beat the rebellious woman, while if her speech is questioned, it becomes clear that she acknowledges the wisdom of Allah in it, admitting the need for it at times, but she hates the unjust and deviant application of some husbands to beating. We should not rush to judge that someone has hatred for what Allah has revealed just because of their actions or utterances that they do not realize the gravity and implications of. Rather, we should explain to them gently in the manner of "Perhaps you mean such and such" so that we may arrange their thoughts and untangle their feelings, convictions, and influence of distorted stereotypes, deviant applications, and media influence.
However, the sensible Muslim at the same time does not make excuses for themselves with the mentioned excuses, but rather accuses themselves and searches within themselves for the weight of a mustard seed of this disease. The wise one is he who judges himself and works for what is after death. It will not benefit you, my brother, that the rulings of Islam pass over you and you consider yourself to be doing well and acquit yourself of the charge of hating what Allah has revealed, then you discover this disease on the Day of Regret, and it will not be the time for repentance!
So do not busy yourself with accusing people of hating what Allah has revealed, but rather search within yourself and busy yourself with reforming it first and foremost, then help them to purify their hearts towards what Allah has revealed.
1) Loss of Faith: As Allah the Almighty says: {So, by your Lord, they will not believe until they make you a judge of what they differ among themselves, then they find not in themselves any resistance against your decision, and they submit totally} [An-Nisa: 65]. Notice His saying: {then they find not in themselves any resistance against your decision}... If faith is lost from the heart, it is replaced by disbelief and hypocrisy.
2) Loss of the Sweetness of Faith: Those who hate what Allah has revealed will not find the sweetness of faith. What is required of us is not just loving what Allah has revealed, but making what Allah has revealed our measure by which we love people, ideas, and principles, and hate others. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Three things if found in a person, he will find the sweetness of faith: that Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anything else, that he loves a person only for Allah's sake, and that he hates to return to disbelief as he hates to be thrown into the fire." [^14] Notice (loves... that he loves... that he hates): love and hate based on loving what Allah has revealed. Those who hate what Allah has revealed from the beginning have their balance disturbed and lose the sweetness of faith.
3) The Nullification of Deeds as a Result of Hating What Allah Has Revealed. Allah the Almighty says: {And those who disbelieve, for them is misery, and He made their deeds fruitless * That is because they hated what Allah has revealed, so He nullified their deeds} [Muhammad: 8-9]. Allah chose the worst characteristic of the disbelievers that led to the nullification of their deeds: they hated what Allah has revealed. And Allah the Almighty said afterwards in the same surah: {That is because they followed what angered Allah and hated His pleasure, so He nullified their deeds} [Muhammad: 28]. They hated His pleasure because they hated what leads to His pleasure, and among what they hated were the rulings of Islam, the rituals of Islam, and the commands and prohibitions of Allah.
The nullification of deeds is one of the greatest calamities. Imagine someone who builds a structure, toiling over it for years, only to have it destroyed! Imagine someone who weaves a garment, working on it for nights and days in succession, only to tear it apart and return it to threads! This is the parable of someone who does many good deeds but makes them void by his heart's inclination to hate what Allah has revealed. Allah the Almighty says: {And be not like her who unravels her yarn, after she has spun it, into threads} [An-Nahl: 92]. And He says: {O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and do not make your deeds void} [Muhammad: 33]... A warning from the Lord of the worlds and a reminder to the wise. So beware lest you be among those whom Allah says about them: {And We have put before them what they have done of deeds, and made it as scattered dust} [Al-Furqan: 23].
4) Shame and Misery is the Fourth Result of Hating What Allah Has Revealed... A fitting reward for this hatred. Those who carry this disease in their hearts are not worthy of honor and dignity. Allah the Almighty says: {O you who believe, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant your feet firmly} [Muhammad: 7], this speech is for the believers who love Him, His words, His law, and the rituals of His religion. Then look at the following verse directly: {And those who disbelieve, for them is misery, and He made their deeds fruitless * That is because they hated what Allah has revealed, so He nullified their deeds} [Muhammad: 8-9]. [^15]
The believer is victorious with Allah's victory and his love for His religion and taking the means... and the disbeliever is defeated and miserable because of his hatred for what Allah has revealed. So what if the believer turns to hating what Allah has revealed?! And look also at the saying of Allah the Almighty: {Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance to you under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest} [Al-Fath: 18]. And among what was in their hearts: love for what Allah has revealed.
Do you see what we are talking about?! It is a disease that nullifies deeds, loses faith and its joy, and leads to shame and misery. We have the right to know the roots of this serious problem within ourselves and how it arose so that we can strangle it and extinguish its fire before it burns us.
A servant may find within himself a repulsion towards some verses due to the accumulation of upbringing, media, and the surrounding environment, but he realizes that the flaw is in him, not in the words of Allah the Almighty, and he resorts to Allah to heal him from this repulsion. He seeks beneficial knowledge humbly for the truth, determined to acknowledge it even if it contradicts his desires, and knocks on the doors of the righteous to help him with himself. The one who does this is praised and rewarded in his endeavor.
However, the danger lies in this repulsion settling in the heart and its owner not working to rid himself of it. He may even try to rid himself of it by making Islam conform to his desires! He searches for those affiliated with knowledge and religion among the misguided callers to "reinterpret religion" in a way that suits his desires. In reality, they distort the words from their places and deny the meanings of the verses that the ummah has agreed upon over the centuries, and they deny the rulings of Islam that are necessarily known from the religion. Such a person hates what Allah has revealed, loves a distorted model that agrees with his desires, which he created for himself or which the misguiders created for him.
So let us see the causes of this disease to contain it and rid ourselves of it.
[^1]: Narrated by Ahmad in "Musnad" (7952), Ibn Majah in "Sunan" (4244), and At-Tirmidhi in "Jami'" (3334) - he said: Hasan Sahih - and Ibn Hibban in "Sahih" (930), and Al-Hakim in "Al-Mustadrak" (3908) and he said: Sahih on the condition of Muslim and Al-Dhahabi agreed with him. It was graded as Hasan by Al-Albani. [^2]: Ibn Kathir said in (Tafsir al-Quran): Narrated (meaning Al-Tabari) from several paths from Abu At-Tufayl from Ibn Mas'ud and it is Sahih to him without a doubt. [^3]: This is one of the two sayings in the interpretation of the verse from the book of Al-Tahrir wa Al-Tanwir by Ibn Ashur. [^4]: Muslim (2654). [^5]: Muslim (2577). [^6]: Narrated by Ahmad (21589), Abu Dawud (4699), and Ibn Majah (77), and it was graded as Sahih by Al-Albani. [^7]: Muslim (132). [^8]: Narrated by Ahmad (3161), Abu Dawud (5112), An-Nasa'i (10435), Ibn Hibban (147), and Ad-Diya Al-Maqdisi in "Al-Mukhtara" (11/98), and Al-Wad'i said in "Al-Jami' Al-Sahih Mimmā Laysa Fi Al-Sahihayn" (326): Sahih on the condition of the two Shaykhs. [^9]: Tafsir Ibn Kathir. [^10]: As-Sarm Al-Maslul. [^11]: Tafsir Ibn Kathir. [^12]: The future of this religion. [^13]: We did not mention the husband and the brother here because the international organizations and institutions that implement their agendas target, in most of their programs, women, children, and youth, through arousing compassion for them, and deliberately take on the role of guardians over them instead of the real guardians and protectors such as fathers. Otherwise, it is known that injustice can occur from any individual of the family to another. [^14]: Al-Bukhari (16) and Muslim (43). [^15]: And as you read these verses that were revealed about the disbelievers, recall what we mentioned under the title: "Beware! The Quranic text is addressing you."
This disease is the result of a set of factors that affect the soul over the years until the person reaches a state of hating what Allah has revealed, and the most important of these factors are:
Centralization in Islam is Allah and the Hereafter. While the centralization in the dominant global culture is man and his desires. The absolute governing standards in Islam are the obedience to Allah and His Messenger, which includes the establishment of truth and justice. In the dominant culture, they are freedom and equality.
Many Muslim children are shaped by education, curricula, and media with a human-centered approach and standards of freedom and equality. They judge everything by these standards, including their religion. The result is that if they see something from what Allah has revealed and from the rulings of Allah that does not conform to these standards, they doubt it and hate it. It does not occur to them to judge these standards and verify their correctness before using them to judge matters.
We have explained in the series "The Woman" and the series "Be Noble with Your Islam" the invalidity of human centrality and the standards of freedom and equality, both rationally, legally, and in reality. The dominant civilizations ended up with human misery, wasting the worship of Allah, and not establishing truth, justice, freedom, or equality! (And whoever turns away from My remembrance will certainly have a constricted life) [Ta-Ha: 124].
Most Muslims know very little about the beauty, wisdom, mercy, and justice of Islam. The rulings of Islam are often distorted, such as detailed Sharia rulings, jihad, hudud, and rulings regarding the Muslim family and the man's authority over the woman. What they know about these rulings may be distorted due to systematic media manipulation and deviant practices falsely attributed to Islam, whether by infiltrators or by some who are described as religious or those who lead religious discourse without wisdom or knowledge of what is appropriate for the occasion.
All this happens while they do not see Islam being implemented in a comprehensive and correct manner in reality. Suppose you know the commandment of Allah and His Messenger in truth and still disobey it. This leads us to the third reason for hating what Allah has revealed, which is:
Allah the Almighty says: (So let those who oppose the command of the Messenger beware lest some trial befalls them or a painful punishment) [An-Nur: 63].
A warning from Allah the Almighty to those who oppose the command of His Messenger that a trial may befall them. The worst trial is the trial of the heart, where its balance is disturbed, and it hates what Allah has revealed. Ibn Kathir said: (Meaning: Let him beware and fear, whoever opposes the Sharia of the Messenger, inwardly or outwardly, lest a trial befalls them, meaning in their hearts, of disbelief, hypocrisy, or innovation).
(So when they deviated, He led their hearts astray. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people) [Al-Saff: 5].
Let those who watch movies containing romantic relationships outside of marriage, which Allah has permitted, and which contain killing out of jealousy and modesty, and transgression of Allah's boundaries, which He said: (And whoever transgresses the limits of Allah, then those are the wrongdoers) [Al-Baqarah: 229], beware. Their hearts are open to the authors of these series to pour into them whatever they want of love for debauchery and disobedience and aversion to the rulings of Allah the Almighty.
And let those who do not adhere to what Allah has commanded regarding modesty, restraint, and dealing with others beware. You may find them initially confessing to their sin and asking those around them to pray for Allah to guide them. Then you may find them later minimizing the importance of Allah's boundaries in appearance and dealing, and preoccupying themselves with criticizing others who are "committed outwardly" for their shortcomings and deficiencies. Then, the matter may reach the point where they hate Allah's boundaries, seeing them as a stone around the woman's neck and a reduction of her value. They mock those who call for them and support those who distort the religion and deny these boundaries and controls, spreading their words and calling to them. Their hearts have deviated with their disobedience, and the trial has befallen them.
O you who persist in disobedience and do not hasten to repent: You are exposing yourself to the blackening of the heart and the disease of hating what Allah has revealed. This is much more dangerous than the sin of disobedience itself. Do not separate disobedience from doubts, and review what we mentioned earlier under the characteristic of (doubt in religion).
Media, including news, series, and films, often associate the rituals of Islam with ignorance, poverty, bloodshed, and bad character. At the same time, it associates scientific progress, beauty, wealth, and happiness with Westernization and detachment from revelation. It implants a set of images in the subconscious, forming feelings and impressions unconsciously that compete with your real convictions and weaken their effect on your behavior.
The media beautifies what Allah has forbidden, reminding of the saying of Satan: (I will certainly make attractive to them). The souls that love the forbidden feel the weight of what Allah has revealed and their aversion to what they love and are used to. Western strategic planning centers' studies emphasize the need to undermine the credibility of Sharia and its advocates. (See Rand studies by Dr. Iyad Qunaybi on the internet).
The media's beautification of the life of heedlessness of revelation does not show the suffering of heedless societies. Many Muslims' impression of these societies comes from Hollywood and Netflix movies. If a Muslim is ignorant of his religion and has a distorted mental image of its rulings, and at the same time, the state of heedless societies is beautified to him completely contrary to what Allah has revealed, and his centralization and standards are distorted, and his nature is corrupted, then his balance, which he uses to weigh between what Allah has revealed and heedlessness of what Allah has revealed, is corrupted. All of this leads to hatred of what Allah has revealed.
This hatred is transferred from the obeyed to the obedient, from those who are obeyed to those who say: (We will obey you in some matters), as we explained at the beginning of the characteristic of "hating what Allah has revealed."
Sheikh Muhammad Amin Al-Shanqiti, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his interpretation of these verses 25-28 from Surah Muhammad: (Know that every Muslim in this time must contemplate these verses from Surah Muhammad, ponder them, and be fully aware of the warning they contain; because many of those who claim to be Muslims are certainly included in the severe warning contained in them; because most of the disbelievers, whether Eastern or Western, hate what Allah has revealed to His Messenger Muhammad, peace be upon him, and this is the Quran and what the Prophet, peace be upon him, explains from the Sunnah; so whoever says to these disbelievers who hate what Allah has revealed: (We will obey you in some matters), he is included in the warning of the verse, and even more so he who says to them: (We will obey you in all matters), like those who follow the positive laws, obeying thereby those who hate what Allah has revealed; indeed, these are certainly among those whom the angels will take, striking their faces and their backs) [Adwa' Al-Bayan, Muhammad Amin Al-Shanqiti].
Supporting means advocating, bringing closer, and religious love. Whoever supports the polytheists advocates for them against the Muslims and does not care about their disbelief but may even love, accept, and approve of it. Allah the Almighty has emphasized the verses that highlight this characteristic in the hypocrites.
This characteristic is also a product of doubt in religion. Allah, the Almighty, says: "You see many of them taking for friends and protectors those who oppose Allah. How wicked is that which they have earned, that they have taken them for friends and protectors because they say: 'None shall enter Paradise except he who is a Jew or a Christian.' Such are their (own) inventions and a lie against Allah. Say: 'Produce your proof if you are truthful.' Nay, but whoever submits his whole self to Allah and is a doer of good, he will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." [Al-Ma'idah: 80-81].
Although these verses were revealed about those who disbelieved from the Children of Israel, they set a general rule applicable to Jews and others that taking disbelievers as allies indicates a lack of faith. It is known that Mujahid bin Jabr, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his interpretation of Allah's statement "You see many of them taking for friends and protectors those who oppose Allah": "He means the hypocrites."
Also, consider Allah's statement: "You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, loving those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred." [Al-Mujadalah: 22].
When the hypocrite's faith in Allah and the Last Day is not sound, his calculations become worldly. He sees the material power in the hands of the disbelievers and wishes to gain strength from them: "Give tidings to the hypocrites that there is for them a painful torment. Those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek with them honor? But indeed, all honor belongs to Allah." [An-Nisa: 138-139].
Just as we saw the connection of the previous hypocritical traits to the disease of the heart, so too is the hypocrite's haste in taking the disbelievers as allies a result of his heart's disease. Allah, the Exalted, says: "So you see those in whose hearts is a disease hastening into them, saying: 'We fear lest a turn of fortune bring us destruction.'" [Al-Ma'idah: 52].
This verse was revealed describing the state of Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul and his defense of the Jews of Bani Qainuqa and his saying, "I am a man who fears the turns of fortune."
It is narrated by Muhammad ibn Ishaq from Ibn Abbas in its interpretation: "That is, we only seek to reform between the two parties of the believers and the People of the Book." Allah refuted their claim and described their allegiance as corruption, saying: "Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they do not perceive." [Al-Baqarah: 12].
Similarly, in another verse, after Allah commanded the believers to take each other as allies and stated that those who disbelieved take each other as allies, He said: "But if you do not - then beware of a fitnah (trial) that will not befall only the wrongdoers among you." [Al-Anfal: 73]. The corruption and fitnah are in taking the polytheists as allies and leaving the allegiance of the believers.
Allah, the Exalted, describes the hypocrites: "And when they meet those who believe, they say, 'We believe'; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, 'Indeed, we are with you; we were only mocking.'" [Al-Baqarah: 14].
And He says: "O Messenger, let not grieve you those who hasten into disbelief of those who say, 'We believe' with their mouths, but their hearts have no faith. And from the Jews, there are those who listen to falsehood, listening to another people who have not come to you, distorting the words out of their context after they had understood them." [Al-Ma'idah: 41].
And His statement: "Listening to another people who have not come to you" is said to mean: "That is, they are responsive and imitators of their leaders, whose matter is based on falsehood, misguidance, and deviation." On this, the meaning of "listening" is that they listen in a way of response, imitation, and submission to these misguided ones.
Ibn Kathir said: "It is also said that the meaning is that they listen to the speech and convey it to other people who are not present with you from your enemies." That is, they listen to the Prophet, peace be upon him, to convey the speech to their misguided masters.
Thus, the hypocrites, when they meet their allies and masters from the polytheists, boast of their deception of the believers and receive orders from their masters and conspire with them to harm Islam and its people.
And Allah says, explaining the intention of the hypocrites in building the Mosque of Harm: "And for their taking it (the mosque) as a place of fear and a place of terror, and a place of division among the believers, and as a station for whoever used to fight against Allah and His Messenger before. And they will surely swear, 'We intended nothing but good.'" [At-Tawbah: 107], meaning: preparation to receive the wicked Abu Amir, who promised them that he would come with an army from the Romans to fight the believers.
Indeed, the hypocrite is often more devoted than his clear disbelieving masters in serving falsehood and fighting the believers! He is the most abased soul and the least noble. Sheikh Ali Al-Qarni said: "The disbelievers want the group of hypocrisy upon the Muslims to be a plague that consumes, so it becomes a plague! They want it to be a tongue, so it becomes a tongue and an eye and an ear and a hand and a foot and a pickaxe for uprooting and an axe for cutting and a battering ram for breaking!"
Allah, the Exalted, says: "Indeed, Allah has cursed the disbelievers and has prepared for them a Blaze. They will abide therein eternally, having found no escape from it. O mankind, fear your Lord and fear a Day when no father will avail his son, nor will a son avail his father at all. Indeed, that is the promise of Allah. And Allah is just and fair." [Ibrahim: 23-24]. As they gathered in this world to oppose Islam and mock its people, Allah will gather them in Hellfire where they will disbelieve in each other and curse each other.
Allah, the Exalted, says: "O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is one of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people." [Al-Ma'idah: 51].
And He says: "O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, having driven out the Prophet and yourselves because you believe in Allah, your Lord. If you have come forth to strive in My cause and seeking means to Me - [then take them not as friends]. You confer upon them affection, but they are not conferring it upon you. And Allah is most knowing of what you do." [Al-Mumtahinah: 1].
And He says: "Let not the believers take disbelievers as allies rather than the believers. And whoever does that has no relationship with Allah unless [it be] that you take them as allies out of fear of them. But Allah warns you [to fear] Himself. And to Allah is the [final] destination." [Al-Imran: 28]. Allah disassociates Himself from those who take them as allies and describes him as having no connection with Allah. That is, he has cut himself off from Allah, and he has no share in the religion of Allah. This is "a negation of connection for whoever does that beside Allah in all circumstances." There is no connection between him and Allah. And Allah says after that: "And Allah warns you of Himself."
Allah arouses in the believers the feelings of love for His religion so that they know that the love of Allah and His religion cannot coexist with the love of those who mock the religion in one heart: "O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, having driven out the Prophet and yourselves because you believe in Allah, your Lord. If you have come forth to strive in My cause and seeking means to Me - [then take them not as friends]. You confer upon them affection, but they are not conferring it upon you. And Allah is most knowing of what you do." [Al-Ma'idah: 57-58].
And just as Allah forbade taking the disbelievers as allies, He forbade taking the hypocrites as allies, saying: "O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, having driven out the Prophet and yourselves because you believe in Allah, your Lord. If you have come forth to strive in My cause and seeking means to Me - [then take them not as friends]. You confer upon them affection, but they are not conferring it upon you. And Allah is most knowing of what you do." [Al-Imran: 118]. They are the hypocrites, as in the interpretation of Ibn Kathir and As-Sa'di.
Some of those who claim to be scholars have gone so far as to issue fatwas allowing the Muslim citizen residing in a Western state to enlist and fight against Muslims to preserve his citizenship and so that they do not question his patriotism! Ignoring the verses we have presented and what was narrated by Bukhari that some Muslims were with the polytheists, increasing the number of the polytheists against the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and some of them were killed in the war. So Allah revealed: "And when the angels take the souls of those who have wronged themselves, they will be asked, 'In what [condition] were you?' They will say, 'We were oppressed in the land.' [The angels] will say, 'Was not the earth of Allah spacious [enough] for you to emigrate therein?' For those, their refuge is Hell - and wretched is the destination." [An-Nisa: 97].
