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The danger of an eloquent hypocrite

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by HadithAnswers.com

Please provide a reference and translation of the following Hadith:

إن أَخْوَفُ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَى أُمَّتِي كل مُنَافِقٍ عَلِيمِ اللِّسَانِ

Answer

This Hadith is recorded by Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah) in his musnad on the authority of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu’anhu).

Imam Ibn Hibban (rahimahullah) has also recorded a version from Sayyiduna ‘Imran ibn Husayn (radiyallahu’anhu) in his Sahih.

(Musnad Ahmad, vol. 1 pg. 22 and pg. 44 & Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al-Ihsan, Hadith: 80. Also see: Sharhul ihya, vol. 1 pg. 378)

Translation

The thing I fear the most on my Ummah, is [them being misled by] a hypocrite who has a knowledgeable tongue.

This Hadith warns us of the existence of ‘speakers’ who may have knowledge on their tongues, but not in their hearts.

One should be wary of such lecturers. See here for more on the topic of choosing the correct lecturer.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,

Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar

This answer was collected from HadithAnswers.com. The answers were either answered or checked by Moulana Haroon Abasoomar (rahimahullah) who was a Shaykhul Hadith in South Africa, or by his son, Moulana Muhammad Abasoomer (hafizahullah), who is a Hadith specialist. 

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