9- HYPOCRISY (RIYA)

KEYWORDS USED IN THIS CHAPTER:

Amr al-maruf: ordering to do good actions, i.e., commanding others to obey Allah's commandments.

The ninth malady of the heart is hypocrisy (Riya). "Riya" means to present something in a manner opposite to its true nature. In short, it means pretension, i.e., one performs deeds for the next world to impress the idea on others that he is really a pious person with earnest desire of the next world (Akhirat) while in fact he wants to attain his worldly desires and the wealth of this world. It amounts to using religion as a tool to obtain worldly riches. It also comes to mean earning the love of people by showing them his worships and deeds. [If a person whose actions and words constitute hypocrisy possesses religious knowledge, he is called a hypocrite (Munafiq). Alternately, if he does not possess religious knowledge, it is called "religious fanatic". Any enemy of Islam who does not possess scientific knowledge but introduces himself as such in order to preach his own ideas as scientific knowledge for the purpose of deceiving Muslims and corrupting their beliefs and religion is called scientific fanatic (Zindiq). Muslims should not trust both types of fanatics.] Hypocrisy could only be permissible in the case of coercion (Ikrah) which is compulsory (Mulji). "Ikrah" means to force someone to do something which he does not want to do. If this coercion accompanies threats to kill or destroy some parts of the body, then it is called "mulji ikrah". [Tortures of the robbers or oppressors would constitute "Mulji ikrah". At such instances, it becomes necessary to carry out their commands. Coercion through jailing or beating is called light coercion. Anyone who is faced with light coercion is not permitted to do hypocrisy (Riya). Opposite of hypocrisy is sincerity (Ikhlas). Sincerity means doing worships only for the sake of Allahu ta'ala without thinking worldly benefits. Anyone who possesses sincerity never thinks of showing his worships to others. If worships of a person who has sincerity are seen by others, that does not spoil his sincerity. In one hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, communicated, "Worship Allahu ta'ala as you are seeing Him! Though you don't see Him, He sees you!"

Helping others in their worldly affairs in order to obtain their love and praise is hypocrisy. Hypocrisy which is done through worships is much worse than this. The hypocrisy which is done without thinking the consent of Allahu ta'ala is the worst of all of the above. Performing worships so that one may ask assistance from Allahu ta'ala for worldly affairs would not be hypocrisy. For example, performing prayer for rain, or performing "istihara" prayers for the purpose of seeking guidance from Allahu ta'ala is not hypocrisy. Some scholars also said that the following actions do not constitute hypocrisy: getting paid for being a religious leader (Imam), or preacher or teacher or for reciting verses of the Qur'an in order to get rid of worldly troubles like distress, sickness, or poverty. These actions contain both intentions of worships and worldly benefits. Going to pilgrimage (Hajj) for commercial business purpose also does not constitute hypocrisy. If these actions did not include intention of worshipping at all then they become hypocrisy. If the intention of worshipping outweighs other intentions then one will also get reward for them. Showing one's worships to others in order to promote desire of doing them or in order to teach them also does not constitute hypocrisy. It even becomes a very good deed and one will earn much rewards for doing so. Fasting during the "Ramadan" month does not constitute hypocrisy. If one starts out to do "salat" prayers for the sake of Allahu ta'ala but later on sinks into hypocrisy, that later materialized hypocrisy will not harm that person. Obligatory (Fard) prayers performed with hypocrisy will still be acceptable (Sahih), and one's duty of doing them will be counted as accomplished but one will not get rewards for them. It is not permissible (jaiz) to slaughter an animal for the sake of Allahu ta’ala while one's true intention is to obtain his meat supply. It is also not permissible (jaiz) to slaughter an animal with both intentions, i.e., for Allahu ta'ala and for a man. Any animal not slaughtered for the sake of Allahu ta'ala but slaughtered for the sake of a person returning from the holy war or from the pilgrimage (Hajj) or in order to give a warm welcome to a leader will be a carcass. Slaughtering or eating its meat is forbidden. It is not permissible to give up performance of worships because of the fear of hypocrisy. If one starts to perform "salat" prayer for the sake of Allahu ta'ala but one only thinks of worldly affairs until one finishes the "salat" prayer, the prayer will be acceptable (Sahih). Dressing in a manner which would cause wide spread talk in the community would be hypocrisy. Religious persons should wear clean and valuable dresses because people look for their appearances. For this reason it is Sunnat for religious leaders (Imams) to dress pricey and precious clothing during the Friday (Juma) and religious holidays (Iyd).

Writing books, preaching or giving advice to others with the intention of becoming famous is also hypocrisy. Preaching means ordering to do good actions (Amr al-maruf) and ordering not to do the prohibited actions (Nahy al-munkar). Learning and studying for the purpose of winning arguments or to be seen superior to others or for boasting also constitutes hypocrisy. Studying knowledge in order to gain worldly possessions or ranks also constitutes hypocrisy. Hypocrisy (Riya) is forbidden (Haram). The knowledge which is gained for the sake of Allahu ta'ala increases one's sense of fear of Allahu ta'ala. It causes one to see his own defects and causes one to be protected against the deceits of the devil. Religious men who use their knowledge as a vehicle to gain worldly possessions or ranks are called evil religious persons (Ulama as-su). Their destination is hell. Performing worships by observing their detail to the Sunnat while one is at the presence of others but on the other hand, performing the same worships by not observing to the detail of the Sunnat while one is alone constitutes hypocrisy.

In "Hanafi" school of thought, performing worships through the body, e.g., reading Qur'an or "mawlid", or making remembrance (Dhikr) or prayer (Dua), or performing pilgrimage (Hajj), "salat" prayer, fasting, and obligatory almsgiving (Zakat) in order to give the resultant rewards (Thawabs) to the soul of a dead or living person is permissible (Jaiz). Doing these worships by bargaining or negotiating a price for them and getting paid for them is not permissible (not Jaiz). What is important in this matter is the intention. One may perform these worships only for the sake of Allahu ta'ala and accept the given gift. In "Shafi'i" and "Maliki" schools of thought it is permissible to perform worships which are done through wealth, like almsgiving (Sadaqa), pilgrimage (Hajj) or obligatory almsgiving, in order to give their rewards to others. But, it is not permissible to perform worships which are done through the body, like "salat", fasting or reading Qur'an in order to gift their rewards to others. In one hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, "If a traveler who is passing through the graveyard reads eleven 'surah al-Ikhlas' and gifts their rewards (Thawabs) to the souls of the persons who are buried in the graveyard, the traveler will be given as many rewards as the number of dead persons in the graveyard." A person who follows Hanafi school of thought will gift the rewards earned by reading the eleven Ikhlas to their souls. A person who follows Shafi'i or Maliki school of thought will make "dua" for their forgiveness.

In order for worships to be acceptable (Sahih) their intention has to be done for the sake of Allahu ta’ala. Intention is formed through the heart. Just saying through the lips does not constitute intention. According to some scholars it is permissible to intent simultaneously through the heart and by repeating through the lips. If the intention in the heart is different from what is said through the lips, the intention in the heart will be vaild. The only exception to this rule is the case of taking an oath. The sayings or whatever comes out of the mouth in the case of the oath is valid. There is no information or any hadith which teaches us that the intention can be done through repeating with the tongue. None of the religious leaders (Imams) of the four schools of thought said so. The meaning of intention is not just to remember through the heart what worship one is intending to do. Its real meaning is the desire of doing that worship for the sake of Allahu ta'ala. Intention is formed when one is initiating a worship. If one, for example, intends to do a worship one day before he actually carries out that worship, such an intention is not accepted. That would be called a desire or promise but not an intention. In "Hanafi" school of thought, the time of intention for performing fasting starts with the prior day's sunset and lasts through the time of "dahwa-i kubra" of the day of fasting {Time of 'dahwa-i kubra' is one hour before the midday.}

Sometimes not performing a "mubah action" (e.g. an action neither commanded nor prohibited by the "Shari'at"), in order to save others from committing sin, is a better act. This rule does not apply to "Sunnats" and "Mustahabs". In other words, skipping peformance of the Sunnats or Mustahabs in order to save people from committing sin are not permissible (Jaiz). For example, it would not be proper not to perform the following actions so that the people would not commit backbiting: to wear head cover (Turban), to use "Miswak", to ride a donkey or to walk around bare headed. "Miswak" is a piece of shoot cut from a "Miswak", olive or mulberry tree. It is as long as the span of the right hand and as thick as a finger. It is also permissible (Jaiz) for women to chew gum instead of using "Miswak". Anyone who is not able to find a "miswak" should rub his thumb and first fingers to his teeth. Bishr al-Hafi, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, used to walk around without wearing a head cover.

One's not committing a sin while he is capable of doing so is either due to his fear of Allahu ta'ala in his heart or due to his fear of shame of others or due to his fear of setting a bad example, i.e., if he does it, others may start doing it too. The sign of one's not committing the sin because of the fear of Allahu ta'ala is that one does not commit the same sin while one is alone and not seen by anyone. The meaning of having shame (Haya) is one's being afraid of the ill-talk of the people, e.g., if one commits that sin, people will talk about him disgracefully. Causing others committing sin is a much greater sin than committing that sin alone. The sin of others who committed that sin until doomsday will also be written to the originator of that sin. The following was said in a hadith, "If a person hides his sin in the world, Allahu ta'ala will also hide that sin from others in the Day of Gathering (Qiyamat). " The meaning of this hadith does not include a person who hides his sin from others in order to introduce himself as a person of "wara" but who commits that sin while he is alone. That would be hypocrisy.