Ibn Kathir said: "This noble verse was revealed concerning everyone who resides among the polytheists while being able to migrate, and is not able to establish the religion, he is a wrongdoer to himself, a sinner by consensus, and by the text of this verse." These are people who were obligated to migrate so that they could establish their religion in the city, but they preferred to reside among relatives, wealth, and lands over showing their religion to the extent that they were driven to go out in the army of the polytheists in Badr. So those who were killed among them were wrongdoers to themselves. Where will the issuers of such fatwas go from Allah?
Allah the Almighty says: "And to Allah belongs all honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know" [Al-Munafiqun: 8].
And He, the Almighty, says: "Your guardian is only Allah and His Messenger and those who believe - those who establish prayer and give zakah while bowing. And whoever takes Allah and His Messenger and those who believe as protectors, indeed, the party of Allah - they will be the predominant" [Al-Ma'idah: 55-56].
Disbelief is humiliation, and disobedience is humiliation, even if its people dominate and excel materially. Whoever dies steadfast upon his religion, he is honored. But the hypocrites do not know nor understand these meanings and realities.
Honor is in the company of the Honored, and whoever worships the slaves, Allah humbles him.
And this in the hypocrites is a vile nature and a cheap character! For the hypocrite, as his calculations are earthly and mundane, he looks to the side where the balance of power tilts... so if the scale of his allies is lost and he loses hope in their victory, he disowns them, turns his back on them, and perhaps even allies against them and helps them, as if there was no affection between them! The hypocrite does not understand the meaning of loyalty to his ally, chivalry, nobility, generosity, and aid... and whoever arouses these meanings within him is like one who bays with a call that is not heard except as a supplication and a cry.
Allah the Almighty says: "Have you not seen those who claim to be believers saying to their brothers who disbelieved from the People of the Scripture, 'If you are expelled, we will surely go forth with you, and we will never obey anyone against you, and if you are fought, we will surely aid you'?" [Al-Hashr: 11].
Thus is the hypocrite! Broad promises and may claim bravery and steadfastness... but Allah exposes their lies: "And Allah testifies that they are liars. If they are expelled, they will not go forth with them, and if they are fought, they will not aid them. And even if they aid them, they will surely turn their backs; then they will not be aided" [Al-Hashr: 11-12].
As soon as the glory of the disbelievers is gone, the hypocrite's true nature is revealed... Then Allah, the Almighty, explains the reason for the change of positions and says: "Because you are more fearful within their breasts than Allah" [Al-Hashr: 13]. The hypocrite, when he allied with the disbeliever, did not remember Allah's command and prohibition... and when he left this allegiance, he did not leave it for Allah, but out of fear of the believers. He did not remember Allah in any case! "That is because they are a people who do not understand" [Al-Hashr: 13].
And the hypocrite may reach a level lower than what the disbelievers reach. In the Battle of Banu Qurayza, Huyayy ibn Akhtab fulfilled his promise to Banu Qurayza that he would enter the fortress with them and face the fate they faced, but the hypocrites did not fulfill their promise of support to Banu Nadir, for whom these verses above were revealed.
They are with the victor, whoever he may be. It is as if the hypocrite is walking cunningly, his saliva dripping, carrying a bowl in his hand, turning it around, searching for the victor to ask him to fill the bowl with food... If you say to him, "The pleasure of Allah," "Paradise," "Zeal for the religion"... he opens his mouth in stupidity and looks at you as if he understood nothing, then turns away from you saying, "Will this fill my bowl?!"
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The example of the hypocrite is like a sheep that wanders between two flocks, sometimes to this one, sometimes to that one, and does not know which one it follows" (Muslim 2784).
And Allah the Almighty says: "And among you are some who restrain themselves and say concerning their brothers who have been left behind in their homes, 'If they had been with us, they would not have been killed thus,' saying, 'Find in them an example,' that they might be content with what Allah has given them and [that] they might say concerning their brothers who were left behind, 'If only we had been with them, we would have been killed with them.' So let them fight for the cause of Allah if they would but know" [Al-Imran: 168]. The hypocrite considers his cowardice wisdom, even a blessing from Allah the Almighty! He delays jihad and sacrifice, and delays others and abandons them.
"And if a bounty from Allah befalls you, they say, as if there were no affection between you and them, 'Oh, I wish I had been with them; then I would have achieved a great victory'" [Al-Imran: 169]. At that time, he will regret and wish he had been with the believers. Do you see him regretting because he sees Allah's victory for His believing servants and knows that honor belongs to Allah and His Messenger and the believers, so he despises his hypocrisy and his soul longs to soar in the ranks of the heroes? No! But his aspirations do not exceed the tips of his toes!
"Oh, I wish I had been with them; then I would have achieved a great victory" [Al-Imran: 169], meaning the spoils, fleeting wealth and goods, and a reputation he does not deserve. This is the great victory he longs for and his eyes do not go beyond it!
And He, the Most High, says: "Have you not seen those who take as allies a people with whom Allah has become angry? They are neither of you nor of them" [Al-Mujadila: 14]. The hypocrite is neither truly affiliated with the believers nor truly affiliated with those whom Allah is angry with "the Jews". It is only the interests!
If you were asked to summarize the characteristics of hypocrites in one word, say: "lying"! Allah the Almighty says: "And Allah will reward the truthful for their truth and will punish the hypocrites if He wills or will accept their repentance" [Al-Ahzab: 24]. So He placed in opposition to the truthful: the hypocrites.
And in the hadith, "Four characteristics, if found in a person, make him a pure hypocrite," you find that the four characteristics revolve around lying: if he speaks, he lies, if he promises, he breaks it (and breaking a promise is a kind of lying), if he makes a covenant, he betrays (and betrayal is lying because it is the opposite of truth in fulfilling the covenant), and if he disputes, he commits lewdness (and the clearest forms of lewdness in dispute: lying in defaming the opponent).
Al-Hasan al-Basri said: "The root of hypocrisy upon which hypocrisy is built: lying." And what resembles lying is that your actions contradict your words, so the action is a lie to the words. Therefore, you see that Allah the Almighty hated, rather detested, that the believer be characterized by this characteristic that makes him intersect with the character of the hypocrite in a common thing, and He said: "O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do" [As-Saff: 2-3].
And how much we see this characteristic - the contradiction of action to speech - among Muslims! How much we see them blaming a reality they are a part of and contributing to:
How much you blame the diseases of the country, and you are one of its diseases And the misfortune is its ailment, have you searched for its symptoms? O you who carried the axe to demolish it upon its ruins Sit down, for you are not the one who strives to rebuild it And look with your eyes, the wolves are tired in their pools
How much you see a Muslim blaming treachery and the surrender of the country to its enemies and cursing the conspirators from our own kin, and if you ask him, "Do you wish to jihad?" he says without hesitation, "I wish! Of course," then he takes riba-based loans and makes prohibited sales, contradicting his resonant slogans. He does the opposite of what he says. So we ask Allah to guide such people and rectify their deeds.
Al-Qurtubi said in his interpretation of Allah's saying: "See how they lie against themselves and how they are deluded from what they were fabricating" [Al-An'am: 24]. He said: "(...and the hypocrites lied with their false excuses and denied their hypocrisy)." The hypocrite excuses himself with falsehood, justifies his hypocrisy to himself, and even denies that he is a hypocrite at all! He blinds himself to the truth, adorns for himself the evil he is in, suppresses the call of faith within him, and convinces himself that the path of hypocrisy is safer, and may numb his conscience that he has good qualities and that he is on the right path.
Having deceived himself, the next step is to deceive the believers. In his view, believers are simple-minded and lack the wisdom he possesses. Their faith, in his opinion, is the faith of fools! "Do they say, 'We believe as the fools have believed'?" [Al-Baqarah: 13]. Therefore, he must deceive them to avoid engaging in futile debates with them and to protect himself from their "simple-minded" emotional outbursts. Thus, the hypocrite feels no remorse in swearing falsely to them: "They have made their oaths a shield and thus they hinder [men] from the path of Allah. Indeed, it is an evil that they have been doing" [Al-Munafiqun: 2].
He commits every atrocity and wallows in the mire of hypocrisy, then swears by Allah that he intended nothing but good. His false oaths are accepted by believers who cannot imagine that a man would swear falsely by Allah, whom they hold in high regard! The hypocrite then continues in his tyranny, assured of the believers' trust in him. Observe how Allah Almighty denounces this despicable act—the lie to turn people away from the path of Allah—saying: "Indeed, it is an evil that they have been doing" [Al-Munafiqun: 2].
This is similar to Allah's statement: "They have made their oaths a shield and thus they hinder [men] from the path of Allah. So for them is a humiliating punishment" [Al-Mujadalah: 16]. False oaths are the protective shield that the hypocrite uses in this world and the veil behind which he conceals all his wickedness, but they are the means of his descent into the Fire of Hell. Observe how the hypocrite covers his hypocritical traits with lies, whether the traits we have mentioned so far or those we will discuss later:
"Among the people are those who say, 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day,' but they are not truly believers" [Al-Baqarah: 8]. And Allah says: "And when the hypocrites come to you, they say, 'We bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah.' And Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are liars" [Al-Munafiqun: 1].
"Have you not seen those who claim, '[We swear] by Allah, we believed in what was revealed to you and in what was revealed before you,' but they wish to refer to the Taghut for judgment, while they were commanded to reject him? And Satan wishes to lead them far astray" [An-Nisa: 60]. Until Allah says: "But how [will it be] when disaster strikes them for what their hands have put forth, and they come to you swearing by Allah, 'We wanted nothing but good and concord'?" [An-Nisa: 62]. They swear that they did not refer to the Taghut, thus denying Islam.
"Have you not seen those who took a people, with whom Allah is angry, as allies? They are neither of you nor of them, and they swear to falsehood while they know [they are lying]" [Al-Mujadalah: 14]. The hypocrites allied themselves with the Jews, with whom Allah is angry, and they swear falsely to cover their allegiance to the Jews.
Allah says: "And let those who disbelieve not think that they will outstrip [Allah]. Indeed, they will not give Him up except in ruin. And let those who disbelieve not think that they will outmaneuver [others]. Indeed, they will not give Allah up except in ruin. O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with those who are true" [Al-Imran: 167]. They lied by claiming that they did not expect fighting, thus justifying their retreat from jihad with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the believers in the Battle of Uhud. And Allah says: "They swear to you by Allah when you meet them that you may be pleased with them. But Allah and His Messenger are more worthy to be pleased with them if they should be believers" [At-Tawbah: 96]. They swore falsely to justify their absence from the Expedition of Tabuk.
"They swear by Allah that they said nothing, but indeed, they said the word of disbelief after their Islam and conceived that which they did not accomplish" [At-Tawbah: 74]. They used to belittle the Prophet (peace be upon him) and lie about him, but when something was reported to him, they swore that they had not done so.
It is narrated that Ibn Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was sitting in the shade of his room, and the shade had diminished. He said to his companions: "A man will come to you who looks at you with the eyes of a devil. If you see him, do not speak to him." He said: A blue-eyed man came, and when the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw him, he called him and said: "Why do you curse me and my companions?" He said: "As you are until I bring them to you." He went and brought them, and they began to swear by Allah that they had not said or done anything. Allah then revealed: "On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all, they will swear to Him as they are swearing to you. And they think that they are [doing] something. Indeed, it is they who are the liars" [Al-Mujadalah: 18].
Observe this man who perfected lying to the extent that he pretended to the Prophet that he would not say anything lest he lie. Instead, he would bring his companions to swear that they had not cursed him, as if the lie of the group is more credible than the lie of the individual! They come and swear... and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), in his calmness and nobility, waits for them to finish their pathetic performance and overlooks them.
Imagine the hypocrites when their affair is exposed before any righteous person they fear. They come and stand before this righteous person, having divided the roles among themselves: one raises his sinful finger to the sky while swearing by Allah, another clenches his hands and then extends them with his fingers spread in denial, and the third interrupts his companions while pointing to his black heart, claiming to Allah what is in his heart—he, the greatest of liars.
Out of love and reverence for Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him).
Allah says: "[And those who took for themselves a mosque for harm and disbelief and to cause division among the believers and as an outpost for whoever had fought Allah and His Messenger before. And they will surely swear, 'We intended nothing but good.' And Allah testifies that they are liars" [At-Tawbah: 107].
Thus they are! Evil in nature and corrupt in intention, with grand claims and despicable actions: "They swear by Allah with their strongest oaths that if only they were commanded, they would leave. Say, 'Do not swear; [merely] known [is your] disobedience.' Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what you do" [An-Nur: 53].
They swear by Allah of their readiness to sacrifice for the sake of Allah and to go out for jihad, and they excel in their oaths to deceive the believers. They swear of their readiness to obey Allah and His Messenger, but it is known obedience! It does not exceed the grand claims with the tongue without any action to confirm it.
Allah says: "They will swear to you by Allah when you return to them that you may leave them alone..." [At-Tawbah: 95].
And Allah says: "They swear to you by Allah to satisfy you. But Allah and His Messenger are more worthy to be satisfied with them if they should be believers" [At-Tawbah: 62].
And Allah says: "The hypocrites fear lest a surah be revealed about them, informing them of what is in their hearts. Say, 'Mock [at your ease]! Indeed, Allah will bring forth that which you fear'" [At-Tawbah: 64].
They fear none but people, and they do not care if there is ruin between them and Allah.
The believer, with his pure heart and exaltation of Allah the Most High, may not imagine that there are people who swear by Allah falsely in such a degrading manner.
[And among people is he who says, "I believe in Allah and the Last Day," but he is not a believer. He speaks words of falsehood while he confirms righteousness. And when he stands, prayer does not restrain him from wrongdoing and aggression; he is of the hypocrites. When they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing off to people and not remembering Allah except a little. Wavering between them, not to Us but to themselves they incline while they perceive not. And when the prayer is completed, they rush out of the mosque in haste, not remembering Allah. Such are the hypocrites. So do not be deceived by them. Indeed, the Fire is the promised home of the hypocrites. And whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief has certainly gone astray in a far error.] [Al-Baqarah: 8-17].
Can it be that among the sons of Adam there is one who says, "I bear witness that Allah is my Lord, a believer in His Messenger, a lover of His religion," while in reality he is an enemy of Allah, hating His religion! Does the contempt reach the point where he bears witness to Allah about what is in his heart to avoid the wrath of the believers, knowing that his heart contains nothing but rot and the blackness of hypocrisy! What mockery of Allah is this! [Allah mocks them and prolongs them in their transgression, blindly wandering on.] [Al-Baqarah: 15].
And thus they are: [They please you with their tongues while their hearts are averse, and they are hypocrites.] [At-Tawbah: 8].
So the believer may be pleased with the hypocrite because of the sweetness of his tongue, which deceives unlike what is in his heart.
[And when you see them, their forms please you, and if they speak, you listen to their speech.] [Al-Munafiqun: 4].
There is no harm in people of great stature and the greatness of the bodies of mules and the dreams of sparrows. For Allah the Most High has commanded us not to believe them nor to trust them if signs of hypocrisy appear from them and their actions contradict their words, for believing them at that time is dangerous: [Say, "Do not excuse yourselves; indeed, we will not believe you. Allah has already informed us of your news."] [At-Tawbah: 94].
The hypocrite will not stand to swear by Allah the Great, by His noble face, and by His ancient dominion that he hates the religion of Allah and that he is a deceiver of the believers. But the state of his affairs speaks of that, and the state of affairs is more eloquent than the spoken word.
He who claims to love the beloved but does not benefit from his guidance is foolish and nonsense. For the first condition of love and its duties, if it is sincere, is obedience and loyalty.
In times of the believers' strength and high status, hypocrites did not proclaim their malice but whispered it secretly: [Have you not seen those who are forbidden from secret counsel then they return to what they were forbidden and conspire for sin and aggression and disobedience to the Messenger?] [Al-Mujadalah: 8].
But in these days, with the weakness of the believers, the hypocrites, and their leaders in particular, often do not need to hide their vices. For arrogance towards the religion, rejection of its rulings, and support of the disbelievers have all become components of sovereignty and qualifications for leadership in many Muslim societies. And the hypocrites' need to lie to the extent that it numbs the anger of the general Muslims, who are deceived by a few sweetened words that show love for the religion, which the hypocrite utters while swimming in the swamp of his obvious hypocrisy to everyone with insight, is only that he does not want these "dervishes" to bother him if his "enlightened" behavior and statements offend their "simple" religious feelings in his view!
And this is a matter of great wonder that a human soul should stoop to this level! And a contemptible belittling of the greatness of Allah the Most High! Especially if we remember that this wretched attempt will be on the Day of Resurrection when the cover will be removed, and vision will be sharp, and there will be no concealment on that day! The hypocrite has seen the truth of what he doubted and knew that Allah is the manifest truth. Yet, with all this, he still lies, indeed swears falsely! And who is he trying to deceive? He is trying to deceive Allah the Most High! And I see no explanation for this except the complete obliteration of insight.
[On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all, they will swear to Him as they swear to you, and they think they are on something. Rather, they are the liars.] [Al-Mujadalah: 18].
With the same degrading manner, they swear and think that this will benefit them with He who knows the secret and what is more hidden! The hypocrite has only reached this low level by much practice of lying in this world... He has become addicted to lying, indeed swearing to lies, so it has settled in his heart and has not faded with burial and the passage of time before the Resurrection.
And look at this strange condition described by the Quran for some of them: [And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We believe"; but when they are alone with one another, they say, "Do you talk to them of what Allah has opened to you that they may argue with you before your Lord? Do you not understand?"] [Al-Baqarah: 76].
A group of the hypocrites of the Jews acknowledge that Allah the Most High has sent Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a messenger and mention his description in the Torah, which matches reality. Another group blames them because this acknowledgment strengthens the argument of the believers against the hypocrites before Allah on the Day of Judgment. Indeed, this group intensifies the blame until they say to the first group, "Do you not understand?" As if they are speaking of a distant God who does not hear them in this conversation, nor will He know what is in their hearts, not even on the Day of Judgment!
Ibn Ashur said in [That they may argue with you before your Lord]: "And that is on the Day of Resurrection without fail, meaning they make that an argument against you before Allah regarding the truth of His Messenger and your following in disbelief in him. That is in accordance with the narration of the condition of the Jews' belief, likening the Lord, glorified and exalted be He, to human rulers in the application of tricks upon Him and that He only takes the causes from their apparent causes. Therefore, they used to commit tricks in their religion, and you find their books full of what indicates that Allah appeared to him and knew that such and such matter was contrary to what was assumed." End quote.
So Allah the Most High said, marveling at their foolishness: [Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they declare?] [Al-Baqarah: 77].
This degree of deviation requires long practice and habituation to lying! Deceiving oneself, then deceiving people, then deceiving Allah in this world, then deceiving Allah on the Day of Judgment. And that is only because their hearts have hardened, so they have lost the feeling: [They deceive Allah and those who believe, but they only deceive themselves and perceive not.] [Al-Baqarah: 9].
O Allah, protect us from sinking to these depths.
For claims can be made by anyone, but actions can only be proven by the truthful, especially when they involve sacrificing oneself and one's wealth, as in jihad. Therefore, in Surah At-Tawbah, Allah the Almighty exposed the hypocrites and revealed their cowardice in jihad, then He said:
"O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with the truthful. It is not for the people of the city and those around them of the bedouins to refuse obedience to the Messenger of Allah and not prefer themselves over their souls" [At-Tawbah: 119-120].
The truthful believer proves the sincerity of his faith by not being stingy with himself in making sacrifices that the Messenger of Allah made, and not hesitating to endure hardships and difficulties that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, endured. The truthful believer does not say to himself: "Is it reasonable that I, the owner of wealth and real estate, the owner of the intelligent mind and unique talents, should expose them to risks?!" [And not prefer themselves over their souls]... So if he is required to make a sacrifice for the sake of Allah, he does not hesitate to do so, just as the Messenger of Allah did not hesitate to sacrifice himself.
And Allah the Almighty said: "The bedouins said, 'We have believed.' Say, 'You have not believed; but say, 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts'" [Al-Hujurat: 14]... until He said: "The believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, then they doubted not and strove with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah. Those are the truthful" [Al-Hujurat: 15].
Thus, truthfulness - which is the opposite of lying, a characteristic of hypocrites - is in faith that is not mixed with doubt and in jihad.
And Allah the Almighty said: "Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives and orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous" [Al-Baqarah: 177].
And "during battle" means: at the places of fighting and hardship. This verse states that those who have been truthful - in contrast to the hypocrites who lied - are those who do these deeds. We have seen, and will see later, that the hypocrites do not do these deeds. So instead of faith, there is doubt; instead of establishing prayer, there is neglect of it, and if they perform it, they do so lazily; instead of giving zakah, there is certainty and generosity, but they spend it reluctantly; instead of fulfilling the covenant, there is breach and turning away; instead of patience, there is retreat and cowardice, so that if they were asked for trial, they would give it and would not persist in it for long, and they hate to make sacrifices for the sake of Allah.
