Hypocrisy arises in the heart due to attachment to worldly desires and social pressures. Honesty and a strong relationship with God are the best ways to overcome hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy, defined as the concealment of truth while presenting its opposite, is a significant topic addressed in the Quran. God explicitly condemns hypocrisy and emphasizes the importance of honesty and integrity. Hypocrisy develops in the heart for two main reasons. The first reason is attachment to worldly desires and temptations. For instance, from verse 8 of Surah Al-Baqarah, we can understand that hypocrites hide their belief and show others that they are believers while in their hearts, they lack true faith. This gap between claim and reality stems from a lack of genuine belief in God and the hereafter. The second reason is social influences and cultural pressures. When individuals observe that others are displaying attitudes and beliefs contrary to their values, they may resort to hypocrisy to gain acceptance and attention from society. God mentions this in verse 21 of Surah Al-Munafiqun, pointing out that these individuals continue their lives with duplicity, unaware of the consequences of their words and actions. The best way to combat hypocrisy is through sincere repentance, honesty, and strengthening one's relationship with God, so that the heart is purified from hypocrisy and directed towards true faith.
And of the people are some who say, 'We believe in Allah and in the Last Day,' but they are not believers.
Only those believe in Our verses who, when they are mentioned, fall down in prostration and exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord, and they are not arrogant.
One day, two old friends were sitting in a café discussing their lives. One of them, named Amir, felt a sense of duality in his life. He always tried to seem like everyone else, but inside he felt unsatisfied. His friend said, 'Amir, why don’t you show your true self? Hypocrisy is merely the pain of turning into a lie.' This statement resonated with Amir, and he decided to be honest with himself. From that day on, his life changed, and he was able to live more peacefully.