عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: ” آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاثٌ: إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ، وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ ” متفقٌ عليه
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks, he lies; whenever he promises, he breaks his promise; and whenever he is trusted, he betrays his trust.”
The Explanation of the Hadeeth
The Hypocrites are the ones that openly display Islam but they hold inside of themselves kufr (disbelief). They are the ones that show the people good mannerisms but they don’t really have them. These are the worst type of people in terms of the harm they bring towards the Muslims and the community. This is because they hold inside of them hatred and enmity towards the people. They do all they can do to bring harm to the people. They make the people believe that they have emaan (belief) and it is all a lie for the purpose of trickery. There is do doubt that the first group is worse in terms of their harm. Because of this we find that Allah curses them severely. He discusses them in detail in a chapter of the Quran that is named after them.
In this hadeeth the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) taught us the most important signs by which the hypocrite is known. This is so that we can stay away from them as well as stay away from their characteristics, so that we do not be one of them.
- The first sign – When they speak they lie.
- The second sign – When they promise something good, they are determined to go against what they promised.
- The third sign – When they are given a trust (like money, a secrete, etc.), they do not uphold this trust.
That which is taken from this hadeeth
- Dispraise of hypocrisy and the hypocirte, and staying away from their characteristics
- Busying ourselves in adorning ourselves in the ways of the true believers. This is especially in these three matters;
- Being truthful when we talk.
- Making sure to keep our promises.
- Making sure to keep our trusts and give the people their rights.
