Al-Ṭabarānī also relates, with his chain of transmission, that during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ there was a hypocrite who used to harm the believers. Some of them therefore said, “Come, let us appeal to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for deliverance from this hypocrite.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “Deliverance is not to be sought from me; deliverance is to be sought from Allah alone.” (1)

— Al-Ṭabarānī: the ḥāfiẓ and eminent scholar Sulaymān ibn Aḥmad, compiler of the three Muʿjams.
— With his chain: reaching back to ʿUbādah ibn al-Ṣāmit (may Allah be pleased with him).
— Munāfiq (hypocrite): ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl, the chief of the hypocrites.
— Nifāq (hypocrisy) here means outwardly displaying Islam while secretly clinging to disbelief.
— “We appeal to the Messenger of Allah”: i.e. we ask him to restrain this hypocrite from causing harm.
— “It is not for deliverance to be sought from me”: the Prophet ﷺ disliked that such phrasing be used for him, out of deference to Allah.

Overall purport of the report: once Islam had grown strong, a group of unbelievers found it advantageous to profess Islam outwardly while remaining inwardly upon disbelief; they were labelled hypocrites. From them came words and deeds that annoyed the Muslims, including what this particular man did, until some of the Companions asked the Prophet