Description of Hypocrisy and Hypocrites

“‘Hypocrisy has four pillars: Desire, Neglect, Resentment and Greed. “Desire is of four branches: disproportionate behavior, transgression, lust and insubordination. Whoever behaves disproportionately faces great risks, remains lonely and without supporters. Whoever transgresses does not remain immune to harmful consequences, his heart is not in peace and he does not control his soul against lustful matters. Whoever has not balanced his soul in lustful matters he indulges in filthy activities. Whoever acts insubordinately purposely and without evidence strays in falsehood. “Neglect is of four branches: dishonesty, yearning, fear and procrastination. Fear and apprehension turns one away from the truth and procrastination leads to extremely reduced activities until the deadline approaches. If one does not have any yearnings he knows his true condition and measures. If he knows the true measure of his condition in which he is, he would die suddenly due to fear and apprehension. Dishonesty cuts short one’s deeds. “Resentment is of four branches: arrogance, boastfulness, egoistic, and racism. Whoever is arrogant turns his back to the truth. Whoever is boastful indulges in sins. Whoever is egoistic persists in sins. Whoever comes in the clench of racism commits injustice. “Thus, evil is the affair that swings in deterioration, indecency, persistence and injustice on the path. “Greed is of four branches: exhilaration, pleasure seeking, worrying and superfluity. Exhilaration is detestable before Allah. Pleasure seeking is feeblemindedness. Worrisome is a misfortune for one who is forced to carry sins. Seeking superfluity is useless, a childish manner, a vastful preoccupation and an effort to change what is of a lower quality to a better one. “This is how hypocrisy its pillars and branches are. Allah is dominant over his servants. Speaking of Him is exalted and glory is His. He has created all things in good fashion. His hands are free, His favor is universal. His command is manifest, His light shines, His blessing overflows. His wisdom is the source of light. His book is overriding. His evidence is overwhelming. His religion is pure. His kingdom is powerful. His word is the truth, His measures are just and His messengers have already preached. Thus, He has made evil a sin, sin a misfortune and misfortune a filth. “He has made virtuous deeds a threshold. The threshold is repentance and repentance is purification. One who repents finds guidance. One who plots goes astray, as long as he does not repent before Allah and confess to his sins. No one dares to act, to his own destruction, against Allah, except those who are doomed. “Allah! Allah! How vast is what He has for repentance, favors, joy and great forbearance. How severe is what is before Him of retribution, hell, and a hard grip! Whoever succeeds in obedience to Him attracts His generosity. Whoever indulges in disobedience to Him he will test the results of His disapproval and very shortly he will become regretful.’”

“Once I wrote to abu al-Hassan (a.s.) asking him a question and he wrote back to me, ‘The hypocrites try to deceive Allah, but He, in fact, deceives them. They stand up in prayer lazily just to show that they pray, but, in truth, they remember Allah very little. (4:142) “They are hesitant people belonging to neither side. You can find no other way for one whom Allah has caused to go astray.’ (4: 143) They are not of the unbelievers, or of the believers or of the Muslims. They claim to be of belief. They change to disbelief and denial. May Allah condemn them all.’”

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) has said, ‘A hypocrite forbids others, but himself does not desist from prohibited matters and commands others with what he himself does not perform. When prayer is to begin he (7 ’tarazd) avoids it.’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘O descendent of the messenger of Allah, “What is ‘I’tirazT’ The Imam said, ‘It is turning away. When he is in the Ruku’ position (kneeling) he uses it as resting place. Toward the evening his only concern is dinner, even though he is not fasting. Toward morning his only concern is more sleep, even though he has not passed the night awake worshipping. If he speaks to you, he lies. If you trust him, he breaches it. Behind your back, he backbites you and if he promises you, he disregards his promise.’”

“In, Ruku’ position he rests and in Sajdah (the prostration) he acts like a crow picking up grains very fast, and sits on his heels.”

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘The case of a hypocrite is like the trunk of a palm tree. His owner wants to use it in a construction but it does not fit where he wants it to fit. He then tries it in another place and it still does not fit. At last he burns it in the fire.’”

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘If humility expressed physically is more than what is in the heart, in our view it is hypocrisy.’”