Jews: Beginning and End (14)
Jews in the Era of the Prophet (PBUH)
Allah sent His Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) with
guidance and the religion of truth to lead people out of darkness and into the
light. He remained in Mecca for thirteen years calling people to Allah; some
believed in him, while others disbelieved. When the persecution by the Quraysh
against him and his companions intensified, his Lord commanded him to migrate
to Yathrib. Thus, the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions migrated there, where
Jewish tribes had already settled before them.
Jewish Settlement: Greed
Jewish
settlement in Yathrib went beyond economic and military interests; it was
rooted in faith. Their scriptures foretold an unlettered Prophet (PBUH)the
Final Messenger—who would conquer kingdoms. Identifying Yathrib as his
prophesied destination, they migrated there, hoping to achieve dominance
through his arrival.
Envy: The Secret Behind the Denial
Jewish
tribes anticipated the Final Prophet (PBUH) to reclaim their sovereignty and
unite their diaspora. However, as the proverb goes, 'Winds blow against the
ships' desires.' Reality took a turn they never expected.
Allah,
the Exalted, said (When a Scripture came to them
from God confirming what they already had, and when they had been praying for
victory against the disbelievers, even when there came to them something they
knew [to be true], they disbelieved in it: God rejects those who disbelieve)
(Al-Baqarah:89)
Abd al-Rahman Habannaka explains: Because the
promised Prophet (PBUH) descended from Ishmael (Arabs) rather than the
Israelites, they were fueled by envy—a historically deep-seated trait. Most
rejected him despite recognizing his signs, choosing denial over truth out of
pure resentment.
Envy Unveiled: The Prophet (PBUH) & His Nation
Envy
remains a defining trait of the Jewish tribes during that era. The Quran
chronicles numerous instances of their hostility toward the Prophet (PBUH), his
mission, and his Ummah—all fueled by deep-seated resentment. These
manifestations include:
First: Denying Muhammad’s
Prophethood (PBUH)
They
rejected the notion that the final Prophet (PBUH) could emerge from outside
their own lineage Allah, the Exalted, said (When
a Scripture came to them from God confirming what they already had, and when
they had been praying for victory against the disbelievers, even when there
came to them something they knew [to be true], they disbelieved in it: God
rejects those who disbelieve) (Al-Baqarah:89)
Second: Concealing the
Prophet’s (PBUH) Attributes
Allah,
the Exalted, said (Those We gave Scripture know
it as well as they know their own sons, but some of them hide the truth that
they know.) (Al-Baqarah:146)
Ibn Kathir states: 'They recognized him as
clearly as their own children.' While previous prophets foretold his mission,
traits, and place of migration, they chose to suppress these scriptural truths,
driven solely by resentment and envy.
Third: Obstructing the Path
to Islam
Allah, the Exalted, said (Even after the truth has become clear to them, many of the
People of the Book wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have
believed, out of their selfish envy) (Al-Baqarah:109)
Ibn Abbas
relates: Huyayy and Abu Yasir ibn Akhtab were the most resentful of the Arabs
for the honor of the Prophet’s (PBUH) mission. They spared no effort in turning
people away from Islam, leading to the revelation of Quranic verses regarding
their actions. (Many of the People of the Book
wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of
their selfish envy)
Fourth: Resenting Prosperity
for the Muslim Ummah
Allah, the Exalted, said (Neither those People of the Book who disbelieve nor the
idolaters would like anything good to be sent down to you from your Lord)
(Al-Baqarah:105)
And Allah, the Exalted, said (Do they envy [other] people for the bounty God has granted
them?) (An-Nisa:54)
Divine grace honored the Arabs by choosing
the Final Prophet and Leader (PBUH) from their lineage. This favor sparked an
envy that extended even to the daily blessings of Muslims: the sanctity of
Friday, the greeting of peace that fosters affection, and the saying of 'Ameen'
for its inherent blessings.
