11.1 The Plots of the Hypocrites

The Emergence of Hypocrisy in Madinah

When the Prophet ﷺ migrated to Madinah, Islam quickly moved from a small persecuted group in Makkah to a visible and growing community with political authority. Many people entered Islam sincerely and became the noble Ansar. However, there were others whose hearts did not accept faith, but whose tongues claimed Islam. These people are called “hypocrites,” in Arabic “munafiqun,” those who showed Islam outwardly but concealed disbelief and hostility inwardly.

Allah revealed detailed descriptions of this group in the Quran after the Hijrah, especially in the Madinan surahs. At the beginning of Surah al-Baqarah, Allah divides people into believers, disbelievers, and hypocrites. The longest description is given for the hypocrites, which shows the danger they posed to the Muslim community.

Allah says:

مُنذِرًا مَن كَانَ حَيًّا وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ

“that he may warn whoever is alive, and so that the Word may be justified against the disbelievers.”
(Quran 36:70)

And about the hypocrites in particular:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ

“And of the people are some who say, ‘We believe in Allah and the Last Day,’ while they are not believers.
They think to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive only themselves and do not realize.”
(Quran 2:8‑9)

The plots of the hypocrites in Madinah were not open attacks like those of Quraysh in Makkah. Instead, they operated from within, using lies, doubts, and hidden alliances to weaken the Muslim society. Understanding their behavior helps us understand many of the internal trials that the Prophet ﷺ and his community faced in Madinah.

Who Were the Hypocrites?

The leader of the hypocrites in Madinah was ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, from the Khazraj tribe. Before the Prophet’s arrival, many people in Madinah had prepared to make him their king and to unify the tribes under his leadership. When Islam spread and the Prophet ﷺ became the leader of Madinah, Ibn Ubayy’s worldly hopes disappeared. He could not openly oppose the Prophet ﷺ without losing his standing, yet he could not sincerely submit either. This inner anger and jealousy became the root of his hypocrisy.

Allah describes such people:

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ اسْتَحَبُّوا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى الْآخِرَةِ

“That is because they preferred the worldly life over the Hereafter.”
(Quran 16:107)

This is the essence of their problem. They feared losing status, wealth, and influence, so they chose outward Islam for safety and gain, while keeping hatred for the truth in their hearts.

The hypocrites were mostly from the Ansar tribes, but some individuals from other groups also joined them for personal reasons. They used to attend the masjid, sit in gatherings with the Prophet ﷺ, and even participate in some battles. However, their presence was poisonous, because they tried to spread doubts, discourage the believers, and weaken the unity that the Prophet ﷺ was building in Madinah.

Signs and Traits of Hypocrites

Allah and His Messenger ﷺ taught the believers how to recognize the patterns of hypocrisy, without turning the community into a place of suspicion and witch hunts. The goal was to be cautious and to purify one’s own heart, not to create chaos.

One of the most famous descriptions is in an authentic hadith:

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ
«أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا خَالِصًا، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ، كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنَ النِّفَاقِ حَتَّى يَدَعَهَا: إِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ، وَإِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا عَاهَدَ غَدَرَ، وَإِذَا خَاصَمَ فَجَرَ»

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr رضي الله عنهما reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Four traits, whoever has them is a pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of them has a trait of hypocrisy until he leaves it: when he is entrusted, he betrays; when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he argues, he behaves in an immoral and insulting manner.”
(Sahih al‑Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

In the Quran, Allah highlights other features of the hypocrites in Madinah:

They are lazy in worship:

وَإِذَا قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ قَامُوا كُسَالَىٰ يُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

“And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing off to the people and they remember Allah but little.”
(Quran 4:142)

They constantly shift sides for worldly advantage:

مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ لَا إِلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ وَلَا إِلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ

“Wavering between them, belonging neither to these nor to those.”
(Quran 4:143)

They love to spread corruption through doubts and rumors:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ
أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَٰكِن لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ

“And when it is said to them, ‘Do not cause corruption on the earth,’ they say, ‘We are only reformers.’
Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they do not perceive it.”
(Quran 2:11‑12)

These general traits were visible in many of their plots in Madinah, and Allah used real events to teach the community how to deal with such behavior.

Hidden Alliances and Political Schemes

One aspect of the hypocrites’ plots in Madinah was their secret cooperation with enemies of Islam outside the city. On the surface they were part of the Muslim polity. In practice they often acted as informants and supporters of those who wished to harm the Prophet ﷺ and his community.

Allah exposed this in the Quran:

بَشِّرِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ بِأَنَّ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا
الَّذِينَ يَتَّخِذُونَ الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“Give tidings to the hypocrites that there is for them a painful punishment,
those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers.”
(Quran 4:138‑139)

And He said:

الَّذِينَ يَتَرَبَّصُونَ بِكُمْ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ فَتْحٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ قَالُوا أَلَمْ نَكُن مَّعَكُمْ
وَإِن كَانَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نَصِيبٌ قَالُوا أَلَمْ نَسْتَحْوِذْ عَلَيْكُمْ وَنَمْنَعْكُم مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“Those who wait and watch you. If you gain a victory from Allah, they say, ‘Were we not with you?’
But if the disbelievers have a share [of victory], they say, ‘Did we not gain the mastery over you, and protect you from the believers?’”
(Quran 4:141)

These verses capture the hypocrites’ political behavior. They refused to fully commit to the Muslims in times of risk, but wanted to claim the benefits if Islam advanced. If the enemies of Islam gained an upper hand, the hypocrites would claim that they had been on their side, weakening the Muslims.

This double-faced role appeared in military situations. At the time of difficulty, they tried to withdraw with excuses, or to discourage others from going out with the Prophet ﷺ. About them Allah said:

لَوْ خَرَجُوا فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلَّا خَبَالًا

“Had they gone forth with you, they would not have increased you except in confusion.”
(Quran 9:47)

The hypocrites’ political plot was to keep the Muslim community weak, divided, and hesitant, so that Islam would never become a firm and united force in Arabia.

Psychological Warfare and Spreading Doubts

Another major tool of the hypocrites was psychological warfare. They targeted the hearts and minds of the believers with discouraging words, doubts, and negative expectations. They wanted to spoil the trust between the believers and their Prophet ﷺ, and to make them fear their enemies more than they feared Allah.

Allah describes their speech:

وَإِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ مَّا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا

“And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease said, ‘Allah and His Messenger did not promise us except delusion.’”
(Quran 33:12)

This was said during a time of extreme difficulty, when the Muslims were under siege. Their purpose was to weaken morale and make people think that the promises of Allah were not real.

They also tried to spread fear and to magnify the power of the enemies:

يَحْسَبُونَ الْأَحْزَابَ لَمْ يَذْهَبُوا وَإِن يَأْتِ الأَحْزَابُ يَوَدُّوا لَوْ أَنَّهُم بَادُونَ فِي الأَعْرَابِ يَسْأَلُونَ عَنْ أَنبَائِكُمْ

“They think the confederates have not yet withdrawn. And if the confederates should come again, they would wish they were in the desert among the bedouins, inquiring from afar about your news.”
(Quran 33:20)

Their hearts always turned to safety and distance, rather than sacrifice and trust in Allah. By voicing these fears in the community, they tried to make others hesitate, complain, and retreat.

Sabotaging Unity and Obedience

The Prophet ﷺ was not just a spiritual guide. He was the head of the community in Madinah and the one obeyed in law and decision. To harm the Muslim society, the hypocrites often worked to weaken trust in his leadership and to create disunity among the believers.

Allah says:

فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ
ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

“But no, by your Lord, they do not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves, then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have decided and submit in full submission.”
(Quran 4:65)

The hypocrites often pretended to come to the Prophet ﷺ for judgment, then rejected his decision in their hearts or tried to turn others against it. In the same surah, Allah exposes their behavior:

وَيَقُولُونَ طَاعَةٌ فَإِذَا بَرَزُوا مِنْ عِندِكَ بَيَّتَ طَائِفَةٌ مِّنْهُمْ غَيْرَ الَّذِي تَقُولُ

“And they say, ‘[We pledge] obedience,’ but when they leave you, a group of them spend the night planning other than what you say.”
(Quran 4:81)

Publicly they claimed obedience to the Prophet ﷺ, but privately they planned against his instructions and tried to draw others into their hidden circles. This was a direct attack on the unity that the Masjid, the brotherhood between Muhajirun and Ansar, and the Constitution of Madinah were meant to create.

Building Alternative Centers and the Case of Masjid Dirar

One of the clearest expressions of hypocritical plotting in Madinah was the attempt to build parallel authority and space away from the Prophet ﷺ. The most well-known example is the incident of Masjid Dirar, which the Quran records in detail.

A group of hypocrites built a separate structure and presented it as a masjid. Outwardly they said it was for the weak and the ill who could not go to the Prophet’s masjid. But their real intention was to create a place that would rival the Masjid of Quba and the Masjid of the Prophet ﷺ, and to provide a location for those who opposed Islam to gather and plot.