By nature, man hates hardships and exposing himself to destruction, so Allah the Almighty said: "Fighting has been enjoined upon you while you dislike it" [Al-Baqarah: 216].
This natural hatred is not hypocrisy. But the believer, on the other hand, loves sacrifice as it is an obedience to Allah the Almighty, for which he will be rewarded, and it will have a good outcome in this world and the hereafter. This love is what is not found in the hypocrite.
Also, our discussion here is not about a sacrifice that the believer doubts is obligatory upon him or that it is beloved to Allah. For example: confronting the oppressors and enemies of the religion with the hand, the tongue, and the tooth is a beloved act for the believers. And many of them, even those who commit sins, think that they are ready to make sacrifices in it if they are convinced of the correctness of this confrontation and that it is what Allah loves and accepts from them. So if this conviction is formed, you may see from their boldness and courage something amazing. But they may hesitate to make sacrifices due to their doubt in the reliability of the caller to such confrontations or the correctness of his methodology, and due to the absence of reliable role models, and due to their fear that it will only increase the Muslims' weakness and subjugation. So at that time, no one can accuse them of hypocrisy and hatred of sacrifice for the sake of Allah.
But the hypocrite has gathered his sins until they have sickened his heart, so he doubts Allah and the Hereafter. So how can he be expected to make a sacrifice at that time?
Let us take the example of hatred of jihad for the sake of Allah and abstaining from it, to see how it is, like many of the characteristics of the hypocrites, that this hatred and abstaining from jihad is a result of doubt in religion, which is a result of following desires, which in turn strengthens in the sick heart whenever its owner commits sins.
As for sins, Allah the Almighty said: "So what is [the matter] with you concerning the hypocrites? In two groups they will be [divided] in the Fire. But which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?" [An-Nisa: 88].
And Al-Bukhari narrated that it was revealed about the hypocrites who returned from the army of the Messenger of Allah who set out to Uhud, so they refused to continue with him on the journey to jihad. So abstaining from jihad is the fruit of sins.
And Allah the Almighty said: "And when the two groups met [in battle], they said, 'O our people, we heard a book revealed after Moses confirming what was before it; it guides to the truth and to a straight path'" [Al-Imran: 155]. And this verse, although it was revealed about believers and not hypocrites, indicates the same meaning, that the sins that man commits in days of ease gather upon him on the day of jihad to weaken him from the will to make sacrifices for the sake of Allah the Almighty.
As for the relationship between hatred of jihad and heart disease, Allah the Almighty said: "And when a Qur'an is revealed, containing clear verses - you recognize them - those in whose hearts is disease look at you with a look of one overcome by death. So worse for them is what they were doing. And if they had believed and feared Allah and were content with what Allah had given them as provision, it would have been better for them. But will you compel the people to believe?" [Muhammad: 20-22].
So heart disease cowers from fighting and makes its owner open his mouth and turn pale when he knows that the confrontation is near. And see the connection between heart disease and sins from corruption on earth and cutting off ties of kinship.
And Allah the Almighty said: "And when a surah is revealed [enjoining them], saying, 'Believe in Allah and strive with His Messenger,' those to whom knowledge and wisdom were given say, 'This is what we and you have been seeking; it is a decree of Allah.' And when they are told, 'Do not cause corruption on the earth,' they say, 'We are only reformers.' Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not. And when they are told, 'Believe as the people have believed,' they say, 'Shall we believe as the foolish have believed?' Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not" [At-Tawbah: 86-87].
So leaving jihad is naturally connected to the heart, and it is the worst form of heart disease. Heart disease prevents jihad, and satisfaction with leaving jihad increases heart disease. And the speech here is about satisfaction with leaving, which includes hatred of sacrifice for the sake of Allah due to little faith and little certainty of the great reward.
As for the relationship between hatred of jihad and doubt in religion, Allah the Almighty said: "Only they may ask permission of you who believe in Allah and the Last Day and strive in the cause of Allah. So ask permission of them, and seek forgiveness for them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful" [At-Tawbah: 45]. These are the ones who asked the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, not to go out for the expedition of Tabuk.
No wonder. How can a person sacrifice himself for a cause he does not believe in?! If the required costs are easy and affordable, the hypocrite may not mind fulfilling them, in the manner of "And I do not think the Hour will be established. And even if I were sent back to my Lord, indeed I would find there good [for me]." [Fussilat: 50]... So the hypocrite may fulfill some of the costs "as a precaution," so that "in case" it is proven that there is a god and an afterlife and a paradise and a fire, then he has presented what may save him in his opinion, and in case all of that was not, he did not "lose" much! But to "gamble" with himself for the sake of what he is not certain of its existence, the hypocrite is stingy with himself for that.
a) Sometimes, he uses the weather as an excuse! Allah says: "The hypocrites say, 'We were prevented from attending your assembly (to offer sacrifice).' Or, 'They said, 'By Allah, if we had known, we would surely have come with you.' Let them make their excuses to you when they return to you. For that, they can find none to make excuses for them with Allah. And Allah will pay them for their excuses. And Allah is Forgiving and Oft-Forgiving.'" [At-Tawbah 81-82].
Imagine them hiding from the believers' sight, winking and laughing at their excuse, which they know is absurd. But Allah responds to them with a reply that shakes one's being and makes the skin of those with a soul crawl: "Say, 'The Fire of Hell is more intense in heat. If only they could understand.'" [At-Tawbah 82].
And they will weep much... For the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "The least tormented people in Hell will be those who have two sandals of fire, with which his brain will boil as a pot boils. He will think that no one is more tormented than him, and indeed, he is the least tormented among them." (1)
So what about those who are in the lowest rank of Hell? They will not be happy with their seats on that Day! Rather, it is as if the Fire says to them: "Do not march in the heat! Here it has come to you!"
And see how Allah says: "The hypocrites rejoiced" [At-Tawbah 81]... This is the difference between the believer and the hypocrite. The believer may fall into sin out of desire or be lazy in obedience, but he acknowledges his sin, hates it, and does not rejoice in it but regrets it... As happened with Ka'b ibn Malik and his two companions, may Allah be pleased with them, when they were absent from the expedition to Tabuk.
b) And sometimes, the one with hypocrisy in his heart uses the inappropriateness of the time for the necessary sacrifice in the path of Allah as an excuse. He still wants to enjoy the world. Allah says:
"Have you not seen those who were told, 'Restrain your hands and establish prayer and give zakah'? But when the fighting was ordained for them, behold, a party of them feared the people as they fear Allah or with [even] greater fear, and said, 'Our Lord, why have You ordained fighting for us? Why did You not grant us a short respite?' Say, 'The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allah. And you will not be treated unjustly, [even] as much as a thread.'" [An-Nisa 77].
An-Nasa'i and others narrated with a sound chain of authority from Ibn Abbas what indicates that this verse included some of the sincere companions who truly desired jihad but weakened when it was imposed upon them. But there is a great difference between these companions and the hypocrites. For this group of companions, although they stumbled temporarily, they responded to Allah and His Messenger after being reminded by Allah, and they rose up courageously and did not fall behind the Messenger thereafter. They wiped out this temporary slip with a pure, bright history of patience and steadfastness, and they were not affected by "lula" (if only) or "liet" (would that) thereafter. The best of sinners are those who repent.
As for the hypocrites, when the confrontation approached and fighting was imposed, fear struck their hearts, so they feared the people more than they feared Allah and remained objecting to Allah's decree and command, complaining at every test, saying to themselves: "Our Lord, why have You ordained fighting for us?" Their greatest concern was to hide from the eyes of the believers so that their retreat from jihad would not be known. If they went out to it reluctantly, they would not bring forth any good. And in their fighting:
"And if an affliction befalls them, they say, 'We belonged to Allah, and to Him we shall return.'" [Al-Baqarah 156], meaning from following the religion of Muhammad.
And this cowardice and discontent remain in the hypocrite's heart until he dies.
c) And sometimes, he uses the distance from the land of jihad as an excuse:
"If it had been a near advantage and an easy journey, they would have followed you, but the distance was too great for them." [At-Tawbah 42].
The hypocrite has no faith that is sufficient except for a short distance... After this distance, his faith runs out! How wonderful it would be if the expected reward from this near jihad were a spoil worthy of going out for; for "Paradise, whose width is like the heavens and the earth," does not do to the hypocrite's heart what the little enjoyment of this world does!
d) And sometimes, he uses the excuse that jihad will tempt him and that obeying Allah will make him hate the religion of Allah!
The commentators narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, during his preparations for the expedition against the Romans, said to a man named Al-Jadd ibn Qais: "Will you go, O Jadd, to fight the Romans?" meaning: Will you not go out to fight the Romans? He said: "O Messenger of Allah, permit me and do not tempt me. By Allah, my people know that there is no man more amazed by women than me, and I fear that if I see the women of the Romans, I will not be patient with them." So Allah revealed: "And among them is he who says, 'Permit me [to remain at home] and do not tempt me.'" [At-Tawbah 49].
And some may prevent themselves from leaving a command of Allah by saying that if they do this, they will hate the religion... He says to himself: "It is better for me to persist in a real sin than this ideological affliction: hatred of the religion." He may say this one who earns money from the forbidden and fears that "his standard of living will decrease," and it may be said by one who does not observe the legal controls in dealing. But he prevents himself with what is not a legal excuse nor is he compelled.
Let all of them beware of the saying of Allah: "Did they not fall into temptation?" [At-Tawbah 49].
For this hollow excuse is the very temptation, just as leaving Allah's command is a temptation. How often do we see cowardice in facing falsehood and the plans of the enemies of the nation on the pretext that confronting them brings temptation and calamities, while the truth is that the youth who were not brought up to sacrifice in the path of Allah have their souls corrupted, and they fall into the swamps of doubts and desires, and this is the very temptation.
e) And sometimes, the hypocrite excuses himself by saying that standing in the line of confrontation threatens his internal security:
"And a party of them ask permission of the Prophet, saying, 'Indeed, our houses are exposed,' but they were not exposed. They only intended to flee." [Al-Ahzab 13].
For the hypocrites claimed that their houses were close to the enemy's armies, so they feared for their families or their money.
And thus... If the enemy attacks a country of the Muslims and the Muslims seek help from their brothers in other countries, the cowards in the other countries raise the slogan that maintaining the security of their country is more important than helping the oppressed Muslims, even though they read the saying of Allah: "And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between you and whom is a treaty." [Al-Anfal 72].
f) And sometimes, he excuses himself with being busy with money and family:
"The bedouins who were left behind will say to you, 'Our properties and our families occupied us, so ask forgiveness for us.' They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say, 'Who can intercede on your behalf with Allah if He should will something bad for you or something good?'" [Al-Fath 11].
These people were absent when the Prophet, peace be upon him, wanted to travel to Mecca and performed Umrah and took the sacrificial animals with him, to let the people of Mecca know that he did not want war, so the Prophet, peace be upon him, asked these bedouins to go out with him so that the Muslims would be many in the eye of their enemy "the disbelievers of Quraysh" and they would not betray them.
They were slow to respond and did not obey him, peace be upon him. So Allah informed that they would excuse themselves with being busy with money and family, and they would ask the Prophet to seek forgiveness for them out of hypocrisy and showing off, for they did not regret their absence and did not repent to Allah with their hearts.
These are the excuses of the hypocrites for abandoning sacrifice in the path of Allah! Darkness upon darkness... Arguments of shameful cowardice and futile claims of lazy people. And yet, he swears:
"And they swear by Allah their strongest oaths, 'If only you commanded us, we would go out.' Say, 'Do not swear. [Proper] obedience is better than swearing. And fear Allah and fight [with Him] as [is your] duty.'" [An-Nur 53].
Obedience conditioned with conditions that the hypocrite knows will not be fulfilled. He does not want to sacrifice in the path of Allah. He is like one who said:
"I incite my people's sons to battle... And I protect their backs in combat. If they flee, I will precede them all... And if they turn back, I have secured my fate. And I have a resolve that splits water... And breaks two eggs in a row."
And yet, you see the hypocrite "generous" in claims. Allah says about the hypocrites: "But when the fear has gone, they strike you with sharp tongues." [Al-Ahzab 19]. Ibn Kathir said: "Meaning: 'When there is security, they speak eloquent, high, and clear speech, and they claim for themselves high positions in bravery and aid, and they lie in that.'"
Meaning that when the confrontation ends, they attribute to themselves false favor, bravery, and sacrifice.
Allah the Almighty says: "Indeed, Allah knows those who among you cause corruption and those who say to their brothers, 'Come to us,' but they do not go out to battle except a few." (Al-Ahzab 33:18).
And He says: "And indeed, among you are those who delay." (An-Nisa 4:72).
He delays himself and causes others to delay from jihad.
Indeed, the hypocrite even criticizes sacrificing for the sake of Allah and considers abandoning it wisdom: "Those who said to their brothers while they were sitting [at home], 'If you had obeyed us, you would not have been killed.'" (Aal-Imran 3:168).
This verse narrates what the hypocrites said about those who were killed from the Muslims on the day of Uhud, where they said, "If they had listened to our advice to stay and not go out with the Muslim army, they would not have been killed with those who were killed." So, in staying, there is safety!
The cowards see weakness as intelligence... and that is the deception of a vile nature.
Some hypocrites even exploit the trials that befall the believers for the sake of Allah as an excuse to criticize the religion itself: "They say, 'If we had had any share in the affair, we would not have been killed here.'" (Aal-Imran 3:154).
Some of the interpreters, as mentioned by Al-Baghawi, said: "If we had been upon the truth, we would not have been killed here." They considered what befell the Muslims on the day of Uhud as evidence of the invalidity of the religion. Their calculations are purely worldly; they do not understand that Allah the Almighty purifies the ranks of the believers from the impurities of the hypocrites through this trial and takes martyrs whose ranks He elevates and whose rewards He magnifies.
The hypocrites claimed that obeying the Prophet peace be upon him in going out to the polytheists was the cause of the disaster at Uhud. The truth is that the cause of the disaster was disobeying the Messenger: "And indeed, Allah has fulfilled His promise to you when you were striking them with His permission until the time you lost heart and disputed about the order and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love." (Aal-Imran 3:152).
Yet, the hypocrites reverse the issue and attribute the calamities that befall the Muslims to obeying Allah and His Messenger!
"And if an evil befalls them, they say, 'We belonged to You (O Allah), while they were worshipping other than Allah.' Say, 'By no means! Rather, you were a people in whom Allah saw fit to send a trial, and there is no protector for you from Allah, nor any helper.'" (Al-Nisa 4:78).
Meaning, from You (O Muhammad) and because of following you and adhering to your religion (1), and they say, "This is from Muhammad; he made a mistake in planning and judgment (2)."
And Allah the Almighty says:
"O you who have believed, be not like those who disbelieved and said to their brothers when they were traveling through the land or [sat among] the ghazis, 'If they had been with us, they would not have died nor have been killed,' [thus] Allah might make that an occasion for regret in their hearts." (Aal-Imran 3:156).
"Allah the Almighty forbids His believing servants from being like the disbelievers who do not believe in their Lord nor in His decree and destiny, from the hypocrites and others, forbidding them from resembling them in everything, and in this specific matter, which is that they say to their brothers in religion or lineage: 'If they were with us when they traveled through the land' meaning, they traveled for trade, 'or they were ghazis' meaning, they were raiders, then death or killing befell them, they oppose destiny and say: 'If they had been with us, they would not have died nor have been killed.' And this is a lie from them." (1). The disbeliever and the hypocrite do not believe in destiny, so he says, "If these people had listened to our words and not gone out, they would not have died in travel or been killed in raiding."
Therefore, you see that Allah the Almighty warns us against this false logic in considering the trials that befall the Muslims as evidence of the invalidity of their cause and a reason for slackening in sacrifice, and He responds to all these statements, to those who said: "If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed." (Aal-Imran 3:168), and to those who said: "If we had had any share in the affair, we would not have been killed here." (Aal-Imran 3:154), and to those who said: "If they had been with us, they would not have died nor have been killed." (Aal-Imran 3:156).
He responds to them and to every slackener, betrayer, and coward at the descent of destiny, blaming the noble believers, with the most beautiful response and clearest explanation: "Say, 'If you were in your homes, those who were decreed to die would have gone forth to their places of death.'" (Aal-Imran 3:154), "And if you are killed in the way of Allah or die, forgiveness from Allah and mercy are better than whatever they amass." (Aal-Imran 3:157), "Say, 'Avert death from yourselves if you are truthful.'" (Aal-Imran 3:168).
Death will reap both the brave and the coward:
But the youth meets death... like a lioness and does not meet disgrace And if there is no escape from death... then it is shameful to die a coward
However, there is a great difference between the manner of death of each, and a great difference between the memory each leaves behind, and a great difference between the outcome and destiny.
We have presented that many of us Muslims hesitate to sacrifice not because they have hypocrisy, but because they are not convinced that this sacrifice is loved by Allah the Almighty, due to the lack of role models and the unclear path. But is all this an excuse for us? Or should we prove to Allah the Almighty the sincerity of our intentions by presenting the smaller sacrifices, such as abandoning the forbidden and familiar things for His sake, and intending that we are ready to present the great sacrifices that we believe Allah loves when their time comes?
Then how can we hope that Allah will make us see that this sacrifice or that is loved by Him or not, if we do not fear Allah in the forbidden things we practice, even though sacrificing them is much easier than the great sacrifices described in His saying: "Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties, for that they will have Paradise." (At-Tawbah 9:111).
How can we hope for that from Him, while He is the One who says: "O you who have believed, if you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion." (Al-Anfal 8:29)... insight in your hearts with which you distinguish between truth and falsehood, what Allah loves and what Allah hates, you distinguish between wisdom and cowardice, and you distinguish between bravery and recklessness. And how can we hope that He will guide us to the paths of sacrifice that please Him if we do not strive against ourselves in the forbidden things while we hear His saying: "And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good." (Al-Ankabut 29:69). So if we strive against ourselves and our desires for the sake of Allah the Almighty, then He, by His favor, will make us see the paths of sacrifice that will place us in a position of honor and dignity in this world and Paradise in the Hereafter.
Hypocrites often make excuses for themselves that they wish to strive (in jihad) but the opportunity is not favorable. Allah the Most High said: "And if they had intended to go forth, they would have made some preparation for it" [At-Tawbah: 46].
If their wish was sincere, it would have shown in their actions. But when they weakened before desires, their hearts became content, and their going out became a danger to the sincere believers, because the hypocrite who has submitted to desires and doubts is not trusted to stand bravely when sacrifices are needed. It is fitting that Satan tempts him with some of what he has earned, so he retreats and disrupts the ranks of the believers. Therefore, Allah disliked their going out: "But Allah disliked their going forth, so He kept them back, and it was said, 'Sit you down with those who sit (at home)'" [At-Tawbah: 46].
And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) made the absence of the sincere intention for jihad a sign of hypocrisy: "Whoever dies and has not fought (in jihad) nor made preparations for it, dies on a branch of hypocrisy" (1).
May the believer clear himself of this branch by preparing himself for sacrifice in the way of Allah and supplicate to Allah the Most High to facilitate its means for him and leave the sins that prevent it. If he does that, and dies his natural death, he will reach the high abodes with the work of his heart. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever asks Allah for martyrdom with a sincere heart, Allah will grant him the ranks of the martyrs even if he dies on his bed" (1).
And he (peace be upon him) said: "In Madeenah there are people who, if you travel a distance or cross a valley, they are with you." They said, "O Messenger of Allah, they are in Madeenah?" He said, "They are in Madeenah; an excuse has detained them" (2).
These people had sincere wishes to strive in the expedition of Tabuk, but they were unable due to illness or lack of material means, so Allah the Generous rewarded them with the reward of the strivers for their sincerity, because when they did not find what to spend, they turned away and their eyes were filled with tears... their souls longed for the fields of sacrifice in the way of Allah the Most High.
While the blame is for the hypocrites who had the means to strive in the way of Allah but were prevented by cowardice... "Only those who ask permission of you when they are rich and content to be with the laggards, and Allah has set a seal upon their hearts so they do not know" [At-Tawbah: 93].
O Allah, grant us martyrdom in Your way and before it a sincere intention with which we clear ourselves of hypocrisy.
(1) Al-Bukhari and Muslim. (2) At-Tabari. (1) Tafseer As-Sa'di. (1) Muslim, Abu Dawood, At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah. (2) Al-Bukhari.
This also has a connection with the trait of doubt in religion among hypocrites, and it increases as certainty weakens. Maintaining it requires certainty. Allah the Most High said: "And seek help in patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humble, who are certain that they will meet their Lord and to Him they will return" [Al-Baqarah: 45-46].
