Bismillah.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ نَافَقُوا يَقُولُونَ لِإِخْوَانِهِمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَئِنْ أُخْرِجْتُمْ لَنَخْرُجَنَّ مَعَكُمْ وَلَا نُطِيعُ فِيكُمْ أَحَدًا أَبَدًا وَإِن قُوتِلْتُمْ لَنَنصُرَنَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ
Have you not regarded the hypocrites who say to their brethren, the faithless from among the People of the Book, ‘If you are expelled, we will surely go out with you, and we will never obey anyone against you, and if you are fought against we will surely help you,’ and Allah bears witness that they are indeed liars.
(Sūrat al-Hashr No. 59, Āyat 11)
Thirteen years after the advent of Islam, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa-ālihi wasallam and his companions migrated to the city of Madinah. This marked a turning point in the history of Islam. No longer a scattered group of persecuted believers, the Muslims had now formed a united and organized community, establishing the foundations of a divine government.
From the very beginning, this emerging community faced serious threats. On the outside were enemies such as the polytheists of Makkah and certain factions from the People of the Book within Madinah itself. But even more dangerous were the internal threats: the hypocrites. These were individuals who, outwardly professing belief due to the growing influence of Islam, but inwardly they harbored disbelief. They secretly allied with the external enemies and patiently waited for opportunities to undermine and overthrow the newly formed Islamic state.
These hypocrites are mentioned about eighty times in various sūrahs of the Quran that were revealed in Madinah. Allah ‘azza wajall exposes the reality of their malicious intentions and twisted thinking, revealing the harm they caused to the Muslim community from within. Almighty Allah also warns the believers about their deceitful ways and strengthens the hearts of the believers. He assures them that despite the schemes of the hypocrites and the hostility of external enemies, victory belongs to those who remain steadfast and sincere in their faith.
In various verses such as the one quoted above, the Quran unveils the true nature of the hypocrites as one rooted in deceit and dishonesty. Their lies are not limited to the Muslim community, where they pretend to be believers, but extend even to the external enemies of Islam. The above verse refers to these external enemies as the ‘brethren’ of the hypocrites, united in their enmity toward Islam. Yet even among their own allies, the hypocrites are insincere. They incite them to fight the Muslims and falsely pledge their support—despite having no real intention of helping them!
In another verse, found in Sūrat al-Mujādilah, the Quran highlights how this deceitful nature is so deeply rooted in them that even on the Day of Judgement, they will attempt to lie to Allah Himself:
يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ ۖ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ شَيْءٍ ۚ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ
The day when Allah will raise them all together, they will swear to Him, just like they swear to you [now], supposing that they stand on something. Look! They are indeed liars! (Q 58:18)
A key point to keep in mind is that such hypocrites were not exclusive to the time of the Prophet (s). Even today, there are individuals who outwardly identify as Muslims but act in service of the enemies of Islam—working to undermine Islamic causes and dilute Islamic values. Another important reminder is that faith and hypocrisy exist in varying degrees. Just because we are far removed from figures like ‘Abdullāh ibn Ubayy—the infamous hypocrite in Madinah who allied himself with Islam’s enemies—does not mean we are immune to subtler forms of hypocrisy, such as insincerity, double standards, or the lack of loyalty to divine principles. Faith is like a flame within the heart: it must be kindled, nourished, and shielded from the wind.
We ask Allah subhānahu wata‘ālā that these verses serve as a warning and help us to identify hypocrisy wherever it may exist, and guide us to remain sincere, faithful, and steadfast on His path.
Resources: Āyatullāh Khamenei, TafsĪr-e Sūra-ye Hashr.