HIJRAH: FROM HYPOCRISY TO SINCERITY Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: {O YOU WHO HAVE BELIEVED! WHY DO YOU SAY WHAT YOU DO NOT DO? IT IS MOST HATEFUL IN THE SIGHT OF ALLAH THAT YOU SAY WHAT YOU DO NOT DO} [Surah As-Saff 61:2-3] Verses like these moved the Sahābah (Companions) so that they would not be counted by Allah amongst the hypocrites. The fear of hypocrisy creeping into their hearts did not leave them time to rest, contrary to the Muslims of this era who constantly feel safe and secure concerning their faith and deeds. The Sahābah knew that the essence of hypocrisy – both major and minor – is discrepancy between what the inner self encloses and what the outer self discloses, and that minor hypocrisy can beget major hypocrisy. Therefore, an unkept promise of hijrah to Allah could result in a devastating ending for the slave. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: {AND AMONG THEM [THE HYPOCRITES] ARE THOSE WHO MADE A COVENANT WITH ALLAH, [SAYING], “IF HE SHOULD GIVE US FROM HIS BOUNTY, WE WILL SURELY SPEND IN CHARITY, AND WE WILL SURELY BE AMONG THE RIGHTEOUS.” BUT WHEN HE GAVE THEM FROM HIS BOUNTY, THEY WERE STINGY WITH IT AND TURNED AWAY WHILE THEY REFUSED. SO HE PENALIZED THEM WITH HYPOCRISY IN THEIR HEARTS UNTIL THE DAY THEY WILL MEET HIM – BECAUSE THEY FAILED ALLAH IN WHAT THEY PROMISED HIM AND BECAUSE THEY USED TO LIE} [Surah At-tawbah 9:75-77] In these verses, Allah mentions that He punished the hypocrites with further hypocrisy as a result of them breaking a previous covenant to Him. This attitude towards obligatory deeds was also that of Bānī Isrā’īl. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: {HAVE YOU NOT CONSIDERED THE ASSEMBLY OF BĀNĪ ISRĀ’ĪL AFTER MŪSĀ WHEN THEY SAID TO A PROPHET OF THEIRS, “SEND TO US A KING, AND WE WILL FIGHT IN THE WAY OF ALLAH”? HE SAID, “WOULD YOU PERHAPS REFRAIN FROM FIGHTING IF FIGHTING WAS PRESCRIBED FOR YOU?” THEY SAID, “AND WHY SHOULD WE NOT FIGHT IN THE CAUSE OF ALLAH WHEN WE HAVE BEEN DRIVEN OUT FROM OUR HOMES AND AWAY FROM OUR CHILDREN?” BUT WHEN FIGHTING WAS PRESCRIBED FOR THEM, THEY TURNED AWAY, EXCEPT FOR A FEW OF THEM. AND ALLAH IS KNOWING OF THE WRONGDOERS. AND THEIR PROPHET SAID TO THEM, “INDEED, ALLAH HAS SENT TO YOU TĀLŪT AS A KING.” THEY SAID, “HOW CAN HE HAVE KINGSHIP OVER US WHILE WE ARE MORE WORTHY OF KINGSHIP THAN HIM AND HE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN ANY MEASURE OF WEALTH?” HE SAID, “INDEED, ALLAH HAS CHOSEN HIM OVER YOU AND HAS INCREASED HIM ABUNDANTLY IN KNOWLEDGE AND STATURE. AND ALLAH GIVES HIS SOVEREIGNTY TO WHOM HE WILLS. AND ALLAH IS ALL-ENCOMPASSING [IN FAVOR] AND KNOWING”} [Surah Al-Baqarah 2:246] This attitude of Bani Isrā’īl was also displayed when they asked complicating questions about the cow they claimed to be searching for, upon being ordered by Mūsā (عليه والسلام) to slaughter any cow. They asked these questions only to evade responsibility; and when they finally obeyed, they did so reluctantly. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: {SO THEY SLAUGHTERED IT [THE COW] AND YET THEY NEARLY DID NOT} [Surah Al-Baqarah 2:71] Therefore, every Muslim should now make his number one priority to repent and answer the call to hijrah. Otherwise, his claims will become a greater proof against him on Judgment Day. Muslim student should know that their hijrah from dārul-kufr to jihād are more obligatory and urgent then spending an unknown number of years studying while exposed to doubts and desires that will destroy their religion and thus end for themselves any possible future of jihād. Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) said that, The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “WHOEVER DIES WITHOUT TAKING PART IN A BATTLE AND WITHOUT INTENDING TO TAKE PART IN A BATTLE, HAS DIED WITH A TRAIT OF HYPOCRISY” [Sahīh Muslim] Therefore, abandoning jihād is a trait of hypocrisy. So be wary of it or else it may seize you by your heart. Al-Hasan al-Basrī (رحيم الله) said, “NO ONE FEARS HYPOCRISY EXCEPT A BELIEVER, AND NO ONE FEELS SAFE FROM IT EXCEPT A HYPOCRITE” [Jāmi’ al-‘Ulūm wal-Hikam] Ibn Rajab (رحيم الله) said, “Sahl at-Tustarī said, ‘THE MURĪD (DEVOUT WORSHIPPER) FEARS BEING AFFLICTED WITH SINS, BUT THE ‘ĀRIF (KNOWLEDGEABLE SLAVE) FEARS BEING AFFLICTED WITH KUFR.’ FOR THIS REASON THE SAHĀBAH AND THE RIGHTEOUS SALAF AFTER THEM WERE AFRAID OF NIFĀQ (HYPOCRISY) FOR THEMSELVES, AND THEIR WORRY OF NIFĀQ WAS SEVERE. THEREFORE, THE BELIEVER IS AFRAID OF MINOR NIFĀQ FOR HIMSELF, AND HE IS AFRAID THAT SUCH COULD OVERCOME HIM PRIOR TO DEATH AND THUS DRIVE HIM INTO MAJOR NIFĀQ, AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT DEEPLY HIDDEN EVILS BRING ABOUT SINFUL DEATH” [Jāmi’ al-‘Ulūm wal-Hikam] So abandoning hijrah the path to jihād is a dangerous matter. In effect, one is thereby deserting jihād and willingly accepting his tragic condition of being a hypocritical spectator. He lives in the West amongst the kuffār for years, spends hours on the Internet, reads news and posts on forums. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: {THEY THINK THE PARTIES HAVE NOT [YET] WITHDRAWN. AND IF THE PARTIES SHOULD COME [AGAIN]