[59] Surah Al-Hashr [The Gathering]: Ayat 011

১১. আপনি কি মুনাফিকদেরকে দেখেন নি? তারা তাদের কিতাবধারী কাফের ভাইদেরকে বলেঃ তোমরা যদি বহিস্কৃত হও, তবে আমরা অবশ্যই তোমাদের সাথে দেশ থেকে বের হয়ে যাব এবং তোমাদের ব্যাপারে আমরা কখনও কারও কথা মানব না।  আর যদি তোমরা আক্রান্ত হও, তবে আমরা অবশ্যই তোমাদেরকে সাহায্য করব। আল্লাহ তা’আলা সাক্ষ্য দেন যে, ওরা নিশ্চয়ই মিথ্যাবাদী।

Ayat 11. Have you not observed the hypocrites who say to their friends among the people of the Scripture who disbelieve: "(By Allah) If you are expelled, we (too) indeed will go out with you, and we shall never obey any one against you, and if you are attacked (in fight), we shall indeed help you." But Allah is Witness, that they verily, are liars.

Tafseer of Surah Al-Hashr [The Gathering] Ayat 11. Hast thou not observed the Hypocrites say to their misbelieving brethren among the People of the Book? "If ye are expelled, we too will go out with you, and we will never hearken to anyone in your affair; and if ye are attacked (in fight) we will help you". But Allah is witness that they are indeed liars. The Jews of Banu al Nadir had been assured by the Hypocrites of Madinah of their support to their cause. They had thought that their defection from the Prophet's Cause would so weaken that cause that they would save their friends. But they never intended to undertake any act involving self-sacrifice on their part; if they had helped their Jewish friends, it was not likely that they would have succeeded; and if they had actually gone to the fight, they had neither velour nor fervor to support them, and they would have fled ignominiously before the discipline, earnestness, and Faith of the men of Islam. For this actually happened. They never stirred a finger for the Jews, and they never intended to do so. And Allah knows all their motives and secrets.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-Aas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said, "Four are the qualities which, when found in a person, make him a sheer hypocrite, and one who possesses one of them, possesses one characteristic of hypocrisy until he abandons it. These are: When he is entrusted with something, he betrays trust; when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he acts treacherously; and when he argues, he behaves in a very imprudent, insulting manner.'' [Al-Bukhari 01, Chapter 02, Hadith # 033].

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Al-Hashr Ayat 11. Have you not observed the hypocrites who say to their friends among the people of the Scripture who disbelieve” Theologically speaking, a disagreement between heart and tongue - or word and deed - about the declaration of faith in Islam is defined as hypocrisy. In the lifetime of the Prophet  [SAWW](PBUH) there existed a group of hypocrites whose traits of characters have been outlined in Ahadith. Humanly it is not possible to perceive malice hidden in one's heart. Even Messenger of Allah  [SAWW](PBUH) hardly knew what lay in the hearts of people because, despite having the exalted status of Prophethood, he was fundamentally a human. Allah, however, had revealed hearts to him. But today, we have no error-free source to pick hypocrites from the ranks of believers. Quite naturally, we fall back on the Hadith which provides us definite symptoms of the character and manners of hypocrites so as to distinguish them from sincere Muslims. Ulama' say that there are two aspects of hypocrisy, relating to faith and practice. In the first case, a hypocrite conceals his disbelief in his heart but verbally professes Islam. Anyone who belongs to this category of hypocrites will be, as stated in the Qur'an: "In the lowest depths of the Fire.'' (4:145). In the second case, a man does have faith in his heart but in practice he portrays the characteristics of a hypocrite, unfortunately a majority of today's Muslims practically behave like hypocrites and possess their propensities. It is this hypocritical attitude and moral deficiencies of Muslims that have degraded them and made Islam unappealing. May Allah put Muslims on the right path!