HYPOCRISY

Arabic riyā ( رياء‎ ), nifāq ( نفاق‎ ), makr ( مكر‎ ), mudāhan at ( مداهنة‎ ). When there is an allusion to hypocrisy in the Qurʾān, it refers to that cla of people known as al-Munāfiqūn , or the hypocrites of al-Madīnah, who in the days of the Prophet profe ed to follow him, whilst secretly they opposed him [ MUNAFIQUN ], vide Sūrahs ii. 7 ; xxxiii. 47 ; lvii. 13 . But in the Traditions we have the following with reference to this sin, Mishkāt , book i. ch. iii. pt. 3 :— “The signs of hypocrisy are three: speaking falsely, promising and not performing, and being perfidious when trusted.” “There are four qualities, which being po e ed by anyone, constitute a complete hypocrite; and whoever has one of the four has one hypocritical quality till he discards it: perfidy when trusted, the breaking of agreements, speaking falsely, and prosecuting hostility by treachery.”