Riyad as-Salihin · Chapter 259

Condemnation of Double-faced People

باب ذم ذي الوجهين

This chapter condemns the person of two faces, dhu al-wajhayn, who shows one appearance to one group and a contradictory one to another, flattering each in turn while being sincere to neither. It is a sickness of inconsistency that springs from a divided, dishonest heart.

Across these two hadith, watch how two-facedness is ranked among the worst of character and even traced back, by a Companion who lived in the Prophet's time, to the mark of hypocrisy. The unifying idea is that integrity means being one person, the same in private and in public.

Hadith 1540

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ “تجدون الناس معادن‏:‏ خيارهم في الجاهلية خيارهم في الإسلام إذا فقهوا، وتجدون خيار الناس في هذا الشأن أشدهم له كراهية، وتجدون شر الناس ذا الوجهين، الذي يأتي هؤلاء بوجه، وهؤلاء بوجه‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "People are like ores. Those who were excellent in the Days of Ignorance are excellent in Islam provided they acquire the knowledge and understanding of the religion. You will find the best people in it (Islam) those who had a deep hatred (for leadership). You will find the worst among the people a double-faced person who appears to some people with one face and to others with another face." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

People are like ores, the best of them in ignorance remaining best in Islam with understanding, while the worst is the two-faced person who shows each group a different face. A divided face reveals a divided heart.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1540 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 30

Hadith 1541

Muhammad bin Zaid reported:

وعن محمد بن زيد أن ناسًا قالوا لجده عبد الله بن عمر رضي الله عنهما‏:‏ إنا ندخل على سلاطيننا فنقول لهم بخلاف ما نتكلم إذا خرجنا من عندهم‏.‏ قال‏:‏ كنا نعد هذا نفاقًا على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه البخاري‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Some people said to my grandfather, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them): We visit our rulers and tell them things contrary to what we say when we leave them. 'Abdullah bin 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) replied: "In the days of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we counted this act as an act of hypocrisy." [Al-Bukhari].

In plain words

When some admitted saying one thing before rulers and another after leaving, Ibn 'Umar said they counted that as hypocrisy in the Prophet's time. Saying contradictory things to please each side is a serious flaw of character.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1541 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 31