HYPOCRISY (NIFAQ)

Hypocrisy (nifâq) is a person’s inwardly being different from what he pretends to be. When a person who has disbelief in his heart says he is a Believer with his speech, his action is religious hypocrisy. If a person who has the animosity in his heart pretends friendship with his behavior, this would be a worldly hypocrisy. The worst kind of disbelief is religious hypocrisy. The leader of the hypocrites of the city of Madina was Abdullah bin Salûl. When they saw the victory of Muslims at the Badr war, they professed themselves as Muslims. But they did not believe through their hearts. Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ uttered the following malediction: “Those who are friendly in words and inimical in behaviour towards Muslims: May they be accursed in the view of Allâhu ta’âlâ and angels!” Another hadîth-i-sherîf reads: “A hypocrite has three signs: he lies, he does not keep his promise, and he violates the trust shown to him.” A person of this type is a hypocrite even if he says he is a Muslim and even if he performs “salât” prayer.