MUNÂFIQ – منافق

 

A hypocrite. An instigator. A factionist. A liar. A betrayer and agitator.

One who pretends to be a Muslim while being a kâfir and an enemy in reality.

This word is derived from the word نافقه (nâfiqa-nawâfiq-nufaqah) that is the name of the hidden nest from among two nests of Arab rabbit. (The animal which also called field-mouse). This animal builds its roof very near to the surface of the ground. When it feels any danger in its other nest named Qasiah, it escapes digging through the roof of nâfiqa. The words munâfiq and nifâq originated from this word since munâfiqs resemble this animal.

 

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ اٰمَنَّا بِاللّٰهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ اْلاٰخِرِ وَمَاهُمْ بِمُؤْمِن۪ينَۢ1

If you were to ask: Why does it deal concisely with the kâfirs and pure kufr in two âyahs, and then deal at length with nifâq in twelve?

You would be told: For several subtle reasons:

Firstly: If unknown, an enemy is more harmful. If he is cowardly wretched he is more noxious. If he is mendacious he causes more corruption and if he is on the inside, he is more injurious. For an internal enemy saps one's strength and crumbles one's forces, contrarily to external enemies, for they strengthen resolve and solidarity. Alas! The harm that the offence of nifâq caused in Islam is truly immense. It is the cause of the present confusion. For this reason, the Qur'an frequently condemns it.

Secondly: The munâfiq mixes with the mu’mins and becomes familiar with them to an extent, and grows accustomed to îmân a little. He starts to feel repelled at his condition because his actions are reviled and condemned. Little by little the confession of Tawhîd trickles from his tongue to his heart.

Thirdly: The munâfiq surpasses the kâfir in such crimes as mockery, trickery, fraudulence, cunning, lying, and riyâ.

Fourthly: The munâfiq is usually one of the ahl al-kitâb, the people of jarbaza and wahm, and a diabolically clever scheming swindler. To be prolix about nifâq, therefore, is perfect eloquence (balâghat).” Signs of Miraculousness ( 90-91 )

 

“If you were to ask: The restriction [to the munâfiqs] here implies that their deceptions cause no harm to Islam and the Muslims, but Islam has been harmed by nothing to the extent it has been harmed by the various sorts of nifâq and their offshoots, which have spread like poison among the peoples of the Islamic world?

You would be told: The aggressive harm you see and that contagious poison have spread like an infectious disease from their prurient characters, corrupted fitrahs, and putrid consciences; it is not the result of the deceptions and tricks they have perpetrated through their wills. For they want to deceive Allah and the Prophet and the jamâ’ah of mu’mins, but Allâh has ‘ilm of all things and the Prophet is the recipient of wahy, and the deception can't be hidden from the jamâ’ah of mu’mins for any length of time, and they are not deceived. So it is established that it is only themselves that they deceive.” Signs of Miraculousness ( 99 )

 

“My ‘Azîz Brother!

YOUR FIRST QUESTION

Why could the Sahâbah not discover the corrupters with the eye of walâyah, so that it resulted in three of the four Rightly-Guided Khalîfahs becoming shahîd? Whereas, it is said that the lesser Sahâbah is greater than the greatest awliyâ?...

…Those who were the cause of those events and instigated the trouble did not consist of a few Jews so that having discovered them the trouble could have been prevented. For with numerous different peoples entering Islam, many currents and ideas which were opposed to and contrary to one another had confused the situation. Particularly since the national pride of some of them had received awesome wounds at the blows of Hazrat 'Umar (ra); they were waiting to take their revenge through their character. For both their old religion had been rendered null and void and their old rule and sovereignty, the source of their pride, been swept away. Knowingly or unknowingly, they were emotionally in favour of taking their revenge on Islamic rule. It was, therefore, said that certain clever and scheming munâfiqs like the Jews took advantage of that state of society. That is to say, it would have been possible to prevent those events through reforming social life and various ideas of that time. They could not have been prevented by discovering one or two troublemakers.

If it is said: Why did Hazrat 'Umar (ra) not see his murderer, Firuz, who was at his side with that piercing eye of walâyah of his, although while in the minbar he said to one of his commanders called Sariya who was a month's distance away, يَا سَارِيَةُ اَلْجَبَلَ اَلْجَبَلَ 2 , making Sariya hear it and wondrously causing a strategic victory-showing how piercing his view was?

The Answer: We answer with the answer that the Hazrat Ya’qûb (as) gave. That is, it was asked of Hazrat Ya’qûb, زِ مِصْرَشْ بُوىِ پِيرَاهَنْ شِنِيدِى چِرَا دَرْ چَاهِ كَنْعَانَشْ نَدِيدِى بَگُفْتْ اَحْوَالِ مَا بَرْقِ جِهَانَسْتْ دَمِى پَيْدَا و دِيگَرْ دَمْ نِهَانَسْتْ گَهِى بَرْ طَارُمِ اَعْلَى نِشِينَمْ گَهِى بَرْ پُشْتِ پَاىِ خُودْ نَبِينَم "How did you perceive the odour of Yûsuf's shirt from Egypt when you did not see him in the well at Cana'an close by?" He replied: "Our state is like lightning; sometimes it appears and sometimes it is hidden. Sometimes it is as though we are seated on the highest spot and can see everywhere. And sometimes we cannot even see the arch of our foot."

In Short: However much man acts with choice, still, in accordance with the mystery of the âyah, وَمَا تَشَاؤُنَ اِلاَّ اَنْ يَشَاءَ اللّٰهُ 3 , Ilahî will is fundamental and qadar is dominant. Ilahî will gives back human will. It confirms the statement, اِذَا جَاءَ الْقَدَرُ عُمِىَ الْبَصَرُ "If Qadar speaks, human power cannot speak, man's juz’ al-ikhtiyârî falls silent." The Fifteenth Letter