The Fate of the Hypocrite

The Fate of the Hypocrite

1988 5 May 13 The Fate of the Hypocrite (264) A long tradition recorded by Ibn Kathir tells us what man will face after death. One part of it, dealing with a certain manner of man says:

“If the dead man is an unbeliever or a hypocrite, the angels will ask him, ‘What do you have to say about the man? (That is, about the Prophet). He will reply, ‘I do not know. I only heard something of what was said about him.’ Then he will say that he did not try to find out what it was. ‘Neither did I follow him, nor did I let myself be guided.’ Then a door leading towards heaven will be opened for him and an angel will say, ‘This would have been your abode had you believed in your Lord. But when you refused, then God gave you this place instead.’ And then a door leading to hell will be opened for him.” (Vol. II. P.533).

According to this Hadith, it is not only the unbeliever but also the hypocrite who will meet this fate after death. The word hypocrite was used for the first time during the days of the Prophet in Medina. Who were these early hypocrites? They were people who recited the article of faith, who said their Namaz and performed all other acts of worship, without true faith having actually found its way into their hearts. When asked to prove their faith by making sacrifices, their refusal, or inability, showed them up in their true colours. They had become Muslims purely as a matter of expediency, and not with genuine, heartfelt zeal.