And "they are certain" in this verse means they are certain, as in many other verses. Prayer is heavy, except for those who are certain of a Day when they will meet their Lord and He will reward them greatly for their patience in performing the conditions of prayer.
As for the hypocrites, they doubt this Day or do not believe in it at all, so prayer is heavy for them. In it, they lose time and fulfill conditions for its validity, and they cut off thinking about the world which they believe in.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The heaviest prayer on the hypocrites is the night prayer (Isha) and the morning prayer (Fajr). If they knew what is in them, they would come to them even if they had to crawl. And I have thought of ordering the prayer to be established, then appointing a man to lead the people in prayer, then going out with some men carrying bundles of firewood to a people who do not attend the prayer, and burning their houses with fire" [Al-Bukhari 617 (3/46) and Muslim 1041 (3/380)].
And why the night prayer and the morning prayer? Because the hypocrites see no one in them but Allah the Most High! In other prayers, they are driven to the mosques to avoid embarrassment with the believers, and they are awake at the times of these prayers anyway. So there is no harm if they pray... if it is a paradise and a fire, they have not lost anything by these prayers! As for the night prayer and the morning prayer, they are times of darkness, when it may be difficult for the believers to distinguish whether they have attended or not. Then, in these two times, one must sacrifice sleep, and an hour of sleep is more important to the hypocrite than a paradise whose expanse is the heavens and the earth! To him, paradise is "possible" and not certain, for which one sacrifices! And living in happy dreams is more beloved to him than standing up to work for an unseen thing in which he doubts!
"If they only knew what is in them" if they were certain of the Hereafter and the good reward... they would come to them even if they had to crawl... as is their case with worldly matters... they love to follow them with their hands and feet, and they pant for the lowest offer in it.
He (peace be upon him) said in another hadith: "By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if one of them knew that he would find a fat piece of meat or two good morsels, he would attend the night prayer" [Al-Bukhari 644].
So the hypocrite, if he knew that his attendance of the mosque would gain him a piece of fat meat (a fat piece) or even the piece between the shank bones of the sheep (a morsel), would attend the night prayer! As for a paradise whose expanse is the heavens and the earth, it does not do to him what a small piece of meat does!
And in our days... think... what would be the state of a mosque in a densely populated neighborhood that is entered in the evening and has only two or three rows... what would be its state if it was announced that after the prayer there would be a delicious stew or a sum of money would be distributed to the attendees? How many people would attend?
And this does not mean that everyone who does not attend the morning prayer in congregation is a hypocrite, but the matter is as we mentioned in the introduction, degrees. Whoever is keen on congregational prayer has cleared himself of hypocrisy from this aspect. And it is worth noting here that this does not apply to those with excuses, including those whose circumstances in their countries and the oppressive pursuits force them to hide from view.
On the other hand, there are people in our time who professionalize attending prayers to monitor the worshippers and follow their private parts. The one who brings them to prayer is not the reward expected from Allah, but a worldly gain, like the fat piece and the two good morsels!
The believer stands for prayer with activity, sincerity, and keenness on performing it in congregation, and he is at ease in its performance. As for the hypocrite, these traits are reversed in him as follows:
For the hadith that we mentioned earlier and the saying of Abdullah ibn Mas'ood, may Allah be pleased with him: "Whoever wishes to meet Allah tomorrow as a Muslim, let him be keen on these prayers where they are called for. Verily, your Prophet's prayers are from the Sunnah of guidance, and they are from the Sunnah of guidance. If you were to pray in your houses as this laggard prays in his house, you would have left the Sunnah of your Prophet, and if you left the Sunnah of your Prophet, you would have gone astray. And there is no man who purifies himself and performs ablution well, then goes to one of these mosques, but Allah will write for him with every step he takes a good deed, and raise him a degree, and erase from him a sin. Verily, I have seen that no one was absent from it except a known hypocrite. Verily, a man was brought supported by two men until he was made to stand in the row" [Muslim 654].
Look how the Companions were keen on performing it in congregation, even the sick among them who were excused, coming to the congregation leaning on two men who could not walk alone due to illness or old age.
You will hear someone who makes excuses for himself for abandoning prayer, claiming that he does not deny it but is merely lazy! He does not realize that by saying this, he resembles the hypocrites! He may have escaped disbelief according to those who do not consider abandoning prayer as disbelief, but by abandoning prayer, he has fallen into laziness, a trait of hypocrisy. Allah the Almighty says: "Indeed, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing off to the people and not remembering Allah except a little" [An-Nisa: 142].
When someone says, "He abandons it out of laziness," it is a condemnation of him, not an excuse. The hypocrites sometimes stand for prayer lazily. As for him, laziness has kept him from standing at all!
If it is said, "However, the verse mentions another characteristic, which is that they show off to people, whereas those who abandon prayer out of laziness, many of them, if they are active in prayer at times, do not do so out of show-off," we say: Yes, but when they are lazy, they resemble the hypocrites in their laziness. May they beware of this resemblance.
Allah the Almighty has said: "They show off to the people..." This show-off in prayer is a hidden disease that appears in varying degrees. The motivation for prayer may not initially be show-off for some of us, but one may perform prayer better when among people than when alone with his Lord, Glorified and Exalted be He. This may be due to a sense of activity in worship that a Muslim feels among his brothers, and on the other hand, it may sometimes be out of show-off.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "(That is the prayer of the hypocrite: he sits and watches the sun until it is between the horns of Satan—meaning: it is near sunset—then he stands and performs four rak'ahs, remembering Allah in it only a little)" [Muslim (622)].
How often do you see Muslims rushing in prayer, not feeling at ease between the two prostrations or after standing from bowing.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "(Give glad tidings to those who walk in the darkness to the mosques of complete light on the Day of Judgment)" [Reported by Abu Dawood (561), At-Tirmidhi (223), Ibn Majah (780), Ibn Khuzaymah (1498), and Al-Hakim (768)].
This complete light is what will enable them to cross the Sirat, leaving the hypocrites behind without light: "On the Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will run before them and on their right; they will say, 'Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things competent'" [At-Tahrim: 8]. "On a Day you will see the believing men and believing women, their light proceeding before them and on their right, [they will be told], 'Good tidings for you today of gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein you will abide eternally. That is the great attainment'" [Al-Hadid: 12].
They walked in the darkness of the night, and Allah granted them light on a day when light is greatly needed.
In contrast: "On the Day the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to those who believed, 'Look at us that we might borrow from your light.' It will be said, 'Go back and seek light.' Then a partition will be placed between them with a door [in it], within it being mercy, and upon them being the punishment'" [Al-Hadid: 13].
They want to freeload off the believers and gain Paradise without effort! But that is far from the truth. The believers earned the light by walking in the darkness. But you, O hypocrites, on what basis do you deserve the light? Go back and seek it in your doubt, show-off, and laziness. You are like someone searching for pearls in the desert sands. The verses are struck, the realities are revealed, and every soul is recompensed for what it has earned.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "(Whoever hears the call to prayer on Friday and does not come to it, then hears it again and does not come to it, then hears it again and does not come to it, Allah will seal his heart and make his heart the heart of a hypocrite)" [Previously referenced].
The sealing of the heart is a severe worldly punishment, so its owner no longer finds his disobedience detestable. How then can he repent?
Allah the Almighty says: "And what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger and that they come to prayer not except while lazy and that they offer not except while unwilling" [At-Tawbah: 54].
And He says: "But when their brother came to them, they sent him back with what they had, and they were themselves in great need. And they had [already] promised Allah before, 'We will surely do as much as we can.' And Allah knows that they are surely lying" [At-Tawbah: 76].
No wonder... For the hypocrite, charity and giving are a pure loss, as he does not believe in its reward in the Hereafter. Hence, you see that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, made charity a proof of the soundness of faith when he said: "(Charity is a proof)" [Muslim (223)].
Just as it is a proof of faith, it also increases it. When a believer intends to give charity, he gathers his faith and remembers the Hereafter to resist the devil's temptation. Thus, his faith and steadfastness increase. Allah the Almighty says: "And the example of those who spend their wealth seeking means to the approval of Allah and as a firmness for themselves is like a garden on a height" [Al-Baqarah: 265].
By increasing the remembrance of Allah the Almighty. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Allah has divided among you your characters just as He has divided among you your sustenance, and Allah gives the world to whom He wills and whom He wills not, but He gives faith only to whom He loves. So whoever is stingy with his wealth, fears to fight the enemy, and resents standing at night, let him increase his saying: 'Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is no god but Allah, Allah is the Greatest'" [Reported by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (275)].
Stinginess with wealth, fear of fighting the enemy, and resentment of standing at night are closer to hypocrisy than to faith. And in it is some forgetfulness of Allah the Almighty. Do you not see His saying, Glorified and Exalted be He: "The hypocrite men and hypocrite women belong to one another. They enjoin what is wrong and forbid what is right and close their hands. They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them" [At-Tawbah: 67].
("And close their hands"): meaning they refrain from conveying good to others, including spending in the way of Allah. So when they forgot Allah, spending in His way became difficult for them. ("So He has forgotten them"): from His mercy, meaning He dealt with them as He deals with the forgotten, not guiding them to good nor admitting them to Paradise.
Among the treatments for this forgetfulness of Allah, which leads to the heaviness of worship on the self, is remembering Him, Glorified be He, with the heart and tongue, and realizing the centrality of His obedience in your life as a believer, the centrality of the Hereafter, remembering the purpose of life and the reason for your existence on this earth, that you will return to Him, Glorified be He, and remembering the reference of Allah's Shariah and His command and prohibition in every detail of your life.
Whoever is dominated by this remembrance will be active in worship. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "The slave has a Lord whom he will meet, and a house in which he will dwell, so it is befitting for him to please his Lord before meeting Him and to prepare his house before moving to it."
Among the treatments for the heaviness of worship on the self is looking at the biographies of the early companions, may Allah be pleased with them, for by their example, the spirits are elevated. We advise reading our booklet "Follow Their Example."
Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported from Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri that some hypocrites in the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to stay behind when the Prophet, peace be upon him, went out for jihad, and they were happy with their sitting contrary to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. When the Prophet, peace be upon him, returned, they would make excuses to him and swear and love to be praised for what they did not do. So the verse was revealed: "And do not think that those who rejoice in what they have done and love to be praised for what they have not done—do not think them safe from punishment. And for them is a painful torment" [Al-Imran: 188].
The hypocrite is not content with being lazy in worship but also loves to be praised by people for things he did not do, so he pretends and acts to be praised for what he did not do.
Many of us Muslims these days boast on social media about things that deserve praise, drawing a bright picture contrary to reality. Let us remember the hadith of Asma, may Allah be pleased with her, in the Sahihain that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "(The one who is satisfied with what he was not given, the one who wears the clothes of falsehood)." And let us beware of falling into this hypocritical characteristic, whether we feel it or not.
Allah the Almighty says: "The hypocrites, both men and women, order the wrong and forbid the right, and they close their hands. They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them. Verily, the hypocrites are the rebellious to their own selves." [At-Tawbah: 67].
So, any man or woman who calls to evil and discourages from an act of obedience, let him know that he has taken on one of the characteristics of the hypocrites. If a young person calls his companion to disobedience or abandons him from an act of obedience beloved to Allah, let him know that this is hypocrisy.
And Allah the Almighty says about the description of the hypocrites: "Those who defame the believers who give freely and those who can only give a little, they mock them. Allah mocks them, and they will have a painful torment." [At-Tawbah: 79].
These hypocrites hesitated to spend for the preparation of the army of hardship, but they rushed to defame the believers! They sat and waited: whoever came with a large charity, they said that he did it for show, and whoever came with a small charity due to his poverty, they would snatch it from the mouths of his children in support of the religion of Allah. They mocked his small charity in their eyes, but the large one in the scale of Allah the Almighty.
One of them saw himself among the high mountains... and his doubt and laziness did not help him to reach their peaks and build a glory like those who built it... so he saw no way to reduce the difference between him and them except to belittle those who are better than him and look down on them so that they would descend to his level in the eyes of people!
O you who have not elevated yourself in good deeds and left evil, beware of being excessive in your eagerness not to prevent people from acts of obedience or call them to disobedience or mock the obedient. For that is more hopeful for you with Allah that He will have mercy on you and compensate for your deficiency in this world and the Hereafter.
And this is a great affliction that paralyzes the will of the hypocrite from supporting the religion. For he sees that the cause of the religion is losing. So why should he tire himself for it? Allah the Almighty says: "And He will punish the hypocrites, both men and women, and the polytheists, both men and women, by thinking evil of Allah. Upon them is the evil consequence, and Allah is angry with them and has cursed them and prepared for them Hell, and evil it is as a destination." [Al-Fath: 6].
When the hypocrite's calculations were worldly and he saw the power of the disbelievers and their spread, he thought that Islam was doomed and that Allah the Almighty would not support His religion. And this is an evil thought that Allah hates. Therefore, their punishment was: "Upon them is the evil consequence, and the anger of Allah is upon them, and He has cursed them and prepared for them Hell, and evil it is as a destination." [Al-Fath: 6].
Words that show the severity of Allah's anger towards those who thought evil of Him by thinking that Allah would abandon His religion and not manifest it, and that the Messenger of Allah and the group of believers would be destroyed in war and that Islam would not rise after them. Allah says after these verses: "But you thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families, and that was made fair-seeming to your hearts, and you thought evil thoughts and were a wicked people." [Al-Fath: 12].
The hypocrite looks at the disbelievers and sees in them material strength that his heart submits to, then he turns his neck to look at the believers and does not find in them but a small number that is the utmost they could do, but despite that, they are joyful, glorifying, rejoicing, and certain of Allah's victory. So the hypocrite laughs at them saying: Do these poor people think that their religion will support them against the owners of numbers and equipment?!
"When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease say: 'These people are deluded by their religion.' But whoever puts his trust in Allah, then surely Allah is Mighty, Wise." [Al-Anfal: 49].
For the doubter of Allah's victory, his soul is defeated, his determination is broken, and his will is shaken... especially if he is joined by doubt in the Hereafter in which Allah will grant His servants complete victory over their enemies: "Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe in the life of this world and on the Day the witnesses will stand." [Ghafir: 51].
So after that, he turns away from sacrificing for the sake of Allah... why should he sacrifice if Islam is the loser in his view? And you see him lying to the believers to turn away from him and call him to withdraw from confronting the enemies. And you see him hastening to obey the disbelievers at the expense of his religion... for they are the strongest in his view. And you see him breaking the covenant with Allah the Almighty... for just as he doubted Allah's ability to grant victory to the religion, he doubted Allah's punishment for those who break the covenant.
These are all evil deeds that are the bitter fruits of doubting Allah's victory. Allah the Almighty says, describing the state of the hypocrites during the Battle of the Trench: "And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease said: 'What Allah and His Messenger promised us was not but delusion.'" [Al-Ahzab: 12]. They doubted the promise of Allah and His Messenger of victory...
To what did this corrupt belief lead them?
Ibn Kathir said in describing the state of the hypocrites during the Battle of the Confederates when Allah the Almighty says: "And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease said: 'What Allah and His Messenger promised us was not but delusion'": (As for the hypocrite, the hypocrisy of his heart appeared - meaning: his hypocrisy was revealed - and the one who had doubt or hatred in his heart - meaning: hatred - his condition weakened, so he breathed out what he found of whisperings in himself; due to the weakness of his faith and the severity of his condition of poverty).
Ah. And he was correct. For Mut'im bin Qushayr the hypocrite said: (Muhammad used to promise us that we would eat the treasures of Kisra and Qaysar, one of us cannot even go to the toilet) [Sirah of Ibn Hisham].
And see how Ibn Kathir did not put the hypocrites and those with diseased hearts on the same level. Among them were those who were purely hypocrites whose hypocrisy was revealed, and among them were those who were weak in faith, who were less evil than the pure hypocrites, but the severity of the situation revealed what was in their hearts of disease and lack of certainty.
The beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, used to give the good news of the conquest of lands to the believers while he was in this difficult situation on the day of the Trench, certain of Allah's promise that He had informed him of what would happen in its conquest. Therefore, Allah said in Surah Al-Ahzab after mentioning the state of the hypocrites: "Indeed, there has been a good example for you in the Messenger of Allah - for he who hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much." [Al-Ahzab: 21].
And He said about the description of the true believers: "And when the believers saw the companies, they said, 'This is what Allah and His Messenger have promised us, and Allah and His Messenger have told the truth.' And it only increased them in faith and submission." [Al-Ahzab: 22].
So, there is no despair with faith. Do you not see His saying, may He be exalted, narrating about Ibrahim, peace be upon him: "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except the lost?" [Al-Hijr: 56]. And His saying, may He be exalted, narrating about Yaqub, peace be upon him: "And do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of the mercy of Allah except the disbelievers." [Yusuf: 87].
And Ibn Mas'ud, the student of Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "(The major sins are: associating partners with Allah, feeling secure from the plot of Allah, despairing of the mercy of Allah, and despairing of the help of Allah)," meaning: despairing of the victory of Allah.
This religion is victorious... It weakens its people for a period of time in proportion to their deviation from it. But it will not be uprooted nor destroyed. And the nation of Muhammad, peace be upon him, will not perish. And he who tries to destroy Islam is foolish, whose belly is cut off and whose face turns red as he blows on the sun to extinguish its light!: "They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, even if the disbelievers hate it. It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to prevail it over all religions, even if the polytheists hate it." [At-Tawbah: 32-33].
This religion is victorious. He, peace be upon him, said: "(Convey good tidings to this nation of honor, empowerment in the lands, victory, and elevation in religion. And whoever among them works for the Hereafter in this world, he will have no share in the Hereafter.)" [Narrated by Ahmad (21220)].
He who works for the Hereafter for the sake of this world is as if he feels that the matter of religion is losing, so there is no need to sacrifice for it. So he says: "So, let me gain status with this work among the people so that I may gain something instead of going out with empty hands!"
And our Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "(Let this matter reach what the night and day reach. And Allah will not leave a house of brick or hair except that Allah will enter this religion into it, with honor or humiliation: honor that honors Islam with, and humiliation that humiliates disbelief with.)" [Narrated by Ahmad (16957)].
So, to everyone who still doubts Allah's promise of victory for His religion after all this: "Whoever thinks that Allah will not support him in this world and the Hereafter, let him extend a rope to the sky, then let him cut it and see if his plot will remove what angers him." [Al-Hajj: 15].
Meaning: whoever thinks ill of Allah, thinking that Allah will abandon His religion and His Prophet... let him extend a rope to the sky... let him tie a rope around his neck and tie the other end to the ceiling of his house (for what is above you is the sky)... then let him cut it... let him strangle himself and cut off the air so that he dies! Or let him cut a rope that is extended so that he falls to the ground and is shattered... If the promise of Allah does not heal the chest of the hypocrite from doubt and fear, nor heal him from anger that he is among the Muslims who do not see him as victorious, nor cut off the hope of the disbeliever in destroying Islam and his anger towards it, then let the hypocrite and the disbeliever see if this action can remove anger and achieve the purpose!
Ibn Ashur said: "(And it is possible that the verse is referring to another group who embraced Islam during a period of weakness of Islam and delayed the victory, so their chests became constricted, and Satanic thoughts occurred to them to leave Islam and return to disbelief, so Allah warned them and threatened them that if they were despairing of victory in this world and doubtful of attaining the reward of the Hereafter, then their apostasy from Islam will not harm Allah nor His Messenger nor harm the religion. If they wish, let them strangle themselves and see if suffocation will remove their anger, and perhaps these are from the hypocrites)."
And As-Sadi pointed to another subtle meaning and said: "(And the meaning of this noble verse: O enemy of the Messenger Muhammad, peace be upon him, who strives to extinguish his religion, who thinks in his ignorance that his striving will benefit him in something, know that whatever you do of the causes and strive in plotting against the Messenger, that will not remove your anger nor heal your melancholy, for you have no power in that. But we will point out to you an opinion by which you can heal your anger and cut off victory from the Messenger - if it is possible. Come to the matter from its door and ascend to it with its causes. Go to a rope of linen or the like, then hang it in the sky, then ascend with it until you reach the doors from which victory descends, then block them and close them and cut them off. With this condition, you will heal your anger. This is the opinion and the plot. As for what is other than this condition, do not think that you will heal your anger with it, even if all creation helps you. And this noble verse contains from the promise and good news of Allah's victory for His religion and His Messenger and His believing servants what is not hidden, and from the reassurance of the disbelievers, who want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, and Allah will perfect His light, even if the disbelievers hate it, meaning: and they strive as much as they can)."
So, the meaning of As-Sadi's speech is that in the verse, there is an indication that no one can cut off victory from the believers, for it descends from the sky.
