Warning Against Hypocrisy

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Warning Against Hypocrisy (1/6)

Abdulazeez ibn Adaakhil Almutairi



Hypocrisy is the contradiction of external to the internal and it is of two types:
Major hypocrisy, which withdraws from Islam. And the…
Minor hypocrisy, which does not withdraw from the Religion.
As for the Major hypocrisy, it means the manifestation of Islam and the concealment of infidelity.
Whereas the Minor hypocrisy means to have some hypocritical characters in a servant, which do not withdraw from Religion on its own, such as lying, breach of promise, and betrayal of trust, immorality in violence, and treachery of covenant. These characters have been called hypocrisy because of what it carries of deception and inconsistency between the external and the internal of a person.
The companions of major hypocrisy which withdraw from Religion are of two categories:
The first category: He who does not actually embraced Islam rather; he pretends to be a Muslim deceptively and tries to plot against Islam and its followers, in order to secure himself from being killed, or rebuked by Muslims, while he is internally a disbeliever in Allah and the last day.
Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allah and the Last Day," but they are not believers.
They [think to] deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not.” [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 8-9]
And [Allah] (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "When the hypocrites come to you, [O Muhammad], they say, "We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah." And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars. They have taken their oaths as a cover, so they averted [people] from the way of Allah. Indeed, it was evil that they were doing.” [Surah Al-Munafiqun, 63: 1-2]
The second category: He who apostates after his submission to Islam by committing what violates Islam and withdraws from Religion although he pretends to be Muslim, and among them are those who may be detected with their infidelity and withdrawal from Religion, and among them are those who think they are doing well.
And there is too much of hesitation, waver and doubt in the companions of this category, they carry out some acts of Muslims and they fall into some acts of infidelity and denial.
Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "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.” (142) “Wavering between them, [belonging] neither to these [i.e, the believers] nor to those [i.e, the disbelievers]. And whoever Allah sends astray- never will you find for him a way.” (143). [Surah An-Nisa’, 4: 142-143]
And [Allah] (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger (Muhammad sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam); and that they came not to As-Salat (the prayer) except in a lazy state; and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly." [Surah At-Tawbah, 9: 54]
Thus, their falling into acts of disbelief in Allah and His Messenger prevents their deeds from being accepted, because Allah (the Exalted) does not accept any deed from an unbeliever.
Furthermore, their laziness in going to prayer and hatred for giving out charity for the sake of Allah is an indication of their disbelief in the promise of Allah and that they are not looking forward to meeting Him.
The reason behind their shortage in remembering Allah is that they remember Allah with their tongues hypocritically and for the sake of riyaa [show off] while their hearts do not love the Religion of Allah (the Exalted).
With that, they are offenders although they are not [exactly] as pagans outwardly and inwardly, and not believers outwardly and inwardly.
Bin Kathir said: And among them is one, who is attacked by doubt, thus at times he inclined to these and at times to those like Allah said: "Whenever it lights [the way] for them, they walk therein, and when it darkens upon them they stand [still].” [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 20]
Abdullah the son of Umar said: "I heard the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) as saying:
Meaning: "The similitude of a hypocrite is that of a sheep which roams aimlessly between two flocks. She goes to one at one time and to the other at another time.” [Reported by Muslim]
And in another narration as in Musnad of Imam Ahmad: "She goes to one at one time and to the other at another time. She does not know which one to follow, this or that.”
Allah (the Exalted) has explained in His Holy book and the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has explained in his authentic tradition the works of hypocrites, their characters, signs, punishments in the world and in the hereafter and the rulings concerning relationship with them and the necessity for a believer to be cautious of hypocrisy and hypocrites, because they are bitter enemies and the worst of them in danger. For Allah (the Exalted) has said concerning them:
Meaning: "They are the enemies, so be cautious of them.” [Surah Al-Munafiqun, 63: 4]
Therefore, it is obligatory for a believer to be cautious of their deception and artifice, and he should beware of being deceived by what they decorates of the acts of infidelity, immorality and disobedience, and he should be cautious of imitating them in their behaviors, and appearing in their appearance.
(Continued)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Warning Against Hypocrisy (2/6)

