WERE THE JEWS
‘MALTREATED’ BY PROPHET MUHAMMAD, OR
VICE-VERSA? -Md. Saidul Islam [With an intention of
attacking Islam, some people raise the issue of
Prophet’s treatments of the Jews in Madina. However,
nobody could ever prove that the treatments were unjust.
Accusing the Prophet of ‘mistreating’ the Jews
is an absolute reflection of having shallow knowledge on
the history of the contexts. Let the history talk for
itself.] Introduction: If you do not observe and fulfil
the law… and the Lord will scatter you among all
peoples from one end of the earth to the other…
Among those nations you will find no peace, no rest for
the sole of your foot. Then the Lord will give you an
unquiet mind, dim eyes and a failing appetite. Your life
will hang continually in suspense, fear will beset you
night and day, and you will find no security all your
life long. Every morning you will say, "Would God it
were morning!" and every evening, "Would God it
were morning!" for the fear that lives in your
heart. (Deuteronomy 28: 56-68) The policy of Prophet (peace be upon him) towards the Jews in Madina is still a burning issue, for even now the Jews in the world have not forgotten the event. Since then, they have been cherishing a smouldering discontent and an urge of revenge in their hearts against the Muslims in a great antagonistic manner. The annals of the Jews history are fraught with numerous atrocities that cast them into various types of punishments and anguishes. The punishment meted out to the Jews in Madina was the inevitable consequence of their deviation from, and superciliousness towards, the religious life and social order, of their rebellions, infidelity, perfidies, subversive activities, breach of treaty and so forth. If we take the trouble of ransacking the vast treasures of Islamic history and invaluable stock of research piled up by the renowned Muslims scholars in the past, it will be ‘as plain as the nose of our face’ that the verdicts of Prophet (peace be upon him) against the Jews were absolutely just. Muslims, on the other hand, justify the policy adopted by the Prophet affecting the Jews on various grounds. The policy, therefore, necessitates considerable analytical discussion in an objective perspective. Hence our attempt would be devoted to the back projection of the discussion towards the historical incidents with a socio-political and religious analysis purported to overview the justification of policy within the preview of multi-racial groups’ right and duties in a society required by the well-established norms and values of intra-national relations. How
the Jews Came to Madina: The Jews
in Hejaz claimed that they came to the area during the
last part of the life of Prophet Moses. They used to say
that Prophet Moses sent an army to the area of Yathrib to
annihilate the ‘Amalica’, and ordered them not
to keep anyone alive. They materialised the order but did
not kill the son of the king due to his pretty figure,
and returned to Palestine taking the boy with them. By
this time Prophet Moses passed away. The successors of
the Prophet became too angry as the army committed a
great offence by keeping one child alive, and as a
punishment, ostracised them forever from their own land.
Therefore, the army was compelled to return back to
Yathrib and begun to live there.[1]
Accordingly, the Jews claimed that they had been living
in Yathrib since 400 BC. However, there is no historical
authenticity in their claim. There was
another phase of migration, as the Jews claimed, and that
was in 587 BC. Then Bakhtanasar, the king of Babylon,
destroyed the Baitul Maqdis and dispersed the Jews in the
whole world. At that time many Jews came to the area of
Hejaz and begun to live there. But again there is no
authentic evidence in this claim. Their aim was only to
spread their supremacy. In fact, the authentic and
established source is that in 70 AD the Romans committed
genocide on the Jews in Palestine, and in 132 AD they
expelled the Jews from Palestine forever. Then they came
to the area of Hejaz as it was not so far from Palestine.
