Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said:
~ al-Fataawaa, 15
Translated by:
Umm Sufyaan Fatimah
In the Name of Allaah, the Extremely Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. . .
Shaykh Rabee` says:
…The hypocrite is the one who hides his disbelief, showing Islaam outwardly, but inwardly hiding his disbelief. Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said: ‘You find some people who think that hypocrisy was restricted to and only existed during the time of the Prophet ﷺ. This is wrong. Huthayfah (radiyallaahu `anh) used to say: “The hypocrisy of today is greater than the hypocrisy during the time of the Prophet ﷺ.
This is Huthayfah (radiyallaahu `anh)! A sahabee! And who is he speaking to? The tabi`oon, and he is telling them: “The hypocrisy now is greater than the hypocrisy during the time of the Prophet ﷺ.’ What about now? In our time?! Subhaan Allaah!
This was not something restricted during the time of the Prophet ﷺ. So, the tabi`oon, who were with him, said: “How is it that there is more hypocrisy now than it was then?” Huthayfah (radiyallaahu `anh) said: “During the time of the Prophet ﷺ, the hypocrites used to hide their hypocrisy. But as far as today, you find that they expose their hypocrisy.”(1)
~ Read the entire lecture here.
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(1) Abu Abdis-Salaam Al-Juyaanee (hafidahullaahu ta`aala), Nifaaq