Hypocrisy: A Brief Description

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Hypocrisy, like Kufr and Shirk, has different levels and grades, which may take a person out of Islaam and which may not.

 

Hypocrisy is of two types: Major and Minor.

 

Major Kufr (which expels a person from Islaam) are of 5 types

 بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

1) Kufr al-Takdheeb: This implies disbelieving the Divine Truth or denying of anyone of the six articles of Faith.

Allaah says:

فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَبَ عَلَى اللَّـهِ وَكَذَّبَ بِالصِّدْقِ إِذْ جَاءَهُ ۚ أَلَيْسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِّلْكَافِرِينَ

{Then, who does more wrong than one who utters a lie against Allaah, and denies the truth [this Qur’aan, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, Tawheed, the Resurrection and the reward or punishment according to good or evil deeds] when it comes to him! Is there not in Hell an abode for the disbelievers?} [Surah al-Zumar (39): 32]

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2) Kufr al-Ibaa’ wat-Takabbur ma`at-Tasdeeq: This implies rejection and pride to submit to Allaah’s Commandments after conviction of their truth.

Allaah says:

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ

{And (remember) when We (Allaah) said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves before Aadam.” And they prostrated except Iblees (Satan), he refused (Abaa) and was proud (was-Takbara) and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allaah)} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 34]

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3) Kufr ash-Shak wal-Dhan: This implies doubting or lacking of conviction in the six articles of Faith.

Allaah says:

وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَـٰذِهِ أَبَدًا * وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًا * قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا * لَّـٰكِنَّا هُوَ اللَّـهُ رَبِّي وَلَا أُشْرِكُ بِرَبِّي أَحَدًا

{And he went into his garden while in a state (of pride and disbelief) unjust to himself. He said: "I think not that this will ever perish. * “And I think not the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord, (on the Day of Resurrection), I surely shall find better than this when I return to Him.” * His companion said to him, during the talk with him: “Do you DISBELIEVE in Him Who created you out of dust (i.e. your father Aadam), then out of Nutfah (mixed semen drops of male and female discharge), then fashioned you into a man? * “But as for my part (I believe) that He is Allaah, my Lord and none shall I associate as partner with my Lord.} [Surah al-Kahf (18): 35-38]

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4) Kufr al-I`raadh: This implies turning away from the truth knowingly or deviating from the obvious signs which Allaah has revealed.

Allaah says:

مَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا عَمَّا أُنذِرُوا مُعْرِضُونَ

{We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with truth, and for an appointed term. But those who disbelieve turn away from that whereof they are warned.} [Surah al-Ahqaaf (46): 3]

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5) Kufr al-Nifaaq: This implies hypocritical disbelief.

Allaah says:

إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّـهِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّـهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ * اتَّخَذُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ جُنَّةً فَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ سَاءَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ * ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا فَطُبِعَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ

{When the hypocrites come to you (O Muhammad), they say: “We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allaah.” Allaah knows that you are indeed His Messenger and Allaah bears witness that the hypocrites are liars indeed. They have made their oaths a screen (for their hypocrisy). Thus they hinder (men) from the Path of Allaah. Verily, evil is what they used to do. That is because they believed, then disbelieved, therefore their hearts are sealed, so they understand not.} [Surah al-Munaafiqoon (63): 1-3]

[Taken from the appendix of Summarized Saheeh al-Bukhaaree translated by Taqee-uddeen al-Hilaalee and Mohammad Mohsin Khan, Darussalam Publication]

Kaafir: Their ruling in this World and in the Hereafter

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

A Person is either a Mu’min (Believer) or a Kaafir (the one having no Imaan), and there is no in between as Allaah تعالى says:

﴿هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنكُمْ كَافِرٌ وَمِنكُم مُّؤْمِنٌ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ﴾

{He it is Who created you, then some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers. And Allaah is All-Seer of what you do.} [Surah al-Taghaabun (64):2]

Any person who does not accept Islaam as his religion, or opposes, it is a Kaafir - irrespective of if he is a Christian, Jew, Buddhist, or a Magian.

