As you can imagine, there were many brothers in prison who only became religious after being incarcerated. Prior to their arrests, perhaps they did not pray, did not fast, did not read Qur’an, etc; and yes, they committed crimes and were swimming in haraam.
But, in prison, they became strict in the Salah, memorized Qur’an, and tried to become strict in their Islam. Inevitably, they would face the mockery of others, saying “oh, so you are a shaykh now? Yesterday you were in the disco with your girlfriend!” As if change, as if taubah, as if self-reform, are acts of hypocrisy.
Because you did wrong yesterday, does it mean you are a hypocrite if you refuse to do it today? If you have done wrong all your life, does it mean that you must continue to do wrong for the rest of your life?
Every single person from the Best Generation of Islam had lived a life of shirk and kufr before he or she embraced the Deen, and they became the greatest people in history.
If you are trying to atone for past negligence, past disobedience, past sins…do not let anyone discourage you, and do not let them make you feel that your former misconduct is more true to your character, and that it is fake or hypocritical of you to strive to be righteous. They are liars. Do not fear the blame of the blamers, whether they are blaming you for your goodness of today, or your evil of yesterday. Persevere in your taubah, no matter who may dislike it.