“There are four (traits); whoever has them is a sheer hypocrite, and whoever has one trait of them has one of the traits of hypocrisy until he gives it up: whenever he speaks, he tells a lie; whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous; whenever he makes a promise, he breaks it; and whenever he is in a dispute, he behaves in a shameless immoral manner

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned of four traits; if they are combined in a Muslim, he becomes quite similar to the hypocrites due to them. This applies to a person in whom these traits are dominant, not someone who rarely exhibits any of them. They are: First: When he speaks, he intentionally lies and avoids truthfulness. Second: When he makes a covenant, he does not fulfill it and proves treacherous to the other party.

Third: When he makes a promise, he does not keep it; rather, he breaks it. Fourth: When he quarrels and falls into dispute with someone, he acts severely, departs from the truth, turns to deception in his response and argument, and tells falsehood and lies. Hypocrisy is to reveal something different from what is kept hidden. This exists in a person who possesses these traits.

His hypocrisy is exercised toward those to whom he speaks or makes a promise or those who entrust him, quarrel with him, or engage in a covenant with him. It is not that he is a hypocrite in terms of Islam, revealing it and concealing Kufr. Whoever possesses one of these traits possesses a trait of hypocrisy until he gives it up.