Combining the Qur'an's condemnation of those who hide from people during sins with the Sunnah's command to conceal oneself and not commit sins openly
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The Noble Qur'an contains a condemnation of those who hide from people during sins [Al-Nisa: 108], and the Sunnah contains a command to conceal oneself and not commit sins openly. How are these two reconciled?
The reconciliation is that the verse refers to the hypocrites. When the hypocrites are alone, they plot what Allah the Mighty and Majestic does not approve of, and when they are with people, they display the best to them and claim to be Muslims.
As for the believing sinner, if he is afflicted with a sin, it is better that he does not commit it openly and does not inform anyone of it, but rather he should conceal himself with Allah's covering and repent to Allah.The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (All my Ummah are forgiven except those who commit sins openly). Those who commit sins openly are those who do evil deeds and then, in the morning, talk to people about what they did. So whoever commits any of these filthy acts, let him conceal himself with Allah's covering, let him repent to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and let him not inform anyone of it.
They conceal [their evil intentions and deeds] from the people, but they cannot conceal [them] from Allah
يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلا يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ اللَّهِThe reconciliation is that the verse refers to the hypocrites. When the hypocrites are alone, they plot what Allah the Mighty and Majestic does not approve of, and when they are with people, they display the best to them and claim to be Muslims.
As for the believing sinner, if he is afflicted with a sin, it is better that he does not commit it openly and does not inform anyone of it, but rather he should conceal himself with Allah's covering and repent to Allah.The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (All my Ummah are forgiven except those who commit sins openly). Those who commit sins openly are those who do evil deeds and then, in the morning, talk to people about what they did. So whoever commits any of these filthy acts, let him conceal himself with Allah's covering, let him repent to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and let him not inform anyone of it.