Boreal

JIHAD IN THE KORAN

The Enemy

Jews 

2:211 Ask the Children of Israel how many clear signs did We bring them. He who changes Allah’s Grace (turn Allah's clear signs to disbelief) after it has come to him [will find] Allah to be Severe in retribution.

God thought He had a covenant with the Jews, which is why He gave them Palestine.

2:243 Have you not considered those (the Israelites) who fled their homes in thousands for fear of death? Allah said to them: “Die.” Then He brought them back to life. Surely Allah is gracious to mankind, but most people do not give thanks.

Moududi:

This refers to the exodus of the Israelites. The Israelites had left Egypt in large numbers and were wandering in the desert, eager to find a home. But when at God's command Moses ordered them to drive the Canaanites out of Palestine and conquer that land, they showed cowardice and refused to proceed. Eventually God let them wander about for forty years till one full generation of Israelites had died and been replaced by a new one reared in the tough conditions of desert life. It was only, then that God enabled the Israelites to overcome the Canaanites. Their former condition is described as death, whereas the later development is seen as their restoration to life.

5:12 Allah made a covenant with the Children of Israel, and We raised among them twelve chieftains. And Allah said: “I am with you. Surely, if you perform the prayer, give the alms, believe in my Messengers and support them and lend Allah a fair loan (spend in the way ordered by Allah), I will forgive you your sins and admit you into Gardens, beneath which rivers flow. But if any one of you disbelieves afterwards, he certainly strays from the right path.

Disbelieve, they obviously did, though Allah forgave a few of them.

5:13 And on account of them violating their covenant, We cursed them and caused their hearts to harden; they take the words (the words in the Torah) out of their context and forget part of what they were enjoined, and you do not cease to find them treacherous, except for a few of them. Yet, pardon them and forgive; Allah surely loves those who do good to others.

He would forgive a few more Jews if they were to repent and mend their ways.

2:159 Those (the Jews) who conceal the clear proofs and guidance We sent down, after making them clear to mankind in the Book (the Torah), shall be cursed by Allah and the cursers.

2:160 Except those who repent, mend their ways and reveal [the truth (which they had concealed)]; these I shall pardon. I am the Pardoner, the Merciful.

Pardoning some while, according to Muhammad, being an accomplice to the eventual genocide of the vast majority. It is only a matter of time; God does not break a promise.

Narrated Abdullah bin Umar:

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "The Jews will fight with you, and you will be given victory over them so that a stone will say, 'O Muslim! There is a Jew behind me; kill him!'"

Bukhari 56.791

The Jews did not start the jihad that, in the absence of a miracle, may see them exterminated. The irony is that, if it had not been for the Jews of Medina, Islam would probably have been stillborn.

The Jews of the Hijaz

The Hijaz is the so-called Holy Land of Islam. The area comprises most of the western part of modern-day Saudi Arabia and is centered on Mecca and Medina. In Medina lived three Jewish Tribes. When Muhammad sought refuge in the oasis city to escape his Meccan kin, who wanted to kill him for promoting what they considered a hateful intolerant religion, he was welcomed by the Jews, in part, because of his preaching that the god of the Torah was the one and only god. They even entered into a covenant to come to his (the Muslims’) aid if he was ever attacked. In return, he signed a promise of non-aggression.

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Perhaps unbeknownst to the Jews of Medina, the two largest Arab tribes with which they shared the city, the Aws and the Khazraj, had already converted to Islam and pledged loyalty to Muhammad in a secret undertaking known as the Second Pledge of al-Aqaba (also referred to as the Pledge of War), which committed them to fight the enemies of God and His Messenger. This has led some to speculate that the good things God initially said about the Jews was to lure them into a false sense of security until they could be dealt with.

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When Muhammad came to Medina, Muslims were required to prostrate themselves in the direction of Jerusalem during their daily prayers, but that would change as mistrust and animosity developed between the two Semite people. The disagreement first led to the trading of insults

Narrated Aisha:

Once the Jews came to the Prophet and said, "Death be upon you." So I cursed them.

The Prophet said, "What is the matter?"

I said, "Have you not heard what they said?"

The Prophet said, "Have you not heard what I replied (to them)? (I said), ('The same is upon you.')"

Bukhari 42.186

The reason for this growing hostility towards the people who were instrumental in ensuring the survival of the Muslims was that the Jews did not accept Muhammad as a legitimate spokesperson of the Almighty. The Jews of Medina undoubtedly tried to impress upon him, to no avail, that, according to their system of beliefs, God only communicated His instructions for mankind via the Jewish people. God did not agree and began cursing the Jews, promising the demeaning punishment He reserves for all unbelievers who would not accept His Chosen One as a legitimate emissary of His Eminence and what he revealed.

