A question about Munafiqoon.

[maverick83pk]

I have a question which is troubling me.

Allah says in the Quran to Prophet Muhammad pbuh that you do not know about hypocrites around you, but then in surah Taubah, Allah instructs the Prophet pbuh to not offer funeral prayers for them. How would Prophet know who is a munafiq, if Allah says you do not about munafiqs, and how can he know whose funeral prayer he should not offer.
Thanks in advance for your time and efforts.

[Truth Seeker]

Salaam,

It is because both the verses are at different time frames, so when it is mentioned that the prophet does not know who the hypocrites around him are, at that time he didn't know. Whereas in Surah Taubah the prohibition of praying for the hypocrites can only be obeyed if the prophet knew who they were and God would have made that manifest to him.

[maverick83pk]

And how was it manifested to him? Is it by observation of their acts and their behaviors? or was there another factor more instrumental in determining who was a munafiq.

[maverick83pk]

Salaam,

It is because both the verses are at different time frames, so when it is mentioned that the prophet does not know who the hypocrites around him are, at that time he didn't know. Whereas in Surah Taubah the prohibition of praying for the hypocrites can only be obeyed if the prophet knew who they were and God would have made that manifest to him.

And how was it manifested to him? Is it by observation of their acts and their behaviors? or was there another factor more instrumental in determining who was a munafiq?

[Truth Seeker]

Salaam,

It could well be that a situation manifested itself in which the prophet learned the truth about these people.Or as you say their actions and behaviour gave them away. Also possibly through a dream.

Ultimately the truth came out about them as it would have to be clearly established to him who the hypocrites were in order for him to follow the direction from God not to offer funeral prayers.