Bismillah ir rahman ir raheem the jews of medina during the time of the Prophet by
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The Jewish Troublemaker Among the Jewish tribe of Kaynuka was an elderly man named Shas, Kay’s son known for his ability to stir up trouble. Before the advent of Islam and the Prophet's arrival in Medina, the tribes of Aws and Khazraj had, as we mentioned earlier, been continually at each other’s throat and consequently many conflicts were fought. Shas felt uneasy about the newly established bond between the tribes and wished to see an end to it. With this object in mind he devised a plan to break up this newly established peace. Before the Prophet’s migration to Yathrib there had been yet another conflict between the tribes of Aws and Khazraj. In an effort to reinforce their numbers, the tribe of Aws had sent a delegation to Mecca to enlist the support of the Koraysh. However, the Aws were unsuccessful as the Koraysh deemed it more prudent to remain neutral in the matter and not long after, the conflict at Bu'ath had ensued. Both tribes had written impassioned poetry in tribute of their warriors at Bu’ath expounding the merits and virtues of their tribe over the other. The Jew knew of a young man with a very fine, provocative voice who knew both these tribal poems and Shas bribed him to go and sit amongst the newly established friends and recite the poems to them. The result was exactly as the Shas planned, soon old passions were re-ignited, wounds reopened, memories revived, and a call to arms ensued. As the tribes of Aws and Khazraj made their way to the lava mounds outside Quba to fight the matter out, news of the impending breach in the peace reached the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). Together with the Muhajirin they made haste to the lava mounds; the conflict was about to erupt when the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) reached them and called to them passionately saying, "O Muslims!" He continued, "Allah, Allah -- would you do as you did in the Days of Ignorance even though I am with you? Allah has guided you to Islam, and honored you with it and rid you of your pagan ways saving you from disbelief, and has united your hearts!" Immediately, the two sides realized they had been easy victims of pride, so they laid down their arms and the Jew's scheme came to naught. Chapter 4 The Rabbis who became Muslims The Chief Rabbi of the Tribe of Kaynuka Ben Shalom was the Chief Rabbi of the tribe of Kaynuka and also the most knowledgeable Jew in Medina. From the reports that reached Medina, he had been able to recognize that Muhammad was indeed the long awaited prophet. However, he decided to conceal his conviction until he had a chance to meet him. The time of year had come when the palm trees needed tending in his aunt's garden so he climbed to the top of one of them and set about his work. As he busied himself, a man from the children of Amr, the son of Auf, came bearing the news that the man the Arabs called the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had reached Quba and was staying there. Much to the surprise of his aunt Khalida, who was sitting below the tree, Ben Shalom was so excited that he exclaimed, "Allah is Great!" and climbed down the tree. His aunt was surprised by his exuberant outburst and said, "Indeed, you could not have made so much fuss if you had heard that Moses, the son of Imran had come!" Ben Shalom replied, "My aunt, he is the brother of Moses and upholds his religion, he has been sent with the same mission!" His aunt inquired if he really thought that this man could be the long expected Prophet, whereupon he told her that he had absolutely no doubt whatsoever that he was, for all the signs had been fulfilled in him. Without further hesitation, Ben Shalom went to Quba to meet the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and embraced Islam taking the name Abdullah -- worshiper of Allah. Upon his return to Medina, he spoke to his family and encouraged them to embrace Islam. However, he concealed his conversion from his fellow Jews for a while longer, as he anticipated an adverse reaction. Abdullah had always been an exemplary figure to his community and knew both their strengths and weaknesses. He had, on many occasions, spoken of the prophecy and told his congregation that his time was near at hand. However, he knew it would be hard for all but the humble to accept the fact that the prophethood had been taken away from the Jews, but hoped that through his example they would trust him and accept Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). He also recognized the fact that once his conversion became known he would most likely be denounced by his former colleagues, who as a result, would no longer utter a good word about him. So, in the weeks that followed after the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) reached Medina, he visited him and requested him to call the other rabbis and leaders of his tribe together and ask them for their opinion of him, not as a matter of self-esteem but as a matter of exposition. The invitations were delivered and the rabbis and tribal leaders accepted. When the time arrived, Abdullah Ben Shalom concealed himself in the Prophet's house to await their arrival. Upon their arrival, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) welcomed them in his usual hospitable, customary way and gave them food and drink, then during the course of the conversation, he asked their opinion of Ben Shalom. Without hesitation they spoke highly of him telling the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) that he was their chief rabbi, in fact he was the son of their former chief rabbi and without a doubt the most knowledgeable among them. Upon hearing their witnessing, Abdullah Ben Shalom stepped forward and said, "O Jews, fear Allah and accept what He has sent you, indeed you know that this man is