Tafsir

The Campaign against Banu Qurayzah

We have already noted that when the Confederates came and camped outside Al-Madinah, Banu Qurayzah broke the covenant that existed between them and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This happened by the agency of Huyay bin Akhtab An-Nadari, may Allah curse him, who entered their stronghold and would not leave their leader, Ka`b bin Asad, alone until he agreed to break the covenant. Among the things that he said to him was, "Woe to you! This is the opportunity for glory. The Quraysh and their company of men from various tribes, and the Ghatafan and their followers, have come to you, and they will stay here until they eliminate Muhammad ﷺ and his companions." Ka`b said to him, "No, by Allah, this is the opportunity for humiliation. Woe to you, O Huyay, you are a bad omen. Leave us alone." But Huyay kept trying to persuade him until he agreed to his request. He laid down the condition that if the Confederates went away without doing anything, he Huyay would join them in their stronghold and would share their fate.

When Banu Qurayzah broke their covenant and news of this reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , he and the Muslims were very distressed by that. When Allah helped him by suppressing his enemy and driving them back disappointed and lost, having gained nothing, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned to Al-Madinah in triumph and the people put down their weapons. While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was washing off the dust of battle in the house of Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, Jibril, upon him be peace, came to him wearing a turban of brocade, riding on a mule on which was a cloth of silk brocade. He said, "Have you put down your weapons, O Messenger of Allah" He said, "Yes." He said, "But the angels have not put down their weapons. I have just now come back from pursuing the people." Then he said: "Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, commands you to get up and go to Banu Qurayzah." According to another report, "What a fighter you are!

Have you put down your weapons" He said, "Yes." He said, "But we have not put down our weapons yet, get up and go to these people." He said: "Where" He said, "Banu Qurayzah, for Allah has commanded me to shake them." So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up immediately, and commanded the people to march towards Banu Qurayzah, who were a few miles from Al-Madinah. This was after Salat Az-Zuhr. He said,«لَا يُصَلِّيَنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمُ الْعَصْرَ إِلَّااِفي بَنِي قُرَيْظَة»(No one among you should pray `Asr except at Banu Qurayzah.) So, the people set out, and the time for the prayer came while they were still on the road. Some of them prayed on the road, saying, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ only wanted to make us march quickly." Others said, "We will not pray it until we reach Banu Qurayzah." Neither of the two groups were rebuked for what they did. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ followed them. He left Ibn Umm Maktum, may Allah be pleased with him, in charge of Al-Madinah, and he had given the flag to `Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him.

Then the Messenger of Allah went to them (Banu Qurayzah) laying seige to them for twenty-five days. When this had gone on for too long, they agreed to accept the judgement of Sa`d bin Mu`adh, the leader of `Aws because they had been their allies during the Jahiliyyah, so they thought that he would treat them kindly as `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul had done for his allies of Banu Qaynuqa` when he had asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to set them free. So, these people thought that Sa`d would do the same for them as Ibn Ubayy had done for those people. They did not know that Sa`d had been struck by an arrow in his medial arm vein during the campaign of Al-Khandaq. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had had his vein cauterized and had brought him to stay in a tent in the Masjid so that he could keep a close eye on him.

One of the things that Sa`d, may Allah be pleased with him, said in his supplication was, "O Allah, if there is still anything that has to do with the war against Quraysh, then keep me alive for it, and if You decree that the war between us and them is over, then let the bleeding be renewed, but do not let me die until I get my satisfaction with regard to Banu Qurayzah." Allah answered his prayer and decreed that they would agree to be referred to him for judgement, and this was their own free choice. When this happened, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called him to come from Al-Madinah to pass judgement on them. When he arrived, riding on a donkey that had been specially equipped for him to ride, some of the `Aws began to urge him not to be too harsh, saying, "O Sa`d, they are your clients so be kind to them, trying to soften his heart." But he kept quiet and did not answer them. When they persisted in their request, he said, "Now it is time for Sa`d to make sure that no rebuke or censure will divert him from the path of Allah." Then they knew that he would not let them live. k

When he reached the tent where the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:«قُومُوا إِلَى سَيِّدِكُم»(Stand up for your leader.) So the Muslims stood up for him, and welcomed him with honor and respect as befitted his status and so that his judgement would have more impact. When he sat down, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:«إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ وَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ قَدْ نَزَلُوا عَلَى حُكْمِكَ، فَاحْكُمْ فِيهِمْ بِمَا شِئْت»(These people) -- and he pointed to them -- (have agreed to accept your judgement, so pass judgement on them as you wish.) Sa`d, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "My judgement will be carried out" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Yes." He said, "And it will be carried out on those who are in this tent" He said, "Yes." He said, "And on those who are on this side" -- and he pointed towards the side where the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was, but he did not look directly at the Messenger of Allah ﷺ out of respect for him.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: "Yes." So Sa`d, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "My judgement is that their fighters should be killed and their children and wealth should be seized." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:«لَقَدْ حَكَمْتَ بِحُكْمِ اللهِ تَعَالَى مِنْ فَوْقِ سَبْعِ أَرْقَعَة»(You have judged according to the ruling of Allah from above the seven heavens.) According to another report:«لَقَدْ حَكَمْتَ بِحُكْمِ الْمَلِك»(You have judged according to the ruling of the Sovereign.) Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded that ditches should be dug, so they were dug in the earth, and they were brought tied by their shoulders, and were beheaded. There were between seven hundred and eight hundred of them. The children who had not yet reached adolescence and the women were taken prisoner, and their wealth was seized. All of this is stated both briefly and in detail, with evidence and Hadiths, in the book of Sirah which we have written, praise and blessings be to Allah.

Allah said:وَأَنزَلَ الَّذِينَ ظَـهَرُوهُم(And those who backed them, Allah brought them down) means, those who helped and supported them in their war against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ(of the People of the Scripture) means, Banu Qurayzah, who were Jews from one of the tribes of Israel. Their forefathers had settled in the Hijaz long ago, seeking to follow the Unlettered Prophet of whom they read in the Tawrah and Injil.فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُواْ كَفَرُواْ بِهِ(then when there came to them that which they had recognized, they disbelieved in it) (2:89). May the curse of Allah be upon them.مِن صَيَاصِيهِمْ(from their forts) means, from their strongholds. This was the view of Mujahid, `Ikrimah, `Ata', Qatadah, As-Suddi and others of the Salaf.وَقَذَفَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ الرُّعْبَ(and cast terror into their hearts;) means fear, because they had supported the idolators in their war against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the one who knows is not like the one who does not know.

They had terrified the Muslims and intended to kill them so as to gain earthly power, but their plans backfired; the idolators ran away and the believers were victorious while the disbelievers were losers; where they had aimed for glory, they were humiliated. They wanted to eradicate the Muslims but they were themselves eradicated. In addition to all this, they are doomed in the Hereafter, so by all acounts they are counted as losers. Allah says:فَرِيقاً تَقْتُلُونَ وَتَأْسِرُونَ فَرِيقاً(a group you killed, and a group you made captives.) Those who were killed were their warriors, and the prisoners were their children and women. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Atiyah Al-Qurazi said, "I was shown to the Prophet on the day of Qurayzah, because they were not sure about me. The Prophet told them to look at me to see whether I had grown any body hair yet.

They looked and saw that I had not grown any body hair, so they let me go and I was put with the other prisoners." This was also recorded by the Sunan compilers, and At-Tirmidhi said it is Hasan Sahih." An-Nasa'i also recorded something similar from `Atiyah.وَأَوْرَثَكُمْ أَرْضَهُمْ وَدِيَـرَهُمْ وَأَمْوَلَهُمْ(And He caused you to inherit their lands, and their houses, and their riches,) means, `He gave these things to you after you killed them.'وَأَرْضاً لَّمْ تَطَئُوهَا(and a land which you had not trodden.) It was said that this was Khaybar, or that it was the lands of the Persians and Romans. Ibn Jarir said, "It could be that all of these are referred toوَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيراً(And Allah is able to do all things.)"

The second state mentioned here is that of the hypocrites for they had started saying that the promises of Allah and His Rasul ﷺ were a web of deception: إِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَ‌ضٌ مَّا وَعَدَنَا اللَّـهُ وَرَ‌سُولُهُ إِلَّا غُرُ‌ورً‌ا (And (remember) when the hypocrites and those having malady in their hearts were saying, "Allah and His messenger did not promise us but deceitfully; -12). This was an externalized demonstration of their inner disbelief. Onward from here, mention has been made of two groups of hypocrites who were practically a part of the Jihad effort along with Muslims, though outwardly only. One of the two groups started running without any permission saying: وَإِذْ قَالَت طَّائِفَةٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَا أَهْلَ يَثْرِ‌بَ لَا مُقَامَ لَكُمْ فَارْ‌جِعُوا (and when a group of them said, "0 people of Yathrib (Madinah), there is no place for you to stay; so go back. - 13" And the other group requested the permission of the Holy Prophet ﷺ to go back on the basis of false excuses.

Their conduct has been mentioned as: وَيَسْتَأْذِنُ فَرِ‌يقٌ مِّنْهُمُ النَّبِيَّ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَ‌ةٌ (And a group of them was seeking permission (to leave) from the prophet, saying, "In fact our homes are vulnerable," while they were not vulnerable - 13). Thus, the Qur'an exposed the hollowness of their excuses as a pack of lies. The truth of the matter was no more than that they intended to run from the battlefront:إِن يُرِ‌يدُونَ إِلَّا فِرَ‌ارً‌ا (They wanted nothing but to escape - 13). Taken up in the next several verses is their mischief-making and enmity with Muslims following which their sad end has been pointed out.

After that, the text mentions sincere believers and praises their firmness and fortitude. In the same connection, there comes a strong assertion of the need to obey and follow the Holy Prophet ﷺ almost in the form of a legal rule of conduct: لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَ‌سُولِ اللَّـهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ (There is indeed a good model for you in the Messenger of Allah - 21). From here it stands proved that all sayings and doings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ have to be followed. But, the Shari'ah authorities have explained the rule about the different degrees of following required from a Muslim. The rule is that any act or omission of the Holy Prophet ﷺ proved to have been done as an obligation would have to be obeyed and followed as wajib (obligatory, necessary). And any act or omission on his part that is proved to have been done as a preferable conduct (istihbab) and not as an obligatory one, should be followed by us too as a commendable (mustahab) conduct and not as a necessary obligation This, in other words, means that its contravention will not be declared to be a sin.

(For a detailed discussion, see al-Jassas in Ahkam ul-Qur'an)The last three (25-27) of the cited verses refer to the event relating to Banu Quraizah. In verse 26: وَأَنزَلَ الَّذِينَ ظَاهَرُ‌وهُم مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مِن صَيَاصِيهِمْ it was said that Allah Ta’ ala had, by putting the awe of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his Muslim followers into the hearts of the people of the Book who had helped the Confederate forces, made them come down from their strong fortresses and had thus made Muslims the inheritors of their properties, homes and areas of concentration.

In the last verse (27), good news of future victories has been given. Gone is the time when disbelievers attacked. Now the cycle of Muslim victories will begin and they will come to be on lands their feet have not touched yet. And this prophecy unfolded itself during the tenure of the noble Sahabah and everyone witnessed the spectacle of great empires ruled by Cyrus and Caesar come under them. And Allah does what He wills.

قد تقدم أن بني قريظة لما قدمت جنود الأحزاب ، ونزلوا على المدينة ، نقضوا ما كان بينهم وبين رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من العهد ، وكان ذلك بسفارة حيي بن أخطب النضري - لعنه الله - دخل حصنهم ، ولم يزل بسيدهم كعب بن أسد حتى نقض العهد ، وقال له فيما قال : ويحك ، قد جئتك بعز الدهر ، أتيتك بقريش وأحابيشها ، وغطفان وأتباعها ، ولا يزالون هاهنا حتى يستأصلوا محمدا وأصحابه . فقال له كعب : بل والله أتيتني بذل الدهر . ويحك يا حيي ، إنك مشئوم ، فدعنا منك . فلم يزل يفتل في الذروة والغارب حتى أجابه ، واشترط له حيي إن ذهب الأحزاب ، ولم يكن من أمرهم شيء ، أن يدخل معهم في الحصن ، فيكون له أسوتهم . فلما نقضت قريظة ، وبلغ ذلك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، ساءه ، وشق عليه وعلى المسلمين جدا ، فلما أيد الله ونصر ، وكبت الأعداء وردهم خائبين بأخسر صفقة ، ورجع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى المدينة مؤيدا منصورا ، ووضع الناس السلاح . فبينما رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يغتسل من وعثاء تلك المرابطة في بيت أم سلمة إذ تبدى له جبريل معتجرا بعمامة من إستبرق ، على بغلة عليها قطيفة [ من ] ديباج ، فقال : أوضعت السلاح يا رسول الله ؟ قال : " نعم " . قال : لكن الملائكة لم تضع أسلحتها ، وهذا الآن رجوعي من طلب القوم .

ثم قال : إن الله يأمرك أن تنهض إلى بني قريظة . وفي رواية فقال له : عذيرك من مقاتل ، أوضعتم السلاح ؟ قال : " نعم " . قال : لكنا لم نضع أسلحتنا بعد ، انهض إلى هؤلاء . قال : " أين ؟ " . قال : بني قريظة ، فإن الله أمرني أن أزلزل عليهم . فنهض رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من فوره ، وأمر الناس بالمسير إلى بني قريظة ، وكانت على أميال من المدينة ، وذلك بعد صلاة الظهر ، وقال : " لا يصلين أحد منكم العصر إلا في بني قريظة " . فسار الناس ، فأدركتهم الصلاة في الطريق ، فصلى بعضهم في الطريق وقالوا : لم يرد منا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلا تعجيل السير ، وقال آخرون : لا نصليها إلا في بني قريظة . فلم يعنف واحدا من الفريقين . وتبعهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، وقد استخلف على المدينة ابن أم مكتوم ، وأعطى الراية لعلي بن أبي طالب .

ثم نازلهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وحاصرهم خمسا وعشرين ليلة ، فلما طال عليهم الحال ، نزلوا على حكم سعد بن معاذ - سيد الأوس - لأنهم كانوا حلفاءهم في الجاهلية ، واعتقدوا أنه يحسن إليهم في ذلك ، كما فعل عبد الله بن أبي ابن سلول في مواليه بني قينقاع ، حين استطلقهم من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فظن هؤلاء أن سعدا سيفعل فيهم كما فعل ابن أبي في أولئك ، ولم يعلموا أن سعدا ، رضي الله عنه ، كان قد أصابه سهم في أكحله أيام الخندق ، فكواه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في أكحله ، وأنزله في قبة في المسجد ليعوده من قريب . وقال سعد فيما دعا به : اللهم إن كنت أبقيت من حرب قريش شيئا فأبقني لها . وإن كنت وضعت الحرب بيننا وبينهم فافجرها ولا تمتني حتى تقر عيني من بني قريظة . فاستجاب الله دعاءه ، وقدر عليهم أن نزلوا على حكمه باختيارهم طلبا من تلقاء أنفسهم ، فعند ذلك استدعاه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من المدينة ليحكم فيهم ، فلما أقبل وهو راكب [ على حمار ] قد وطئوا له عليه ، جعل الأوس يلوذون به ويقولون : يا سعد ، إنهم مواليك ، فأحسن فيهم . ويرققونه عليهم ويعطفونه ، وهو ساكت لا يرد عليهم . فلما أكثروا عليه قال : لقد آن لسعد ألا تأخذه في الله لومة لائم .

فعرفوا أنه غير مستبقيهم ، فلما دنا من الخيمة التي فيها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " قوموا إلى سيدكم " . فقام إليه المسلمون ، فأنزلوه إعظاما وإكراما واحتراما له في محل ولايته ، ليكون أنفذ لحكمه فيهم . فلما جلس قال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " إن هؤلاء - وأشار إليهم - قد نزلوا على حكمك ، فاحكم فيهم بما شئت " . قال : وحكمي نافذ عليهم ؟ قال : " نعم " . قال : وعلى من في هذه الخيمة ؟ قال : " نعم " . قال : وعلى من هاهنا . - وأشار إلى الجانب الذي فيه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم - وهو معرض بوجهه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إجلالا وإكراما وإعظاما - فقال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " نعم " . فقال : إني أحكم أن تقتل مقاتلتهم ، وتسبى ذريتهم وأموالهم . فقال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " لقد حكمت بحكم الله من فوق سبعة أرقعة " . وفي رواية : " لقد حكمت بحكم الملك " . ثم أمر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بالأخاديد فخدت في الأرض ، وجيء بهم مكتفين ، فضرب أعناقهم ، وكانوا ما بين السبعمائة إلى الثمانمائة ، وسبى من لم ينبت منهم مع النساء وأموالهم ، وهذا كله مقرر مفصل بأدلته وأحاديثه وبسطه في كتاب السيرة ، الذي أفردناه موجزا ومقتصا .

ولله الحمد والمنة .ولهذا قال تعالى : ( وأنزل الذين ظاهروهم ) أي : عاونوا الأحزاب وساعدوهم على حرب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ( من أهل الكتاب ) يعني : بني قريظة من اليهود ، من بعض أسباط بني إسرائيل ، كان قد نزل آباؤهم الحجاز قديما ، طمعا في اتباع النبي الأمي الذي يجدونه مكتوبا عندهم في التوراة والإنجيل ، ( فلما جاءهم ما عرفوا كفروا به ) [ البقرة : 89 ] ، فعليهم لعنة الله .وقوله : ( من صياصيهم ) يعني : حصونهم .

كذا قال مجاهد ، وعكرمة ، وعطاء ، وقتادة ، والسدي ، وغيرهم ومنه سميت صياصي البقر ، وهي قرونها; لأنها أعلى شيء فيها .( وقذف في قلوبهم الرعب ) : وهو الخوف; لأنهم كانوا مالئوا المشركين على حرب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، وليس من يعلم كمن لا يعلم ، فأخافوا المسلمين وراموا قتلهم ليعزوا في الدنيا ، فانعكس عليهم الحال ، وانقلب الفال ، انشمر المشركون ففازوا بصفقة المغبون ، فكما راموا العز ذلوا ، وأرادوا استئصال المسلمين فاستؤصلوا ، وأضيف إلى ذلك شقاوة الآخرة ، فصارت الجملة أن هذه هي الصفقة الخاسرة; ولهذا قال تعالى : ( فريقا تقتلون وتأسرون فريقا ) ، فالذين قتلوا هم المقاتلة ، والأسراء هم الأصاغر والنساء .قال الإمام أحمد : حدثنا هشيم بن بشير ، أخبرنا عبد الملك بن عمير ، عن عطية القرظي قال : عرضت على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم قريظة فشكوا في ، فأمر بي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن ينظروا : هل أنبت بعد ؟ فنظروا فلم يجدوني أنبت ، فخلى عني وألحقني بالسبي .وكذا رواه أهل السنن كلهم من طرق ، عن عبد الملك بن عمير ، به . وقال الترمذي : " حسن صحيح " . ورواه النسائي أيضا ، من حديث ابن جريج ، عن ابن أبي نجيح ، عن مجاهد ، عن عطية ، بنحوه .