The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Six

By Muhammad Yunus, New Age Islam (Co-author (Jointly with Ashfaque Ullah Syed), Essential Message of Islam, Amana Publications, USA, 2009) 11 September 2025 Section-7. The Jewish Tribe Of Khaybar 193. Campaign Against The Settlement Of Khaybar (629) The oasis of Khaybar lay to the North of Medina and was home to the most prosperous of Jewish settlements outside Medina that had given refuge to the exiled Banu Nadir (Note 185). The growing power of Muhammad and his actions against the native Jewish tribes of Medina had aroused their enmity that had led to their taking lead role in coordinating the attack of the Confederates (Note 189)’ They colluded with the hypocrites, listened to lies and to what other people who had not even met the Prophet said, and altered the wordings of the revelation from their contexts to distort their meanings’ (5:44). The Prophet knew well that they could reunite with the members of the confederates, hostile to him and wage yet another coordinated war. Meanwhile, he got clear evidence of correspondence going back and forth between the Jews of Khyber and the Arab tribes, and so he decided to launch a campaign against Khaybar. As for the nomadic Arab who had stayed back during the pilgrimage (48:11, Note 191), the revelation had barred him from taking them along during any military campaign that promised gains (48:15). “When you set out to collect the gains, those who had lagged said, “Allow us to accompany you.” They wish to change God’s words. Say, “You won’t accompany us; God has already decreed this.” Then they will say, “You are jealous of us.” But in reality, they understand very little (48:15). He therefore set off for Khaybar with a small group (reportedly some 600) of only those devout followers who had accompanied him in the pilgrimage. The Jews of Khaybar had a strong and well-trained army, their fortified settlements were considered impregnable, and it was their last opportunity to destroy Muhammad. Thus, in military terms, Muhammad was courting disaster. However, after a series of encounters and sieges, the Jews surrendered. The Prophet concluded a peace treaty with them granting full liberties and military protection against a levy that was no different from what they paid to their old Bedouin protectors. Section-8. Bloodless Integration Of Mecca 194. Mecca Reconciled (630 CE) In the year 629, his eighth year in Medina, the Prophet performed the pilgrimage (though not in the hajj season) in accordance with the terms of the Hudaybiyah treaty. Muhammad now envisioned integrating his own people – the Quraysh, whom he loved (42:23), but had so far failed to bring to his faith (28:56). He was treaty bound not to interfere with the Meccans, and waited for an opportunity to realize his vision. This came about when the Quraysh took up arms against one of the Meccan tribes who had treaty alliance with him for defending them when attacked. This gave the Prophet moral ground to interfere. He set off for Mecca with all his men, all armed for battle if needed. As the Qur’an records: “As the Muslims began to enter the city, the most fanatic among them tried to resist when God sent divine peace (Sakinah) upon His Messenger and on the believers, and imposed on them the Word of restraint (taqwa), as they were entitled to it and worthy of it (48:26) “God withheld their hands from you, and your hands from them, in the heart of Mecca, after He had made you victorious over them. Allah is ever watchful of your actions” (48:24). Had the Qur’an not restrained the Prophet, the Muslims would have trampled on those believing men and believing women (among the Meccans) they were not aware of (as those Meccans had secretly become Muslims), and thus guilt and stigma would have befallen them unawares? Had the (Meccan) Muslims been separated out, God would surely have punished the disbelievers among them (the Meccans) This enabled the Prophet and his followers to virtually take over Mecca without any military engagement or confrontation. Muhammad was now within his rights to bring the tormentors and killers of the unprotected converts during the Meccan period to justice, execute the leaders of the tribes who had plotted to kill him, who planned and mounted attacks on Medina and broke treaty alliances. But he forgave them all. As he found some Meccans taking shelter in Kaaba in small groups not knowing what fate had in store for them, the Prophet is reported to have addressed them in the words of forgiveness that Joseph had spoken to his brothers who had been unjust to him when he was a child: There is no blame upon you today. God will forgive you. He is the Most Merciful of the merciful (12:92). 195. The Battle Of Hunayn (630 CE) Shocked at the en-mass conversion of the Quraysh in Mecca, the Hawazins, a powerful tribe proud of Arab paganism, sent a strong army (630) to retake the Kaba: it ambushed the advancing Muslim army at the valley of Hunayn. The numerical superiority of the Muslims that delighted them came to no benefit, and the earth, spacious though it was, narrowed on them and they were forced to retreat: “God granted you victories in numerous regions, but on the day of Hunayn, your vast numbers impressed you, yet they availed you nothing. The earth, vast as it is, seemed to close in on you, and you turned back in retreat” (9:25). But an imminent defeat was averted as the Qur’an records without giving any details: “Then, God sent down His tranquillity (Sakinah) upon His Messenger and the believers. He sent down forces you didn’t see and tormented those disbelieving. This is the compensation for the unbelievers (9:26). With this victory and continued entry of diverse nomadic tribes into Islam, the Muslims emerged as the largest and the most powerful community (Ummah) within