Loss in the world and the Hereafter

Whatever respite is given to a hypocrite in this world is fully utilized by him to indulge in more hypocrisy and deceit. This increases the gloom of his heart. He continues to increase his punishment in the Hereafter. Even if he able to obtain worldly wealth due to his deceit, the same wealth becomes a bone stuck in his throat. The plots that he had hatched to gain luxury and comfort finally bring him sorrow. The same is the case of an unbelieving rich man. Apparently he seems to be surrounded by all types of comfort but he feels and unseen pressure. They are always in dread of their adversaries or competitors. The fire of jealousy, greed and miserliness continues to burn them from inside. They continue to have enemies. Because they do not have belief, in spite of their guards and protective walls they fear the loss of their wealth and property. This is indicated in the Surah Tawbah thus,

فَلاَ تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلاَدُهُمْ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَافِرُونَ

“Let not then their property and their children excite your admiration; Allah only wishes to chastise them with these in this world’s life and (that) their souls may depart while they are unbelievers.”

(Surah Tawbah 9:55)

Thus, respite is apparently a good but since it causes problems in this world and is the basis of chastisement in the Hereafter the respite for hypocrites is not beneficial to them. In reply to their deceit Allah deceives them too. And the aim of deceit is to harm others.

For example the Almighty Allahs says in Surah Nisa,

إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يُخَادِعُونَ اللّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُواْ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ قَامُواْ كُسَالَى يُرَآؤُونَ النَّاسَ وَلاَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللّهَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ لاَ إِلَى هَـؤُلاء وَلاَ إِلَى هَـؤُلاء وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلاً

 “Surely the hypocrites strive to deceive Allah, and He shall requite their deceit to them, and when they stand up to prayer they stand up sluggishly; they do it only to be seen of men and do not remember Allah save a little. Wavering between that (and this), (belonging) neither to these nor to those; and whomsoever Allah causes to err, you shall not find a way for him.”

(Surah Nisa 4:142-143)

Deceit to Counter Deceit

It is said that there was a person in habit of taking a medicine called ‘Gulgand’. This medicine is prepared with equal quantities of rose petals and sugar. He went to a shop to buy sugar and asked for a certain quantity. The shopkeeper said that he did not have that particular weight so he was keeping the same quantity of roses to weigh the sugar. The deal was struck and the shopkeeper kept the certain amount of rose petals in one pan of the balance and went insider the shop to get sugar. The buyer thought that the shopkeeper was not looking and he began to eat the rose petals from the pan. By chance the shopkeeper saw him and delayed coming out with sugar. At last when he came out a good amount of rose petals had being eaten by the customer. The shopkeeper weighted an equal amount of sugar and took the payment for the quantity decided earlier. The customer left thinking he had eaten free roses petals while the shopkeeper was happy he had to part with less sugar.

In the same way the hypocrites will realize at the time of death that it they were the actual losers.

Repentance from Hypocrisy

When the hypocrite realizes the loss that he is going to suffer, his first duty to repent for his hypocrisy. Hypocrisy destroys faith or weakens it. Thus he should be remorseful of his polytheism and infidelity. He should repent with sincerity. He should acquire faith or he should try to increase it. He should embellish his inward as well as the outward self with belief (Eimaan).

If the outward and inward of a person is same, there is no doubt regarding his salvation.

(Persian couplet)

After describing the punishment of the hypocrites the Almighty Allah says,

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصْلَحُواْ وَاعْتَصَمُواْ بِاللّهِ وَأَخْلَصُواْ دِينَهُمْ لِلّهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

“Except those who repent and amend and hold fast to Allah and are sincere in their religion to Allah, these are with the believers, and Allah will grant the believers a mighty reward.”

(Surah Nisa 4:146)

Necessary conditions of forgoing hypocrisy

According to the ayat mentioned above there are four necessary conditions of leaving hypocrisy and repenting for it:

First Condition

It is that he should repent. He must forgo his disbelief and polytheism. He should have faith in only One God and he must be prepared to worship Him alone.

Second Condition

He should reform himself. Repentance is not sufficient alone. Its benefit should also become apparent. He should reform his deeds.

Third Condition

He should attach himself to Almighty Allah. Even the apparent reformation of deeds and repentance is not sufficient. His heart should remember Allah all the time. Whatever he does should be solely for Allah.

