The Hypocrites Who Plotted Against Prophet Muhammad After Tabuk
Some deceivers present the report of the hypocrites who plotted against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as if they have discovered something hidden or damaging to Islam. In reality, the existence of hypocrites in Madinah is openly known from the Qur’an, Sunnah, and the history of the Prophet’s mission. Their failed plots only prove the truth of Allah’s protection over His Messenger ﷺ.
The Report About the Hypocrites at the Pass
He said: “They wanted to scare the Messenger of God away and throw him off the pass.” After that, something happened between Ammar and one of them, which is not the case among people. He said: “I ask you by God, how many were the companions of the pass who wanted to plot against the Messenger of God?” He said: “We think that they were fourteen.” He said: “If you were among them,” so they were fifteen. Ammar testified that there are twelve parties for God and His Messenger in this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand.”
Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir and his men.
First Response: The Existence of Hypocrites Was Never Hidden
The whole world knows that when the Prophet ﷺ entered Madinah with the permission of most of its people and their pledge of allegiance, some inhabitants were forced by circumstance to show Islam outwardly while concealing disbelief inwardly.
Therefore, it is natural that a group would arise to fight Islam and the Muslims from within. This group was known in the Qur’an, Sunnah, and history as the hypocrites. Even the smallest child from the People of the Book who mingled with Muslims knew about them.
So when the deceiver brings us reports about these hypocrites, pretending that he has revealed something new that was hidden from us, he exposes his own ignorance. He does not realize that he is providing one of the greatest services to Islam.
He is reminding people that the Prophet ﷺ and his call were exposed to severe attacks in Makkah and Madinah alike, yet not a single polytheist or hypocrite was able to destroy him.
O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.
The report therefore confirms the truth of this verse. They plotted, but Allah protected His Messenger ﷺ from them.
Second Response: Hypocrites Were Not True Companions
The problem with the hypocrites is that they would outwardly show Islam. Foreigners and strangers to the society of Madinah could be deceived by them and think that they were Companions, even though the true Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recognized them through the characteristics of hypocrisy.
In fact, some of the Companions knew certain hypocrites by name. They would advise the Prophet ﷺ to kill them, but he refused.
The reason was clear: he did not want ignorant or foolish people, who judge a religion by the outward behavior of those who claim it, to think that Islam was a religion that devoured itself from within.
For this reason, the Prophet ﷺ refused to kill them openly so that it would not be said:
Muhammad kills his companions.
This does not mean those hypocrites were true Companions in the religious sense. It means they were outwardly associated with the Muslim community, while inwardly they were enemies of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
The report about the hypocrites at the pass is not an argument against Islam. It is an argument for Islam. It proves that the Prophet ﷺ faced internal conspiracies as well as external hostility, yet Allah protected him from the people. The hypocrites were never hidden from Islamic sources; they are openly discussed in the Qur’an, Sunnah, and seerah. The deceiver has not exposed Islam. He has only exposed his own ignorance.