Muslims did not experience hypocrisy before the migration to Ma- dinah:

Hypocrisy was not something which people were used to while in Makkah. 

This is because the Muslims were not strong and the disbeliev-ers dominated them, and thus there was no need for the disbelievers       to hide the reality of what they believed.

As the Muslims grew stronger in Madinah, the hypocrites started false- ly expressing belief and adherence to Islam and deceptively concealedtheir disbelief. The head of the hypocrites was a man called ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool3. Before the migration of the Prophet of Allah, sallal- laahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, from Makkah to Madinah, Ibn Salool expected tobecome the leader of the two existing tribes in Madinah, namely Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj. However, with the advent of the Prophet of Allah, sallal- laahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, Ibn Salool lost this lofty post, so out of hypocrisy he claimed to have believed and concealed disbelief.

This man continued to conceal his hatred for Islam and plot against itwith all kinds of evil schemes. He would take advantage of any chance to harm the Muslims and did not spare any opportunity to plot against themuntil the last day of his life.                                Despite this, the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was lenient and kind to him and exercised the greatest tolerance hoping that he may soften and accept Islam.                                                                                                                              Chapter Four: How the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam,dealt with groups requiring specific styles of religious invocation The incident which highlighted the enmity of ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool to Islam was just before the battle of Badr, which occurred im-  mediately before he claimed to have accepted Islam.

 He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, seated Usaamah behind him and was going to the area of Banu Haarith Al-Khazraji to inquire after the health of Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah (a Companion), and this happened before the Battle of Badr.He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, proceeded until he passed by a mixed company of people in which were Muslims,

 polytheists, idol worshippers and Jews. Also among them were ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool (before he claimed to have believed) and ‘Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah (a Companion). When the dust raised by the hooves of  the animal and spread all over them,             ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy covered  his nose with his mantle and said: ‘Do not scatter dust over us’.

Not minding this remark, the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhiwa sallam, greeted them, stopped, got down from his riding animal,invited them to Allah, and recited the Quran to them. ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy said: ‘O man, if what you say is the truth,  the best thing for you would be not to bother us with it in our as-semblies. Go back to your place. Whosoever comes to you from us,tell him (all) this.’ ‘Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah said: ‘Come to us in our gatherings, for we love (to hear) it.’

One of the people from ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy’s tribe became angry because of these words and insulted him, and people startedsiding with their own tribes and a fight started and they began beat- ing each other with their hands and slippers and tree branches. The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, continued to calmthem.”1 When they had calmed down, he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam,rode his animal and came to Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “O Sa’d, haven’t you heard what AbuHubaab [meaning ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy and this was his fa-mous nickname] said? He has said such and such.”

Sa’d said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, forgive and pardon. I swear by Allah, Allah has granted you a sublime position, (but so far as
‘Abdullah is concerned) the people of this settlement (Madinah) had decided to make him their king by making him wear a crown and a
turban (in token thereof), but Allah circumvented this by the truth He has granted you. This made him jealous and his jealousy (must have) prompted the behavior that you have witnessed. So, the Proph-et of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, forgave him.’”The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and his Companions used to forgive the polytheists and the People of the Book because Allahcommanded them to be patient regarding the harm afflicted upon them.

 So the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to stick to the principle of forgive- ness for them as long as Allah ordered him to do so until Allah permittedfighting them.2 Incidents showing the forgiveness and tolerance of the Prophet of Al-lah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, for many of the polytheists and the Jews Chapter Four: How the Prophet of Allah,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam,   dealt with groups requiring specific styles of religious invocation are well-known and numerous in his biography and many texts substan-tiate this. 

The tolerance and patience of the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was evident; he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not get an-gry when the head of hypocrites harmed him with his words and acted impolitely with him. Even the way he addressed the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, reflects his impoliteness and rudeness whendealing with him. In return, the Prophet Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not be-come angry, but he rather he forgave him and was tolerant. The Prophet of Allah,              sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was commanded by Allah in the beginning to be tolerant and forgive those who harm him.

The instructions of Allah in the beginning were to refrain from using weapons to confront the disbelievers until the believers gain power and become strong and are able to face others in war. After the battle of Badr, the Muslims became stronger which forced
people like ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool and many polytheists to claim that they had accepted Islam. However,                            they were hypocrites and did so only outwardly and never believed inwardly.

gave the pledge for embracing Islam to the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and became Muslims.”1 However, this was only due to their fear and was not true acceptance of Islam. This narration proves that the hypocrites disappear when the Muslims are powerful, but when the Muslims become weak, then their real face becomes exposed and they openly declare their hypocrisy.

Despite their pledge, their enmity to Islam and their evil and harm to the Muslims did not change; they continue to wait for the Muslim’s turnof fortune and seek every opportunity to attack them.