Description of the Hypocrites

[Fabregas]

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawzi (رحمه الله )

 

Tarīq al-Hijratain wa Bāb as-Sa’ādatain

 

 

Brought by Sister Umm Umar

 

 

-Abridged-

 

 

“…Verily this level is for the most miserable of the wretched ones, so for this reason, they shall be belittled and mocked in the hereafter. A light shall be given to them thereby they will traverse with it upon the Sirat Then, Allah shall extinguish their light and it shall be said to them: “Go back to your rear and then seek a light. So a wall will be placed between them, with a gate therein.” [surah al-Hadid] and this is the most severe [form] of immense regret and affliction- namely, that the path of salvation and success is opened for the servant to the point where he thought that he was safe-seeing the dwellings and levels of the happy ones- however, suddenly, he is cut off from them and is struck with wretchedness, and we seek refuge with Allah from His anger and punishment.

 

 

This level is in the lowest part of the fire due to the severity of their Kufr. That is because they mixed and intermingled with the Muslims and lived with them witnessing from the signs of the message [i.e. Islam] and signs of Iman that which the far off ones [i.e. the original open Kuffar] did not. There arrived to them from knowledge of it and its correctness that which did not reach to those who declare their enmity and animosity [towards Islam].

 

 

So, if they disbelieved with this knowledge and awareness, they are then more severe in Kufr and more vile of heart and stronger in enmity to Allah His Messenger and the believers than the far off ones from them [i.e. the open Kuffar]-even if the far off ones embark upon war against the Muslims. For this reason, the Most High said, “that is because they believed and then they disbelieved.” And the Most High said about them: “blind deaf and dumb so they will not return.” And Allah said about the Kuffar: “blind deaf and dumb so they do not use their intellect.”

 

 

The Kafir did not understand, yet the Munafiq perceived and saw and was thereafter blinded. He knew, yet thereafter he feigned ignorance. He admitted yet then he denied. He believed yet then disbelieved. So, whoever is like this, then he is more severe in Kufr and filthier of heart and more haughty against Allah and his Messenger.

 

 

So, they deserved the ‘Dark al-Asfal’ [the absolute lowest part of the hell-fire], and there is another meaning to that as well and that is: the motivating factor that carried them to Nifaq was the search for honor and rank between the two groups [the believers and the Kuffar], so they please the believers so as to obtain honor from them and they please the Kuffar so that they give them honor as well. It is from this [area] that the affliction struck them. They desired the two honors from the two groups. They had no purpose in Iman, Islam or obedience to Allah and His Messenger-rather their inclination, affection and direction was towards the Kuffar. As a result, they received the most tremendous humiliation and that is by them taking as their permanent abode the position of the lowest of the low under the Kuffar.

 

 

Due to what the Munafiqun are described with of seeking to deceive Allah and His Messenger and those who believe, poking fun at the people of Iman, lying, playing with the Deen while manifesting themselves as if they are from the believers, concealing Kufr, Shirk and enmity towards Allah and His Messenger to an extant that surpasses the Kuffar, due to all of this their Kufr was severe and they deserved the ‘Dark al-Asfal’ of the fire.

 

 

For this reason, Allah made mention of the types and divisions of the creation in the beginning of Surah al- Baqarah,

 

 

“This is the Book (the Qur’an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun [the pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. Who believe in the Ghaib and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat),and spend out of what we have provided for them [i.e. give Zakat , spend on themselves, their parents, their children, their wives, etc., and also give charity to the poor and also in Allah's Cause - Jihad, etc.]. And who believe in (the Qur’an and the Sunnah) which has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad Peace be upon him ) and in [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.] which were sent down before you and they believe with certainty in the Hereafter. (Resurrection, recompense of their good and bad deeds, Paradise and Hell, etc.). They are on (true) guidance from their Lord, and they are the successful. Verily, those who disbelieve, it is the same to them whether you (O Muhammad Peace be upon him ) warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe. Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearings, (i.e. they are closed from accepting Allah’s Guidance), and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be a great torment.

