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Surah Al-Baqarah begins by describing the three primary categories of mankind.

Now, the phenomenon of hypocrisy of Nifaq is one that, frankly, most of us, we don't fully understand because we haven't dealt with that category of people.

We're living in a faraway land, a land of kufr, and when somebody chooses to be a muslim, automatically the sassin of quality.

To be a muslim in this land, to come to the masjid, to make an effort, and hamd al-Atham al-Hamd al-Nashallah, that's a very good reality of sincerity insha'Allah ta'ala.

But we need to realize when Islam is in a state of power, when Islam is politically powerful.

There are those people who do not believe in Allah, but they outwardly claim to be a muslim to get the perks and benefits of Islam.

And that is a phenomenon that comes at times of power of Islam.

If there is any example in our times, after the horrific events of 9-11, sometimes the Fox News and whatnot would get your token muslims to interview.

And they would say bad things about us, our own people, our own skin color, our own background.

But they would get these people we've never heard of, and they make him an Imam or something, or this is a community spokesperson.

And they would sing the tune of Fox News, right?

That's the phenomenon of an effect, to be honest.

That's the closest we get to this reality, that we see these people are selling themselves for the sake of the dunya.

And they're selling the deen for the sake of the dunya.

So, our talk today is the first parable in the Qur'an.

Surah Baqarah, verse 17, which is about the wana fiqun.

We've all read this parable.

Methaluhum, kamethalilidistau qadanara.

Allah talks about those people, those people who profit off of Islam, knowing in their hearts that Islam is true, and yet their arrogance is too much to submit to Islam.

They don't really want to be muslim, but it is politically advantageous to be muslim.

Allah says, their example is like the one who asks somebody to light a fire.

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