He said, “ten times as much,” or he said, “something close to ten times as much,” or words to that effect. The two Ṣaḥīḥs have transmitted it with similar wording through several chains from Muʿtamar.

Next the Exalted denounced the hypocrites who, as mentioned earlier, secretly sided with Banū al-Naḍīr and promised them victory; nothing of that promise materialized. Instead, they abandoned them when they needed them most and deceived them about their own strength. He said:

“Have you not seen those who act hypocritically, saying to their brothers who disbelieve from among the People of the Scripture, ‘If you are expelled, we will surely leave with you, and we will never obey anyone concerning you; and if you are fought, we will certainly help you’? Yet Allah bears witness that they are indeed liars. If they are expelled, they will not depart with them; and if they are fought, they will not aid them. Even if they were to aid them, they would surely turn their backs, and thereafter they themselves would receive no help.” (al-Hashr 59:11-12)

He then censured them for their cowardice, their scant knowledge, and the weakness of their useful reason, and He set forth for them a hideous, repulsive parable—the likeness of Satan when he said to man:

“Disbelieve! But when he had disbelieved, he said, ‘I am innocent of you; indeed, I fear Allah, Lord of all worlds.’ The end of both of them is that they will be in the Fire, abiding therein forever; that is the recompense of the wrongdoers.” (al-Hashr 59:16-17)

The story of ʿAmr ibn Saʿdā al-Qurazī: he passed by the dwellings of Banū al-Naḍīr, which had become a barren wasteland, deserted, though Banū al-Naḍīr had once been more eminent than Banū Qurayẓah. What he saw moved him to embrace Islam, and he produced from the Torah the description of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.

Al-Wāqidī said: Ibrāhīm ibn Jaʿfar narrated to us, from his father, who said:

“When Banū al-Naḍīr left Madinah, ʿAmr ibn Saʿdā came, walked around their dwellings, and saw the devastation. He reflected, then returned to Banū Qurayẓah. He found them in their synagogue, blew their horn, and the people gathered.

Al-Zubayr ibn Bāṭā said, ‘Abū Saʿīd, where have you been? We have not seen you all day.’ ʿAmr was a man who hardly ever left the synagogue, devoting himself to worship in Judaism.

ʿAmr replied, ‘Today I have witnessed a lesson we ought to heed. I saw the homes of our brothers empty—after all their power and vigor, their distinguished honor and keen intellect. They have left their wealth behind, and others now possess it. They went forth in humiliation. By the Torah, God has never given power over a people when He still desired good for them. Before this He struck down Ibn al-Ashraf, the pillar of their prestige, ambushing him in his own house while he felt safe; He struck down Ibn Sunaynah, their chief; He struck at Banū Qaynuqāʿ and expelled them. They were serious Jews, people of arms, weapons, and valor. He besieged them until not one of them dared raise his head; then he took them captive, and when intercession was made he granted them release on the condition that they leave Yathrib.

My people, you have seen what you have seen. Obey me and come—let us follow Muḥammad. By Allah, you know that he is a Prophet. Ibn al-Hayyabān, Abū ʿUmayr, and Ibn Ḥarāsh, the most learned among the Jews, gave us glad tidings of him and of his mission. They came anticipating his arrival, ordering us to follow him. They came to us from Jerusalem and instructed us to convey their greetings to him. They then died upon their religion, and we buried them in this very lava-field of ours.’

The people fell silent; not one of them spoke. He repeated these words and the like, warning them of war, captivity, and exile.

Al-Zubayr ibn Bāṭā then said, ‘By the Torah, I have indeed read his description in the revelation that came to…’