When the Prophet went out for (the battle of) Uhud, some of his companions (hypocrites) returned (home). A party of the believers remarked that they would kill those (hypocrites) who had returned, but another party said that they would not kill them. So, this Divine Inspiration was revealed: "Then what is the matter with you that you are divided into two parties concerning the hypocrites." (4.88) The Prophet said, "Medina expels the bad persons from it, as fire expels the impurities of iron."

We were with Hudhaifa and he said, "None remains of the people described by this Verse (9.12), "Except three, and of the hypocrites except four." A bedouin said, "You the companions of Muhammad! Tell us (things) and we do not know that about those who break open our houses and steal our precious things? ' He (Hudhaifa) replied, "Those are Al Fussaq (rebellious wrongdoers) (not disbelievers or hypocrites). Really, none remains of them (hypocrite) but four, one of whom is a very old man who, if he drinks water, does not feel its coldness."

Yahya related to me from Malik that al-Ala ibn Abd ar-Rahman said, "We visited Anas ibn Malik after dhuhr and he stood up and prayed asr. When he had finished his prayer, we mentioned doing prayers early in their time, or he mentioned it, and he said that he had heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, the prayer of the hypocrites, the prayer of the hypocrites, the prayer of the hypocrites is that one of them sits until the sun becomes yellow and is between the horns of Shaytan, or on the horn of Shaytan, and then gets up and rattles off four rakas, hardly remembering Allah in them at all.' "

While we were sitting in a circle in `Abdullah's gathering, Hudhaifa came and stopped before us, and greeted us and then said, "People better than you became hypocrites." Al-Aswad said: I testify the uniqueness of Allah! Allah says: "Verily! The hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire." (4.145) On that `Abdullah smiled and Hudhaifa sat somewhere in the Mosque. `Abdullah then got up and his companions (sitting around him) dispersed. Hudhaifa then threw a pebble at me (to attract my attention). I went to him and he said, "I was surprised at `Abdullah's smile though he understood what I said. Verily, people better than you became hypocrite and then repented and Allah forgave them."

When `Abdullah bin Ubai (the chief of hypocrites) died, his son came to the Prophet and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Please give me your shirt to shroud him in it, offer his funeral prayer and ask for Allah's forgiveness for him." So Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) gave his shirt to him and said, "Inform me (When the funeral is ready) so that I may offer the funeral prayer." So, he informed him and when the Prophet intended to offer the funeral prayer, `Umar took hold of his hand and said, "Has Allah not forbidden you to offer the funeral prayer for the hypocrites? The Prophet said, "I have been given the choice for Allah says: '(It does not avail) Whether you (O Muhammad) ask forgiveness for them (hypocrites), or do not ask for forgiveness for them. Even though you ask for their forgiveness seventy times, Allah will not forgive them. (9.80)" So the Prophet offered the funeral prayer and on that the revelation came: "And never (O Muhammad) pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (i.e. hypocrites) that dies." (9. 84)

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever has (the following) four characteristics will be a pure hypocrite: "If he speaks, he tells a lie; if he gives a promise, he breaks it, if he makes a covenant he proves treacherous; and if he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent evil insulting manner (unjust). And whoever has one of these characteristics, has one characteristic of a hypocrite, unless he gives it us."

Allah's Apostle said, "The example of a Believer who recites the Qur'an, is that of a citron which smells good and tastes good; And the example of a Believer who does not recite the Qur'an, is that of a date which has no smell but tastes sweet; and the example of a hypocrite who recites the Qur'an, is that of an aromatic plant which smells good but tastes bitter; and the example of a hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'an, is that of a colocynth plant which has no smell and is bitter in taste."

Regarding the Verse:-- "Then what is the matter with you that you are divided into two parties about the hypocrites?" (4.88) Some of the companions of the Prophet returned from the battle of Uhud (i.e. refused to fight) whereupon the Muslims got divided into two parties; one of them was in favor of their execution and the other was not in favour of it. So there ware revealed: "Then what is the matter with you that you are divided into two parties about the hypocrites?" (4.88). Then the Prophet said "It (i.e. Medina) is aTayyaboh (good), it expels impurities as the fire expels the impurities of silver."

