Class 3
SIGNS OF THE HYPOCRITES
Hypocrisy in Islam is a serious sickness and a great crime. It means making an outward display of Islam whilst inwardly concealing disbelief. Hypocrisy is more dangerous than disbelief and the punishment for it is more severe, because it is disbelief mixed with Islam and its harmful effects are greater. Hence Allah will put the hypocrites in the lowest level of Hell, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them.” (Al-Nisa 4:145)
The Prophet ﷺ warned the Muslims of the hypocrite very often. He ﷺ said "What I fear most for my Ummah is every eloquent-tongued hypocrite." (Musnad Ahmad)
This is why the Sahabah and their successors in every generation were ever wary of hypocrisy lest it grow in their hearts. And every Muslim must always be cautious and fearful of hypocrisy and he must keep away from everything that is liable to grow hypocrisy. Once it encroaches into the heart, it keeps spreading and growing and might even cause a dent in belief and faith leading him to the deepest pit of hell. Alternatively, it might involve him in major sins and he might not repent has a result of which he would go to hell, or, the reward for his deeds might be reduced because of his hypocrisy.
Today, the malady of hypocrisy has made in-roads among the Muslims. This class is meant to induce them to shun hypocritical deeds and to help them recognise the hypocrite. The sincere believer may then protect himself from hypocrisy.
Two types of Hypocrisy
There are two kinds of hypocrisy: That which concerns belief, and that which is put inpractice.
1. Hypocrisy in belief is Major hypocrisy, it is the hypocrisy of one who conceals disbelief whilst making an outward show of being a Muslim. It is to pretend outwardly to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day, whilst inwardly believing that which is contrary to that or part of it.
Signs of Major Hypocrisy
To associate partners with Allah
To despise Allah's Messenger and to conceal it but pretend to have faith and love for him
To prefer other than Allah for Judgement and to prefer the command for one other than the Prophet ﷺ.
And some of the most prominent of their characteristics are lying, treachery, deceit and resorting to foul speech when disputing.
2. Practical hypocrisy (Minor Hypocrisy) does not expel a person from Islam but makes him resemble a hypocrite. He has one of the signs of hypocrisy, like falsehood. Betrayal of trust breaking a promise, abusing and reviling, and so on. It is the consensus of the ulama that such a person does not come out of the folds of Islam but is definitely a great sinner and there always is the likelihood of his becoming a hypocrite in belief.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “There are four characteristics, whoever has them all is a pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of them has one of the characteristics of hypocrisy, until he gives it up: when he is entrusted with something he betrays that trust, when he speaks he lies, when he makes a covenant he breaks it, and when he disputes he resorts to obscene speech.” (Bukhaari & Muslim).
THE BEGINNINGS OF HYPOCRISY
History reveals that one of the following three things cause hypocrisy to grow.
Greed.
Jealousy
Trial.
SIGNS OF HYPOCRISY AND THEIR DEEDS
The Prophet ﷺ said about four things that one who possesses them is a hypocrite. These four things are not the signs of hypocrisy in belief and the perpetrator is not cast out of Islam, but they are signs of hypocrisy in practice and the perpetrator is a sinner and disobedient. However, one who continues to behave in this way will end up as a hypocrite in belief.
So in this class we will try and cover all the signs of minor hypocrisy.
Falsehood / Lying
To speak lies is sinful and hypocritical, Allah says: “And Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are surely liars”. (63:1)
The root cause of hypocrisy is false hood. Lying is the root of all evil. It leads to hell. It brings disgrace. It belies testimony and is the base of hypocrisy and disbelief. The person may offer the Salah regularly and fast without break and call himself a Muslim, but if he perpetrates the four things mentioned in the hadeeth earlier then he is a hypocrite in the true sense.
The Prophet ﷺ said, "You must be truthful, for truth guides to piety and piety leads to paradise. And if a man does not cease to speak the truth and is motivated by truth, he is recorded with Allah as the truthful. And avoid falsehood, for, falsehood leads to immodesty and immodesty leads to hell. And a person does not cease to speak lies and be motivated by it without being recorded with Allah as a liar." (Sahih Bukhari)
False oath to sell your products is a lie and a Major sin. False Witness is a lie and a Major sin.
2. To Abuse others
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "A believer is not one who taunts, nor one who reviles, nor one who is immoral, nor one who is shameless." (Tirmdhi & Ahmad).