If you, my brother, are among the believers but you are troubled by what you see of the prevalence of falsehood and the dominance of its people, and your mind cannot comprehend how Allah can support His religion when the material causes are not at all in favor of the religion, then I say to you to reassure your heart: "Indeed, my Lord is Kind in what He wills. He is the Knowing, the Wise" [Yusuf: 100].
That is, if He wills a matter, He ordains for it causes and facilitates it in a kind manner that does not occur to the mind. From severe hardship to wondrous relief, from weakness to honor and empowerment. This verse tells the story of Yusuf (peace be upon him), whom Allah transferred from the darkness of prison to a position of honor and glory, authority and rule, where he could command the land as he wished, with a vision he showed to the king!
And He, exalted be He, made Pharaoh pick up Musa from the chest in the sea and raise him in his house to be the cause of the destruction of Pharaoh and his soldiers by the hand of Musa (peace be upon him)!
And He, exalted be He, is the One who placed faith in the heart of Na'eem bin Masoud on the day of the treachery of Banu Qurayza, when the believers were besieged from above and below them, so Na'eem was abandoned by the polytheists and the Jews... then Allah sent a wind and sufficed the believers from fighting.
And He, exalted be He, is the One who made the "Fatimi" of Egypt fight each other, so they sought help from each other with the light of the religion of Zengi, so Saladin was sent, and the journey of purifying Egypt from them began, and Egypt, which was hostile, joined the state of Saladin, and he fought the Crusaders with it!
And He, exalted be upon Him, is the One who made the Tatars sell Saif ad-Din Qutuz in captivity for a few dirhams to be their destruction by his hand!
And He, exalted be upon Him, is the One who made "great" states try to use some Muslims to fight the states competing with them, then lo and behold, they sink their feet in the sands of the lands of these Muslims until they are forced to leave after twenty years in a humiliating manner.
And there is much more. The disbelievers plot, and their plot turns against them, and their destruction is in what they thought was their strength: "And evil plotting does not befall except its own people" [Fatir: 43]. "And they plot and Allah plots, and Allah is the best of plotters" [Al-Anfal: 30].
They scheme a human scheme that is insignificant compared to the scheme of the Lord of the heavens and the earth, exalted be He: "Indeed, they plot a plot, and I plot a plot" [At-Tariq].
They spend their wealth to turn people away from the path of Allah, so it turns against them: "Indeed, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to avert from the path of Allah, so they will spend it; then it will be a regret for them, and they will be overcome" [Al-Anfal: 36].
So do not preoccupy yourself with "how can Allah support His religion?" But occupy yourself with being from the victorious group working for this religion and take the causes of victory to their utmost... so that you have the honor of contributing to the victory of the nation, even if this victory is after your death. May Allah make me and you from among them.
And we advise reading our book "Bashair" to dispel despair, frustration, and doubt in Allah's promise of victory to the believers. For all of this is not from the characteristics of the believers.
The hypocrite demands that Islam bring him immediate worldly benefit to be satisfied with it as a religion. How could it be otherwise when his perception is limited to the worldly meanings of this life, and the hereafter is not part of his calculations because he doubts the hereafter altogether. Allah describes the hypocrites, saying:
"And among them is he who defames you concerning the provision; if they are given from it, they are pleased, but if they are not given from it, indeed, they withhold [in anger]." [At-Tawbah: 58]
So the hypocrite said to the Prophet, peace be upon him: "O Messenger of Allah, be just!" He said this out of greed and longing for what he does not deserve... Thus, the hypocrite is satisfied with the religion to the extent that he achieves worldly comfort, for he did not embrace Islam out of hope for Allah's pleasure and companionship in this life and the most generous reward in the hereafter.
Al-Bukhari narrated that Ibn Abbas said in the interpretation of Allah's saying:
"And of the people is he who worships Allah on the edge. If he is touched by good, he is reassured by it; but if he is struck by a trial, he turns on his face, losing [both] this world and the Hereafter. That is the manifest loss." [Al-Hajj: 11]
He said: "A man would come to Al-Madinah. If his wife gave birth to a boy and his horse produced a foal, he would say, 'This is a good religion.' But if his wife did not give birth and his horse did not produce a foal, he would say, 'This is a bad religion!'" [Al-Bukhari 4742]
The miserable one considered the achievement of worldly comfort as evidence of the correctness of Islam. But if he faced a trial, he considered that evidence of the invalidity of Islam! What narrow vision and limited perspective!
And how many people do we see in our daily lives who complain to their Lord at the slightest trial and have bad thoughts about Him. These are the ones who are doomed to misery. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Woe to the slave of the dinar, the slave of the dirham, and the slave of the fine garment. If given, he is pleased, but if not given, he is displeased. Woe to him, and woe to him again. If he is pricked, he will not be cured." [Al-Bukhari 2886]
The slave of the dirham and the dinar moves between principles and methodologies in search of money, position, and status. He may not openly renounce Islam but changes and alters it according to his desires, claiming that what he is on is in accordance with Islam. He pants after the glitter of life on his hands and feet, perhaps the thorns will enter his hands and feet in his pursuit... And when that happens, (he will not be cured)... meaning the thorn will not come out of him.
On the other hand, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in the continuation of the hadith, calls the believer the slave of Allah, not the slave of the world, saying:
"Blessed is the slave who takes the reins of his horse in the cause of Allah, with his head disheveled, his feet dusty. If he is on guard, he is on guard, and if he is in the rear, he is in the rear. If he asks permission, it is not granted to him, and if he intercedes, he is not listened to."
The signs of sacrifice in the cause of Allah are evident in the disheveled head of this believer, the dust on his feet, and his holding of the reins of the horse to go wherever he hears the call of jihad. Yet, he gains nothing from the world, not even respect from some of those who should respect him! For if he asks permission, it is not granted to him, and if he comes as an intercessor for someone, he is rejected and ignored, neither he nor his intercession is paid attention to, for he has no status among the people nor is he known among them.
Did this drive him to turn back and abandon jihad and sacrifice? No, on the contrary, he does what is in the interest of the Muslims. If he is ordered to stay up for guard duty while people are asleep, he responds and stands as a trustworthy guard for the Muslim army. If he is ordered to lag behind in the rear of the army (the sāqah), collecting the scattered belongings of the army members and helping those who lagged behind due to a defect in themselves or their mount, he obeys the command. And all of this is not due to a lack of self-esteem! Not at all! But because this believer does not deal with humans but with the Lord of humans, glorified and exalted be He. And he does not seek reward and honor from humans but seeks the face of his Lord, the Most High.
So he will be pleased... For the Prophet, peace be upon him, prayed for him with (Blessed), which is a prayer for Paradise. Thus, the believer offers and sacrifices, and he does not complain if Allah does not hasten for him what he desires in this world, but He has kept for him the most generous reward for the Day of Judgment.
As for the hypocrite, he does not want to offer anything unless there is an immediate worldly benefit! Allah says:
"The latter will say when you proceed to [any] war booty, 'Give us leave that we may follow you.' They would wish to change Allah's words. Say, 'Not a chance! Follow not the same path as us.' They will say, 'You are indeed jealous of us.'" [Al-Fath: 15]
These people held back from the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, which Allah promised those who witnessed it with the spoils of Khaybar. So when they learned that Khaybar would be opened to the Muslims, they hurried to demand permission to witness the Battle of Khaybar! Why? Because there was booty there. But in Hudaybiyyah, there was no promised worldly booty, so they did not care for it.
Allah replied to them: "They want to alter the words of Allah." For Allah had promised the spoils of Khaybar specifically to the people of Hudaybiyyah. Then Allah said: "Say, 'You will not follow us.' They will say, 'You are indeed jealous of us.'"
They accused the believers of preventing them from going to Khaybar out of greed for the world. So Allah described these laggards as: "But they understand except a little." Then Allah gave them another opportunity to correct their intentions and prove their readiness to sacrifice without the guarantee of worldly reward, saying:
"Say to the bedouins who were left behind, 'You will be called to [fight] a people of great military might, to fight them or for them to submit. So if you obey, Allah will give you a good reward; but if you turn away, as you turned away before, He will punish you with a painful punishment.'" [Al-Fath: 16]
Ibn Jarir At-Tabari said that the good reward is Paradise. And Allah had not guaranteed worldly booty in this opportunity for the laggards, as He had guaranteed it in Khaybar for the believers. So if these laggards were content with Paradise, they would prove it by obeying Allah in mobilizing against the people of great military might. "But if you turn away, as you turned away before, He will punish you with a painful punishment" [Al-Fath: 16] because that would reveal the truth that you have not repented and corrected what is in your hearts.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, mentioned those who sell their religion for the sake of the world, saying: "Hasten to perform good deeds. There is a trial like pieces of dark night. A man may wake up as a believer and go to bed as a disbeliever, or he may go to bed as a believer and wake up as a disbeliever, selling his religion for a trifle of the world." [Sahih Muslim 118]
And whoever is in this condition of demanding worldly benefit to be satisfied with Islam as a religion will not be ready to bear harm in the cause of Allah. Allah says:
"And of the people is he who says, 'I believe in Allah,' but when he is harmed for [the sake of] Allah, he considers the trial of the people as the punishment of Allah." [Al-Ankabut: 10]
Claiming faith with the tongue is easy. But when they were harmed for the sake of Allah whom they claimed to believe in, their hearts were shaken, and they abandoned the religion they claimed, for their sick hearts magnified the importance of this worldly harm as if it were equal to the severe punishment of Allah in the Hereafter! So they chose to renounce Islam to save themselves from the harm of this world, even if it led them to the punishment of Allah. And the matter is not that they averted harm from themselves while their hearts were at ease with faith. For that is something permitted by Allah, the Merciful. But they renounced Islam in their hearts.
And they did not stop at this limit, but: "And if victory comes to you from your Lord, they will say, 'Indeed, we were with you.'" [Al-Ankabut: 10] So when the harm increased and victory was achieved for the Muslims, these hypocrites returned to the claim of faith to gain a share of this worldly good! They deceive Allah and those who believe... So Allah said:
"Is not Allah most knowing of who is within the heavens and the earth? Will they not consider how Allah began the creation? Then will they not remember?" [Al-Ankabut: 10-11]
Trials continue to befall people to distinguish the believer from the hypocrite through them. Allah says: "Allah will not leave the believers in the state you are in until He separates the evil from the good." [Aali Imran: 179]
The hypocrite, with his narrow worldly vision, does not aspire to the horizons of the Hereafter and eternal life therein. So he is not satisfied with the covenant that Allah covenanted with His believing servants when He said, glorified be He:
"Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties, for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed." [At-Tawbah: 111]
I would like to share here some great statements by Ibn Al-Qayyim describing the disease of suspecting Allah during trials. This disease is a companion of hypocrisy in the hearts that do not know their Lord, may He be exalted. They assumed that they have "rights" over Allah. If something is reduced from these "rights," they suspect their Lord, and the pus and filth that was in their hearts comes out, appearing in their slips of the tongue. By Allah, this is not from a heart that is pure and devoted to its Lord and magnifies His status.
Ibn Al-Qayyim said: (Most of mankind, rather all of them except those whom Allah wills, think ill of Allah. The majority of the sons of Adam believe that they are deprived of the truth, lacking in fortune, and that they deserve more than what Allah has given them. Their inner self says, "My Lord has wronged me and deprived me of what I deserve." But with their tongues, they deny this and do not dare to say it outright. If one were to examine his self and delve into the depths of it and its hidden parts, he would find that within it, hidden like fire in a flint. If you strike the flint, it will tell you of the sparks that are within it. If you were to examine those whom you wish to examine, you would find in them blame of fate and criticism of it, and suggestions that it should have been different, that it should have been thus and so! Whether little or much. Examine yourself; are you free from this? If you are saved from it, you are saved from a great thing. Otherwise, I do not see you as being saved.)
Let the wise, sincere advisor to himself pay attention to this matter. Let him turn to Allah, the Most High, and let him seek forgiveness from Him at all times for thinking ill of Him. Let him think ill of himself, for it is the abode of all evil and the source of all harm. It is more deserving of being suspected than the most just of judges, the most fair of the fair, and the most merciful of the merciful. He is the Rich, the Praiseworthy, to Whom belongs perfect richness, perfect praise, and perfect wisdom. He is free from all evil in His essence, attributes, actions, and names. And His actions are all wisdom, benefit, mercy, and justice, and His names are all beautiful.
So do not think ill of your Lord, for Allah is more deserving of goodness. And do not think well of yourself, for how can an unjust, ignorant person be good? And say, O self, abode of all evil, do you hope for good from a dead miser? And think ill of yourself, and you will find it as such, and its good as impossible. And there is no righteousness in you nor any good, for these are the gifts of the noble Lord. And they are not from you nor from it, but from the Most Merciful, so be grateful to the evidence.
[From Zad Al-Ma'ad with some modifications]
So Ibn Al-Qayyim's saying, (Strike the flint of whomever you wish, and he will tell you of the sparks that are within it), means that whoever has this hypocritical trait, if he is put to the test, his suspicion of Allah, his distress, and his lack of patience will appear in his behavior, on his face, and in his slips of the tongue.
As for the believer, he remains steadfast during trials. This steadfastness is a provision that Allah provides for those who fear Him during days of ease. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Know Allah during ease, and He will know you during hardship." The hypocrites did not fear Allah during their ease, so they were not steadfast during hardship.
We advise reading our book "Thinking Well of Allah," for by the permission of Allah, it is beneficial in helping the believer to be content with the decree of Allah and His destiny, and to think well of His Lord during trials. We ask Allah for contentment with the decree, steadfastness in the matter, and if He wills to test the people, that He takes us to Himself not infatuated.
It is no wonder that the hypocrite should be cowardly. His doubt in Allah and the Hereafter prevents him from deriving strength from the Lord of Might, may He be exalted: "And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know" [Al-Munafiqun: 8].
The hypocrite is more humiliated than some of the disbelievers and those who reject the truth, who defend principles and delude themselves into thinking they are correct, so they become - despite their falsehood - a symbol from which they derive strength. But the hypocrite has no principle... He neither gains true strength in the protection of Allah, may He be exalted, nor the imagined strength from false principles. Therefore, you see him living in a state of continuous fear, thinking at every moment that he has been taken for the evil that his self contains: "They think every shout is against them" [Al-Munafiqun: 4], just like a criminal hiding his crime, walking in the streets, and whenever he hears a shout, he thinks it is the end.
The hypocrite is torn in spirit... He lives among the Muslims but does not feel safe from them, lest they reveal his condition, so he swears to them that he is with them in heart and form: "And they swear by Allah that they are indeed of you, but they are not of you; rather, they are a people who are afraid of you. Then you see them looking at you, their eyes revolving like one overcome by death" [At-Tawbah: 56]... That is, they are afraid of you, O believers. Then Allah, the Most High, said:
"If they could find a refuge or caves or an entrance, they would flee to it, running away" [At-Tawbah: 57]
That is, the hypocrites wish they could flee from the believers to a place where they could take refuge and fortify themselves, or to a cave in a mountain or a basement or a tunnel in the earth... All of this to escape the continuous state of terror... But they did not flee... Why? Because their livelihoods, wealth, and families are in the places where the believers are.
Observe with me the hypocrite's attachment to any life... Even if it is a life of humiliation and degradation... No matter, the important thing is to live! Even if it is in a cave or an entrance (i.e., a basement) dark under the earth... There with the bats in the darkness... No matter, for he has become accustomed to loving to plot against the Muslims in the darkness like bats, and to confessing to his hypocrite brothers his doubt in the religion and his mockery of the believers secretly like bats... And his heart is dark from hypocrisy like the darkness of the basement... So why should he not live with the bats?
Then observe with me the condition of this hypocrite who remains with the Muslims only out of worldly concern... Observe his condition if he is informed that he must prepare for an external danger that will befall the Muslims! His heart will be torn and confused. Allah, the Most High, described their condition in these moments: "But when fear comes, you see them looking at you, their eyes rolling like one overcome by death" [Al-Ahzab: 19].
And Allah, the Most High, said: "But when a decisive surah is revealed and fighting is mentioned therein, you see those in whose hearts is disease looking at you with the look of one overcome by death" [Muhammad: 20].
Terror beyond terror! It befalls those whose hearts are diseased with doubt in the religion and attachment to a life of humiliation when sacrifices are made.
Let everyone who finds contentment in cowardice and humiliation know that they are tainted with hypocrisy... Unfortunately, this is the case for many today. They strive for any kind of life and fear performing the rights of Allah in supporting the believers, disassociating from the disbelievers and hypocrites, and showing disavowal from them. All of this is out of a desire to preserve life, and how wretched is a life of humiliation.
Humiliation of one who envies the humiliated for a life ** whose Lord's life is lighter than the dove's Who is humiliated, humiliation becomes easy for him ** what harm is there for the dead from pain
These people do not realize that if they do not pay the tax of dignity, noble souls that they are, they will inevitably pay the tax of humiliation, debased and humiliated. And among the most beautiful things I have read on this topic is the saying of Sayyid Qutb, may Allah have mercy on him:
"The tax of humiliation is just as real as the tax of dignity. And in many cases, the tax of humiliation is more severe. Some weak souls may think that the tax of dignity is too heavy to bear, so they choose humiliation and degradation to escape these heavy costs. They live a worthless, cheap life, frightening and anxious... They fear their own shadows and are terrified of their own voices. They take every cry as a personal attack. And you will find them to be the most eager for life.
These wretches pay a tax far greater than the costs of dignity. They pay the full tax of humiliation. They pay it with their souls, they pay it with their destinies, they pay it with their reputations, and they pay it with their peace of mind. Often, they pay it with their blood and wealth, and they do not even realize it.
There is no escaping the tax that individuals, groups, and nations must pay. Either this tax is paid for honor, dignity, and freedom, or it is paid for humiliation, degradation, and slavery. All experiences testify to this inescapable truth."
It is one of the greatest crimes against Islam to try to make people believe that their religion accepts humiliation. This crime is often committed these days by people who have been given a share of the Book of Allah and knowledge of the hadiths of the Prophet, peace be upon him. To the extent that the listener may think they have been given a revelation that abrogates the verses and hadiths of honor!
"Fear them not, but fear Me, if you are believers" [Quran 3:175]
The weak, humiliating language that Muslims are raised on these days has killed the meaning of many verses and hadiths in their hearts. Where is Allah's saying: "So do not fear them, but fear Me" [Quran 5:44]
And if our religion is not one of honor and courage, what is the meaning of Allah's saying: "It is only Satan who makes you afraid of his allies, so do not fear them, but fear Me, if you are believers" [Quran 3:175]
And if we are not commanded to be courageous and firm in denouncing evil, what is the meaning of Allah's saying: "Those who convey the messages of Allah and fear Him and fear none but Allah. And sufficient is Allah as a Reckoner" [Quran 33:39]
And if the establishment of rituals is sufficient with the humiliation of the soul, what is the meaning of Allah's saying: "The mosques of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, and give zakah and fear none but Allah" [Quran 9:18]
So to whoever claims to be following the Prophet's methodology... Beware of dressing the methodology of the Prophet in the garment of humiliation with your weak language! For the Prophet, peace be upon him, is the one who said: "Shall not a man be prevented by the fear of people from speaking the truth if he knows it" [Narrated by Ahmad 11017].
And the Prophet, peace be upon him, is the one who commanded the denouncement of evil and the fighting of those who spread falsehood with the hand, the tongue, and the heart. And he negated faith from those who did not fight them with even the least amount of their hearts. Yes, there are rules for all of this, but without killing the texts and giving the impression that Allah is pleased with the humiliation of His allies, glorified be He, and without spreading the principle of "neither worldly gain nor death," and without preferring the method of safety over the safety of the method, and without giving the opportunity to the spreaders of falsehood to describe our religion as one that numbs one to the demand for justice and the confrontation of injustice, and without degrading the Muslims and killing their sense of honor to the extent that we wish for the chivalry of Abu Talib and Mut'im bin Adi!
And if the betrayers had understood, they would have known that security and the strength of the heart are exclusive rights of the believer. Allah says: "Those who believed and did not mix their belief with injustice, those are the ones who have security, and they are the guided ones" [Quran 6:82]. While for the hypocrite, there is humiliation, cowardice, confusion, and doubt.
And with all of this, it is necessary to beware of describing Muslims as cowardly and lazy in sacrificing for the sake of Allah and criticizing them for not resisting injustice. Although we mentioned this in the introduction to the discussion about the trait of "hating to sacrifice for the sake of Allah," we reiterate this reminder here.
It has been proven from many events that the real problem of many Muslims is not cowardice and lack of readiness to sacrifice, but rather the lack of complete conviction in what they are sacrificing for, the lack of a clear goal for the sacrifice, and how their sacrifice can lead to the desired situation. Along with the scarcity of sincere role models, the painful outcome of confrontations that ended with more oppression and injustice, the dominance of criminals, and the Muslim's feeling of his own humiliation, worthlessness, weakness of reinforcement, and weakness of feeling his value derived from the greatness of the religion he embraces.
What Muslims need in such a situation is not the general inflammatory speech that does not clarify the goals or the steps, then blames them for their weak response, describes them as cowardly and hypocritical, and holds them responsible for what they can and cannot do together. This increases their frustration, self-contempt, or aversion to belonging to their religion and nation, as they see this belonging as a source of mental exhaustion, or drives them to confrontations and emotions that do not build a single brick for Islam or break the strength of its enemy. Rather, it increases the weakness and oppression of the Muslims and the tyranny and dominance of the criminals.
We are in a stage where we need to spare every Muslim soul, and all that is related to it in terms of time, money, and effort, from any waste, haste, and uncalculated rush. However, at the same time, it is necessary to sustain the state of rejection of evil, disassociation from the people of falsehood, and rising above participating in their falsehood or aiding it in any form of assistance. And it is clear that the purification of beliefs, concepts, and public opinion is a noble goal and worship for which one sacrifices, and the tireless effort to establish the law of Allah on earth, and the preparation for that on various levels. Realizing that this requires patience, perseverance, endurance, steadfastness, and enjoinment of good.
So if the Muslims are tested for this, then the speech of the reformers comes as a reminder to them of the meanings of honor, rejection of injustice, and the life of humiliation. And it is likely that many of them will respond at that time, as the goals have become clear and conviction in sacrificing for them has been formed. And they see the reformers leading them in what they urge them to do, and they see the reformers raising their spirits, respecting their selves, and reminding them of the greatness of their value as Muslims. This is the method of the Prophet, peace be upon him, with which Allah guided those who had good in their hearts to follow him, and none were left behind except the disbelievers and hypocrites. So it is incumbent upon every reformer to contemplate this before issuing judgments on people regarding cowardice, hypocrisy, and acceptance of a life of humiliation, while the fault may be in his call from the beginning.
This cheap character trait is the first thing that comes to people's minds when they hear the word "hypocrite." Some people said to Ibn Umar, "We enter upon our ruler and say to them the opposite of what we say when we leave them." He said, "We used to consider this hypocrisy" [Bukhari 7178].
It is narrated that Ibn Umar saw people entering the mosque and said, "Where have these people come from?" They said, "From the prince." He said, "If they saw something wrong, did they denounce it? If they saw something good, did they command it?" They said, "No." He said, "What do they do then?" They said, "They flatter him and insult him when they leave him!" Ibn Umar said, "We used to consider this hypocrisy in the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, for matters less than this!" [Al-Firabi 61].
This was in the days of Ibn Umar, days when the rulers were respectful of the rituals of religion, upholding them in general, not taking any other reference, and striving to protect Islam, its people, and the spread of its rule, but they were unjust in some instances. So how would Ibn Umar have viewed the hypocrites of this time who flatter those who do not hold the religion in reverence, but rather attack it during their rule and set aside its rulings from the lives of people... and yet you see the hypocrites praising them, glorifying them, and composing poetry and prose for them?
The one with hypocrisy in his heart may think he is on the right path as long as he denounces evil when he is alone with some of his companions, even though in front of the people of falsehood he flatter them, is hypocritical to them, and accepts their falsehood. Where is the saying of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him: "You will find people resembling mines: the best of them in Jahiliyyah are the best of them in Islam if they understand. And you will find the best of people in this matter are those who hate it the most, and the worst of people are those with two faces, who come to these people with one face and come to these people with another face" [Bukhari 3493].
As in the hadith, you may see a person who is extremely hostile to Islam, but he has nobility and cannot bear to contradict his convictions for long. Among these noble ones are Umar ibn al-Khattab, Khalid ibn al-Walid, Amr ibn al-Aas, and Akramah ibn Abi Jahl and Suhayl ibn Amr, may Allah be pleased with them, who, when they entered Islam, were sincere and loved Islam with great love and strove in Allah's cause with true striving.
But the hypocrite is a chameleon with two faces, speaking to each group with what pleases them and appearing to be one of them, to avert their wrath and gain their favor and goodwill. Such a person is wicked and has no nobility, but our Prophet, peace be upon him, describes him as "the worst of people."
Al-Tirmidhi narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Listen! Have you heard? There will be rulers after me. Whoever enters upon them and believes their lies and helps them in their oppression is not of me, nor am I of him, and he will not be allowed to drink from my pool. Whoever does not enter upon them and does not help them in their oppression and does not believe their lies is of me and I am of him, and he will be allowed to drink from my pool" [Al-Tirmidhi 2259].
And when a man asked him, "Which jihad is the best?" He replied, "A word of truth to an unjust ruler" [Ahmed 18828].
Nevertheless, a Muslim may avoid an evil person among the evildoers with gentle speech, without any legal sanction, approval of their falsehood, or deception of the people regarding him. Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, that a man asked permission to enter upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, so he said, "Allow him to enter, what a bad brother of the tribe, or son of the tribe." When he entered and spoke to him, I said, "O Messenger of Allah, you said what you said, then you allowed him to speak?" He said, "O Aisha, the worst of people is the one whom people leave or abandon out of fear of his harshness" [Al-Bukhari 6054].
"He, peace be upon him, did not utter a falsehood with this man who entered upon him, so he did not flatter him, nor did he praise him, nor did he participate with him in his bad manners, nor did he support him in any of his ways, but he dealt with him with a smile and a cheerful face - as was his custom, peace be upon him, always - perhaps he would have an effect on his heart later if he heard his advice and reminder, to save him from his hypocrisy and bad deeds" [From the website Islam Question and Answer].
Thus, the great difference between permissible dealing and flattery, which is one of the characteristics of hypocrites, becomes clear.
These are the ones referred to by His saying, "Do you mock with the name of Allah and His verses and His Messenger?" [At-Tawbah: 65]
And they are those whom Allah narrated what they said: "They say, 'If we return to the city, the powerful among us will surely drive out the weak ones.'" [Al-Munafiqun: 8] They were showing disrespect to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and the Muhajireen. And they were happy for some of them with disbelief, then: "And they swear by Allah that they did not say, and indeed they said the word of disbelief and disbelieved after their Islam" [At-Tawbah: 74].
Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim, and Ibn Kathir narrated with multiple chains of narration the reason for the revelation of this verse, with similar narrations, one of which is that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was delivering a sermon when a hypocrite said, "If he is truthful, then we are worse than donkeys." So Zaid ibn Arqam, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "He is truthful by Allah, and you are worse than a donkey." Then this was reported to the Messenger of Allah, and the hypocrite denied it, so Allah revealed the verse confirming Zaid.
And one who is characterized by the traits of the hypocrites in our time is seen as lacking in reverence for Allah, His verses, and His Messenger, to the extent that he may tell a joke involving Allah and His verses, and even use Allah's verses out of context to make people laugh. And how close is he to the one whom Allah described as saying, "And when he knows something of Our verses, he takes them in mockery" [Al-Jathiyah: 9] ... He does not memorize much of the Quran, and what he does memorize, he uses first in his jokes to show off his wit!
And he may mock one of the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him, or one who practices it, even though he himself is excessive in it, such as the beard and the siwak... And how many people do all this while they pray and fast and claim to be Muslim! And I do not see anyone more deserving of the hadith of the Prophet, peace be upon him: "And the servant may utter a word that angers Allah, not paying attention to it, and he will fall into Hell because of it" [Al-Bukhari 6478].
Worse than him is the one who adds to the traits of the hypocrites and openly insults Allah or the religion. These people are not to be discussed here lest they be thought of as hypocrites, but they have brought clear disbelief with their insults, and they are not to be treated as hypocrites in the Sharia, nor does their claim of Islam or their excuse of anger help them, but only sincere repentance that fulfills its conditions. And if they do not repent, they are worse than the disbelievers of Makkah who used to claim that their idols brought them close to Allah, and they did not insult Allah, but I mention this class to indicate that this lowly state exists in some of those who falsely claim to belong to the Ummah of Islam. The continuation of this phenomenon, which has worsened, is the lack of reverence for the sanctities of Allah.
Allah says, "That is so. And whoever honors the symbols of Allah, then it is from the piety of hearts" [Al-Hajj: 32] and He says, "That is so. And whoever honors the sanctities of Allah, it is better for him with his Lord" [Al-Hajj: 30].
And He says regarding the honor of His Messenger, peace be upon him: "I have only sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner * That you may believe in Allah and His Messenger, and honor Him and respect Him, and glorify Him morning and evening" [Al-Fath: 8-9].
And if one of us were to leave this world only with sincere reverence for Allah, then he is to be hoped for good with Allah, like the hadith agreed upon regarding the one who asked his children to burn him, scatter his ashes, and throw them in the wind. So Allah gathered him and asked him, "Why did you do that?" He said, "Out of fear of You, and You know best," so Allah forgave him [Al-Bukhari 7506].
Just as a believer hates disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience, the hypocrite is enraged by the sight of virtue, purity, and righteousness, for these are qualities that stand in the way of him making society a prey to his desires and ambitions. Hence, the hypocrite hates the preachers and reformers who call people to these values.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "The Ansar are only loved by a believer and only hated by a hypocrite. Whoever loves them, Allah loves him, and whoever hates them, Allah hates him" [1]. And he said: "The sign of faith is the love of the Ansar, and the sign of hypocrisy is the hatred of the Ansar" [2].
Thus, whoever slanders the generation of the Companions under the pretense of championing the cause of the Ahl al-Bayt is one who has fallen into this hypocritical trait.
Therefore, you see the hypocrite working hard to turn people away from the believers:
Sometimes by depriving people of worldly benefits if they accept the preachers and are influenced by their calls: "They are those who say, 'Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they desert him.' And to Allah belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not understand" [Al-Munafiqun: 7].
Sometimes by casting doubt on the intentions of the believers. In the agreed-upon hadith of Abu Mas'ud: "When the verse of charity was revealed, we would carry (on our backs for hire) to earn what we would give in charity. Then a man came and gave a large amount, and they (the hypocrites) said, 'He is showing off.' And a man came and gave a sa' (a measure), and they said, 'Allah is not in need of this sa'.' So Allah revealed: 'And those who defame the charitable among the believers concerning [their] charities and those who do not find except [a means of giving] charity, they mock them. Allah will mock them, and they will have a painful punishment'" [At-Tawbah: 79] [1].
Sometimes by mocking the believers and accusing them of the very traits that the hypocrites possess, as they did during the Battle of Tabuk, as reported in the Tafsir of Abdullah ibn Umar, when a man said during the Battle of Tabuk: "I have never seen people like our reciters, with more greedy bellies, more lying tongues, and more cowardice at the time of encounter." A man said, "You lie! But you are a hypocrite. I will inform the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him." This reached the Messenger of Allah, and the Quran was revealed. The mockers clung to the halter of the Messenger of Allah's camel while the people pelted him with stones, saying, "O Messenger of Allah, we were only jesting and playing" [1].
Observe how this mockers described the Muhajirun with traits that are far from them, and in fact, are the traits of the hypocrites: lying, cowardice, and greed for this world and filling their bellies. Notice his excuse: "We were only jesting and playing," meaning he said this only for amusement and humor!
"And if you ask them, they will surely say, 'We were only joking and playing.' Say, 'Is it at Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?'" [At-Tawbah: 65].
Although the man only mocked the Muhajirun, he mocked them for their religion, so Allah considered that mockery of Allah, His verses, and His Messenger, and He judged them by saying afterward: "Do not make excuses; you have disbelieved after your faith" [At-Tawbah: 66].
Islam does not allow its followers to be naive, laughed at with trivial excuses by those whose signs of hypocrisy and hatred of Allah's religion and the believers have become apparent.
It seems that many of the hypocrites' actions are a result of their envy of the believers... for seeing them with tranquil hearts and confident steps, drawing closer with the passage of time to Allah's promise of Paradise, which the hypocrites still have a chance of attaining! The hypocrites were enraged when they saw the believers above them, and they wished they could share in their disbelief so they could share in the unknown fate they had: "They wish that you would disbelieve as they have disbelieved, and thus be alike" [An-Nisa: 89].
And the hypocrites in our days still slander the reputations of preachers, reformers, and defenders of the faith... and these individuals cannot defend themselves because the media is not in their hands. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every sensible Muslim to embody Allah's saying: "And when you heard it, the believing men and believing women thought good of themselves and said, 'This is an obvious slander'" [An-Nur: 12].
And His saying: "O you who have believed, if there comes to you a rebellious one with information, investigate thoroughly lest you harm a people out of ignorance and then be sorry for what you have done" [Al-Hujurat: 6].
[1] Narrated by Al-Bukhari (3783) and Muslim (75). [2] Narrated by Al-Bukhari (3784) - and the wording is his - and Muslim (74). [1] Al-Bukhari (1415), Muslim (1018). [1] Reported by Al-Tabari in his "Tafsir" (16912) and Ibn Abi Hatim in his "Tafsir" (10044), and it was graded as good by Muqbil Al-Wadi'i in "The Authentic Narrations from the Causes of Revelation" (p. 108-109).
The hypocrites used Pharaoh's method of claiming that reformers are people of fitna and corruption when he said to Prophet Musa, peace be upon him: "{I fear that he may change your religion or that evil may appear on the earth}" [Ghafir: 26].
In truth, the hypocrites are the people of fitna and corruption: "{And when it is said to them, 'Do not cause corruption on the earth,' they say, 'We are only reformers.' Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they sense not}" [Al-Baqarah: 11-12].
They aim to belittle the Muslims and weaken them so that they may fail and their influence may vanish: "{If they had gone out among you, they would not have increased you except in confusion and would have thrown among you discord, seeking fitna}" [At-Tawbah: 47].
The problem is that some of them are eloquent "{And if it is said to them, 'Hear,' they turn away and say, 'We will not hear, but believe in it only when it is written down for us'}" [Al-Munafiqun: 4]... so the Islamic society is affected by them: "{And among you are those who hear of it, and when they go forth among you they cause much harm, and they say what they do not do}" [At-Tawbah: 47] ... a beautiful statement... even their appearances are beautiful. In the hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim from Zayd bin Arqam, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: "They were men with the most beautiful appearance" [1] ... yes, their appearances were like that, but their characters were of evil!
The hypocrites strive to legitimize their fitna by doing some good deeds and using righteous people! This is a very dangerous and common thing in our time, so we must be very cautious of it. The hypocrites do deeds that appear good and serve religion, but their intention is only to divide the believers: "{And they who took for a mosque, by way of harm and disbelief and to cause division among the believers and as an outpost for whoever had fought Allah and His Messenger before. And they will surely swear, 'We intended nothing but good'; but Allah bears witness that they are liars}" [At-Tawbah: 107].
They built a mosque.. but they built it with evil intentions: harm, disbelief, division, and outpost!... to divide the ranks of the believers and to gather in their mosque to conspire against the Muslims!
Then what did they do to legitimize this mosque? Ibn Kathir said in his interpretation of this verse: "They came and asked the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, to come to them and pray in their mosque so that they could use his prayer in it to confirm and establish it," meaning to add legitimacy to this mosque that they did not build for good. But Allah, the Exalted, exposed them to His Messenger, peace be upon him, so he did not pray in their mosque but demolished it.
And in our days, we see evil projects adopted by international organizations that seek to destroy the family, create enmity between spouses, and corrupt the children. Meanwhile, they mix their fitna with some "charitable" works and ensure that their employees are Muslims who appear righteous and have an Islamic appearance, such as praying employees and veiled female employees. All of this adds legitimacy to these institutions and their projects, making people think well of them and numbing people to confront the fitna they spread. You see these employees justifying themselves by saying that they are pushing away evil as much as they can and causing a lot of good and aid to their communities through these institutions. In reality, they are tools used by these hypocritical institutions to spread their fitna and destroy Muslim communities, erase their religion, morals, and nature.
And in our days, we see corrupting channels that seek nothing but fitna... we see them hosting a preacher who speaks to soften hearts and make eyes tear... but his program is preceded and followed by advertisements of debauchery and false news. Some preachers argue that they will not hesitate to attend any pulpit to show their good call... but by doing so, they add some legitimacy to these channels of fitna, blur the issue in the minds of the general public, and weaken the people's condemnation of their evil deeds.
Do you not see the clarity of the position of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, towards the mosque of harm? For when he knew that the system of this mosque was built on evil, he did not say: "I will pray in it and exploit any opportunity to turn the magic on the magician and impose my project from where they thought they could impose their project." He did not say that, peace be upon him. The wise caller is noble in soul and keeps his call from being used as a bait to beautify the falsehood of the corrupters [1].
An example of the fitna that the hypocrites seek in our days is the attempt to maintain the state of disunity among Muslims and tear apart their nation, as Allah described the people of the mosque of harm that they want "{division among the believers}." They use slogans of presenting and deifying the homeland instead of "{This is your nation as one nation}" [Al-Anbiya: 92]. The truth is that even these homelands were not safe for their people, but they were taken as an excuse to plunder the money of the Muslims in their name, to silence the mouths and oppress the Muslims in the name of their security.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, emphasized the crime of dividing the Muslims and tearing apart the body of the nation on the basis of ignorance by saying: "(Verily, Allah has removed from you the pride of ignorance and its boasting about ancestors: a believing, righteous man, or a wicked, sinful man. You are the children of Adam, and Adam was created from dust. Let some men stop boasting about their ancestors. They are but fuel for the Fire, or they will be lighter with Allah than the beetle that pushes with its nose the filth)" [1]. For there were people who boasted of values other than Islam.. of their ancestors who died in disbelief.. they boasted of them for their lineage, wealth, or status. He, peace be upon him, clarified that this boasting deserves humiliation from Allah to the extent that the boaster becomes lighter than insects that push filth and roll it in front of them. The crime of these boasters is to raise a value that has no weight in the religion of Allah, which, if followed, would cause disunity among the Muslims. Similarly, in our days, whoever raises a value that has no legal consideration causes division among the Muslims; he is in the utmost humiliation before Allah.
[1] Narrated by Al-Bukhari (4903) and Muslim (2772). [1] I know that the matter is subject to ijtihad according to the condition of those channels, but the preachers must take into account the factor of adding legitimacy mentioned. [1] Reported by Ahmad (8736), Abu Dawood (5116), At-Tirmidhi (3955), and authenticated by Ibn Taymiyyah in "Iqtida' As-Sirat Al-Mustaqim," and graded as good by At-Tirmidhi and Al-Albani.
And this characteristic - like other characteristics of hypocrisy - is related to doubt in religion: "And when you recite the Quran, We place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter a concealed veil. And We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they should understand it, and in their ears deafness." [Al-Isra: 45-46]. And this verse was revealed about the disbelievers originally, but it shows the connection between the two matters.
And Allah the Exalted said about the hardness and closure that prevents the hypocrite from contemplating the Quran: "Do they not contemplate the Quran? If it had been from other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction." [An-Nisa: 82], "Do they not contemplate the Quran? Or are there locks upon their hearts?" [Muhammad: 24].
And behold the hardness of the hearts of the hypocrites! They would come to the gatherings of the Prophet peace be upon him and they would hear the Quran from his mouth, fresh and pure, narrated from the trustworthy Jibril from the Lord of Might, Glorified and Exalted be He... But listening to it would not benefit them in any way, nor would it remove the rubble of disbelief from their hearts: "And when they come to you, they say, 'We believe.' But they have entered with disbelief and they have gone out with it. And Allah is most knowing of what they used to conceal." [Al-Ma'idah: 61].
But look at them as they have gone out from the Prophet peace be upon him after hearing the verses and wisdom, and they ask the companions foolishly: "What did he say just now?" "And among them is he who listens to you until, when they go forth from you, they say to those who were given knowledge, 'What did he say just now?' Those are they whose hearts Allah has sealed, and they follow their lusts." [Muhammad: 16]. For they did not understand anything due to their extreme heedlessness, or they said it in mockery, indicating that they did not pay attention to what the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said and they did not care about it.
But they were not ashamed of the hardness of their hearts: "And when a surah is revealed, among them is he who says, 'Which of you has this increased in faith?' As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, and they rejoice." [At-Tawbah: 124]. It is as if they are asking each other mockingly: "Does not Allah say that the Quran increases faith? Do we not see these (i.e., the companions) crying and their spirits soaring when they hear the Quran? Have you increased in faith, O so-and-so?" And the respondent would say: "No"... Then the questioner would say: "Nor have I!"
Allah responded to their question: "As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, and they rejoice. But as for those in whose hearts is a disease, it has increased them in evil and they have died while they are disbelievers." [At-Tawbah: 124-125].
And imagine with me this hardness in their hearts! The Quran, which if it were revealed upon a mountain, would have humbled it and split it from fear of Allah, does not increase the wrongdoing hypocrites except in loss and loss!
