﴿ وَإِذَا لَقُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ شَيَٰطِينِهِمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِءُونَ ﴾

“And when they meet those who have attained to faith, they assert, "We believe [as you believe]"; but when they find themselves alone with their- evil impulses, they say, "Verily, we are with you; we were only mocking!"”

(And when they), i.e. the hypocrites, (fall in with those who believe), i.e. Abu Bakr and his companions, (they say: We believe) deep in our hearts and are genuine in our faith just as you believe deep in your hearts and are genuine in your faith; (but when they go apart to their devils), to their soothsayers and leaders who were five in number, namely, Ka'b Ibn al-Ashraf in Medina, Abu Burdah al-Aslami in Banu Aslam, Ibn al-Sawda' in Historic Syria (al-Sham), 'Abd al-Dar in Juhaynah and 'Awf Ibn 'Amir in Banu 'Amir, (they declare) to their leaders: (Lo! We are with you) we follow your religion in secret; (surely we did but mock) Muhammad (pbuh) and his Companions.