The Hypocrite’s Immorality and Ruses (3/7)

Hypocrites resemble ‘whitewashed tombs that look beautiful from outside but actually dead and full of dirt inside’

In a passage of the Gospel, hypocrites are resembled to ‘whitewashed tombs that look beautiful from outside but dead and full of dirt inside’.

You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. (Matthew 23:27-28)

Indeed hypocrites can be seen as beautiful and appealing from outside. They make their hair in the way that is the most well-groomed, most modern and the most remarkable. While female hypocrites put the most ostentatious make up on, male hypocrites work out in gyms for hours, wear the most well-known brands, employ the most swanky speech and try to make other people admire them. All these may be significant features for the ones who do not evaluate people with criterion of the Qur'an. However, as it is stated in the Gospel, ‘those people appear to be resplendent from outside but their inside is dead’. Their bones and hearts are dead. They are like whitewashed tombs, which are pompous from outside but full of dirt from inside. They seem to be good and right from outside but their heart is actually full of double-dealing and malignancy. Therefore this appearance that is admired by some who care about externality is completely fallacious. God likens hypocrite to ‘propped-up planks of wood which look appealing from outside. (Surat al-Munafiqun, 2)

Hypocrites think that they can hide their hollowness, evilness, malignancy and insidiousness with their body that they embellish and preserve carefully. But God Who has eternal justice does not let this happen. As hypocrites ignore making efforts for God’s approval and care primarily about the life in this world, their benefits, body and comfort, God turns all of them into torment and pain for them.

Hypocrites are very self-indulgent; they want to be cared for and avoid fraying physically with imposter ruses

It was elucidated in the previous chapters, the body hypocrites own is the most precious entity of them in this worldly life. Thus, any harm that may come to it is very important for hypocrites. They assume that the more he keeps their body healthy, spry, young and beautiful the more they will be able to preserve their interests. For this reason they are extremely afraid of getting old and being ill.

They don’t want any little defect on their skin, little flaw in their hair, a deficiency in their food or a little disruption in their sleeping. All day long they try to search on the Internet and books to learn these kinds of answers; ‘What should they eat and drink in order to live longer and healthier?’ ‘How can they prevent their skin from wrinkling?’ Even if they have an ordinary and simple ache, which can occur in all other people, they want to go to the best doctors immediately. They always listen to their body and find some health disorder that needs to be taken care of even in their most healthy moments. They aggrandize ordinary details and rock the boat. They don’t think that God is the only Power Who will give health, wellness, strength and make all that we do effectual. Therefore they think that as much as they take care of themselves, they will be that much healthy, spry and live that long.

This malignant behavior clearly shows hypocrites’ commitment to worldly life, the weakness of their faith and lack of submission towards God, and their mealy-mouthed, self-seeking and egoistic character. As it is the same in all other subjects, hypocrites also put all these speech and attitudes on the scene as a little part of a big plan. Hypocrites perfectly know how conscientious, polite and thoughtful Muslims are. When hypocrites say they’re ill, tired or in need of help, they know that Muslims won’t be indifferent to this and consider to take care of them as a responsibility. Or when they bring forward their random illness as a symptom of a fatal illness, they know that believing Muslims will not say anything contrary to it.

Exploiting such circumstances, hypocrites try to ‘make Muslims look after them both materially and in worldly affairs’ and then by this means ‘consume financial opportunities, time and energy of Muslims’. Moreover their other purpose is ‘not getting tired among Muslims like Muslims do in the way of Godand getting rest as much as they like in order to spare time to their own double-dealing activities’. In this direction, with various vigilances, lies and insincerity; they try to make themselves taken care of and get all their wishes done without barging in anything. They always ask for material benefits and other worldly interests by using advantage of the fact that their complaints and excuses are non-demonstrable.

This insincere and evil perfidy of hypocrites is reported in a Gospel passage as follows:

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: “… all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men. (Matthew, 23:1-5)

As it is understood from these explanations ‘tying up heavy burdens and laying them on men’s shoulders’ is an important feature of hypocrites. This description of hypocritical character in the Gospel clearly elucidates their obnoxious villainy and iniquity.

Hypocrites are ‘treacherous self-seekers and profiteers.’ They try to get their works done by Muslims without any sign of shame or embarrassment. They try to tie up heavy and cumbersome burdens on Muslims’ shoulders while they don’t even move a finger for these burdens. For instance, if there is something to be carried, they just say ‘Would you bring this?’ Even if they don’t have any excuse they want other people to do their work in order ‘not to get tired and lose their comfort’. They even consider this kind of vileness and any act of immorality as a benefit in their imposter minds. If they are asked, “Why don’t you bring it yourself?” then they will tell lies such as “Because I have a disease” or “My ankle hurts.”

However it is very clear that if some people out of the unbelievers that he attaches prominence to would ask for something from that hypocrite, he would never mention things like ankle pain or another disease. Even when they don’t want anything from him and there is an opportunity for him to get in people’s good books, he would forwardly help them with an incredible energy out of the blue and would not ask anything in return. If it is needed he would tucker himself out in the most steeply way and not have any complaints.

Two totally opposite moral values he shows towards unbelievers and Muslims, is a brief summary of hypocrite. When it is about Muslims he pacifies his whole body, doesn’t have any energy, when he should serve for Islam he escapes with excuses and stands behind and hopes to live his entire life abusing Muslims’ financial and moral opportunities and getting himself looked after by them; whereas when it comes to ingratiating himself to irreligiousness, he has an unceasing power and energy.