[Fabregas]

And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: “We believe in Allah and the Last Day” while in fact they believe not. They (think to) deceive Allah and those who believe, while they only deceive themselves, and perceive (it) not! In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allah has increased their disease. A painful torment is theirs because they used to tell lies. And when it is said to them: “Make not mischief on the earth,” they say: “We are only peacemakers.” Verily! They are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive not. And when it is said to them (hypocrites): “Believe as the people (followers of Muhammad Peace be upon him , Al-Ansar and Al-Muhajirun) have believed,” they say: “Shall we believe as the fools have believed?” Verily, they are the fools, but they know not. And when they meet those who believe, they say: “We believe,” but when they are alone with their Shayatin (devils - polytheists, hypocrites, etc.), they say: “Truly, we are with you; verily, we were but mocking.” Allah mocks at them and gives them increase in their wrong-doings to wander blindly. These are they who have purchased error for guidance, so their commerce was profitless. And they were not guided. Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see. They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so they return not (to the Right Path). Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder, and lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the disbelievers (i.e. Allah will gather them all together). The lightning almost snatches away their sight, whenever it flashes for them, they walk therein, and when darkness covers them, they stand still. And if Allah willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Certainly, Allah has power over all things. ” [al-Baqarah : (2) : 20].

 

 

Therein he divided them into:

 

 

· A believer both inwardly and outwardly

 

· A disbeliever both inwardly and outwardly

 

· A believer outwardly and a disbeliever inwardly- and they are the Munafiqun.

 

 

Allah revealed three Ayat concerning the believers [3-5] and two Ayat with respect to the disbelievers (6-8). So, when Allah reached the Munafiqun, He mentioned about ten or so Ayat [8-20] condemning them therein with the strongest form of condemnation, unveiling their secrets, rebuking them and exposing them.

 

 

He mentioned that they are:

 

 

· The foolish ones

 

· The ones who sow corruption upon the earth

 

· Those who seek to deceive

 

· Those who poke fun and belittle [the believers]

 

· Those who were beguiled and duped by their purchase of misguidance for guidance

 

· He mentioned them being blind, deaf, and dumb so they will not return [to the truth]

 

· They are with diseased hearts and Allah increases sickness upon their sickness

 

 

Allah did not leave any disparagement or defect except that He described them with it and this indicates how severe indeed His hatred, abhorrence, and enmity for them is and that [indicates] they are the most hated of His enemies to Him.

 

 

His penetrating wisdom is made apparent by Him choosing for them this level of ‘ad- ‘Dark al- Asfal’ of the fire- we seek refuge with Allah from their condition and we ask Him for His pardon and mercy.

 

 

Whoever contemplates what Allah has described the Munafiqun with in the Qur’an from the attributes of condemnation, he will know that they have more right to the ‘Dark al- Asfal’ for He has described them as:

 

 

Those who seek to deceive Him and His servants

 

Those whose hearts are sick- and it is the sickness of doubts and misconceptions

 

Sowing corruption in the earth, belittling His Deen and His servants- transgressing the limits

 

Purchasing misguidance for guidance

 

Blindness, deafness, and dumbness and laziness in worshipping Him

 

Fornication

 

Lack of His remembrance

 

Indecisiveness- and that is wavering between the believers and the Kuffar- they are not with these nor with those

 

Swearing by Allah in falsehood and lying

 

Possessing the peak of cowardliness

 

A lack of understanding the religion and no knowledge

 

Stinginess

 

Absence of Iman in Allah and the last day

 

That they are harmful to the believers.

 

They obtain nothing from their (the believers) sincere advice save evil from hindrance and rushing to evil between them and spreading Fitnah

 

Their hatred for the command [i.e. the victory] of Allah to become manifest

 

Their pursuit in eradicating the truth

 

That they become saddened by what happens to the believers from good and victory and they become delighted and joyous over what befalls them from trials and tribulations.

 

They lie in ambush for the believers

 

Their hatred of spending (wealth) for the pleasure of Allah and in His path.