We have read the Prophet's ﷺ saying that if anyone possesses four things then he is a hypocrite and one of these is that he abuses when he quarrels.
3. Retracting a Covenant
The Prophet ﷺ said,
“…he speaks he betrays when he promises or makes a covenant and if he is trusted, he proves treacherous”. (Bukhari)
"He who is not faithful to his trust, has no faith and he who is not true to his promise, has no religion."
This Hadith speaks of all kinds of promises a man makes including one to meet someone somewhere. However, if a person is unable to fulfil his promise in spite of his best effort then he is not liable to punishment.
4. To Betray the Trust
To be faithful to one's trust is an attribute of a Muslim. Even before he was commissioned, the Prophet ﷺ was known as Amin and Sadiq (trust worthy and truthful).
Allah says,
“O you who believe! Betray not Allah and the Messenger, nor betray your trusts, while you know”. (8:27)
“Surely Allah commands you that you restore the trusts to their owners”. (4:58)
A meeting or a consultation is a trust as long as permission is not granted to make the proceedings public. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Meetings are trusts except three kinds of meetings (that resolve) to shed blood, to commit indecency and to misappropriate someone's property." (Abu Dawood & Tirmidhi)
In fact it is fard to disclose the proceedings of meetings where evil things are decided to be done so that people do not suffer unnecessarily.
Also, it is not allowed to anyone to compel a member of the meeting to disclose its proceedings. The private life of a couple is also a trust.
5. To Deceive
No religion approves deception. Islam retains every good thing and abolishes everything that is bad. The Prophet ﷺ laid down a common principle when he ﷺ said, "He who deceives does not belong to us."(Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah & Ahmad)
6. Neglect of Salah
After reciting the Kalimah Shahadah, Safari is the base of Islam.
The Prophet ﷺ said,
"I have been commanded to fight against the people till they testify that there is no God but Allah and that I am Allah's Messenger, and they establish the Salah and pay the Zakah. When they do that, they have protected from me their blood and their properties, save that (they will give) the rights of Islam, and their reckoning will be in Allah's hands." (Sahih Bukhari)
"Between a man, and polytheism and disbelief is neglect of the Salah." (Sahih Muslim)
The hypocrites also offered the Salah, but they were lethargic and there were shortcomings in their Safah of certain people was hypocritical. The hypocrites were distinguished by these shortcomings in the Salah:
i) Being Lazy & Late-comers
The Prophet ﷺ said, "This is the Salah of the hypocrite: he sits awaiting the sun (to set) till when it is between the two horns of the devil (and turns yellow), he rises and offers it the four raka'at, not mentioning (Allah) there in but a little."(Sahih Muslim) The version in Abu Dawood says that he ﷺ repeated, "This Salah of the hypocrite," three times and said that thehypocrite sits till the sun turns yellow.
ii) Offering Salah too quickly
Allah says, “Then woe to (such) performers of Salah, who are heedless of their Salah, to those who make a display, and refuse (even) a small assistance (to others)”. (107:4-7)
They are worshippers yet they face destruction. Their Salah is just in name, shorn of little mention of Allah, lacks humbleness of heart, is offered out of time and there is no calmness. Or, they are irregular at offering it, or have ceased to offer it.
This is how the hypocrite offers the Salah about which we have seen the hadith: "This is the Salah of the hypocrite... he does not mention Allah therein but a little."
iii) To Regard Salah as a Burden
The Prophet ﷺ said, "The most burdensome Salah for the hypocrite is the Salah of Isha and of Fajr. If they knew what is given (in reward) for them then they would come to them even though they have to drag themselves. Indeed, I resolved to command for the Salah to begin and for a man to lead the others. Then I would go with some men carrying with them dry wood to the people who do not present themselves for the Salah, and I would burn down their homes over them with fire." (Sahih Muslim)
According to another Hadith, he ﷺ said: "were it not for the women and children in the homes, I would begin the Salah of lsha and command my young men to burn down with fire whatever is in the homes, (of the absentees from the Salah)”.
iv) Failing to pray Friday prayer three times without excuse
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever does not pray Jumu`ah three times in a row out of heedlessness concerning it, Allah will place a seal on his heart.” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and an-Nasa’I)
Al-Manawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Allah will place a seal on his heart” means: He will seal it, cover it and prevent His blessings from reaching it, and He will place in it ignorance, harshness and hardness, or cause his heart to become the heart of a hypocrite.(Fayd al-Qadir, 6/133).
