Source: Ibn Kathir
(And had it not been that Allah had decreed exile for them, He would certainly have punished them in this world;) meaning, if it was not for the fact that Allah had already decreed that they would evacuate Al-Madinah, leaving behind their homes and wealth, He would have sent another type of punishment upon them, such as being killed and captured. This was said by Az-Zuhri. `Urwah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said that Allah decreed that the Jews would be punished in the life of this world and face the torment of the fire of Hell He prepared for them in the Hereafter.
Allah said,
(and in the Hereafter theirs shall be the torment of the Fire.) meaning, it is a matter ordained that they will surely face,
(That is because they opposed Allah and His Messenger.) means, Allah prepared this specific punishment and sent His Messenger and his Companions against them, because they defied Allah and His Messenger and denied the good news that Allah sent forth in the Books of previous Messengers regarding the coming of Muhammad. The Jews knew these facts about Muhammad just as they knew their own children.
Allah said,
(And whosoever opposes Allah, then verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.)
| The Prophet Cut down the Date Trees of the Jews by the Leave of Allah |
Allah said,
(What you cut down of the Linah, or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of Allah, and in order that He might disgrace the rebellious.) Linah is an especially good type of date tree.
Abu `Ubaydah said that Linah is a different kind of dates than `Ajwah and Barni.
Several others said that Linah refers to every type of date fruits, except for the `Ajwah (ripen dates), while Ibn Jarir said that it refers to all kinds of date trees. Ibn Jarir quoted Mujahid saying that it also includes the Buwayrah type. When the Messenger of Allah laid siege to Bani An-Nadir, to humiliate them and bring fear and terror to their hearts, he ordered their date trees to be cut down. Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Yazid bin Ruman, Qatadah and Muqatil bin Hayyan said, "Bani An-Nadir sent a message to the Messenger, saying that he used to outlaw mischief in the earth, so why did he order that their trees be cut down Allah sent down this honorable Ayah stating that whatever Linah was felled or left intact by the Muslims, has been done by His permission, will, leave and pleasure to humiliate and disgrace the enemy and degrade them.'' Mujahid said, "Some of the emigrants discouraged others from chopping down the date trees of Jews, saying that they were war spoils for Muslims. The Qur'an approved of the actions of those who discouraged and those who approved of cutting these trees, stating that those who cut them or did not, did so only by Allah's leave.''
There is also a Hadith narrated from the Prophet with this meaning. An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement,
(What you cut down of the Linah, or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of Allah, and in order that He might disgrace the rebellious.) "They forced them to come down from their forts and were ordered to cut their trees cut down. So the Muslims hesitated, and some of them said, `We cut down some and left some. We must ask Allah's Messenger if we will earn a reward for what we cut and if we will be burdened for what we left intact.'
Allah sent down this Ayah,
(What you cut down of the Linah, or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of Allah).'' Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah ordered that the date trees of Bani An-Nadir be cut down and burned. The Two Sahihs collected a similar narration. Al-Bukhari recorded that `Abdullah bin `Umar said,"Bani An-Nadir and Bani Qurayzah fought (against the Prophet ), and the Prophet exiled Bani An-Nadir and allowed Bani Qurayzah to remain in their area until later, when the Prophet fought against Qurayzah. Their men were executed and their women, children and wealth were confiscated and divided among Muslims. Some of them, however, were saved because they returned to the Prophet's side, who granted them asylum, and they embraced Islam. All of the Jews of Al-Madinah, Bani Qaynuqa`, the tribe of `Abdullah bin Salam, Bani Harithah and the rest of the Jewish tribes in Al-Madinah were exiled.'' The Two Sahihs also recorded from Ibn `Umar that the Messenger of Allah burned down the date trees of Bani An-Nadir and had them cut down the date palms of Al-Buwayrah.
