30- BANU QURAIZA PUNISHED
Muslims were able to breathe again in peace. But they still had the Banu Quraiza to settle with. The Banu Quraiza had dishonoured their pact with the Muslims and this could not be passed over. The Prophetsa collected his exhausted force and told them that there was no rest for them yet. Before the sun went down, they must fall upon the Banu Quraiza in their fortifications. Then he sent ‘Alira to the Banu Quraiza to ask them why they had gone back on their solemn word. The Banu Quraiza showed no regret and no inclination to ask for forgiveness. Instead, they insulted ‘Alira and the other Muslim delegates and started hurling vile abuse at the Prophetsa and the women of his family. They said they did not care for Muhammadsa and had never had any kind of pact with him. When ‘Alira returned to report the reply of the Jews, he found the Prophetsa and the Companions advancing towards the Jewish fortifications. The Jews had been abusing the Prophetsa, his wives and daughters. Fearing lest this should pain the Prophetsa, ‘Alira suggested there was no need for the Prophetsa to take part as the Muslims themselves could deal with the Jews. The Prophetsa understood ‘Alira and said, “You want me not to hear their abuse, ‘Alira?”
“Exactly,” said ‘Alira.
“But why?” said the Prophetsa. “Mosesas was of their kith and kin. Yet they inflicted more suffering on him than they have on me.” The Prophetsa continued to advance. The Jews put up their defences and started fighting. Their women also joined them. Some Muslims were sitting at the foot of a wall. A Jewish woman, seeing this, dropped a stone on them, killing one named Khalladra. The siege went on for some days. At the end of this period, the Jews felt they would not be able to hold out for long. Then their chiefs sent word to the Prophetsa requesting him to send Abu Lubabara, an Ansari chief of the Aus, a tribe friendly to the Jews. They wanted to consult him about a possible settlement. The Prophetsa sent Abu Lubabara to the Jews, who asked him if they should lay down their arms and accept the award of the Prophetsa. Abu Lubabara said they should. But at the same time he passed a finger over his neck, making the sign of death. The Prophetsa had said nothing on this subject to anybody. But Abu Lubabara, fearing that the crime of the Jews merited nothing but death, unwittingly made this sign, which proved fateful for the Jews. The latter declined Abu Lubaba’sra advice and refused to accept the Prophet’ssa award. Had they accepted it, the utmost punishment they would have had was expulsion from Medina. But as ill-luck would have it, they refused to accept the Prophet’ssa award. Instead of the Prophet’ssa, they said, they would accept the award of Sa‘d bin Mu‘adhra, chief of their allies, the Aus. They would agree to any punishment proposed by him. A dispute also arose among the Jews. Some of them began to say that their people had really gone back on their agreement with the Muslims. The behaviour of the Muslims, on the other hand, showed that they were true and honest and that their religion also was true. Those who thought in this way joined Islam. ‘Amr bin Ma‘dira, one of the Jewish chiefs, reproved his people and said, “You have committed a breach of faith and gone back on your plighted word. The only course now open to you is either to join Islam or give jizya.”
They said, “We will neither join Islam nor give jizya, for dying is better than giving jizya.” ‘Amr replied that in that case he stood absolved, and saying this left the fort.
He was sighted by Muhammad bin Maslamara, commander of a Muslim column, who asked him who he was. On learning of his identity he told him to depart in peace and himself prayed loudly:
“God, give me ever the power to screen the mistakes of the decent.”
What he meant was that this Jew had shown remorse and regret over the conduct of his people. It was the moral duty of Muslims, therefore, to forgive men like him. In letting him go he had done a good thing, and he prayed that God should give him the chance to do such good deeds again and again. When the Prophetsa got to know of what Muhammad bin Maslamara had done, he did not reprove him for letting go this Jewish leader. Rather, he approved of what had been done.
The disposition to make peace and to accept the award of the Prophetsa had been expressed only by individual Jews. As a people, they remained adamant and refused to accept the award of the Prophetsa and asked, instead, for the award of Sa‘dra bin Mu‘adh (Bukhari, Tabari and Khamis). The Prophetsa accepted their demand and sent word to Sa‘dra, who was lying wounded, to come and give his award on the Jewish breach of faith. As soon as the Prophet’ssa decision was announced, the Ausites who had been allies of the Banu Quraiza for a long time ran to Sa‘dra and began to press him to give his award in favour of the Banu Quraiza. The Khazraj, they said, had always tried to save Jews allied to them. It was up to Sa‘dra to save the Jews allied to his tribe. Sa‘dra went mounted to the Banu Quraiza. Men of his tribe ran with him on both sides, pressing him not to punish the Banu Quraiza. All that Sa‘dra said in reply was that the person who had to make an award held a trust. He had to discharge the trust with integrity. “I will therefore give my award, taking everything into consideration, and without fear or favour,” he said. When Sa‘dra reached the Jewish fortress, he saw the Banu Quraiza lined up against the wall of the fort, waiting for him. On the other side were Muslims. When Sa‘dra got near them he asked, “Will you accept my award?” They said, “Yes.”
(Source: LIFE OF MUHAMMAD (pbuh))
BY HADRAT MIRZA BASHIRUDDIN MAHMUD AHMAD
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