59. Surah Al-Hashr (The Gathering)
Medina Period [101]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
هُوَ
الَّذِي أَخْرَجَ
الَّذِينَ
كَفَرُوا مِنْ
أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ
مِن دِيَارِهِمْ
لِأَوَّلِ
الْحَشْرِ...
59: 2. It is He who got out the Unbelievers among the People of the Book from their homes at the first gathering (of the forces).
C5369. This refers to the Jewish tribe of the Banu Nadir whose intrigues and treachery nearly undid the Muslim cause during the perilous days of the battle of Uhud in Shawwal, A.H. 3.
Four months after, in Rabi, 1. A.H. 4 steps were taken against them. They were asked to leave the strategic position which they occupied, about three miles south of Madinah, endangering the very existence of the Ummah in Madinah.
At first they demurred, relying on their fortresses and on their secret alliance with the Pagans of Makkah and the Hypocrites of Madinah. But when the Muslim army was gathered to punish them and actually besieged them for some days, their allies stirred not a finger in their aid, and they were wise enough to leave.
Most of them joined their brethren in Syria, which they were permitted to do, after being disarmed. Some of them joined their brethren in Khaybar; see n. 3705 to 33:27.
The Banu Nadir richly deserved punishment, but their fives were spared, and they were allowed to carry away their goods and chattels.
...مَا ظَنَنتُمْ أَن يَخْرُجُوا ...
Little did ye think that they would get out:
C5370. That is, without actual hostilities, and the shedding of precious Muslim blood.
... وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُم مَّانِعَتُهُمْ حُصُونُهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ ...
and they thought that their fortresses would defend them from Allah!
... فَأَتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَحْتَسِبُوا وَقَذَفَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الرُّعْبَ ...
but the (wrath of) Allah came to them from quarters from which they little expected (it), and cast terror into their hearts,
C5371. They had played a double game. Originally they were sworn allies of the Madinah Muslims under the holy Prophet, but they secretly intrigued with the Makkah Pagans under Abu Sufyan and the Madinah Hypocrites. They even tried treacherously to take the life of the Prophet while he was on a visit to them, breaking both the laws of hospitality and their own sworn alliance.
They thought the Pagan Quraish of Makkah and the Hypocrites of Madinah would help them, but they did not help them. On the contrary the eleven days siege showed them their own helplessness. Their supplies were cut off; the exigencies of the siege necessitated the destruction of their outlying palm trees; and the unexpected turn in their fortunes disheartened them. Their hearts were stack with terror and they capitulated. But they laid waste their homes before they left:
see next note.
... يُخْرِبُونَ بُيُوتَهُم بِأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَيْدِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ...
so that they destroyed their dwellings by their own hands and the hands of the Believers.
C5372. Their lives were spared, and they were allowed ten days in which to remove themselves, their families, and such goods as they could carry. In order to leave no habitations for the Muslims they demolished their own houses and laid waste their property, to complete the destruction which the operations of war had already caused at the hands of the besieging force of the Muslims.
... فَاعْتَبِرُوا يَا أُولِي الْأَبْصَارِ ﴿٢﴾
Take warning, then, o ye with eyes (to see)!
وَلَوْلَا
أَن كَتَبَ
اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمُ
الْجَلَاء
لَعَذَّبَهُمْ
فِي الدُّنْيَا ...
59: 3. And had it not been that Allah has decreed banishment for them, He would certainly have punished them in this world:
C5373. Banishment was a comparatively mild punishment for them, but the Providence of Allah had decreed that a chance should be given to them even though they were a treacherous foe.
Within two years, their brethren the Banu Qurayzah showed that they had not profited by their example, and had to be dealt with in another way:
...وَلَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابُ النَّارِ ﴿٣﴾
and in the Hereafter they shall (certainly) have the Punishment of the Fire.
ذَلِكَ
بِأَنَّهُمْ
شَاقُّوا اللَّهَ
وَرَسُولَهُ ...
