Volume 4 – 22 – How Were the Jews Expelled from Medina?
From his father is related:
Ka’b was one of three whose repentance was accepted. Ka’b bin Ashraf satirized the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and incited the disbelieving Quraysh against him. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, arrived in Medina, the people of Medina were a mixed population – Muslims, idol-worshipping polytheists, and Jews. They caused them much distress, the Exalted and Majestic Allah commanded the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to persevere and forgive them. Thus He revealed the verse: “You hear from those who received the Book before you much abuse.” (An-Nisa 4:186)
Since Ka’b bin Ashraf did not cease his abuse of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered Sa'id bin Muadh to send forth a company to kill Ka'b bin Ashraf. Sa'id sent Muhammad bin Maslama, and he narrated the story of his killing. When they killed Ka’b bin Ashraf, the Jews and polytheists feared, and they came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in the morning saying: “We entered upon our companions at night and slew him.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, reminded them of Ka'b bin Ashraf’s satirizing words directed towards him. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, invited them to a covenant (which he would write for them in the event of disagreement). The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had written a document to be valid between himself, all Muslims, and the Jews.
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, after defeating the Quraysh at Badr and returning to Medina, gathered the Jews of the Banu Qaynuqa marketplace and said: “O Jewish community, accept Islam before what befell the Quraysh befalls you.”
The Jews replied: "Do not let the killing of a group of Quraysh who are ignorant of warfare lead you to arrogance. If you were to fight us, then you would see what sort of people we are, and you have not encountered anyone like us."
Thereupon, the Most High and Glorious Allah revealed concerning this: “Tell disbelievers that they will be overcome.” The narrator, Musarraf, recited: "A party fights for Allah, and another party is disbelieving." [until] the verse (An-Nisa 4:12).
The daughter of Muhayyisa, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated on the authority of her father:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whenever you find a Jewish man, kill him." Muhayyisa jumped onto a Jewish young man who had dealings with them (Jewish merchants) and killed him. At that time, Huvaysa was not yet a Muslim. He was older than Muhayyisa. When Muhayyisa killed the Jew, Huvaysa struck Muhayyisa and said: "O enemy of Allah! I swear by Allah, much of the fat in your belly came from his wealth."
**Note:** Muhayyisa and Huvaysa were brothers. Muhayyisa was a Muslim while Huvaysa was not yet a Muslim. The Jewish young man had trade dealings with both Muhayyisa and Huvaysa.
Muhayyisa belonged to the Banu Harith branch of the Ansar, and he was the son of Mas’ud, the son of Ka’b. *Shabiba* refers to a young man. Here, it is interpreted as a Jewish merchant who opposed the Muslims.
Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
We were once in the mosque when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, suddenly came out and said, "Go to the Jews."
We set out with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and reached the Jews. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, stopped and addressed the Jews, saying: “O community of Jews, become Muslims and find safety.”
They replied, “You have conveyed, O Abū al-Qāsim.” Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, repeated his previous invitation to them, and said: "Know that this land truly belongs to Allah and His Messenger. I wish to expel you from this land. Whoever finds something he can afford in exchange for it, let him sell it; but if he cannot, know that this land belongs to Allah and His Messenger.” [8]