with Muhammad until the change of the Qibla was made, when he became his
opponent. He was assassinated in July A.D. 624 with the connivance of Muhammad.
A few months after the battle of Uhud, the whole tribe, in June 625, was thus
addressed: 'Thus saith the Prophet of the Lord, ye shall go out of my country
within the space of seven days; whosoever shall remain behind after that shall
be put to death.' They declined, and said, 'We will not go.' The Jews
unfortunately did not maintain this courageous spirit. They made no attempt at
mutual resistance, and so were subjugated in detail. This is referred to in the
verse:
They (the Jews) will not fight against you in a body, except in fenced towns,
or behind walls. Mighty is their valour amongst themselves, but their hearts are
divided. Sura Al-Hashr (lix) 14.
The Muslims justly showed contempt for their boasting and as they themselves
were now powerful these Jews were exiled and their fertile fields and property
were divided amongst the Muhajirun. The divine sanction for this proceeding is
found in Sura Al-Hashr (lix) thus:
He it is who caused the unbelievers among the people of the Book to quit
their homes and join those who had emigrated previously.1
And were it not that God had decreed their exile, surely in this world
would He have chastised them; but in the next the chastisement of fire awaiteth
them.
Your cutting down some of the palm trees and sparing others was by God's
permission and to put the wicked to shame. Sura Al-Hashr 2, 3, 5.