Allah the Exalted and Most Honored revealed this Ayah,
(What you cut down of the Linah, or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of Allah, and in order that He might disgrace the rebellious.)'' Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that the battle of Bani An-Nadir occurred after the battles of Uhud and Bi'r Ma`unah.
| The Fai' and how it is spent |
Allah the Exalted explains the regulations for Fai', the booty that the Muslims acquire from the disbelievers, without fighting them or using cavalry and camelry in war against them. For instance, the booty collected from Bani An-Nadir was not acquired because of fighting them using horses and camels. The Muslims did not fight Bani An-Nadir in battle, but Allah forced them out of their forts on account of the fear that He placed in their hearts for Allah's Messenger. Therefore, it was Fai' that Allah awarded His Messenger, with his discretion to spend it however he sees fit. Indeed, the Prophet spent the Fai' on righteous causes and for the benefit of Muslims in the areas that Allah mentioned in this Ayat,
(And what Allah gave as booty (Fai') to His Messenger from them) meaning, from Bani An-Nadir,
(for this you made no expedition with either cavalry or camelry.) referring to using camels,
(But Allah gives power to His Messengers over whomsoever He wills. And Allah is Able to do all things.) mean, Allah is powerful and cannot be resisted or opposed; He is the Compeller over all things.
Allah the Exalted said,
(What Allah gave as booty (Fai') to His Messenger from the people of the townships) meaning, from all the villages and areas that are conquered in this manner; the booty collected from them falls under the same ruling as the booty acquired from Bani An-Nadir.
This is why Allah the Exalted said,
(it is for Allah, His Messenger, the kindred, the orphans, the poor, and the wayfarer,) until its end and the following Ayah. mentioning the ways the Fai' should be spent.
Imam Ahmad recorded that `Umar said, "The wealth of Bani An-Nadir was of the Fai' type that Allah awarded His Messenger and for which the Muslims did not have to use cavalry or camelry. Therefore, it was for the Messenger of Allah, and he used it for the needs of his family for a year at a time, and the rest was used to buy armors and weapons used in the cause of Allah the Exalted and Most Honored.'' Ahmad collected the short form of this story. The Group, with the exception of Ibn Majah, collected this Hadith.
Abu Dawud recorded that Malik bin `Aws said,"While I was at home, the sun rose high and it got hot. Suddenly the messenger of `Umar bin Al-Khattab came to me and I went along with him and entered the place where `Umar was sitting on a bedstead made of date-palm leaves and without a mattress. He said when I went in, `O Malik! Some of your people's families came to me due to their famine, and I have ordered that relief aid should be given to them, so take it and distribute it among them.' I said, `I wish that you ordered someone else to do it.' He said, `Take it.' Then Yarfa (the servant of `Umar) came saying, `O Commander of the faithful! May I admit `Uthman bin `Affan, `Abdur-Rahman bin `Awf, Az-Zubayr bin Al-`Awwam and Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas' `Umar said, `Yes,' and they came in. After a while, Yarfa came again and said, `O Commander of the faithful! May I admit Al-`Abbas and `Ali' `Umar said, `Yes.' So, they were admitted and Al-`Abbas said, `O Chief of the believers! Judge between me and this one (i.e., `Ali).' The group (being `Uthman and his companions) said, `O Chief of the believers! Judge between them and relieve both of them from each other.' I (Malik bin Aws) thought that they asked the four men to come in before them for this purpose. `Umar said, `Be patient!' He then asked the group (`Uthman and his companions), `I ask you by Allah by Whose permission the heaven and the earth exist, do you know that Allah's Messenger said,
(Our (the Prophet's) property will not be inherited. Whatever we leave, is charity)' The group said, `He said so.' `Umar then turned to `Ali and Al-`Abbas and said, `I beseech you by Allah by Whose permission the heaven and the earth exist, do you know both that Allah's Messenger said,
(Our (the Prophets`) property will not be inherited. Whatever we leave, is charity)' They replied, `He said so.' `Umar then said, `Allah bestowed on His Messenger a special favor unlike what he gave all other people.
Allah the Exalted said,
(And what Allah gave as booty (Fai') to His Messenger from them -- for this you made no expedition with either cavalry or camelry. But Allah gives power to His Messengers over whomsoever He wills. And Allah is Able to do all things.) Therefore, this property, the booty collected from Bani An-Nadir, was especially given to Allah's Messenger. However, by Allah, neither did he take possession of it and leave you, nor did he favor himself with it to your exclusion.
