QUESTION 61 - Are There Any Signs That Characterise Hypocrites?

Allah has described various characteristics of the hypocrites in the Qur'an, and has warned the believers against this group of disbelievers. For this reason, the features of these vicious, furtive people are obvious to anyone who knows the Qur'an well. A cautious believer who is familiar with the Book of Allah never misses the signs of the hypocrites, who have sickness in their hearts. No matter how hard they try to conceal them, the signs they bear of their disbelief reveal themselves in their actions, in their speech and in the way they react to events. Believers cannot name a person who reveals such signs as a "definite hypocrite", but would be cautious of this person. Some of the signs that help to identify hypocrites are mentioned in the verses below: The hypocrites think they deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. When they get up to pray, they get up lazily, showing off to people, and only remembering Allah a very little. (Surat an-Nisa': 142) The verse makes it clear that seeking to impress people by their behaviour and trying to show off are signs that can be perceived by believers. It is stated in a verse of the Qur'an that the real face of these people will ultimately be revealed and if Allah wills, they will be known by their features and by their manner of speech: Or did those with sickness in their hearts imagine that Allah would not expose their malevolence? If We wished, We would show them to you and you would know them by their mark and know them by their ambivalent speech. Allah knows your actions. (Surah Muhammad: 29-30) Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) defines the signs that characterise hypocrites thus: 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. (Bukhari and Muslim)