Munāfiqūn?
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Salām,
I had a discussion with a Sunni about the Shahada, and he said regarding 63:1 that the hypocrites (Munafiqun) are lying, outwardly pretending to be Muslims, and thus this statement is correct, only that they reject it in their hearts. Do you understand? He says it's correct to say "wa ashhadu anna muhammadan rasulullah".
I said that one can't understand it that way. The hypocrites spread lies about Allah and Islam. That means this statement is false, and we shouldn't say it. In 33:12, the hypocrites also make a statement, and this can't be correct either.
In 9:67, we see that the hypocrites enjoin what is wrong.
In 9:73, we see that Muhammad knew the hypocrites, but in 9:101, we see that Muhammad didn't know them. What's correct now? Maybe both? Perhaps there are hypocrites who obviously spread lies and others who tell the truth but don't believe in it internally, just to be safe or gain power?
And what's the difference between polytheists (Muschrikun) and hypocrites (Munafiqun)? Is a hypocrite automatically a polytheist or vice versa?
From my understanding, all hypocrites and polytheists are disbelievers (Kuffar) because a disbeliever is one who doesn't believe in their heart. A polytheist is one who shows their disbelief in their actions by following other laws than Allah's laws. A hypocrite would then be one who invents a law and says it's Allah's law?
Baraka Allahu feekum for Answer.
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The hypocrites to my reading are people who "knowingly" go against the religion (meaning they know what they are saying/doing is wrong, but say it anyway). Mushriks on the other hand are people who have fallen into idol-worship or setting up other sources with God, but they do not realize what they are doing is wrong.
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Salām,
Allah promises the hypocrites that He will expose them (9:64). Hypocrites are recognized by their hypocritical speech (47:30). Allah exposes the hypocrites with 63:1. This Shahada is therefore the Shahada of the hypocrites.
What the hypocrites say is hypocritical speech, because God truly knows that the Prophet is already His messenger, ...And God knows that you are truly His messenger...' (63:1). God doesn't need someone to confirm to Him what He already knows about His own messenger! The Quran says: "We have sent you as a messenger and God suffices as a witness..." (4:79).
This is exactly what the messenger told the people. There is no need to testify to the messenger, as God has already done so and it suffices. ...God repeats this important message again in 4:166.
And again, this is what the messenger told his companions: God suffices as a witness. God even denies attempts to testify to other messengers (28:44).
So, people cannot testify to the messengership of the messengers. We were not witnesses.
To repeat: God says, He will truly expose the hypocrites (29:11). God then says that the messenger can recognize them by the manner of their speech (47:30). If the hypocrites now come and insist on testifying to the messenger (63:1), they expose themselves as hypocrites.
God said that His own testimony suffices (6:19).