However, there is an ‘important secret’ here. Hypocrites think that they are very ‘vigilant and incredibly lucrative with their ruses’. They do not notice it but the calamity surrounds them all over both in this world and the hereafter. As they continue fraud, insidiousness and affectedness, God darkens their heart, soul and world inwardly. As they pursuit baseness, immorality and hypocrisy, God fills their world with troubles, nuisances, pain and distress.

Getting old and coming closer to death seizes hypocrites with fear and dread

Another part of the seeing himself and his body very precious philosophy of the hypocrite is ‘the fear he direfully has from getting old and death’. It is a well known fact by both believers and unbelievers that life in this world is not permanent; life goes and ends fast, people get closer to death rapidly. No matter how tied people are to the worldly life, everyone has to leave this world after a really short time.

This clear fact increases Muslims’ love and reverential fear of God and makes them attain superior moral values in line with the Qur'an. However, this creates a ‘huge nightmare’ in the soul of the hypocrite. Since they don’t believe in hereafter, in their point of view death is an uncertainty, which is full of horror and in which they don’t know what will happen. They don’t believe that they will be questioned for what they did in this world and continue to live an eternal life in the hereafter. Therefore they never want to get closer to death and don’t deal with anything that will remind them death.

Signs of elderliness that gradually occur on their bodies as they get older make them crazy. With an incredible panic they look for ‘ways to get rid of these signs, to stop getting older and rejuvenate’. They search for formulas that will always keep them young, they try every possible thing they know. They go to various doctors, follow latest innovations that technology offers and patiently try each one of these methods.

This horrendous fear of hypocrites is explained in the Qur’an as follows: “Yet you see those with sickness in their hearts rushing to them, saying, ‘We fear the wheel of fate may turn against us.’” (Surat al-Ma’ida, 52)

With the statement in the verse, “We fear the wheel of fate may turn against us” the hypocrites’ ‘fear for getting into trouble, illness, elderliness and death’ is indicated. They are also in fear of the “wheel of fate” which may turn against them, and this may also be ‘incurable cancer, another pitiless disease or a distress which has no solution’.

The part of the verse where it says “We fear the wheel of fate may turn against us” also expounds an important detail for understanding psychological state of hypocrites. Because the concern in here is not that fate will turn as a disaster against ‘other people’ but only to ‘them’. Thus, the hypocrite lives in fear due to this fact.

The hypocrites feel dreadful emotions due to disaster possibilities they fictionalize. While they practice the wicked immorality and infamy by giving ear to the inspiration of satan for all their lives, the other half of their mind is also busy struggling with the fear of these disasters.

As a requirement of God’s Creation of natural laws and order, it is of course not possible for the hypocrites to be happy, get over their fears and find peace while cooperating with evil. The fear they are going through is a part of the spiritual hell that God created for hypocrites on earth. And as long as they don’t gravitate towards to the sincere faith, they will never find peace in their hearts.

Both aging and death are laws that God created in worldly life. Up until today, no one has ever managed to stay young, no one could be able to prevent aging. Likewise, no one in the history of the world has been able to postpone death. Death will certainly find everyone and also the hypocrite will not be able to resist this truth when the time God desires will come.

Every struggle hypocrites go through on this way will increase their despair and fear and it won’t preserve them from getting ill, old or dying.

Hypocrites assume that the more they abuse Muslims’ financial opportunities the bigger benefits they obtain

The hypocrites don’t have noble and high ideals as Muslims. Their purpose of life is only directed to ‘themselves’. They are only after surviving and getting maximum benefit. Procuring best opportunities is the most vital for them just as being able to live well, eating nice food, sleeping well, wearing best clothes are. The brief summary of hypocrites’ life philosophy is ‘gaining reputation in worldly life, owning property and money, having a high position, climbing to good places and getting the best share from the opportunities of life’. Besides, their main mentality is of course gaining all these totally ‘for free’ without any effort in their opinion with imposture, insidiousness, and vigilance.

In order to practice this philosophy, which is based on imposture, Muslims have crucial and vital opportunities for the hypocrites because, before anything else Muslims are conscientious. They have good morals and they are wise, careful, skillful, talented, hardworking, and honest. It is not possible for the hypocrites to find that much vital and crucial characteristics together in any other place. Moreover with combination of all these features, it is clear that the hypocrites can reach much more faster and easier to the opportunities that they covetously desired such as; position, rank, property, wealth, reputation, and circles.

Therefore, the hypocrites base their plans for being with Muslims on this philosophy. Otherwise, it would not be possible for the hypocrites who don’t have a sincere faith and who don’t want to make efforts for attaining God’s approval to be with Muslims who dedicate all their lives and possessions to the path of God. The hypocrites who don’t want to tucker their minds or bodies out for anything that will not give them financial and tangible return, will never accept making an effort like sincere Muslims.

