While delivering the good news to His believing servants that victory and dominance
will be theirs against the disbelieving, atheistic People of the Scriptures, Allah
then said,
﴿لَن يَضُرُّوكُمْ إِلاَّ أَذًى وَإِن
يُقَـتِلُوكُمْ يُوَلُّوكُمُ الاٌّدُبَارَ ثُمَّ لاَ يُنصَرُونَ ﴾
(They will do you no harm, barring a trifling annoyance; and if they fight against
you, they will show you their backs, and they will not be helped.) ﴿3:111﴾
This is what occurred, for at the battle of Khaybar, Allah brought humiliation and
disgrace to the Jews. Before that, the Jews in Al-Madinah, the tribes of Qaynuqa`,
Nadir and Qurayzah, were also humiliated by Allah. Such was the case with the Christians
in the area of Ash-Sham later on, when the Companions defeated them in many battles
and took over the leadership of Ash-Sham forever. There shall always be a group
of Muslims in Ash-Sham area until `Isa, son of Maryam, descends while they are like
this ﴿on the truth, apparent and victorious﴾. `Isa will at that time rule according
to the Law of Muhammad , break the cross, kill the swine, banish the Jizyah and
only accept Islam from the people.
Allah said next,
﴿ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَ
مَا ثُقِفُواْ إِلاَّ بِحَبْلٍ مِّنْ اللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِّنَ النَّاسِ﴾
(Indignity is put over them wherever they may be, except when under a covenant (of
protection) from Allah, and a covenant from men;) meaning, Allah has placed humiliation
and disgrace on them wherever they may be, and they will never be safe,
﴿إِلاَّ بِحَبْلٍ مِّنْ اللَّهِ﴾
(except when under a covenant from Allah,) under the Dhimmah (covenant of protection)
from Allah that requires them to pay the Jizyah (tax, to Muslims,) and makes them
subservient to Islamic Law.
﴿وَحَبْلٍ مِّنَ النَّاسِ﴾
(and a covenant from men;) meaning, covenant from men, such as pledges of protection
and safety offered to them by Muslim men and women, and even a slave, according
to one of the sayings of the scholars. Ibn `Abbas said that,
﴿إِلاَّ بِحَبْلٍ مِّنْ اللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ
مِّنَ النَّاسِ﴾
(except when under a covenant from Allah, and a covenant from men;) refers to a
covenant of protection from Allah and a pledge of safety from people. Similar was
said by Mujahid, `Ikrimah, `Ata', Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi`
bin Anas. Allah's statement,
﴿وَبَآءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ﴾
(they have drawn on themselves the wrath of Allah,) means, they earned Allah's anger,
which they deserved,
﴿وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَسْكَنَةُ﴾
(and destitution is put over them), meaning they deserve it by decree and legislatively.
Allah said next,
﴿ذلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ
بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ الاٌّنْبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ﴾
(This is because they disbelieved in the Ayat of Allah and killed the Prophets without
right.) meaning, what drove them to this was their arrogance, transgression and
envy, earning them humiliation, degradation and disgrace throughout this life and
the Hereafter. Allah said,
﴿ذلِكَ بِمَا عَصَواْ وَّكَانُواْ
يَعْتَدُونَ﴾
(This is because they disobeyed and used to transgress (the limits set by Allah).)
meaning, what lured them to disbelieve in Allah's Ayat and kill His Messengers,
is the fact that they often disobeyed Allah's commands, committed His prohibitions
and transgressed His set limits. We seek refuge from this behavior, and Allah Alone
is sought for each and every type of help.
﴿لَيْسُواْ سَوَآءً
مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ أُمَّةٌ قَآئِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ ءَانَآءَ الَّيْلِ
وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ - يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ
وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُسَـرِعُونَ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ
وَأُوْلَـئِكَ مِنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ - وَمَا يَفْعَلُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ
فَلَنْ يُكْفَروهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالْمُتَّقِينَ - إِنَّ الَّذِينَ
كَفَرُواْ لَنْ تُغْنِىَ عَنْهُمْ أَمْوَلُهُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلَـدُهُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ
شَيْئاً وَأُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ - مَثَلُ مَا يُنْفِقُونَ
فِى هِـذِهِ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَثَلِ رِيحٍ فِيهَا صِرٌّ أَصَابَتْ حَرْثَ قَوْمٍ
ظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَأَهْلَكَتْهُ وَمَا ظَلَمَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَلَـكِنْ أَنفُسَهُمْ
يَظْلِمُونَ ﴾
(113. Not all of them are alike; a party of the People of the Scripture stand for
the right, they recite the verses of Allah during the hours of the night, prostrating
themselves in prayer.) (114. They believe in Allah and the Last Day; they enjoin
Al-Ma`ruf and forbid Al-Munkar; and they hasten in (all) good works; and they are
among the righteous.) (115. And whatever good they do, nothing will be rejected
of them; for Allah knows well the Muttaqin (the pious).) (116. Surely, those who
disbelieve, neither their properties nor their offspring will avail them against
Allah. They are the dwellers of the Fire, therein they will abide.) (117. The parable
of what they spend in this world is that of a wind of Sir; it struck the harvest
of a people who did wrong against themselves and destroyed it. Allah wronged them
not, but they wronged themselves.)