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Part Two
The Medinan Stage of the Prophet's Life
Chapter I : Errors in the Encyclopedia Article on the
Treatment of the Prophet's Hijra (Emigration)
The Objectives of the People of Madina Were Political
The Encyclopedia states that the people of Madina did not so
much want to attract an inspired preacher to their town as
to have a political leader capable of improving their
relations which had worsened as a result of tribal wars
which culminated in the Battle of Bu'ath.
Before we begin discussing this point, we should mention
that the goal of the authors of The Encyclopedia is to
allude to the fact that the motives of the people of Madina
for accepting the Call to Islam, believing in the Messenger
of Allah (PBUH), preparing for his reception in their town,
supporting his Call and protecting him from his enemies were
worldly political motives, with no room for religious aims
or spiritual motives.
Such a positivist, and historial materialist analysis, which
does not take into consideration spiritual motives, the
desire to please Allah, the Hereafter and the rewards
therein, is not suitable for the explanation of the
believers' work and the Prophet's life. Therefore, the
motives of the Madina people in accepting the Prophet's
migration to their town could be both religious and worldly.
Perhaps the political situation in Madina at the time was
the cause that Allah prepared to trigger off their
conversion to Islam and to pave the way for the Prophet's
migration to Madina.
Above and beyond all these reasons and motives, stand
supreme Allah's Will and Wise Planning, as well as His
preparation of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Our purpose here is
to draw attention to the fact that the Prophet's migration
was undertaken first and foremost as a result of Allah’s
permission, as the authentic Hadith related by Al-Bukhari
and Muslim shows : the Prophet (PBUH) said : "I was shown in
a dream that I would emigrate from Mecca to a land where
palm trees grow, I thought that it was Al Yamama, but it
turned out to be Madina (Yatrib)(1).
This hidden cause, which is related to Allah's Will, does
not preclude the existence of objective causes steming from
the conditions of the people of Madina who had been weakened
by tribal wars and worried by their future expectations.
Ibn Ishaq has clarified one aspect of these objective causes
in a long analysis. Here is a brief summary of it. One of
the causes of the quick acceptance of the people of Madina
of the Prophet's Call to Islam lies in the fact that some
Jews who lived in Madina were a pious and learned community,
unlike the Arab inhabitants who were unbelievers and
worshippers of idols. As a result, there were wars between
the two camps, and the Arabs were always victorious. These
Jews used to tell them that a Messenger of Allah was on the
point of being sent down to earth and that they would follow
him and wage war against their Arab enemies with his
support. When the Prophet (PBUH) talked to a group of Arabs
from Yatrib and invited them to embrace Islam, they
discussed the matter, and some of them said to the others :
'By Allah ! you know that it is the Prophet whom the Jews
threatened us with, so don't let them be the first to get
his support ; then they added, 'We left our people among
whom hostility and violence were more widespread than among
any other people. We hope that Allah will grant them
reconciliation and peace through your intervention, and if
Allah turns them into your followers, no man will be as
powerful as you'(2).
The causes reported by Ibn-Ishaq are undoubtedly objective
and real. But a close look at the Hadiths which relate the
words of the Madina people at the time of their taking the
oath of allegiance to the Prophet (PBUH) in the second
"Aqaba" shows that there were strong spiritual motives. It
is reported that they had asked the Messenger of Allah what
their pledge of allegiance would be about. He answered them
: “You pledge that you will obey my orders in all
circumstances, that you will urge people to follow the right
path and shun evil deeds; that you will believe in Allah -
without fearing other people's criticism because you have
obeyed Allah; that you will defend and protect me, when I
come to you, against any harm; and that you must defend
yourselves, your wives and children against. Paradise shall
be your reward”. Then, they pledged their allegiance to him.
"Furthermore, Asa'ad Ibn Zurara (the youngest among them)
took the Prophet's hand and said, 'Slowly O’ people of
Yatrib ! We would not have come all this distance on camel
back unless we knew that he was the Messenger of Allah, that
his banishment would lead to wars among all the Arabs, to
the killing of their elite, and to your suffering from the
cuts of swords. Therefore, either you are the type of people
who will endure all this and be rewarded by Allah, or you
fear this matter in your minds ; thus be aware of it, and
this will be the best excuse you may make to Allah. They
answered him : 'O Asa'ad ! Stop scolding us; by Allah, we
will neither renounce taking this pledge nor break it. 'Then
we pledged our allegiance to the Prophet who accepted it
after reminding us of his conditions, and promised us
Paradise as a reward"(3).
This allegiance to the Prophet (PBUH) was spiritual in the
first place ; its motive was the unshakeable belief in the
fact that he was the Messenger of Allah, whose obedience was
a binding duty in times of happiness and adversity. The
words of Asa'ad Ibn Zurara are overflowing with a spirit of
faith which stemmed from complete awareness of the big
responsibilities and sacrifices that were required in this
connection. They pledged their allegiance to the Prophet
(PBUH) because they knew that he was Allah's Messenger, and
not because they noticed his skills for intelligent
leadership, as the authors of The Encyclopedia article
allege.
The Meccans did not Try to Prevent the Prophet's Migration
What is alleged in The Encyclopedia of Islam is that the
Meccans did not consider the Prophet as a real threat,
whether he was in Mecca or Madina. This is a false
allegation, because it is completely different from all that
is borne out by real evidence.
It is an established historical fact that Quraysh tried by
every means possible to prevent the Emigration of the
Prophet (PBUH) to Madina by creating problems and placing
obstacles in the way of the Emigrants, by confiscating their
wealth or forbidding them from taking it away at times, and
kidnapping their wives and children at others, as well as by
cunningly trying to bring them back to Mecca.
It is worth noting that the authors of The Encyclopedia
article ignore the authentic Hadiths and attested historical
relations by resorting to a selective method which is
against the rules of scientific research. They do not
mention anything about the fact that the Prophet (PBUH) kept
the news of the Hijra secret and that the Emigrants sneaked
away singly or in small groups. They do not refer to the
harm and ill-treatment that some Emigrants had suffered ever
since their intention of migrating from Mecca was found out
before their departure. Moreover, they fail to mention not
only the conspiracy of the Qurayshis to assassinate the
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) on the very night he emigrated
from Mecca, but also their wrath when they discovered that
Muhammad (PBUH) had already left, as well as their efforts
to stop him from reaching Madina by even offering a large
reward to anyone who would catch him or supply them with any
information about him.
The authors of this article ignored all these facts,
asserting that Quraysh did not pay any attention to the
Emigration of the Prophet and to that of his Followers. This
is completely different from what is stated in the Holy
Quran about the conspiracy to assassinate the Prophet
(PBUH).
"Remember how the Unbelievers plotted against thee, to keep
thee in bonds, or slay thee, or get thee out (of thy home).
They plot and plan, And Allah too plans, But the best of
planners Is Allah"(4).
Ibn Abbas (MABWT) said in his comment on this Verse :
"The Qurayshis were holding a discussion in Mecca one night
; some of them said, 'Let us chain him in the morning';
others said, 'Kill him', while others said, 'Banish him'.
However, Allah informed him about their plot, so Ali slept
in the Prophet's bed that night. Muhammad (PBUH) left the
town for the Cave of Hira, while the Unbelievers spent the
night closely watching Ali, whom they took for the Prophet
(PBUH)".
"When morning came, they jumped on him, only to realise that
it was Ali. Allah thus defeated them at their plotting ;
then they asked him, 'Where is your Companion ?' Ali
answered them, 'I do not know'. Immediately thereafter, they
followed the Prophet's tracks, but when they reached the
mountain, they completely lost it, so they climbed the
mountain and passed by the Cave of Hira, on whose entrance
they saw a spider's web. They said to themselves, 'Had he
entered here, the spider's web would not have been on the
Cave's entrance'. The Messenger of Allah stayed in there
three nights "(5).
The Discrediting of Prophet's Hiding out in the Cave of Hira
Among the allegations of the authors of The Encyclopedia
article about the event of the Hijra of the Prophet (PBUH)
is their comment in which they state that the traditional
story which is embellished with later legendary details,
namely the story of Muhammad and Abu Bakr remaining in Mecca
until all the other Muslims have safely left and then
hiding out in the Cave, is an unrealistic story. For it is a
later materialisation of the interpretation of the Holy
Verse which refers to the hiding out in the Cave :
"If ye help not (the Prophet), (It is no matter) : for Allah
Did indeed help him, when the Unbelievers Drove him out :
being the second of the two they two were in the Cave"(6).
This questioning of the validity of the event here is of no
importance when compared to the clear testimony of the Holy
Quran. The Verse is straightforward and plain ; there is no
ambiguity in it as the authors allege ; moreover, the
authentic Prophetic Traditions and attested historical
relations are strong proofs that leave no room for any doubt
here.
(1) Al Bukhari, Sahih, Fath Al Bari, 7/266 ; Muslim, Sahih,
4/1779.
(2) Ibn Hisham, As-Sirah, 428-29.
(3) Related by Imam Ahmad, 3/332, by Al Baihaqui in
As-Sunan, and by Al Hakim 2/624. It was also attested and
approved by Ad-Dahbi.
(4) Surat Al Anfal, Verse n° 30.
(5) Related by Imam Ahmad in Almusnad 1/348 ; reported by Al
Hafed Ibn Hajar in Al-Fath 7/236 - stating that its
authentification is good ; Ibn Qathir asserts the same in
his As-Sira.
(6) Surat At Tauba, Verse n°40.
Chapter Two : Errors in the Description of the Prophet's
Dealing with the Jews of Madina
The Questioning of the Date the Prophet
Concluded a Treaty with The Jews
After mentioning how the wise political skills of the
Prophet (PBUH) are revealed in the signing of this treaty
and how its contents were preserved by Ibn Ishaq, the
authors of The Encyclopedia article assert that the text of
the treaty was probably written during the first year of
residence of Muhammad (PBUH) in Madina, because it reflects
the bad relations between him and the Jews.
When the Prophet (PBUH) settled in Madina, its inhabitants
consisted of different groups : the Helpers, the Emigrants,
the Hypocrites, the Unbelievers and large Jewish
communities. He organised relations among these different
groups. Actually, he made the Helpers and the Emigrants sign
a treaty, and prepared a second one between Muslims and
Jews. The latter document was known in ancient sources under
the name of "Book" or "Script". Modern scholars call it "the
Constitution of Madina", since it contains a declaration
concerning the obligations of all parties in Madina,
specifying rights and duties.
• The Date of the Conclusion of the Treaty with the Jews
It appears most likely to one modern scholar that the
document was originally made up of two documents which the
historians had conflated : one of them deals with the
Prophet's peace with the Jews, it was put down in writing
before the Battle of Badr, while the second one outlines the
obligations of the Muslims, both the Emigrants and Helpers,
specifying their rights and duties. This scholar has this to
say :
"It seems most likely to me that the conclusion of the peace
treaty with the Jews took place before the Battle of Badr,
while the second document was written later"(1).
The ancient sources seem to support this probability, Abu
Abd Al Qassim Ibn Sallam said, "The document deals with two
events related to the arrival of the Prophet (PBUH) in
Madina : the first, was before the rise of Islam and its
consolidation; the second, was before he was commanded to
ask the People of the Book to pay 'Al-Jizya' (a tribute)"(2).
Al-Baladri also said in this respect :
"When the Prophet (PBUH) arrived in Madina, he made peace
with the Jews and signed a treaty with them on condition
that they would no longer befriend his enemy; that they
would support him against aggression; and that he would not
fight on their side against their enemy. Thus, he did not
wage war against anybody, nor did he slander anybody. He
never sent any raiding party until Allah revealed the
following Verse :
"To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to
fight), because they are Wronged ; - and verily, Allah is
Most Powerful For their aid ; - (They are) those who have
been expelled from their homes In defiance of right(3).
Thus, Al Baladri specifies that the peace treaty with the
Jews was signed before the sending of the first Muslim
raiding parties. It is worth noting that the first raiding
party which was led by Hamza was constituted in Ramadan,
Year One of the Hijra - namely one year before the Battle of
Badr.
Al Baladri reports in another place, while talking about the
battle of Qaynuqa' :
"Its cause was the fact that when the Prophet (PBUH) arrived
in Madina and made peace with the Jews, a document was
signed in this respect. However, when he defeated the enemy
at Badr and went back to the city with much booty, the Jews
ambushed the Muslim army and thus broke the treaty"(4).
That is why Al Baladri asserts that the peace treaty with
the Jews was concluded before the Battle of Badr.
At-Tabari also has this to say :
"Then the Messenger of Allah came to Madina after the Battle
of Badr. He had already signed a peace treaty with the Jews
when he emigrated to Madina. It specified that they should
not support his foes, and that they should fight on his side
against any enemies who might attack him in Madina. But when
the Prophet (PBUH) defeated the Qurayshi Unbelievers at the
Battle of Badr, the Jews were not only envious and unjust
but they also violated the treaty"(5).
• The Adoption of the Rituals of the Jews by the Prophet in
Order to Attract Them
The authors of The Encyclopedia article allege that the
political wisdom of the Messenger of Allah and his
determination to establish his power appear in his attempts
to attract the Jews to Islam by adopting some of their
religious rituals and customs, such as fasting on the day of
'Ashura', the addition of the middle prayer ritual, and the
Friday prayer, as well as facing Jerusalem during prayer.
They go on to say that all these practices were part of his
attempt to attract the Jews of Madina to Islam, for they
were a very active community whose economic status was
prominent.
Before embarking on the correction of these major errors, it
is worth noting that the Prophet (PBUH) strove to win the
Jews over to Islam, as he struggled for the conversion to
Islam of all the other communities in Madina and elsewhere.
There is nothing wrong with his endeavours to attract the
Jews and make Islam likeable to them, but their strong
denial and envy prevented these measures from having good
effects. As to the idea that the Prophet (PBUH) had adopted
Jewish rituals for this purpose, it is far from reality.
As to the fasting during "'Ashura' (the tenth day of
Muharram), it was a common religious practice among the Jews
of Madina, so when the Prophet arrived there, he asked them
about the reason for fasting on that day. They told him,
'This is the day on which God saved Moses and his people ;
thus they fasted on it to give thanks to God'. The Messenger
of Allah (PBUH) said, 'We have precedence over you, as far
as Moses is concerned' ; he then ordered the Muslims to
fast on the day of ‘Ashura’. When Allah commanded Muslims
to fast during the Holy month of Ramadan, the fasting on the
occasion of 'Ashura' was no longer obligatory ; it became
optional(6).
