Sheikh `Abdul-Majeed Subh, a prominent Azharite scholar, states: There are two kinds of nifaq (hypocrisy): Nifaq with regard to `Aqeedah (creed) and Nifaq with regard to `Amal (one’s deeds and behavior). Niifaq of `Aqeedah is when a person hides deliberately his disbelief and appears as a Muslim. This person will be in the bottom of Hell if he dies in that case as Almighty Allah says, “Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire” (An-Nisaa’ 4: 145)
As for Nifaq of deeds and behavior, it is when a person behaves repeatedly to the extent that he is marked by one or more of the signs of hypocrites mentioned in the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) hadith, “The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he is entrusted with something he breaks that trust.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) In another hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, “There are four (characteristics), whoever has all of them is a complete hypocrite, and whoever has some of them has some element of hypocrisy, unless he gives it up: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a treaty, he betrays it; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; when he quarrels, he resorts to insults.”(Reported by Muslim)
The above-mentioned hadiths clarify the characteristics of hypocrisy of `Amal. The one who is doing one of the abovementioned characteristics is considered a sinner whom Almighty Allah will punish on the Hereafter or will forgive him or will guide him to repent and forgive him.