the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam)." Then, before his peers, he declared his acceptance of Islam. Immediately, the rabbis and leaders no longer had a good word to say about him, rather they began to rebuke and spurn him, which was a complete reversal of their attestation just a few moments before. Later Abdullah was heard to say, "I recognized him as soon as I saw him, in the same way that I know my son, rather my knowledge of him is even greater." Allah endorses the fact that the rabbis were able to recognize Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) from his description in their Holy Books by saying: "Those to whom We have given the Book, know him (Prophet Muhammad) as they know their own sons. But a party of them conceal the truth while they know." Koran 2:146 Rabbi Zayd, son of Sa’nah Zayd, the son of Sa’nah was also a knowledgeable Jew who awaited the coming of the last prophet. Zayd had studied the Scriptures well that detailed the time of the next prophet's appearance together with his characteristics. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) arrived in Medina he was able to recognize all but two of the prophesied characteristic in the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and up until that moment remained unsure as to his prophethood. The signs were that his gentleness would overcome his anger and that the more foolish a person acted towards him, the more patient he would become. One day when he was with the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) a Bedouin came to him in a distressed state telling him that his tribe had embraced Islam and that he had told them that if they became Muslims they would never again go hungry. Now that drought had stricken his land and food was in very short supply he told the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) he feared they would leave Islam on account of his promise and so he had come to ask him for his help. Rather than rebuking the man for giving such an unprecedented promise, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) turned to a Companion to see what might be given to the Bedouin, and the Companion told him there was very little food to give. Zayd had been listening closely to the conversation and told the Prophet that he knew of a date palm grove from which he could purchase unripe dates that could be harvested when ripe and that the Prophet could pay for it later and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) agreed. In the meantime the Prophet gave the Bedouin something to buy food for his tribe to tide them over until the date harvest, with the instruction to deal with it fairly. Some time later, after the dates had been harvested and given to the Bedouin, Zayd went to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). The Prophet had just returned from the funeral of one of his Companions and was sitting near a well when Zayd went up to him, tugged at the hem of his robe and chided him for not having repaid his debt and accused all the children of Abdul Muttalib as being poor payers. Omar happened to be present and jumped to the Prophet's defense saying, "O enemy of Allah, what are you mumbling. I swear by Allah, that if I did not fear, I would have your head severed!" The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) looked up and smiled at Omar and told him, "Omar, this person and I are in need of something else. He should have told me to take care that I fulfill his rights, and should have advised in a better manner when presenting his claim. Go, take him and fulfill his rights, and because he was scolded give him, in compensation, twenty extra measurements of dates as his right. Omar and Zayd went together and as Zayd received his rights he asked, "Why have you given an excess amount of dates?" Omar replied, "The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) has commanded me to give it to you." Then Zayd asked Omar if he knew who he was and Omar replied that he did not, so he replied: "I am Zayd, the son of Sanah" whereupon Omar inquired, "The learned man of the Jews?" whereupon Zayd told him he was the very same. Then Omar asked him what had caused him to behave in such a bad manner towards the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). He replied, "There were two signs from the signs of the prophethood were left which I was not able to examine. The first was the gentleness of the Prophet which overrides his anger. The second was that the more foolishly a person acts towards him the more tolerant he becomes. Now I have examined both, therefore I make you a witness to my acceptance of Islam and give half my wealth to the nation of Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). Omar and Zayd returned to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and Zayd embraced Islam. Later on Zayd was to become a martyr. Chapter 5 The Changing of the Direction of Prayer The Reaction of the Jews and the Pagans In Medina there were now three communities: Muslims, People of the Book and unbelievers. The Jews and a handful of Nazarenes (followers of Prophet Jesus) and Christians (followers of Paul), or as the Koran refers to them 'People of the Book', offered their prayers in the common direction of Jerusalem. The unbelievers on the other hand would turn themselves toward their many idols housed within the confines of Ka’bah in Mecca. It was now Sha’ban 2H (February 624 CE) and until that time Prophet Muhammad had offered his prayers in the direction of Jerusalem rather than the direction of Ka’bah. However, his heart was far from being settled about the matter. Instinctively, he wished to offer his prayer facing the direction of Ka’bah, the House his ancestors, Prophets Abraham and Ishmael established so many centuries before, but the fact that there were so many idols in and around it prevented him from doing so. The matter weighed heavily upon his heart then Allah directed