Lack of Understanding of Religion

by Shaykh `Aa’id Abdullah al-Qarnee

Lack of Understanding of Religion is what distinguishes the hypocrites, that they and all praise be to Allaah, do not understand a thing about the Religion. The hypocrite knows how to drive a car and its mechanics, he knows the nations of the world and their capitals, he also knows lots of trivial things and various other useless facts which do not benefit him, if they do not harm him. However, when you approach him with things from the Religion which are common knowledge, he doesn’t know a thing about them.

Allaah, the Sublime, says:

“But the hypocrites do not understand.” [Al-Qur’aan, Al-Munaafiqoon (63):7]

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, said as is reported in the Saheehs of Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim: “Whomsoever Allah wishes to show goodness, he gives him understanding of the Religion.”

The people of knowledge have said the opposite to this is that whomsoever Allaah does not wish to show goodness, He does not bestow upon him the understanding of the Religion.

The sign of a believer is that he understands the Religion and is constantly increasing his knowledge of certain matters and benefits and he is covetous of all that is good, as well as the gatherings wherein it is disseminated. The hypocrite, however, completely turns away. When the people talk in a gathering about matters to do with the Prayer or worship, it is to him as if they are speaking in a different language. However, when a matter of this world comes up such a price of goods, vouchers, bills, travellers cheques, the yen and the dollar (and I do not say that the believer does not know these matters, rather he knows these matters but he also knows the affairs of the Religion) then he (the hypocrite) speaks as if that is the only thing in the world which interests him besides food and drink. So he whoknows these matters but does not know a thing about the Religion, then that is a sign of hypocrisy and refuge is only with Allaah!