the outreaching borders of Arabia. But the Prophet had a formidable task ahead of him. In the aftermath of the unarmed pilgrimage (Note 192), the Qur’an had warned the nomadic Arabs who had not participated in the unarmed hajj that they shall be summoned (to fight) against a nation of great might (48:16). “Say (O Prophet) to the desert Arabs who stayed back: "You shall be summoned (to fight) against a mighty people: then either you shall fight, or they shall submit. Then if you show obedience, God will grant you a goodly reward, but if you turn back as you did before, He will punish you with a grievous punishment.” This had yet to be realized. Section-9. Tabuk Expedition (631 Ce) 196. The Prophet Ventures Too Far From His Base At this moment in history, the neighbouring Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire) posed a serious threat. They had decisively defeated their mighty adversary, the Persians in successive major battles in the preceding years and now threatened the very survival of the Muslims under the Prophet in his lifetime, or after his demise. The Prophet knew that he must lead an expedition up North to the frontiers of Byzantium to realize the Qur’anic prophesy, and he asked his followers to make preparations. But their response was lukewarm. “If there were immediate gains and a convenient trip, they would have followed the Prophet, but (they knew) the journey was going to be too long, (about 350 miles) strenuous and dangerous. They swore their inability to go out on the expedition, though God knew they were lying. The Prophet allowed them exemption without even verifying if they were truthful (9:43). ‘The sincere believers, however, did not seek any exemption and came forward with their possessions, ready to lay down their lives (9:44). But the hypocrites who did not believe in God and the Last Day and wavered in their doubts, sought to stay back (9:45). They swore by God that they supported the expedition, but in truth, they were in such mortal fear (9:56) that if only they could find any place of refuge, a cave or a crevice, they would have resorted to it (9:57). ‘They swore to God, only to please the Prophet, but it was more proper for them to please God and His Messenger (by going forth with the Prophet) (9:62). They also feared if any verse was revealed disclosing what was in their breast (9:64). If they had any intention to go forth, they would have made some preparations for it, but God was averse to their participation (9:46). Some nomadic Arabs came to the Prophet in Medina with excuses seeking exemption; others, who belied God and the Prophet, remained at home (9:90). (God knew,) had they gone out with them, they would have only added to their difficulties seeking to spread rumours among them and some of the believers might have listened to them (9:47). Given the risks and dangers of this expedition, and the dread it inspired, the hypocrites requested the Prophet not to put them to such a hard test (9:49). They ridiculed the Prophet in their hearts, privately joked about him (9:64) and tried to stir up discord and upset matters for him. They blamed and ridiculed the believers for their voluntary donations to the Prophet, and criticized those without any means for rendering physical services” (9:79). Cognizant of their antipathy to their faith, the Qur’an asked the Prophet not to accept any donation from them: “Spend willingly or unwillingly, it won’t be accepted from you, for you are a wicked people (9:53). Their contributions aren’t accepted because they reject Allah and His Messenger. Furthermore, they only attend prayer lazily, and they spend only grudgingly” (9:54). “Some of the affluent believers wished to stay back with those who were to sit it out, though the believers who had faith in the Prophet were ready for the ordeal” (9:86-87) “The revelation, exempted the sick and those who had no role in the expedition (the women, children and physically challenged) (9:91), while those eager to join the expedition but having no means of transport for the journey, turned back with tears overflowing their eyes (9:92). However, the hearts of some of the believers nearly swerved (9:117), while three persons (or groups - not named in the Qur’an) among the believers stayed back (9:118) and some of the hypocrites aimed at something that was beyond their reach (9:74) – an expression that the Classical commentators regard as an allusion to an attempt by a group of hypocrites to kill the Prophet on way to Tabuk. In spite of the lack of enthusiasm of the Prophet’s followers because of the mortal risk of the expedition and against all odds, the Prophet’s company set off on this dangerous mission, and halted at Tabuk, about 250 miles from Medina. Muhammad stayed there for ten days, made pacts with local rulers and important Jewish settlements and returned. The expedition demonstrated the Prophet’s faith and conviction in his mission for there could be no military or political justification of this highly risky venture. The Muslims had never fought against an imperial army and had no supply lines to sustain an attack and were thus poised to a crushing defeat, and in case of a rout, total annihilation. The Byzantines on the other hand had just re-established their military supremacy in the region after defeating their recent conquerors, the Persians in many successive battles (30:2-4). The fact that they did not challenge the nomadic Arabs stationed at a day’s march for their cavalry, speaks of the awe the Prophet must have evoked in the heart of the mightiest empire of the era. 197. Hypocrites’ Bid To Make Their Own Mosque In Post Tabuk Medina The hypocrites who had stayed back in Medina rejoiced in their inaction behind the back of the Prophet and boasted that they did not like to go forth in the heat (9:81). In a bid to foster division in the community they built a mosque rivalling the mosque of the Prophet as a rallying point for those who had opposed the Prophet from before - but they now swore that they had good intentions, though God witnessed that they were liars (9:107). “The revelation refers to this mosque as a building founded on the brink of a crumbling bank of eroded earth, tumbling into the fire of hell (9:109)– a building that could never cease to be a source of doubt in their hearts until their hearts were detached (9:110). The Qur’an forbids the believers to stand in it, and declares that it was more fitting that they should stand in the first mosque that the Prophet had founded on Taqwa (God consciousness)” (9:108). 