In Islam, the munafiqun ('hypocrites',, singular منافق munāfiq) or false Muslims or false believers are a group decried in the Quran as outward Muslims who were inwardly concealing disbelief ("kufr") and actively sought to undermine the Muslim community. Munafiq is a person who in public and in community shows that he is a Muslim but rejects Islam or speaks against it either in his heart or among the enemies of Islam. The hypocrisy itself is called nifāq (نفاق).

Types of hypocrisy

Hadith - Four signs of a pure hypocrite: Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There are four signs that make someone a pure hypocrite and whoever has them has a characteristic of hypocrisy until he abandons it: (1) when he speaks he lies; (2) when he makes a covenant he is treacherous; (3) when he makes a promise he breaks it; and (4) when he argues he is wicked.”

Munafiqun in the Quran

The Quran has many verses discussing munāfiqūn, referring to them as more dangerous to Muslims than the worst non-Muslim enemies of Islam. In the Quran, the munafiqun are berated for their disloyalty towards the Muslims. They are described as seeking the subversion of Islam from within by dissembling a false allegiance. According to Surah 9:107-108 there was even a "mosque" of dissent that they built; this "mosque" was burned down by Muhammad. The 63rd chapter (surah) of the Quran is titled Al-Munafiqun. The chapter deals with the phenomenon of hypocrisy; it criticizes hypocrisy and condemns the hypocrites; the treachery of the hypocrites of Medina is exposed and rebuked; Muhammad is warned to beware of trusting the hypocrites; the hypocrites are cursed and declared reprobates; the hypocrites are threatened with expulsion from Medina. In Surah An-Nisa, verses 88-89 of the Quran, hypocrites are threatened with death.

Traits of the Munafiqeen according to Hadith

Hadith (record of the words, actions attributed to Muhammad) describe several traits of a hypocrite and these traits include both apparent actions and his/her inner iman/faith like the following: (فَجَرَ, fajara) (abuses/deviates from the truth/behaves very imprudently, irrationally, foolishly, evilly and insultingly) Salih Al Munajjid in his book Nifaq describes the nature and character of hypocrites as described in Quran and Hadith. These are:

Remedy of Nifaq

Salih Al-Munajjid in his book Nifaq, as a remedy for Nifaq, says to do 10 things according to Quran and Sahih Hadith, "Anas bin Malik narrated that : Allah's Messenger said: "Whoever performs Salat for Allah for forty days in congregation, catching the first Takbir, two absolutions are written for him: absolution from the Fire, and absolution from hypocrisy.""

• Grade: Da'if (Darussalam)/Hasan Ligairihi, Reference : (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 241 In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 93 English translation : Vol. 1, Book 2, Hadith 241), Sahihah 1979, Sahih At-Targhib 409, Sahih Al-Jami' 6365.

What Muslims should do with hypocrites

Salih Al Munajjid told Muslims to deal with hypocrites as follows according to the Quran and Sahih Hadith: