Disbelief after Belief

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan (radi Allahu anhu) said: “The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, ‘What I fear the most for you is a man who reads the Quran until its beauty appears on his face and his cloak is Islam; he continues in this manner until Allah wills that he should shed that cloak and cast it behind him. Then he goes to his neighbour wielding a sword and accuses him of shirk.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, which of them is more deserving of being put to the sword, the accuser or the accused?’ He said, ‘The accuser.’” [Abu Yala; Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

Although a person may have adopted the demeanour of piety, Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) knows what motivations and feelings are inside a person. He (subhana wa ta’ala) tests people so that the good and the bad are sorted out, in the same way that flour is sifted to separate it from impurities.

When these tests come, people shed aside pretences and act according to what is in their hearts. Shaitaan had made a great show of his piety but when told to bow down before Adam (alaihis salam), the arrogance he had kept concealed revealed itself and he refused to accept Allah’s orders. His show of obedience and worship evaporated into thin air and he began arguing with Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

He who does not genuinely love other Muslims and does not sincerely want them to go to Jannah will be quick in drawing the sword on them. This hadith mentions that he will use the excuse of their committing shirk. This was how the Khawaarij conducted themselves and how some sects do to this day.

People in every age and clime will be tested by Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to sort the dwellers of Jannah from the dwellers of Jahannum. O Allah! Please don’t allow us to fail in this test.