Abdulazeez ibn Adaakhil Almutairi



The hypocrites in these two categories differ in degree of hypocrisy, some of them are worse in their hypocrisy and infidelity than others. Thus, among them are those who are mutinous in hypocrisy and they are the worst in deception and in their enmity to Islam and Muslims. They await the misfortune of Muslims; strive towards creating trials among them, weakening them and broadening the affairs of pagans and their capability. That is why they spread rumors, fibs and disquieting news, exciting suspicions, decorating eroticism, spreading fornications, harming the Muslims in their bodies and their honors, in different foxy and contemptible ways, and constricting them in their worldly and religious affairs to the best of their ability. They drive [people] away from jihad for the sake of Allah and from commanding good deeds and prohibiting bad deeds, and they claim reformation in what they undergo of corruption and vitiation, while they describe the believers with foolishness, ignorance and unawareness.

And they drive (people) away from referring legislation to the Islamic law; they wish to offer legislation to taghut and they hate those who struggle in the cause of Allah, those who assist Islam and Muslim. The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:
Meaning: "Love for the Ansar (helpers) is a sign of faith and hatred for the Ansar (helpers) is a sign of hypocrisy." [Reported by Bukhari and Muslim form the narration of Anas the son of Malik (may Allah be pleased with him)].
This is because the Ansar had helped the religion. So, the hatred of whoever hates them is a sign of hypocrisy.
A general characteristic of the works of hypocrites is that, they enjoin what is wrong and forbid what is right and close their hands (i.e., they are stingy).
And among the signs of these people is that, when an adversity or tribulation befalls a Muslim, they are pleased and happy about it. But when they [are blessed with] good, victory and superiority, it grieves them.
That is why their major and the most attached character happen to be taking disbelievers as allies instead of believers, and they disclose the secrets of Muslims to them, they instigate them [disbelievers] to lunch war against them [believers] and to have domination over them, and they seek their assistance on that. Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "Give tidings to the hypocrites that there is for them a painful punishment (138).
Those who take disbelievers as allies instead of believers Do they seek with them honor [through power]? But indeed, honor belongs to Allah entirely (139).
And it has already been revealed to you in the book [i.e, the Qur'an] that when you hear the verses of Allah [recited], they are denied [by them] and ridiculed; so do not sit with them until they enter into another conversation. Indeed, you would then be like them. Indeed Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell all together (140).
Those who wait [and watch] you. Then if you gain a victory from Allah, they say, "Were we not with you?" But if the disbelievers have a success, they say [to them], "Did we not gain the advantage over you, but we protected you from the believers? Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection, and never will Allah give the disbelievers over the believers a way [to overcome them]." (141). [Surah An-Nisa’, 4: 138- 141]
The afore mentioned deeds are of a category of hypocrites. Among them are those who fall into more than that and among them are those who fall into some of it, and whoever manifests Islam and commits that which withdraws from Islam, is then a hypocrite, [and a] pagan.
And among the hypocrites is one who wavers between Islam and paganism. Sometimes he does the deeds of Muslims externally and internally, and sometimes he does that which takes him out of Islam. Hence, he is indecisive. He did not purify his religion to Allah neither is his foot firmly established in Islam and he did not believe in the promise of Allah.
These are the people whose nature are exposed by tribulation, and disclose their nakedness and hypocrisy. They will be punished by a seal on their hearts, and with doubts, suspicion, and hesitation in their characters and actions. That is because, they know the truth and they refused to follow it, and Allah has admonished them but they did not accept His admonition and they did not follow His guidance. They do not have certainty in the truthfulness of the promise of Allah and His Messenger, and feign blindness, preference of this world to the hereafter and following self-desires have dominated their hearts from the guidance of Allah.
Allah (the Exalted) said:
"That is because they believed, and then disbelieved; so their hearts were sealed over, and they do not understand." [Surah Al-Munafiqun, 63: 3]
And (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "Indeed, those who believed and then disbelieved, then believed and then disbelieved, and then increase in disbelief – never will Allah forgive them, and nor will He guide them to a way (137).
Give tidings to the hypocrites that there is for them a painful punishment." (138). [Surah An-Nisa’, 4: 137-138]
And the companions of this category among the hypocrites fall in to some acts of paganism, which withdraw from Religion, such as loyalty to pagans in times of trails and hardship, mockery of Religion, abusing Allah and His Messenger, disinclination from legislating the Laws [of Allah] and willingness to refer legislation to taghut, disbelieving in the promise of Allah and His Messenger, and similar things among actions, utterances and creeds, that withdraw its companion from the Religion of Islam.
