the disbelievers.”

Even if no transmitted reports had indicated that this is the meaning of the verse, no one would have been entitled to impose that disputed interpretation upon it without evidence, since the verse contains nothing to support it. How much less, then, when reports supporting this meaning have indeed been transmitted?

As for the previously mentioned account that the Jews used to be granted victory, we have explained that it is anomalous and is not among the well-known reports on this subject. The Jews are not known to have defeated the Arabs; rather, they were defeated by them. They used to form alliances with the Arabs, each group allying itself with another: Qurayza were allies of al-Aws, while al-Nadīr were allies of al-Khazraj.

The claim that the Jews used to prevail over the Arabs is therefore unsupported by any known account; indeed, the opposite is what is known. Allah Most High has told us what bears this out. He, Most High, said:

“Humiliation has been imposed upon them wherever they are found, except through a bond from Allah and a bond from people. They have incurred Allah’s wrath, and destitution has been imposed upon them. That is because they used to disbelieve in Allah’s signs and kill the prophets without right. That is because they disobeyed and used to transgress.”

Thus, from the time humiliation was imposed upon the Jews wherever they were found, except through a bond from Allah and a bond from people, they did not prevail on their own over either the Arabs or anyone else. Before Islam, they fought only alongside their allies. Humiliation was imposed upon them from the time the Messiah, peace be upon him, was sent and they rejected him.

He, Most High, said:

“O Jesus, I will take you and raise you to Myself, purify you from those who disbelieve, and place those who follow you above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection.”

And He, Most High, said:

“O you who believe, be supporters of Allah, as Jesus, son of Mary, said