They began to live in those areas whereby they found the
arrangement of water and flora and fauna. After that they
expanded their authority through different plans,
conspiracies, and usury.[2] Islamic
State in Madina: The Jews
of Yathrib were divided into several clans, traditionally
grouped into three tribes, namely- Bani an-Nadir, Bani
Qaynuqa and Bani Qurayza. Bany Qaynuqa possessed no
agricultural lands, but they lived in a compact of
settlement where they had a market and carried on several
crafts, especially of gold smith, and banking. Other two
tribes, an-Nadir and Quraiza, were agriculturists. In
fact, they possessed some of the richest lands in Yathrib
where they had many gardens and date palms.[3] In this
situation, Islam came to Madina. After hijrat to
Madina, Prophet (peace be upon him) established the
foundation of Islamic State and made a bond of strong
brotherhood among Aws and Khajraz. Secondly, whatever
might be the attitude of the Jews, Prophet (peace be upon
him) endeavoured at first to win their favour of his
nascent Medinese state during the early days of hijrat.
For this purpose, he drew the charter of the treaty of
Madina (the constitution of the new state) under which he
gave them an important position in the new state he was
building.[4] In order to
establish peace and happiness in Madina, the Jews
together with Muslims took the following
responsibilities: ·
The Jews and the Muslims will bear their respective
expenses. ·
The parties to the treaty are bound to help each other in
confrontation with rival fighters. ·
There should be sincerity, benediction and fairness among
themselves without any harm caused to each other. ·
No harm and misbehaviour should be committed against any
of signatory parties to the treaty. ·
The parties should help the persecuted/oppressed people. ·
The Jews should pay the expenses together with Muslims so
long as they are involved in battle. ·
It is unlawful for any of the parties to cause unrest or
mischief in Yathrib. ·
In case of disputes leading to mischief between the
parties, it should be referred to (the rules of) God and
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for settlement. ·
No harbouring and assistance should be extended in favour
of Quraysh traders. ·
In case of attack on the land of Yathrib, every
individual of the parties to the treaty will play their
own role in defence for each other.[5] Policies
to Win the Heart of the Jews: Prophet
(peace be upon him) turned his attention to the problems
of relations between the Jews and the Muslims, the
restoration of peace and order in Madina, torn by a
century of strive and bloodshed, and the organisation of
the city as a community of believers.[6]
In the charter of Madina, the Jews got the following
privileges: ·
The Jews domiciled in Yathrib shall form with Muslims one
composite nation or ummah. ·
The Jews who attach themselves to the commonwealth shall
have an equal right with the Muslims to assistance and
good offices. ·
The Jews shall practise their religion as freely as the
Muslims. ·
The clients and allies of the Jews shall enjoy the same
security and freedom. Besides these political rights, Prophet (peace be upon him) made several concessions to win their hearts, like: ·
The Holy City of the Jews, Jerusalem, was to be Qiblah
of the Muslims. ·
Following the Jews practice, the Muslims also kept fast
of Ashura. ·
Like the Jews, they also prayed at the mid-day worship. ·
The prophet (peace be upon him) permitted the Muslims to
eat food with the Jews and also to marry Jewish women.[7] Hostilities
of the Jews against Islam: Cast in
the mould of antagonism, the Jews as a community, has
decided upon assuming overbearing attitude towards
Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers.[8] In antagonism
they reached to the extreme verge because of the
following reasons: ·
The popularity of Islam awakened the Jews to the loss of
their influence, which they had founded on the sandy
grounds of the oppressive materialism and not true mosaic
practice.[9] ·
The Jews accepted Prophet (peace be upon him) just as a
political leader. But when they observed the cosmopolitan
and comprehensive mission and attitude of the Prophet,
they thought that if this universal movement would go on
in this way, obviously their hypocrite way of life might
be dismantled.[10] ·
The Jews used to instigate and create feuds and battles
between the Khajraj and the Aws, and cast the leaders of
both tribes into high debts. When the Jews saw that the
Aws and the Khazraj came to a bond of strong fraternity
due to Islam and people from other tribes were also
joining with them, they became tremendously irritated and
afraid of their existence.[11]
·
The Jews suffered from certain horrible ailments such as
greed that made them stick to usury and devour substance
or things of others which were forbidden to do; their
sinful life and virulence, which suppressed their very
soul, and their listening to falsehood against the true
facts about Islam and its Messenger.[12] Therefore,
the Jews built up their national goal to continue
antagonism against Prophet (peace be upon him). They
joined hands with the hypocrites (munafiqeen) led
by Abdullah bin Obay. Their poets and bards composed
verses and lampoons against the Prophet and the
Qur’an.[13] They
left no stone unturned to harass the Prophet and the
Muslims. Expulsion
of Bani-Qaynuqa (February, 624 AD.): After
Islam emerged victorious from the battlefield of al-Badr,
the first among the Jews to have apprehension as to what
their failure would be, were the ‘Qaynuqa’.
