On the Nature of Hypocrisy

Anyone who aims for the threshold of God's greatness finds his enemies on the path of faith are pride and hypocrisy. Whoever carries this trait is a mere cat; to the people of true knowledge, a dog is better than him. Love of the world is the very sign of hypocrisy. Who is the self-glorifier? The one always showing off. It is the opposite of sincerity, a lesser form of idolatry; this is the saying of the Prophet himself. Truly, the hypocrite is no real man: on the path of faith his heart feels no pain. A hundred cries of grief at that dervish within from whose inner self this trait keeps rising up. How long, you fool, will you chase people's approval? For that approval is nothing but the root of ruin. Denial of the beloved comes only after affirming the self; on this path, denying yourself is affirming Him.