"Signs of a hypocrite are three: whenever he speaks he lies; whenever he promises, he breaks his promises; and whenever he has been entrusted, he betrays his trust; even if he fasts and prays and even if he claims he is a Muslim." [Bukhari & Muslim]
And in another narration in the book of Imam Bukhari on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Umar:
“The Prophet said, "Whoever has (the following) four characters will be a hypocrite, and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy until he gives it up. These are:
(1) Whenever he talks, he tells a lie; (2) whenever he makes a promise, he breaks it; (3) whenever he makes a covenant he proves treacherous; (4) and whenever he quarrels, he behaves impudently in an evil insulting manner."
We should think about ourselves – do we have this characteristic of Nifaq (hypocrisy)?
I find it hard not to be a hypocrite. A hypocrite practises behaviour that he or she publicly condemns. We all have our failings and if we were to be perfect before we stood for anything nothing would get done. People come out with the accusation "hypocrite" so as to avoid compliance, and it is not always appropriate - sometimes you appeal to someone's strengths knowing your own strengths are inadequate for the thing at hand, and that does not make you a hypocrite. Sometimes you help others with their failings, or admonish them, even though you have your own. Perhaps someone who speaks with honesty and compassion should never be called a hypocrite. There is another dimension - asserting that one represents best practise, putting oneself on a pedestal, and being harsh, demanding the impossible, is the context for hypocrisy.
I think what you have defined lends supports to this by describing also the arrogance and compulsive lying that characterises a hypocrite, setting the bar a little higher.
In the Hadith of the Prophet
of Islam we should pay attention to the word 'whenever'.
In short (as Mr Vivre says) everyone is flawed and has hypocritical tendencies but we never stop striving for perfection, identifying the shortcomings (now that takes some skill).
im constantly identifying short comings in myself! its tryna fix em thts hard, not the identifying! in my case anyways...:(
"Verily, in the remembrance of Allah, do hearts find rest"
just dont drown in "i hate myself" stuff...
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
the main point of this hadith is that you try recognize your faults at least and then try as much as you can to stay away from repeating these actions. insha allah may Allah guide us all. Ameen
Lets reunite the ummah under one flag LA ILAHA IL ALLAH MUHAMMADUR RASULULLAH
+1
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
(4) and whenever he quarrels, he behaves impudently in an evil insulting manner."
im ok witht he other 2 but this one got me haaaaard
DAM!
ermmm actually...does raising my voice and maybe swearing and behaving in a hopstile way count? i do them when im in an argument and i try my best to stay out of quarrels so im all good in a way
The Wisest of Man Is Not The One Who Knows, But The One Who Seeks Knowledge In Order To Perform
if you can get me some chocolate that would be great.
lol, yes that's baaaaaad!
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
ok then im no. 4
which one are you?
The Wisest of Man Is Not The One Who Knows, But The One Who Seeks Knowledge In Order To Perform
if you can get me some chocolate that would be great.
Oh, I don't know if thats included in no4, I was just saying its wrong
lol
And I dunno, they all say "whenever", and even if I've done some of those things sometimes it's not the same as always doing them. :S
(And we shouldn't be mentioning our sins unless its necessary, anyway, remember
)
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
i get you
if you lie once it doesnt make you a lier
The Wisest of Man Is Not The One Who Knows, But The One Who Seeks Knowledge In Order To Perform
if you can get me some chocolate that would be great.
If u lie, it literally makes you a liar.
it's only when stop lying that u stop being a liar.
Don't just do something! Stand there.
why are you trying to contradict what im saying dude?
i said if you lie once it doesnt make you a lier and thats that it means ONCE not every time lool
and if you put it like that then we all are many things because who's to know when we will say or do something wrong again.
what i said before was correct.
The Wisest of Man Is Not The One Who Knows, But The One Who Seeks Knowledge In Order To Perform
if you can get me some chocolate that would be great.
yeah, i agree with what ur saying and wasnt intending to single u out or anything.
the point i was trying to hint at is that we have good and bad in us, we all commit sins and do good deeds, we all waver from one extreme to another.
but if someone were to die while in the state of, say, being 'a liar' (he/she might have been an honest person up until then), then that is the state of that they'll always remain in.
And since we don't know when death will come...
i agree with the general principal that occasionally doing something doesn't necessarily make it become part of our character,, but its easy for exceptions to become habits. i know from experience (maybe im painting evryone with my flawed own flawed brush or am a cynic; 'wary' could be another way of explaining it)
saying 'i tell lies but i'm not a liar' is a dangerous game to start to play, it's like swinging a cat by its tail in and out of a lift as the doors are closing..theres a 50/50 chance u'll end up a kitten murderer.
is that going too far?
Don't just do something! Stand there.
maybe just a tad
"Verily, in the remembrance of Allah, do hearts find rest"
ROFL! you reckon?
just wanting some clarification. what would "being in a state of a liar" be like?
would be, like you have a lie going round? or just have a heart attack in the middle of lieing?
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
i don't know, maybe if u'd invented a big story about ur life and loads of people believed u and were treating u differently because of it?
or a married person who is having an affair?
or maybe it might just be a person for who lying has become a habit?
or none of these- God knows best
Don't just do something! Stand there.
so i guess, it could be when you're living the lie.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?