[Sūrat al-Tawbah: 75], through to His words: “and because they used to lie” [Sūrat al-Tawbah: 77], and other such attributes by which He describes the hypocrites (1). He also mentioned their signs and the causes that give rise to hypocrisy.

Anything that gives rise to hypocrisy is evidence of it and a sign of it. How, then, can any rational person say that the hypocrites had no sign [by which they could be recognized] (2) other than (3) hatred of Alī? One of their signs was failing to attend the congregational prayer, as recorded in the Sahih from Ibn Masūd, who said:

“O people, be diligent in observing [these] (4) five prayers wherever the call to them is made (5), for they are among the practices of guidance. Indeed, Allah (6) prescribed the practices of guidance for His Prophet. If you were to pray in your homes as this man who stays away prays in his home, you would abandon the practice of your Prophet; (7) and if you abandoned the practice of your Prophet (8), you would go astray. I remember when none of us failed to attend it (9) except a hypocrite whose hypocrisy was well known. A man would even be brought, walking with the support of two men, until he was made to stand in the row.” (10)