Looking coolness of temperament, they acted in a manner
as to lead to the estrangement of the Muslim feelings.
Their jealousy grew into enmity. Insinuation against
Muslim ladies in obscene verses also freely indulged in.
They stooped so low as molest them in streets. Meanwhile,
a Jewish shopkeeper added fuel to the fire when he
offended a Muslim woman, resulting in the death of a Jew
and a Muslim. The Prophet admonished the Jews but they
responded by rude behaviour and warned the Muslim that
they would teach them a good lesson. Discarding the terms
of the covenant, they betook themselves to fortified
places. The Muslim besieged them for two weeks and
obliged them to surrender.[14]
The whole tribe of Qaynuqa was ordered to leave Madina.
They proceed towards the north and ultimately reached
Azriat on the borders of Syria.[15] Expulsion
of Bani-Nadir (June, 625 AD.): A few
months after the expulsion of Bani-Qaynuqa, one of the
Jewish poets, Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf, a member of
an-Nadir, was assassinated by five Muslims. He had
incited the Quraysh in Makka, vilified the Prophet and
the Muslims and insulted the Muslim women in his verses
and lampoons. The death of Ka’b alarmed the Jews.
After that the defeat of the Muslims in the battle of
Uhud encouraged their enemies to rise their hands against
them. The desert tribe of Najid resorted to treachery.
The Bedouin tribes, bani Sulaman, treacherously killed a
party of 40 Muslims who were invited by the chief of Bani
Amir to teach Islam to his tribe. This is known as the
incident of ‘Bir- Ma’una’, where
this tragedy had taken place. Only two Muslims survived.
When one of the survivors, Amir bin Umayyah was returning
to Madina, he met two men of Bani Amir. Believing them to
be enemies, he killed them, although they had come from
Madina under the protection of the Prophet. When Amir
related this incident to Prophet (peace be upon him), he
decided that blood money must be paid.[16]
The Prophet went to demand from them the blood money and
while he waited on them, the Nadir sent up a man to drop
a stone on him from the housetop. Similarly, they
pretended twice to accept Islam and invited the Prophet
(peace be upon him) to hold a conversation with the
scholars of Judaism. On both occasions, their aim was to
kill him, but he was saved because of pre informed.[17] The Nadir
joined a conspiracy and went down to Makka, telling the
Quraysh: “If you lend us support against Islam, we
shall uproot it altogether”. Besides rousing the
Makkans, they roamed about the desert, visiting the
haunts of Bedouins and stirring them against Islam. The
Nadir also remained in close touch with Ibn Ubay who
guided them along in correct lines.[18]
When
approached by the Muslims for renewing the old agreement,
the Nadir refused to do so. This showed that they
harboured evil intentions against Islamic community.
Accordingly, when they fortified themselves within their
strongholds, the Muslim laid siege to their order for
number of days, may be two weeks. The Jews surrendered on
the condition that they would be permitted to leave the
territory of Madina. Taking with them about 600 full
camel-loads, the Nadir put on arms and dressed themselves
in finer garments and left in procession as if
celebrating a festival.[19] Allah
said this event in the Qur’an: -It is
He Who got out the unbelievers among the people of the
Book from their homes at the first gathering (of their
farces). Little did ye think that they would get out; and
they thought that their fortresses would defend them from
Allah! But the (wrath of) came to them from quarters...[20] -That
is because they resisted Allah and His messenger; and if
anyone resists Allah, verily Allah is severe in
Punishment.[21]
Extirpation
of Bani-Qurayzah (March, 627AD.): It was
during the battle of Ahzab that the Qurayzah, the
last tribe of Jews that had an alliance with the Muslims,
turned to be perfidious. When the 'confederates' (namely
the Quraysh, the Nadir, the Ghatfan and the Bedouins)
were knocking at the doors of Madina, Huary bin Akhtab of
the banished Nadir, approached Kaab bin Asad, the chief
of the Qurayzah and won him and his men by his eloquence
and assurance that Islam was on its last leg. At first
Kaab rejected the invitation on the ground that he
“always found Muhammad true to his word; to be
perfidious to him will be against manliness.” But,
later Qurayzah informed the Muslims: “We do not know
who Muhammad is, and what the agreement was like.”