him to offer his prayer in the direction of the Ka’bah in the following verses that were sent down at the time of the Asr afternoon prayer. "We have seen you turning your face towards the heaven. We shall surely turn you to a direction that shall satisfy you. So turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque (built by Abraham); wherever you are, turn your faces to it. Those to whom the Book was given know this to be the truth from their Lord. Allah is not inattentive of what they do. But even if you brought those to whom the Book had been given every proof, they would not accept your direction, nor would you accept theirs; nor would any of them accept the direction of the other. If after all the knowledge you have been given you yield to their desires, then you will surely be among the harmdoers." Koran 2:144-145 and "The truth comes from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters. And for everyone is a direction for which he turns. So race in goodness. And wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together. He has power over all things. From wherever you emerge, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque. This is surely the truth from your Lord. Allah is never inattentive of what you do. From wherever you emerge, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque, and wherever you are, face towards it, so that the people will have no argument against you, except the harm-doers among them. Do not fear of them, fear Me, so that I will perfect My Favor to you and that you will be guided." Koran 2:147-150 As the Companions who had offered their prayer behind the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi was sallam) were leaving the Mosque they passed by some of their fellow Muslims who were bowing facing the direction of Jerusalem. A Companion addressed them saying, "By Allah, I bear witness that I have just offered the prayer with the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi was sallam) facing the direction of Mecca." Upon hearing that, they changed their direction to face the Ka’bah and from that time onward the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and his followers offered their prayers facing the direction of the Ka’bah in Mecca. The Jews had always directed their prayers towards Jerusalem. They prided themselves that the Nazarenes and Christians, and up until now, the Muslims had done the same, thereby acknowledging their importance through its religious significance. Jerusalem had been the city where many of their major prophets had preached including Moses and Jesus, and also the burial place of Prophet Abraham, whom they had honored by calling him “The Father of all the Prophets”. When Allah changed the direction of prayer to Ka’bah, very few Jews were prepared to recognize or admit to its significance. Allah had made it clear for a second time that He had stripped away the religious authority from the Jews. The majority of Jews were very displeased, as they perceived it to be an outright rejection of their social status by Prophet Muhammad and this brought about an even deeper resentment. The Muslims had not in fact rejected Jerusalem’s religious significance at all, but the Ka’bah, the House which Abraham had built, the first House of Allah on earth, had been the direction chosen by Allah for Muslims to face during prayer and not on account of human action. "… We did not change the direction that you were facing except that We might know who followed the Messenger from him who turned on both his heels. Though it was a hardship except for those whom Allah has guided. Allah is Gentle with people, the Most Merciful." Koran 2:143 Without a doubt, Islam acknowledges the significance of Jerusalem as a very Holy site and the changing of the direction of prayer was by no means to demean Jerusalem. But to the Jews, Jerusalem was not just a Holy place it had become an important status symbol which served to enhance their racial prestige. Soon after, the Jews dormant resentment of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and the Message given to him by Allah began to surface more forcefully because it was their contention that they alone were the indisputable chosen people of Allah and that if they happened to err Allah would punish them but a little. ‘‘For they (the Jews) say, 'The Fire will not touch us except for a certain number of days.' And the lies they forged have deluded them in their religion.” Koran 3:24 False accusations that Prophet Muhammad pursued a policy of opposition against them were common, for many of the verses in the recently revealed sections of the Cow chapter exposed the concealed corruption of their ancestors and revealed their present day hidden contempt. Their pride prevented them from acknowledging that some of their ancestors had clearly wronged themselves and that like them they also followed parts of the Torah, which were acceptable to themselves whilst neglecting or rejecting other parts. The Jews chose to ignore the very important fact that Allah had blessed previous generations of Jews with a succession of prophets, as one prophet died another had taken his place shortly afterwards so they had never been without a prophet to guide them, but now there had been a void of over 600 years. The last two prophets Allah sent to the Jews were John (Yahya) and Jesus both of whom they rejected. The Jews had been participants in the beheading of Prophet John (Yahya) and when Jesus started his preaching which called them back to the true teachings of Prophet Moses they disliked it. When Jesus perceived their rejection of the Message he brought he warned them that if they did not reform the covenant Allah had once given them would be taken away. But they did not listen and fabricated lies about him then plotted to have him killed. The result of this contemptuous onslaught of rejection was that no prophet had been sent to the Jews again since