The Plight of the Hypocrites

[AceOfHearts]

The Plight of the Hypocrites

The term "non-Practicing Muslim" is very often used by ignorant people who have not grasped true faith as described in the Qur'an. Those who consider themselves "practicing" freely use the term as well as the group being referred to by the term. This term is used to describe a group of large number of people who have an Arabic name and have parents who are considered Muslim, but openly do not lead a life endorsed by Allah's religion.

These people lead a life, not guided by Allah and His Book, but by their own whims and desires. They indulge in all forms of deeds without observing any of Allah's limits, purely to satisfy their own self. They never think of Allah or the existence of the Hereafter. None of there deeds are done with the intention of gaining the Paradise of Allah in the Hereafter. In short, they prefer the life of this world over the Hereafter. However, when asked about their religion, they would reply that they are Muslims, without much hesitation. Though deep inside they are very much aware of their irreligious state, they like to think of themselves as modern Muslims by not getting involved with religion in any serious way. Due to this, they are unaware of Allah who created them. If they were truly Muslim as they claim, they would have always been mindful of Allah, doing good and obeyed all the Qur'anic commandments.

Though the true religion has suffered from many of its so-called followers portraying it as a backward way of life, this is not the reason why these people do not adhere to the religion of Allah. As stated before, they lead their life in that heedless way because they want to only satisfy whatever their inner-self desires, and whatever the Satan whispers to them. They are not interested in the thought of worshipping Allah or doing what is good for their Hereafter.

It took the whole Qur'an, consisting of some several thousand verses to explain the characteristic of the true Muslim. Anyone who does not fit with Allah's strict definition of who a Muslim is cannot be a Muslim in Allah's sight. Allah has defined the word 'Muslim' in the Qur'an. Briefly, it is a reference for the sincere Believers who work for the Hereafter by doing good and avoiding evil for Allah's sake alone. Even etymologically, the word it self means a person who submits. In the Qur'an, the Muslim is someone who submits to Allah and His commands in the Qur'an. Muslims have other attributes in the Qur'an, for example, ‘Righteous Ones’ and ‘The Good-doers’ among many more. That is why there can be no such person as a "non-practicing Muslim" as the term is a contradiction in it self. In fact, these people are not an undefined group of people in the Qur'an. In the Qur'an, they have been identified in Surah Al-Bakarah which reads:

"There are some people who say, 'we believe in Allah and the Last Day', when they really do not believe. They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they only deceive themselves, though they are not aware of it" (Qur'an 2:8-9)

The disbelieving people or "non-practicing" people identified above actually do not lead a psychologically happy life either; the Qur'an states that only in the remembrance of Allah do the heart find peace and satisfaction.

“Those who have faith and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of Allah, only in the remembrance of Allah does the heart find peace.” (Qur’an 13:28)

Only those who love and fear Allah will receive the gift of true peace and contentment. Yet they try even harder with gaining more wealth, children and friends to gain peace and satisfaction which cannot be achieved this way, all while as they deceive themselves to be Muslims just as stated in the Verse. There are also so-called Muslims in the majority, who perform outward rituals of worship and put on a certain mannerism and dress-code, yet do not grasp the existence of Allah in His true measure.

The Qur'an states in Surah An-Nur, actions of so-called “non-Practicing Muslims” as well as all self-proclaimed disbelievers in chasing happiness are like a person chasing a mirage for water in a desert. When he thinks he has reached water, he finds nothing there, only Allah, who repays Him for His disbelieving way of life with the punishment of Hell.

"But the deeds of those who disbelieve are like a mirage in a desert: the thirsty person thinks there will be water but, when he gets there, he finds only Allah, who pays him his account in full - Allah is swift in reckoning." (Qur'an 24:39)

Surah Al-Bakarah mentions people who deceive themselves into thinking they are people who submit to Allah when they really do not believe in Allah and the Last Day without harboring doubts in their hearts. We must not forget that this includes all those who assume they are religious because they perform outward acts of worship but have no deep fear of Allah nor any of the supreme wisdom from the Qur’an. These are also deceiving themselves into being "Muslims" together with the so-called non-practicing Muslims. This is because they do not have the necessary state of mind of a Believer. They are incapable of grasping true faith and way of conduct due to their distancing themselves from the Qur'an - the only Book which explains true faith to the Believers.

The true Believer treads the path of righteousness cautiously in his words and deeds. Allah has reserved a special term in the Qur’an only for hypocrites – “those with a disease in their hearts”, and He warns the true Believers not to fall into the ways of these people. All people striving to be Believers must make sure they do not develop this disease in their hearts while not obeying those with it. The true Believer can identify these sorts. Salat prayer and fasting are not enough to prove that a person is a real Believer, only when one's speach and deeds consistantly match the upright model of a Believer matching Qur'anic morality can one be considered a Believer.