Some Ahaadeeth on avoiding obscene words and foul language

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

HADEETH #1

It is something which Allaah تعالى does not like:

In Saheeh Ibn Khuzaimah it is reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to `Aaishah رضي الله عنها:

❝Allaah does not like obscene words or committing of obscenity.❞

[Saheeh Muslim (5387), Saheeh Ibn Khuzaimah (574), and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (691). Also in al-Adab al-Mufrad (487) from the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah]

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HADEETH #2

It is something which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم never said/did:

And in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree it is reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to `Aaishah رضي الله عنها:

❝Have you ever seen me speaking bad or dirty language?❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (6032)]

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HADEETH #3

It is something which a true Believer avoids:

In Musnad of Imaam Ahmad it is reported from Ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

❝A true believer does not taunt or curse or abuse or talk vulgarly.❞

[Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (3839) and Sunan al-Tirmidhee (1977), Adab al-Mufrad (312, 332) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (320) and also graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh Muqbil in Saheeh al-Musnad (836, 853)]

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HADEETH #4

It is sign of hypocrisy:

In Saheehain it is reported from `Abdullaah bin `Amr رضي الله عنهما that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

❝Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up.

1) Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays.

2) Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.

3) Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous.

4) Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner.❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (34, 3178) and Saheeh Muslim (111)]

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HADEETH #5

Some of the categories of the inhabitants of Hell:

On the authority of `Iyaadh bin Himaar رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

❝The inmates of Hell are five:

1) The weak who lack power to (avoid evil). The (carefree) who pursue (everything irrespective of the fact that it is good or evil) and who do not have any care for their family or for their wealth.

2) And those dishonest, whose greed cannot be concealed even in the case of minor things.

3) Those who betray you morning and evening, in regard to your family and your property.

4) The miser and the liar.

5) And those who are in the habit of abusing people and using obscene and foul language.❞

[Saheeh Muslim (6853)]

The importance of Dhikr of Allaah in warding off al-Nifaaq (hypocrisy):

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

Doing a lot of remembrance of Allaah عز وجل is a protection from hypocrisy. The hypocrites do not remember Allaah تعالى except very little. Allaah تعالى mentions about the hypocrites:

﴿وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّـهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا﴾

{…and they do not remember Allaah but little} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 142]

Ka`b (Ibn Maalik) رضي الله عنه said: “Whoever remembers Allaah عز وجل a lot, will be freed from hypocrisy.”

No wonder – and Allaah knows best – Allaah تعالى ended Surah al-Munaafiqoon, saying:

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ﴾

{O you who Believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allaah. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers.} [Surah al-Munaafiqoon (63):9]

In this there is a warning (for the Believers) from the Fitnah of the hypocrites, those who became negligent in the remembrance of Allaah عز وجل and fell into hypocrisy.

[الوابل الصيب من الكلم الطيب (1/80)]

Shaikh Ibn Baaz: Beware of hypocrites and hypocrisy

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Shaikh Ibn Baaz رحمه الله said:

* The hypocrites are the enemies of Allaah تعالى and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, for they are more evil than the Kuffaar. Allaah تعالى said:

{إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الْأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ}

{Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 145]

Tafseer: {Why should Allaah punish you if you are grateful and have believed in Him?}

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

A tafseer by Ibn Katheer, al-Qurtobee, al-Baghawee and al-Sa`dee رحمهم الله جميعا on the saying of Allaah تعالى:

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَتَّخِذُوا الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا مُبِينًا (144) إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيرًا (145) إِلا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِاللَّهِ وَأَخْلَصُوا دِينَهُمْ لِلَّهِ فَأُولَئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا (146) مَا يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ وَآمَنْتُمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ شَاكِرًا عَلِيمًا (147)}

{O you who believe! Do not take disbelievers as friends instead of believers. Do you wish to offer Allaah a manifest Sultan against yourselves? Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them. Except those who repent, do righteous good deeds, depend on Allaah, and purify their religion for Allaah, then they will be with the believers. And Allaah will grant the believers a great reward. Why should Allaah punish you if you have thanked (Him) and have believed in Him? And Allaah is Ever All-Appreciative (of good), All-Knowing.} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 144-147]