This attitude pointed to their decision to join the
confederates in the effort of undermines Islam.[22] It was
agreed that as soon as the confederates were able to
force a passage across the trench, The Jews would rise to
attack the Muslim quarters, so that the Muslims would be
between the confederates in front and the Jews in the
rear.[23] It was a
heinous crime for which they deserved severer punishment
than the one meted out to other Jews tribes. As soon as
the Quraysh and their allies raised the Siege and
departed home, the Prophet (peace be upon him) called
upon Muslims to march against the traitorous Jews. Their
stronghold was besieged for about 25 days. Reduced to
bitter straits, they offered to surrender on the same
conditions, as did the Nadir, which was rejected. At last
they were compelled to surrender unconditionally. Their
men were let out of the fort to one side, with their
hands tied behind their backs and were placed under a
guard commanded by Muhammad bin Maslama. The women and
children were separated from their men folk and placed
under another guard.[24] In
pre-Islamic days the Bani Qurayzah were the confederates
of the Aus tribe, just as an-Nadir were the allies of the
Khazraj. The Aus appealed to the Prophet to treat their
allies in the same lenient way as he had treated an-Nadir
on the appeal of Khazraj. "Are you content"-
asked the prophet, "that they be judged by one from
yourselves?" The Ausites readily accepted the
arrangement and Prophet (peace be upon him) nominated
Sa’d bin Muadh, one of the Aus Chiefs, as a judge.[25] Sa’ad
bin Muadh viewed the treachery in the hour of peril with
great abhorrence. The gravity of their offences, he
believed, called for an exemplary punishments, in absence
of what solemn agreements could in future command little
respect, and be treated as worthless scraps of paper by
any of the parties concerned. Hence he came to conclusion
that the punishments in no way milder than that
prescribed for the vanquished in their own scripture, the
Old Testament, was their own desert.[26]
This is what the Law of Moses lays down on the point: When you
draw near to a city fight against it, offer terms of
peace to it. And if its answer to you is peach and it
opens to you, then all the people who are found in it
shall do force labour for you and shall serve you. But if
makes no peach with you, but make war against you, then
you shall besiege it; and when the Lord, your God, gives
it into your hand, you shall put its males to the sword,
but the women and the little ones, the cattle and
everything else in the city, all its spoil, you shall
take as booty as yourselves; and you shall enjoy the
spoil of your enemies, which the Lord, your God has given
you...[27] According
to the judgement of Sa’d, about three hundreds of
Qurayzah, chiefly the fighters, were beheaded under the
arbitration award under the supervision of Ali and Zubayr
bin Awam while their children and women were sold to the
slave merchants.[28] The
Treatment seemed justifiable for the reason that the
Qurayza had recognised themselves and the Muslims as
“one people” in the covenant and then renewed
the agreement. But contrary to it, they deserted their
partners in the common cause in the hour of peril and
thereby exposed them to jeopardy. The Qurayzah had,
besides this, done many aggressive things, which forced
the Prophet to take drastic action against them.[29] Analysis
of the Judgement: The
verdict against the Jews tribes, especially the
extermination of the Qurayzah has evoked much criticism
from the European historians of Islam. For instance, Sir
William Mur has called it ‘a butchery’ and a
‘massacre’ while others have dubbed it was
savage and inhuman.[30] If we
observed or ponder over the annals of the history of the
Jews with an analytical view, obviously it will be clear
to us, as broad day light, that the punishments were in
no way unjust. Let's analyse few points here: 1.