Fasting on this day is then a following of the model of
Moses (PBUH), the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) believes in Moses
and asserts that the Muslims have precedence over the Jews
in this matter, as it is evidenced by his very words : "We
have precedence over you". Thus on the surface, the
observance of ‘Ashura’ in Islam is similar to its practice
in Judaism; but, in essence it is after the model of Moses
(PBUH).
As to the authors' statement that "the Jewish practice of
performing three daily prayers appears to have been a factor
in the introduction of the Islamic midday prayer which was
added to the morning and evening prayers", it is pure
invention and an outright lie which does not deserve
discussion because the five prayers which Islam prescribes,
were most likely ordained one year before the Hijra,
precisely on the Night Journey of the Prophet (PBUH), a fact
which is attested by authentic Prophetic Traditions, 'Sirah'
sources, and the practice of Muslims(7).
Before the Night Journey of the Prophet (PBUH), the prayer
was performed twice a day - at down and dusk(8).
We do not think that the Hadith related to the Night Journey
and the prescription of the five prayers is an ambiguous
matter. For the Hadith, 'Sirah' historical and exegetical
books refer to it and report ample information about it.
Therefore, it is impossible to forgive the authors of the
article for this serious error on the grounds of their
ignorance or lack of data.
Another false allegation reported by The Encyclopedia
article is that the Friday Prayer which was practiced in
Madina for the first time and which may have been instituted
before Muhammad's Migration was most likely influenced
directly by the Jewish "day of preparation for the Sabbath,
which begins on Friday evenings at sundown.
It is asserted in the authentic Hadith which is related by
Al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Almighty honored Muslims by
guiding them to pray on Fridays, long after this practice
had ceased to exist among Jews and Christians. Al-Bukhari's
Sahih reports the Prophet's following words :
"We are the last (to receive Revelation), but the first and
the triumphant Ummah on the Day of Judgement, though they
received the Book of Allah before us. Moreover, this is the
Day Allah had prescribed for them (The People of the Book),
but they have disagreed about it. So, Allah guided us to it,
and people have followed our example in sanctifying this
day. The Jews will do the same as us tomorrow (in the
future) and the Christians the day after 'tomorrow'
(Hereafter)(9).
The Sahih of Muslim reports, on the authority of Abu-Hurayra
and Huthayfa (MABPWT), that the Prophet (PBUH) stated the
following :
"Allah had led those who preceded us into forsaking Friday;
the Jews were given Saturday and the Christians Sunday;
therefore, Allah brought us and guided us to Friday. Hence
the ordering of Friday, Saturday and Sunday which implies
that they will be behind us on the Day of Judgement ; we are
the last part of humankind on earth, but the first on the
Day of Judgement, namely the ones to be judged before all
creatures"(10).
Friday prayer is the most insisted on of all the Islamic
obligatory duties ; it is one of the most important
religious gatherings of the Muslims. In fact, it is the
major religious gathering of all that is obligatory, second
only to that of 'Arafat, during the Pilgrimage. Therefore,
there is no reason to say that Muslims established the
Friday prayer as a result of the influence of the Jewish day
of preparation on them;
It is true that the first Friday prayer was performed in
Madina before the Migration of the Prophet (PBUH), because
Friday prayer requires the gathering of Muslims in a big
place and the freedom to perform their religious rituals
openly, but this was not possible in Mecca since the
Believers were a persecuted community, too deprived of their
freedom to declare their faith and perform their rituals
openly.
As to the statement in The Encyclopedia article which
specifies that the Muslims' facing north towards Jerusalem
when performing their prayers was part of the Prophet's
campaign to win the Jews over to Islam, it needs
clarification and discussion. First of all, the Muslims'
turning in prayer towards Jerusalem was done in compliance
with the Command of Almighty Allah, while the Prophet (PBUH)
preferred to face the Holy House in Mecca, as the Quran
asserts :
"We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the
heavens : now shall we turn thee To a Qibla that shall
Please thee ..."(11).
We really do not know in details the Divine Wisdom behind
this Command to face Jesusalem, during the first year of the
Hijra. It is not too farfetched an explanation to say that
His Wisdom in this respect was to bring the Jews closer to
Islam, or to prevent them from harming the Muslims in Madina
until the latter had settled down and organised their lives.
However, the Prophet's turning in prayer towards Jerusalem
was not an event that took place after the Hijra to Madina;
so it could not be considered as having stemmed from the
need to attract the Jews. On the contrary, it was a practice
which had been performed in Mecca long before the Hijra, as
is attested in the Hadith of Ka'ab Ibn Malik :
Al Barra Ibn Ma'arur, one of the Muslims who went on
Pilgrimage from Madina to Mecca before the Emigration prayed
on the way there with his face turned towards the Holy
Ka'aba, unlike his fellow Muslim pilgrims who turned their
faces towards Jerusalem. When they arrived in Mecca, they
went to see the Messenger of Allah, whom they asked about
the act of Al-Barra Ibn Ma'arur. The Prophet (PBUH)
answered, 'You have already a 'Qibla' which you should
keep'. Al Barra complied and returned to the 'Qibla' of the
Prophet (PBUH), who prayed with us with his face turned
towards Jerusalem"(12).
As this authentic Hadith asserts, it is a fact that the
Muslims' turning their faces towards Jerusalem after the
Migration to Madina was a continuation of a practice which
the Believers had adopted before. Therefore, the claim of
the authors of the Encyclopedia article that it was part of
the Messenger's campaign to attract the Jews to his relgion
is completely groundless.
The Building of the Prophet's Mosque was an Imitation of the
Jewish Synagogue
The Encyclopedia article states that, according to certain
authors (which it does not name), the Grand Mosque which the
Prophet (PBUH) built on his arrival in Madina is an
imitation of the Jewish synagogue.
The authors of the article go on to reduce the value of the
Prophet's Mosque and its sanctity. They draw on the work of
another orientalist who alleges that the Mosque was used for
secular purposes, and that it was no more than a house where
Muhammad (PBUH) and his family lived, whereas the assemblies
performed their prayers in 'Al-Mussalla'. All this is
confused and false, for Islam instituted group prayer and
asked Muslims to gather together to pray five times a day,
so as to consolidate the unity of the community, and to
strengthen the spirit of brotherhood and friendship among
its members. Therefore, it was necessary to build a mosque
for the practice of this obligatory ritual. There was no
need whatsoever for imitation in such a matter.
However, the treatment of this subject in The Encyclopedia
article is done in such an ambiguous and twisted manner as
to provoke confusion and disarray, for there is a confusion
between the Prophet's Mosque and the rooms in which his
wives lived ; furthermore, the prayers were not performed,
as it is alleged in The Encyclopedia article, in 'Al
Mussalla', but in the Mosque.
In Islam, the Mosque is well-defined, it is the 'House of
Allah', where prayers are performed, while 'Al Mussala' is
any place where a prayer is performed whether in a house or
in the open air.
