Mujahid and ‘Atiyyah said: It refers to all date palms, without exception. Al-‘Awfi narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him: “It is one variety of date palm.” Sufyan said: “It refers to the choice date palms.”
Muqatil said: “It is a variety of date palm. ⦗158⦘ Its fruit is called al-lawn; it is intensely yellow, with its pit visible from the outside, and a tooth sinks into it when bitten. It was among their finest and most prized dates. A single one of these palm trees was worth the price of a young servant, and was dearer to them than a young servant. Thus, when they saw the Muslims cutting them down, it grieved them greatly. They said to the believers, ‘You disapprove of corruption in the land, yet you yourselves are causing corruption. Leave these palm trees standing; they belong to whoever gains possession of them.’” (1) Allah Most High then informed them that this was by His permission.
“And whatever Allah restored to His Messenger from them—you did not spur any horses or camels to obtain it. Rather, Allah gives His messengers authority over whomever He wills, and Allah is Most Capable of all things. Whatever Allah restored to His Messenger from the people of the towns belongs to Allah, the Messenger, his near relatives, orphans, the needy, and the traveller, so that it may not merely circulate among the wealthy among you. Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it. And fear Allah, for Allah is severe in punishment.” (6–7)
“And whatever Allah restored to His Messenger”: that is, what He returned to His Messenger. The verb afā’a, yafī’u means “to return.” Thus, “from them” means: from the Jews of Banu al-Nadir. “You did not spur” means: you did not set in motion “any horses or camels.” It is said that a horse or camel wajafa, yajifu wajīfan when it moves swiftly; its owner awjafahu when he drives it onward. By camels is meant the riding camels that carry people.
This is because, when Banu al-Nadir abandoned their homes and estates, the Muslims asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, to divide them among them, just as he had done with the spoils of Khaybar. Allah Most High then made clear in this verse that they were fay’—property restored without battle—for which the Muslims had not spurred horses or camels, travelled any great distance, undergone hardship, or encountered war. “Rather, Allah gives His messengers authority over whomever He wills, and Allah is Most Capable of all things.” Allah therefore assigned the property of Banu al-Nadir exclusively to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, to dispose of as he wished. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, divided it among the Emigrants and gave nothing from it to the Helpers except to three men who were in need: Abu Dujanah Simak ibn Kharashah, Sahl ibn Hunayf, and al-Harith ibn al-Simmah. (2)
‘Abd al-Wahid al-Mulayhi informed us; Ahmad ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Na‘imi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf informed us; Muhammad ibn Isma‘il narrated to us; Abu al-Yaman narrated to us; Shu‘ayb informed us from al-Zuhri, who said: Malik ibn Aws ibn al-Hadathan al-Nadri informed me that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, summoned him. Then his chamberlain, Yarfa’, came and said, “Would you permit ‘Uthman, ‘Abd al-Rahman, al-Zubayr, and Sa‘d to enter? They are seeking permission.” He said, “Yes,” and so he admitted them. Yarfa’ remained for a short while, then came and said, “Would you permit al-‘Abbas and ‘Ali to enter? They are seeking permission.” He said, “Yes.” When they entered, al-‘Abbas said, “O Commander of the Believers, judge between me and this man”—for the two of them were disputing over what Allah had restored to His Messenger from Banu al-Nadir. The group said, “O Commander of the Believers, judge between them and relieve