Cause and Effect theory: “It
may be that your Lord may (yet) show mercy unto you; but
if ye revert (to your sins) We shall revert (to Our
punishments): and We have made Hell a prison for those
who reject (all Faith).[31]
The Holy
Qur’an thus sets forth the theory of cause and
effect, which has been at work throughout the history of
nations. If one nation were to continue in their sins,
God’s punishment would also continue to visit them.[32] So,
apparently the punishments to Jews came from God due to
this cause and effect theory. 2.
The Biblical Record of the Jewish
Defiance and Degeneration:
The above warning of the Qur’an points to yet
greater historical fact about the Jewish people. They had
repeatedly ignored acting upon the teachings of Moses,
rejected apostles and reformers and even killed and
attempted to kill some of them.[33]
They suffered from a superiority complex, but they never
adhere to the Lord’s commands whereby they could
really become great.[34] Here are
their own apostles who frequently denounced the
abominations of the legatees of Moses and forewarned them
about the consequences: (a)
The apostle David points to the recalcitrance and
iniquity of people of Israel: “Many
times He delivered them, but they were rebellious in
their purposes, and were brought low through their
iniquity.”[35] (b)
The apostle Isaiah was dismayed as he found himself
among the iniquitous, corrupt, haughty, and insubordinate
and insurgent children of Israel. He bemoaned:
“Ah, sinful nation,
A people laden with iniquity,
Of spring of evildoers,
They have forsaken the Lord,
They have disposed the Holy one of Israel,
They are utterly estranged.”[36]
3.
What Prophet (peace be upon him)
precisely wanted:
The prophet of Islam, wanted the Jews to do two things:
firstly, to live with the Muslims like trustworthy and
peace-loving brothers, and, secondly, (as it happened
later) to accept the citizenship of Islamic state through
not the faith of Muhammad (which primarily was
indistinguishable from what Moses had taught). The Jews
certainly undertook to fulfil the conditions. But they
did not take these pledges so seriously.[37] 4.
The invaluable record of
Prophet’s (peace be upon him) sayings:
Little do the crisis know about the essence of the
Qur’anic teachings, the precepts of Islam, and the
literary treasures repeat with imperishable sayings of
the Prophet with which they could rectify glaring
mistakes. Was it not Muhammad who repeatedly said: (a)
Observe scrupulously the protection accorded by me
to the Zimmis. (b)
Whoever oppresses non-Muslims (the Zimmis)
shall find me to be their advocate on the Day of
Resurrection (against the oppressing Muslims). (c)
One, who murdered a Zimmi, shall not smell
of paradise although its fragrance can be smelt from a
distance of forty years of journey. (d)
That person is not a perfect Muslims who eat his
fill, and leave his neighbour hungry. 5.
Perfidy that brought the
punishment:
Not only had the Jews rejected the similarities between
Islamic fundamentals and the principles of their original
faith, but they also tried to outmanoeuvre the Muslims
both in peach and war. They usually added to their
embarrassment when it was the question of their life and
death.[38] 6.
Punishment, not an innovation:
Some writers have sobbed over the “terrible”
nature of the sentence given by Sa’d bin Muath. The
Prophet (peace be upon him) had not until then received
any command from the Lord to handle the cases of general
perfidy. Moreover, the arbitrator himself was not unaware
of the instruction of the Torah. Accordingly, he
consulted the Jewish legal code in the giving of award.
Had the Jews trusted the Prophet himself, he might have
probably sent them into exile.[39]
7.
The Arab Prophet unacceptable to
the Jews:
The Judaic community did not consider a non-Israelite fit
for the divine office. It was an enigma to them that a
backward people or the “Gentiles” should
produce one as an apostle of God. [40]This
kind of thinking was due to their feeling of superiority
complex from which they had been suffering throughout the
history. 8.
