Status of hypocrites
Fatwa No: 87714

Question

Are the hypocrites considered Kuffar?

Answer

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

 

Nifaq (hypocrisy) is of two kinds: Major Nifaq and minor Nifaq.  The major Nifaq takes a person out of the fold of Islam. It is hypocrisy which is connected to belief, which is to conceal Kufr and to show Iman.  So this is major Nifaq which takes the person out of the fold of Islam even if he prays, fasts and pretends to be Muslim. 

Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {When the hypocrites come to you (O Muhammad SAW), they say: "We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allâh." Allâh knows that you are indeed His Messenger and Allâh bears witness that the hypocrites are liars indeed.}[63:1].

The second kind of Nifaq is the minor Nifaq, and does not take the person out of the fold of Islam.  This is what is called pragmatic Nifaq.  The evidence about this kind of Nifaq is the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (Radiya Allahu Anhu) as he said: The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “There are three things if they are found in a person, he is a Munafiq (hypocrite) even if he fasts, prays and says that he is a Muslim, if he speaks he lies, if he promises, he fails to keep the promise, and if he is entrusted he cheats.” [Reported by Bukhari and Muslim]

The other evidence is the Hadith of Ibn Umar (Radiya Allahu Anhu) as he said: ‘The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “There are four things if they are found in a person, then he is a real Munafiq (hypocrite), and if one of its traits are found in a person, then there is a trait of Nifaq in him until he leaves it: If he is entrusted, he cheats, if he speaks he lies, if he promises, he fails to keep his promise, and if he quarrels he uses obscene and immoral expressions.”

 

Allah knows best.

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