On the Day of Judgment, Allah will judge in His supreme wisdom all sorts of people. For us to know on earth which group will emerge victorious in the Hereafter and be rewarded with the eternal Garden, one has to turn to the Qur’an – the only Book of Guidance from Allah to mankind, as Allah states:

“[We said to Adam and his wife], ‘Get out, all of you! But when guidance comes from Me as it certainly will [on earth], there will be no fear for those who follow My guidance nor will they grieve – those who disbelieve and deny our Revelations shall be inhabitants of the Fire, and there they will remain.’ “ (Qur’an 2:38-39)

Let us ask ourselves, what sort of a person are we in the sight of Allah? Are you the kind of sincere Believer who is knowledgeable of the Qur'an and works only for the sake of Allah in every moment of your life? Does every single word and deed of yours bear the motive of earning the paradise of Allah and is it in compliance with the Qur’an? Do you know what the Qur’an says? These are very important questions as only the true Believers will enter the ever-lasting Gardens of Allah - those who are truly worthy of Paradise, the sincere Believers in Allah and the Last Day who adhere to the morality of the Qur’an.

[Zainab_M]

This is a very interesting article that greatly educates the mind.

"In the Qur'an, the Muslim is someone who submits to Allah and His commands in the Qur'an. Muslims have other attributes in the Qur'an, for example, ‘Righteous Ones’ and ‘The Good-doers’ among many more. That is why there can be no such person as a "non-practicing Muslim" as the term is a contradiction in it self."

This was wonderfully put.  In the Quraan the term "Muslim" meaning complete surrender to Allah is used more as a common noun than a proper noun.  Thus, as per the definition of this term in the Quraan, all faithful slaves of Allah from Noah and Abraham down to Moses, Jesus son of Mary and Mohammed (peace on them all) are Muslims.  All of them surrendered their will and purpose for the cause of Allah entirely.  But with the passage of time, hypocrisy has run so deep in the hearts of mankind that the word "Muslim" has only become a title to define one's spiritual descent and to establish their identity.  I am sure most 'Muslims' at present wouldn't even know that the word means. 

"Anyone who does not fit with Allah's strict definition of who a Muslim is cannot be a Muslim in Allah's sight."

This is so very true.  The requirements of the term 'Muslim' has been very thoroughly defined in the Quraan.  That's the reason I don't understand how people embracing all those human interpolations introduced in Faith call themselves 'Muslims.'  Their faith along with those interpolations follows a very different path than that prescribed by the Noble Quraan.  In my opinion, Muslim, Sunni, Shiia, Christian, Jew etc. etc. are all separate paths.  Out of these the only path consisting of the original Divine dictates & guidance is the one followed by the Muslim.   Otherwise, just as Christians, Jews etc. cannot be called 'Muslims' because of their deviations, similarly those who embrace the laws of Sunnism or Shiiaism are what they call themselves.  They obviously cannot be called Muslims.  That's because the Sunni and Shiia ideologies not only differ from one another, but neither are they identical to the ideology of the Quraan.

"The disbelieving people or "non-practicing" people identified above actually do not lead a psychologically happy life either;"   

Exactly.  Actually they have tons of emotional problems.  Emotional lows and depression are happen with everyone.  But when a disbeliever or a secularist suffers from this condition, things often gets a lot more complicated for them.  When we, Muslims, go through our emotional lows, we constantly feel that we have the support of Allah that's holding us straight.  It's the only great source of strength that never allows us to lose control of ourselves.  But with a disbeliever, the spiritual side of their life is empty.  Since they have no concept of faith, therefore any emotional insecurity puts them at an edge, and eventually many of them fall over altogether.  This is one of the prime reasons why social problems such as alcoholism and drug addiction are becoming increasingly common along with their increasing secular values.   It reminds me of a Quraanic verse where Allah tells the believers that they can hope from Him what the disbelievers cannot.   Btw, verse 13:28 that you quoted is one of my many favorites.  It's particularly feels very soothing during times of stress and anxiety. 

"Yet they try even harder with gaining more wealth, children and friends to gain peace and satisfaction which cannot be achieved this way, all while as they deceive themselves to be Muslims just as stated in the Verse."

The self-acknowledged disbelievers (atheists) and the so-called hypocritical Muslims both have this kind of mindset that you described above.  This aspect has been pin-pointed in the Quraan many times, that those people who feel secure because of their worldly wealth and family and thus reject Allah will realize the enormity of their sin on the Day of Judgment when even children will be separated from their parents.  And again, such persons cannot be called Muslims because they have surrendered themselves to this world, not to Allah. 

"We must not forget that this includes all those who assume they are religious because they perform outward acts of worship but have no deep fear of Allah nor any of the supreme wisdom from the Qur’an."

This is another very correct point.  In modern times, the contradictory term 'practicing Muslims' is supposed to mean those who perform outward or ritualistic acts of worship.  With time, the minds of people have fallen so low that the concepts of grasping, understanding and following the contents of the Quraan are considered unnecessary pre-requisites for being a Muslim.  In fact, according to many so-called Muslim spiritual leaders, those who try to read and understand the Quraan for themselves are sinners.  As for the atheists, they openly reject the Quraan.  That's the extent of the general degradation of the human mind.   

"Salat prayer and fasting are not enough to prove that a person is a real Believer, only when one's speach and deeds consistantly match the upright model of a Believer matching Qur'anic morality can one be considered a Believer."

The problem is that very few realize that salaat, fasting, zakaah, hajj are all meant to enhance not only our Faith but also our conscience, and subsequently improve our conduct.   We are steadily supposed to reflect on our acts of worship and then implement it in our conduct.  If worship and practical life is segregated, worship would carry little purpose.

Thank you brother Ace for this very thoughtful work.  It makes so much sense from start to finish.  Salaams and peace to you.