To most people, the word hypocrite does not mean much. Some interpret it as meaning “two-faced” or “liar,” as they use it in everyday speech, but remain unaware of its significance in the Qur’an. People with some knowledge of religion, on the other hand, think of the hypocrites as a group of deniers who lived at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (saas). The fact is, the hypocrites are a group whom Allah mentions in hundreds of verses of the Qur’an and He reminds us to be on our guard against them.
From the Qur’an, we also learn that hypocrites as a group are not encountered only infrequently, but on the contrary, they are “organized” within every community of believers. Allah reveals in many verses of the Qur’an the characteristics of this community that represents a danger to believers. And therefore, hypocrites are one of the kinds of people most often described in the Qur’an.
These people are able to live, sometimes for many years, among those sincere believers who totally dedicate their lives to Allah, and pretend to be like them. But in fact, they are nothing of the sort and are concerned solely with their own interests. This group has been seen in every community of believers throughout history.
This book examines the characteristics of hypocrites, with the details set forth in the Qur’an.