Fourth Condition

He should devote his religion only for Allah. Attachment to Allah is beneficial only if it is in the way prescribed by Him. If he does something considering it good but it is not so according to Allah, it will not benefit him. It will not be for Allah’s sake. It shall be a kind of polytheism. And polytheism is a sin that cannot be forgiven. Unless all these four conditions are present one cannot be cured of hypocrisy and it will not be correct repentance.

Cure of the sins related to the soul

Sins related to the soul are more serious than the sin committed by one physical body. That is why their cure is more complicated. For example hypocrisy is a sin related to ones soul. It is more serious than sins like theft and adultery and its cure is also more difficult. Tawbah and remorse are sufficient for physical sins and in case of robbery the goods have to be restored to their owner. Repentance is sufficient for lying and as far as backbiting is concerned you have to make the person satisfied. It is obvious that more remorse a person the more he shall purify of the sins.

However, repentance and remorse are not sufficient in the sins of the heart and the soul. Mere remorse is not able to dispel the gloom of the heart. He has to go through the stages described in the 146^th verse of Surah Nisa. Then ultimately can one get cured of this disease and his heart becomes healthy and perfect.

For example a person has wasted a part of his life in Riyakari (Show off). Now the light of Divine mercy has shone on him and he has realized his mistakes. Now mere remorse will not suffice. He also has to reform his conditions. He must uproot polytheism from his heart. The details of this method are given in the beginning part of the book Greater sins. Here also we shall mention a few points. We must ponder upon it and pray Allah illuminates our heart with the light of Tawheed. Till the time we become certain that except for Allah there are no eternal entity having such tremendous power of fury. There is no one who could affect the affairs of this world and influence the course of events. All the creatures are in need of Him. Even this certainty is not sufficient. We must also seek attachment with Allah in the way specified by Him. One should fulfill the obligatory duties and give up haraam acts. One should also perform all the worship acts again that he did as show off. One should compensate for them and perform all worship acts in the future with the sole purpose of pleasing Allah.

Sincerity is the only way

One cannot be cured from the disease of hypocrisy till one does not purify his deeds by performing them with absolute sincerity. Congregation prayer, Obligatory Zakat and Hajj are the worship acts that can be performed openly. There are also some devotional acts that should be carried out secretly. The creature can perform them in secret only for divine pleasure. Especially, spending in the way of Allah. No one except Allah should see it. In this way the effects of Riyakari (Show off) will disappear from his heart. Then whatever he does shall be solely for Allah. Whether people criticize or praise him is the same. He only treads the path of Allah.

Performing good deeds secretly

Amirul Momineen Ali (a.s.) says,

“Some of the treasures of Paradise to conceal ones good deeds, patience in hard times and hiding ones difficulties.”

The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) says,

“The reward for a good deed is proportional to its secrecy. A deed performed secretly is seventy times better then one which is performed openly.” (Safinatun Behaar Volume 2, Pg. 404)

The following tradition is mentioned on pg. 595 of the first volume of Safinatun Behaar

The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) said,

“Seven types of people shall be admitted under the shade of Allah at the time when there shall not be any other shade:

A just Imam

A young man who is brought up in an atmosphere of Allah’s worship

A person who though leaves the mosque but his heart remains attached to it till he returns.

Two persons who are busy in Allah’s obedience whether they are together or separate.

A person who weep remembering Allah in solitude.

A person whom a woman of a respectable family entices him to sin but be refuses saying that he fears the Almighty.

One who gives charity in such a secret manner that his left hand does not realize what the right hand has paid.

And the following tradition of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is mentioned in the book Oddatud Dai:

“One cannot attain absolute sincerity till he even dislikes that he be praised for something that he has done only for Allah.”

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) told Abu Zar:

“(O Abu Zar)! A man cannot attain perfect knowledge of religion till he considers the people as camels while he is worshipping. He does not care for the presence of camels while he is praying. The presence and absence of the camels do not affect his concentration. In the same way even he is nearest to a camel there will be no difference in his intention of Allah’s proximity. He sees his own self in every condition. He himself is the one who debases himself most before Allah.”

It does not mean that we should consider people lowly and feel proud ourselves. We should pray in such a way that their presence or absence does not make any difference to us. That is why at the end of this tradition it is mentioned that such a person consider himself more lowly before Allah than other people consider him.

Imam Sajjad (a.s.) supplicates in Dua Arafah of Sahifa Sajjadiyah:

“And I am more lowly than the lowliest people (in your realm), more degraded than the most degraded ones. I am like a particle, even lesser than a particle.”