DISBELIEF, HYPOCRISY AND THEIR VARIOUS MANIFESTATIONS

DISBELIEF

Disbelief in Islam otherwise known as Kufr is to doubt or be sceptical of the following articles of Islamic faith:

1)    Belief in Allah;

2)   Belief in Angels of Allah;

3)   Belief in Allah’s Messengers;

4)   Belief in the revealed books of Allah; At-taurah, Injeela, Zaboora and Qur’ anil Kareem otherwise called; Torah, Gospel, Psalms and the Glorious Qur’an;

5)   Belief in the Day of Judgement and;

6)   Belief in Divine preordainment (Qadr).

Characteristics of Disbelief 

Disbelief has two features; major disbelief (Al-kufr al-Akbar) and minor disbelief (Al-kufr al-Asgar):

Major Disbelief(Al-kufr al-Akbar) 

a)    Disbelief of the divine truth or any of the six (6) Articles of Faith above, also referred to as Al-kufr Takdhib (see Q 39:32);

b)   Disbelief of Allah’s commandments also known as Al-Iba Wat-Takabbi Wat-Tasdiq (see Q 2:34);

c)    Disbelief or lacking conviction of any of the six (6) Articles of Faith above, also called Ash-Shakk Waz-zann (see Q35:38);

d)   Turning away from the truth knowingly or deviating from the obvious signs which Allah has revealed, also known as Al-I’rad (see Q 46:3);

e)    Hypocritical disbelief also called An-Nifaq (see Q 63:2-3).

Minor Disbelief (Al-kufr al-Asgar)

Minor Disbelief signifies being ungrateful to Allah for his Blessings and Favors.  It does not expatiate one’s belief in Islam but it is condemnable because it weakens one’s faith.

HYPOCRISY

Basically hypocrisy simply means; insincerity, two-facedness or double standards. There are two types of hypocrisy; hypocrisy in belief and hypocrisy in deeds and actions.

Hypocrisy in Belief

Hypocrisy in belief is to deny the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH) and also some of all that he brought to mankind through the Qur’an and Hadith.  Hating Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and some or all of what he has brought is also another form of hypocrisy in belief.  When a person dislikes that the religion of Islam becomes victorious over all other religions also forms part of hypocrisy in belief.

Hypocrisy in Deeds and Actions

Hypocrisy in deeds and action is when a person speaks he tells lies, when he promises he fails to fulfil, whenever he engages in an argument he becomes impudent or violent , and if you trust him, he cheats you; when he makes a covenant, he becomes treacherous.

ISLAMIC TESTAMENT (SHAHADAH)

Islamic Testament or Shahadah means testifying that Allah is the only deity worthy of being worshipped and that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is His Messenger; that one will pray five (5) times a day; fast during the month of Ramadan; give compulsory charity (Zakat) if one is blessed with wealth and performing pilgrimage (Hajj) if one is blessed with the means.

Intricacies of Shahadah

The reality of Shahadah is that once a person testifies it, he becomes a Muslim however; that is not where it ends.  It has three (3) aspects:

a)    Pledging a covenant with Allah; the Creator of the heavens and the earth; Ruler of all that exists in the universe; the Lord of Majesty and Highness that:

·         It is Allah who is the Creator, Organiser, Planner, Sustainer and Giver of Security (Rububiyyah);

·         It is Allah that has the right to be worshipped (Uluhiyyah);

·         Testimony to prophetship of Muhammad (PBUH) and his followership.

b)   Utterance of the Shahadah and proclaiming it in front of others to witness and for the person who utters it, to inwardly believe in it.

c)    Showing in practice physically, what one has uttered in the Shahadah that is, obey Allah’s commandments and His will.  When he errs, he should turn to Allah for forgiveness and respect his actions.  It is essential for him to believe in all the Messengers of Allah without differentiating between them (see Q 18:102-110).  After the utterance of the Shahadah, the new convert must take bath; offer two (2) Raka’ats of prayer and the act of five (5) Principles of Islam became binding on him.