After the hypocrites get a foothold among Muslims with the direction of their plans, they try to benefit from Muslims’ opportunities financially and spiritually. For that purpose ‘they pretend to be a pious Muslim’ as much as they can. In the Qur'an, it is stated that in line with their imposter plans, hypocrites ‘make a show off’ in order to be considered as sincere Muslims:

So woe to those who pray,
And are forgetful of their prayer,
Those who show off. (Surat Al-Ma’un, 4-6)

Hypocrites try to show themselves as believers with their conspicuous worships and then by this way they start to use Muslims’ opportunities. Hypocrites perfectly know that when Muslims encounter a statement such as, ‘I have faith in God, I love God and Muslims very much, I want to serve for Islam’ they would not respond by saying, ‘No you are not a Muslim, we don’t believe you’; because Muslims rejoin that statement with benefit of the doubt. Since hypocrites are aware of this truth, they try to abuse Muslims’ good intentions and propitious point of view in the utmost way.

Thinking that Muslims are powerful, rich, and live in peace, tranquility, prosperity, blessings and not being able to abuse them enough makes the hypocrites very angry. As Muslims get wealthier, his greed for exploiting these opportunities increases. Whenever possible they start to array their wishes slowly with various justifications. Almost everyday they find a new subject to exploit Muslims’ privileges. This is an ‘evil amusement’ for the hypocrites. From the moment they wake up, they start to enquire ‘what kind of financial and intangible demands I can make, what kind of troubles I can cause to Muslims, how can I abuse their financial opportunities?’ The hypocrites one day want to go to the doctor for some reason, the next day to the coiffeur for the need of hair care, and want to go to shopping with lying that it is a necessity on the other day. At times they want to make people serve for them pretending they have health issues or they get difficult foods cooked, have their clothes washed and wardrobes cleaned, make others bring their needs.At times they claim that the place they live affect their health in a negative way and demand more comfortable, more luxurious and special opportunities to be provided for them.

Sometimes, with finding various excuses on Muslims around them, hypocrites claim that believers harm them and thereby try to insult Muslims. The hypocrites attempt to lead disturbance with lies such as, “the footstep voice this X person triggers my migraine’’, or “this Y person turns up the volume of TV and prevents my working’’ which are all unsubstantial. With these fanciful vindications, the hypocrites aim at preventing Muslims’ activities by hindering them. At the same time, hypocrites venture ‘obtaining new opportunities that will eliminate these so-called disturbances’. Each day they say something different such as; ‘his ware is broken and he needs the new one,’ and another one claims that ‘she has no clothes, some special nourishment products should be bought for her health or her cosmetics should be renewed.’

When all of these are offered to them just as they wanted, in a most qualified and meticulous way the hypocrites again exhibit an ‘ugly and ungrateful morality’. They definitely cause a problem in each detail. They either don’t like things that are bought for them, or they claim that they are bought wrong. Even if it is the same what they asked for, they claim that ‘they actually didn’t want it, they wanted something different.’

Despite this immorality that is insincere, ungrateful, unhappy, impertinent and ingrate; even if Muslims continue to bring all their requests again and again, there won’t be any relief or letup in the hypocrites. They don’t appreciate blessings that Muslims give with special effort, with sparing their time and getting tired for God’s approval. Moreover, after a few days or weeks hypocrites say they don’t need them anymore and put away all of the blessings that they used carelessly, or they simply leave them somewhere. After a while, again, with other excuses they want new products.

The deliberate aim of hypocrites is ‘making Muslims exhausted, disturbing them, making them busy and stealing away their time that may otherwise be used on more auspicious works.’ Their aim is ‘trying to abuse believers’ financial opportunities by adding more expenses’ as much as possible. They think that the more they do this with overtiring Muslims, the more they will be lucrative. They continue this ruse with using vital excuses that Muslims can’t reject due to their sincere conscience.

The hypocrites themselves think that they have found a very evil and sneaky entertainment and they assume that it is completely in countenance of themselves. However, every wicked ruse, every evil action is to the detriment of the hypocrites and in countenance of the believers. The more the hypocrites encumber Muslims by causing them a lot of work and adding more expenses, the more the trouble that will flop down on the hypocrites in this world grows apace. As they cause more troubles for Muslims, their hell gets wider and the torture they will encounter gets severer. For the fight Muslims put up with their conscience and wisdom, their blessings in this world increase and their position in heaven gets wider continuously. Yet this is a crucial secret hypocrites don’t know.

Hypocrites don’t like a legal life; they are relieved when they do illegal, sneaky and secret things

As much as Muslims want to live an honest and clean life, contrarily the hypocrites enjoy a life that is ‘devious, full of plots, based on imposture and double dealing’. A lifestyle in which everything is ‘transparent and open’ and which is ‘based on honesty’ bothers them a lot. Hypocrites consider this monotonic and random. Their soul always looks for evilness, insidiousness and secrecy. They want their friends to be like themselves. People who do not bring ruses, imposture, detailed tactics and sneaky systems into their lives are considered to be boring and placid by hypocrites.

The hypocrites, who live with this point of view, continue this consideration also among Muslims. Since Muslims’ lifestyle and moral values are opposite to them, they can never find peace among Muslims. They are constantly in distress and uneasiness. When they can frame something up behind Muslims, play devious tricks and scheme treacherous plans, then they may relieve a bit and be happy.

A legal thing can never make the hypocrites happy. Almost always and in all matters they want to frame something up, make sinister connections and do secret things away from Muslims. This marginally gives them the excitement and evil joy they are looking for. For example, while Muslims are sitting together, ‘sneaking into the next room and making a phone call with one of their friends they ally against Muslims’ excites them a lot. Only when they can make this phone conversation that aims at giving harm to Muslims right next to them and in secrecy give them the ‘pleasure of devising an evil action.’