Allah revealed:

وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًا بَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ مِن قَبْلُ
وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا الْحُسْنَىٰ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ

“And [there are] those who took for themselves a masjid for causing harm and disbelief, and to divide the believers, and as an outpost for those who had previously fought against Allah and His Messenger.
And they will surely swear, ‘We intended only the best,’ but Allah testifies that they are indeed liars.”
(Quran 9:107)

The verse clearly mentions four harmful purposes: causing harm, supporting disbelief, dividing the believers, and giving a base to enemies. In response, Allah commanded the Prophet ﷺ not to pray there:

لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًا

“Do not ever stand [in prayer] within it.”
(Quran 9:108)

This episode shows how the hypocrites tried to use even acts that appear outwardly religious to break unity and to undermine the original sources of guidance. It also shows that the Prophet ﷺ did not accept alternative centers that were secretly designed to oppose the main community.

The Role of Revelation in Exposing Plots

A unique part of the Seerah is that Allah protected the Prophet ﷺ and the early Muslims by revealing verses about specific plots and behaviors of the hypocrites. Without revelation, many of their actions might have remained hidden, because they were experts at pretending, swearing oaths, and mixing truth with falsehood.

Allah says:

يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ مَا قَالُوا وَلَقَدْ قَالُوا كَلِمَةَ الْكُفْرِ

“They swear by Allah that they did not say [anything wrong], but they have certainly uttered a word of disbelief.”
(Quran 9:74)

And He said:

أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَىٰ مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ

“Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them of His bounty?”
(Quran 4:54)

These verses point to the inner sickness of jealousy that drove their plots. Revelation did not always name every individual, but it clearly identified the behavior so the believers could recognize it.

There was also a Companion named Hudhayfah ibn al‑Yaman رضي الله عنه, to whom the Prophet ﷺ privately mentioned the names of some hypocrites. This knowledge was not used to create chaos or witch hunts. Instead, it was a special responsibility so that certain sensitive tasks, like leading the prayer, could be carefully managed. This shows that while the Prophet ﷺ knew of specific hypocrites, he did not open a public campaign of naming and shaming. He left the judgement of hearts to Allah and treated people according to their outward actions.

The Prophet’s ﷺ Policy Toward the Hypocrites

The Prophet ﷺ faced a serious challenge: these were people inside the Muslim community, calling themselves Muslims, sometimes participating in public acts of worship, yet working against Islam. If he punished them openly, the enemies would say that Muhammad kills his own companions. It would harm the image of Islam among the tribes who were just beginning to observe the new community in Madinah.

When the leader of the hypocrites, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, was exposed several times, some Companions suggested that he be killed. The Prophet ﷺ refused. In an authentic narration, he said:

«لَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا يَقْتُلُ أَصْحَابَهُ»

“I do not want people to say that Muhammad kills his companions.”
(Sahih Muslim)

He chose patience, wisdom, and strategic thinking. He dealt with everyone based on their outward Islam. As long as they did not commit clear crimes that could be punished under the law, he tolerated their presence while teaching the believers how to protect themselves from their influence.

At the same time, he did not ignore their harm. When their actions crossed limits, such as in the case of Masjid Dirar, Allah commanded decisive action and the building was dismantled. The Prophet ﷺ balanced mercy and firmness, public peace and internal security.

This approach became a guiding principle for the Ummah. It prevented the Muslim community from falling into the chaos of suspicion, accusation, and internal bloodshed every time someone appeared insincere.

Lessons for the Community

The presence and plots of the hypocrites in Madinah were a painful trial for the early Muslims. Yet, through them, Allah taught enduring lessons about faith, unity, and vigilance.

Allah revealed a dedicated surah about hypocrisy, Surah al‑Munafiqun, in which He says:

وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَهُمْ تُعْجِبُكَ أَجْسَامُهُمْ وَإِن يَقُولُوا تَسْمَعْ لِقَوْلِهِمْ
كَأَنَّهُمْ خُشُبٌ مُّسَنَّدَةٌ

“And when you see them, their bodies please you, and if they speak, you listen to their speech.
They are like pieces of wood propped up.”
(Quran 63:4)

This verse warns believers not to be deceived by appearances, impressive speech, or social status. The real measure is sincerity to Allah and loyalty to His Messenger ﷺ.

The hypocrites’ plots made the Companions stronger, because they learned to:

Turn to Allah in every difficulty, knowing that He is aware of what is hidden and what is open.

Examine their own hearts for traits of hypocrisy, such as lying, betrayal, and laziness in worship.

Value unity around revelation and the Sunnah, and avoid gatherings and places that aim to divide the Muslims or weaken their connection to authentic guidance.

Understand that internal trials can be more dangerous than external enemies, and that patience, knowledge, and trust in Allah are essential for facing them.

Allah summarized this wisdom when He said:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم
مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا

“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while there has not yet come to you the likes of that which came to those who passed before you?
They were touched by poverty and hardship, and were shaken.”
(Quran 2:214)

The hypocrites helped create that “shaking,” but for the sincere believers it only increased their reliance on Allah and their certainty in the truth of the Prophet ﷺ.