198. Nomadic Arabs Were Reproved For Being Stubborn In Unbelief And Hypocrisy “The nomadic Arabs were reproved for being stubborn in disbelief (kufr) and hypocrisy (Nifaq) (9:97). They took whatever they spent as a fine and waited for some misfortune to befall the Prophet (9:98). However, among them were those who believed in God and the Last Day, and regarded their contributions as a means to draw closer to God, and the prayers of the Messenger. Indeed, it will bring them nearer, and God will admit them into His mercy. God is Forgiving, Most Merciful” (9:99). “The revelation warns the Prophet that there were hypocrites all around him and among the nomadic Arabs who had grown bold in hypocrisy - he was not aware of them but God knew them (9:101). Some of them had recognized their lapses and redeemed themselves by some good deeds, but the others remained rebellious, though God may turn to them in mercy (if they repented)” (9:102). The Qur’an therefore adopts a stern tone against them. 199. The Hypocrites Are Paralleled With The Kuffar (Disbelievers) The Qur’an declares: “The hypocritical men and women are akin to one another. They enjoin what is wrong, forbid what is right, and they close their hands. They forgot God so He disregards them. The hypocrites are the sinners (9:67). God has promised the hypocrites, men and women, and the unbelievers the Fire of Hell, where they will dwell forever. It is their just compensation. God has cursed them, and they will endure perpetual torment” (9:68). The severity of the language was psychological—not physical—and meant to instill awe and deter betrayal. These verses, however, do not incite violence. Rather, they serve as rhetorical warnings—designed to awaken hearts and establish moral clarity in a fragile, formative stage of the Muslim community. The Qur’an also reminded the hypocrites that almost every year they were tested; yet they declined to repent (9:126). It commands the Prophet to continue his struggle against the disbelievers (Kuffar) and the hypocrites and to be firm with them (9:73). 200. The Penultimate Warning Of Perdition To The Hypocrites The Qur’an asks the Prophet to tell the hypocrites who volunteered to take part in any ensuing expedition that they would not go out with him as they refused the first time (when the Prophet embarked on his mission) (9:83). It forbids the Prophet to pray over any of them who had died, nor to stand by his grave (9:84). As the Prophet may still have prayed for all his followers, including the hypocrites, the revelation warns him that even if he sought forgiveness for them seventy times, God will never forgive them (9:80), The Qur’anic warnings had a strong impact on the hypocrites. They were also utterly demoralized and devastated. Despite all their efforts, private conferences, conspiracies and double stand spanning at least five years (Uhud to Tabuk expeditions), the Prophet gained converts, rose in popularity and power year over year, survived the most perilous trials of his mission, and triumphed against all odds. “Some of them acknowledged their faults and tried to redeem themselves by doing good deeds. The revelation declares that God may turn to them in mercy (9:102) and allows the Prophet to accept donations (Sadaqah) from their wealth” (9:103) - revoking a recent prohibition (9:53-9:54, Note 196). Also Read (Previous Parts of Part One): The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part One The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Two The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Three The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Four The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Five The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Six The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Seven The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Eight The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Nine The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Ten The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Eleven ------ Parts of Part Two: The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part One The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Two The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Three The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Four The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Five ----- Muhammad Yunus, a Chemical Engineering graduate from Indian Institute of Technology, and a retired corporate executive has been engaged in an in-depth study of the Qur’an since early 90’s, focusing on its core message. He has co-authored the referred exegetic work, which received the approval of al-Azhar al-Sharif, Cairo in 2002, and following restructuring and refinement was endorsed and authenticated by Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl of UCLA, and published by Amana Publications, Maryland, USA, 2009. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/books-documents/quran-nurun-ala-nur-light-part-2-quranic-part-six/d/136796 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism