The Quran

Preface

هُوَ الَّذي أَخرَجَ الَّذينَ كَفَروا مِن أَهلِ الكِتابِ مِن دِيارِهِم لِأَوَّلِ الحَشرِ ۚ ما ظَنَنتُم أَن يَخرُجوا ۖ وَظَنّوا أَنَّهُم مانِعَتُهُم حُصونُهُم مِنَ اللَّهِ فَأَتاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن حَيثُ لَم يَحتَسِبوا ۖ وَقَذَفَ في قُلوبِهِمُ الرُّعبَ ۚ يُخرِبونَ بُيوتَهُم بِأَيديهِم وَأَيدِي المُؤمِنينَ فَاعتَبِروا يا أُولِي الأَبصارِ

Yusuf Ali

It is He Who got out the Unbelievers among the People of the Book¹ from their homes at the first gathering (of the forces). Little did ye think that they would get out:² And they thought that their fortresses would defend them from God. But the (Wrath of) God Came to them from quarters³ from which they little expected (it), and cast terror into their hearts, so that they destroyed their dwellings by their own⁴ hands and the hands of the Believers, take warning, then, O ye with eyes (to see)!

This refers to the Jewish tribe of Banū al Nadir whose intrigues and treachery nearly undid die. Muslim cause during the perilous days of the battle Uḥud in Shawwal, A.H. 3. Four months after, in Rabi' al Awwal, A.H. 4, steps were taken against them. They were asked to leave the strategic position which they occupied, about three miles south of Medīna, endangering the very existence of the Ummah in Medīna. At first they demurred, relying on their fortresses and on their secret alliances with the Pagans of Mecca and the Hypocrites of Medīna. But when the Muslim army was gathered to punish them and actually besieged them for some days, their allies stirred not a finger in their aid, and they were wise enough to leave. Most of them joined their brethren in Syria, which they were permitted to do, after being disarmed. Some of them joined their brethren in Khaibar: see n. 3705 to 33:27. Banū al Nadir richly deserved punishment, but their lives were spared, and they were allowed to carry away their goods and chattels.
That is, without actual hostilities, and the shedding of precious Muslim blood.
They had played a double game. Originally they were sworn allies of the Medīna Muslims under the Prophet, but they secretly intrigued with the Mecca Pagans under Abū Sufyan and the Medīna Hypocrites. They even tried treacherously to take the life of the Prophet while he was on a visit to them, breaking both the laws of hospitality and their own sworn alliance. They thought the Pagan Quraish of Mecca and the Hypocrites of Medīna would help them, but they did not help them. On the contrary the eleven day siege showed them their own helplessness. Their supplies were cut off: the exigencies of the siege necessitated the destruction of their outlying palm trees; and the unexpected turn in their fortunes disheartened diem. Their hearts were struck with terror and they capitulated. But they laid waste their homes before they left: see next note.
Their lives were spared, and they were allowed ten days in which to remove themselves, their families, and such goods as they could carry. In order to leave no habitations for the Muslims they demolished their own houses and laid waste their property, to complete the destruction which the operations of war had already caused at the hands of the besieging force of the Muslims.