Root of Nifaaq is Lying

It is reported from Al-Hasan Al-Basri – Allah have mercy on him – that he said:

“It used to be said: it is part of al-nifaaq (hypocrisy) to beinwardly different from what you are on the outside, to say onething and do another and to be different in how you enter andhow you leave. And the root of al-nifaaq is lying."

-[Abû Bakr Al-Kharâ`itî, Masâwî Al-Akhlâq wa Madhmûmihâ p62]