59: 4. That is because they resisted Allah and His Messenger:
...وَمَن يُشَاقِّ اللَّهَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ ﴿٤﴾
and if anyone resists Allah, verily Allah is severe in Punishment.
C5374. The punishment of the Banu Nadir was because in breaking their plighted word with the Messenger and in actively resisting Allah's Message and supporting the enemies of that Message, they rebelled against him. For such treason and rebellion the punishment is severe, and yet in this case it was seasoned with Mercy.
مَا قَطَعْتُم
مِّن لِّينَةٍ
أَوْ تَرَكْتُمُوهَا
قَائِمَةً عَلَى
أُصُولِهَا
فَبِإِذْنِ
اللَّهِ ...
59: 5. Whether ye cut down (o ye Muslims!) the tender palm-trees, or ye left them standing on their roots, it was by leave of Allah,
C5375. The unnecessary cutting down of fruit trees or destruction of crops, or any wanton destruction whatever in war, is forbidden by the law and practice of Islam. But some destruction may be necessary for putting pressure on the enemy, and to that extent it is allowed. But as far as possible, consistently with that objective of military operations, such trees should not be cut down.
Both these principles are in accordance with the Divine Will, and were followed by the Muslims in their expedition.
...وَلِيُخْزِيَ الْفَاسِقِينَ ﴿٥﴾
and in order that He might cover with shame the rebellious transgressors.
C5376. The arrogance of the Banu Nadir had to be humbled, and their power for mischief destroyed.
Asad’s version
(59:2) He it is who turned out of their homes, at the time of [their] first
gathering [for war], such of the followers of earlier revelation as were bent on denying the truth. 1 You did not think [O believers] that they would depart [without resistance] - just as they thought that their strongholds would protect them against God: but God came upon them in a manner which they had not expected, 2 and cast terror into their hearts; [and thus] they destroyed their homes by their own hands as well as the hands of the believers. 5 Learn a lesson, then, O you who are endowed with insight!
59:3 And had it not been for God's having ordained banishment for them, He would indeed have imposed [yet greater] suffering on them in this world: still, in the life to come there awaits them suffering through fire:
(59:4) this, because they cut themselves off from God and His Apostle: 4 and as for him who cuts himself off from God and His Apostle - verily, God is severe in retribution!
59:5 Whatever [of their] palm trees you may have cut down, [O believers,] or left standing on their roots, was [done] by God's leave, 5 and in order that He might confound the iniquitous.
[[ Asad’s notes –
1 For this and the subsequent historical references, see the introductory note to this surah. The tribe of Banu 'n-Nadir - who, as Jews, are naturally termed ahl al-kitab ("followers of earlier revelation") - are characterized as "such as were bent on denying the truth" (alladhina kafaru, see note 6 on 2:6) because they treacherously turned against the Prophet despite their earlier admission that he was truly the bearer of God's message announced in their own holy scriptures (Deuteronomy xviii, 15 and
18).
2 Lit., "from whence they bad not thought [it possible]": an allusion to the last-minute, unexpected failure of 'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy to come to their aid.
3 As mentioned in the introductory note, the Banu 'n-Nadir had originally concluded a treaty of mutual non-interference with the Muslim community, and were to live at Medina as its friendly neighbours; and even later, when their hostility they were to be allowed to retain ownership of their plantations. Subsequently, however, they forfeited by their treachery both their citizenship and the rights to their landed property, and thus "destroyed their homes by their own hands".
4 For this condemnation of the Banu 'n-Nadir, see note 1 above. As regards my rendering of the verb shaqqa as "they cut themselves off", see note 16 on 8:13.
5 I.e., to facilitate the military operations against the strongholds of the Banu 'n-Nadir (Abd Allah ibn Masud, as quoted by Zamakhshari et al.). It should, however, be noted that apart from such stringent military exigencies, all destruction of enemy property - and, in particular, of trees and crops - had been and continued to be prohibited by the Prophet (Tabari, Baghawi, Zamakhshari, Razi, Ibn Kathir), and has thus become an integral part of Islamic Law. ]]