Al-Dahhak said: Every three men were given a camel and a water-skin. They did so and departed from Madinah for Syria, heading to Adhri'at and Ariha, except for the members of two households among them—the family of Abu al-Huqayq and the family of Huyayy ibn Akhtab—for they went on to Khaybar. A group of them also went to al-Hirah. (1) Thus is the saying of Allah, exalted is He: “It is He who expelled those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture from their homes at the first gathering.

“It is He who expelled those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture from their homes at the first gathering. You did not think that they would leave, and they thought that their fortresses would protect them from Allah. But Allah came upon them from where they had not expected, and cast terror into their hearts. They destroyed their homes with their own hands and the hands of the believers. So take warning, O people of insight.” (2)

“It is He who expelled those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture,” meaning Banu al-Nadir, “from their homes,” which were in Yathrib. Ibn Ishaq said: The expulsion of Banu al-Nadir took place after the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, returned from Uhud, while the conquest of Qurayzah occurred upon his return from the Confederates; two years lay between them.

“At the first gathering.” Al-Zuhri said: They belonged to a tribe that had never previously suffered exile. Allah, exalted is He, had decreed exile for them; had it not been for that, He would have punished them in this world. (2)

Ibn Abbas said: Whoever doubts that the place of gathering is in Syria should read this verse. This was the first gathering toward Syria. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, told them, “Leave.” They asked, “Where to?” He replied, “To the land of gathering.” Then, on the Day of Resurrection, all creation will be gathered in Syria. (3)

Al-Kalbi said: It was called “at the first gathering” because they were the first of the People of the Scripture to be expelled from the Arabian Peninsula. Then Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, expelled the last of them.

Murrah al-Hamdani said: The first gathering was from Madinah, and the second gathering was from Khaybar and the whole of the Arabian Peninsula to Adhri'at and Ariha in Syria, during the days of Umar.

Qatadah said: This was the first gathering, and the second gathering will be a fire that drives them from east to west, spending the night