Or while pretending as if they have opened a newspaper page on computer, ‘corresponding with one of their irreligious friends’ at the same time ‘makes them live one of the most pleasant moments of their lives’. This evil pleasure happens since they also do this sneakily, secretly, cheating on others and they are able to do this in disguise. If the hypocrites can’t do tens of such malevolent activities throughout the day, they cannot find relief. The more secret actions they do, the more evil pleasure they have.

The illegal way of life has come to such an evil degree for the hypocrites that, they don’t want to gain anything in the legal way even for the most ordinary matters. They definitely try to obtain that with evil methods and illegal actions. For example, buying a cloth as everyone by going to a mall and paying for it doesn’t please them. If they can manage to do it in a fraudulent way then they can enjoy it. For example, he borrows clothing from a Muslim and doesn’t give back with various excuses. He thinks that it will be forgotten in time. Gaining such benefits with sneaky methods makes him happy. For instance, in order to get a shoe he wants, he goes to Muslims and says ‘I have a disease with my feet, my shoes are very tight for me but I can’t afford buying a new one’. However, there's nothing wrong with his feet and he doesn't need a new pair of shoes. But he perfectly knows how conscientious Muslims are. When he does such trickery, even though Muslims reckon that it is a ruse, they feel responsibility and will certainly have new shoes purchased. And the hypocrite has estimated all this beforehand. In the end when he gets what he wants he finishes his scheme with statements like, ‘Why did you bother, you really didn't have to go to all this trouble, I didn’t want you to buy’.

Even this little ruse is an ‘evil nourishment’ for the hypocrite. Not being honest to God and Muslims, telling lies to them excites him a lot. With his low intellect, he assumes that he fools Muslims and he is able to direct them with sneaky ruses; and this increases his evil self-confidence. He thinks as ‘I did it once so I can always do it’ and gets excited for the new sneaky ruses he will practice.

Gaining benefits with illegal methods in every subject whether big or little, important or unimportant is hypocrite’s way of life. But assuming that he is not recognized while doing all these is the clear signification of his mindlessness. The hypocrite who thinks that he can defeat Muslims with his evil logic is in a foolish delusion. God granted Muslims ‘sharp wisdom’ for their faith, and ‘outstanding talent’ in order for them to diagnose the hypocrites. Muslims understand the character of a hypocrite and his insincerity even with his few little ruses. While the hypocrite continues his sly activities thinking that those are not understood, actually Muslims are watching his every step carefully and taking every rationalist precaution against those for whom they should be on full alert.

The hypocrites are meticulous to themselves while they are careless towards the Prophet (pbuh) and other Muslims

As it has been mentioned in previous chapters in detail, one of the most important characteristics of the hypocrites is ‘self-indulgence’. Unable to feel any love even for Muslims, who are indeed the people of the best morality and conscience that they could ever come across around the world, the hypocrites in fact do not feel real love for anyone at all. Even their own families; their parents, brothers, sisters, spouses or children are nothing but means for them to exploit in order to attain the interests they seek in life. Should they need to make a choice between themselves and their families, they would invariably and unhesitatingly choose their own comfort and happiness. Acting with this point of view, the hypocrites value nobody but themselves. Egoism, jealousy, hatred, self-seeking, rivalry, and greed for power and status have displaced the feeling of love in their soul. Hence, they approach everyone in their lives with such feelings.

While Muslims present them a heavenly life and protect them while making sacrifices to ensure their comfort, peace and joy, the hypocrites do not show any such effort for Muslims. Muslims, without expecting anything in return, solely do these for the approval of God. Because hypocrites do not believe in God and do not strive to attain goodness in the hereafter, their consciences have become totally blunt. Therefore, they can easily display selfish and insensitive behavior without feeling any pricks of conscience. Their stolid, discourteous, self-seeking attitude and their surprising inner peace while displaying such immoral attitude are typical to hypocrites.

Interestingly, however, they expect just the opposite from others. Hypocrites, who pretend not to notice others’ needs and who act in the cruelest way while being thoughtless and selfish at full speed, are exceedingly meticulous to themselves. They want everyone to be careful, polite, tactful, self-giving and attentive to them. If they happen to see a minute mistake in this regard, they exaggeratedly complain about it as if they have been treated unjustly or have been oppressed. They dramatize every tiny issue and complain about it for days.

They want Muslims to offer them the best of everything. They want Muslims to provide them with the best of places to stay, the best food to eat and the most developed technology to use. They want every item they have to be the most distinguished. They demand that Muslims constantly embellish and clean the place they live and furnish it in the most luxurious way. If there is food in question, they expect it to be ordered from the restaurants of best quality or if there is dress fabric in question they expect the most expensive one to be purchased. They demand the place they stay to be spacious and have no problem with heat or coldness.

However, the same people do not care at all about the needs of Muslims, who have been instrumental in providing them with these beauties and comfort. Especially, they do not do anything with ‘meticulous’ care for prophets or messengers who are chosen by God to lead Muslims. For Muslims, God’s prophets, messengers and pious Muslims who spiritually lead other Muslims ‘are more valuable and closer than their own selves’. This characteristic of Muslims who hold God’s messengers in high esteem is revealed in the Qur’an as follows:

The Prophet has closer ties to the believers than their own selves... (Surat al-Ahzab, 6)

During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the hypocrites attracted attention with these characteristics. While pursuing the best for themselves, they attracted attention with their insensitive, impolite and inattentive manners when our Prophet (pbuh) was in question. However, as it is revealed in the Qur’an, our Prophet (pbuh) was very precious to Muslims, who loved him dearly for the sake of God, gave precedence to him at all times, and regarded him more important than their own lives. They made sure that best food was served to him, ensured his comfort, safety and security prior to their own needs.

In comparison to the believers’ deep love and loyalty to our Prophet (pbuh), ‘the hypocrites’ dishonest, selfish, and despicable manners’ naturally attracted attention. The ill morals of the hypocrites who lived at the time of our Prophet (pbuh) and of those in our day do not differ at all as they share the common inspiration from satan.

However, it should be kept in mind that each sign of hypocrisy is crucial for Muslims in order to be able to recognize these insincere people living among them. By means of the verses of the Qur’an, God protects the believers from the traps and plots of these perfidious people and makes them victorious over hypocrites. Therefore, each move made by the hypocrites against Muslims actually results against themselves, all the while going in Muslims’ favor.

Hypocrites cannot endure receiveing advice from Muslims

The hypocrites cannot endure it when Muslims correct their mistakes in good faith or advise them on what is good or bad. Since the hypocrites are extremely arrogant, they don’t accept it when ‘they are wrong or are lacking’ in any field. Therefore, when Muslims offer them a reminder or advice, they ‘madly argue against it and try to deny it’. They counterattack with a series of lies and ‘slanders’. They never accept that they might have been mistaken. God reveals in one verse of the Qur’an the hypocrites’ reactions to ‘reminders and advices based on the Qur’an’ as follows:

What is the matter with them that they run from the Reminder? (Surat al-Muddaththir, 49)

The hypocrites claim that ‘they are more intelligent, qualified, cultured and superior than the Muslims’. Their viewpoint of themselves is just as described in the following verse:

... their tongues frame the lie that the best belongs to them... (Surat an-Nahl, 62)

Therefore, receiving advice from Muslims, accepting it and showing that they have corrected their manners accordingly is tantamount to ‘death’ for such people who see themselves that great. Thus, they reveal their mindset ‘by interrupting people’s talk, engaging in demagoguery, using facial gestures and body language in a foul manner, crying, persisting in playing dumb, making it apparent by their gestures that they are not listening.’ God reveals the following about the hypocrites’ corrupt character:

Indeed, every time I called them to Your forgiveness, they put their fingers in their ears, wrapped themselves up in their clothes and were overweeningly arrogant. (Surah Nuh, 7)

Then he looked. Then he frowned and glowered. Then he drew back and was proud. (Surat al-Muddaththir, 21-23)

As one can clearly understand from these verses, when Muslims give advice to the hypocrites based on the Qur’an, their immediate reaction is to turn their backs; they immediately make up excuses to leave the place where the verses of the Qur’an are read. In the meantime they try to cover up this insidious escape with a seemingly convincing excuse. Sometimes they move to another room pretending that they have work to do and therefore cannot listen to the conversation. Sometimes they pretend that they are either sleepless or tired, or need to complete an urgent job so they need to leave early.

These people with insidious souls also use certain methods of psychological struggle against Muslims in order to escape from the environments where the verses of the Qur’an and good moral values are narrated. When the hypocrites apply these methods, they especially use their eyes and tone of voice rather than solely talking. For example, they stay where they receive advice but insidiously try to reflect that ‘they do not listen to’, ‘do not care about’ or ‘are not affected by what they hear’. With their evil and insidious glance, they make a long and sour face, put on an aggressive expression, knit their brows, look meaninglessly with an open mouth, do not confirm what they are told, and speak only in a low voice and say just the opposite of what they are told. This way, in their own feeble minds, they wish to make it obvious to the Muslims that they are not affected by their speech at all.

God reveals in the Qur’an, “Do you not see those who have been given a portion of the Book being invited to let God's Book be the judge between them? But then a group of them turn away” (Surah Al ‘Imran, 23). This means that the hypocrites are encouraged a lot by the believers in order to live by a Muslim way of life and think in line with the Qur’an. However, their arrogance causes them to get offended when Muslims give advise to them and they show their dislike clearly in their speeches and body language.

In a verse, God reveals that when the verses of the Qur’an are recited or the hypocrites are given advice based on these verses, they do not endure to listen to these recommendations:

Those whose eyes were blind to My remembrance and who could not bear to listen [to it]. (Surat al-Kahf, 101)

This is because the verses of the Qur’an simply touch them like burning fire. The Divine nature and meaning of the verses inwardly burns the satanic world of the hypocrites. As the verses of the Qur’an disclose the secrets of hypocrisy to Muslims, hypocrites’ secret plans and tactics are all uncovered. The fear of knowing that facing a verse, or an explanation of the verse will reveal their true colors any moment puts a restless, insidious, dark and crawly expression in the hypocrites’ eyes. In the Qur’an, God reveals their condition as follows:

Those who are unbelievers all but strike you down with their evil looks when they hear the Reminder... (Surat al-Qalam, 51)

For this reason, when the hypocrites are invited to live by the moral values of the Qur’an, they can’t bear even to hear it. They wish to block any advice or reminder made by Muslims, by giving evil looks, displaying an aggressive, hostile and rebellious attitude, raising their voices, denying the statements or even slandering Muslims.

When the hypocrites are given advice, they counterattack with lies and slanders

One of the things the hypocrites regard with disfavor the most is being given advice and being admonished. This offends their lower-self the most. When the advice comes from Muslims, whom they secretly hate, they explode with anger. With an insane and uncontrolled instinct of self-defense, they use every means possible in order to justify themselves and look flawless. They madly stand up for their fake -and imaginary- reputation, and try to protect their image of being perfect and superior to everyone else, and try to prevent any harm to their claim of superiority. Some of the counterattack methods applied by the hypocrites are; telling lies, slander, trying to prove others wrong, making perverted comments on the verses of the Qur’an, trying to justify themselves by using a snobbish and arrogant language, crying and playing the victim or trying to halt others’ talk and create a threatening atmosphere. In the Qur’an, God reveals that in the face of the calls made by Muslims and messengers who are in charge of communicating the message of God, the hypocrites are so blinded by anger that they can even dare to kill them:

… Why then, whenever a Messenger came to you with something your lower selves did not desire, did you grow arrogant, and deny some of them and murder others? (Surat al-Baqara, 87)

In this verse, God states that when there are conversations that conflict with hypocrites’ lower selves, when their mistakes are revealed, their deficiencies are uncovered, the hypocrites become blinded by anger and extremely aggressive, and an insane hatred covers up all their bodies which motivates them even to kill the other party.

Understanding the meaning of the verse is very important in terms of grasping how violent and insane the hypocrites’ arrogance can be; “Why then, whenever a Messenger came to you” in other words ‘a preacher who comes to communicate you the good morals’; “with something your lower selves did not desire”, in other words; ‘with a desire to correct your mistakes, criticize your wrong and bad aspects’; “did you grow arrogant”, in other words ‘go through a paroxysm of arrogance’; “and deny some of them”. As stated in the verse, the hypocrites speak just the opposite of what the preacher communicates and try to deny Muslims’ words by saying “Your statements are not correct; you are lying.”

As revealed in the verse, in order to make the recommendations and advices they have received ineffective in their own minds, the hypocrites ‘embark on a devilish attack on the adviser’. By using the very same reasoning they are admonished with, they start to criticize and accuse that person. If they have received a recommendation on not to tell lies, they accuse that person of lying. They say; “You are telling lies, not me. I have not said such a thing. You are changing my words, you are not telling the truth. I did not mean that.” If they receive an advice to avoid arrogance and be humble, they refute that by saying, “I am not arrogant, quite the opposite I am pretty modest.” Then they counterattack by saying, “I am not, but actually you are arrogant.” In their feeble and tricky thinking, they foolishly try to prove this claim: They give some examples by distorting the truth, changing the facts and openly telling lies. In their own foolish way of thinking they try to refute something which everyone can openly see, and try to repel the Muslims who give them advice.

When the hypocrites are told, with supporting evidence, that they are loveless and distant from Muslims and that they establish their relationships based on self-interest, they immediately put this evil method into action and say, “It is you who don’t love me and don’t show me any affection. You keep me at arm’s length.” Then they start directing criticism at Muslims. They say, “For years I have been showing affection to you. Now it is your turn. Now you should show me.” They lie and counterattack saying, “Why should it be me to correct myself and make up for the current situation? You should correct yourselves!”

Lying has firmly settled in the hypocrites’ tongue, who spend their lives by making friends with satan. That’s why in their counterattacks, they can swiftly slander and tell an unceasing series of lies. They can develop a number of fictitious reasons and keep attempting to divert the subject. As Muslims humbly try to make explanations to them in a respectful and loving manner to bring benefit to them, the hypocrites get strength from Muslims’ modest attitude and become even more aggressive. They know that the Muslims would not preach with anger but with compassion, patience and humbleness. They are sure that Muslims would not change their peaceful attitude and good manners. Thus they, in their own feeble minds, exploit it and step up their arrogance and snobbishness without hesitation.

This devilish boldness brings out the hatred they harbor inside out of their mouths. What is remarkable is that the hypocrites display well-balanced manners when others praise them, do whatever they wish, behave them well, talk to them in a way that pleases their lower-selves. However, they wrap themselves into a second character and become aggressive when they are given advice or admonition. Especially when they want to gain some benefit they act like the person with the most well-balanced manners, the best morality, the most reasonable attitude and they use the finest of words. However, when they hear a word that conflicts with their lower-selves, the devilish insanity in their spirits come out into the open severely. When Muslims give advice to them for their good, the hypocrites, who insincerely speak in a kind and warm-hearted manner when they want to gain some benefit, turn into ‘evil creatures that spill hatred out of their eyes and mouths’. This state, which appears when the hypocrites get angry, is their real face and true personality.

One of the reasons why the hypocrites counterattack with such disgusting methods when criticized is because they know that counterattack generally makes other people passive. It usually demoralizes people, making them feel guilty and need to defend themselves. Knowing this natural weakness of people, the hypocrites apply this method against Muslims. Their aim is to escape from being criticized and to make Muslims’ recommendations ineffective. They wish to distract attention away from themselves and try to make people forget about the real topic and focus on another one. When they are given advice, they point at others and accuse them of numerous mistakes. In such a case, these other people would naturally try to explain that these accusations are not true, and thus the subject would have changed. When the subject was their own faults, the hypocrites would thus have diverted the subject to the faults of others and would thus have saved themselves, all the while they would have now put others on the focal point.

