Jews
It is believed that Muslims hate Jews and banished two innocent Jewish tribes. However, history describes what truly happened on both sides. Who was innocent and who was not!
Jewish tribes:
In Safar of 4 A.H., Abu Bara' of Banu Kalb approached the Prophet to lend the services of his companions to preach to his tribe and to instruct them in the way of Islam. Seventy pious disciples were sent with him but, with the exception of one person, namely Abr ibn Umayyah, the entire party was put to death when it reached Bi'r Ma'unah.
Same thing was done by the tribes of Adh'al and Quarah. the envoys instigated Banu Lahyan to kill seven of the disciples and to capture the rest. The captives were sold at Mecca and those who purchased them put them to death.
The Jewish tribes would distort the words and verses of the Qur'an and mock and jeer at the Muslims. Some Jews would accept Islam one day and renounce it the next in order to show that there was nothing (important) in Islam. They conspired with the munafiqun and sent emissaries to the enemies of Islam. Ka'ab ibn Ashraf, a Jewish chieftain of Banu Nadhir, was a poet of considerable fame. He openly recited a number of poems derogatory to the Prophet. As poetry had a high place in the life of the Arabs and could deepen influence and sway feelings. The Banu Qinaqa', the most powerful Jewish tribe, were the first to resile from the alliance with the Muslims. Says Ibn Sa'd, "The Jews attempted sedition during the battle of Badr and were envious of the Muslims, retracting from their pact with them." An incident in 2 A.H. led to a flare-up. A veiled Muslim lady had gone to the shop of a Jew. She was pestered and her clothes thrown up. The Prophet remonstrated with them but they defiantly replied that they were not (as weak as) Quraish (who were defeated in Badr) and would show him what battle was. Within the security of their fortress, they started making preparations for war. The Muslims besieged the fortress for fifteen days and the Jews had to sue for peace, promising that they would accept the Prophet's decision. The Prophet banished them, allowing them to take all their movable possessions to Syria.
It was not one incident but a series of events that had brought on the final clash.
The banishment of the Banu Qinaqa' enraged its sister tribe, the Banu Nadhir. they plotted to kill the Prophet. They sent one man to climb the wall from inside the fortress and to kill the Holy Prophet by throwing a big boulder on his head. However they didn’t succeed. Prophet sent Banu Nadhir an ultimatum with Muhammad ibn Maslamah that, since they had broken their treaty, they should leave Medina in ten days. Their fortress was besieged. After 15 days, they agreed to leave Medina. They were allowed to take away-`all their movables, which they could take except weapons of war.
According to the terms of the treaty which the Banu Quraizah had contracted with the Muslims, they were bound to assist the Muslims against outside aggression. But, not to speak of assisting the Muslims or even remaining neutral, they had sided with the Meccans and joined the besieging foe. What was worse, they had tried to -attack the fortress where Muslim women and children had been lodged for safety. Living in such a close proximity to Medina, they had become a serious menace. the Muslims surrounded the Banu Quraizah's fortress. Sa'd ibn Ma'adh said that the fighting men should be killed and their women and children made captive. The sentence was carried out.
Many critics had described this punishment as harsh. But what other punishment could be meted out to them? They had violated the pact and, instead of helping the Muslims, they joined the forces of their enemies and had actually besieged the Muslims. There were no prisons where prisoners of war could be detained nor any concentration camps where they could be put to forced labor, and the capture of women and children, though appaling to the notions of the present age, was probably the only method known in those days to provide sustenance to them when the earning members of their families had lost their lives. At any rate, this was the customary aftermath of a war.
Muslims do not, personally, hate Jews. The banishment of Judaic tribes was because of their treacherous and violent actions. Even now, Muslims might dislike Israel for killing Palestinians, but they won't feel any hatred towards an innocent Jew.
Jewish tribes:
In Safar of 4 A.H., Abu Bara' of Banu Kalb approached the Prophet to lend the services of his companions to preach to his tribe and to instruct them in the way of Islam. Seventy pious disciples were sent with him but, with the exception of one person, namely Abr ibn Umayyah, the entire party was put to death when it reached Bi'r Ma'unah.
Same thing was done by the tribes of Adh'al and Quarah. the envoys instigated Banu Lahyan to kill seven of the disciples and to capture the rest. The captives were sold at Mecca and those who purchased them put them to death.
The Jewish tribes would distort the words and verses of the Qur'an and mock and jeer at the Muslims. Some Jews would accept Islam one day and renounce it the next in order to show that there was nothing (important) in Islam. They conspired with the munafiqun and sent emissaries to the enemies of Islam. Ka'ab ibn Ashraf, a Jewish chieftain of Banu Nadhir, was a poet of considerable fame. He openly recited a number of poems derogatory to the Prophet. As poetry had a high place in the life of the Arabs and could deepen influence and sway feelings. The Banu Qinaqa', the most powerful Jewish tribe, were the first to resile from the alliance with the Muslims. Says Ibn Sa'd, "The Jews attempted sedition during the battle of Badr and were envious of the Muslims, retracting from their pact with them." An incident in 2 A.H. led to a flare-up. A veiled Muslim lady had gone to the shop of a Jew. She was pestered and her clothes thrown up. The Prophet remonstrated with them but they defiantly replied that they were not (as weak as) Quraish (who were defeated in Badr) and would show him what battle was. Within the security of their fortress, they started making preparations for war. The Muslims besieged the fortress for fifteen days and the Jews had to sue for peace, promising that they would accept the Prophet's decision. The Prophet banished them, allowing them to take all their movable possessions to Syria.
It was not one incident but a series of events that had brought on the final clash.
The banishment of the Banu Qinaqa' enraged its sister tribe, the Banu Nadhir. they plotted to kill the Prophet. They sent one man to climb the wall from inside the fortress and to kill the Holy Prophet by throwing a big boulder on his head. However they didn’t succeed. Prophet sent Banu Nadhir an ultimatum with Muhammad ibn Maslamah that, since they had broken their treaty, they should leave Medina in ten days. Their fortress was besieged. After 15 days, they agreed to leave Medina. They were allowed to take away-`all their movables, which they could take except weapons of war.
According to the terms of the treaty which the Banu Quraizah had contracted with the Muslims, they were bound to assist the Muslims against outside aggression. But, not to speak of assisting the Muslims or even remaining neutral, they had sided with the Meccans and joined the besieging foe. What was worse, they had tried to -attack the fortress where Muslim women and children had been lodged for safety. Living in such a close proximity to Medina, they had become a serious menace. the Muslims surrounded the Banu Quraizah's fortress. Sa'd ibn Ma'adh said that the fighting men should be killed and their women and children made captive. The sentence was carried out.
Many critics had described this punishment as harsh. But what other punishment could be meted out to them? They had violated the pact and, instead of helping the Muslims, they joined the forces of their enemies and had actually besieged the Muslims. There were no prisons where prisoners of war could be detained nor any concentration camps where they could be put to forced labor, and the capture of women and children, though appaling to the notions of the present age, was probably the only method known in those days to provide sustenance to them when the earning members of their families had lost their lives. At any rate, this was the customary aftermath of a war.
Muslims do not, personally, hate Jews. The banishment of Judaic tribes was because of their treacherous and violent actions. Even now, Muslims might dislike Israel for killing Palestinians, but they won't feel any hatred towards an innocent Jew.
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