MONOTHEISM AND POLYTHEISM

Monotheism (Tauhid)

Monotheism in Islam means to believe that Allah is the only deity in the heavens and the earth and all that exists.  It has three aspects:

1)    His Oneness in lordship (Tauhid-al-Rububiyya) – Creator, Organiser, Planner, Sustainer, Cherisher and Giver of Security;

2)   His Oneness in worship (Tauhid-al-Uluhiyyah) that is to believe that none has the right to be worshipped (praying, seeking for help against the unseen, offering sacrifice, giving charity, fasting and pilgrimage);

3)   His Oneness of His Names and Attributes (Tauhid-al-Asma’ was-Siffat) that is His Names cannot be qualified with any other deity; not to qualify His Names except that which He or His Messenger has qualified Him with; belief in the qualities of Allah as stated in the Qur’an or mentioned by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) without changing their meaning or ignoring them completely and twisting the meanings or likening them to any other deity (see Q20:5 and 42:11)

These three (3) Tauhid are inherent in the meaning of Shahadah.  The aspects of followership of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in deed is also part of Tauhid-al-Uluhiyyah. It is included in the meaning: I testify that that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is Allah’s Messenger and this means: None has the right to be followed after the Qur’an’s revelation to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) (see Q 59:71 and 3:31).

Monotheism is belief in:

·         Allah;

·         His Angels;

·         His Messengers;

·         His revealed Books;

·         Day of Judgement and;

·         Divine pre-ordainment; what Allah has ordained must come to pass (Al-Qadr).

Monotheism requires that one acts on the five (5) Pillars of Islam:

·         Oneness of Allah and acceptance of the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH) Shahadah;

·         Saying the five (5) daily prayers;

·         Fasting during the month of Ramadan;

·         Compulsory charity to the poor that is, Zakat;

·         Pilgrimage to the Holy Land that is, Hajj.

Polytheism (Opposite of Tauhid)

Polytheism means worship of other deities along with Allah.  It implies attributing divineness on other besides Allah.  Associating Allah with partners in worship or believing the source of power, harm or blessings is from others besides Allah.

Manifestation and Division of Polytheism

Polytheism is divided into three (3):

1)    Major Polytheism (Shirk-al-Akbar)  – This type of polytheism has four (4) aspects:

i)             Invocation (Shirk-ad-Du’a) – Implies invoking; supplicating or praying to other deities or persons besides Allah (see Q 29:65);

ii)            Directing intention while praying (Shirk-an-Niyyah Wal-Iradah Wal-Qasd) – Implies directing one’s intentions, purpose and determination in acts of worship or religious deeds to other deities rather than to Allah see (Q 11:15-16);

iii)          Rendering obedience to other deities (Shirk-at-Ta’ah) - Implies rendering obedience to others authority against the order of Allah (see Q 9:31).

iv)           Showing love to other deities rather than Allah (Shirk-al-Mahabbah) – Implies showing love due to Allah to other deities rather than Him (see Q 2.165).

2)   Minor Polytheism (Shirk-al-Asghar) – This type of polytheism implies showing-off (Ar-Riya).  It is an act to show-off in religious deeds just to gain praise from people or to gain fame and worldly benefit (see Q18:110).

3)   Inconspicuous Polytheism (Shirk-al-Khafi) – This implies being inwardly dissatisfied with the inevitable condition that has been ordained for one by Allah; conscientiously believing that had you done or not done such and such, or had you approached such and such, you would have had a better status (see Q4:48).  This type of Shirk is unpardonable.

SOME CONTRADICTIONS IN THE HOLY BIBLE

II SAMUEL 24                       And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, Go number Israel and Judah.

I CHRONICLES 21              And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David To number Israel.

Question:                               Was it the Lord that moved David to number Israel or was it Satan that provoked him?

II SAMUEL 24:13                 So God came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? Or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? Or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? Now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

I CHRONICLES 21:11,12   So God came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee.  Either three years famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel.  Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

Question:                               Was it Seven years of famine or three years of famine?

II CHRONICLES 36:9          Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

II KINGS 24:8                        Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months.  And his mother was Hehushta, the daughter of Elnathan or Jerusalem.

Question:                               How old was Jehoiachin when he reigned in Jerusalem? Was he eight years old or eighteen years old? And did he reign for three months or three months and ten days?

II SAMUEL 10:18                 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the Captain of their host, who died there.

I CHRONICLES 19:18        But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shobach the Captain of the host.

Question:                               How many Syrians did David slew? Was it seven hundred or seven thousand?

I KINGS 7:26                         And it was a handbreath thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.

Question:                               How many baths did Solomon’s house contain? Was it two thousand or three thousand? 

II CHRONICLES 9:25          And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

I KINGS 4:26                         And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

Question:                               Did Solomon have four thousand stalls of horses or forty thousand?