This is a very detailed and evil strategy of the hypocrites. By using this tactic they lead Muslims out of their fields and draw them to another course. For example, when the point is their snobbish style, they may suddenly talk about what a Muslim said about a week ago. Of course, they change the original words and embellish it with lies. They thus raise a whole new issue asking “why did you say that to me that day?” The moment the Muslim attempts to reply this question, the game of the hypocrites begins. As this question is being replied, hypocrites attack further with another accusation. They try to digress from the real topic in order to make people forget about it.

These classical, evil methods, which are a part of the traditional history of hypocrites, have been going on for ages. In the Qur’an, God draws our attention to the hypocrites’ masterly and tricky speech, demagoguery, sharp tongues, ability to slander and tell lies with the inspiration of satan, and to the fact that they can tell lies, slander and adopt a quarrelsome style in order to misdirect the target. It is very important that all these evil games of the hypocrites are presented in detail and with examples to all Muslims. Unveiling the hypocrites’ all insidious methods thwarts their games right at the beginning and thus renders them ineffective. This way, Muslims become more vigilant and prepared against such attacks of the hypocrites.

As God states in one verse, “… [they] use fallacious arguments to deny the truth” (Surat al-Kahf, 56), the hypocrites’ entire struggle aims to deny God’s true word, prevent the morals of the Qur’an from being practiced and popularize an irreligious way of life denying God in society. However, God promises that the truth will definitely prevail, and falsehood and those who follow it will ultimately fail. God reveals this reality in a verse as follows:

Rather We hurl the truth against falsehood and it cuts right through it and it vanishes clean away! Woe without end for you for what you portray! (Surat al-Anbiya’, 18)

The hypocrites foolishly attempt to ‘moralize’ Muslims

One of the characteristics of the hypocrites is their ‘attempt to moralize’ Muslims using what they have learned from the Qur’an, even though they themselves incessantly engage in immorality. They double-cross and act insidiously day and night, cooperate with unbelievers to conspire against Muslims and try to spread a corrupted morality – one that is diametrically opposed to the Qur’an – among Muslims. Surprisingly, however, they criticize Muslims’ behavior in the meantime. According to their insidious claims based on lies, there is not one single person among Muslims who sincerely believes in and is devoted to God. They don’t approve anyone other than themselves. They argue that there is no one apart from themselves who can properly and rightly defend Muslims when a difficulty arises. Or else, when an important job is to be done, they tell that there is no one but themselves to be able to do it. In doing this, they not only try to praise and show themselves up, but also foolishly try to insult Muslims for whom they feel hatred in their hearts. They imagine that they can thus make their superiority felt better, and also demoralize Muslims by emphasizing how weak they are. In their own feeble minds, they think that they instill a very important message in Muslims; they imagine that they can make Muslims believe that they are indispensible, irreplaceable, uniquely talented, very important, and special people. They imagine that Muslims will feel in need of and dependent on them and will therefore overlook their misdoings whatever evil, immorality, abnormality, and perfidiousness they engage in.

For this reason, the hypocrites criticize Muslims at every opportunity. They find an excuse at all stages of daily life to make mention of others’ mistakes and deficiencies, and try to emphasize how blamable they supposedly are in terms of morality, character, culture, knowledge, and quality. All these claims, however, are of course based on lies and slanders because those Muslims have strong fear of God and heed their conscience in the best way. They aim to behave in the best way in all their conducts, and more importantly even if they err, it is not intentional and it is actually something done in good faith. However, the hypocrites exaggerate and make false additions to them, and portray them intentionally ‘as if they were made for evil purposes’.

‘The criterion of right and wrong’ they use in doing this is entirely what they have learned from the Qur’an, the Muslims and the messengers who spiritually lead them. Although they themselves do not believe in these values at all and do not practice them - except to make a show - they use them as means by which to criticize Muslims. In fact the hypocrites do not have the wisdom and conscience to know what ‘good morals, good manners, good quality or exemplary personality’ are. Furthermore, since they are not sincere, they do not reflect on any of the admonitions they make on others – which they make just to underline the fact that they look down on Muslims. They regard themselves as superior than everyone else. They feel free from all defects and mistakes, and admire their own minds. They believe that there is nothing to be criticized with them and foolishly moralize others. In the Qur’an, God reveals the state of those who keep criticizing others, but do not live by these things, which they know to be right:

Do you order people to devoutness and forget yourselves, when you recite the Book? Will you not use your intellect? (Surat al-Baqara, 44)

In the verse, God states, “Do you forget yourselves?”. Indeed, it is a significant sign of the hypocrites to be contented with themselves and forget their own faults. God says, “when you recite the Book”. The hypocrites recite the Qur’an and know very well about the verses. God says, “Will you not use your intellect?” This way, God invites people who know the verses of the Qur’an yet fail to live by them to use their intellect and conscience.

Although the hypocrites know perfectly well about the moral values of the Qur’an, they do not put them into practice but instead use this information to criticize Muslims. This is indeed a tactic that they have learned from satan. However, as revealed in the Qur’an, “the satan’s scheming is always feeble.” (Surat an-Nisa’, 76). Satan is doomed to be defeated against Muslims. Therefore, it is by no means possible for the hypocrites, who follow satan and attempt to play games based on his tactics, to be successful against sincere believers.