It is obvious that the authors of The Encyclopedia article
have based their talk about the Prophet's Mosque and the
function of the mosque in Islam in general on non-Islamic
religious and cultural conceptions ; hence their belief that
the sanctity of the Prophet's Mosque was violated by the
insertion of secular practices among the activities carried
out therein.
This is a false conception, and it is unrewarding to spend
time discussing whether the mosque is of a secular or
religious nature from the Islamic point of view which,
unlike other religions, does not draw a line of demarcation
between everyday life and religion. For the mosque in Islam
is a religious, scientific and social institution, where
prayers are performed, learning is transmitted, and where
religious matters, as well as the social issues which are
relevant to the life of the community, are discussed. There
is nothing in these activities that undermines its sanctity.
What makes it clear that the authors of The Encyclopedia
article did not respect the principle of objectivity and
fairness in their writings about the Prophet's Mosque is
their giving more value to the mosque built by the
Hypocrites in Madina in an attempt to destroy the unity of
the Believers which the Prophet's Mosque had fostered and
preserved. The Quran called this "mosque of opposition"
"Masjid Dirar". The attitude of the authors here completely
ignores what is referred to in the Holy Quran and what has
been transmitted successively in the Prophetic Traditions,
'Sirah' and historical books over the years. It may suffice,
to quote from the Holy Quran, where Allah states :
"And there are those who put up a mosque by way of mischief
and infidelity- To disunite the Believers - And in
preparation for one Who warred against Allah and His
Messenger aforetime. They will indeed swear that their
intention is nothing but good ; but Allah doth declare that
they are certainly liars. Never stand thou forth therein.
There is a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first
day On piety ; it is more worthy of thy standing forth (for
prayer) therein. In it are men who love to be purified ; and
Allah Loveth those who make themselves pure"(13).
• The Accusation of Misunderstanding Levelled Against The
Prophet (PBUH)
The Encyclopedia article relates that the Messenger of Allah
found himself in an embarrassing position when there was
incongruence between what he recited from the Book of Allah
and the Book sent down to Moses earlier, because Muhammad
(PBUH) had previously announced that they were identical. He
thus aroused Jewish ridicule. Since his position did not
allow for admitting that he was mistaken; he resolved this
problem by announcing that the Jews had received only a
portion of the Book and by accusing them of having concealed
from him parts of their Holy Scriptures, and even of having
invented verses and claiming that they were their
scriptures. To support such false allegations and pure
inventions, the authors of The Encyclopedia article quote
the following verses from the Holy Quran :
"Hast thou not turned thy thought to those who have been
given a portion of the Book ? They are invited to the Book
of Allah, To settle their dispute, But a party of them Turn
back and decline (The arbitration)"(14).
"Hast thou not turned thy thought to those who were given a
portion of the Book ? They traffic in error, and wish that
ye should lose the right path ?"(15).
As to the authors' statement that the Prophet (PBUH) found
himself in an embarrassing situation, resulting from his
misunderstanding of the Torah, as well as from the
contradiction in the Quran, which had earlier announced the
agreement between its contents and those of the Torah, but
later displayed discrepancies between it and the former
Book, it is mere falsehood and baseless claims. There is no
contradiction in the Holy Quran; and its status vis - a -
vis the Torah, the Bible, etc. is clearly defined in many
Verses. The Quran makes it the duty of Muslims to believe in
all the Holy Books which were revealed before it. More often
than not, the Almighty compares the Torah with the Quran in
terms of greater importance. Allah says :
- "Say 'Who then sent down the Book which Moses brought ? -
A light and guidance to man : but ye make it into separate
sheets for show, while ye conceal much (of its contents)
..."(16).
"And this is a Book which We have sent down, Bringing
blessings, and confirming (the revelations) which came
before it : that thou Mayest warn the Mother of Cities and
all around"(17).
"Moreover, We gave Moses the Book, completing (our favour)
to those who would do right, And explaining all things In
detail - And a guide and a mercy, that they Might believe in
the meeting With their Lord"(18).
Then, Allah says about the Holy Quran, in the same context :
"And this is a Book which we have revealed as a blessing :
so follow it And be righteous, that ye May receive mercy"(19).
Al-Hafed Ibn Kathir's comments in this connection are highly
relevant :
"Those who are wise know that Allah, the Almighty, did not
send down a Book more perfect, more glorious, more
comprehensive, more eloquent and grander than the Book He
revealed to Muhammad (PBUH), namely the Holy Quran. After
it, comes in terms of glory and sublimeness, the Book which
was sent down to Moses (PBUH), and which Allah describes a
follows : "It was We Who revealed the Torah (to Moses) :
therein was guidance and light"(20). Then comes
the Bible which was revealed to complete the Torah and to
make lawful some of what had been forbidden to the Israelis"(21).
The Holy Quran was revealed to confirm the Scriptures that
preceded it and to bear testimony to the forgeris they
contain, as the Almighty Allah says :
"To thee we sent the Scripture In truth, confirming the
Scripture that came before it, and guarding it In safety :
so judge Between them by what Allah hath revealed"(22).
This is the position of the Quran in comparison with the
Torah. There is no contradition in its dealing with the
latter. There is no contradiction in the Quranic verses that
speak about the acts of the Jews who had distorted the word
of Allah :
"There is among them A section who distort the Book with
their tongues ; (As they read) so that you would think It is
a part of the Book, But it is not part of the Book ; and
they say, 'That is from Allah', But it is not from Allah :
It is they who tell A lie against Allah, and (well) they
know it"(23).
Agreement on religious principles exists between the Quran
and the Torah in its original version, not in the version
which underwent additions and distortions. Thus, there was
no embarrassment in the position of the Prophet (PBUH), or
any misunderstanding on his part. Had he committed errors,
even the slightest ones, the enemies of Islam would have
given them too much publicity in all ages, and there had
been many enemies, indeed. It is not logical that such
errors would have remained unknown until the authors of The
Encyclopedia article came to unravel them in the twentieth
century. Furthermore, the Almighty's statement about the
Jews : "Hast thou not turned thy thought to those who have
been given a portion of the Book"(24) was no
trick to which the Prophet (PBUH) had resorted to find a way
out of an embarrassing situation, or to get rid of Jewish
ridicule.
What the "portion" means in the Holy Verse is their assigned
share. For the Jews' share of the Scriptures is the Torah
which was revealed to Moses (PBUH) and which abounds in
knowledge, guidance and light. But the Jews did not take
advantage of this. We have seen the purpose of the Holy
Verse; there is no evidence in it which corroborates what
the authors of The Encyclopedia article have advanced.
It should be mentioned here that the treatment of this point
in The Encyclopedia article displays the authors' deliberate
distortion of meanings and temerity to interprete the
Quranic verses and to impose on them meanings that they do
not really convey. It should also be recalled here that
indulging in this kind of falsification and distortion has a
preset objective, namely that the Quran was the creation of
Muhammad (PBUH), who not only changed it, according to the
changing circumstances and conditions surrounding him, but
who also confirmed that there was agreement between the
Quran and the Jewish Scriptures at one time, and who
advocated its contradictions at another. However, when he
found himself in an embarrassing situation, he resolved the
problem by deciding on what suited the situation.