Comparing kinds of treatment of the
vanquished:
In modern terms, the winners of the war trophies, never
pardoned the defeated nations as did Muhammad (peace be
upon him) in the sixth century. For instance, after the
termination of World War 1, the indemnity imposed on
Germany was unimaginable.[41]
In almost every law the punishments of infidelity to the
state is death penalty. The offence of the Jews in Madina
was more than that. Conclusion: For the
Holy Prophet the punishment of the Jews was not a
question of religion; it was readily a question of state,
a question of preserving the peach and order of Madina,
surrounded as it was by the powerful enemies, the Quraysh
of Makka, the tribes of the deserts of Arabia and the
Jews of Khayber. Moreover, he had to uphold his authority
within Madina, which had so long been challenged by the
Jews and hypocritical allies of Abdullah bin Obay. With
the extermination of the last Jewish clan, Madina was
purged of all disloyal elements; the hypocrites were
silenced and the republic of Madina was firmly unified
and pacified under the supreme authority of the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him). He could now devote his
attention to the problem of Arabia. Allah, in His Book,
discloses the characteristics of the Jews: “The
Jews or the Christians will never be satisfied with you,
O Muhammad, unless you follow their way. Tell them
plainly, the way is shown by Allah, and if after all this
knowledge you have received, you were to yield to their
desire, you shall find neither friends nor helper to
protect you from Allah’s wrath.”[42]
The Jews were NOT innocent
at all. The punishment they got was an inevitable outcome
of their horrendous and heinous crime. The crime was not
‘rejecting Islam’, but something more fatal,
homicidal, and severely atrocious. It’s very absurd
to claim that the prophet (peace be upon him) maltreated
them; rather, the prophet (peace be upon him) was
maltreated by the Jews in every step of his life in
Medina.
[1]Abul Faraj al-Isfahani, Kitab al-Aghani, Bulaq, 1285/1864-9, vol. Xix. P. 94. [2] Matiur Rahman Khan, The Meaning of al-Qur’anul Majid, Dhaka, 1992, vol. ix, p.6. [3] Mazhar ul Haq, A Short History of Islam, Lahore, 1992, p. 42. [4] Ibid., p. 82. [5] See, Ibn Hashim, vol. ii, pp. 147-150. [6] Mazhar ul Haq, op.cit. p.51. [7] Ibid., pp. 82-83. [8] Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal, The Arab Glory, the Arab Grief, London, 1981, p.166. [9] Ibid., 164. [10] Matiur Rahman Khan, op.cit., p.9. [11] R.B. Serjeant, Studies in Arabian History and Civilisation, London, 1981, cp. 6, pp. 2-3. [12] Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal, op.cit., p. 164. [13] Mazhar ul Haq, op.cit. p. 83. [14] Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal, op. cit. p. 166. [15] Mazhar ul Haq, op. cit., p. 84. [16] Ibid., p. 85. [17] Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal, op. cit., p. 167. [18] Ibid., p. 167. [19] Ibid. [20] Al-Qur’an, 59:2 [21] Ibid., 59: 4 [22] Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal, op. cit., p. 164. [23] Ibid., pp. 168-169. [24] Mazhar ul Haq, op. cit., p. 86. [25] Ibid., p. 87. [26] Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal, op. cit. p. 169 [27] The Old Testament, Deut., 20: 10-14. [28] Mazhar ul Haq, op. cit., p. 87 [29] Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal, op. cit., p. 170 [30] Mazhar ul haq, op. cit., p. 170. [31] Al-Qur’an, 17:8 [32] Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal, op. cit., p. 173. [33] In Bible there are numerous examples of their atrocious acts. See, 2 chronicles, 16:1-10; 24:20-21; 1 Kings, 19:1-10; 22:26-27; Mark, 6:27-29, Matt Hew, 23:37; Jeremiah, 15:10, 10:20-23; 20:1-18; and chapter 36 to 40. [34] Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal, op. cit., p. 174. [35] Psalm, 106. [36] Isaiah, ch. 1, For more information, see, Isaiah, ch. 30; Jeremiah 2, ch. 2, 5, 7 and so on. [37] Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal, op. cit., p. 177. [38] Ibid., p. 179. [39] Ibid., pp. 179-180. [40] Ibid., p. 181. [41] Ibid., p. 182. [42] Al-Quran, 2:120. |