The hypocrites are insanely protective of themselves

The hypocrites regard themselves as the most precious beings on earth. Consequently, their ambition to protect the very thing they value the most turns into an insane obsession with them. They have no tolerance to well-intentioned criticism or even the slightest advice given; no tolerance to hear the utterance of any of their deficiencies, mistakes or slip ups about any topic. They imagine that it would severely discredit them and believe that the 'charisma' they imagined themselves to have formed would thus be ruined and that they would 'stoop' to the position of ordinary people like everyone else. For that reason, they try to present themselves as if they are 'flawless,' even more than perfect, extraordinary people with rarely found 'intelligence, knowledge and talents’. They carry out every kind of crookedness that one might imagine, to protect this 'fake image' they imagine they have. When they think that even a slightest harm would touch them they become unrestrained. Their facial expressions, gazes, tones, speeches, body language and gestures would be completely out of control.

What drags the hypocrites into this insane state of mind is merely their ‘devilish fondness of their lower-selves’. They have almost idolized, deified themselves (May God forbid). Since they do not believe in God, they themselves are the only things they value and regard as the goal of their lives. They behave not for the good pleasure of God but for their own pleasure. Their goal in life is based on their own happiness, comfort and contentment. They regard themselves –may God forbid – superior than God, religion and all other beings.

With satan's persuasion, they have created an imaginary world for themselves in their minds. And they imagine themselves having a very important place in that imaginary world. Almost like a ‘psychopath’, they genuinely believe that they are truly great and that the whole world is aware of their greatness. However, this is nothing but a delusion, a product of their schizoid souls. But they are not aware of this fact. Consequently, their whole system is based on maintaining this imaginary greatness and on protecting themselves. They wallow almost ‘like animals’ to prevent any harm from coming on their arrogance, their feeling of superiority and that glory they imagine themselves to have created. This actually is one of the most important characteristics of the hypocrites that reveal the insanity, sickness and derangement in their souls: the insane energy they expend to protect themselves and their maniacal wallowing...

It is evident that if one advocates only for himself - and his lower self - uncontrollably and displays inhumane behaviors just for that reason, as if he has gone out of his mind, that is ‘a very serious abnormality and a serious disorder in conduct’ that could be called a type of psychosis. Yet a person who stoops to that miserable position merely because he idolizes his lower-self should stop to think and seek refuge in God. That is how a normal person would behave. Even if God-fearing, conscientious people make such a mistake, they would instantly think in line with the Qur'an and ask themselves, "How could I act so abnormally?" make self-criticism with a sincere approach and then correct their manners. Normal, balanced people would be able to both criticize themselves with a rational attitude and also to bear to listen to others' opinions about them. Even if they find it offensive or difficult, they would listen to the criticisms of others calmly with humane kindness and evaluate these criticisms with a respectful and rational approach. If they have something to say against these criticisms, they can defend their rightfulness by explaining their opinions nicely.

But the hypocrites behave in exactly the opposite way. They do not have tolerance for the slightest criticism. They are bereft of respect, good manners, decency, politeness, civility and humility. They respond to criticisms with utmost impertinence, insolence, snobbery and tactlessness. Their lower-selves almost go insane. The ‘devilish storms’ inside them can easily be recognized from the change of expression on their faces, from the language they use – one which is peculiar to unbelievers, from the ugly tone of voice that causes unrest and create scenes, the demonic counterattacks they carry out and from the way they struggle to justify themselves with lies and slanders.

This situation observed in the hypocrites is ‘a sign of a severe spiritual sickness’. This is a psychosis that reflects the filthy soul of the unbelievers far removed from faith. At the same time, this is a scourge that God casts on the hypocrites because of their preferring unbelief over faith.

Muslims 'enjoin the right and forbid the wrong' and thereby correct one another's mistakes and constantly make each other spiritually and physically more perfect. Since they are open to advice and recommendations and show good manners, God makes them superior in every aspect. While the hypocrites sink into an even filthier world in their own swamps, Muslims enjoy the blessing of living with beautiful people in a beautiful environment like Heaven. In a verse God says that ‘those who are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own-selves would be successful’ as follows:

... It is the people who are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own selves who are successful. (Surat al-Hashr, 9)

With their selfishness, the hypocrites stoop to every sort of atrociousness to protect their interests, their pride and arrogance, and thus to save themselves. God informs us in the Qur’an that this avarice in their lower-selves would become so fierce in the hereafter that the hypocrites would want to give all their kinsmen, their families, their relatives, their children, spouses, their parents; in short everything they own, as ransom only to save themselves from the hell:

Even though they can see each other. An evildoer will wish he could ransom himself from the punishment of that Day, by means of his sons, or his wife or his brother or his family who sheltered him or everyone else on earth, if that only meant that he could save himself. But no! It is a Raging Blaze… (Surat al-Ma'arij, 11-15)

Those who respond to their Lord will receive the best. But as for those who do not respond to Him, even if they owned everything on the earth and the same again with it, they would offer it as a ransom. They will receive an evil Reckoning. Their shelter will be hell. What an evil resting-place! (Surat ar-Ra'd, 18)

With these verses, God informs us of how fierce the lower-selves of the hypocrites are, how insane their fondness of themselves and their ambition to protect their lower-selves is – unless they seek refuge in God and be rightly guided. However – unless they repent – there is no salvation for the hypocrites neither in this world nor in the hereafter. God informs us that even if they give the whole world as a ransom, it would not save the hypocrites from the torment they will be suffering.