A servant may become a disbeliever because of a word he utters as Allah (the Exalted) said regarding the hypocrites:
Meaning: "They swear by Allah that they did not say [anything against the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam)] while they had said the word of disbelief and disbelieved after their submission." [Surah At-Tawbah, 9: 74]
So, these [people] have disbelieved by the word they uttered after they had become Muslims.
Huzaifah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "A person may utter a word in the period of the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and become a hypocrite, and indeed I hear it from one of you in one position four times. Verily, you must order good and forbid bad, and you must exhort in good things, otherwise Allah will exterminate you all with punishment, or he appoint over you the evil ones among you, then the pious ones among you will supplicate [to Allah] but you will not be answered.” [Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Abi Shaibah]
Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:
Meaning: "A slave (of Allah) may utter a word which pleases Allah without giving it much importance, and because of that Allah will raise him to degrees (of reward) and a slave (of Allah) may utter a word (carelessly) which displeases Allah without thinking of its gravity and because of that he will be thrown into the Hell-Fire." [Reported by Al- Bukhari]
Alqamah bin Waqqas Allithy narrated from Bilal bin Al-Hrith Al- Muzani (may Allah be pleased with Him) that verily the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) had said:
Meaning: "Indeed, a person may utter a word which pleases Allah without expecting it to reach the extent it reaches, but because of it Allah will write for him His pleasure to the Day he will meet Him, and verily, a person may utter a word which displeases Allah without expecting it to reach the extent it reaches, but because of it Allah will write for him His anger to the Day he will meet Him.” [Reported by Malik in [his book] Al-Muwatta, and Ahmad in [his book] Musnad and he adds [on the narration of Malik] that Alqama normally says: How many words has the hadith of Bilal the son of Alharith stopped me from uttering?]
Albaihaqi narrated on the authority of Muhammad bin Amr bin Alkamata bin Waqqas that he said: there was a jobless man who visits the emirs and makes them laugh, so my grandfather said to him: Woe to you O so-and-so, why do you visit these people and make them laugh? For I have heard Bilal the son of Alharith the Muzanian - companion of the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) – he then mentioned the hadith.
Thus, the danger of the tongue is great and the matter of speech is magnificent. He who considers his speech as part of his deeds will be cautious of his speech, and the sign of piety will be shown on him, because if a servant is careless in his speech while he is flimsy in Religion, he may not be safe from speaking the word which will necessitate the wrath of Allah and His abhorrence on him, or he may speak a word with which he will become a disbeliever, and withdrawn from the Religion of Islam. We seek refuge with Allah.
These issues frequently occur at periods of sedition, particularly in the last days [of the world], as [was reported] in the Sahih of Al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has indeed said:
Meaning: "Be prompt in doing good deeds (before you are overtaken) by turbulence which would be like a part of the dark night during that stormy period. A man would be a Muslim in the morning and an unbeliever in the evening or he would be a believer in the evening and an unbeliever in the morning, and would sell his faith for worldly goods.”
We seek from Allah safety and protection from the causes of His wrath and His abhorrence.
That was why the fear of the companions of the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and their subsequent followers from falling in any of the acts of hypocrites became intensified.
Bukahri has said in his [book] Assahih:
Ibnu Abi Mulaika has said: I met thirty from the companions of the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) each one of them was afraid of being among the hypocrites, none of them said that he was on a degree of faith as that of [angel] Gabriel and [angel] Mika'il.
And it is reported that Alhasan usually say: no one fears it [i.e, hypocrisy] except a believer and no one feels safe from it except a hypocrite.
Zaid bin Wahab said: "a man among the hypocrites died, so Huzaifa did not pray on [his] corpse, so Umar said to him, is he among the people? [i.e, hypocrites] he said: yes. Umar then said to him: please am I among them? He said: no, and I will never inform anyone of it after you.” [Reported by Ibn Abi Shaibah]
Huzaifa ibnul Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) has been informed secretly of the names of the hypocrites by the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). Thus, he is the most knowledgeable of this nation concerning the characters of hypocrites, their rules and hypocritical acts. The companions of the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) know his position in that respect, because of that Umar normally observe him when a funeral is forwarded, if he does not see Huzaifa [among those who come to] pray on the copes he does not pray on it, and he deputizes one to pray on it so that he may not disclose the secrete of the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam).