It must be noted, too, that the two authors resort here to
the policy of "attack is the best instrument of defence" so
as to remove the accusation of distortion and addition in
the Torah texts, which the Quran confirms. Thus instead of
taking a defensive attitude, they took an offensive one by
putting the Prophet (PBUH) in an embarrassing and ridiculous
situation, and by accusing him of contradicting himself in
order to come to the conclusion that accusing the Jews of
distortion is wrong, and that this occurred within the
context of finding a way out of embarrassment and getting
rid of the Jews’ridicule. But this is a well-known strategy
which one usually resort to when one does not have evidence
to prove one’s innocence.
The Impact of Jewish Opposition on Shaping the Future of
Islam
The Encyclopedia article states that the nascent Muslim
community in Madina took on, under the impact of the
opposition or rejection with which the Jews responded to the
Islamic Call, a pronounced national character through the
adoption of various elements from ancient Arabian worship.
This decisive change took place in the second year of the
Hijra, and was signalled by the change of the 'Qibla' from
Jerusalem to the Holy House (the Ka'aba) in Mecca, which
became the centre of the new religion. Thus Muhammad (PBUH)
was freed from the derision of the Jews. This change was
made all the more obvious by the Prophet's announcement that
his Call was closely related to that of Ibrahim (PBUH).
The authors of The Encyclopedia article go on to ask whether
it had already been known that Ibrahim (PBUH) was the father
of monotheism or that the idea only originated in the
context of Muhammad's dispute with the Jews of Madina. They
thus raise doubt by such speculation. Then, they reach their
set objective which lies in the total denial that the
Prophet (PBUH) had been acquainted with the idea of the
connection between Ibrahim and the Holy Ka'aba before the
Hijra to Madina because, according to their allegation, this
connection had not been referred to in any Verse of the
Meccan part of the Quran.
These are the ideas reported in The Encyclopedia of Islam. I
have tried to summarise many sections which contain numerous
mistakes and dangerous claims which insult the prophethood
of Muhammad (PBUH), the Quran, Islam, and the Muslims to the
very core of their Faith. Some of these errors are plain,
while others can only be understood from the suggestions and
allusions made by the authors.
The first of these errors is the claim that the opposition
of the Jews of Madina to the Prophet (PBUH) had an impact on
the future of Islam ; thus changing it from a universal to a
national religion. Such a claim is based on a false basis,
namely that Islam is an earthly religion founded by Muhammad
(PBUH), hence his very influence by the changing and
unexpected conditions, as well as by the circumstances which
forced him to change his principles and fundamental
teachings, according to what he encountered on his way, be
they opposition and obstacles or support and confirmation.
However, the attitude of the Prophet (PBUH) in terms of his
proclamation of his Call and its principles was completely
different. He did not pay attention to the position of his
opponents and enemies, nor did he hesitate to deliver the
Word of Allah, and to announce the truth as it came down to
him, even when it provoked the anger of his addressees. He
could not do otherwise even in Mecca, when he was in need of
supporters for Allah's religion; so, how could he have done
what the authors of the article claim, in Madina where he
had the support of both the Helpers and the Emigrants who
constituted a very powerful community.
Furthermore, Islam is the religion of the Almighty Allah,
His Laws and Commands, which He revealed to the Messenger so
as to change the conditions of people on earth for the
better. Allah is not influenced in His objectives,
principles and goals by the earthly conditions of people,
nor by the circumstances or the determining factors of
their milieu.
Of course, the method of the Call to Islam and the means of
spreading it can change with the changing conditions, but
the Call in terms of essence and principles, the Call does
not change. The Prophet (PBUH) did not have the right to
introduce any change so as to please anybody, or to be
influenced by any opposition or hostility.
If we were to dwell on the allegations the authors of The
Encyclopedia article have made, we would have to spend a lot
of time and energy on their treatment of the Prophet's life,
for they assert in other sections that we have touched on a
moment ago that Muhammad (PBUH) had actually adopted a
number of Jewish rituals in the first year of the Hijra and
had changed his course by adopting ancient features of Arab
worship in the second year of the Hijra.
Looking at these allegations and conjectures, the reader
will think that the Prophet (PBUH) did not have a firm
principle or motive; or else why did he keep modifying his
positions and the objectives of his Call according to the
changing situations. Moreover, the reader will think, as a
result, that Islam is not the valuable religion of Allah and
His Wise Laws and System. This is what the authors of the
article endeavour to impress on the minds of people in an
indirect way.
As to the claim that Islam took on a national character with
the announcement of the changing of the 'Qibla' from
Jerusalem to the Ka'aba in Mecca, it is completely false.
There is no reference, neither in the Holy Quran nor the
authentic Hadith, either implicitly or explicitly, to the
fact that the Islamic Call took on, at any time or period, a
national character and abandoned its universal and human
character. On the contrary, what the Quran and the Hadith
proclaim is a call for the rejection of nationalism and
partisanship and the adherence to the bonds of Islamic
brotherhood.
We have already provided, in the first part of this study,
ample evidence about the universality of Islam, during our
discussion of the allegations which specify that the Prophet
(PBUH) was asked throughout the Meccan Period of his Call to
Islam to warn his people only. Therefore, there is no need
to repeat them here.
Suffice it to say here that the Messenger's attitude as
well as that of the The Four Rightly-guided Caliphs refute
this allegation. The changing of the 'Qibla' did not prevent
the Muslims from Calling to Islam the Jews of Madina and the
Christians of Arabia, as well as the Romans (the Europeans),
the Persians, the Abyssinians and humankind as a whole at
all times. As he did with the Arab unbelievers, the Prophet
(PBUH) sent the Muslim army to call to Islam, the Jews and
the Christians. His letters to kings and rulers of different
counties is another proof of his awareness of the
universality of Islam. Of course, these letters were sent
after the conclusion of the peace treaty of Al Hudaybiya,
which the authors of The Encyclopedia article were not
unacquainted with. As to their claim that the connection
between the Holy Ka'aba and the religion of Ibrahim (PBUH)
had resulted from the Muslims' enmity with the Jews of
Madina, and their attempt to prove this by stating that the
Meccan Part of the Holy Quran did not mention this
connection, they do not deserve to be discussed, because
they completely ignore history and the unambiguous nature of
the relevant Quranic Verses in this respect.
How can that the Messenger (PBUH) forget this, while the
Meccans, despite their polytheism, were proud of being the
descendents of Ibrahim (PBUH)? The Holy Quran, which we know
and read, corroborates the existence of this connection in
the Meccan Verses themselves. The most significant verse in
this respect is the Almighty's words in "Surat Ibrahim",
which is unanimously considered as Meccan :
"Remember Abraham said : 'O my Lord ! Make this city One of
peace and security ; and preserve me and my sons From
worshipping idols. O my Lord ! They have indeed led astray
many among mankind, he then who follows my (ways) is of me,
and he that disobeys me, - but Thou art indeed Oft -
Forgiving, Most Merciful. O our Lord ! I have made Some of
my offspring to dwell In a valley without cultivation, By
thy Sacred House ; In order, O my Lord ! that they May
establish regular Prayer : So fill the hearts of some Among
men with love towards them. And feed them with Fruits : So
that they may give thanks'."(25)
In sum, such falsehoods by which the pages of The
Encyclopedia of Islam are blotted, particularly in the
twentieth century - the age of advanced scientific
investigation, of developed means of communication and of
careful collection of data from authentic sources - bring
shame on academic research centers.