7. Making Little Mention of Allah
Allah says,
“And when they stand up for prayer, they stand up lazily they do it to be seen by (other) people, and they remember not Allah but a little.” (4:142)
“They forgot Allah: then Allah also forgot them; indeed the hypocrites are the evil-doers” (9 : 67)
And, we have read above the saying of the Prophet ﷺ, "This is the Safah of the hypocrite., he makes not mention of Allah therein but a little." And Kaʿb said: “Whoever frequently remembers Allah is free from hypocrisy.”
8. Forgetting Allah
Allah says,
“They forgot Allah, so He has forgotten them. Surely the hypocrites are the transgressors”. (9:67)
“Satan has gained the mastery over them, so he has made them forget Allah's remembrance. Those are Satan's party. Behold, Surely Satan's party, they are the losers!” (58:19)
The hypocrite, like the infidel, concentrates on this world, his family, his art and skill. This is because his faith is the hereafter is not well-grounded.
9. Showing off in Worship
Showing off is a blame-worthy quality and it is a kind of minor shirk. It ruins the deed that is done pretentiously and instead of fetching reward it makes the door liable to punishment. It is another sign of the hypocrite.
Allah says: “...Showing off to the people, and do not remember Allah but a little.” (4:142)
And the Prophet ﷺ said: “The thing I fear most for you is the lesser shirk (polytheism), showing-off (of good deeds.” (Ahmad)
We must do everything we can to shun showing-off. The moment a person wishes to be known to people, he begins to do deeds for them to see though he may be basically evil. If he would show humbleness for Allah's sake, Allah will raise him. The Prophet ﷺ said, "No one is humble without Allah raising him." (Sahih Muslim)
10. Ridiculing, Taunting & Making Jokes of Someone
The hypocrites always try to hurt a Muslim's honour. They criticise and back bite the Muslims though a proper Muslim is one from whose hand and tongue other people are safe. How can one who damages a Muslim's honour be a Muslim? He is a hypocrite, Only a hypocrite will do such a thing!
Allah says: “And when they meet those who believe, they say, "we believe," and when they are alone with their Satans they say, "Surely we are with you, we were only mocking (them)." Allah mocks (back) at them, and he respites them in their insolence, (leaving) them blindly wandering.” (2:14-15)
11. To Promote Evil
It is one of the obligatory religious duties to enjoin piety and forbid evil. The Prophet said,
"By Him who has my soul in His hand you will enjoin the good and forbid the evil or it is close by that Allah send on you a punishment form Him after which you will pray to Him but He will not respond to you." (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah &Ahmad)
"He among you who sees evil (being done) must prevent it with his hand. But, if he is unable to do that, then he must (prevent it) with his tongue. But, if he is not able to do that, then he must (regard it as evil) in his heart, and that is the weakest form of faith." (Sahih Muslim)
And the opposite of that is what a hypocrite does, Allah says, “The hypocrite men and the hypocrite women are as one from another. They enjoin the wrong, and they forbid the right, and they withhold their hands (from expending in the way of Allah). They forgot Allah, so he has forgotten them. Surely the hypocrites are the transgressors”. (9:67)
Preventing piety may take various forms. One who offers the Salah may be mocked, a servant may not be permitted to pray, not keeping fast and ridiculing those who do, and discouraging other people to build a Masjid or a Madrasah.
Enjoying evil also takes different forms. One may invite others to watch the movies or the television, to tease women, to encourage the customs of evil people, to advocate an evil social life, to discourage the veil, to say the veil is of the heart or the eyes, to sell intoxicants to circulate immoral magazines, to spread immodesty through the print media, etc.
12. Immorality / Immodesty /Shamelessness
Allah says:
“Surely those who love that indecency should be spread concerning those who believe, for them shall be a painful chastisement in this world and the hereafter. And Allah knows while you know not”. (24.19)
“And of mankind is he who buys frivolous discourse to lead astray (others) from Allah's way without knowledge, and to take it in mockery. Those for them is a humiliating chastisement.” (31:6). Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud R.A. said about the words ‘frivolous discourse’, "By Allah, they refer to singing."
Modesty and decency are the blessings that keep a person away from evil. When they lack in him, he is willing to do every wrong. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Surely, from the words of the early prophethood that which has reached the people is: when you do not feel ashamed, do whatever you like." (Sahih Bukhari).
