Jihad against the hypocrites
Question

                The hypocrites still raise their ugly heads from time to time, whenever they get the opportunity, in order to attack the basic and fundamental beliefs and practices of the ummah, or to cast doubts on its basic tenets, or to strip the community of its Islamic identity. What should we do about them, and how can we protect the ummah against their evil?.
Praise be to Allah.
      Undoubtedly this is a problem from which the ummah suffers 
      from time to time, especially when it is faced with trials and 
      tribulations and these hypocrites feel secure and feel that they will not 
      be punished if they attack the foundations of this religion and try to 
      spread division and tribulation. 

    Undoubtedly the damage that these people do is greater than 
    that caused by the kuffaar whose kufr is obvious, as Allaah says 
    (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “They are the enemies, so beware of them. May Allaah curse 
    them! How are they denying (or deviating from) the Right Path?”

    [al-Munaafiqoon 63:4]
Because of that, it is 
    prescribed to wage jihad against them and to treat them harshly. 

    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) 
    said concerning the Nusayris, among whom were some who expressed their kufr 
    and heresy openly and others who made a hypocritical show of loving Ahl 
    al-Bayt (the members of the Prophet’s household): 

    Undoubtedly waging jihad against these people and carrying 
    out the hadd punishments against them is one of the greatest acts of 
    obedience and most important obligatory actions. It is better than waging 
    jihad against those mushrikeen and people of the Book who do not fight the 
    Muslims, for waging jihad against these comes under the same heading as 
    waging jihad against the apostates. Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq and all the Sahaabah 
    started with jihad against the apostates before they engaged in jihad 
    against the kuffaar of the people of the Book, for jihad against these (the 
    apostates) is a means to protect the lands that are already under Muslim 
    rule, and to deter anyone who wants to apostatize. Jihad against the 
    mushrikeen and people of the Book who are not fighting us is an additional 
    manifestation of the power of this religion. Protecting the capital takes 
    precedence over making profit. 

    Moreover the harm that these people (hypocrites) cause to the 
    Muslims is greater than that caused by others (kaafirs), indeed their harm 
    is like that caused by the mushrikeen and people of the Book who fight the 
    Muslims. The damage that they do to the religious commitment of many people 
    is worse than the damage done by those mushrikeen and people of the Book who 
    wage war on us. Every Muslim must do as much as he can of his duty. It is 
    not permissible for anyone to keep quiet about anything that he knows about 
    them, rather he must broadcast it so that the Muslims will know what they 
    really are. It is not permissible for anyone to help them to remain among 
    the troops and government employees, or for anyone to keep quiet and refrain 
    from carrying out against them that which Allaah and His Messenger have 
    enjoined. It is not permissible for anyone to speak against carrying out 
    what Allaah and His Messenger have enjoined. This is one of the greatest 
    types of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and of striving 
    in jihad for the sake of Allaah. Allaah said to His Prophet  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): 
“O Prophet (Muhammad)! 
    Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh 
    against them”

    [al-Tawbah 9:73]

    These people are included in this phrase “the disbelievers 
    and the hypocrites”. 
The one who helps to put 
    a stop to their evil and to guide them as much as he can will have of reward 
    that which is known only to Allaah, for the primary purpose is to guide them 
    as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“You (true believers in 
    Islamic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah) 
    are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind”
    [Aal ‘Imraan 3:110] 

    Abu Hurayrah said: You are the best of people for people, you 
    bring them in chains and fetters until they enter Islam. (al-Bukhaari, 
    4557). 
The purpose of jihad and 
    of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, is to guide people to 
    what is best for them in this world and in the Hereafter, as much as 
    possible; then whomsoever Allaah guides will find happiness in this world 
    and in the Hereafter, and whomsoever He does not guide, his evil will be 
    contained. 

    Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 35/159-160 

    Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) 
    said: 

    The Muslim ummah must respond in kind when it is attacked. So 
    with regard to those who fight Islam with ideas and words, we must explain 
    the falseness of what they say using rational evidence as well as shar’i 
    evidence, so that the falseness of what they say will become apparent. 

    With regard to those who fight Islam by economic means, we 
    must ward them off and attack them if possible, by using the same means with 
    which they attack Islam. We must explain that the best way to strengthen the 
    economy in a just manner is the Islamic way. 

    With regard to those who attack Islam with weapons, we must 
    resist them in a similar fashion. Hence Allaah says (interpretation of the 
    meaning): 

    “O Prophet (Muhammad)! Strive hard against the 
    disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is 
    Hell, — and worst indeed is that destination”

    [al-Tawbah 9:73]
It is well known that 
    jihad against the hypocrites is not like jihad against the kuffaar, because 
    jihad against the hypocrites is fought with knowledge and argument, whilst 
    jihad against the kuffaar is fought with swords and arrows. 

    Fataawa ‘Ulama’ al-Balad al-Haraam, 
    p. 1733.