Section 4: Nifaq (Hypocrisy): Definition and Types

[A] Definition of Nifaq-. Linguistically, it is derived from Nafiqa 'u, which is one of the exits of the Jerboa18 from its hole; if it is sought from one exit, it escapes through another exit. It is also said that it refers to an underground tunnel in which one can hide.19 However, the meaning of Nifaq in the Shari 'ah is the apparent display of Islam and righteousness and concealment of disbelief and evil in the heart. It has been so named (with the word Nifaq) because it brings one into the fold of Islam through a channel and takes him out through another. Allah - the Most High - indicated this “Verily, the hypocrites are the Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah.” (Qur’an 9: 67) That is, those who go beyond the bounds of the Shari'ah. Also, Allah considered the hypocrites worse than the disbelievers. He said: Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the 18 A small rat-like creature, which lives in underground tunneled borrows in the earth with many 19 an-Nihavah of Ibn al-Athlr, v. 5, pg. 98 Allah also said: “Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah but it is He Who “They (think to) deceive Allah and those who believe, while they only deceive themselves, and they perceive (it) not. In their hearts is the disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allah has increased the disease. A painful torment is theirs because they used to tell lies. ” [B] Types of Nifaq: Nifaq is of two types: (i) Creed-related Nifaq: This is Major Hypocrisy, wherein a person manifests Islam and conceals within himself disbelief. This type of hypocrisy takes one totally out of the fold of Islam, and places him in the lowest depth of the Fire (of Hell) in the Hereafter. Allah has described its people with all the traits of evil; from disbelief, to lack of Faith, to mockery of the religion and its adherents, and jesting at them and leaning totally towards the enemies of the religion because they share with them enmity towards Islam. These sorts of people are found in every generation; particularly when the strength of Islam is dominant and they are unable to confront it openly. Thus, they manifestly accept Islam in order to plot against it and its adherents from within. They do this, so as to have the opportunity to live with the Muslims and to safeguard their blood and wealth. So, the hypocrite manifests belief in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day, while internally, he is devoid of all of these and belies them. He does not believe in Allah, nor does he believe that Allah uttered any word, or revealed anything unto a man which makes him a Messenger to mankind, guiding them by His leave, warning them of His Might and threatening them of His punishment! Allah has tom to shreds the veils of the hypocrites and exposed their secrets in the Noble Qur’an, and He made their affair clear to His slaves, so that they be wary of it and its people. Allah mentioned the three groups of people in the universe in the beginning of hypocrites. About the believers, He mentioned four verses, about the disbelievers two verses, but about the hypocrites, He mentioned thirteen verses because of their abundance, the generality of their trial and the severity of their tribulation upon Islam and its adherents. Certainly, their harm upon Islam is very severe, because they are associated with it (i.e Islam) and its aid, but in reality they are its true enemies. They manifest their enmity in all types of manner, which the ignorant one considers knowledge and good, whereas it is the peak of ignorance and ruin.20 This type of hypocrisy has six classes:

1. Belying the Messenger
2. Belying part of what the Messenger came with;
3. Hating the Messenger;
4. Hating part of what the Messenger came with;
5. Rejoicing at the waning of the religion of the Messenger and;
6. Dislike for assisting the religion of the Messenger (ii) Action-related Nifaq: This is to perform one or some of the acts of the hypocrites despite the presence of Faith in the heart. This does not take one out of 20 From the treatise of Ibn Qayyim explaining the traits of the hypocrites. the fold of Islam but it is a means thereto. The person has both Faith and hypocrisy within him. When it becomes severe (or dominant) he becomes a full hypocrite. The evidence for this is the statement of the Prophet ‘Whoever has four traits in him is a complete hypocrite, but he who has one of them in himself has a trait of hypocrisy in him, till he abandons it: when he is trusted he proves treacherous, when he speaks he lies, when he promises he fails and when he contends he exceeds the bounds.’21 Whenever these four traits accumulate in a person, all evil have accumulated in him and all the characteristics of the hypocrites have accumulated in him. Whoever has one of these traits with him, has a trait of hypocrisy. It is possible for the traits of good and evil to be in a person at one and the same time, and the traits of Faith, evil and hypocrisy. So, he becomes deserving of both reward and punishment according to what he has done that necessitates either of the two. Amongst these (traits of hypocrisy), is laziness at observing the prescribed prayers with the congregation in the Mosque. This is one of the traits of the hypocrites. Hypocrisy is an evil and is grave. The companions were always afraid of falling into it. Ibn Abl Mulaykah said: 7 met thirty companions of the Messenger of Allah, each one fearing hypocrisy upon his soul.' [C] Differences between Major hypocrisy and Minor hypocrisy:

1. Major hypocrisy removes one from the fold Islam while minor hypocrisy does not remove one from the fold of Islam.
2. Major hypocrisy is a contradiction between the inner and outer selves in doctrine, while minor hypocrisy is a contradiction between the inner and outer selves in actions, not in doctrine. 21 Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim
3. Major hypocrisy does not emanate from a believer while minor hypocrisy could emanate from a believer.
4. Most times, the one upon major hypocrisy does not repent. Even if he repents, scholars are divided as to whether his repentance is acceptable or not. This is opposed to minor hypocrisy from which one upon it could repent unto Allah and Allah grants him pardon. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: ‘Severally is a believer exposed to one of the forms of hypocrisy, then Allah grants him pardon. Some of what necessitates hypocrisy could cross the heart of a believer and Allah averts it from him. The believer is afflicted with whisperings from the devil and whisperings of disbelief which constrain his heart as the companions have mentioned: 'O Messenger of Allah, one of us finds in his heart such things, which he would prefer to fall from the sky to the earth, than to talk about.' So he ‘That is the sign of true Iman (Faith).'22 And in another wording: ‘What he considers too grave to discuss.’ He said: ‘Praise be to Allah Who made his (devil’ s) antics nothing more than That is, these whisperings occurred despite this extreme dislike and He averted it from the heart, and this is the sign of true Faith.’23 As for the people of Major Nifaq, Allah said about them: 22 Reported by Ahmad and Muslim 23 Kilab al-Iman pg. 238 “They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so they return not (to the Right That is, to Islam in their inner selves. Allah - the Most High - further said about “See they not that they are tried once or twice every year (with different kinds of calamities, diseases, famine, etc.)? Yet they turn not in repentance, nor do they learn a lesson (from it). ” Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: 'Scholars have differed concerning their apparent repentance because it is something that cannot be known since they always have manifested Islam.’24 24 Majmu ' al-Fatawa v.
28. pg. 434-435