We know that one of the opposites of belief in Allah is major hypocrisy, which is to display Islam and conceal disbelief. There is major and minor hypocrisy. Major hypocrisy contradicts the core of faith, whereas the minor one contradicts the perfect state of faith. In the book of Usūl As-Sunnah, Imām Ahmad said: "Hypocrisy is disbelief. It is to disbelieve in Allah Almighty and worship other than Him while pretending to be Muslim before people. This is like the hypocrites who lived at the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." [Usūl As-Sunnah by Imām Ahmad (55)] Major hypocrisy takes one out of the fold of Islam.
We bear witness, as Allah bears witness, that the hypocrites are liars in their claim of faith. Allah, the Exalted, says: {There are those [hypocrites] who built a mosque to cause harm, promote disbelief and create division among the believers, and as a base for those who had previously fought against Allah and His Messenger. They will surely swear, "We intend nothing but good," but Allah testifies that they are indeed liars.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 107] Allah Almighty also says: {And Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are truly liars.} [Surat al-Munāfiqūn: 1]
Allah Almighty will not accept from hypocrites any ransom or compensation. He, Exalted be He, says: {Say: "Whether you spend willingly or unwillingly, it will never be accepted from you, for you have been a wicked people." Nothing prevents the acceptance of their spending except that they disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger, they do not come to prayer but lazily, and they do not spend but reluctantly.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 53-54]
Whoever dies as a hypocrite is doomed to abide in Hellfire eternally. Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, and you will never find for them any helper.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 145] He Almighty also says: {Allah has promised the hypocrites, both men and women, and the disbelievers the Fire of Hell, abiding therein forever – it is sufficient for them. Allah has cursed them, and for them there will be an everlasting punishment.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 68]
We know that major hypocrisy constitutes hatred and animosity towards the truth. About the condition of the hypocrites, Allah, the Exalted, says: {That is because they follow what incurs Allah’s wrath and they hate what pleases Him, so He will render their deeds worthless. Do those in whose hearts is sickness think that Allah will never expose their malice? If We willed, We could show them to you [O Prophet], so you would recognize them by their faces, but you will surely recognize them by the manner of their speech. And Allah knows all what you do.} [Surat Muhammad: 28-30]
Hypocrites find joy in the defeat of Islam and its people and feel deeply sad if they see Islam victorious. Exposing their innermost feelings, Allah Almighty says: {If something good happens to you, it grieves them, but if a disaster befalls you, they say, "We have taken our precautions beforehand," and they turn away rejoicing.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 50]
Hypocrisy comes after belief, by refusing to refer to the Shariah for judgment. Allah, Glorified be He, says: {They [the hypocrites] say: "We believe in Allah and in the Messenger, and we obey." Then a party of them turns away after that. Such are not believers. When they are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he may judge between them, a party of them turns away.} [Surat an-Nūr: 47-48]
Hypocrites distrust Allah and do not think He will support His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and religion. The Almighty Lord says: {And [remember] when the hypocrites and those with sickness in their hearts said: "Allah and His Messenger did not promise us but delusion!"} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 12]
Hypocrites mock the truth and its people and curse and deride them. Allah Almighty says: {The hypocrites fear that a chapter should be sent down about them, informing [the believers] of what is in their hearts. Say [O Prophet]: "Keep on mocking! Allah will certainly expose what you fear." If you question them, they will surely say: "We were only indulging in idle talk and playing." Say: "Was it Allah, His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?"} [Surat at-Tawbah: 64-65]
Hypocrites disparage Muslims. Allah, the Exalted, says: {Those who disparage the believers who voluntarily give charities and ridicule them for having nothing to give except their effort. Allah will ridicule them, and for them there will be a painful punishment.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 79]
Hypocrites try to deceive the believers and show off by good deeds. Allah, Blessed and Glorified be He, says: {They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, while they deceive none but themselves, but they do not realize.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 9] Allah Almighty also says: {The hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. Whenever they stand up for prayer, they stand up reluctantly, only to be seen by people, and they do not remember Allah but a little.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 142] And the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is the prayer of the hypocrite; he sits watching the sun, until when it is between the horns of a devil, he stands and pecks out four (rak‘ahs), not remembering Allah in them but a little." [Narrated by Muslim (622), Abu Dāwūd (413), At-Tirmidhi (160), and An-Nasā’i (511)]
‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I have seen that none of us would fail to observe it (prayer) except a hypocrite whose hypocrisy was well known." [Narrated by Muslim (654), Abu Dāwūd (550), An-Nasā’i (849), and Ibn Mājah (777)]
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, you will not have difficulty seeing your Lord except as much as you have difficulty seeing one of the them (the sun and the moon) ... Then, the third one will be brought, and He will say the same to him. He will reply: 'O Lord, I believed in You and in Your Book and Your messengers, and prayed, observed fast, and gave charity.' He will speak in good terms to the best of his ability. He will say: 'Well then, We will bring our witness against you.' He will say to himself: 'Who could be the one to testify against me?' Then, a seal will be placed upon his mouth and it will be said to his thigh, flesh, and bones: 'Speak.' So, his thigh, flesh, and bones will speak and tell about his deeds. Thus, he will not be able to make any excuse for himself. That is the hypocrite. That is the one with whom Allah will be displeased." [Narrated by Muslim (2968)]
Allah Almighty commanded His Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and the believers to conduct jihad against them. He, Exalted be He, says: {O Prophet, strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh with them. Their abode is Hell. What a terrible destination! They swear by Allah that they said nothing [blasphemous], while they indeed uttered a word of blasphemy, and disbelieved after accepting Islam, and plotted what they could not achieve. They are spiteful [against believers] for no reason except that Allah and His Messenger have enriched them out of His bounty. If they repent, it will be better for them, but if they turn away, Allah will chastise them with a painful punishment in this world and in the Hereafter, and they will have on earth no protector or helper.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 73-74]
We know that minor hypocrisy does not take a person out of the fold of Islam, nor does it render his good deeds worthless or cause him to dwell in Hellfire forever; and we know that minor hypocrisy has certain traits. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There are four (traits); whoever has them will be a sheer hypocrite and whoever has one of them will have one trait of hypocrisy until he gives it up: when he is entrusted, he betrays; when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous; and when he quarrels, he acts immorally." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (34), Muslim (58), Abu Dāwūd (4688), At-Tirmidhi (2632), and An-Nasā’i (2632)]
Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A believer who reads the Qur'an and acts upon it is like a citron, whose taste and smell are good. A believer who does not read the Qur'an but he acts upon it is like a date, whose taste is good but it has no smell. The parable of a hypocrite who reads the Qur'an is that of basil, whose smell is good but its taste is bitter. And the parable of a hypocrite who does not read the Qur'an is that of a colocynth, whose taste is bitter and smell is smell." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (5059), Muslim (797), At-Tirmidhi (2865), An-Nasā’i (5038), and Ibn Mājah (214)]