(Continued)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Warning Against Hypocrisy (3/6)

Abdulazeez ibn Adaakhil Almutairi



The way to integrity and freedom from hypocrisy is by following the guidance of Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted) as Allah (The Most High) said concerning the hypocrites:
Meaning: "…But if they had done what they were instructed, it would have been better for them and a firmer position for them in faith (66).
And then We would have given them from Us a great reward (67).
And We would have guided them to a straight path (68).
And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger- those will be with the ones upon whom Allah bestows favor, among the Prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions (69).
That is the bounty from Allah, and sufficient is Allah as knower.” (70). [Surah An-Nisa’, 4: 66-70].
And it is with this you will know that the hypocrites actually suffered a great loss as a result of their turning away from the guidance of Allah, for they have certainly missed the gratification of Allah, His favor, mercy, great reward and the companionship of His Prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And they fell into their evil deeds such as their disproof of Allah and His Messenger, their evil assumption about Allah, and their followership of what angers Allah, and their dislike for what He loves and pleases, and their effort towards fighting against the Religion of Allah with their sayings and actions, and their alliance with the unbelievers from the people of the Book and the polytheists and their patronage for them against Muslims, and their harm to the believers. So, they deserved an intense punishment for the consequence of their crime. Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "And that He may punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the polytheist, men and women- those who assume about Allah an assumption of evil nature. Upon them is a misfortune of evil nature; and Allah has become angry with them and has cursed them and prepared for them Hell, and evil it is as a destination.” [Surah Al-Fath, 48: 6]
And (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "That is because they followed what angered Allah and disliked His pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds.” [Surah Muhammad, 47:28]
And because of the contradiction between their external and their internal, they fell into hideous and dispraise acts of lying, deception, treason, immorality and breach of promise. These have been their characters with which they are detected.
The acts of hypocrites are of two categories;
The first category: acts of paganism; whoever commits them is a disbeliever in Allah (the Almighty), out of the Religion of Islam even if he prayed and fast and claim to be a Muslim.
An example of that includes: disproving Allah and His Messenger, hatred, blasphemy, mockery of Allah and His signs and His Prophet, forming alliance with the unbelievers and supporting them against the Muslims.

Thus, these acts and the likes of it are among the violators of Islam, so whoever falls into them is a disbeliever in Allah (the almighty and the exalted). In fact, he is a pagan, out of the Religion of Islam, but if he manifests Islam, then he is a hypocrite with major hypocrisy.
This category is termed by some scholars as creedal hypocrisy and that is because of the introversion of the heart on infidelity, because these kinds of acts and speeches of infidelity do not emanate from a faithful heart. However, their aim (i.e. the scholars) is not to restrict hypocritical acts to issues of creed.
The second category: Dispraised acts and characters, these acts even though they do not withdraw from [Islam] on their own, only that it is not found except in a pure hypocrite. So, it is necessary for a believer to abstain from it so that there will not be a character among the characteristics of hypocrisy in him. These characters are the ones explained by the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) in his saying:
Meaning: "there are three signs of a hypocrite: when he speaks he lies, when he makes a promise he fails, and when he is trusted he betrays.” [Transmitted by Bukari and Muslim on the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) and, in another narration by Muslim he said]:
Meaning: "there are three signs of a hypocrite, even if he observed fast and prayed and asserted that he was a Muslim". In the transmission of Ahmad the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:
Meaning: "Three signs if they are found in a man, he is then a pure hypocrite…" to the end of the hadith with an approximate wordings. And in Sahih of Al- Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al'as (may Allah be pleased with them) he said: the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has said:
Meaning: "Four characteristics anyone who possessed them is a pure hypocrite and anyone who possessed one of them possessed a characteristic of hypocrisy till he abandons it: when he talks he lies, when he makes a covenant he acted treacherously, and when he quarreled he deviated from the truth.”
Therefore, whoever has the habit of lying in his speech, betrayal when he promises, and when he is trusted he acts treacherously, he is then a pure hypocrite. And [the word] (إذا ) [i.e, (if)] which is not used to mean extent, implies repetition and numerousness, and this will exclude a person from whom these acts occurs in rarity and negligibly. Thus, he has committed a sinful act and an act from the acts of the hypocrites, but he will not become a hypocrite or someone with a character of hypocrisy, until he becomes used to it or is popularly known with it.
(Continued)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Warning Against Hypocrisy (4/6)

