Ibn Masʿūd (may God be pleased with him) said:
“You are the nation that most closely resembles the Children of Israel in outward appearance and conduct; you will imitate their deeds as precisely as one arrow-shaft matches another. The only thing I do not know is whether or not you will worship the calf.”
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān (may God be pleased with him) said:
“The hypocrites among you today are worse than the hypocrites who lived in the time of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him).” We asked, “How so?” He replied, “Those men concealed their hypocrisy, whereas these proclaim it openly.”
As for the Sunnah, it tells of their resemblance to earlier peoples in worldly affairs, censures that resemblance, and forbids it—and the same applies to matters of religion. Regarding the first aspect, namely indulging in worldly enjoyments
(1) Hudhayfah ibn Husayl ibn Jabir al-Absi—his father Husayl was nicknamed al-Yaman—is the eminent Companion to whom the Messenger of Allah entrusted the names of the hypocrites, admonishing him to secrecy, which he faithfully kept. He fought at Uhud with the Prophet, and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab later appointed him governor of al-Mada’in in Persia, from where he capably administered the province, opening Hamadan, Ray, Mah and Sindan, and concluding a treaty with the ruler of Nahavand. Whereas people ordinarily asked the Prophet about good, Hudhayfah would ask him about evil, fearing he might fall into it. He died in al-Mada’in in 36 AH. See Usd al-Ghabah 1:390–392; al-A‘lam 2:171.
(2) Copy A reads: “a‘linu” (make public).
(3) See Kanz al-‘Ummal 1:367, no. 1615; the compiler marks it with the letter (sh), indicating that the report is taken from Ibn Abi Shaybah.
(4) Copy Ṭ reads: “‘anhu”.
(5) Copy Ṭ reads: “wa amma” (whereas).
(6) This also includes imitating the unbelievers—whether People of the Book or others—by following their sensual desires.