And beware, my brother, that you have a share of these verses! For many people start their day by playing the recitation of the Quran, then after a few minutes, whether more or less, they play songs that they know call to sin and evil and disobedience to the Most Merciful. Perhaps their heart trembles for these songs and interacts with them more than it interacts with the verses of the Quran. Has the Quran that he heard reached his heart? Have the verses of Allah increased him in faith and rejoiced in them, and did his heart tremble for them and were they a healing and mercy for him, as Allah described the believers when they hear the Quran? And if any of this happened to him, would he accept to listen to what contradicts the Quran afterwards?
And harder of heart than these are those who are known to be among the reciters with beautiful voices, and you see one of them leading the Muslims in the grandest of mosques, then you find him befriending criminals and legalizing the oppression of the oppressors! Or you see him openly lamenting that he did not listen to songs before! Would that he wished he had taken a stand in the defense of Islam!
The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: "The most hypocrites of my nation are its reciters." [1] Al-Manawi said in the explanation of this hadith: "Meaning: those who interpret it contrary to its meaning and place it in the wrong place. Then he said: And Ata said: Beware of the reciters and beware of them with me. For if I were to disagree with their desires in a matter of a pomegranate, they would say it is sweet, and he would say it is sour, I would not be safe from him seeking my blood from an unjust ruler!".. Meaning that one of them would ignite enmity for the slightest reasons.
Until he said Al-Manawi: "Therefore, you see one of them being arrogant towards people and mocking them, his face showing off as if he is bestowing a favor upon people by adding two rak'ahs in prayer, or as if he has received from Allah a proclamation of Paradise and protection from the Fire, or as if he has ascertained happiness for himself and misery for all other people, and with that he wears the garb of the humble and pretends to be humble. And this does not befit arrogance and haughtiness, nor does it suit him but rather contradicts it, but the blind one does not see." [2].
And these golden words of Al-Manawi described many of the characteristics of the hypocrites from hardness of heart with the Quran and wickedness in enmity and exaggeration in obedience and safety from the punishment of Allah and hypocrisy in pretending to be humble... And all of this, unfortunately, is as Al-Manawi describes in people who have read the Quran and perhaps have been given a share of knowledge! So we seek refuge with Allah from this description.
Our Prophet peace be upon him said: "And the example of the hypocrite who reads the Quran is like the basil, whose scent is fragrant and whose taste is bitter." [1]. This is an example of the hypocrite who frequently reads the Quran but does not act upon it nor does it rectify his heart with faith, and he pretends before the people that he is a believer. And the people, despite that, enjoy his recitation. Thus, he is like the basil which has a fragrant scent while its taste is bitter. His fragrant scent resembles his recitation, and his bitter taste resembles his hypocrisy.
[1] Narrated by Ahmad (6633) and Al-Bukhari in "Al-Tarikh Al-Kabir" (257/1), and in "Khalaq Af'al Al-Ibad" (647), and it was authenticated by Al-Albani in "As-Sahihah" (750) and Shuaib Al-Arna'ut. [2] Fayd Al-Qadir. [1] Narrated by Al-Bukhari (5427) and Muslim (797).
When a hypocrite is complaining about religion, any act of obedience he presents is greater than the size of his weak faith, if he has any faith at all. Therefore, he sees this obedience as great... As for the sin, he is not fully certain of the greatness of the God he disobeys, and he is not a believer with a firm faith in the Hellfire where he will be punished for his sin. He sees his sin as small, even if the mountains groan from it! {And they have not appreciated Allah with true appreciation} [Al-An'am: 91].
The hypocrite in this is like the owner of the two gardens who was arrogant about them and said: {I do not think the Hour will be established, and if I am sent back to my Lord, I will surely find [something] better than this in return} [Al-Kahf: 36] and the other who said: {I do not think the Hour will be established, and if I am sent back to my Lord, I will surely find [something] better than this in return} [Fussilat: 50]. "If I am sent back," and "if I return"... they guarantee Paradise "if it is found"! And so the hypocrite, he does a little obedience to enter Paradise "if it is found," but to dedicate his life and death to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, no! And this work of his will not benefit him nor will its multiples as long as there is doubt in his heart.
Sometimes, the hypocrite excuses himself for not giving up sins by saying that he has a good opinion of Allah. Al-Hasan al-Basri said: "Faith is not wishful thinking, but what settles in the heart and the work confirms it. Some people were preoccupied with the hope of forgiveness until they left this world with no good deeds and said: We have a good opinion of Allah. They lied! If they had a good opinion of Him, they would have done good deeds" [2].
And the hope of forgiveness without action is what the hypocrites use to distinguish themselves from the believers: {And your assumptions have deluded you concerning Allah} [Al-Hadid: 14].
And he is right! How many people say what is not befitting for Allah the Almighty or backbite and slander, then one of them says: "I seek forgiveness from Allah," and he laughs with a strong laugh! As if this forgiveness of his will benefit him!
And in the time of the spread of social media sites, one of us may write a word, or publish a picture, or comment, or put a like or share a post. And he may not be attentive to the permissibility of his action or not, and its bad effects may last even after his death.
Whoever falls into minimizing sins is like the wicked of the Children of Israel whom Allah the Almighty said about them: {Then We took a covenant from those who came after them, and We said, 'Throw yourselves into Hell whoever is going to pass through it.' And We said, 'Do not exchange My signs for a small price, and fear Me alone.' But they said, 'We will surely be touched only with harm for a while,' and they said, 'We have taken a covenant with you, O our Lord, and We will not disobey you,' but they increased [only] in transgression after the covenant. So We sent upon them the flood and the locusts and the lice and the frogs and the blood, as distinct signs, but they were arrogant and were a criminal people} [Al-A'raf: 169].. they do sins one after the other and do not give them up and yet they say: "It will be forgiven for us"!
Al-Hasan al-Basri said: "The believer is he who knows that what Allah the Almighty has said is as He has said. And the believer is the best of people in deeds and the most fearful of people. If he spends a mountain of money, he will not be secure until he sees Paradise with his own eyes on the Day of Judgment and knows that he is among its people, and he will not increase in righteousness and piety and worship except that he will increase in fear. He says: I will not be saved! I will not be saved! And the hypocrite says: The majority of people are many - meaning I am one of many and will not be targeted for punishment - and it will be forgiven for me, and there is no harm on me. He does evil and wishes on Allah the Almighty" [1].
So the believer knows that Allah the Almighty when He said: {Whoever does an ill deed will not be recompensed except by the like thereof} [An-Nisa': 123] .. He is as He said, and when He said: {Whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it} [Al-Zalzalah: 7] .. He is as He said. So he will not be secure from Allah's punishment except if he sees Paradise on the Day of Judgment. And it is not possible for him to reach a stage where he says: "I have with my Lord goodness because of the good deeds I have sent forth, no matter what I do after that" to make light of the sin, but he will only increase in fear as he increases in the greatness of Allah the Almighty. And this speech of Al-Hasan should not contradict that the believer is happy with his obedience and feels that Allah wanted good for him as He employed him in what He loves of good deeds.
And this characteristic of minimizing sin and exaggerating obedience is widespread among the Muslims in our days.. until you feel that some of them are being generous to Allah the Almighty with their deeds! {Say, 'Do not claim yourselves; Allah is most knowing of who is grateful.}' [Al-Hujurat: 17] .. and let every reader search himself to not find it more hopeful of Paradise and more secure from the Fire than the Companions!
And we had conducted a survey on the causes of falling into sins, in the form of statements that the survey taker chooses from, and we distributed it to the congregational prayer attendees on the day of Jumu'ah in a number of mosques in Jordan, and about 770 attendees answered it, and the second most chosen cause was relying on Allah's mercy and the feeling of the survey taker that Allah will not punish him. And we will see that minimizing sin and exaggerating obedience leads to another hypocritical characteristic, which is turning away from repentance.
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him about the saying of Allah the Almighty: {And those who give what they give while their hearts are fearful that they are returning to their Lord} [Al-Mu'minun: 60] so she said: (Are they those who drink alcohol and steal?). He said: ((No, O daughter of the companion, but they are those who fast and pray and give charity, and they fear that their deeds will not be accepted. Those are the ones who hasten to good deeds and are the first to them)) [1].
And Ibrahim al-Taymi said: (I have not presented my speech to my actions except that I feared that I would be a liar) [2].. meaning: my actions will lie about my speech. So this is the believer... no matter what obedience he does, he knows that he is deficient in the right of Allah the Almighty, and no matter how small his sin is, he does not make light of it because he has disobeyed the Great, Glorified and Exalted be He.
[1] Narrated by Al-Husayn al-Marwazi in the additions of "Al-Zuhd by Ibn Al-Mubarak" (985), and Al-Tabarani in "Al-Mu'jam Al-Awsat" (579). [2] The interpretation of Abu Al-Su'ud and Al-Alusi. [3] Al-Bukhari 6308. [1] Al-Bukhari (6492). [1] Narrated by Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak in "Al-Zuhd" (532), and Ibn Abi Al-Dunya in "Al-Zuhd" (196). [1] Narrated by Ahmad (25263) and At-Tirmidhi (3175). [2] Narrated by Ibn Abi Shayba in "Al-Musannaf" (34970) and Ahmad in "Al-Zuhd" (2071).
Allah the Almighty describes the hypocrites saying, "And when it is said to them, 'Come, may the Messenger of Allah ask forgiveness for you,' they turn away their heads, and you see them turning aside, while they are arrogant." [Al-Munafiqun: 5] ... No wonder, for if the hypocrite is rude to the Messenger of Allah as we have seen, and belittles his disobedience because he did not appreciate Allah as He should be appreciated, why would he repent?
But look at the extent of their turning away and their trivializing of Allah's forgiveness, as narrated by Imam Muslim from Jabir bin Abdullah, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, "Whoever ascends the pass, the pass of Al-Murar [1], will have removed from him what was removed from the Children of Israel." [2]
Jabir said: The first to ascend it were our horses, the horses of Bani Khazraj. Then the people followed one after another [3]. So the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, "And all of you are forgiven, except the owner of the red camel." He was a hypocrite who did not care about this opportunity for the forgiveness of sins. Jabir said: We went to him and said, "Come, may the Messenger of Allah ask forgiveness for you." He said, "By Allah, I would rather find my lost camel than have your companion ask forgiveness for me." Jabir said, "The man was looking for a lost camel of his own." [1]
Look at this man who was more astray than the beast he was searching for, how he preferred to find his beast rather than have the Messenger of Allah ask forgiveness for him!
And Allah the Almighty describes the hypocrites saying, "Do they not see that they are tested once or twice every year? Yet they do not repent nor do they remember." [At-Tawbah: 126] ... Calamities befall them one after another, and yet they do not repent.
This characteristic is one of those with which the hypocrites are reproached after the barrier is struck [2], when it is said to them, "And you waited." [Al-Hadid: 14] ... meaning they postponed repentance from time to time, as Ibn Kathir said. Was the opportunity not available to them at some point? "And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you, asking forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-Returning, Merciful." [An-Nisa: 64]
And there are people who resemble the hypocrites in this characteristic. When advised to leave a sin, he says, not intending to leave his sin, "Pray for us that Allah may guide us, O Sheikh," while in his heart he trivializes his sin and makes excuses that have no basis. Let him beware, lest he resemble those whom Allah said about them, "The bedouins of the desert say, 'We have our wealth and our families occupy us, so ask forgiveness for us.' They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts." [Al-Fath: 11]
On the other hand, this is the characteristic of the believers: "Indeed, those who fear Allah, when they are touched by a suggestion from Satan, they remember, and then they become perceptive." [Al-A'raf: 201] As-Sadi said in its interpretation, "... The righteous person, when he feels a sin, and is touched by a suggestion from Satan, whether by committing a prohibited act or neglecting a duty, remembers from which door he came, and from which entrance Satan entered upon him, and remembers what Allah has obligated upon him, and what he has of the necessities of faith, so he becomes perceptive and asks forgiveness of Allah the Almighty, and makes up for what he has neglected by sincere repentance and many good deeds, sending his Satan away, defeated and wretched, having spoiled for him all that he has achieved from him."
[1] A place between Mecca and Al-Hudaybiyyah on the way to Medina. [2] Meaning: His sins are forgiven as promised to the Children of Israel when it was said to them, "Enter the gate prostrating and say, 'Forgiveness.' We will forgive you your sins and increase the reward of the good-doers." [Al-Baqarah: 58] [3] Meaning: They followed one after another in ascending it. [1] Muslim (2780) [2] See what we mean by striking the barrier under the title: "The Danger of Hypocrisy on the Soul" in this book.
The first thing said to the hypocrites after the barrier is struck is, "But you have tempted yourselves." [Al-Hadid: 14] Whoever has hypocrisy in his heart hovers around sins and hesitates over them, making excuses that scholars differ in their ruling on it and it is not definitively forbidden, and he excuses himself and others that his intention is good... like one who does not consider the legal controls in dealing between the sexes, and his heart is disturbed and desires, and like one who turns his gaze to what Allah has forbidden, such as those who follow immoral series and songs. Whoever's heart is corrupted by this, he begins to approve of sin and disapprove of the rites of Allah and His rulings... So let him not think, having tempted himself, that he is among those whose light goes before them and to their right, guiding them to cross the bridge! But he should fear that he is among those to whom it is said, "But you have tempted yourselves!"
As for the believer, he is decisive, closing for himself the means that may lead him to fall into the prohibited, and he does not hover around temptations making excuses for himself, nor does he surround himself with excuses for sin. If he weakens at times and falls into sin, he quickly repents and cleanses himself of it and its causes.
Often, young people ask, "Is it permissible for me to study in such a place? Or to work in such a job?" The first answer to these questions is: Do not exchange the safety of your heart for anything! And do not expose yourself to environments of temptation that you know you cannot withstand.
And remember, O young man, when you subscribe to a network of networks or specialized channels in films and series known for their immorality and debauchery... Remember before you add its application to your mobile or enter the receiver for its station in your home, remember: "But you have tempted yourselves!"
That moment on the Day of Judgment when a barrier is struck before the hypocrites, separating them from the believers, they will ask, "Were we not with you?" And the answer will come, "Yes, but you have tempted yourselves." [Al-Hadid]... You exposed yourselves to temptation, and they will know that they are doomed.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, "Four characteristics, whoever has them all is a pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of them has a characteristic of hypocrisy until he leaves it: When entrusted, he betrays; when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a covenant, he breaks it; when he disputes, he is lewd." [Reported by Al-Bukhari (34) - and the wording is his - and Muslim (58)].
Lewdness is a blameworthy characteristic, known as lying, deviating from the truth, and committing sins... and it appears in one who has hypocrisy when he disputes with someone [Al-Munjid in language].
Lewdness, like other characteristics of hypocrisy, is related to doubt in the Hereafter... For the one who disputes, if he believes in the Hereafter, that is one of the reasons for his tranquility, because what he does not take from his right in this world remains a reserve for him with his Lord, Glorified and Exalted, at a time when the need is great. As for one whose faith in the Hereafter is weak, he does not consider this meaning, fearing the loss of his right and wanting to satisfy his anger, exaggerating in retaliation, as he has no loyalty to any covenant that was between him and his opponent.
And we see this characteristic more often in our time in marital problems and what happens between them at the time of divorce and before it, not respecting the rights of the spouse and not adhering to the saying of Allah the Almighty: "And do not forget the favor between you." [Al-Baqarah: 237].
Often, it is also among the spouses who incite revenge and retaliation and harm the other party! Ignorant or forgetting the saying of our Prophet, peace be upon him: "He is not of us who sows discord between a man and his wife." [Reported by Abu Dawud (2175) and the wording is his, and by An-Nasa'i in "As-Sunan Al-Kubra" (9214), and by Ibn Hibban (568), and by Al-Hakim in "Al-Mustadrak" (2795) and Ahmad (9157) in a similar manner, and it was authenticated by Al-Hakim and Al-Albani and Shuaib Al-Arna'ut], meaning: He spoiled her for her husband and incited her to enmity or mistreatment of him. And the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him, "He is not of us," indicates that this is a major sin.
The hypocrite is as if he is "testing" the effect of disobedience! Because he doubts Allah, and even if he believes in His existence, his perceptions of Allah are feeble. He does not consider the punishment of the Hereafter, and all that concerns him is not to diminish the comforts of this world. He breaks the covenant with Allah gradually, and if this does not affect his worldly interests, he feels secure and persists in his delusion... like the Jews who used to misbehave with the Messenger of Allah and then: "And they say within themselves, 'Why does not Allah punish us for what we say?'" [Al-Mujadila: 8]. So as long as they are not immediately punished, they are at ease! Allah continues: "Their recompense is Hell, which they will enter, and wretched is the destination" [Al-Mujadila: 8].
May every individual remember how he insisted to Allah with supplication and covenanted with Him that if He granted him something of this world or averted an impending harm from him, he would be among the righteous and avoid the disobedience he is in. Then the Most Subtle, Glorified be He, honors him and gives him what he asked for. But it is only a matter of days, whether few or many, that the covenant-maker returns to his former state of disobedience! And he says to himself: "It just so happened that what happened," "My distress has no relation to my disobedience nor my relief to my supplication," "Material causes..." We ask Allah for forgiveness and well-being. For this action is among the most important causes of the emergence of hypocrisy in the heart. Allah says:
"And among them are those who made a covenant with Allah, 'If He should give us from His bounty, we will surely be among the righteous and charitable.' But when He gave them from His bounty, they became stingy with it and turned away, averse. So He afflicted them with hypocrisy in their hearts until the Day they meet Him for what they broke of their covenant with Allah and what they used to deny" [At-Tawbah].
Their punishment for this despicable act was hypocrisy in the heart until the Day they meet Allah, whom they broke their covenant with. So what about us if we do it repeatedly! We ask Allah for forgiveness and well-being and that He deals with us with His generosity and mercy, Glorified be He.
For the hypocrites hate Allah... they hate His Book because it opposes their desires, and they are slaves of desire. They hate His Shariah because it elevates man to the heights, while they have become accustomed to staying in the swamps!
They cannot express this openly, so what do they do? They resort to hypocrisy in speech... to words whose surface may deceive many people, but which carry malice within. Allah describes the hypocrites: "And you will surely know them by the tone of their speech" [Muhammad: 30], and this hypocrisy in speech has many forms:
Among them are those who spread their venom with eloquent speech, whose surface is love of religion and defense of it, but whose essence is doubt and criticism. When some Western haters mock the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and it does not bother him, for he is of high honor and praiseworthy status, some hypocrites come out saying: "No to mocking the Prophet, peace be upon him. But for criticism!"
And when a campaign to boycott the goods of these mocking Westerners was launched, another hypocrite cried out, saying: "It is a chaotic campaign that deepens hatred and resentment in the other's heart and fuels terrorism!" [Sheikh Ali Al-Qarni, may Allah preserve him, narrated these statements in his tape "Arad wa Abraq" and responded to their owners with the response they deserve].
The two statements are examples of hypocrisy in speech. The first shows respect for the Prophet, recognition of his prophethood, and defense of him, even praying for him, but he only intended the last statement in which he calls for criticizing the infallible Prophet about whom Allah said: "Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed" [An-Najm].
The second shows that he agrees with the Muslims in considering what these mockers did as hatred and resentment, but in reality, he was angered that the disbelievers who harm the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, were boycotted, and he found it difficult to call them disbelievers for what they did! So he called them "the other," and used the vague term "terrorism" in which they include whomever they want of the people of honorable faith who strive to support the Prophet, peace be upon him, and refuse to mock him, in obedience to the command of their Lord: "And those who, when an oppressive assault befalls them, say, 'Indeed, we are to be returned to our Lord'" [Ash-Shura: 39].
And it is never permissible to say that "it is not allowed for us to suspect evil of those who say such things nor to judge their intentions!" For such speech is a result of ignorance of the principle of taking things at face value. For taking things at face value requires not only assuming the best of those who show goodness but also judging poorly those who speak with such hypocrisy, especially if such statements are known from them and they show contempt for the religion. Otherwise, Allah would not have made hypocrisy in speech a distinguishing mark of the hypocrites by which we know them: "And you will surely know them by the tone of their speech."
And among the hypocrites are those who resort to another style... you see them waiting, and when a fighter against Allah and His Messenger and His Book and His Shariah dies... they praise this deceased, and extol his "bravery" and "courage" and "strength in spreading his principles." They heap praise on him as if they had lived with him and eaten with him and seen from his character and conduct what deserves praise! Although they may not have read a book of his nor attended a lecture of his, but they know only one thing about him: that he is an enemy of Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him! And this is enough for them to praise him! [And we have seen examples of this at the death of Nawal Al-Saadawi!].
And their state of mind is: "You express us and say what we cannot say, or what the distribution of roles requires us not to announce." They show mercy and humanity and "balance" in judging people, covering thereby their hatred for Allah, their disgust at His mention, and their deep-seated hatred for His Shariah.