The believers possess modesty; The hypocrite, on the other hand, likes indecency and shamelessness. He lacks the sense of modesty. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "Al-Haya' (modesty) and Al-'Iy (not being talkative) are two branches of faith, and Al-Badha' (vulgarity and obscene talk) and Al-Bayan (chattering) are two branches of hypocrisy" (Tirmidhi).
These things are very common today and almost every home has the means to these evil things. Our weddings are gatherings of unveiled women who move about among men unconcerned and their movies are made without compunction. This is hypocritical and shameless.
Ibn Mas'ud "Love of songs grows hypocrisy in the heart in the same way as herbage grows in water."
13. To commit sin when alone
The Quran is replete with Allah's words that a believer fears Allah. He fears Him whether he is in company or alone. He is convinced that Allah sees him and he will have to account for all his deed, minor or major, when he is before Allah on the day of resurrection.
The hypocrite does good deeds only to be seen by other people, when he is alone, he is fearless and commits sin because he lacks the conviction of the hereafter.
Allah says about hypocrites: “They seek to conceal from people, but they cannot conceal from Allah….” (4:i108)
The Prophet ﷺ said: “I certainly know people of my nation who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains of Tihamah, but Allah will make them like scattered dust.” Thawban R.A. asked: “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us and tell us more, so that we will not become of them unknowingly.” He ﷺ said: “They are your brothers and from your race, worshipping at night as you do, but they will be people who, when they are alone, transgress the sacred limits of Allah.” (Ibn Majah)
This is a sign of the hypocrites who are seen to worship much, but, in private, they commit much sin. A hypocrite is not pleased with piety and is not afraid of punishment against sins.
Umar Ibn Khattab R.A. addressed the people. and said: "the sign of the hypocrite is that evil does not hurt him and piety does not please him. If he does a good deed, he does not hope to receive from Allah a reward for that good deed. And if he does a bad deed, he does not fear a punishment from Allah for that bad deed."
Bilal Ibn Sa'd R.A. said: "Do not become a friend of Allah in public, but His enemy in private."
14.Not drinking Zamzam to your fill
The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘The sign (that differentiates) between us and the hypocrites is that they do not drink their fill from Zamzam.” (Ibn Majah)
In the hadeeth Ibn Abbas R.A. described the right way of drinking Zamzam. “When you drink from it, turn to face the Qiblah and mention the name of Allah, drink three draughts and drink your fill of it. When you have finished, then praise Allah.’
15. Spreading rumors to scare, deviate or manipulate
Allah says, “If the hypocrites, and those with sickness in their hearts, and rumour-mongers in Medina do not desist, We will certainly incite you ˹O Prophet˺ against them, and then they will not be your neighbours there any longer..” (33:60)
16. To wish harm for others who are Muslims
A Muslim is a well-wisher of his fellow Muslim. He neither deserts him nor hurts him. To curse anyone or wish for his suffering is also to hurt him. The Prophet ﷺ said (in part of a long hadeeth) “…And be O slaves of Allah, brothers mutually. A Muslim is a Muslim's brother. He does not hurt him nor desert him nor belittle him..”. (Muslim)
17. Arrogance
Allah does not like that anyone should be arrogant. The Prophet ﷺ said:
"He will not enter hell who has in his heart as much faith as a grain of mustard-seed. And he will not enter paradise who has in his heart as much pride as a grain of mustard-seed." (Sahih Muslim)
“Allah says, "Majesty is My lower garment and pride is my cloak. He who tries to pull either one of them indeed, I will punish him." (Sahih Muslim)
The hypocrite is arrogant Allah says: “And when it is said to them, "Come, Allah's Messenger will ask forgiveness for you," they twist their heads and you see them turning away their faces, while they show arrogance.” (63:5)
18. Despising Muslims & Taking infidels as friends
Muslims are brothers one of the other. They are like a body, and they love each other, and they live according to the Islamic culture. Allah says, “Give tidings to the hypocrites that for them is a painful punishment those who take disbelievers for their friends instead of believers do they seek honour through them? Surely, honour is Allah's altogether.” (4.137-138)
19. To Help others disbelief
If anyone aids in promoting disbelief then his conduct is both hypocrisy and disbelief.
20. Bear Malice for the Sahaba
Prophet ﷺ said, "None loves the Ansar but a believer, and none hates them but a hypocrite. So Allah will love him who loves them, and He will hate him who hates them." (Sahih Muslim)
It applies to all the companions.