 

Their finding fault with the believers and accusing them of matters that they are free from- hence, they defame those who give Sadaqah and they find fault with their small amount [that they may give] and they accuse most of them of Riya’[showing off] and desiring the praise of the people.

 

That they are slaves of the worldly life. If they are given a portion, they are pleased and if they are denied then they are unhappy.

 

That they harm the Messenger of Allah [sallahu alayhi was salam] and they attribute to him that which Allah has declared him free of

 

They find fault with him in what is from his virtue and completion [perfection]

 

They intend the pleasure of the creation instead of the pleasure for the Lord of the worlds

 

That they make fun of the believers

 

That they become delighted if they are [able] to stay behind the Messenger of Allah [sallahu alayhi was sallam]

 

That they hate Jihad in the cause of Allah

 

That they make excuses for their abandonment of the obligations of Allah upon them with various forms of excuses

 

That they are pleased to lag behind in the obedience to Allah and his Messenger

 

That their hearts are sealed

 

That they abandon that which Allah has made obligatory upon them while they have the ability to do it.

 

That they swear by Allah more than anyone else- they have taken their oaths as a shield that protects them from the censure of the Muslims upon him. This is the affair of the Munafiq. He swears by Allah while lying and has taken his oath as a shield protecting himself by it from the censure of the Muslims upon him.

 

He has described them with “Rijs”. The Rijs is the filthiest and disgusting thing found in a species. So they are the vilest and filthiest of the sons of Adam and the most despicable of them.

 

That they are Fasiqun [criminals, corrupt]

 

That they are a source of harm to the people of Iman- intending to divide them

 

That they give aid and succor to those that wage war against Allah and His Messenger [sallahu alayhi was sallam].

 

That they imitate them [the believers] and resemble them in their actions so that by it they can harm them and split their word [i.e. unity] and this is always the case with the Munafiqun.

 

That they have put themselves into trial by their disbelief in Allah and His Messenger and that they lie in ambush for them [the believers] and this is their manner and custom in every era.

 

That they had doubt in the Deen, therefore they didn’t believe in it- and the false wishes and hopes beguiled them and deceived them and the Shaytan seduced them.

 

That they are the best of people in bodies and physical build- for the person will be amazed when he sees their bodies and the one who listens to them will be amazed with their speech. However, if you went past their physical bodies and their words you would find them as propped up wood- with no Iman and no Fiqh [understanding of the religion] and no knowledge and no Sidq [truthfulness]. On the contrary, they are like wood that has donned clothing. It delights the on looker and yet behind it [the clothing] there is nothing.

 

That if Tawbah [repentance] was offered to them they would refuse and claim that they have no need of it- either due to what is in them from heresy and compound ignorance of it and the acts of obedience in general- like many of the heretics- or out of beguilement and pronounced arrogance towards the one who called them to it.

 

 

He, the Glorified, described them with mocking and jesting with Him, His Ayat and his Messenger.

 

 

That they are Mujrimun [criminals]

 

That they command the evil and forbid the good

 

That they grasp [hold back] their hands from spending out in his pleasure

 

That they forget his remembrance

 

That they turn to the Kuffar and abandon the believers.

 

That the Shaytan has gained mastery over them and overcame them so he caused them to forget the remembrance of Allah- therefore they do not remember Allah but very little.

 

That they are the party of Shaytan

 

That they ally themselves with those that oppose Allah and His Messenger

 

That they have hope for and wish for that which will distress the believers and cause them hardship

 

That their hatred has manifested in their mouths and from the slips of their tongues

 

That they say with their tongues what is not in their hearts.

 

And from the attributes that they have been described with by the Messenger of Allah [sallahu alayhi was sallam] is:

 

 

Lying in speech

 

Betraying the trust

 

Breaching the contracts

 

Licentiousness in argumentation

 

Breaking the promise [al- Bukhari-1/33 al- Fath]

 

Delaying the Salah to the end of its appointed time while performing it quickly and hastily.