And you also see those who heap praise on prominent atheists at their death, such as their excessive praise for Stephen Hawking [see the episode "Why Some Followers of Adnan Ibrahim Apostatize" from the series Journey of Certainty]. And they heap praise on the living among the priests of atheism and glorify them, such as his saying about Richard Dawkins (whom we have shown in Journey of Certainty to be a great forger of science and a deceitful liar): "A scientist, glory be to Allah... you disagree with him, you agree with him, a scientist, and he has the psychology of a scientist, and the feelings of a scientist, and he sanctifies science, rejoices in science, is happy with science, a strange thing" [see the episode "Worshippers of Microbes" from "Journey of Certainty"]. And all of this is a form of hypocrisy in speech.
And among the forms of hypocrisy in speech is what international organizations do in showing respect for Islam along with other religions, while at the same time promoting disbelief and moral corruption and fighting natural instincts in Muslim societies, claiming that they are only fighting the wrong understanding of Islam! And they use eloquent phrases such as "women's rights," "empowerment of women," "children's rights" to hide their true intention, which is the destruction of women, children, the family, and the enslavement of people. See our series: "The War on Natural Instincts" on YouTube.
So the believer should not be deceived by eloquent speech from anyone, and he should recall what Al-Bukhari narrated that Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "There were people who were taken by revelation in the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and revelation has ceased, and we now take you by what appears to us of your deeds. Whoever shows us goodness, we trust him and bring him close, and we have nothing to do with his inner self, Allah will judge him for his inner self. And whoever shows us evil, we do not trust him nor believe him, even if he says, 'My inner self is good'" [Al-Bukhari (2641)].
And we advise reading the book "Zukhruf Al-Qawl" by Dr. Fahd Al-Ajlan and Engineer Abdullah Al-Ajiri. It is beneficial in this topic, by the permission of Allah.
Al-Bukhari narrated in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad from Said bin Al-Musayyib who said: "I was with Salman when he fell ill in Kinda. When he entered upon him, he said: 'Be glad, for the illness of a believer makes it an expiation and a reminder for him. And the illness of the wicked is like a camel that his family ties up, then they release him, so he does not know why he was tied up or why he was released.' [Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in 'Al-Musannaf' (11124), by Haneef in 'Al-Zuhd' (414), by Al-Bukhari in 'Al-Adab Al-Mufrad' (493), by Ibn Abi Al-Dunya in 'Al-Marad Wal-Kaffarat' (45), and by Abu Nu'aim Al-Asbahani in 'Al-Hilyah' (206/1). Al-Albani said in Sahih Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 379: Its chain is authentic.]
"The meaning that illness is a reminder for the believer is that it becomes a reason for him to account himself, to return from wrongdoing, and to awaken from his heedlessness. Unlike the wicked, for his illness does not benefit him, and he persists in sin. Therefore, he is like a camel that his family ties up and then releases, so he does not know why he was tied up or why he was released! Similarly, when the wicked falls ill, he does not know why he fell ill or what the wisdom behind the illness is, nor does he consider the reward nor does he return to Allah."
The believer knows that Allah, the Most High, is Wise in all His actions, and that He brings forth servitude from His servants through trials of ease and hardship. [And We test you with evil and good as a trial, and to Us you will be returned] [Al-Anbiya: 35]. So he always thinks: "What servitude does Allah love from me in this situation?"
As for the hypocrite, he often forgets Allah, the Most High, so he does not interpret events in the light of faith in Allah's wisdom, nor does he contemplate these servitudes. Allah, the Most High, said, rebuking the hypocrites: [Do they not see that they are tested once or twice every year? Yet they do not repent nor do they remember] [At-Tawbah: 126]. So look at His saying: [Nor do they remember].
And among the Muslims, there are those who fall into this. So if a plague spreads or a calamity befalls and it is said: "This is a reminder from Allah, the Most High," he says: "It has nothing to do with that! These are material causes." Part of their problem in this is ignorance, for they think that the matter is either due to a material cause or a supernatural cause, and they do not realize that Allah, the Most High, alternates His servants between ease and hardship through material causes, for everything is from Allah. [Is not His the creation and the command? Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the worlds] [Al-A'raf: 54]. So there is no contradiction between an event having a material cause and a supernatural cause. A person may disobey his parents and then fall ill. Knowing the material causes of the illness does not contradict that Allah, the Most High, may have decreed this illness for his disobedience. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: (No vein or eye twitches but due to a sin, and Allah removes more from him) [Narrated by At-Tabarani in 'Al-Mu'jam Al-Saghir' (1053) and Abu Nu'aim Al-Asbahani in 'Tarikh Asbahan' (217/2), and authenticated by Al-Albani in 'As-Silsilah As-Sahihah' (2215)].
And the Muslim does not assert that Allah has decreed this event or that event from the sudden events for this particular wisdom or that. Rather, he knows that what happens to him are reminders that make him turn to Allah, the Most High, with gratitude in ease and patience and repentance in hardship. In addition to that, all events in this universe and their material causes are accompanied by a supernatural cause, which is the will and decree of Allah, the Most High.
And how strange it is that some people forget their Lord, the Most High!! So they do not learn nor do they act upon what brings them closer to Him, the Most High. And you do not see one of them asking about what is lawful and what is unlawful. And this is the characteristic of the hypocrites: [The hypocrites, both men and women, command what is wrong and forbid what is right, and they close their hands. They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them] [At-Tawbah: 67].
They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them. So Allah does not care in which valley one of them perishes. And their reward is that Allah, the Most High, makes them forget themselves, so they do not act upon what benefits them, revives their hearts, and saves them in the Hereafter: [And be not like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient] [Al-Hashr: 19].
And Allah, the Most High, described most people, saying: [They know the outward things of the life of this world, but they are heedless of the Hereafter] [Ar-Rum: 7]. Ibn Kathir said: "Meaning: Most people have no knowledge except of this world and its earnings and its affairs and what is in it. They are clever and intelligent in acquiring it and its means of acquisition, and they are heedless of what benefits them in the Hereafter, as if one of them is foolish and has no mind or idea. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: By Allah, one of them reaches such a point with his worldly affairs that he turns the dirham on his fingernail and tells you its weight and what is good to pray with" [Tafsir Ibn Kathir].
And close to this is the condition of many of the people of our time. You see him serious, striving, rolling up his sleeves, and exposing his shins in his worldly affairs. If you ask him: Do you pray? He says: "I cut it off!" So we seek refuge in Allah from the heedlessness of the hearts.
Treating the soul of hypocrisy is a vast topic that is difficult to encompass in a short book like this. Hypocrisy has educational, social, psychological, and intellectual causes. The mistakes of parents and teachers in education are among the causes of the emergence of hypocrisy in the hearts of the younger generation. Social oppression and injustice are also among its causes. Ibn Khaldun said: "Whoever is subjected to oppression for long periods will become accustomed to the habits of hypocrisy and master them." The entrenched psychological defeat in the hearts of many is also a cause of the emergence of hypocrisy in their hearts. Ignorance of the true nature of Islam and the true nature of ignorance is also a cause.
The emergence of hypocrisy or some of its characteristics in the heart is a result of the rise of faith or some of it from the heart. All speech about the qualities of faith and how to obtain them and protect them from loss is speech about hypocrisy from another angle, because what replaces faith if it rises from the heart is either manifest disbelief or hypocrisy.
Speaking about treating and preventing hypocrisy from the beginning is lengthy, but we will point to some preventive and therapeutic factors briefly. These factors were previously written as factors for treating hatred of what Allah has revealed. Then I chose to generalize them as treatments for hypocrisy, as hatred of what Allah has revealed plays a significant role in the emergence of other hypocritical traits.
Among the factors of treatment:
Correcting the centrality and governing standards in the daily life of the Muslim: This is done by reviving the concept of the centrality of Allah and the Hereafter in the life of the Muslim in contrast to the centrality of human desires and lusts. We have explained this in the episode "The Illusion of Freedom" [within the series "Be Noble with Your Islam," the official channel of Dr. Iyad Qunaybi on YouTube]. This requires strengthening faith in Allah and the Hereafter [we recommend the series "Journey of Certainty" by the author, the official channel of Dr. Iyad Qunaybi on YouTube], then acting according to this faith, and making the greatest concern of man to attain the pleasure of Allah to be saved in the Hereafter. The standards by which he judges things should emanate from the Sharia alone, rejecting all human standards. For example, the standard of "freedom" has a concept set by the West and arose from its view of life, so it is not suitable for us to adopt it regardless of the twists and decorations added to it to pass it on to us, because it is the opposite of the standard of servitude to Allah alone and absolute submission to His obedience, may He be glorified. Similarly, the standard of "absolute equality" is contrary to the Sharia, reason, and natural disposition, and the standard from which the Muslim derives is the standard of justice that the Sharia brought [refer to the series "The Woman" by the author, the official channel of Dr. Iyad Qunaybi on YouTube].
Preserving the natural disposition: This requires mastery of the art of education. Characteristics of hypocrisy often arise from the deviation and suppression of natural disposition. They are contrary to the natural characteristics that include meanings of modesty, mercy, generosity, nobility, dignity, pride, and rejection of injustice.
Learning what Allah has revealed and correcting the mental image of Islamic rulings and reviewing the reality of societies cut off from revelation: Learn about the condition of societies that have cut themselves off from what Allah has revealed, then ask: Is it necessary for us to experience the full seasons of these societies? Is it necessary for us to taste their bitterness and the misery of the souls within them before we know that Allah is the truth and what they call upon besides Him is false, and that Allah is the Most High, the Great? [Refer, for example, to the episode "Liberation of the Western Woman - The Complete Story," the episode "Islam and Beating the Woman," the episode "I am Free," and the episode "I am Not a Housewife" in the "Series on Women" by the author].
Forming the Sunni outlook: By knowing that there must be struggle, and reviewing the condition of humanity historically when it was deprived of the sovereignty of the rule of Islam, and that the image of a world without struggle in which everyone agrees according to humanistic standards and there is no place for the verses of loyalty and disavowal based on creed and jihad [so that it would not be a trial] [Al-Anfal: 39], that this dreamy image is a failure with no capital from reality or history [and see in this regard the lecture "Models of Human Happiness in the Absence of Islamic Conquests" by the author]. Rather, this image is promoted among the sons of Muslims to break their strength, strip their will, and kill what remains of their spirit of pride and dignity.
Abandoning sin: If your soul calls you to sin, remember that responding to it may lead you to hypocrisy, and remember: [So let those who oppose his command beware lest a trial befalls them] [An-Nur: 63].
Understand the limitation of the human mind: If you realize the shortcoming of your human mind with the dominance of desires and lusts (which sometimes disguise themselves as reason and wisdom), you will know that your aversion to one of the rulings of Allah is due to your shortcoming, not in the ruling itself. Man does not know the nature of the soul by which he lives. If the greatest doctors on earth gathered around a patient whom Allah has decreed to take his soul, they would not be able to return the soul to him. Allah says: [So why, if you are not indebted (86), do you not return it if you are truthful (87)] [Al-Waqi'ah]. That is, if you are truthful that you are not accountable after death, why do you not try to return it to its places in the parts of his body when the soul reaches the throat! What prevented you from attempting that except the necessary knowledge that the soul is inevitably departing. The deposition of souls in bodies is a disposition from the disposition of Allah, and He is the Wise. The removal of souls from bodies after depositing them therein for a period is only because their extraction is a requirement of wisdom, so that the reckoning may be carried out on what they have acquired during the life of this world [this interpretation is derived from Al-Tahrir wa Al-Tanwir by Ibn Ashur]. How does this man, who cannot create life or prevent death or know the nature of the soul by which he lives, allow himself to object to anything from the rulings of his Creator because they do not agree with the limited mind? [Has man not seen that We created him from a sperm drop, yet he is a clear adversary?] [Ya-Sin: 77].
This is in contrast to recognizing the weakness and limitation of human intellect. "[And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you love a thing which is evil for you. And Allah knows while you know not]" [Al-Baqarah 2:216]. Remember that He is your Creator, so He knows what is best for you. Allah says: "[Does He who created not know? And He is the Most Kind and Courteous, the All-Aware]" [Al-Mulk 67:14]. Remember Allah's wisdom: "[Is not Allah the Best of judges?]" [At-Tin 95:8]. Remember Allah's mercy, for He has legislated these rulings knowing your weakness, wanting to spare you the difficulty that comes from following whims. In Surah An-Nisa, after Allah explained rulings related to interactions between genders, He says: "[Allah wishes to lighten (the burden) for you; for man was created weak]" [An-Nisa 4:28]. Beware of disliking anything that Allah has revealed because you feel it is difficult for the weak human nature. He is more merciful to your weakness. And beware of following those who follow their desires, for they want you to incline greatly, causing you distress in both abodes, while Allah wants to accept your repentance and lighten (the burden) for you. Remember His saying: "[And know that among you is the Messenger of Allah. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would be in difficulty, but Allah has endeared the faith to you and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made displeasing to you disbelief, wickedness, and rebellion. Those are the rightly guided]" [Al-Hujurat 49:7]. Ibn Kathir said: "That is, know that among you is the Messenger of Allah, so honor him, respect him, be courteous with him, and submit to his command, for he knows your affairs better than you do and is more merciful to you than you are to yourselves. His opinion about you is more complete than your opinion about yourselves, as Allah says: "[The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves]" [Al-Ahzab 33:6]. Then he explained that their opinion is foolish in regard to their interests, saying: "[If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would be in difficulty]"... meaning, if he obeyed you in all that you choose, that would lead to your distress and difficulty." End of Ibn Kathir's words. If the matter were according to human whims, they would be afflicted with difficulty, but Allah protected the hearts of the Companions from being afflicted with the disease of hating what Allah has revealed. Allah says in continuation of this verse: "[But Allah has endeared the faith to you and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made displeasing to you disbelief, wickedness, and rebellion. Those are the rightly guided]" [Al-Hujurat 49:7].
If you have a defect or weakness in your certainty of the existence of Allah and His oneness, and that the Quran is the word of Allah and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah, then this defect or weakness makes you susceptible to hypocrisy. On the other hand, Allah says: "[And who is better in judgment than Allah for a people who have certainty?]" [Al-Ma'idah 5:50]. The certain person will realize that Allah's judgment is the best, and will see the goodness, beauty, and perfection of this judgment.
Turn to Allah in supplication with sincere insistence, and ask for guidance from the Turner of hearts. Ask Allah to make you among those who love faith and beautify it in their hearts, and hate disbelief, wickedness, and rebellion. He is the One who says in the sacred hadith: "(O My servants, all of you are astray except those whom I have guided, so seek guidance from Me, and I will guide you)" [Muslim 2577]. Among the supplications of our Prophet (peace be upon him) was: "(I ask You for Your love, and the love of those who love You, and the love of deeds that bring me closer to Your love)" [Reported by Ahmad (22109), At-Tirmidhi (3235), and in "Al-'Ilal Al-Kabir" (661 / its numbering), and Al-Hakim in "Al-Mustadrak" (1913) and Al-Albani authenticated it]. And bring this meaning to mind when you say in the morning and evening remembrances: "I am pleased with Allah as a Lord, with Islam as a religion, and with Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a Prophet." Bring to mind that you are pleased with Allah as a Lord in reality, so be pleased with every verse in His Book, for it is the word of Allah. And be pleased with Islam as a religion, so be pleased with its legislation and its rituals... and be pleased with Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a Prophet, so love his Sunnah and find no discomfort in your heart from anything of it. So strive to work with these treatments to meet Allah with a heart that loves Him and His religion, free from hypocrisy and hatred of what has been revealed "[On the Day when neither wealth nor children will benefit (anyone), except the one who comes to Allah with a sound heart]" [Ash-Shu'ara 26:88-89].
As for what follows, the characteristics of hypocrites have become clear to us, and the path of criminals has been revealed. Allah the Almighty has mentioned them in His Book and explained them through the words of His Messenger, peace be upon him: "Let him perish who perishes, and let him live who lives, by clear evidence" [Al-Anfal: 42]. Every day, a person is either a seller of his soul, freeing it or enslaving it.
Let a person choose for himself: Does he want to be among those whom Allah the Almighty has said about: "So avoid them, for they are an abomination, and their abode is Hell as a recompense for what they used to earn" [At-Tawbah: 95]. An abomination, impure, despised, not raised from the earth! That is in their lives...
Let a person choose for himself: Does he want to be like people who reached such a level of Allah's hatred that He did not give them another chance to clean their black record, knowing that their souls were worse than that: "If Allah brings you back to a group of them and they ask your permission to go out, say: 'Never shall you go out with me, nor fight an enemy with me. You preferred to sit the first time, so sit you now with those who sit behind'" [At-Tawbah: 83].
Let a person choose for himself: Does he want to be among those who are humiliated when their souls are taken: "How will it be then, when the angels take their souls, striking their faces and their backs" [Muhammad: 27].
Let a person choose for himself: Does he want to be like those whom Allah the Almighty did not accept for His Prophet to pray for them or invoke for them at their deaths: "And never pray for any of them who dies, nor stand at his grave" [At-Tawbah: 84].
Let a person choose for himself: Does he want, at the time of distinction, to be among those whom Allah has said about: "That Allah may distinguish the wicked from the good, and place them one over another, some of them piled up together, then cast into Hell" [Al-Anfal: 37]. Thus! A pile of wicked souls... A mixture of hypocrites and disbelievers dealt with on the Day of Judgment like trash, thrown into the fire! [He indicated the inclusiveness of this verse for hypocrites, Book of Liberation and Enlightenment, Vol. 1, p. 1757].
Humiliation in this world, humiliation at the time of the wicked soul's departure, humiliation at the reckoning... Then after that, the longest humiliation in the lowest abode!
O my Muslim brother and my Muslim sister... Beware of the characteristics of hypocrites!
By Allah, one of them is fatal, so how if many of them are combined in one person!
So beware, O sensible one! Do you not wish for yourself to meet Allah while you are like people whom Allah has cut off any hope of forgiveness for: "Whether you ask forgiveness for them or not, if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them" [At-Tawbah: 80].
And do not let their wealth and numbers deceive you, for it is only an increase in their torment: "So let not their wealth or their children astonish you. Allah only intends to punish them thereby in the life of this world and that their souls may depart while they are disbelievers" [At-Tawbah: 55].
In their lives, their wealth only increases their grief and sorrow. If they spend in good causes, they spend reluctantly. If they are tested in their wealth or children, they turn sorrowful and distressed...
Then Allah the Almighty confirms it after detailing their characteristics again by saying: "And let not their wealth or their children astonish you. Allah only intends to punish them thereby in the worldly life and that their souls may depart while they are disbelievers" [At-Tawbah: 85].
And let each of us remember that the hypocrisy we have spoken of is not a phenomenon that has disappeared, but it is the most dangerous disease of the age... And the Companions, the best of people, who accompanied our Prophet, peace be upon him, and made sacrifices, feared for themselves from hypocrisy. We are not more entitled to safety than they are. Let the reader re-read the section: "Important Truths About Hypocrisy That Most People Ignore" at the beginning of the book to connect it with the characteristics of hypocrisy after understanding them, and see if he has any share in it.
And let each of us remember that Allah the Almighty did not create creation and send the messengers except to distinguish people. He said: "Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared from it; but man [undertook to bear it]. Indeed, he was unjust to himself and ignorant. [We offered it] that Allah may punish the hypocrites, males and females, and the polytheists, males and females, and Allah may turn in mercy to the believers, males and females. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful" [Al-Ahzab: 72-73].
Ibn Qutaybah said: That is, We offered the Trust so that the hypocrisy of the hypocrite and the polytheism of the polytheist may become manifest, so Allah may punish them, and the faith of the believer may become manifest, so Allah may turn in mercy to him... That is, return to him with mercy and forgiveness if he commits a shortcoming in some acts of obedience [^1].
And the door of repentance is open... He said after mentioning that the hypocrites are in the lowest abode of the Fire: "Except for those who repent and correct themselves and hold fast to Allah and are sincere in their religion to Allah, those are with the believers. And Allah will give the believers a great reward" [An-Nisa: 146].
So we ask Allah the Almighty to purify our hearts from hypocrisy and make our deeds sincere for His noble countenance, and to gather us with the company of the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous, and excellent are those as companions.
Finally, whoever reads this book and benefits from it in purifying his faith, may he pray for the author with goodness, and let him remember that the king says: "Amen, and for you likewise" [^2]. And whoever finds an error in the structure or meaning, let him not hesitate to advise us, for the believers are advisory and the hypocrites are deceitful.
I have finished writing the second edition in Jumada Al-Akhirah 1444 of the Hijrah of our beloved chosen Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
Hoping for the forgiveness of his Lord: Iyad Abdul-Hafeez Qanibi
[^1]: Tafsir Al-Baghawi. [^2]: For the hadith narrated by Imam Muslim (2732), that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Whoever invokes blessings for his brother in his absence, the angel appointed for this says: 'Amen, and for you likewise.'"