The Prophet said, "The example of a believer who recites the Qur'an and acts on it, like a citron which tastes nice and smells nice. And the example of a believer who does not recite the Qur'an but acts on it, is like a date which tastes good but has no smell. And the example of a hypocrite who recites the Qur'an is like a Raihana (sweet basil) which smells good but tastes bitter And the example of a hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'an is like a colocynth which tastes bitter and has a bad smell."

The Prophet (saws) said: Do not call a hypocrite sayyid (master), for if he is a sayyid, you will displease your Lord, Most High.

Allah's Apostle said, "A believer eats in one intestine (is satisfied with a little food), and a kafir (unbeliever) or a hypocrite eats in seven intestines (eats too much).

The Prophet said, "I do not think that so-and-so and so-and-so know anything of our religion." (And Al-Laith said, "These two persons were among the hypocrites.")

The Prophet said, "Ad-Dajjal will come and encamp at a place close to Medina and then Medina will shake thrice whereupon every Kafir (disbeliever) and hypocrite will go out (of Medina) towards him."

Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman said, 'The hypocrites of today are worse than those of the lifetime of the Prophet, because in those days they used to do evil deeds secretly but today they do such deeds openly.'

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Said ibn al-Musayyab said, "It is said that no-one except a hypocrite leaves the mosque after the call to prayer, except for someone who intends to return."

The Prophet said, "The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks he tells a lie; whenever he is entrusted he proves dishonest; whenever he promises he breaks his promise."

Allah's Apostle said, "The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie; and whenever he promises, he breaks his promise; and whenever he is entrusted, he betrays (proves to be dishonest)".

I heard the Prophet saying (or the Prophet said), "None loves the Ansar but a believer, and none hates them but a hypocrite. So Allah will love him who loves them, and He will hate him who hates them."

The Prophet said, "The example of a believer is that of a fresh tender plant, which the wind bends lt sometimes and some other time it makes it straight. And the example of a hypocrite is that of a pine tree which keeps straight till once it is uprooted suddenly.

Ka'b b. Malik reported on the authority of his father that the similitude of a believer is that of a standing crop. The wind sometimes shakes it and sometimes raises it up and then it comes to its destined end. And the similitude of a hypocrite is that of a cypress tree which is not affected by anything but is uprooted once for all.

Allah's Apostle said, "The signs of a hypocrite are three: (1) whenever he speaks, he tells a lie, (2) whenever he is entrusted, he proves to be dishonest, (3) whenever he promises, he breaks his promise.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Anas that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said this but with this addition that (the Dajjal would come) and pitch his tent in the waste-land of Juruf and thus there would come out of (the city) every hypocrite, man and woman.

The Prophet said, "The signs of a hypocrite are three:

1. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.

2. Whenever he promises, he always breaks it (his promise ).

3. If you trust him, he proves to be dishonest. (If you keep something as a trust with him, he will not return it.)"

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abd ar-Rahman ibn Harmala al- Aslami from Said ibn al-Musayyab that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "What separates us from the hypocrites is being present at isha and subh. They cannot do it," or words to that effect.

'Allah is Sufficient for us and He Is the Best Disposer of affairs," was said by Abraham when he was thrown into the fire; and it was said by Muhammad when they (i.e. hypocrites) said, "A great army is gathering against you, therefore, fear them," but it only increased their faith and they said: "Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer (of affairs, for us)." (3.173)

The Prophet said, "There will be no town which Ad-Dajjal will not enter except Mecca and Medina, and there will be no entrance (road) (of both Mecca and Medina) but the angels will be standing in rows guarding it against him, and then Medina will shake with its inhabitants thrice (i.e. three earthquakes will take place) and Allah will expel all the non-believers and the hypocrites from it."