umm hussain
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Explanation of the Hadeeth: “Four traits whoever possesses them is a hypocrite...”
Author: Al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee
Source: Jaami' Al-'Uloom wal-Hikam, hadeeth No. 48
On the authority of Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (radi-Allaahu 'anhumaa) that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Four traits whoever possesses them is a hypocrite and whoever possesses some of them has an element of hypocrisy until he leaves it: the one who when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks his promise, when he disputes he transgresses and when he makes an agreement he violates it." [Bukhaaree and Muslim]
1.Other wordings of this same hadeeth:
"The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks his promise and when he is entrusted he betrays the trust." [Bukhaaree and Muslim]
"...even if he prays and fasts and imagines that he is a Muslim" [Muslim]
"Among the signs of the hypocrite are three..." [Muslim]
2.Nifaaq (hypocrisy) in the Arabic language means the general category of deception, scheming and presenting an outward appearance of good while concealing its opposite.
3.In the Sharee'ah, nifaaq is of two types:
a.Greater (An-Nifaaq Al-Akbar): To present an outward appearance of belief in Allaah, His Angels, His books, His messengers, the last day, etc. while concealing withing that which negates all or some of that. This is the hypocrisy which the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) confronted during his life and the ones who Allaah said in the Qur'aan that they are in "the lowest depth of hell-fire".
b.Lesser (An-Nifaaq Al-Asghar) or hypocrisy of action: To present an outward appearance of good and good deeds while concealing within that which negates that. This form of hypocrisy is built on the 5 things mentioned in the hadeeth at hand.
4.The actions in this hadeeth are all part of lesser hypocrisy. One who has these character traits in interaction with other people is most likely to have them with regard to Allaah and His Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam). That is why the existence of them is a 'sign' of the existence of greater nifaaq.
5.Lying. Al-Hasan Al-Basree said:
"Nifaaq is the difference between the inner and the appearance, between statement and action and between entering and leaving and it used to be said that the foundation of nifaaq upon which it is built is lying."
6.Breaking Promises. This falls into two categories:
1.Making a promise with no intention of keeping it. Al-Awzaa'ee said that one who says "I will do such-and-such inshaa'-Allaah" without intending to do it has committed both lying and breaking a promise.
2.Making a promise intending to keep it and then later deciding to break it.
2.Transgression in Dispute. The main meaning of 'transgression' here is to intentionally speak other than truth making truth falsehood and vice versa. Lying 'calls to' this as in the hadeeth:
Author: Al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee
Source: Jaami' Al-'Uloom wal-Hikam, hadeeth No. 48
On the authority of Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (radi-Allaahu 'anhumaa) that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Four traits whoever possesses them is a hypocrite and whoever possesses some of them has an element of hypocrisy until he leaves it: the one who when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks his promise, when he disputes he transgresses and when he makes an agreement he violates it." [Bukhaaree and Muslim]
1.Other wordings of this same hadeeth:
"The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks his promise and when he is entrusted he betrays the trust." [Bukhaaree and Muslim]
"...even if he prays and fasts and imagines that he is a Muslim" [Muslim]
"Among the signs of the hypocrite are three..." [Muslim]
2.Nifaaq (hypocrisy) in the Arabic language means the general category of deception, scheming and presenting an outward appearance of good while concealing its opposite.
3.In the Sharee'ah, nifaaq is of two types:
a.Greater (An-Nifaaq Al-Akbar): To present an outward appearance of belief in Allaah, His Angels, His books, His messengers, the last day, etc. while concealing withing that which negates all or some of that. This is the hypocrisy which the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) confronted during his life and the ones who Allaah said in the Qur'aan that they are in "the lowest depth of hell-fire".
b.Lesser (An-Nifaaq Al-Asghar) or hypocrisy of action: To present an outward appearance of good and good deeds while concealing within that which negates that. This form of hypocrisy is built on the 5 things mentioned in the hadeeth at hand.
4.The actions in this hadeeth are all part of lesser hypocrisy. One who has these character traits in interaction with other people is most likely to have them with regard to Allaah and His Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam). That is why the existence of them is a 'sign' of the existence of greater nifaaq.
5.Lying. Al-Hasan Al-Basree said:
"Nifaaq is the difference between the inner and the appearance, between statement and action and between entering and leaving and it used to be said that the foundation of nifaaq upon which it is built is lying."
6.Breaking Promises. This falls into two categories:
1.Making a promise with no intention of keeping it. Al-Awzaa'ee said that one who says "I will do such-and-such inshaa'-Allaah" without intending to do it has committed both lying and breaking a promise.
2.Making a promise intending to keep it and then later deciding to break it.
2.Transgression in Dispute. The main meaning of 'transgression' here is to intentionally speak other than truth making truth falsehood and vice versa. Lying 'calls to' this as in the hadeeth: