Hypocrites’ Fear of Getting Caught

Hypocrites are terrified of intelligence the most; they are horrified at the idea that Muslims learn the truths about them

Life of the hypocrites is all about lies, treachery and deceit. They wish to exploit every opportunity to ‘carry out their evil acts as much as possible’. They also know that to continue their evil behavior, they have to hide their actions and no one should ever disclose them. That’s why it is very important to them that people don't talk about their schemes, plots, and that their insidious acts are not brought to the attention of Muslims. It’s the only way the hypocrites can maintain their evil system and disguise themselves.

‘Once the secrecy of the hypocrites is lifted’, in other words, once Muslims become aware of their evil schemes, methods and tactics, they will lose their entire leverage. Losing secrecy means that they will no longer be able to carry out their hypocritical acts freely. That’s why the hypocrites fear ‘intelligence and information flow’ and work with all their might to stop the flow of intelligence. If a Muslim notices their evil behavior and informs another Muslim or the Muslim community in general of the situation, the hypocrites will be put in a very difficult position. Hypocrites consider it a serious ‘threat’ to themselves if Muslims put together all the information and derive a conclusion from the compilation of details about their hypocritical behavior, which have been witnessed by different Muslims in different places and at different times.

That’s why the hypocrites hate the idea of Muslims informing each other about them. In the same way, they feel extremely nervous if Muslims start paying attention to their daily activities, and observe them closely. They want no restriction on their ability to carry out hypocrisy. Therefore when Muslims exchange information for the sake of good, hypocrites’ entire plot will be thwarted. This will enrage them to no end, and will develop a fierce grudge against those that found out about them and that brought the information to the attention of others.

The hypocrites at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also felt extremely uncomfortable with this ‘exchange of information and intelligence flow’, as is typical to all the hypocrites that lived throughout the history. In the Qur’an, we are informed that the hypocrites adopted their typical hypocrite tone and attempted to slander our Prophet (pbuh) with the words “he is an ear:”

Among them are some who insult the Prophet, saying he is only an ear. Say, “An ear of good for you, believing in God and believing in the believers, and a mercy for those among you who have faith.” As for those who insult the Messenger of God, they will have a painful punishment. (Surat at-Tawba, 61)

Hypocrites felt extremely disturbed in the face of the fact that the Prophet (pbuh) was informed by believers of the incidents and talks they witnessed. However, as our Lord reveals in the verse, our Prophet (pbuh) was ‘an ear of good’ and this was ‘a mercy for believers’. In another verse, God stresses the importance of believers informing the Prophet (pbuh) anything of significance. God reminds that prophets, messengers and those that have authority can ‘discern the truth’ and make the best conclusions with this information:

When news of any matter reaches them they spread it about, whether it is of a reassuring or disquieting nature. If they had only referred it to the Messenger and those in command among them, those among them able to discern the truth about it would have had proper knowledge. If it were not for God’s favor to you and His mercy, all but a very few of you would have followed satan. (Surat an-Nisa’, 83)

These verses make it quite clear that when Muslims ‘witness an incident, a speech, or information that could be significant, they should refer it to our Prophet (pbuh) or those in command among them’. When this is done, these people are able to assess this intelligence and information in the best way possible as they possess the necessary experience, insight, wisdom and understanding to draw the best conclusion.

However, it deeply upsets the hypocrites that Muslims have this system of intelligence and information flow. They get especially upset and nervous when Muslims refer this information to the individual who can draw the best conclusion. This puts him in a state of fear and panic.

Muslims, on the other hand, do not feel uncomfortable at all with this information flow. Their lives are already ‘open, transparent and clean’ and they spend every minute of their lives in fear of God. Even when they are completely alone, they know that God sees them and that they will be questioned about each and every one of their speeches and acts in the hereafter. Therefore, they don’t feel uncomfortable at all when their lackings or mistakes are brought up. On the contrary, they see it as a good opportunity to improve their morality and behavior and will rejoice at it.

Since the hypocrites’ dirty world is full of deceit and demonic ruses, they feel extremely uneasy with the possibility of these schemes being noticed and revealed. Due to this fear, they spend their life among Muslims ‘sulking in corners, hiding in darkness, and sneaking and attempting to do things in secrecy’. ‘The fear of getting caught and the resulting agitation and nervousness’ dominate their entire mood. Even a trivial matter will be enough to make them terrified, as they will think they are ‘caught’. They will doubt everything; if someone passing by looks at them, or someone makes an eye contact with them, or if two people are privately conversing, they will assume that they are all about and against them. They make life a living hell for themselves, constantly fearing that a subject will be brought up about them and their plans will be foiled. There is not even a single moment they can experience peace, serenity and happiness. Doubts, fears and anxiety dominate their whole lives. In the Qur’an, this fearful world of the hypocrites is explained as follows:

…If fear comes, you see them looking at you, their eyes rolling like people scared to death. (Surat al-Ahzab, 19)

Hypocrites are horrified at the possibility that their stealthy deeds might be noticed and exposed

As they try to carry out their evil actions covertly and slyly, the hypocrites live with the constant fear of being found out by the Muslims. They are terrified that Muslims find out about their betrayal, their secret contacts with unbelievers and the way they secretly provide intelligence to those unbelievers or about how they concoct plots against Muslims. They take extreme measures to keep their cover intact until they achieve their ultimate goals and leave the side of Muslims of their own volition. Before departing from the company of Muslims, they wish to exploit the means of Muslims as much as possible, financially or spiritually; and to collect as much vital information as they can, which they hope, will help them get in the good graces of certain unbeliever circles. Instead of living their lives with like-minded unbelievers, they choose to stay with Muslims to benefit from the safety, peace and welfare they provide, while on the other hand they improve their insidious alliance with the unbelievers.

In the meantime though, they are well aware that God gives Muslims detailed descriptions of the hypocrites in the Qur’an. In the light of these verses Muslims can spot the ‘character of hypocrites and signs of hypocrisy’. Therefore, no matter how hard the hypocrites work, they are aware that they attract attention with their facial expressions, character and body language. No matter how good they are at mimicking the Muslims, no matter how much effort they put to deceive them, they know that everyone can see the difference.

The idea fills their life with immense fear: “What if everyone finds out that they are hypocrites? What if their dishonesty is exposed? What if the evidence of the intelligence they have been providing to the unbelievers, or of the plans they have been making with them is revealed?” These worries slowly eat away at them. Their brains suffer day and night with such worries like “Are Muslims aware of what they have been doing all along? Could it be that they know but not make it obvious?”. But, as they can find no way to verify their doubts, from time to time, they try to question Muslims inconspicuously, and sometimes bluff to find the answers; but their efforts always fail.

It is because Muslims are surely and incomparably much more intelligent than the hypocrites. Even when they have doubts about certain individuals being hypocrites, they have the insight and foresight to perfectly analyze, humor and convince them. And they never give the answers the hypocrites are seeking. Even if they are fully aware of the hypocrites’ devilish collaborations, secret affiliations and their spying on Muslims, they won’t make it obvious to them. They can even convince them that there is no doubt or problem at all and that they trust them. This will prompt the hypocrites to feel relaxed enough to continue their insidious intelligence activities and cooperation with the unbelievers. Since Muslims are aware of their actions, they take necessary precautions to protect Muslims, while at the same time, trying to guide the hypocrites towards sincerity and help them abandon their erroneous ways.

The hypocrites that lived at the time of our Prophet (pbuh), just like all the other insincere people throughout world’s history, lived with the ‘fear of being discovered’. They were horrified at the thought of revelation of a verse about themselves to the Prophet (pbuh), who acted in line with the revelation from God and of God making them known to the Prophet (pbuh). This panic-stricken mood of the hypocrites is described as follows in the Qur’an:

The hypocrites are afraid that a surah may be sent down about them, informing them of what is in their hearts. Say: “Go on mocking! God will expose everything you are afraid of.” (Surat at-Tawba, 64)

Surely, it wasn't hypocrites’ belief in God or His revelation that made them develop such thoughts. They believed that the entire Qur’an consisted of the words of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself (surely our Prophet (pbuh) is above such thoughts). So, when they said that “they were afraid that a surah may be sent down informing of what is in their hearts,” they didn't actually refer to ‘revelation’, but to a saying by the Prophet (pbuh) of his own accord. They were worried that their spying, treachery, betrayal would somehow be discovered. They knew that if they were found out, ‘they would fall into disgrace’ in the eyes of their community. That was their main worry. They were afraid that ‘the Prophet (pbuh) would tell the community that these people were hypocrites, and that everyone would turn against them after finding out about their evil, treacherous character and practices’.

