Section: The Expedition against Banū Qurayẓah

This chapter concerns the severe punishment that Allah, Exalted is He, unleashed upon them, in addition to the painful torment He has prepared for them in the Hereafter. All of this befell them because of their disbelief, their violation of the covenants and pacts they had concluded with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and their collusion with the Confederates against him. None of that availed them in the least; they returned laden with the anger of Allah and His Messenger, and theirs was the most ruinous bargain in this world and the next.

Allah the Exalted says:

“Allah repelled those who disbelieved in their rage, and they obtained no good; Allah spared the believers from fighting, and Allah is Strong, Mighty. And He brought down from their strongholds those People of the Book who had supported them, and He cast terror into their hearts: some of them you killed and others you took captive. He made you heirs to their land, their dwellings, and their wealth, and to land you had not yet trodden. Allah is powerful over all things.” (al-Aḥzāb 33:25-27)

Al-Bukhārī relates: Muḥammad ibn Muqātil narrated to us, ‘Abd Allāh narrated to us, Mūsā ibn ‘Uqbah narrated from Sālim and Nāfi‘, from ‘Abd Allāh, that whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned from a military expedition, from Ḥajj, or from ‘Umrah, he would begin with takbīr and then say:

“There is no god but Allah alone, without partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is powerful over all things. We are returning—repentant, worshipful, prostrate—praising our Lord. Allah fulfilled His promise, granted victory to His servant, and He alone routed the Confederates.”

Ibn Isḥāq narrates:

When morning came, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ left the trench and headed back to Madinah, and the Muslims with him, laying aside their weapons. When it was noon, Gabriel came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ—as al-Zuhrī informed me—his head wrapped in a turban of brocade, riding a mule with a saddle covered by a velvet cloth. He said, “Have you laid down your arms, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “Yes.” Gabriel said, “The angels have not yet laid down their arms. I have only just returned from pursuing the enemy. Allah commands you, O Muḥammad, to march against Banū Qurayẓah. Set out toward them and shake them.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ therefore ordered the caller to announce among the people: “Whoever hears and obeys, let him not perform the afternoon prayer except at Banū Qurayẓah.”

Ibn Hishām adds: He appointed Ibn Umm Maktūm to govern Madinah in his absence.