sura al-baqarah
no. 2 (verses 8-16)
8. " and of people there are some who say : ` we believe in
allah and the
last day', but they do not really believe."
9. " they seek to deceive allah and those who have faith, but they
deceive
none save themselves, and they are not aware."
10. " in their hearts is a disease, so allah has increased their
disease and there awaits them a painful punishment
for that they were lying."
11. " and when it is said to them : `do not make corruption in the
earth',
they say : `verily, we are only reformers'."
12. " indeed, they themselves are the corruptors, but they are not
aware."
13. " and when it is said to them : `believe as the people believe',
they say : `shall we believe as the fools believe ?'
beware! truly, they themselves are the fools,
but they do not know."
14. " and when they meet those who believe, they say : ` we believe (in
what
you believe)', but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say :
`verily, we are with you; we were only mocking'."
15. " allah shall pay them back for their mockery,and he leaves them
alone
in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on."
16. " these are they who have bought error (in exchange) for guidance,
hence their transaction yields them no profit,
nor are they guided (aright)."
commentary:
hypocrites,
the third group
the above verses state a short but very
expressive explanation on
`hypocrites' and their spiritual specialties and characteristics illustrated
by their actions.
attention should be attracted to the fact that : in a special period
of its sensitive historical course, islam was faced with a specific group
among the whole of the people, who neither had the courage to truly
accept the invitation of islam, nor had the power and boldness to
openly oppose it.
this third group, whom the qur'an calls, in arabic terminology,
/munafiqun/ `hypocrites', are also termed the two-faced ones. they
penetrate in the rows of true muslim communities and become a great
danger for islam and muslims. it is usually difficult for the faithful
believers to recognize them, because they appear in the society with the
same manner as other muslims do. but the qur'an yields some clear
exact signs and specialties about them which identify their hidden
routines everywhere and in all centuries. these particular qualifications
can provide good criteria for the real muslims to recognize them.
at the beginning, it gives an illustration of hypocrisy itself, saying :
" and of the people there are some who say : `we
believe in allah and
the last day', but they do not really believe."
they imagine this action of theirs as a
kind of cleverness or, so to
speak, an advantageous policy. therefore : " they seek to deceive allah
and those who have faith,..."
it is not such as they think : "... but they deceive none save
themselves, and they are not aware".
having deviated from the straight path, they spend their whole
lives misled. they apply their power and potentials in vanity where
their gain is nothing but failure, infamy, and a painful divine penalty.
in the next verse, the qur'an points to
the fact that hypocrisy is,
indeed, a disease. a safe and sound person does not have two faces.
there is complete harmony ruling between his soul and his body, since
outward and inward, as well as body and spirit, are complementary to
each other. if a person is a believing one, his entire being cries faith
and indicates his conviction. and if he goes astray, his deviation is
revealed both outwardly and inwardly. this dissimilarity of spirit and
body possessed by the hypocrite is a new additional disease. it is a sort
of contradiction or duplicity or cleft that governs over the self of a man.
then, it says :
"in their hearts is a disease, ..."
hence, in the regularity of creation,
everybody who choses a path
and equips himself with the necessary means to pave it would go forth
on that very path. or, in other words, the abundancy of actions and
imaginations of a man on his chosen route would make the above idea
much more colourful and secure. then, the verse continues saying:
"... so allah has increased their disease..."
the investment of the hypocrite is `lies'.
they adjust the
contradictions found in their lives, as much as they can; each lie with its
own set of excuses. therefore, at the end of the verse, it says :
"... and there awaits them a painful punishment for that they were lying ".
then, the qur'an refers to their
specialties, the first of which is
the claim of being `reformers', while they are, in fact, mischief-mongers,
saying :
" and when it is said to them : `do not make
corruption in the earth', they
say : ` verily, we are only reformers '."
