ever offer funeral prayer for any of them who dies, nor stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died defiantly disobedient.” He has thus declared that they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger.

If they say:
“These people voiced their disbelief in secret and thereby became disbelievers. A person is a believer only if he professes faith with his tongue and says nothing that contradicts it, for that would constitute apostasy from faith.”

They are told:
“Even if they harboured hypocrisy without voicing it, they would still be hypocrites.” Allah Most High says:

“The hypocrites fear lest a surah be revealed about them, informing them of what is in their hearts. Say, ‘Mock on; Allah will surely bring to light what you fear.’”

Moreover, Allah has stated that they say with their tongues what is not in their hearts, and that they are liars. Allah Most High says:

“Among the people are those who say, ‘We believe in Allah and the Last Day,’ yet they are not believers.”

And He says:

“When the hypocrites come to you, they say, ‘We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah.’ Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars.”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Islam is outward, while faith is in the heart.”

Allah Most High says:

“The Bedouins say, ‘We believe.’ Say, ‘You have not believed; rather, say, “We have submitted,” for faith has not yet entered your hearts.’”

In the two Sahīh collections, Sa‘d reports:

“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, gave to some men but did not give to another. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you gave to so-and-so and so-and-so, but left out so-and-so, even though he is a believer?’ He replied, ‘Or rather, a Muslim,’ repeating this twice or three times.”

A fuller discussion