Adorning the Outward While Leaving the Inward in Ruin
One of the most common mistakes on the path of Sufism (taṣawwuf) and in Islamic life is that a person tries to fit only their outward appearance into a religious mold, instead of correcting their inner world (their intention, ikhlas (sincerity)). Geylânî (may Allah sanctify his secret) harshly criticizes this dangerous hypocrisy: "It is not achieved by your hypocrisy (nifāq), your eloquent speech, beautiful words from the tongue, the paling of your face, nor by pulling a patched garment over your head, joining your shoulders, or bowing your waist." For someone whose inside is filled with ostentation and arrogance to claim closeness to the Truth by bowing their neck or dressing like a dervish is a trick of Satan.
The Necessity of Purifying One's Essence
Hypocrisy (munāfiq, nifāq) is to say one believes with the tongue while harboring something else in the heart. Those who perform acts of worship for the approval of people are in great loss. "O hypocrite, you have been kneaded with duplicity. Soon this state will become fire. Save your heart from that state. Strive to purify your heart by force." Outward appearance will sooner or later reflect the inner reality. "The outward shows the inward." Therefore, a person should not be concerned with the portrait hung for fame or the reputation circulating on tongues, but with their sincerity in the sight of Allah.
The Disclosure of Secrets Before Mirrors
Sins and hypocrisies hidden from the eyes of servants cannot be concealed from the gaze of Allah, nor from the eyes of the friends of God (awliyāʾ) endowed with spiritual insight (firāsa). "Perhaps you can hide your inner self from ignorant people. But how will you hide it from those with knowledge and experience?" The believer must tear off the false cloak of taqwa (God-consciousness) worn to win the praise of people, and unite their outward and inward upon the same line of honesty.