* * * *
" indeed, they themselves are the corruptors,
but they are not aware."
both their persistence on the path of
hypocrisy and their
accustomedness to these hideous disgraceful agenda have caused them
to think, gradually, that their activities are useful and constructive. and,
as it was mentioned previously, when sin is in excess and treads the
limits, it seizes the sense of distinction, or even, it reverses the man's
distinction. in this state, impurity and impiety prevail as his second
nature.
another specialty of this group is that
they think themselves wise
and clever while they think the believers are some simple-minded and
credulous fools; as the qur'an says :
" and when it is said to them : `believe as the
people believe', they say :
`shall we believe as the fools believe?'..."
thus, they accuse the truth-seeking,
pure-hearted people of
foolishness, for that these people, observing the signs of reality and
rightfulness in the content of the invitation of the prophet of islam
(p.b.u.h.), have humbly accepted it. the hypocrites consider corruption,
duplicity, and hypocrisy signs of their cleverness and wisdom. yes, in
their logic, intellect has changed its place with foolishness.
so, the qur'an, answering them, says : "... beware! truly, they
themselves are the fools, but they do not know."
is this not, within itself, a kind of foolishness, that a person does
not specify his conviction, but changes colour according to whatever
group or class of ideology he joins, and assumes duplicity or even
multifariousness? is it not silly for a person to spend his faculties and
abilities in doing evil and making plots for destruction and, in the
meantime, to count himself among the wise?
the third specialty is that they change
colour everyday, and
choose the direction of every group they meet. as the holy qur'an
says:
"and when they meet those who believe, they say :
`we believe (in what you believe)'...".
they tell the believers that they follow
the same school of thought
as theirs, that is, they have accepted islam eagerly and there is no
difference between them.
"... but when they are alone with their evil ones,
they say :
`verily, we are with you; ..."
they tell their fellow men that they are
mocking the believers
when telling them that they have believed : "... we were only mocking'."
they say to them that they are deceiving them and, actually, they are
supporters of their fellow men whom they have taken friend with and,
keep their secrets safe and hidden.
then, the qur'an, with a beating and decisive tone says:
" allah shall pay them back for their mockery, and he
leaves them alone in
their inordinancy, blindly wandering on."
the concluding verse, on this subject,
expresses their final fate
which is a very grievous, inauspicious, and dark end, thus :
" these are they who have bought error (in exchange)
for guidance,
hence their transaction yields them no profit,
nor are they guided (aright)."
for this very reason, their purchase not
only is of no avail for
them, but also they have lost even their investment.
explanations :
the appearance of hypocrisy and its roots
when a revolution takes place in a
society, particularly a
revolution like the islamic revolution which was founded on the
virtues of right and justice, the interests of an oppressive, tyranical,
and selfish group will be exposed and possibly placed in danger. at
first, this group mock it, then they apply the power of guns, economic
sanctions, and continuous social propagation in order to try to subvert
it. but when the signs of triumph are made manifest for all of the
forces and authorities of the region, some of the opponents change
their practical style of opposition and apparently resign themselves, but,
in fact, they organize a hidden antagonistic group against the
revolution.
these vicious individuals who are termed `hypocrites', because of
their actual duplicity, are the most harmful enemies of the revolution,
because their position is not quite clear so that the revolutionists can
recognize them and avoid them. they deceitfully imitate and join the
faithful people and occupy some social positions in the rows of the
pure,truthful believers. they sometimes attain the sensitive posts, even.
until the time when the holy prophet (p.b.u.h.) emigrated from
mecca to medina, muslims had not established a government. the
prime essential basis of the islamic government was founded when the
holy prophet (p.b.u.h.) arrived in medina. this process was made more
manifest with the occurrence of the triumph of badr, viz., a small but
progressive government was formally organized.
it was at that time that the profits of many authorities in medina,
particularly that of the jews, who were respected by arabs, were being
threatened. the jews were respected at that time, mostly because they
were of ` the people of the book '. 1 they
were fairly learned, and they
were economically advanced. it was they who, before the advent of the
prophet of islam (p.b.u.h.) used to give the good news of his coming.
there were others, too, who were aspiring for the leadership of
the people of medina and were disappointed due to the migration of
the messenger of allah. the cruel, selfish chieves of medina and
their plunderous adherents saw that people, even their relatives, were
tending to islam and abundantly believing in the prophet (p.b.u.h.).
they, after resisting for a short time, understood that they could not
help but to accept islam, though only outwardly. they realized that if
they had opposed and stood against the new process, besides the
damages of war and economical problems, they would have faced the
danger of destruction; particularly because the total power of the arab
was his tribe, but their tribes had separated from them for the most
part.
for this reason, they had developed a grudge in their hearts
against the holy prophet (p.b.u.h.) and his mission. so, they secretly
planned to subvert islam. therefore, they selected a third way. they
decided to accept the prophet (p.b.u.h.) apparently, and to follow their
own plots hiddenly. 2
in short, the appearance of hypocrisy in a society is usually the
effect of one of these two causes. the first is the triumph and power of
the existing revolutionary school of thought in the society. the second
cause is the spiritual weakness and the lack of nobility and courage
needed to challenge such a force.