‘Asbab al-Nudhul’, in other words interpretations with commentaries that deal with the reasons for revelation of verses, include three different accounts regarding the reason for revelation of this verse:

It is stated in one of these commentaries that a hypocrite said that he’d rather be flocked a hundred times than a verse be revealed that would disgrace them. In other words, a hypocrite would readily accept suffering pain over humiliation. This is because being able to ‘show off’ is much more important to hypocrites. Their supposed ‘image, reputation’ and ‘what people are saying’ are crucial to them. In order to avoid being discovered, they have to maintain their disguise as Muslims. If others find out that they are hypocrites, their reputation will be lost and so will their means to derive personal benefits. Hypocrites would prefer to suffer physical pain rather than being in such a situation.

According to another account in Asbab al-Nudhul commentaries it is related that a group of hypocrites were plotting to assassinate the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on a dark night on the way back from Tabuk, upon which archangel Gabriel came and informed the Prophet (pbuh). Hypocrites, who don’t believe in the infinite power of God, are unaware of the fact that God sees and knows everything they do, while they are plotting against Muslims or sneakily spying on them. If they are plotting in a place where no one can see or hear them, after taking their precautions, they will be convinced that no one knows about that. They don't believe that if there is a secret council of two, God is the third of them. That’s why what makes them concerned is not God knowing ‘how treacherous and deceitful’ they are, but people hearing about it. God tells us in a verse that He knows the secrets that the hypocrites are secretly discussing:

Or do they imagine that We do not hear their secrets and their private talk? On the contrary Our messengers are right there with them writing it down! (Surat az-Zukhruf, 80)

In another verse God reveals: “Say: ‘Go on mocking! God will expose everything you are afraid of.’” (Surat at-Tawba, 64). As the hypocrites imagine that they harm Muslims with cunning schemes without anyone being aware of it, God sees everything they do. And God promised that He would ‘expose’ all of them. Everything that the hypocrites are trying to disguise, to keep under covers, God will expose ‘everything they are afraid of’ one by one. Everything that they are running from will come back to haunt them.

Hypocrites will try hard not to get caught red-handed; with an unending series of lies, they will try to cover their crimes and feign innocence

One of the things that give hypocrites away is their ‘evil talent in lying’. Since they have sly brains, they won’t lie randomly. When they are to tell a lie, they first build a mental picture with all the details. They have their excuses ready in their minds to offer should they ever get caught. That’s why it is very difficult to ‘catch the hypocrites in the act’. Even if their plots are clearly diagnosed and revealed, they will still shamelessly deny them. Even if the Muslims see with their eyes an evil practice, they will rush to offer dozens of demonic excuses. They tell series of lies to mask their immoral acts. Since they are articulate and argumentative, they can easily make up lies on the spot. And when their lies are spotted, their excuse will always be that ‘they only mean well, they only want goodness’. They assert that everyone is ‘prejudiced against them’ and that they are therefore always suspicious of them.