Abdulazeez ibn Adaakhil Almutairi

Concerning someone in whose heart is faith and hypocrisy.
As for the Major hypocrisy, it cannot be combined together with faith [in ones heart at the same time] rather; its companion is a disbeliever in Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted), even if he observed fast and prayed and asserted that he was a Muslim, because infidelity destroys the whole acts, and faith and infidelity do not join together in a heart. Allah the Exalted said:

Meaning: "And whoever denies the faith- his work has become worthless, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.” [Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5: 5]

But as to the Minor hypocrisy which does not withdraw from the Religion, there may be in the heart of a Muslim some of its characters, as indicated by the above hadith of Abdullah ibn Amr bin Al 'As. And in Sahih of [Imam Muslim] on the authority of Abu Hurairah, (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

Meaning: “Whoever dies without fighting in the way of Allah, nor did he express any desire for Jihad, died on a branch of hypocrisy."

Huzaifa bin Alyaman (may Allah be pleased with them) said: hearts are of four [different] types;

• A Laminated heart and that is the heart of hypocrite.

• An uncircumcised heart and that is the heart of a disbeliever.

• A hairless heart as if in it is a lamp which blooms and that is the heart of a believer.

• And a heart in which there is hypocrisy and faith, its example is like an ulcer which is supplied with pus and blood, and similar to a tree which is irrigated by pernicious and nice water, whatever prevails on it dominates.

Reported by Ibn Abi Shaibah in his [book] Musannaf and in the book of Iman, and Albaniy authenticated it. However, it is considered weak by some scholars because of a cut in its chain of narration but its meaning is authentic.

A laminated heart is the inclined heart
Aliyu bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Faith begins in the heart [in the form of] a white dot, whenever it increases, the brightness increases until the heart becomes fully brighten. While hypocrisy begins in the heart [in the form of] a black dot, whenever it increases, the darkness increases until the heart becomes dark totally. [Reported by Ibn Abi Shaibah in the book of Iman, and Albayhaqy in [his book] Shu'abul Iman, [i.e, the branches of faith].

The essence of this is that, a Muslim may have hypocrisy in him and it may be much or less depending on the level of his faith and his obedience to Allah (the great and the Exalted). Thus, among them is one who may have in him attitudes of hypocrisy. Hence, he lies ones or twice, and he sometimes breaches promise and so on.

And among them is one who frequently falls into such acts together with less remembrance of Allah and exceeding the limits of Allah on many occasions by violating the sanctities of (Allah) and negligence in the obligatory acts, and poring over desires and being deceived by ambiguities. Thus, there will be in his heart to much of hypocrisy and little faith. There is among the Muslims one who almost all the time prays in a hurry and delays it out of its fixed time and performs it in a bad way as in the Sahih of Muslim on the authority of Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) he said; I heard the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) saying:
Meaning: "that is the Prayer of the hypocrite, he sits watching the Son until when it is between the two hones of the Devil then, he stands up and pecks it four times, he does not remember Allah in it except a little". [Reported by Muslim]

Hence, such a person is among those whose heart has been over powered by hypocrisy to the extent that he deserved to be named hypocrite if not for the faith in his heart which prevented him from leaving prayer totally.

The companions of this category often fall into committing minor Riyaa, doing acts to please listeners and what invalidates acts such as reminder of it, injury in charity and seeking the world with the acts of the Hereafter.

The companions of this category are on a great danger such that this negligence lead them into committing apostasy from the Religion of Allah (the Almighty) and whoever dies among them in hypocrisy while having faith in his heart, then he will be among the companions of grave offense who were promised intense punishment, but he will not remain eternally in the Hell because of the existence of his Islam. The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has certainly said:

Meaning: "The people of Paradise will enter Paradise and the people of Hell will go to Hell. Then, Allah will say (to the Angels around Hell): bring out whoever has in his heart faith equal to the weight of a grain of mustard seed. So, they will be taken out but (by then) they had already become blackened (charred). Then they will be put in the river of Hayat [i.e., life] and they will revive like a grain that grows near the bank of a flood channel. Don't you see that it comes out yellow and twisted?" [Reported by Albukhari from the narration of Abu Sa'id Alkhudri (may Allah be pleased with him)]

But he who commits a violator among the violators of Islam, such as mockery of the Religion, abusing the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and supporting the disbelievers against Muslims is then a disbeliever, withdrawn from Islam and, faith has been detached from his heart, we seek refuge with Allah.

(Continued)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Warning Against Hypocrisy (5/6)

Abdulazeez ibn Adaakhil Almutairi

The repentance of a hypocrite
If a hypocrite repents from hypocrisy before his death and he corrects his deed, and he resort to Allah and become sincere to Him (the great and the exalted) in Religion, then his repentance is authentic and accepted. Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the Fire - and never will you find for them a helper (145).
Except for those who repent, correct themselves, hold fast to Allah, and are sincere in their Religion for Allah, for those will be with the believers. Allah is going to give the believers a great reward (146).
What would Allah do with [i.e, gain from] your punishment if you are grateful and believe? And ever is Allah Appreciative and knowing.” (147). [Surah An-Nisa’, 4: 145-147]

Likewise, the Muslim in whom is an attitude of hypocrisy, if he repents from it and forsakes that attitude Allah will forgive him, and he will become free from hypocrisy.
There is in regards to this issue a funny riddle forwarded by Huzafa ibn Yaman (may Allah be pleased with them) to the students of Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), for he stood over them in the presence of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, saluted them and said: verily, hypocrisy has been revealed on some people that were more pious than you, Abdullah bin Mas'ud – on hearing that - smiled because he got what he meant. The companions of ibn Mas'ud then said; glory be to Allah!! Allah has indeed said:
Meaning: "Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the Fire.” [Surah An-Nisa’, 4: 145]
Then, after the dispersal of the council, Huzaifa said to Aswad bin Yazid Annakha'i - one of the companions of Ibn Mas'ud: verily, hypocrisy has been revealed on some people that were more pious than you and they repented and Allah accepts their repentance.
In another narration, he said: And they, when they repented became better than you.
And he mean by them, some of those whom were hypocrites during the time of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and then repented, corrected (their deeds) and perfected their Islam. Thus, they became better than those who came after them from the Tabiu'n, because of their companionship [with the Prophet (Peace be upon him)] and their jihad with him. (This narration has been transmitted by Albukhari in his Sahih).
It is necessary for the believers to practice what will save them from hypocritical attitudes and the acts of hypocrites. Among that is the repetition of repentance and seeking for [Allah's] forgiveness, and being cautious of the limits of Allah and glorifying His commands and disassociation from polytheism and its companions, observing prayers, giving out charities, sincerity to Allah, His Messenger, His Book and to the leaders and the general Muslims.
And among that is love for jihad in the cause of Allah and expressing desire for that.
Among that also is enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong and advising each other on truth, and advising each other on patience and encouraging one another on feeding the poor and disbursement for the sake of Allah faithfully and hoping to attain Allah's rewards.

For whoever does that is saved from hypocrisy
It is transmitted in Almusnad and other hadith books from the narration of Umar bin Alkhattab (may Allah be pleased with him) he said; that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) has indeed, said:
Meaning: "whoever is pleased with his good deed and sad with his bad deed is a believer.”
Thus, whoever falls into sin and his sin grieved him that is an example of good faith in him and a hope for his repentance, seeking of forgiveness and conciliation. And whoever is pleased with his sin, and is gladden by his evil deed, that is a sign of hypocrisy in his heart.
It is reported in the [book of] Sunan of Attirmidhy on the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) he said; the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
Meaning: "Two characters can never be joined together in the heart of a hypocrite, good will and understanding in Religion.” [Authenticate by Albany]
(Continued)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Warning Against Hypocrisy (6/6)

