to discuss them in detail. Yet we know the central principle: every utterance and deed necessarily has an outward and an inward aspect. The outward aspect of an utterance is what the tongue pronounces; its inward aspect is the realities and meanings present in the heart. The outward aspect of a deed is the movement of the body; its inward aspect is its underlying realities and the person’s intentions within the heart. Thus, when the hypocrite outwardly conformed to Islam without possessing the realities of faith, this did not benefit him, and he was among the losers. Indeed, he was in the lowest depths of the Fire. Allah Most High says:

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

“They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive only themselves, though they do not realize it.”

And the subsequent verses. At the beginning of Surah al-Baqarah, Allah revealed four verses describing the believers, two describing the disbelievers, and more than ten describing the hypocrites. Allah Most High also says:

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

And the rest of the surah. Allah Most High also says:

“Do not let those who hasten into disbelief grieve you—those who say with their mouths, ‘We believe,’ while their hearts do not believe.”

To the end of the verse.

The heretics outwardly profess agreement with the Muslims while inwardly concealing the opposite. They are worse than the hypocrites, for hypocrites are of two kinds: one kind outwardly professes faith while inwardly concealing disbelief, without claiming that the disbelief concealed within is the true reality of faith. The heretics, however, claim that the disbelief they conceal within is the true reality of faith