At the time of our Prophet (pbuh), when the hypocrites built the Masjid al-Dirar, their sole goal was gathering hypocrites together against the Prophet (pbuh), causing dissent and division in the Muslim community. However, when they were asked about their intentions, they swore in the name of God that they built it only for goodness. God informs us about these cunning tactics of the hypocrites:

As for those who have set up a mosque, causing harm and out of disbelief, to create division between the believers, and in readiness for those who previously made war on God and His Messenger, they will swear, ‘We only desired the best.’ But God bears witness that they are truly liars. (Surat at-Tawba, 107)

The lying method of the hypocrites hasn’t changed throughout centuries. Their excuses, arguments, justification methods, defense strategies, techniques to cover their lies have remained the same even if the time, people and settings have changed. For instance, when hypocrites see two Muslims speaking, they know that if they approach they will either stop talking or change the subject if it’s a private matter. That is because Muslims are very sensitive, careful and protective when it comes to the best interests of Islam and the safety of Muslims. Knowing this, hypocrites try to slyly and quietly eavesdrop, maybe at the threshold. If someone sees them and asks them what they are doing, they would say, “I was just cleaning here.” Muslims, who understand that that’s a lie, may choose to call them out for it and say, “but this place has just been cleaned.” Then they would immediately come up with another lie and say, “something dirty was put here, that’s why I am cleaning again.” These lies will continue if Muslims choose to push further. When they are completely cornered, they would throw a tantrum, scream, yell, cry and even slander the Muslims who exposed their sly games. They would say that they only meant well by being there, were making a sacrifice by cleaning up that place so that Muslims would not get dirty unawares, but that they were still being treated cruelly and without any love. If Muslims continue to talk to them and push them to tell the truth, this time they would pretend to faint because of some illness, such as low blood pressure or low blood sugar. Their real purpose is making sure that they are not pushed any further, as they are left with no other means to hide their lies. And indeed, just like a real ‘actor’, they stage an ‘evil, devious and treacherous play.’

The hypocrites know Muslims very well and exploit their kindness, compassion and mercy to suit their interests. They are perfectly aware that when they cry or suggest that they are unwell, Muslims won’t ask any more questions out of their conscience and close the subject pretending that they don’t realize this whole play. That’s why whenever they are backed into a corner like this, they activate these plans. God tells us in the Qur’an that hypocrites will use such methods and ‘continuously lie by twisting the truth’:

Shall I tell you upon whom the satans descend? They descend on every evil liar. They give them [satans] a hearing and most of them are liars. (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’, 221-223)

In case they get caught, hypocrites always have a series of excuses prepared in advance for each and every immorality and act they are engaged in against Muslims. They are convinced that, this way they will be able to conceal themselves all the time and prevent their lies from ever being exposed, if they are caught off guard.

The hypocrites possess ‘devilish brains’ but Muslims possess ‘intelligence derived from faith’ that can easily overcome the hypocrites’ brains. Therefore, Muslims, in a way, ‘play’ with the scheming brains of the hypocrites. Needless to say, it is crucial that Muslims are very vigilant about the hypocrites. Furthermore dealing with the hypocrites is nothing short of dealing with the devil itself. And when Muslims defeat the hypocrites, by the will of God, they will be defeating the devil.

If the hypocrites think that they are caught, they might for a while suspend their evil acts

Using the evil inspirations from satan, hypocrites can act in a very sly manner. Since they covertly and sneakily carry out their evil deeds amongst the Muslims, they always live with the constant fear of being spotted by someone. For this reason, they continuously ‘test the waters’ and regularly ‘check’ if there is anyone suspicious of them. If they think that there is even the slightest possibility that it might be the case, they immediately adjust their behavior, speeches, actions to create the exact opposite image. Whenever they suspect that someone noticed them, they swiftly change colors ‘just like a chameleon’.

One of the things that ring the alarm bells in a hypocrite’s mind is when Muslims begin to bring up the hypocrites more in their conversations through articles, and documentary movies. This will automatically lead the hypocrites to think, “are they focusing on this topic so much because they suspect that there might be a hypocrite amongst them?”. The thought makes them incredibly agitated. For that reason, they immediately cool down: They either slow down their evil acts or completely bring them to a halt for a while. However, they occasionally ‘see how the land lies’ to be sure if Muslims have any doubts about them or not.

However, this temporary halt in a hypocrite’s behavior will never be taken at face value by Muslims because they know the reason why the hypocrites pretend to stop their stealthy acts, that ‘this is only temporary and when an opportunity arises, they will do even worse’.

This state of the hypocrites is similar to behavior of wild animals when they think that they are caught. Such an animal will stop and wait for a moment of distraction on the part of the hunter, at which moment the animal will immediately attack again. The games of the hypocrites are like that. Even if they come to a halt for some time, they will still wait for an opportunity to attack again. They just wait for things to calm down and the conditions to change. When they understand that they are being suspected, or indeed caught, they will immediately stop their evil deeds. For instance, if they disturb Muslims with their behavior, talk, or facial expressions, they will stop it for a while. Or if they are secretly providing information to the unbelievers, setting up traps against Muslims, they will stop it for a while. If they are slacking all the time and wasting time, they will pretend to help Muslims in a number of works, but only to a limited extent. They will continue to practice such tactics until they believe that the suspicions on them are cleared.

However, if they see that Muslims somehow do not pay attention to the matter as much as before, or are focusing on something else, they will continue where they left off, but this time in a more intense manner. They will continue to disturb Muslims with their attitude, to cause strife with their speeches and harass believers in general.

A hypocrite is much like a ‘tuberculosis bacteria’. They will partially straighten themselves up, when they understand that they are caught. However, when they are no longer the focus of attention, they will resume their evil manner and activities. In order to neutralize tuberculosis bacteria continual intake of ‘antibiotics’ is necessary otherwise the microbe aggressively seeks to invade the entire body. Hypocrites are just like that, too stubborn to be cured. Just like continuous treatment with high doses of antibiotics is needed to subdue the tuberculosis bacteria, it is important to keep a close watch of the hypocrites to deter them.

Hypocrites continuously change tactics according to the changing circumstances; they always have plans A, B, and C

Since hypocrites have a one-track mind and that is plotting evil, they won’t have a single, fixed approach in the face of events. They are inspired by satan and may approach Muslims with different methods. The following verse about satan manifests itself in the hypocrites too:

Then I will come at them, from in front of them and behind them, from their right and from their left. You will not find most of them thankful. (Surat al-A‘raf, 17)

Hypocrites are like chameleons. Just like a chameleon changing its color according to its surroundings, the hypocrites can easily adapt to the changing circumstances and conditions. They will do whatever is necessary to fit their agenda. They are almost like ‘professional actors’. They can cry if they think they should, and act cheerful if that suits their interests. If they want to attract attention, they sulk in a corner. Since their souls are already unsettled, they don’t have any difficulty in acting with wild mood swings. They reveal the plotting, dark, loveless side of their soul to an extent when they feel like it, and hide it when they want to again to an extent they themselves set.

God describes the character of a hypocrite, who insisted on being ungrateful despite all the blessings he was given, in the following verses:

May he be accursed, how he planned! May be then be accursed, how he plotted! (Surat al-Muddaththir, 19-20)

As God draws our attention in these verses, hypocrites always ‘plot’. They devise and plot with intricate details, using their devilish brains. Since they don't have a clean and sincere frame of mind, they will be busy with lies, plots, secrecy and schemes even in the most unexpected situations. Underneath a single sly move of a hypocrite, scores of devious rationales are hidden. They carefully devise their plans with great care and put them into practice step by step. Considering the possibility that their plans be recognized and exposed by Muslims, they always have plans A, B and C ready in their minds in order not to get caught unprepared. Using their evil theatrics, they mobilize their plans in order according to the situation and circumstances.

There is one more method the hypocrites use to escape when all their plans have run out and when they realize that they have been caught: giving the impression that ‘they are completely out of control and unpredictable’.

To be convincing, they first start by causing disturbance out of an invalid excuse. They reinforce it with disturbing facial expressions, language and tone of voice. They give the impression that they are having a nervous breakdown. This is a part of the plan to convince everyone that ‘they have begun to lose control’. They thus try to make Muslims ‘uncomfortable and uneasy’, implying that they are capable of hurting themselves or the Muslims any moment. Their true intention is taking advantage of the calming demeanor and good intentions of the Muslims and using this disturbed appearance as a leverage, so that they can ‘drive a bargain’ in return for turning back to their normal behavior. With this play, hypocrites display their ‘surprising talent at acting’, skillfully complete their play like they are on stage. And after acting that scene, they present their conditions to calm down.

