❖ THE HYPOCRISY WE MUST FEAR (النِّفَاق) ❖

 

✦ WHEN FAITH IS ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE: THE DANGER OF HYPOCRISY ✦

Their Qualities and Traits

Allah ﷻ describes the attitude of the hypocrites:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا يَسْتَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ لَوَّوْا رُءُوسَهُمْ وَرَأَيْتَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ وَهُم مُّسْتَكْبِرُونَ ۝ سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَسْتَغْفَرْتَ لَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ لَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

“And when it is said to them, ‘Come, the Messenger of Allah will ask forgiveness for you,’ they turn their heads away, and you see them turning away in arrogance. It is the same for them whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them. Allah will never forgive them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.”

[Al-Munāfiqūn 63:5–6]

The hypocrites turned away from the call to repentance because of arrogance and disregard.

Although these verses were connected by some of the Salaf to ʿAbdullāh ibn Ubayy, we should not read them merely as a story about someone else.

We must examine ourselves.

Ibn Abī Mulaykah رحمه الله said:

أَدْرَكْتُ ثَلَاثِينَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ كُلُّهُمْ يَخَافُ النِّفَاقَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ

“I met thirty Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, and every one of them feared hypocrisy for himself.”

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Īmān,  ḥadīth no. 48 — reported as a statement of Ibn Abī Mulaykah.

This was the fear of the righteous. They did not feel safe from hypocrisy—they constantly examined their hearts.

The Signs of Hypocrisy

The Prophet ﷺ said:

آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاثٌ: إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ، وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ

“The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something, he betrays the trust.”

[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 33; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 59]

These are not words to use against others. They are qualities we should fear within ourselves.

How often does a reminder of Allah ﷻ reach us?

How often are we called toward repentance, obedience, prayer, and taqwā—yet we turn away and follow our desires?

How often does Allah ﷻ open a door to goodness, but we delay, become careless, or simply ignore it?

The hypocrites were described as turning their heads in arrogance.

So ask yourself:

Do I become arrogant when I am reminded?

Do I take worship lightly?

Have I lost my khushūʿ, sincerity, or eagerness to obey Allah ﷻ?

These are questions we should ask ourselves before it is too late.

Allah ﷻ says that for them, it becomes the same whether forgiveness is sought for them or not.

So let us not become people who are indifferent toward the worship of Allah.

Let us return to Him while the door of repentance is still open.

May Allah ﷻ protect us from hypocrisy, purify our hearts, grant us sincerity, and make us among those who listen to reminders and act upon them.

آمِينَ

WHEN THE EGO TAKES CENTER STAGE

 

Pride, Ego, and Self-Praise: Protecting the Heart Through Humility

Praising one’s own self is a serious satanic influence to make us Proud of ourselves and become arrogance looking down upon others, and ALLAH (The most Perfect) forbade this; ALLAH says (what means):

 فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ (32)

"So do not claim yourselves to be pure; HE is most knowing of who truly fears HIM" 

[Quran 53:32]

On the other hand, it means being proud of one’s good deeds. This is indeed contrary to the condition of the Prophets, righteous people, and the people of Paradise as they combined between doing good and fearing the punishment of ALLAH. One of our mothers Aa’ishah may ALLAH be please with her said:

عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ وَهْبٍ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ هَذِهِ الآيَةِ ‏:‏ 

 ‏‏(‏ والَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوْا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ ‏)‏ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ أَهُمُ الَّذِينَ يَشْرَبُونَ الْخَمْرَ وَيَسْرِقُونَ قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ يَا بِنْتَ الصِّدِّيقِ وَلَكِنَّهُمُ الَّذِينَ يَصُومُونَ وَيُصَلُّونَ وَيَتَصَدَّقُونَ وَهُمْ يَخَافُونَ أَنْ لاَ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ ‏" ‏

 “I asked the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam about this verse in which ALLAH says (what means):

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوا وَّقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ رَاجِعُونَ (60)

 

"And they who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord...

[Quran 23:60]

 Are they those who consume intoxicants and steal, and he [the Prophet], said: “No, O daughter of As-Siddeeq [i.e. Abu Bakr], but it is those who fast, perform the prayer and give charity while they fear that this will not be accepted from them; they are those who hasten to perform good deeds.” 

Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3175

Also narrated in Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

Besides, ALLAH says about the people of Paradise (what means):

 وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ (25) قَالُوا إِنَّا كُنَّا قَبْلُ فِي أَهْلِنَا مُشْفِقِينَ (26) فَمَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا وَوَقَانَا عَذَابَ السَّمُومِ (27) 

 "And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other. They will say, “Indeed, we were previously among our people fearful [of displeasing ALLAH]. 

So ALLAAH conferred favor upon us and protected us from the punishment of the Scorching Fire. 

[Quran 52:25-27] 

May ALLAH keep guiding us all and protect us from any form of pride and arrogance. Aameen.

