In Islam, a woman’s position is very noble that there is a surah named An-Nisa. However, actually, not all women have noble traits, even most of the women have a very bad trait, which is hypocrite. To easier to differentiate the noble women with hypocrite women, the following are some explanations about 8 characteristics of hypocrite women in Islam that must be avoided:
1. Refusing to cover the aurat
Hypocrite women are those who know that Allah has ordered women to cover aurat, however, they keep exposing their aurat. Their courage against the order of Allah makes them belong to the group of hypocrites. Allah said,
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
“O Prophet, tell your wives, daughters and the believers’ wives, “Let them extend their hijab to their entire body!” So that they are easier to be recognized, so they are not disturbed. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” [Al-Ahzab/33: 59]
2. Worshiping if it is only seen
The next characteristic of hypocrite women is only worshiping if it is seen by people. She tries to deceive people by becoming shalehah, however if there are no people then she comes back to do things arbitrarily. Allah has mentioned this trait in the Qur’an,
يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
“They want to deceive Allah and people who believe, in fact, they only deceive themselves while they are not aware.” [Al-Baqarah/2: 9]
3. Envy
Women who are easy to be envy to other people belong to the group of hypocrites. They usually will never be happy to see one of their friends succeed. Satan will easily enter their hearts and whisper the envy. Allah said,
أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ أَنْ لَنْ يُخْرِجَ اللَّهُ أَضْغَانَهُمْ
“Or do people who have illness in their hearts think that Allah will not show their envy?” (Muhammad: 29)
4. Breaking a promise
Hypocrite women are women that really like to break a promise. They can promise easily, however they also break it easily.
From Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu ‘anhu, that the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,
آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاث إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَ إِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ، وَ إِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ
“The signs of a hypocrite are three: if he talks, he tells a lie, if he makes a promise, he lies, and if he is trusted, he betrays.” (Hadith Al-Bukhari, Book of Faith, Chapter The Signs of A Hypocrite, no. 33 and Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter The Explanation of the Hypocrites Characteristics, no. 59)
5. Their prayer is broken
Not only break a promise, hypocrite women also do not have special attention to their prayers. They are very lazy to pray except in front of other people. Allah said,
وَلَا يَأْتُونَ الصَّلَاةَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كُسَالَىٰ وَلَا يُنْفِقُونَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كَارِهُونَ
“And they do not pray, but lazily and they (also) do not spend their (wealth), but reluctantly.” [At-Taubah/9: 54]
The Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:
أَثْقَلُ الصَّلَاةِ عَلَى الْمُنَافِقِينَ الْعِشَاءُ وَالْفَجْرُ
“The heaviest prayer for hypocrites is the Isha prayer and Fajr prayer.”
6. Betray
Women who like to betray are hypocrite women. She will show the happiness in front of us, however they are bad-mouthing us in the back. This characteristic of hypocrites is now very much seen in women today.
The Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:
أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيْهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقاً خَالِصًا، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيْهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ كَانَتْ فِيْهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنَ النِّفَاقِ حَتَّى يَدَعَهَا، إِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ، وَإِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا عَاهَدَ غَدَرَ، وَإِذَا خَاصَمَ فَجَرَ.
“There are four things that if they are in one’s self, then he becomes a true hypocrite, and if one of those traits is in him, then he has one hypocrite character until he leaves it: 1) if he is trusted, he betrays, 2) if he talks, he lies, 3) if he promises, he breaks it, and 4) if he has a fight, he crosses the line.” (Hadith Bukhari)
7. Stingy
Hypocrite women are very reluctant to spend their money on alms or infaq. She prefers to collect her money for herself. Allah said,
وَلَا يُنْفِقُونَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كَارِهُونَ
“And they (also) do not spend their (wealth), but reluctantly.” [At-Taubah/9: 54]
8. Inviting in badness
Hypocrite women also really like to invite people around them to participate in doing damage or badness. They forbid or block a Muslim from doing a good thing. Allah said,
الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمُنْكَرِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَقْبِضُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ ۚ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
“Hypocrite men and women. Some with others are the same, they order to do wrong and forbid to do right and they hold their hands. They have forgotten to Allah, then Allah forgets them. Indeed, those hypocrites are disobedient people.” [At-Taubah/9: 67]
This is surely contrary with the order of Allah SWT. Their way of inviting to do evil is very astute and looks very interesting so that many people who are deceived and consumed by persuasion.
Those are the 8 characteristics of hypocrite women in Islam that must be avoided. That is all for this brief article. Hopefully this article can increase the insight and we are always kept away from the hypocrites who are misleading. Aamiin.