Muslims though, are perfectly aware of their acts, as well as their detailed, multi-tiered plans of A, B and C. And they never allow the atmosphere of tension and unease to build, which is what the hypocrites sought in the first place. They always talk in a reconciling and calming tone, and make sure that things develop in the best interests of Islam.

As the hypocrites wrongly suppose that they haven’t been detected, they don’t realize that they are giving themselves away ever more clearly

Muslims approach with fine manners to anyone among them that claims to be a Muslim and acts like one and give them the benefit of the doubt. Even if they see an abundance of signs of a hypocritical character on a person, they do their best to save him from satan’s influence and lead him to sincere faith and good morals. For this reason, they never say to anyone “you are a hypocrite,” or “you’re acting like this for hypocritical reasons,” even if they have doubts that they might be. They respond to their even the most evident devilish acts using their reason and conscience and in line with the Qur’anic morality.

Surely enough, even if Muslims act with good manners to those people who display many characteristics of the hypocrites in their character, behaviors and speech, they never let their guards down and take measures to protect themselves from these individuals whom they suspect and do not trust. They quietly observe their sly moves to decipher their true intentions and character.

Hypocrites, on the other hand, are none the wiser about this vigilance and assessment of the Muslims. They misinterpret this silence of the Muslims and imagine that they are undetected and that they can live amongst them without ever getting spotted. Because they are sure that they are not exposed, they have no qualms about stepping up their hypocritical acts freely and without needing to take any measures, all the while inadvertently cementing Muslims’ opinions of them.

We can compare the situation of the hypocrites to a small sea creature that hides under a shell and walks with it. For an outsider, a shell that is walking will make it obvious that ‘underneath it, there is a creature with legs’. Hypocrites are just like this. They build a shell for themselves and walk with it. But since they are foolish, they don’t understand that everyone can notice them. Foolishly, they will think that they can secretly conspire against Muslims. However, that they believe that their sly games, treacherous ambushes, and their efforts against Muslims ‘go unnoticed’, ‘will make them give themselves away ever more clearly’.

In the Qur’an, with the verse “… God brought out what you were hiding” (Surat al-Baqara, 72), it is made clear that everything that people might think will be kept hidden will be revealed one by one. In another verse God says, “… God will expose everything you are afraid of” (Surat at-Tawba, 64).

The hypocrites, who step up their devious games and plans, thinking that they keep themselves hidden, are unaware of this fact. God reveals that in the hereafter, ‘what confronts them will be something they never expected, and will turn into an evil punishment for them’:

If those who did wrong owned everything on earth, and the same again with it, they would offer it as a ransom to save themselves from the evil of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. What confronts them from God will be something they did not reckon with. (Surat az-Zumar, 47)

Listening to the signs of hypocrites is one of the things that pain the hypocrites the most

One of the things that pain the hypocrites the most, that scorch their souls, is "having to listen to the verses of the Qur'an that reveal the secrets of hypocrisy and that uncover the characteristics of the hypocrites." That is because that would thwart all their plots, uncover their secrecy and completely prevent their ability to act slyly.

Indeed the hypocrites are only able to live their hypocrisy as they like, by means of their 'slyness' and 'secrecy'. When such means are taken away from them, they would have their hands tied. Hypocrites would no longer be able to easily act in an environment in which all their sly methods are openly exposed and everyone knows about ‘the devilish artistry of the hypocrites’. That is because Muslims around them would understand all the plots they devise in no time at all and those looking at them would instantly realize that all their acts are those of a hypocrite. So the hypocrites would thus be unable to find a life space for themselves and would have to stop such acts.

The hypocrites, who are well aware of these facts, would not want Muslims to carry out any activity that explain the falsehood of hypocrisy. They wouldn't want Muslims to talk about the verses of the Qur'an relating to the hypocrites, to have faith-related discourses about the characteristics of the hypocrites, to write about these topics or to share such information neither in their social media accounts nor in TV channels, periodicals or books. They would try to prevent these activities as best as they can. They intend to distract those who carry out such activities or prevent their studying sometimes by taking their time with idle talks, sometimes by leaving them sleepless, sometimes by tiring and wearing them down with idle works and sometimes by making noise or raising the volume of the radio or the TV in their studying environments.