2:89 And when a book (the Qur’an) came to them from Allah confirming that which they had (the Torah), and though they used hitherto to pray for assistance against those who disbelieved; yet when there came to them what they already knew (that Muhammad would be sent as the Messenger of Allah), they disbelieved in it. So may Allah’s curse be on the unbelievers.

2:90 Evil is that for which they sold their souls when they disbelieved in what Allah sent down, out of envy that He should send down from His Bounty (reveal to them) on whomsoever of His servants He pleases. Thus they incurred wrath upon wrath. And there is a demeaning punishment for the unbelievers.

Until this unfortunate misunderstanding, all was well between Muslims and Jews. In fact, in the following revelations you may detect a note of sadness about the way things turned out.

3:69 A party of the people of the Book (the Jews) wish that they would lead you astray; they only lead themselves astray without perceiving it.

3:70 O people of the Book, why do you disbelieve in Allah’s Revelations while you yourselves know that they are true?

3:71 People of the Book, why do you confound truth with error and knowingly conceal the truth.

3:72 Some of the people of the Book say: "Believe in what has been revealed to the believers at the beginning of the day, and disbelieve in it at its end; perchance they (the believers) will turn back!”

3:73 “And do not believe except in him who follows your religion.” Say: “True guidance is Allah’s Guidance. [Do not believe] that anyone would be given what you have been given, or they will dispute with you before Your Lord.” Say: “Bounty is in Allah’s Hands; He gives to whom He pleases, and Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.

3:74 He favours with His Mercy whomever He pleases. Allah’s Bounty is unlimited!

The Jews’ questioning of Muhammad, who was not always comfortable with people asking him pointed questions about what God had revealed, became most insistent. Adding insult to injury, they often phrased their enquiry in a way meant to upset him. It may have been more upsetting for Muhammad's patron, judging from God’s Response.

4:44 Have you not considered those who have received a portion of the Book, procuring error and wanting you to go astray?

4:45 Allah knows best your enemies; Allah suffices as Protector, Allah suffices as Supporter!

4:46 Some of the Jews take words out of their context and say: “We have heard, but disobey; and hear as though you hear not.” And [they] say “ra’ina” (a word of abuse), twisting their tongues and slandering religion. Had they said: “We have heard and we obey; hear and look at us”, it would have been better for them and more upright; but Allah has cursed them on account of their disbelief, so they – except for a few – do not believe.

4:47 O People of the Book, believe in what We have revealed confirming what you already possess, before We obliterate faces, turning them on their backs, or curse them as we have cursed the Sabbath-breakers, and Allah’s command was accomplished!

The breakup would prove acrimonious in the extreme, with God now accusing the Jews of being evildoers.

5:61 When they (the Jewish hypocrites) come to you, they say: “We believe”, although they come in as unbelievers and leave as unbelievers. Allah knows best what they conceal.

5:62 And you will see many of them hastening to perpetrate sin and aggression and the devouring of unlawful gain. Evil is what they have been doing!

5:63 Why do not the rabbis and masters forbid them from uttering sinful things and devouring unlawful gain? Evil indeed is what they used to do!

5:64 The Jews say: “Allah’s Hand is tied” (Allah is not generous in bestowing His Bounties on them); may their own hands be tied and may they be damned for what they say. His Hands are rather outstretched; He grants freely as He pleases. And what has been sent down to you from your Lord will certainly increase many of them in arrogance and unbelief. And We have cast in their midst animosity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection. Whenever they kindle a fire for war, Allah extinguishes it; and they go about spreading mischief, but Allah does not like the mischief makers.

A people whom Muhammad respected when they first met became a people only deserving of punishment in the Hereafter and an unusual punishment in the here-and-now, the Sabbath, a tradition dating back to ancient Israel.

16:124 The Sabbath was ordained only for those who differed with respect to it (the Jews). Your Lord shall decide between them on the Day of Resurrection, regarding that wherein they differed.

Moududi:

Obviously, there was no need to state that the restrictions about the Sabbath applied only to the Jews and had nothing to do with the law of Prophet Abraham, because they themselves knew it. The restrictions were imposed upon the Jews because of their mischief and violations of the law.

This breakup would prove disastrous for the Jews of the Hijaz in the war between Mecca and Medina, which had become the stronghold of the Muslims; it was a disaster with effects still felt to this day.