(1) Akram al ‘Amri, As-Sirah An-Nabawiya As-Sahiha, 1.
(2) Abu-Abd Al Qassim Ibn Sallam, Kitab Al Amwal, n° 518.
(3) Al Baladri, Ansab Al Achraf, 1/286. The Holy Words are
from Surat Al-Hajj, Verses n° 39-40.
(4) Ibid.
(5) At-Tabari, Tarikh ar-Russul wa Al-Muluk, Vol. II, p.
479.
(6) This Hadith is attested by Al Bukhari, 4/213, Fi-As-Sawm,
Bab : Sawm ‘Ashura, and by Muslim in Fi As-Siyam.
(7) Al-Bukhari, Sahih, Chapter : Al Mi‘raj, n° 3887 :
Muslim, Sahih, Kitab Al Imam, Bab : AL-Israa, n° 164.
(8) Ar-Rawd Al Anif 1, p. 11.
(19) Related by Al-Bukhari, 2/293-294, “Bab Fard Al Jumu‘a”.
(10) Muslim, Sahih, Kitab Al-Jumu‘a, Hadith n° 1415.
(11) Surat Al Baqarah, Verse n° 144.
(12) Related by Imam Ahmad, Musnad, 3/460-62, attested by
Ibn Habban in Fath Al Bari 5/42.
(13) Surat At-Tauba, Verses n° 107-108.
(14)
Surat Al-'Imran, Verse n° 23.
(15)
Surat An-Nisaa, Verse n° 44.
(16) Surat Al-An'am, Verse n° 91.
(17) Surat Al An‘am, Verse n° 92.
(18) Surat Al An‘am, Verse n° 154.
(19) Surat Al An‘am, Verse n° 155.
(20)
Surat Al Maidah, Verse n° 44.
(21) Ibn Kathir, Mukhtassar At-Tafssir, Vol.
III, p.
13.
(22)
Surat Al Maidah, Verse n° 48.
(23)
Surat Al-‘Imran, Verse n° 78.
(24)
Surat Al-‘Imran, Verse n° 23.
(25)
Surat Ibrahim, Verses n° 35-37.
Chapter Three :
Errors in the Treatment of 'Saraya' (Raiding Parties) and 'Ghazawat'
(Military Expeditions Led by the Prophet Himself)
The Motives for Sending out Raiding Parties and Military
Expeditions
The Encyclopedia article deals with the motives of the
Prophet (PBUH) for sending out raiding parties and military
expeditions to the neighbouring areas of Madina since he
first emigrated to it. Among the motives it generally gives
are the psychological, personal and political ones - thus
completely negating the religious ones.
Among the psychological or personal motives referred to here
is "that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had an account to
settle with the Meccans; for by expelling him from Mecca
they had triumphed over him in the eyes of the world". The
authors of the article also make a connection between the
sending out of raiding parties and the permission to fight,
which is a mixing of issues here, because the sending out of
raiding parties in the first year of the Hijra took place
before the Muslims were permitted to fight and before the
Holy War (AL-Jihad) was introduced. This is borne out by the
size of these first raiding parties which did not match that
of the Unbelievers' forces, and by the fact that they were
not given permission to fight by the Prophet (PBUH). On the
contrary, they were sent out for other purposes-mainly
economic and strategic motives. Another proof of this is
what happened to the raiding party led by Abdallah Ibn Jahsh,
which was involved in a fight during the month of Rajab (one
of the sacred months during which all fighting was
forbidden). The members of this raiding party were sharply
rebuked by both the Prophet (PBUH) and their fellow
believers. The polytheists took this opportunity to spread
tendentious rumours, which resulted in confusing concepts,
so the Quran came down to remove this confusion and clarify
the hierarchy of values :
"They ask thee Concerning fighting In the Prohibited Month.
Say : 'Fighting therein Is a grave (offence) But graver is
in the sight of Allah To prevent access To the Sacred
Mosque, And drive out its members. Tumult and oppression Are
worse than slaughter'."(1)
It is completely wrong to say that the sending out of
raiding parties was motivated by the settlement of a
personal account with the Meccans because the attitude of
the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) towards the Meccans even after
Allah had helped him to vanquish them on the occasion of the
Great Conquest, refutes this claim. He showed them his mercy
and generosity and thus gave the whole world a good lesson
in forgiveness and charity. If he had had a personal account
to settle with them, or a desire to avenge himself, he would
have had a different attitude towards them.
However, we cannot deny that the motives behind the first
raiding which the Muslims had sent out before they were
allowed to fight, were interconnected-both strategicly and
religiously. These motives may be summed up as follows :
First, giving a strong sign to the polytheists of Madina,
its Jews and the neighbouring tribesmen that the Muslims
were strong, and that they had got rid of their previous
weakness, which made it possible for the Qurayshis in Mecca
to 'confiscate' their faith and freedom, and violate the
privacy of their homes and possessions. Therefore, the
Muslims had the right to give enough attention to these
instances of military 'show of force', though they were of
little importance. For the lurking enemies of Islam in
Madina were numerous, and nothing prevented them from
attacking the Muslim community, except their fear. Allah's
following words corroborates this assertion :
"to strike terror Into (the hearts) of the enemies, of Allah
and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know,
but whom Allah doth know."(2).
Second : giving a warning to Quraysh as a result of their
recklessness, for they had waged war against Islam and were
still waging it. They had persecuted the Muslims in Mecca,
and they continued their transgression by not allowing any
Meccan to convert to Islam or preventing this religion from
spreading to any other part of the land. The Prophet (PBUH)
wanted to show to the Meccan leaders that their hostile
attitude would be the cause of their ruin, and that the time
when they engaged in aggressing the Believers without fear
of retaliation are gone forever(3).
The Distortion of Attitudes and Truths
The authors of The Encyclopedia article refer to the
attitude of the Helpers towards the raiding parties and
military expeditions in a way that would induce us to
imagine that they had refused to take part in them, because
they had pledged to defend the Prophet (PBUH) only if he
were to be attacked.
They go on to claim that the merchants of Mecca were not
inclined to start hostilities, and that the Emigrants had
not pledged to fight, because it went against their feelings
towards their Meccan relatives. Then after wondering how
much this resistance had vexed the Prophet (PBUH), the
authors state that the answer to this can be found in the
Quran where a rigorous reproof is made against his
Followers.
This is a summary of what the authors of the article have to
say on this issue. What they advance consists of mere lies
about the Followers of the Prophet (PBUH) and a distortion
of the reality of their attitudes. Anyone who reads this
article and takes it for granted would be led to one main
inference, namely that the Prophet (PBUH) was the only one
who wanted war and was ready to fight, while the other
parties - including the polytheists of Quraysh - were only
forced into it.
Actually, the attitude of the Qurayshi Unbelievers was not
as peaceful as The Encyclopedia article alleges ; the
hostility of the Meccans continued unabated, as the Quran
and the Hadith assert, they had plotted to kill the
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) on the night of his Emigration
from Mecca and had relentlessly followed his track; they
only failed in their endeavour thanks to Allah's miracle.