Aisha narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Jewish tribes are driven by envy. They envy us for
nothing more than the greeting of peace (Salam), the sanctity of Friday to
which we were guided, the Qibla (direction of prayer), and our saying of
'Ameen' behind the Imam.
Instances of Envy Toward the Prophet (PBUH)
Envy is a grave illness and a malicious
deviation, reflecting a distorted soul and a complex personality. They envied
Muhammad (PBUH) for his revelation simply because he was not Jewish, and they
envied Muslims for the blessing of Islam. Consequently, they waged war against
them and conspired with the pagans.
Biographical records highlight Jewish figures
who showed intense hostility toward the Prophet (PBUH) and his message, driven
only by a refusal to accept the truth. Leading these were Huyayy and Abu Yasir
ibn Akhtab, prominent scholars of the Banu Nadir. They verified Muhammad’s
(PBUH) attributes when he arrived in Medina, yet envy and the pursuit of
leadership prevented them from following the right path, even though they
recognized the truth.
Safiyya bint Huyayy, Mother of the Believers,
narrated: 'I was the favorite child of my father and my uncle, Abu Yasir. When
the Prophet (PBUH) arrived in Quba, they went to see him at dawn. They did not
return until sunset, appearing utterly exhausted and demoralized, walking with
heavy, sluggish steps.
She narrated: 'I rushed to greet them as I
always did, but by Allah, neither looked my way due to their profound distress.
I heard my uncle Abu Yasir ask my father, Huyayy ibn Akhtab: "Is it really
him?" He replied: "Yes, by Allah." My uncle asked: "Do you
recognize him and are you certain?" He replied: "Yes." My uncle
then asked: "Then what is your intention toward him?" He answered:
"Hostility, by Allah, for as long as I live.
They began sowing seeds of doubt and inciting
both the Jewish tribes and the hypocrites against the Prophet (PBUH). This
hostility eventually escalated into strategic political and military campaigns,
peaking during the Battle of the Trench (Al-Khandaq). They stood as a prime
example of those who recognized the truth yet chose to reject it, actively
deterring others out of sheer arrogance. Regarding them, Allah revealed: (Many of the People of the Book wish they could turn you back to
disbelief after you have believed, out of their selfish envy)
The Common Bond: Iblis and the Roots of Envy
Iblis once stood among the angels, feigning
perfect obedience. To expose his true essence, Allah commanded them to
prostrate to Adam; the angels obeyed, but Iblis refused—driven by pride and
hidden envy. This defiance led to his expulsion and curse.
The same 'Iblis-like' envy explains the
Jewish tribes' rejection of the Prophet (PBUH). Their resentment didn't stop at
personal denial; it spiraled into a desire for universal disbelief. Ultimately,
this deep-seated malice drove them to a shocking moral low: claiming that pagan
idolatry was 'better guided' than the faith of Islam.
Allah, the Exalted, said (Do you not see how those given a share of the Scripture,
[evidently] now believe in idols and evil powers? They say of the disbelievers,
They are more rightly guided than the believers. (51) Those are the ones God
has rejected: you [Prophet] will not find anyone to help those God has
rejected.) (An-Nisa)
Consequently, for this blatant falsehood and
slander, they earned divine condemnation and were banished from Allah’s mercy.
The Legacy of Envy: Impact in the Modern Era
Jewish envy of the Prophet (PBUH) and Muslims
is not a fleeting historical event; it is a deep-seated legacy ingrained since
the dawn of the Prophetic mission. This resentment has transcended generations,
evolving from a personal trait into a persistent ideology and a global pattern
of hostility. Today, this is manifest in strategic alliances aimed at
undermining the Islamic faith.
Yet divine laws remain absolute. Every
attempt to extinguish the light of Islam has only sharpened the Ummah’s
awareness and strengthened its resolve. As long as this nation remains anchored
in its divine revelation, it will stand resilient against any plot, for the
truth is divinely protected.
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