Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Abu Ja‘far Tahawi rahimahullah said: The Arabs call that person “ghirr” who does not possess any trait of mischief, corruption, cunning, or craftiness; whose outward and inward states are the same. It is evident that a person adorned with such qualities will ensure that other Muslims remain safe from his tongue and hand, and these are indeed the attributes of the believers. Whereas a “fajir” is one whose outward and inward states are contradictory, because such a person’s inner self is despicable and his outward appearance is contrary to his inner reality; that is, he is like a hypocrite who outwardly displays something praiseworthy—which is Islam, for which people praise him—but inwardly harbors opposition to Islam, i.e., disbelief, which Muslims condemn. We should understand the comparison presented in the blessed hadith between the believer and the fajir, and strive to adorn ourselves with the qualities of the believer and distance ourselves from the qualities of the fajir. The meaning of the believer being simple-hearted is that he is free from deceit, trickery, fabrication, lying, opportunism, and the discrepancy between outward and inward states; he does not find faults in others, nor does he spy or pry into others’ affairs. He is steadfast, and the strong winds of time fail to change his direction. This does not mean that he is not intelligent or farsighted.