Undoubtedly, the Prophet (PBUH) was expecting that the
Qurayshis and their allies would pursue him and wage war
against him in Madina or elsewhere.
The concatenation of circumstances and the nature of the
conflict indicated that war was inevitable. The Qurayshis,
who had been fighting Islam for many years, were not
prepared to allow Islam to spread to different parts of the
Arabian peninsula.
The Prophet (PBUH) and the Muslims knew this ; hence the
Followers’ embarking upon launching small raiding parties to
carry out military manoeuvres outside Madina, aimed at
showing their enemies that they were now strong.
As to the Muslims' ambush of the Qurayshi trade caravans,
This was a legitimate act in the eyes of the Emigrants,
because they considered those caravans and the goods they
carried as their property, for they had been expelled from
their homes in Mecca and deprived of their property by the
Qurayshi Unbelievers.
There are in the Holy Quran, the Prophetic traditions,
biographical and historical books many texts which prove
that the Followers had pledged to obey the Messenger of
Allah (PBUH) and to throw in their lot with him and to
strike it together through thick and thin. They had never
objected to taking part in military expeditions or Jihad. On
the contrary, they were always prepared to comply with the
Prophet's orders. They had sacrificed their properties and
lives and bravely vied with each other in this respect.
Contemporary accounts abound in noble examples of their
eagerness to fight and die as martyrs so that Allah's
religion could prevail. Even the weak and the poor among
them, who had neither money nor horses to ride, insisted on
taking part in these expeditions; so the Holy verses were
revealed to free them from their anguish, Allah says in this
respect :
"There is no blame on those who are infirm, or ill, or who
find no resources to spend (On the Cause), if they are
sincere (in duty) to Allah And His Messenger : No ground (of
complaint) Can there be against such As do right : and Allah
Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Nor (is there blame) On
those who came to thee to be provided with mounts, And when
thou saidst, 'I can find no mounts For you' they turned
back, their eyes streaming with tears of grief that they had
no resources wherewith to provide the expenses"(4).
One may wonder how the authors of the article in The
Encyclopedia of Islam dared to ignore all historical facts
and claim that the Followers of the Prophet (PBUH) were
against fighting for the Cause of Allah.
Moreover, the two Quranic Verses, which the authors refer
the reader to so as to justify their claim, alleging that
they were revealed to chastise the Followers for their
opposition to military expeditions, do not have this meaning
at all. On the contrary, they mean the opposite of the
interpretation given them by the authors of The Encyclopedia
article : the first Verse is :
"They ask thee Concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month.
Say : 'fighting therein Is a grave (offence) But graver is
it in the sight of Allah To prevent access to the path of
Allah, To deny Him, To prevent access to the Sacred Mosque,
And drive out its members', Tumult and oppression Are worse
than slaughter"(5).
The purpose here is to grant pardon to the members of
Abdellah Ibn Jahsh's raiding party which was involved in a
fight against the Meccan Unbelievers without the permission
of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), who (upon realising that
the fight took place in the month of Rajab) told them that
he did not order them to fight in a "Prohibited Month" ;
thus the raiders felt conscience stricken, and their fellow
Muslims scolded them. Furthermore, the Unbelievers took this
opportunity to criticise the Muslims and the Prophet (PBUH)
for having violated the sanctity of the Prohibited Month by
shedding blood in it.
It is during these instances of regret, blame and
embarrassment that the Revelation was sent down from Heaven
to absolve the Muslim raiders from their guilt. Thus, the
Verse means completely the opposite of what is advanced in
The Encyclopedia article. No blame (little or big) is laid
on the Followers here, for having refused to take part in
military expedition. On the contrary, the Verse highlights
the pardon granted to the raiders who took the initiative of
fighting the Unbelievers, and clears them of any accusation
or blame levelled against them.
As to the second Quranic verse, it is as follows :
"Did not Allah Check one set of people by means of another,
there would surely have been Pulled down monastries,
churches, synagogues and mosques, in which the name of Allah
is commemorated In abundant measure. Allah will Certainly
aid those who Aid His (cause) ; -for verily Allah is full of
strength, Exalted in Might (Able to enforce His Will)"(6).
I do not know how the authors of this article managed to
understand from this Verse what they have advanced. For this
Holy Verse was revealed within the context of the very Verse
which gave the Muslims permission to fight those who had
wronged them from among the Quraychi Unbelievers. The Verse
which immediately precedes it reads :
"To those against whom War is made, permission Is given (to
fight), because they are Wronged ; - and verily Allah is
Most powerful for their aid (7)
This is, therefore, a manifest permission from Almighty
Allah to fight in self - defense and retaliation. Moreover,
it is there to incite the Believers to fight and not, as The
Encyclopedia article alleges, to blame them for that.
There are two plausible explanations for such blunders in
the article of the Encyclopedia of Islam : either the
authors of this section had little knowledge of Islam and
the Prophet's life, or they deliberately distorted the truth
for hidden purposes.
3. Evident Bias and Disregard of Facts
The authors of The Encyclopedia article refer to the
military expeditions (Ghazawat) led by the Prophet (PBUH) to
chastise the Jews in Madina and Khaybar in a biased way; in
that they clearly side with the Jews whom they endeavour to
portray as innocent victims, while the Muslims are portrayed
as tyrannical aggressors, for they selected from the events
of these expeditions only what suited their purposes,
ignoring crucial facts.
• The Disregard of the Reasons for the Expulsion of Bani
Qaynuqa'a
After referring to the important advantages that the Muslims
had gained from their victory at the Great Battle of Badr,
the authors go on to talk about the besieging of the Jewish
tribe of Bani Qaynuqa'a in a way that suggests that the
Muslims were proud of their force and wanted to show it in
their attack of this Jewish quarter. The Encyclopedia
article has it as follows :
"After completing the arrangement for ransom for the Meccan
prisoners, Muhammad began to besiege the Jewish tribe of
Kaynuka' in their forts. The 'Munafikun' (the Hypocrites)
did not dare to oppose him seriously by openly supporting
the Kaynuka', and other Jewish groups left their
co-religionists in the lurch so that this first Jewish tribe
was forced to leave their longtime home in Madina".
In this manner, the authors disregard the causes of the
siege which are well-known, for they are reported in 'Sirah'
and history books. Among these causes are the Bani Qunyqa's
violation of the peace treaty with the Muslims, their show
of envy for and hostility towards the Muslims after the
latter's victory over the Unbelievers of Mecca at Badr. Ibn
Abbas (MABPWT) states that :
"As to the Hadith of Bani Qaynuqa'a, the Messenger of Allah
(PBUH) convened them on Bani Qaynuqa'a's market day and told
them : ' Oh ye the Jews ! Take what happened to the
Qurayshis as a warning from Allah. Convert to Islam ; or
else, you will suffer the same fate; for you know that I am
the Messenger of Allah; you find this in your Holy Book, as
well as Allah's promise to you'. They replied, 'Oh Muhammad
! You see that we are your rivals, so do not be deluded by
your victory over a people who have no experience in
warfare, By God, if we wage war against you, we will be the
victors' "(8).