(in order that it may not become a fortune used by the rich among you.) means, `We made the expenditures for the Fai' like this so that the wealth does not remain among the wealthy, who would spend it as they wish and desire and give none of it to the poor.'
| Ordering Obedience of the Messenger in All Commands and Prohibitions |
Allah the Exalted said,
(And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).) meaning, `whatever the Messenger commands you, then do it and whatever he forbids you, then avoid it. Surely, He only commands righteousness and forbids evil.' Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "Allah curses women who practice tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed, and the women who remove the hair from their eyebrows and faces and those who make artificial spaces between their teeth in order to look more beautiful, whereby changing Allah's creation.'' His statement reached a woman from Bani Asad called, Umm Ya`qub, who came to `Abdullah and said, "I have come to know that you have cursed such and such'' He replied, "Why should I not curse those whom Allah's Messenger has cursed and who are cursed in Allah's Book!'' Umm Ya`qub said, "I have read the whole Qur'an, but did not find in it what you say.'' He said, "Verily if you have read the Qur'an, you have found it. Didn't you read, (And whatsoever the Messenger gives you take it and whatsoever he forbids you, you abstain (from it).)'' She replied, "Yes, I did.'' He said, "Verily, Allah's Messenger forbade such things. '' "She said, "But I think that your wife does these things'' He said, "Go and look at her.'' She went and watched her, but could not see anything in support of her claim. She went back to `Abdullah bin Mas`ud and said that she did not notice anything on his wife. On that, he said, "If my wife was as you thought, I would not keep her with me.'' The Two Sahihs recorded this from the Hadith of Sufyan Ath-Thawri. As well as a Hadith of Abu Hurayrah, who said that the Messenger of Allah said,
(When I order you to do something, then do as much as you can about it. If I forbid something for you, then shun it.)
Allah's statement,
(Have Taqwa of Allah; verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.) means, fear Allah by obeying His orders and refraining from His prohibitions. Surely, Allah is severe in punishment for those who defy Him and reject and disobey His commands as well as, those who commit what He forbids and prohibits.
| Those Who deserve the Fai'; and the Virtues of the Muhajirin and Al-Ansar |
Allah states the categories of needy people who also deserve a part of the Fai',
(who were expelled from their homes and their property, seeking Bounties from Allah and (His) good pleasure,) meaning, departed their homes and defied their people, seeking the acceptance of Allah and His favor,
(and helping Allah and His Messenger. Such are indeed truthful.) meaning, `they are those who were truthful in statement and deed, and they are the chiefs of the Muhajirin.' Allah the Exalted praised the Ansar next and emphasized their virtue, status, and honor, preferring to give to others over themselves, even though they were in need, and not feeling enviousness.
(And (it is also for) those who, before them, had homes and had adopted the faith,) referring to those who resided in the city to which the migration occurred, before the emigrants arrived at it, and who embraced the faith before many of the emigrants.
Allah said,
(love those who emigrate to them,) indicates that they, on account of their generosity and honorable conduct, loved those who emigrated to them and comforted them with their wealth. Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said, "The Muhajirin said, `O Allah's Messenger! We have never met people like those whom we emigrated to; comforting us in times of scarcity and giving us with a good heart in times of abundance. They have sufficed for us and shared their wealth with us so much so, that we feared that they might earn the whole reward instead of us.' He said, (No they won't, as long you thanked them for what they did and invoked Allah for them.)''
Allah said,
(and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given,) meaning, the Ansar did not have any envy for the Muhajirin because of the better status, rank, or more exalted grade that Allah gave the Muhajirin above them.
Allah's statement,
(that which they have been given,) refers to what the Muhajirin were favored with, according to Qatadah and Ibn Zayd.
Allah said,
(and give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that.) meaning, they preferred giving to the needy rather than attending to their own needs and began by giving the people before their own selves, even though they too were in need.
An authentic Hadith stated that the Messenger of Allah said, (The best charity is that given when one is in need and struggling.) This exalted rank is better than the rank of those whom Allah described in His statements,
(And they give food, in spite of their love for it.)(76:8),
Allah said,
(And whosoever is saved from his own greed, such are they who will be successful.) indicating that those who are saved from being stingy, then they have earned success and a good achievement.
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