Being unable to prevent such activities despite all these efforts and all these plots enrages the hypocrites. While the hypocrites are perfectly decoded, making sure that everyone has instant access to this information would make the hypocrites get into a panic. They feel terrified thinking about the harms all these could bring them.

Having to listen to the verses of the Qur'an about the signs of the hypocrites and the explanations in this regard would cause the hypocrites go even madder, become wilder and be seized by fear.

In Surah Nuh, God informs us that every time the Prophet Noah (pbuh) called the hypocrites and the unbelievers around him to the Qur'an; every time he called them to be saved from hypocrisy and disbelief, these people ‘never wanted to listen’ to this call. Just like it is explained in the verse, when other Muslims communicate the morality of the Qur'an to the hypocrites and tell them about their insincerity, as the Prophets did, they start looking for a place to hide, not to hear the things they are told. If the subject came up during a conversation, they either open another topic instantly and try to close it or come up with an excuse and wander away from that environment. If they hear this conversation of the Muslims from another room, they instantly close their doors and turn up the volume on their stereos or televisions to muffle the sound of their speaking. If they hear the verses about the hypocrites and their explanations on a television channel, radio or over the Internet broadcast, they then instantly turn off the TV or turn down the volume or change the channel. Or they make noise and try to prevent others from listening to it as well as themselves. In a verse, God informs us about this attitude of the hypocrites as follows:

When Our signs are recited to such a person, he turns away arrogantly as if he had not heard, as if there was a great weight in his ears. So give him news of a painful punishment. (Surah Luqman, 7)

In this verse God says that the hypocrites 'turn away arrogantly' and not listen to what's being said. The hypocrites deliberately and wittingly avoid listening to the things that are said. In their twisted minds, they thus engage in an 'act' against Muslims and try to give the message that 'whatever you do, whatever you keep explaining, I am not listening to you and I am not influenced by the things you are talking about'. With this act the hypocrites try to openly demonstrate Muslims around them that 'they don't want to be saved from hypocrisy,' that 'they have no intention to be sincere,' and that 'they are determined to continue with their insidious lives.'

What is remarkable here is the foolishness of the hypocrites. The hypocrites imagine that they can handle everything and solve the issue simply by avoiding hearing about the information regarding the characteristics of the hypocrites. However, even if they don't hear about it, all Muslims learn about the details of the filthy world of the hypocrites and thus attain an understanding that helps identify them. Only the hypocrites do not listen, but the whole world learns about the characteristics of the hypocrites from various channels such as television, radio, Internet; read about it from all periodicals, books and articles. However the hypocrites do not attach importance to the whole world learning about their insidious ways and imagine that only their not listening would be enough to protect their insidious systems.

In a verse of the Qur'an, God informs us about the 'foolish methods' of the hypocrites and their 'hope to be successful by attaining results with such methods,' as follows:

Those who are unbelievers say, "Do not listen to this Qur´an. Drown it out so that hopefully you will gain the upper hand." We will make those who are unbelievers suffer a severe punishment and repay them for the worst of what they did. (Surah Fussilat, 26-27)

The words “Do not listen to this Qur'an. Drown it out” is a devilish 'method of resistance' satan whispers to all unbelievers and hypocrites so that they don't get close to faith. The hypocrites fully apply this method they have learned from satan and avoid the communication they are given so as to avoid hearing a single word against hypocrisy. God explains this mental state of the hypocrites in a verse as follows; "those whose eyes were blind to My remembrance and whose ears were unable to hear [the Qur’an]." (Surat al-Kahf, 101)

The hypocrites clearly express and reveal their determination, that they do not want to listen to the verses and talks about hypocrisy that display their satanic world. However there is another important point that should be known in this regard: The hypocrites would not understand these verses of the Qur'an and their explanations that they meticulously avoid listening to, even if they actually listened to them.

