Page 13 - The Hypocrite According to the Qur'an

Introduction

For that reason, a Muslim must be attentive in his reading
of the verses of the Qur’an and, in accordance with the follow-
ing verse, “We will show them Our Signs on the horizon and
within themselves until it is clear to them that it is the truth”,
(Surah Fussilat, 53), remember that he will recognize the truth
conveyed by it in the world around him. In the Qur’an, there is
much concise information, which is full of divine wisdom
about the world. Much important among these truths are the
verses that relate to the types of associations and personalities
a Muslim will encounter. A Muslim, who has been delegated
the responsibility of living according to Allah’s religion, of fol-
lowing the morality of the Qur’an, and of communicating it to
others, will encounter varying types of individuals and re-
sponses. Some will listen to him, though some will oppose
him. The Qur’an informs us about these personalities and their
responses, and informs Muslims about the mindset they ought
to adopt under specific situations.
In this book, we will explore the nature of a group of peo-
ple Allah persistently draws our attention to in the Qur’an:
hypocrites. Hypocrites, as the verses relate in the Qur’an, are
two-faced people, who act as if they were pious believers,
though they do not have faith. They are impostors. More im-
portantly, they do not engage in such falsehood unaided; they
aim to infiltrate the company of the believers, posing as one of
them. The reason they seek to be accepted among the believers
is to gain some personal advantage.
They associate themselves with believers, appearing to be
faithful, so as to deceive them in whatever way they can. Once
they realize they will not be able to attain their desired end,
however, or when the believers are faced with ordeals when

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