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“isn’t a hypocrite someone who tells people to do something but they themselves don’t do it?”
One of my students asked as I was reading her the first ayah of Surat Al-Munafiqoon.
Though most of us would directly answer with a yes, i paused to think....
“isn’t a hypocrite someone who tells people to do something but they themselves don’t do it?”
One of my students asked as I was reading her the first ayah of Surat Al-Munafiqoon.
Though most of us would directly answer with a yes, i paused to think....
She interrupted the silence to give an example:
So like if I tell this girl to pray Sunnah but I don’t pray Sunnah, that makes me a hypocrite.
I said: let’s look at how Allah (swt) refers to such people in the Qur’an.
So like if I tell this girl to pray Sunnah but I don’t pray Sunnah, that makes me a hypocrite.
I said: let’s look at how Allah (swt) refers to such people in the Qur’an.
1) reminding others to do good acts is actually something Allah commanded us to do because it has benefit for the believer.
وذكر فإن الذكرى تنفع المؤمنين
“But ˹continue to˺ remind. For certainly reminders benefit the believers.” (51:55)
وذكر فإن الذكرى تنفع المؤمنين
“But ˹continue to˺ remind. For certainly reminders benefit the believers.” (51:55)
2) It’s very common for people to say what they don’t do. Is that habit mentioned in the Qur’an? Does Allah refer to these people as hypocrites? The answer is in Surat AsSaff:
يا أيها الذين آمنوا لم تقولون ما لا تفعلون
“O believers! Why do you say what you do not do?” (61:2)
يا أيها الذين آمنوا لم تقولون ما لا تفعلون
“O believers! Why do you say what you do not do?” (61:2)
3) Allah mentions a specific characteristic of the hypocrites in that first ayah from Surat Al-Munafiqoon:
والله يشهد إنّ المنافقين لكاذبون
“but Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are truly liars.” (63:1)
والله يشهد إنّ المنافقين لكاذبون
“but Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are truly liars.” (63:1)
So going back to her scenario. Reminding others to do an act of benevolence is actually a good thing even if you yourself don’t do it. As long as you do not lie and say/imply that you do.
She caught it right a way and said: Oh! So it all goes back to your intentions!
She caught it right a way and said: Oh! So it all goes back to your intentions!
SubhanaAllah, questions like these make me go back and think of how often we label others based on a simple act/statement without pausing to think: how does Allah refer to someone who does this?
It’s impossible for anyone to uphold every principle they believe in even if they consistently emphasize its importance and strongly stand by it. We have to understand how humans operate and allow the Qur’an to chime in instead of releasing our ego to perform the judgment.
Tip to Qur’an teachers: when a student asks you a question, even if you’re tight on time try to address it. Try to find answers from the Surahs they are working. Allah will ease that method for you. It will give you a chance to reflect and teach the kids how to develop that skill
You’ll also get to see the kids’ eyes twinkle as they discover something new from the Surah they are working on. 