*“ REGRET IS REPENTANCE ”

 

*Regret is a Main Condition, or the Greatest Aspect, of Repentance*

Hence the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: 

الندم توبة ، وهو حديث حسن من حديث ابن مسعود، أخرجه ابن ماجه، وصححه الحاكم، وأخرجه ابن حبان من حديث أنس وصححه

“Regret is Repentance, and it is a ḥasan (good) hadith narrated from Ibn Masʿūd. Ibn Mājah transmitted it, and al-Ḥākim declared it authentic. Ibn Ḥibbān also transmitted it from Anas and declared it authentic.”

One of the scholars even said:

يكفي في التوبة تحقق الندم على وقوعه منه، فإنه يستلزم الإقلاع عنه والعزم على عدم العود، فهما ناشئان عن الندم لا أصلان معه

 انظر: فتح الباري (13/471)

*Regret is sufficient to achieve repentance*, for it implies giving up the sin and resolving not to go back to it, which stem from regret and do not occur independently of it

See: Fath al-Baari (13/471).

 

*“Regret is repentance”: * because this will lead to the other essential components of repentance – namely *giving up the sin and resolving not to go back to it, and restoring people’s rights wherever possible*.… What is meant is remorse for having committed the sin because it is a sin, and for no other reason.

NO ACTIONS GOES UNREWARDED : An Islamic Reminder

 

The Value of Every Righteous Action

Never for one moment did that man who swept aside the thorns from the people’s path ever imagine that that moment would mark the happiest day of his life. But the Prophet PBUH said it was, as all of his sins were forgiven.  

(Muslim, Hadith no. 127).

Never for one moment did that prostitute who provided a sip of water for the thirsty dog ever imagine that that moment would mark the happiest day of her life. But the Prophet PBUH said it was, as every sin of hers was consequently erased.

(Bukhari and Muslim, in Hadith no. 126)

Never did that companion who was promised Paradise ever imagine that it was simply due to his ill-free heart that this promise was given to him. But the Prophet PBUH said that it was.

Never for one moment did Talha imagine that it would be that moment where he’d lowered himself for the Prophet PBUH to step on his back in his aid which would mark the happiest day of his life. But it was, because the Prophet PBUH immediately said, ‘Paradise is now for Talha’  

(Sunan At-Tirmidhi 3747).

What am I getting at?

Many, many times in the life of a Muslim, a place in Paradise is finally reserved for him due to the smallest of all actions. This is when Allah sees within a person true sincerity and a genuine craving for the Hereafter, thus He allows an opportunity to present itself to him, one which he pounces at with remarkable wholeheartedness and sincerity. Little had he noticed however that that brief moment had in fact marked the turning point in his life when his sins were erased and Paradise was written for him!

Dearest Muslim, I ask:

Have you found your moment?

Or ... are you still searching for it?

That ‘moment’ could be a tear which you shed in the remembrance of Allah when you’re alone. It could be a desire which you craved but denied for Allah’s sake. It could be through joy which you bring to another Muslim, or a statement of truth which you bravely utter, or the suppressing of anger, or the covering of another person’s fault, or the feeding of a hungry person.

It’s not always about the obvious good deeds!

No one knows where his ‘moment’ lies, that moment which will bring about eternal happiness 

...May Allah SWT make find where our 'moment lies' and reward us with Jannatul Firdausi.. Aameen.

*_✨❄Surah Al-Mulk, Aayah No 13❄✨_*

 

*💞Reflections from the Qur’an: Verses That Speak to the Soul💞*

*_✨❄ Surah Al-Mulk, Aayah No 13 ❄✨_*

وَأَسِرُّوا قَوْلَكُمْ أَوِ اجْهَرُوا بِهِ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ

*_🌸And conceal your word or manifest it; surely, He is Cognizant of what is in the hearts. 🌸_*

*🍀Allah knows what your silent heart wants. Even if you don’t include it in your prayers. He hears what your heart whispers. 🍀*

*🌻He may not give it to you now but someday, when you least expect it, things will happen in the best possible way InShaAllah. 🌻*

*🌍Your Creator is the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. Everything you do, where you stand, what you choose to say or conceal are known by Him. 🌍*

*🌈He is your Creator; He has the knowledge of the unseen. He can see what you can’t and He knows what’s best for you and when it's best for you to have it. 🌈*

*🎀Put your trust in Allah! And know that even though the world is not by your side, you are not alone. Your Rabb is with you, All Knowing, All Watching & All Hearing. 🎀*

*🎇Allah Subhanahu wa taala is watching over you and InShaAllah He will give you your due right at the right time! 🎇*

*☀️Be sure that there is something waiting for you after much patience, to astonish you to a degree that you forget the bitterness of the pain. ☀️*

*🌷He will replace the sad days with the happy ones. So Smile & Trust Him, Indeeeed this too shall pass sooon! 🌷*

*🌟Wipe away those tears. Sit on your prayer mat and raise your hands, cry and tell Allah everything that’s on your mind and heart. 🌟*

*🍁It’s not that Allah does not know, but do it so that it decreases the load that you have been carrying in your heart all along! Feel that peace knowing that He knows and understands what others don’t. 🍁*

*💕May Allah Subhanahu wa taala reward you for every breath you take at the time of difficulty, erase your worries and fears, make it easy for you and relieve you of all the pain sooooon.. Aameeen Ya Rabbal Aalameen💕*