The purpose of quoting this Hadith is not to show that the
cause of the expulsion of Bani Qaynuqa'a from Madina was
their refusal to convert to Islam. During this period, Islam
tolerated peaceful coexistence with them, for the treaty
which the Prophet (PBUH) had signed with them specified that
they were to enjoy their religious freedom. The reason for
expulsing them was their show of hostility towards the
Muslims, which resulted in breaking the law and order and
casting aspersions upon the Muslims' honour.
Authentic 'Sirah' sources report that some insolent members
of the Qaynuqa's tribe aggressed a Muslim woman whose
private parts they tried to uncover while she was shopping.
She called for help ; a Muslim rushed to the scene of the
incident and killed a Jew. The Jews gathered and killed the
Muslim ; therefore, the Prophet (PBUH) was forced to wage
war against them after their breaking of the peace treaty,
as a result to this disgraceful aggression on a Muslim
woman. He besieged their quarter for fifteen days until they
accepted the Judgement of Allah and His Messenger which lay
in their expulsion. This is the cause which the authors of
The Encyclopedia article ignored, particularly the Jews'
return of the Muslims' tolerance with treachery and offence.
The Unbelievers, as well as the Jews, caused a lot of harm
to the Muslims, but Almighty Allah ordered the latter to be
patient and forgiving :
"Ye shall certainly be tried and tested In your possessions
And yourselves ; And ye shall certainly Hear much that will
grieve you From those who received the Book before you And
from those who Worship partners besides Allah. But if ye
preserve patiently, And guard Against evil, - then that
indeed Is a matter of great resolution"(9).
• The Disregard of the Reason for the Expulsion of Bani
An-Nadir
After referring to the Battle of Uhud and to what the
Muslims had suffered thereof, the authors report that some
of the Madina Jews made no secret of their delight at this
misfortune. This was enough to give the Muslims the
opportunity to justify their action against them. They add
that contemporary relations and accounts impute all sorts of
crimes to these Jews, but it is difficult to determine the
offenses they had committed. The Quran simply says that
"they defied Allah and His Messenger".
This is a brief summary of what is reported in The
Encyclopedia article which completely disregards the real
causes of the expedition against this Jewish tribe in Madina.
Actually, the Bani An-Nadir were among the tribes with which
the Prophet (PBUH) had concluded peace with when he arrived
in Madina; however, they did not respect the treaty, for
they tried to assassinate him twice. Ibn-Ishaq, with whom
the majority of the Prophet's biographers agree, related
that the Messenger (PBUH) had gone to Bani An-Nadir asking
them to help him pay the blood money of two men mistakenly
killed by a Muslim ; he sat near one of their walls. The
Jews were on the point of throwing a big stone on him, but
Inspiration from Allah warned him of their treachery, so he
went fast to Madina and ordered the Muslims to besiege them(10).
Hadith and biographical sources report a second attempt made
by Bani An-Nadir to kill the Prophet (PBUH) at the
instigation of the Qurayshis who sent them a letter inciting
them to kill him, and threatening to wage war against them
if they did not carry out the act. Banu An-Nadir responded
favorably and were intent on treachery, for they sent a
message to the Prophet (PBUH), asking him to come to their
district in order to speak to them about Islam; so if they
believed in him, all the Jews would convert to Islam. He
accepted their invitation. Three of their Rabbis came out to
meet him, hiding their daggers. However, a Jewish woman
disclosed the secret to a Muslim who gave word to the
Prophet (PBUH) ; the latter went back home without meeting
the Rabbis. He then besieged their tribe and fought against
them until they accepted the judgement passed on them,
namely, their expulsion from their homes, taking with them
only what their camels could carry of their wealth and
material possessions, except arms(11).
This is all the harm that Bani An-Nadir inflicted on the
Muslims. History has recorded that they incited the
Unbelievers to wage war against the Muslims at the Battle of
Uhud, and that they helped Abu Sufyan to attack the
outskirts of Madina ; furthermore, the poems written by
their poet Ka'ab ben Al-Achraf to denigrate the Messenger of
Allah (PBUH) and to incite the polytheists to fight against
the Muslims is well-known.
• The Disregard of the Causes of the Expedition against Bani
Quraytha
After relating the events of the Battle of Al-Ahzab, the
authors of The Encyclopedia article entry state that this
battle, which ended without fighting, turned into a bloody
tragedy for Bani-Quraydha. For hardly had the Meccans
retired when the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) declared war on
the last Jewish tribe in Madina. In this way, the causes of
what The Encyclopedia article calls "bloody tragedy" are
passed over by the authors who have completely disregarded
them.
The cause, once more, is the violation of the peace treaty
by the Jews; their treachery took place at a critical time
for the Muslims who were besieged by ten thousand fighters
of allied forces. Bani Quraydha's treachery was at the
instigation of the An-Nadir Jewish community of Bani Akhtab.
The Muslims entered this war against bani Quraydha in
compliance with Allah's direct Command. The 'Sirah' and
Hadith sources report that "When the Prophet (PBUH) returned
from the Battle of Al-Ahzab, and put down his arms; Gabriel
came to him and told him, 'Have you put down your arms, O
Messenger of Allah ?' He answered, ‘Yes!’ Gabriel said, 'We
have not laid down the arms yet, and Allah orders you to go
to Bani Quraydha, for I am going to make them shake with
fear'. The Prophet (PBUH) ordered a caller to announce that
'Nobody should perform the afternoon prayer, except in Bani
Quraydha's quarter' ; thereafter, the Muslims besieged them
till they gave in. The Prophet (PBUH) thus allowed them to
choose who would jude them ; they chose Sa'ad Ibn Mu'aad,
the leader of the tribe of the Aws, who were their allies.
His judgement was that all the men were to be beheaded, and
that all their women and children be taken captives".
The authors of The Encyclopedia article, however, persist in
putting the responsibility of what happened on the Prophet
(PBUH). Actually, they should have put it on the Jewish
quarter of Bani Akhtab, who pushed Bani Quraydha to violate
the peace treaty and to act treacherously against the
Muslims in the most dangerous circumstances.
In fact, the judgement given by Sa'ad Ibn Mua'ad was fair;
for, in addition to the abominable treachery they had
committed, they had amassed a large quantity of arms (which
the Muslims discovered when they opened the Jewish houses)
with the intention of massacring their Muslim neighbours in
Madina.
The authors of the article also disregard the causes of the
Prophet's expedition against the Jews of Khaybar, presenting
the whole affair in a way that would suggest the innocence
of the Jews, as they did in their treatment of the
aforementioned expeditions. There is no need to dwell on
this issue, it may suffice to mention that Khaybar had
become a real menace to the Muslims after the settlement of
Bani An-Nadir in it. The Prophet (PBUH) sent them a message
inviting them to convert to Islam, but they refused ; so it
became urgent to wage war against them in order to remove
all threat to Islam.
(1) Surat Al-Baqarah, Verse n° 217.
(2) Surat Al-Anfal, Verse n° 60.
(3) Muhammad Al-Ghazali, Fiqh As-Sirah, pp. 228-29, dar Al-Kutub
Al-Haditha, Cairo, 7th edition, 1976.
(4) Surat At-Tauba, Verses n° 91-92.
(5) Surat Al Baqarah, Verse n° 217.
(6) Surat Al-Hajj, Verse n° 40.
(7) Surat Al-Hajj, Verse n° 39.
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