hypocrisy
Editorial introduction
‘Abdu’l-Bahá liked to tell of the courtiers who praised the king’s music in unison until one of them admitted they were all donkeys, saying so only to win favour, and of the drunkards who gathered to denounce drink and then went straight out to drink again. The comedy lets us recognise in ourselves what the severer judgments describe. Hypocrisy, in the Writings, is a cultivated division between what is professed and what is intended: calling on the All-Merciful with the tongue while following Satan in deed, saying one thing to the faithful and another among one’s fellows, performing a good act for fame or leadership. Bahá’u’lláh goes so far as to say it would be better to be an open unbeliever than a plotter, and He warns of wolves who appear in the garment of asceticism. Jesus’ image of a cup scrubbed on the outside and foul within makes the same cut [1]. None of this licenses reading another person’s heart; it is addressed first to one’s own. It leads naturally to honesty, truthfulness, and trustworthiness as the virtues that heal the division, and to the empty learning and false spirituality that hide it.
"Aye Sire! It was most wonderful!" they would all say in unison while bowing down to the ground.
Finally one of them comes forward and says: "Your Majesty! This is all sham! We know nothing about this music. We are all like donkeys. We make all these protestations just to gain your favor."
It resembles many drunkards gathered together to protest against the drinking of alcohol. They say drink is horrible and they straightway go out from the house to drink again.
Good intention does not accept hypocrisy and dissimulation. How often it happens that someone performs a good deed but their intention is not pure - it is either for fame, or for honor, or out of desire for pride and haughtiness, or merely for show and leadership.
Thus do some souls outwardly utter one word while inwardly speaking another word contrary to the outward - such a soul hath been and will be a hypocrite and liar.
They profess belief with their words while denying it through their deeds, as attesteth He with Whom is the Mother Book.
Say: Be not like those who call upon the All-Merciful with their tongues while following Satan in their deeds - these are indeed the lost.
How many are the servants who claim with their tongues what is not in their hearts, and God revealeth it through one means or another.
They have disbelieved with their tongues after their souls were convinced, and God hath taught them within their own souls that they are fresh disbelievers in God, the Exalted.
Those souls who attribute themselves to the All-Merciful yet act according to the ways of Satan - verily God was and ever shall be sanctified and holy above such souls.
When they see the steadfast ones they say "We believe in God, the True King, the Transcendent, the Mighty, the Impregnable." But when they sit with their like they drink what they desire and speak according to their base passions.
"They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts, and when they meet the believers they say 'We believe,' but when they are alone with their evil ones they say 'We were only mocking.'" This is the character of these corrupters who for some time have been inciting people against this community.
Now with the utmost craftiness and guile they profess love to each of the friends of God while subtly mentioning certain matters that perchance may hold back the people of God from the Most Exalted Horizon. Their honey concealeth poison, and their protestations of love mask hidden hatred...
It is necessary to avoid and shun the hypocrite because they cause lethargy, rigidity, listlessness, heedlessness and coldness. Their influence is like severe winter cold - even if a person is in perfect health, intense cold produces weakness, trembling and illness.
And souls who have committed all manner of unseemly acts now display themselves in the garment of asceticism and attribute to this servant all that they have done. This is what was revealed in previous Books, that wolves would appear in sheep's clothing and busy themselves with deceiving people.
['Abdu'l-Baha] responded: They work for their own personal gains. Mullay-i Rumi says that Satan came by the Mu'aviyih's bed and woke him to offer his obligatory prayer. Mu'aviyih said, "Satan, you never do any righteous deed. Tell the truth: For what purpose did you wake me from my slumber?" He responded, "The truth is that you lead prayers with conceit, arrogance and pride. The sin of so doing is greater than missing the prayer. Therefore, I awakened you. Otherwise, I do not do good."
For thought and discussion