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Fatwa CenterHadeeth about women who resemble hypocrites
Question
Abu Uthaynah As-Sadafi (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: “The best of your women are those who are bearers of many children, loving, comforting, and tolerant – provided that they fear Allaah. And the worst of your women are those who display their charms and who walk with arrogance. Such are the hypocrites, and those of them who will enter Paradise are as rare as the red-beaked and red-legged crows.” [Al-Bayhaqi]
May Allaah help you explain this hadith to me. Does this mean that once someone becomes a hypocrite, it is rare for them to become a believer and go to Paradise? Or does this mean that some hypocrites will go to Paradise? Please show your proof or way of thinking, because this is very important. Or does this mean that the ones who display their charms and walk with arrogance are few in Paradise?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
What is meant by this hadeeth is that these women resemble the hypocrites in some of their qualities, and that it is only a few of them [women] who enter Paradise.
Al-Munaawi, in his book At-Tayseer bi-Sharh Al-Jaami’ As-Sagheer, when explaining this hadeeth, said, "They [women] are the hypocrites; meaning that they resemble the hypocrites; ‘those of them [women] who will enter Paradise are as rare as are the white-winged or white-legged crows’, because this feature is very rare in crows.”
This is the meaning of the hadeeth, and it indicates a warning against these qualities. So the meaning that you mentioned, that it is rare for a hypocrite to become a believer and enter Paradise, is not understood from this hadeeth.
On the other hand, hypocrisy that is related to actions does not prevent from entering Paradise; it means that the person resembles the hypocrites in some of their qualities that do not constitute disbelief. Hypocrisy in belief, however, takes the person out of the fold of Islam, and he will be prevented from entering Paradise unless he sincerely repents. For more benefit, please refer to fatwa 1854.
Allah knows best.
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