It is not permissible (Jaiz) to have shame from one's showing his worships to others. Shame means not to show one's sin or faults to others. For this reason, it is not permissible (Jaiz) to have shame from preaching or ordering to do good (Amr al-maruf) and ordering not to commit evil or forbidden actions (Nahy al-munkar) [or writing and selling religious books or "ilm al-hal" books.] Also, it is not permisible to be ashamed of acting as religious leaders ("imam" or "muazzin") or reciting Qur'an or "mawlid". The meaning of "Haya" in the hadith, "'Haya' is part of belief 'iman'" is that one should be ashamed of committing evil and sin in front of others. A believer (Mumin) first of all should be ashamed of Allahu ta'ala. Hence, he should perform his worships regularly and with sincerity. Once, one of the scholars of the city of Bukhara {a city in the central Asia} witnessed that the children of the ruler (Sultan) were playing an unpleasant game on the street. He hit the children with his staff. Children ran away and complained to their father. The ruler called the scholar to his presence and asked him if he does not know that anyone who opposes the ruler will be jailed. The scholar answered him by saying that if he does not know anyone who opposes "Rahman" (Allahu ta'ala) will go to hell. The ruler asked him how he got the authority to make "Amr al-maruf". The scholar replied by asking him as to who appointed him as ruler. The ruler answered by saying that the Caliph appointed him as ruler. Then, the scholar responded by saying that Lord of Caliph appointed him for doing Amr al-maruf. The ruler said to him that he is giving him the authority for doing Amr al-maruf in the city of Bukhara. At that time the scholar answered back by saying that in that case he is resigning from that duty. The ruler said to him that he was surprised by his rejection, and said to him: "First of all, you have said that you were doing Amr al-maruf without permission. When I give you permission then you turned around and rejected it. What kind of business is this?" The scholar answered, "You may give permission now but later on when you don't like my actions you will be taking that permission back. But, when my Lord gives me the duty to do Amr al-maruf, no one can take away that authority." The ruler was pleased with his answer and told him that whatever he wishes will be granted. The scholar told him that he wished to have his youth back. The ruler said to him that he could not do that. The scholar said to him that he should write an order to the chief angel Michael (Malik), who is in charge of the angels of hell, that he should not put him into hell. The ruler answered back by saying that he could not fulfill that wish also. The scholar answered back by saying that he has such a "Sultan" that he asks Him everything he needs and He always grants his wishes. He never says anything that he could not fulfill this or that wish. The ruler asked him that he should include him in his prayers and let him go.

Following hadiths communicate: "Those who pray their 'salat' prayers beautifully while they are among others in order to boast and then do not pray the same way while they are alone would be insulting Allahu ta'ala," and "I am most afraid of a thing which you may get caught, that is, 'shirk al-asgari', i.e., small 'shirk' or in other words it is hypocrisy 'Riya'," and "To those who perform their prayers with hypocrisy 'Riya' in this world, will be said in the Day of Gathering 'Qiyamat': Oh evil man! There is no reward for you today. Whomever you prayed for during your worldly life go back and ask reward from them," and "Allahu ta'ala says: I do not have any partner 'Sharik'. Whoever shows partner to Me should seek his rewards from him. Perform your prayers with sincerity! Allahu ta'ala accepts prayers done with sincerity." The purpose of worships is to obtain the consent of Allahu ta'ala. Any worship carried out for the purpose of gaining someone's favor or love would constitute worshiping to him. We are ordered to perform our worships only for the sake of Allahu ta'ala. A hadith communicates, "Allahu ta'ala will be consent with anyone who believes in the oneness of Allahu ta'ala and who performs his 'salat' and obligatory almsgiving 'Zakat' with sincerity." Rasulullah, peace be upon him, told Muaz bin Jabal before he sent him to Yaman as a governor: "Perform your prayers with sincerity. Any worship which is done with sincerity, even if it is not much in quantity, would be sufficient for you in the Day of Gathering 'Qiyamat'," and "Congratulations to those who perform their worships with sincerity. They are the stars of guidance 'Hidayat'. They annihilate the darkness caused by instigations 'fitnas'," and "Worldly things that are forbidden by 'Shari'at' are accursed. Only those things that are done for the sake of Allahu ta'ala are valuable." Worldly possessions are transitory and their life span is very short. Trying to obtain them by sacrificing one's religion is stupidity. All men are incompetent (Ajiz). Unless Allahu ta'ala decrees, no one can do any favor or harm to any other person. Allahu ta'ala is sufficient for human beings.

One should have fear (Khavf) of Allahu ta'ala as well as hope of His mercy. The hope (Raja) should exceed the fear. Anyone having this right mixture of states will derive great pleasure from his worships. Some scholars stated that youngsters should have more fear than hope and the elders should have more hope and expectation than fear. Sick persons should have more hope and expectation (Raja). It is not permissible to have one without the other, i.e., have hope without having fear or have fear without having hope. The first one comes to mean guaranteeing which can never be true and the second one comes to mean losing one's hope. But losing one's hope also is not permitted by Islam. In one hadith al-qudsi, Allahu ta'ala communicates to His beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, "I will meet my servant the way he thinks of Me." Also, 53rd verse of the chapter of Zumar of the Qur'an communicates, "Allah forgives all sin of His servants. He is the Forgiver and Merciful." These communications tell us that the hope of Mercy should be more than the fear. On the other hand, the hadiths "Who cries because of the fear of Allahu ta'ala will not go to hell," and "If you would know what I know, you would laugh less and cry much." inform us that the fear should be more than hope.