2.Another group from

Another group of men whom the Prophet faced in Medina and who created enormous difficulties for the Muslims, where those who apparently accepted Islam before the people but did not accept it with their hearts, and were seeking an opportunity for backstabbing Islam. The Holy Quran has denounced them in various verses and has described their attributes.

          The historic reports prove that most of these people were Jews before they apparently accepted Islam. Ibn e Ishaq has opened a chapter in his book and mentioned the names of those Jewish clerics who accepted Islam apaprently but where amongst the hypocrites, namely Refa’a bin Zaid bin Taboot, Zaib bin Laseet, Othman and No’man – the two sons of Awfa, Rafe’ bin Huraimala, Saad bin Hunaif, Silsilah bin Barahaam and Kananah bin Soorbah.[1]

          Balazari has also mentioned the names of Suwaid, Daa’es, Malik bin Abi Naufal (Nauqal) and Lubaid bin Aa’sam.[2]

          Amongst them, the name of Zaid bin Laseet can be seen at several places in the biographical sources. The historians say: ‘In the battle of Tabook, when the Prophet’s camel went missing, Zaid said: ‘Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) considers himself to be a Messenger and one who tells the heavenly prophecies whereas he does not know where his camel is.

          When the Prophet heard his words, he said: ‘I do not know of anything but that which is taught to me by God. The Almighty God has now informed me that my ride is at that place.

          The Muslims went to the place which was indicated by the Prophet and found his camel there.[3]

          Waqidi has mentioned this incident with reference to two battles, Bani Mustalaq and Tabook[4], in such a way that this same incident might have occurred twice. Although it is doubtless that this incident occurred not more than once but the narrators who quoted this incident got confused and mistook the battle in which it took place.

          It is mentioned about Rafaa’e bin Zaid bin Taboot, whose name is written by Waqidi as Zaid bin Rafaa’e bin Taboot, that: While returning from the Battle of Mureesee (Bani Mustalaq), wind blew heavily, such that the Muslims felt terrified. Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: Do not fear, this wind is caused by the death of one of the heads of hypocrites in Medina. Jabir ibn e Abdullah has said: When we reached Medina, before returning to our houses, we asked about the person who died that day? They replied: Zaid bin Refaa’e.[5] Although Tabari has mentioned this incident with reference to the Battle of Mureesee[6], he has repeated his name in the Battle of Tabook also.[7]

          Ibn e Ishaq quoted this statement from Allah’s Messenger (p.b.u.h.) about Rafe bin Huraimala that when the strong wind blew, Prophet said: One of the heads of hypocrites died today[8]. But when his name is mentioned in other incidences, he has been mentioned as a Jew and there is no word of his acceptance of Islam or his hypocrisy.

          Balazari has reported about the constant visits of these hypocrites to the Jewish Church and has said at another occasion: Malik bin Abi Naufal, a Jewish cleric who sought refuge from Islam, used to give away the reports of Allah’s messenger to the Jews.[9]

          We conclude from the abovementioned discussions that because a group of hypocrites were Jews, there was a healthy relationship between these two groups at the time of emergence of Islam. The effort made by Abdullah bin Ubai, the head of Hypocrites, to deliver his Jewish friends in the two incidents of Bani Qainuqaa and Bani Nuzair, can be considered another evidence on this inference. Those who share these thoughts with Ibn e Ubai are the names mentioned by the historians along with his name, and they are the Jews who were mentioned earlier.[10]