the necessity of
knowing the hypocrite
undoubtedly, hypocrisy and the
hypocrite were not only particular
to the time of the prophet (p.b.u.h.); they are found in any society and
at any time. they should be recognized, of course, according to the
defined criteria that the qur'an has introduced them with, in order to
prevent their probable damages or harms.
there are various characteristics mentioned about the hypocrite in
the former verses, as well as through sura al-munafiqun, no. 63,
and, also, in numerous islamic traditions. here are a few of these
characteristics :
1. great public outbursts and high claims with lots of boasting,
but little action making their claims and actions unparallel.
2. to swing to every side in any environment with any group; to
speak among any society with the ideas of that society's school of
thought, and to show themselves adherents in the society of true
followers but, in the meantime, to cooperate with the oppositional
group.
3. to separate their affairs from those of the people and to form
secret hidden societies with specific plans.
4. characterized by tricks, deceit, lies, flattery, breach of promises,
and treachery.
5. to act before others with self-aggrandizement and self-conceit,
counting people silly, simple, and foolish, while knowing themselves
wise and clever.
in short, duplicity of personality, or contrast between internal
and external, which is the clear characteristic of the hypocrite, has
different effects on their personal and social behaviour, which can be
easily figured out by the keen observer.
how beautifully the qur'an puts it when it says : " in their hearts is
a disease, ...". which
sickness can be worse than the sickness of
duplicity of outward and inward character? what disease is more
painful than the illness of self-aggrandizement or lack of courage for
challenging the things that we do not believe in ?
however, the disease of hypocrisy, though it is hidden, is
recognizeable by its different features. it is similar to heart disease
which cannot be concealed wholly; although it is unseen, its signs and
symptoms can be seen in one's face and limbe quite vividly.
hypocrisy, in its specific meaning, is the condition of some
faithless persons who are apparently counted among muslims, but their
hearts are actually pledged to infidelity. they are the most dangerous
group, not only for islam but also for any revolutionary progressive
school of thought. the hypocrites penetrate into the communities of
muslims and misuse any chance or opportunity for hindering affairs.
for this very hostile position that they have, they are the object of
serious attacks in the qur'an. one complete sura of the qur'an is
revealed about their circumstances which is entitled ` al-munafiqun '.
they have also been reproached and condemned very strongly in the
narrations of ahlul-bait (a.s.).
to introduce the hypocrite, a tradition from imam sadiq (a.s.)
who has narrated from the prophet (p.b.u.h.) says : "there are three
specialities that when they are in a person, he/she is a hypocrite even the
one who observes the fast, practices prayers and considers oneself a muslim:
he who is treacherous when he is trusted, when he speaks he tells lies, and
when he promises he fails it".
3
here, we attract your attention to the noble words of imam
amir-ul-mu'mineen ali (a.s.) about the hypocrites. he says :
" o'
creatures of allah! i advise you to fear, and i warn you
against the hypocrites. they themselves are misguided and they will
misguide you. they are lost in the labyrinth of sins and vices and will make
you lose your straight path in that tortuous maze. they change their
colours to suit their surroundings, and their words always have double
meanings. to convert you to their views and to win your sympathies they
will resort to every sort of fraud and pretence, will adopt varieties of
artifices
and pretexts and will apply all possible allurements and deceptions. they
always lie in ambush to seduce you. they pretend to be sincere and honest
but their hearts are full of hypocrisy and vileness. their movements are very
subtle. to mislead you they work so artfully and cunningly that you cannot
easily find out their purpose. they poison your minds without your
knowing it, like a disease spreading inside your body without your realizing
the fact. they behave as if they are ministering cures to your ailments. they
talk as if they really feel for your troubles, but the result of their
activities
and their persuasions will affect you like an incurable disease.
happiness and prosperity of others make them jealous and
unhappy. they will do their worst to drag others into difficulties, reverses,
and troubles. they will exert themselves to convert hopes of others into
disappointments and despairs. and they have their victims in every walk of
life.
they know how to touch your heart and how to gain your ears.
for your every sorrow they have crocodile tears to shed and for every pain
they offer you a balm, ineffective or injurious. if they praise you, it is
with
the hope of getting louder praises out of you. if they want to get something
out of you, they will pester you with their demands. if they wish to slander
anybody they will expose him threadbare. if they pass judgments they
always forsake equity and justice ". 4