his camel so that he would fall into a ravine there. Revelation then came to him, and he confided their names to Hudhayfah. Hence he is called the keeper of the secret known to no one else.” This is established in the Sahīh.

Nevertheless, outwardly, the rulings applicable to believers apply to them. This makes clear the answer to many objections raised concerning this matter. For many later scholars recognize only two categories among those who profess Islam: the upright and the sinful. They have disregarded the rulings concerning hypocrites, although hypocrites have continued to exist and will continue to exist until the Day of Resurrection. Hypocrisy has many branches, and the Companions used to fear hypocrisy for themselves.

In the two Sahīh collections, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks his promise; and when he is entrusted with something, he betrays that trust.”

Muslim’s wording adds:

“Even if he fasts, prays, and claims to be a Muslim.”

In the two Sahīh collections, ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Amr reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Whoever possesses four traits is a pure hypocrite, and whoever possesses one of them has a trait of hypocrisy until he abandons it: when he speaks, he lies; when he is entrusted with something, he betrays that trust; when he makes a covenant, he breaks it; and when he disputes, he behaves wickedly.”

At first, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would offer funeral prayers for them and seek forgiveness for them, until Allah forbade him to do so, saying:

“Never offer the funeral prayer for any of them who dies, nor stand at his grave.”

He also said:

“Ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them—even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will never forgive them.”

He therefore no longer offered funeral prayers for them or sought forgiveness for them, but their lives and property remained inviolable