بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
Being a hypocrite (munafiq) in Islam is not like the meaning of the word in English; there is a much deeper meaning. It is one of the worst forms of status one can obtain and holds the worst punishment coming in the hereafter, worse than the disbeliever. Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire – and never will you find for them a helper.” 4:145
So what is a hypocrite?
The first attribute associated with hypocrisy is lying. Allah says:
“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.” 63:1
The grammar used for lying in this ayah translates to continuous liars – no lie is too small. With these lies comes treachery and breaking promises. The prophet (ﷺ) said: “The signs of a hypocrite are three, even if he fasts and prays and claims to be a Muslim: when he speaks he lies, when he gives a promise he breaks it, and when he is trusted he is treacherous.” [Muslim]
The hypocrites mock the messenger (ﷺ) when they are told to believe in the way that he (ﷺ) and his companions believed:
“And when it is said to them, ‘Believe as the people have believed,’ they say, ‘Should we believe as the foolish have believed?’ Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not.” 2:13
Let us not assume this applies merely for the people at the time of the prophet. This act can be carried out in our time as people mock and reject the sunnah of the prophet (ﷺ). They will call the true Muslims who follow the prophet ‘extreme’ in their deen.
You ever heard the people that say “I am a Muslim, but…” and fill the gap in with things like “I’m not that into it” or “I don’t believe in most of what it teaches” – these are signs of a hypocrite.
Allah continues with the attributes of a munafiq:
“And when it is said to them, “Come, the Messenger of Allah will ask forgiveness for you,” they turn their heads aside and you see them evading while they are arrogant.” 63:5
When you tell them let us seek forgiveness, let us make tawba – fix ourselves up; you will see them turn their heads. “Tut, stop preaching I don’t wanna’ hear this”. Sound familiar?
They think less of those who are true Muslims – they look down on the ummah.
What leads to hypocrisy?
Allah describes the steps one takes before becoming a hypocrite in the Qur’an. These ayahs paint the scene of judgement day when the people are walking in pitch black darkness towards our eternal place.
“On the Day you see the believing men and believing women, their light proceeding before them and on their right, [it will be said], ‘Your good tidings today are [of] gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein you will abide eternally.’ That is what is the great attainment.
On the [same] Day the hypocrite men and hypocrite 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.” 57:12-13
The Muslims will be very distinct in how they look on that day with light shining in front on them. Good deeds and actions that were performed in the dunya is transformed into light on that day in order to see where one is walking as that day will be completely dark.
The hypocrites will try to use the light from the true believers when Allah will place a huge wall between them with Allah’s torment on the outside for the hypocrites while the believers will be in Allah’s mercy.
Allah explains how they lost their imane and became hypocrites:
“The hypocrites will call to the believers, ‘Were we not with you?’ They will say, ‘Yes, but you afflicted yourselves and procrastinated [delayed repentance] and fell into doubt, and false hopes deluded you until the decision of Allah came. And the Deceiver deceived you concerning Allah.” 57:14
“Afflicted yourselves” ( وَلَٰكِنَّكُمْ فَتَنتُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ)
They put themselves in situations in which there was fitnah (trial) that will test their faith thinking it will not affect them. They kept putting themselves around people who do bad things, the places they go to, the haram they exposed themselves to. Opened themselves up to situations that made sinning easy.
When one puts oneself in a bad environment one may feel it first, the heart will feel uncomfortable – similar to walking into a room that has a bad smell, you will be affected at first. However, stay there long enough, keep going into that room and that smell becomes normal – the same way that environment, the bad company and places will become the norm after some time.
“Procrastinated” ( وَتَرَبَّصْتُمْ )
The second step they took is that they procrastinated – meaning they realised what they are doing is bad for them and also realised in their own conscience that they should change but they told themselves they’ll change soon or there’s still time.
“I have these messed up friends right now and I can’t really make them upset so I’ll just give it more time, I will change”.
“Just a little longer, I’m still young, I have time. Just this one more party. Just this one more date. Just this one more outing with these people”.
“You know, ramadan is coming soon, once that comes you watch, I’m going to be a different person; until then.. you know, make dua’ for me”.
How many people do we know like this? Are we like this ourselves?
Assumption 1: It will not effect me.
Assumption 2: I can stop whenever I want, I haven’t lost myself, I’m not addicted. I can walk away whenever I feel like.
As a matter of fact the longer one stays in such a state the harder it’ll be to get out of it, reaching a point where one feels it is impossible to stop. One will not know anything outside of that environment, it’ll feel as if it is too late to change.
Once it reaches that point, a guilt sets in. “I am such a bad person, I have been doing these bad sins all the time etc.”. Nobody likes to feel guilty, and that point shaytan will come and whisper “why do you feel guilty? You don’t have to feel that way. The only thing making you feel guilty is this Islam thing. It says that this and this is haram, and restricts your life. How true is all of it anyway?”.
“Fell into doubt” (وَارْتَبْتُمْ)
One will then question their faith and religion. Many people in the Ummah live this ayah. Their doubts have no logic, they merely started in a bad environment in which they put themselves in and ended up questioning Islam and its teachings.
Doubt in a way will sooth such a person’s conscience. They will end up sinning and not feeling that guilt anymore. “It’s probably not true anyway so I shouldn’t feel bad for not following it”.
Once they stay in this state of putting themselves in fitnah, procrastinating and doubts about the deen, two things are taken away:
- The desire for jannah is taken away – the desire for making Allah happy is taken away.
- The fear of the hellfire is gone.
The afterlife will mean absolutely nothing.
What is left after this? The dunya. Everything in one’s life becomes about this world and nothing more. Money, fame, haram leisure, it’s the only thing that becomes interesting. If someone even brings up paradise and hellfire it becomes a joke.
“False hopes deceived you until the decision of Allah came” (وَغَرَّتْكُمُ الْأَمَانِيُّ حَتَّىٰ جَاءَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ)
One will be convinced that some sort of worldly gain will bring happiness and will continue to chase. This thing after another as there is no materialistic gain in this dunya that will satisfy one’s soul.
One will keep looking for that fulfilment and never achieve it because the one thing that will grant fulfilment – the pleasure of Allah – is no longer there, the desire does not exist anymore. Until the decision of Allah came (death).
“The Deceiver deceived you concerning Allah” (وَغَرَّكُم بِاللَّهِ الْغَرُورُ)
The ultimate deceiver is shaytan – he was successful in deceiving you and now the only place for these people is the lowest, darkest pit in hellfire.
Let us take a step back and review our own selves.
Have we started falling into this downward spiral of hypocrisy? Are we already in this spiral? Have we reached the state already?
How do we fix hypocrisy?
Nothing of this world will be of value before Allah. No materialistic gain, no money, no fame nothing – it means nothing for us on judgement day.
The light that Allah mentioned with the true believers is the only thing that matters and the only way to get that light is with a sound heart.
“The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children
But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.” 26:88-89
Allah knows best.