The Believers, The Unbelievers And The Hypocrites

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

In the Qur'an, Allah Most High mentions and describes the three categories of people--the believers, unbelievers and hypocrites, and what will happen to them. We should read it and take construction from it, not to try to find who are those, from our neighbors and other people, are believers, non-believers or hypocrites but to strive to improve in our worship of Allah Al-Mighty, and to eliminate any and certain bad characteristics from ourselves.

The Believers (related article)

الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَو‌ٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴿٣﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ﴿٤﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٥

Alif Lam Mim (1) That is the Book, wherein is no doubt, a guidance to the Godfearing (2) who believe in the Unseen, and perform the prayer, and expend of that We have provided them; (3) who believe in what has been sent down to thee and what has been sent down before thee, and have faith in the Hereafter; (4) those are upon guidance from their Lord, those are the ones who prosper. (5)

The Non-Believers

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَأَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٦﴾ خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ ۖ وَعَلَىٰٓ أَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ غِشَـٰوَةٌ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٧﴾

As for the unbelievers, alike it is to them whether thou hast warned them or hast not warned them, they do not believe. (6) God has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and on their eyes is a covering, and there awaits them a mighty chastisement. (7)

The Hypocrites

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَأَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٦﴾ خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ ۖ وَعَلَىٰٓ أَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ غِشَـٰوَةٌ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٧﴾ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَبِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٨﴾ يُخَـٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴿٩﴾ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْذِبُونَ ﴿١٠

And some men there are who say, 'We believe in God and the Last Day'; but they are not believers. (8) They would trick God and the believers, and only themselves they deceive, and they are not aware. (9) In their hearts is a sickness, and God has increased their sickness, and there awaits them a painful chastisement for that they have cried lies. (10)

(Qur'an Al-Baqara 2:1-10)

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up.

1. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays (he proves to be dishonest).
[If you keep something as a trust with him, he will not return it.]

2. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.

3. Whenever he makes a covenant (promises), he proves treacherous (he breaks his promise).

[Breaking promises fall into two categories. 1) Making a promise without intending to keep it. Al-Awzaa’i said that one who says, "I will do such-and-such inshaAllah," without intending to do it has committed both lying and breaking a promise. 2) Making a promise intending to keep it and then later deciding to break it]

4. Whenever he disputes, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner." (Bukhari)

Abdullah Ibn 'Umar, Allah be pleased with him, reported the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, as saying: The similitude of a hypocrite is that of a sheep which roams aimlessly between two flocks. She goes to one at one time and to the other at another time. (Muslim)

'Umar, Allah be pleased with him, mentioned the hadith of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace: "The thing from which I fear for you the most is the knowledgeable hypocrite." 'Umar was then asked: "How can a hypocrite be knowledgeable?" To which 'Umar answered: "He speaks with wisdom but acts with injustice."

May Allah guide us to excellence and grant us tawfiq. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam