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STATEMENTS BY THE SCHOLARS REGARDING THE TERM NIFÂQ AND ITS TYPES

Started by Mudâfa’at’ut Tawhîd, 14.09.2022, 02:42

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Mudâfa’at’ut Tawhîd


Statements by the Scholars Regarding the Term Nifâq (Hypocrisy) and Its Types

Ibnu Mandhûr Rahimahullâh1

Ibnu Mandhûr Rahimahullâh explained the term "Nifâq" as follows:

"Nifâq (hypocrisy)" is the name of the action done by the Munâfiq; entering Islâm from one angle and leaving it in another. It is derived from the word "Nâfiqâ", meaning "the hole of a Jerboa". It is "Nâfaqa" in the past tense form, "Yunâfiqu" in the future/present tense form and "Munâfaqah" and "Nifâq" in the verbal noun form. Although the term Nifâq is a known term in Arabic, its usage denoting the meaning of "manifesting Îmân while concealing Kufr" is peculiar to Islâm, and previously has never been used in this particular meaning in Arabic.



1- Ibnu Mandhûr, Lisân'ul Arab, concisely from 10/359.
قَالَ ابْنُ عَقِيل رَحِمَهُ اللهُ: «إذَا أَرَدْت أَنْ تَعْلَمَ مَحَلَّ الْإِسْلَامِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الزَّمَانِ فَلَا تَنْظُرْ إلَى زِحَامِهِمْ فِي أَبْوَابِ الْجَوَامِعِ، وَلَا ‌ضَجِيجِهِمْ فِي الْمَوْقِفِ بِلَبَّيْكَ، وَإِنَّمَا اُنْظُرْ إلَى مُوَاطَأَتِهِمْ ‌أَعْدَاءَ الشَّرِيعَةِ.»
Ibnu Aqîl Rahimahullâh said, "If you want to learn the status of Islâm among contemporary people, then do not look at their crowds at the doors of the mosques and their crying Labbayk at the Mawqif (during Hajj). On the contrary, look at their collusion with the enemies of the Sharî'ah!" (Ibnu Muflih, al-Âdâb'ush Sharî'ah, 1/237)

Subul’us Salâm


Al-Jawharî Rahimahullâh (393H) said,

"Nafaq is an underground tunnel which has an exit leading to a place. In example: The mice pup lost its Nafaq, meaning, its hole. Nâfiqâ -which is the place that the jerboa conceals with a very thin layer of soil- is one of the two holes of the jerboa, the jerboa conceals it and manifests another hole. When something comes close to the Jerboa from the (second) hole (called) al-Qâsi'â, the jerboa hits Nâfiqâ hole with its head and thus Intafaqa, meaning exits. The plural form of Nâfiqâ is is Nawâfiq, Nufaqah which is like (in the pattern of) Humazah, and Nâfiqâ. It is said from this: The jerboa did Nafaqa Tanfîqan. Nâfaqa means it entered its Nâfiqâ. The Munâfiq in the religion is derived from this."2

Ibnu Fâris Rahimahullâh (395H) said,

"An-Nâfiqâ is the place where the jerboa conceals with a very thin layer of soil in its hole. When something comes close to the jerboa from the hole of al-Qâsi'â, the jerboa hits the soil that covers the hole of an-Nâfiqâ with its head and thus it Intafaqa, meaning exits. The word an-Nifâq is derived from this. For the owner of Nifâq conceals what is in opposition to what he shows outwardly, so it is as if Îmân exited him or he exited Îmân in secrecy."3




2- al-Jawharî, as-Sihâh, 4/1560.

3-Ibnu Fâris, Maqâyîs'ul Lughah, 5/455.
"If the ignorant persists, gets haughty, is determined upon his transgression and misguidance, chooses blindness over guidance, and if what he falls into and disputes with regards to is Shirk Akbar (major Shirk) that brings the person who commits it out of the fold of the faction of Muslims to the party of polytheists, then in this case, the just verdict is the sword!" (al-Fath'ur Rabbânî min Fatâwâ'l Imâm ash-Shawkânî, 1/185)

Subul’us Salâm


Al-Wâhidî Rahimahullâh (468H) said,

"When a man manifests the testimony of Îmân and hides its opposite, it is said: The man did Nâfaqa and thus became a Munâfiq. Nifâq is an Islamic term. The scholars have disputed with regards to its derivation.
Abû Ubayd said: It is said: The jerboa did Nâfaqa and Nafaqa. The Nâfiqâ of the jerboa is one of its two holes. The jerboa has another hole called al-Qâsi'â. When it is beseeched from the hole of Nâfiqâ, it exits from al-Qâsi'â. When it is beseeched from al-Qâsi'â, it escapes from an-Nâfiqâ. This is why the Munâfiq is called Munâfiq, for he exits Islâm from a way that he did not enter it through. The reason for this is that he enters Islâm publicly and exits secretly.

Ibn'ul Anbârî mentions from some scholars that the word Munâfiq is derived from Nafaq, which is a tunnel. This means that the Munâfiq hides in Islâm as a man would hide inside a tunnel.

A group of scholars said: The word Munâfiq is derived from Nâfiqâ, however it is derived in a different manner than what was mentioned by Abû Ubayd. This is that an-Nâfiqâ is a hole the jerboa digs from within the earth. When it reaches ground level, it thins the soil and does not complete the hole. When it is alarmed by anything, it pushes this soil with its head and exits.

This is why the Munâfiq is called Munâfiq, since he hides something other than what he manifests. So it is in the position of the hole an-Nâfiqâ; its' exterior is not apparent while internally, it is carved inside the earth.

Ibnu Abbâs said: Allâhu Taâlâ intended Abdullâh bin Ubayy (the leader of the hypocrites) and his companions by His statement, "Those who do Nifâq."4

Al-Qurtubî Rahimahullâh (671H) said,

"Linguists say: A Munâfiq is called a Munâfiq because he displays something different from what he is concealing, like the jerboa. The jerboa has a hole called an-Nâfiqâ and another called al-Qâsi'â. That is because the jerboa burrows into the earth until it almost reaches ground level, then it thins the soil (and does not complete the hole). When it is alarmed by anything, it pushes this soil with its head and exits. Therefore, the outside of its hole seems to be solid earth while the inside is a hole. Likewise is the Munâfiq, his outside has the appearance of faith while inwardly it is disbelief."5




4- al-Wâhidî, at-Tafsîr'ul Basît, 6/157-159.

5- al-Qurtubî, Tafsîr, 1/195.
"If the ignorant persists, gets haughty, is determined upon his transgression and misguidance, chooses blindness over guidance, and if what he falls into and disputes with regards to is Shirk Akbar (major Shirk) that brings the person who commits it out of the fold of the faction of Muslims to the party of polytheists, then in this case, the just verdict is the sword!" (al-Fath'ur Rabbânî min Fatâwâ'l Imâm ash-Shawkânî, 1/185)

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