As God informs us in the Qur'an with the verse that reads "Say: ´It is guidance and healing for people who have faith. Those who do not have faith have heaviness in their ears and for them it is blindness. Such people are being called from a very distant place'" (Surah Fussilat, 44), there is heaviness in the ears of the hypocrites towards the verses of the Qur'an. Even if they hear those explanations, they can't understand, they can't grasp their meaning and cannot sincerely be influenced by them. God explains their state as 'blindness.' As God explains with the words, “Such people are being called from a very distant place”, what they hear feels like a call from a distant place and do not reach their hearts and create an impact.

Indeed, the unbelievers of the time explained their situation to the Prophet Jethro (pbuh) saying: “Jethro, We do not understand much of what you say…” (Surah Hud, 91). Although the Prophet Jethro (pbuh) preached them for years, because they did not want to listen to what he had to say and they did not take what they were told personally, they turned away saying “we do not understand what you say.”

All the information given in the Qur'an about this clearly reveals that only Muslims benefit from reading the verses of the Qur'an, from the explanations of the signs of the hypocrites and that those who are determined in their hypocrisy are not at all influenced by them. While Muslims listen to these explanations and thus find the opportunity to correct their errors, the hypocrites refrain from hearing these explanations right from the beginning since they have no intention of changing and abandoning their hypocrisy. In a verse of the Qur'an, God says, "The buildings they have built will not cease to be a bone of contention in their hearts, until their hearts crumble to pieces…" (Surat at-Tawba, 110) and informs us that hypocrites would not give up hypocrisy until their hearts are cut to shreds and that they would continue to resist faith.

Hypocrites do not come to heel; they do not give up their hypocrisy no matter what and they find a new way of 'acting up' every time they are caught

Hypocrites want to be in contact with the unbelievers at every turn, in every sphere. To this end, they secretly carry out insidious activities. However God grants His sincere servants ‘a superior wisdom and understanding to judge between right and wrong,’ something that the hypocrites do not have. For that reason those, who have faith, easily spot the plots of the hypocrites and assume an attitude that would thwart these plots. They reveal the insincerity of the hypocrites with all the details and clarity and thus make them unable to take another single step towards that direction. For instance if there is a system based on unbelief to which the hypocrites lean on and seek interest from, Muslims discern this instantly, and uncover and bring down this system of unbelief worldwide. This way, the hypocrites are left alone; all their cohorts abandon them. At this juncture, another important characteristic of the hypocrites comes to light. Hypocrites do not give up their hypocrisy even in the harshest of conditions. If they lose the means they have in their hands, they try to find yet other means to embark on a brand new insincere action. In the Qur'an, God informs us that the hypocrites would go on with their hypocrisy until their hearts crumble to pieces:

The buildings they have built will not cease to be a bone of contention in their hearts, until their hearts crumble to pieces. (Surat at-Tawba, 110)

As it is described in the verse, there is no coming to heel or calming down for the hypocrites. They constantly act ignominiously and play games. Every time they are caught, they go on with a new form of action. Every time they are saved from a form of immorality, they instantly start searching of another, a new form of malice. Every time their sly ways are uncovered, they get into a new form of immorality, a new dimension of slyness, a new form of action.

Hypocrites fail to hide the "signs of hypocrisy" on them

Something regarding the hypocrites, God creates as a miracle and as a blessing for Muslims is that 'whatever they do, hypocrites would not be able to prevent the signs of hypocrisy from appearing on them.' Hypocrites have devilish brains. And they are very well aware of the fact that Muslims can recognize and spot the hypocrites, by observing their sly and insidious manners. Normally one would expect that the hypocrites, by making use of their brains and with the help of satan, would be able to prevent the formation of the evidence that would reveal their hypocrisy or to remove such evidence. However, God does not let the hypocrites play this game. God has created the hypocrites in a way that they would be unable to hide the signs of hypocrisy that appear on them.

In a verse God informs us that Muslims would be able to 'know the hypocrites by their facial expressions and by their speech':

If We wished, We would show them to you and you would know them by their mark and know them by their ambivalent speech. God knows your actions. (Surah Muhammad, 30)