21. To Spy on other people
A Muslim is disallowed to spy on another Muslim. Spying, on others is a Major sin.
Allah says: “O you who believe! Avoid much of suspicion, for surely some suspicion is a sin. And spy not, nor backbite one another. Would any one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? So you would abhor that! And fear Allah. Surely, Allah is Relenting, Merciful.” (4912)
The hypocrite seeks out a Muslim's faults and he spies on him. This evil of spying on other Muslims is very common. People must realise that it is the work of the hypocrites. Allah has forbidden us to do it and we must avoid it lest we go on perpetrating a major sin without realizing that our good deeds are wiped out because of it.
22. To care about our outer selves and ignore the inner.
A Muslim is careful to set right both the apparent as well as the hidden aspects of his being. While a Muslim perform, righteous deeds and grows fear of Allah in His heart, the hypocrite is content with the apparent and gives no thought to his hidden side. Allah says: ”And when you see them, their figures please you and if they speak, you listen to their speech, (yet) they are like propped-up beams of timber. They think every shout (they hear) to be against them. They are the enemy, So beware of them. May Allah destroy them! How are they perverted!” (63:4). Zayd Ibn Arqam said about this verse that the hypocrites were men of apparent beauty!
23. To prefer laws other than the Shari’ah
Islam has prescribed certain punishments to keep the society in a peaceful working order and everyone may get his basic rights easily and justice may prevail. Allah has made the laws clear in the Qur'an. The hypocrite ignores the Shari'ah laws and obeys the laws of the taghut (or false good). Allah says about them: “Have you not considered those who assert that they believe in what has been revealed to you, and what was revealed before you? (yet) they desire to seek the judgement (of their disputes) from taghut, whereas they indeed have been commanded to disbelieve in them. But Satan desires to lead them astray into far error. And when it is said to them, "Come now to that which Allah has revealed, and to the Messenger," you then see the hypocrites turn away from you with aversion.” (4:60-61)
However, if the hypocrites are confident of getting a favourable Judgement from the Shari'ah court then they profess unflinching obedience. The people who turn away from the Shari'ah courts and Islamic laws in favour of the laws that suit them must ask themselves where they belong to the Muslims or the hypocrites?
24. To run away from battle and to make excuses to strive in the way of Allah & to stop others.
Check Yourself for Signs of Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy (nifāq) is a dangerous disease of the heart. The Prophet ﷺ feared it for his Ummah more than anything else. It begins subtly—through lying, breaking promises, neglecting Salah, showing off, or sinning in secret—and if left unchecked, it can destroy our faith.
Allah warns that the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of Hell. The Prophet ﷺ described many signs of hypocrisy—some in belief (which expel a person from Islam) and others in practice (which are major sins and resemble the ways of hypocrites).
Now is the time to reflect, Ask yourself sincerely:
Do I lie, betray trusts, or break promises?
Is my worship done to please Allah or to be seen?
Do I delay or rush my prayers?
Do I remember Allah often, or only when others are watching?
What do I do when I’m alone?
If you recognize any of these signs in yourself, don’t ignore them. Turn to Allah in repentance, seek forgiveness, and make sincere efforts to change.
O Allah! Purify our hearts from hypocrisy, cleanse our tongues from lies, and make our deeds sincere for Your sake alone. Ameen.
TIPS FOR THE TEST
Do not have to memorise the ayahs or hadeeths word for word and their references, but remember their meanings and the msg being given.
Remember the signs of but more importantly try to get it out of your life (if you find any in yoursef).
ASSIGNMENT
There will be an Assignment Question asked in the Test. Marks will be given based on the following: -
I. Invite atleast 10 people to the course (can invite via WhatsApp, Facebook, Email, telegram or word of mouth) 4 Marks. (check the note below for exceptions)
Note:
Those who have already invited whether on Whatsapp, Email or FB, do not need to invite again.
It does not matter, whether people join or not, our job is to invite.
II. Reflect on yourself and make changes in your actions/attitude to get closer to the Sunnah. Repent to any of the mistakes that you have done and make intention of not repeating it for the sake of Allah. 10 Marks.
III. Talk to 5 people (friends or family) about any three topics from the course - (5 Marks)
IV. Pray for the Ummah, pray for the ease of all the poor & oppressed Muslims and Maghfirah of the Muslims who passed away. Pray that Allah make us all strong in imaan and give us the hidayah to work for the aakhirah and to help each other. - 1 Mark
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