Abdulazeez ibn Adaakhil Almutairi



The punishment of a hypocrite:
Allah (the Exalted) has made the punishment of the hypocrites to be among the worst of punishments in this world and in the Hereafter (and) an appropriate recompense to their deeds.
As for this world, they will be punished by a seal on their hearts and deprivation from understanding knowledge and guidance. Besides that, Allah will put in their hearts, doubts and suspicions that will not be detached from them forever. As such, they are among the most confused and hesitant people, and that is because they wanted to deceive Allah and the believers and their deception reversed unto them so they suffered bad consequences of their deceptions and the outcome of their tricks. So, whenever they make any plan against Islam and Muslims, Allah makes its consequence worst on them from where they are not conscious of. Thus, they increase in the acts of infidelity and hypocrisy, and their punishments will be in multiple, one after the other. Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "So their hearts were sealed over, and they do not understand.” [Surah Al-Munafiqun, 63: 3]
And Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "Those are the ones who purchased error [in exchange] for guidance, so their transaction has brought no profit, nor were they guided (16).
Their example is that of one who kindled a fire, but when it illuminated what was around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness [so] they could not see (17).
Deaf, dumb and blind - so they will not return [to the right path].” (18). [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 16-18]
And Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "Indeed, the hypocrites (think to) deceive Allah, but he is deceiving them.” [Surah An-Nisa’, 4: 142]
The deception of Allah to them means punishing them with the kind of their deeds, and that is a punishment on them because of the ugliness of their speeches and actions and their bad assumption of Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted) and their deception to Allah and to the believers and their opposition to Allah and fight against His Religion with cunning and deception.
Hence, by indulging in these acts, they are only deceiving themselves as Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "They [think] to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not.” [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 9]
For they do not perceive that they are only deceiving themselves. Rather, they wish for themselves an untrue desideratum and they rush after it to the extent that it inveigled and fascinated them. And they increase in sin, disbelief, disobedience, offence and misguidance (through their deeds) while they think they are doing good deeds.
And they, in all that, have only harmed themselves; they have not harmed Allah with anything neither have they harm the Prophet, nor the believers and followers of the guidance of Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted).
Among what they will be punished with in this world is their wealth and children until the departure of their souls, as Allah (the Exalted) Said:
Meaning: "And let not their wealth and children impress you. Allah only intends to punish them through them in this world and that their souls should depart [at death] while they are disbelievers.” [Surah At-Tawbah, 9: 85]
Among what they will be punished with also is what Allah will put in people's heart of hatred towards them no matter how they show love or affection to them, and that is because they seek people's pleasure in exchange for Allah's discontentment, and they prefer this world to the Hereafter, and they follow what angered Allah and hate His pleasure and they turn away from following the guidance of Allah. Thus, they subjected themselves to different kinds of fear, sadness, misguidance, and misfortune, which Allah decreed on whoever turned away from following His guidance.
Allah (the Exalted) said concerning a group among them:
Meaning: "Their building which they build will not cease to be a [cause of] scepticism in their hearts until their hearts are cut [i.e, they died]. And Allah is Knowing and wise.” [Surah At-Tawbah, 9: 110]
Some scholars of tafsir [commentary of the Qur'an] said: this exception, [i.e, until their hearts are cut] is an ironical exception that is a mockery from Allah of them.
It is an appropriate recompense for their plan against the believers, their mockery of them and their machination against them in order to make things ambiguous to them and mislead them form the way of Allah. As a result of that, they are afflicted with suspicion in their hearts as a punishment for them and it will never be detached from their heart until they meet Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted).
This is besides what will befall them of special punishments as consequence of their deeds, for indeed, Allah (the Exalted) has fixed for some sins special punishments, to serve as rewards commensurate to deeds as Allah (the Exalted) said regarding a group of them.
Meaning: "Those who criticize the contributors among the believers concerning [their] charities and criticize the ones who find nothing [to spend] except their effort, so they ridicule them- Allah will ridicule them, and they will find a painful punishment.” [Surah At-Tawbah, 9: 79]

