Al-Hashr (The Exile)

2. He it is Who drove out the disbelievers among the people of the Scripture from their homes at the first gathering. You did not think that they would get out [easily despite their utmost power]. And they thought that their strongholds would defend them from the Wrath of Allah. But Allah's [Wrath] reached them from a way whereof they expected it not, and He cast terror into their hearts so that they destroyed their own dwellings with their own hands and the hands of the believers. Then take admonition, O you with eyes [to see].

Three Jewish tribes, i.e., Banu Nadhir, Banu Quraytha, and Banu Qaynuqa‘, emigrated to Medina and settled there and made a non-violation pact with the Noble Prophet (S). However, following the Battle of Uhud, some of them collaborated with Meccan polytheists against Muslims of which the Noble Prophet (S) was apprised and confronted them.

It was in the course of such confrontation that one of their notables, Ka‘b ibn Ashraf, fell and the Jews retreated and took refuge in a fortress to which the Muslims laid siege at the Noble Prophet's (S) behest. Consequent to the siege and confrontation, the Jews admitted to leave Medina.

They took away whatever property of theirs that they were able to but demolished their homes by their own hands lest they fell to the hands of the Muslims. The Arabic word hashr connotes gathering and driving out of one's inhabitation.

It would be of interest to know that inspiring fear into the hearts of the enemies is regarded as a Divine means of assistance:

(“He cast terror into their hearts”),

since it causes the enemies to flee as a consequence of which the Muslims attain to triumph without bloodshed. It is mentioned in traditions that three armies shall come to Mahdi (as) to render him assistance: angels, believers, and fear.¹

The blessed Verse is saying that God Almighty is He Who expelled disbelievers from amongst the People of the Book from their homes upon their first gathering and confrontation with the Muslims.

The blessed Verse proceeds to say that you could never surmise that they would leave their inhabitation and they held that their strongholds could ward off defeat and Divine torment;

(“You did not think that they would get out [easily despite their utmost power]. And they thought that their strongholds would defend them from the Wrath of Allah”).

They were so self-conceited that they relied on their power and strongholds. The expression reflects that the Medinan Banu Nadhir Jews had been affluent in terms of means such that it neither crossed their minds nor those of others that they could be defeated with facility, but since God Almighty had willed to make it manifest to all that nothing might resist His Omnipotence, He caused them to be driven out of their inhabitation without any engagement.

Thus, the blessed Verse proceeds to say that since they did not expect anything to befall on them, God Almighty inspired fear into their hearts such that they demolished their homes by their own hands as well as by those of believers;

(“But Allah's [Wrath] reached them from a way whereof they expected it not, and He cast terror into their hearts so that they destroyed their own dwellings with their own hands and the hands of the believers. Then take admonition, O you with eyes [to see]”).

God Almighty sent fear, the invisible army, to render assistance to the Muslims in many an engagement thereby He cast terror into the hearts of disbelievers and held them back from any confrontation with Muslims. Disbelievers had prepared themselves to confront with armies but were ignorant of the inward army that led them to cooperate with their own foes in demolishing their own homes.

The blessed Verse in question concludes by saying:

“Then, take admonition, O you who have eyes,”

i.e., those who possess insight.

The Arabic words basar and basira denote “eye, sight” and “insight” respectively.2 “Possessors of eyes” (uli ’l-absar)

connotes those who are prepared to take admonitions. Thus, the Holy Qur’an warns them to take a lesson out of the incident.

In this vein, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as) says:

“Fortunate is he who takes admonitions.”3