Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet said: “Whosoever possesses these four characteristics, is a sheer hypocrite; and anyone who possesses one of them, possesses a characteristic of hypocrisy till he gives it up. (These are) When he talks, he tells a lie; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; when he makes a covenant, he acts treacherously; and when he argues, he behaves in a very imprudent, insulting manner.” Oh servants of Allah! We can observe at the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah, Allah had divided people into three categories. He mentioned believers and disbelievers five times, and then hypocrites 15 times just to show their great danger on Islam and Muslims.
In fact, hypocrisy does not appear unless the influence of Islam becomes so powerful. So hypocrisy came out after the battle of Badr. In the past, hypocrites were so weak and lacked all pride; once they planned to do anything, Muslims would stop them at once. But nowadays, hypocrisy is so strong, it has its state and its soldiers that protect and speak for it politically, economically, culturally and as well as through media.
There is no doubt that hypocrisy is more dangerous than disbelief (Kufr), because disbelief is obvious to everyone and can be easily avoided and destroyed. On the contrary, hypocrisy is disguised; it violates the privacy of Muslims, by putting their weaknesses on display. As a result, Allah will punish those hypocrites by throwing them in the lowest depths of the Fire.
Hypocrisy (Nifaq) is divided into two types; the major hypocrisy- hypocrisy in belief, and the minor-hypocrisy in deeds.
The first type, hypocrisy in belief, is to conceal the lack of faith and declare faith. This was prevalent during the Prophet’s time. Nowadays, we notice it in secularists’ speech through writers and public speakers; those who call for westernization and so-called liberation of women. Such people Allah mentioned them saying: “And if We willed, We could show them to you, and you would know them by their mark; but you will surely know them by the tone of [their] speech.” As a result, they hate Hijab and urge mixing amongst men and women, they fight against enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, and dislike Allah’s commands. Moreover, Allah mentioned them saying: “But those who disbelieve – for them is misery, and He will waste their deeds.” Al-Imam Al-Zahabi said: all types of hypocrisy come out of lies, betrayal, injustice, deception, adulation, seeking leadership and love the disbelievers and the sinful. Whoever commits all of these and hates the Prophet or his teachings, fasts without intention or praises the religion of Jews or Christians, he is a total hypocrite and will be in the lowest depths of the Fire.
The second type- hypocrisy in deeds is defined by five elements; first: telling lies while people believe you. Second: breaking a promise, which is of two types: (a) to make a promise without the intention of keeping it (to tell a lie and break the promise) and (b) to promise with the intention of keeping it, but then changing your mind without any reason. Third: when he quarrels, he acts in an imprudent and insulting manner, intentionally making the right into wrong.
The Prophet said: “Whoever disputes over what is false and knows that, he will be under Allah’s anger until he leaves the falsehood”. Fourth: when he makes a covenant, he acts treacherously; treachery is always unlawful even if a covenant is made with a disbeliever. As a result, covenants among Muslims, have more rights to be fulfilled because treachery will be a great danger to the Muslims. Fifth: to betray the trust, because you have to render the trust as Allah said: “Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due”, the Prophet also said: “render trusts to whoever render you the trust and never betray who betrayed you”. I say these words and ask Allah for His forgiveness, praise be to Allah and peace be upon His Prophet.
Hypocrites have many characteristics which are were mentioned in the Qur’an and we need to be aware of them. Scholars have gathered these characteristics in more than 60 points; for example: to corrupt on the Earth as Allah said: “And when it is said to them, “Do not cause corruption on the Earth,” they say, “We are but reformers. Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.” Hence, everyone who spreads corruption, terrifies people, kills civilians, and spreads adultery, usury, or throws a musical party, fights teaching Qur’an and Da’wa centers; he is an absolute hypocrite.
Moreover, Allah said: “Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing [themselves to] the people and not remembering Allah except a little,” So, the hypocrite thinks he deceives Allah and the believers, he shows belief and conceals disbelief, he hates religion and righteous people, mentions Allah little, always speaks of trivial issues or insults people. The Prophet said: “A true believer is not involved in taunting or frequently cursing (others) or in indecency or abuse.” No doubt the hypocrites seeks the pleasure and praise of the people, so he shows off his deeds. The Prophet said: “The thing that I fear most for you is minor Shirk.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is minor Shirk?” He said: “Showing off; for Allah will say on the Day when people are recompensed for their actions: ‘Go to those for whom you were showing off with your deeds in the world, and see what reward you find with them.’ ”
One of the most common characteristics of the hypocrite is to perform congregational prayer lazily. Ibn Mas’oud narrated in Sahih Muslim: “He who purifies himself in a perfect way, then goes to a mosque of these mosques, Allah will reward him, elevate his rank and wipe out a sin by every single step he makes”. I have seen the time when no one stayed behind except a well-known hypocrite. I also saw that a man was brought swaying (on account of weakness) between two men till he was set up in a row (in the mosque).
Oh servants of Allah! Regrettably, these attributes are very common among Muslims, however, a few of them indeed are afraid of being a hypocrite, the exact opposite of Al-Hassan Al-Basry’s saying about hypocrisy; “No one but a true believer is afraid of hypocrisy, and the one who feels secure in it is a true hypocrite”. Allah said: “Say, [O Muhammad], ‘Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work.’ ”
In Sahih Al-Bukhary, the follower Ibn Abu- Mulaykah said: “I saw 30 companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) all of them were afraid to be hypocrites even Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) went to Huzayfah (the secret keeper of the Prophet) asking him: ‘Am I one of those hypocrites that the Prophet had mentioned?’ Oh Allah! This was Umar the companion of the Prophet, so, what about us!”
Shaqiq (May Allah have mercy upon him) said: “The believer is just like a man who plants a palm tree but he is afraid that it will sprout thorns. And the hypocrite is just like someone who plants a thorn and waits for dates, how impossible.
Consequently, we have to fear Allah, purify our souls, hearts, and tongues from lies, betrayal, and treachery and breaking promises, perform the five prayers in the Masjid as Allah orders us and urge your family to pray. We must be terrified of being hypocrites, may Allah purify our hearts and deeds from hypocrisy and our tongues from lies and our eyes from betrayal.