the time of Prophet Jesus until the advent of the Prophet of Arabia, Prophet Muhammad who was to be their last chance because he was sent not just for one specific race but also for all races of the world. “Whoever is an enemy of Allah, His Angels, His Messengers, Gabriel, and Michael indeed Allah is the enemy of the unbelievers.' We have sent down to you clear verses, none will disbelieve them except the evildoers. Why, whenever they make a promise do some of them cast it aside! Most of them do not believe. And now that a Messenger has come to them from Allah confirming what was with them, some of those to whom the Book was given reject the Book of Allah behind their backs, as though they knew nothing and follow what the devils recited over the Kingdom of Solomon. Solomon did not disbelieve, it is the devils who disbelieved, teaching people magic…” Koran 2:98-102 The Mosque in which the verses were sent down was known from then onward as "The Mosque of the Two Qiblahs" - Qiblah meaning direction of prayer. Chapter 6 An Undetectable Source of Treachery The Predicament One might have supposed that the Prophet's circumstances in Medina were easier than in Mecca, and in many respects that was indeed the case. However, in Mecca it had been easy to determine who had given themselves to Islam and who had not. In Medina the situation was somewhat different. Weeks passed and many of its citizens had embraced Islam however; several had done so because they feared the loss of their status within their tribe as more of their fellow tribesmen started to embrace Islam. These people posed an undetectable source of treachery which was a factor the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had not had to contend with in Mecca. Shortly after the Prophet's arrival in Medina, the Koraysh sent a letter to Abdullah, Ubbay's son, who was a newly elected chieftain and among those who had accepted Islam as a matter of politics and not out of conviction. The letter read: "You have sheltered one of our men. We tell you either to kill him or throw him out of Medina. If you do not, we swear by Allah we will attack, destroy you, and seize your women." When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) learned of the Koraysh letter, he went to Abdullah and asked if he intended to fight against his own kinsmen for many of them had embraced Islam and were now his supporters. Abdullah weighed the implications and decided it would be more prudent to ignore the letter. The Koraysh had not only persecuted Muslims for their belief and robbed them of most of their possessions before and after their migration, but now the threat of war loomed large on the horizon. It was obvious the Koraysh had no intention of letting Islam and its followers live in peace; their intent was annihilation. The first physical act of aggression by the Koraysh against the Muslims of Medina was perpetrated by Kerz, Jabir's son. Kerz, together with a marauding party set off from Mecca with the intent of looting whatever property belonging to Muslims they could lay their hands on. Just outside Medina they came across and seized Sa'ad, Khaula's son and Utbah, Ghazwan's son and took them back to Mecca as prisoners together with a flock of sheep and a herd of camels. This was soon followed by several similar incidents. Permission to Fight for Defense or Revenge Under the patient guidance of the Prophet, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, the Muslims had never taken a physically aggressive stand against their adversaries, for permission to do so had not been received from Allah. Even when they had been subjected to outrageous provocation, they restrained themselves by reciting the Words of Allah to state their case. One must not suppose them to have been faint hearted in such matters, rather they controlled themselves and obeyed the Prophet, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam. They remembered the mercy of Allah to mankind in the Revelation of the verse: "Whosoever obeys the Messenger, Indeed he has obeyed Allah" 4:80. It was during these times of hostilities that Allah sent down the following verse: "Permission is given to those who fight because they were wronged. Allah has power to grant them victory: those who have been unjustly driven from their homes, just because they said, 'Our Lord is Allah ....'" 22:39-40 But Allah also warned: “Fight in the way of Allah those who fight against you, but do not aggress. Allah does not love the aggressors.” 2:190 It was not the Prophet, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, who instigated the state of war, persecuted, or pillaged, on the contrary, it was the Koraysh who were the open aggressors. Now, permission had come to the Muslims to assert themselves, stand up for their rights, and take back that which had been stolen from them. Time necessitated that the Muslims should demonstrate that they were not a weak entity to be taken advantage or exterminated and now that Allah had given them permission to fight those who fought against them they prepared themselves to demonstrate their determination. With the possible threat of war on the horizon and the command to fight because of the wrongs afforded to them, the Prophet, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, sent observation parties of migrants to monitor caravans. From time to time they received news from their allies of caravan movements. However, more likely than not, by the time the news reached them, the Koraysh caravans had moved on and were nowhere to be found. Nevertheless, the time was not wasted as successful treaties were negotiated with several Bedouin tribes along the coast of the Red Sea. News reached Medina that a richly laden Koraysh caravan under the leadership of Abu Sufyan was on its return journey and not far from Medina. To right the wrong afforded to the Muslims the Prophet decided to attack the caravan to retrieve some of their wealth. |