❀ Shar‘i Guidance on Dealing with Two-Faced Individuals ❀
Source:
This article is derived from the book “500 Questions and Answers for Women” based on the fatwas of the scholars of the Haramain, translated by Hafiz Abdullah Saleem.
I have encountered people who behave two-facedly—they speak differently with me and act differently with others.
Should I remain silent, or should I expose their true nature?
It is not permissible to interact with people in a two-faced manner.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"تَجِدُونَ شَرَّ النَّاسِ ذَا الْوَجْهَيْنِ، الَّذِي يَأْتِي هَؤُلَاءِ بِوَجْهٍ، وَهَؤُلَاءِ بِوَجْهٍ"
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Kitāb al-Manāqib 1, al-Adab 52, al-Aḥkām 37; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: al-Birr waṣ-Ṣilah 99]
“You will find the worst of people to be the two-faced one—who comes to these with one face and to those with another.”
This refers to someone who:
If you are aware of someone behaving this way, then as an act of sincere advice for others:
✔ You should advise that individual to avoid this hypocritical behavior.
✔ Sooner or later, people will recognize his deceitful nature, distance themselves, and disregard him.
✔ This will prevent his harmful intentions from succeeding.
If the person does not benefit from private counsel, then it is permissible to warn others about him and his conduct—even in his absence.
This is supported by the Hadith:
"اذكروا الفاجر بما فيه كي يحذره الناس"
[Al-Kāf al-Shāf fī Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-Kashshāf by Ibn Ḥajar, p. 157]
“Mention the evildoer by what is truly in him so that people may be cautious of him.”
Therefore, public benefit and protecting others from the harm of such hypocrisy allows for warning against such individuals, when done with sincere intent and not malice.
(By: Shaykh Ibn Jibreen رحمه الله)
Source:
This article is derived from the book “500 Questions and Answers for Women” based on the fatwas of the scholars of the Haramain, translated by Hafiz Abdullah Saleem.
❖ Question:
I have encountered people who behave two-facedly—they speak differently with me and act differently with others.
Should I remain silent, or should I expose their true nature?
❖ Answer:
It is not permissible to interact with people in a two-faced manner.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"تَجِدُونَ شَرَّ النَّاسِ ذَا الْوَجْهَيْنِ، الَّذِي يَأْتِي هَؤُلَاءِ بِوَجْهٍ، وَهَؤُلَاءِ بِوَجْهٍ"
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Kitāb al-Manāqib 1, al-Adab 52, al-Aḥkām 37; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: al-Birr waṣ-Ṣilah 99]
“You will find the worst of people to be the two-faced one—who comes to these with one face and to those with another.”
This refers to someone who:
- Praises a person in his presence, often with exaggeration for worldly gains,
- But in his absence, speaks ill of him and criticizes him,
- And this becomes his habitual behavior with most people.
❖ What Should You Do?
If you are aware of someone behaving this way, then as an act of sincere advice for others:
✔ You should advise that individual to avoid this hypocritical behavior.
✔ Sooner or later, people will recognize his deceitful nature, distance themselves, and disregard him.
✔ This will prevent his harmful intentions from succeeding.
❖ If He Does Not Accept Advice:
If the person does not benefit from private counsel, then it is permissible to warn others about him and his conduct—even in his absence.
This is supported by the Hadith:
"اذكروا الفاجر بما فيه كي يحذره الناس"
[Al-Kāf al-Shāf fī Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-Kashshāf by Ibn Ḥajar, p. 157]
“Mention the evildoer by what is truly in him so that people may be cautious of him.”
Therefore, public benefit and protecting others from the harm of such hypocrisy allows for warning against such individuals, when done with sincere intent and not malice.
(By: Shaykh Ibn Jibreen رحمه الله)