 

Leaving its attendance in the congregation- “and the heaviest of prayers upon them is the morning and ‘lsha’.”

 

[al- Bukhari- al- Fath 2/608]

[Nur]

A. Zaylaci

 

Here is an old post from eNuri Archives about the topic of Hypocrites.

 

 

Am I A Munafiq?

 

 

Well, that is a difficult question; first let us learn the relationship between iimaan, sin and kufr to see where nifaaq belongs.

 

 

1. No Soul will go to Jannah which is not a Muslim(a)

 

2. No one can be Muslim without Shahaada (Tawxiid)

 

3. Shahaada is information, we are required to believe in and bear witness thereof.

 

4. The test to see if we indeed believe in information represented by the Shahaada are our deeds:

 

So our faith is composed of a

 

A. set of Information we are required to believe.

 

B. Set of Commands we are ordered to obey

 

The extent of your belief in the information that our Prophet SAWS delivered is measured by the extent of orders that we obey.

 

In other words, our obedience to the orders of Allah, is a reflection of our belief in the information delivered to us.

 

So , Islam is composed of a two sets:

 

A) A set of information to be believed in, like Allah, Jannah, angels, etc .

 

B) A set of orders to abide with, such as Prayers, (Salat), Fasting, Upholding Justice, etc .

 

The orders are subdivided in to two categories:

 

1.Orders to do something

2.Orders to stay away from doing something

 

If Allah orders us to do something, and we fail to comply, the reason could be:

 

a. We do not believe in the information

b. We believe in it but we are arrogant

c. We are MENTALLY CHALLENGED

 

If (a) That is clear kufr

If (b) That is also kufr, the type of Sheitan

If © We may be the same case like a Mentally Challenged person, no responsibility.

 

If we are ordered to stay away from something, and we do not, we have the following scenario:

 

a. We do not believe in the information

b. We are arrogant

c. We can not resist temptation

d. We are MENTALLY CHALLENGED

 

All but case © are covered above.

 

If case © is the situation, then that is called disobedience (Sin)(Macsiyah) and it is what Adam and Eve , (Hawaa) aleyhimaa assalaam have committed. It does not make one a kaafir by itself. ( The Khawaarij are the only to claim that a sin can make one a Kafir )

 

To generalize the above.

 

If a person does something he is ordered not to do, the driver is more likely weakness against temptation, and that person is not a kaafir, this is the case of Adam and Eve, Aleyhimaa assalaam .

 

If a person refuses to do something he is ordered to do, the driver of his action is more likely arrogance, like the case of Sheitan .

 

Now we visit a new territory:

 

There is a principle for detecting iiman ( Faith) levels developed by Sheikh Ibn Taymiyah. Called (Talaazumul Dhaahir wal Baatin )( Synregy of the Apparent actions of a person with the Hidden Motives within the consciousness )

 

I will simplify it for you again.

 

The inside beliefs and the outward actions of a person are always working in harmony. Except when an outside disturbance influences that person attention. When as a result, the outwardly actions of that person projects and acts contrary of what is supposed to be inside .

 

Meaning.

 

In Systems Science, when we input a signal into a balanced system, we observe an output that reflects the shape of the original signal output + the function of the signal that operated on the system.

 

In the absence of outside disturbance, we can always predict the output. But when an outside element disturbs the system, the output will not be predictable.

 

A person who is a kaafir therefore will normally act as a kaafir. Sabeelul kaafireen

 

And a person who is a muslim will always act like a Muslim. Sabeelul Mumineen

 

In general, if you leave anyone alone, what he/she does is reflecting what they believe . But the minute that person feels that he/she is being observed, that feeling will somewhat effect the action of that person.

 

An example is when you catch a child making funny faces on a mirror the child will immediately alter his behaviour to an acceptable manner. This is called conforming.

 

So, when a Kaafir lives with Muslims, he may act like Muslim, to avoid problems. He is called a Munaafiq .

 

And a Muslim who lives with Kufaar may at times act like kuffar, to avoid problems. He is called Mukrah .

 

 

Nur