Thus, their punishment for ridiculing the believers, was the ridicule of Allah of them as an *****alent reward.
And the hypocrites frequently fall into sins that have punishment commensurate to the deed in this world before the Hereafter , as stated in the tradition [of the Prophet (Peace be upon him)] that indeed, whoever searches for the defects of a Muslim, Allah will search for his defects, whoever harmed a Muslim, Allah will harm him and whoever causes difficulty upon a Muslim, Allah will cause difficulty upon him and whoever forsake a Muslim, Allah will forsake him and whoever exert pressure on a Muslim, Allah will exert pressure on him.
The hypocrites are people of evil plots. Allah (the Exalted) has said:
Meaning: "…but the evil plot does not encompass except its own people.” [Surah Fatir, 35: 43]
This is the explanation of some of the punishments that will befall them in this world.
As for the life after death, verily they, when they die and entered into their graves, they will certainly be in a great punishment, permanent wretchedness and an Uninterrupted heartbreak. Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
Meaning: "When the servant is placed in his grave and his companions retrace their steps, he hears the noise of their footsteps, then two angels come to him and sit him and say to him: What do you have to say about this person (the Holy Prophet)? As for the believer, he would say: I bear testimony to the fact that he is a servant of Allah and His Messenger. Then it would be said to him: Look at your seat in the Hell- Fire, for Allah has substituted (your seat) with a seat in Paradise. Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said: He would be shown both seats. But as for the hypocrite and non-believer, he will say to the angels, 'I do not know, but I used to say what the people used to say! It will be said to him, 'Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Quran).' Then he will be hit with an iron hammer between his two ears, and he will cry and that cry will be heard by whatever approaches him except human beings and jinns." [Reported by Bukhari and Muslim]
In addition to what will befall them of a special punishment due to some of their sins, as it was authentic in the [Prophetic] tradition that he who recites Qur'an and rejects it, and sleeps without observing congregational prayers will be punished in his grave. Likewise, the fornicators, those who consume usury, the backbiters, the talebearers, the false talkers, those who hindered zakah [i.e, charity] and those who break their fast before time, all of these [people] authentic traditions have stated that they will be punished in their graves, and the hypocrites commit most of these acts.
But as for the Hereafter, authentic traditions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) have indicated that when it is Judgment Day, and Allah assembled people in one place for judgment and then ordered that the unbelievers [be thrown] into the Hell Fire, there will be left in the [courtyard] the believers, the hypocrites and the remnant of the people of the book in the courtyard. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
Meaning: "And the [Sa’aq] Leg would be laid bare. Those who used to prostrate themselves before God obediently would be permitted by God to prostrate themselves. But there would remain one who used to prostrate out of fear (of people) and ostentation, Allah would make his back as one piece, and whenever he attempts to prostrate, he would fall on his back. And during accountability [on Judgment Day] a hypocrite would be brought and Allah will remind him of His blessings, the hypocrite would then say: O, my Lord, I affirmed my faith in Thee and in Thy Book and in Thy Messenger and I observed prayer and fasts and gave charity, and he would speak in good terms like this as he would be able to do. And He [Allah] would say: Well, We will bring our witnesses to you. And the man would think in his mind who would bear witness upon him and then his mouth would be sealed and it would be said to his thighs, flesh and bones, speak! And his thighs, flesh and bones would bear witness to his deeds and it would be done so that he should not be able to make any excuse for himself. And such is the hypocrite; such is he with whom Allah is annoyed.” [This narration is in the Sahih of Imam Muslim from the narration of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him)].
And when the bridge is set over the Hell and an order is given to cross over it, those in the courtyard will be given light in proportion to their deeds. The hypocrites will be given light similar to them as a trial to them, until when they are on the bridge the light of the hypocrites goes off and the light of the believers become full as Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "On the day you see the believing men and believing women, their light proceeding before them and on their right, [it will be said], and “Your good tidings today are [of] gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein you will abide eternally, that is the greatest success (12).
On the [same] Day the hypocrites, men and women will say to those who believed, "Wait for us that we may acquire some of your light." It will be said, "Go back behind you and seek light." And a wall will be placed between them with a door, its interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it is torment (13).
They [i.e, the hypocrites] will call to them [i.e, the believers], "Were we not with you?" they will say, "Yes, but you afflicted yourselves and awaited [misfortune for us] and doubted, and wishful thinking deluded you until there came the command of Allah. And the deceiver [i.e, Satan] deceived you concerning Allah (14).
So today no ransom will be taken from you or from those who disbelieved. Your refuge is Fire. It is most worthy of you, and wretched is the destination." (15). [Surah Al-Hadid, 57: 12-15]
But as for their punishment in the Hell fire, that is the degrading, painful, ruinous and a permanent punishment. Allah has decreed for them the lowest depth in it. Thus, they are among the worst of the companions of the Hell in punishment. Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the Fire- and never will you find for them helper.” [Surah An-Nisa’, 4: 145]

And they, because of their hidden disbelief and their ally to the unbelievers, Allah combined them together with the unbelievers in the Hell Fire as Allah the Exalted said:
Meaning: "Indeed, Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in the Hell all together.” [Surah An-Nisa’, 4: 140]
And Allah (the Exalted) said:
Meaning: "And Allah has promised the hypocrites, men and women and the disbelievers the fire of Hell, wherein they will abide eternally. It is sufficient for them. And Allah has coursed them, and for them is an enduring punishment.” [Surah At-Tawbah, 9: 68]