[BigJohn]

Hypocrisy is generally mentioned in all of the main religions but in Islam, it takes on special meanings.

Hypocrisy, the act, is transliterated* as nifāq (نفاق).

Hypocrites, the plural noun defining the persons is munafiqun which in Arabic is منافقون. A singular hypocrite is transliterated* as munāfiq which in Arabic is منافق.


In Islam, there are two types of hypocrisy. They are:
1. Hypocrisy of belief
2. Hypocrisy in action

Of the 2 main categories, each category has many sub-categories.

This discussion will look at over 25 various types of hypocrisy.

The first type of hypocrisy deals with falsehood and lying. We might ask, how can falsehoods and lying be considered a type of hypocrisy?
When Allah mentions in the Qur'an hypocrisy, he always mentions lying.

Surah al-munafiqun (63):1 mentions this point:

"When the hypocrites come to you, [O Muhammad], they say, "We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah ." And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars.




* Transliteration is a close pronunciation of a word using English letters.