He, too, is one of the three with whom the Fire will be ignited on the Day of Resurrection. From this we learn that a person must purify his intention for Allah in everything he expends—whether wealth, physical effort, knowledge, or anything else—and that if he performs an act that should be directed toward Allah but instead channels it elsewhere, he is sinful for it. Allah is the One who grants success.
- Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with both him and his father) reported that some people said to him, “We visit our rulers and say to them something different from what we say after we leave them.” Ibn ʿUmar replied, “In the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ we considered that hypocrisy.” Reported by al-Bukhari.
Explanation: The compiler—may Allah have mercy on him—cited in his Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn the report from ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that some men came to him and said, “When we meet our rulers we tell them one thing, but once we leave them we say something else.” He answered, “In the Prophet’s lifetime we used to regard that as hypocrisy,” for they had spoken falsely and betrayed sincere counsel. Therefore, anyone who appears before those in authority—whether governors, ministers, presidents, or kings—must present matters truthfully, laying out the situation as it is, whether the people are upright or crooked, upon truth or upon falsehood. It is not permissible for any person—whoever he may be—to