Al-Hashr (The Exile)

5. What you cut down of the palm-trees, or you abandoned them, it was by Allah's Command such that He might disgrace and humiliate the disobedient.

The blessed Verse provides a response to the criticism raised by Banu Nadhir Jews directed at the Noble Prophet (S), as mentioned above in the occasion of Revelation. It was at the behest of the Noble Prophet (S) that some of the palm-trees adjacent to the strongholds of the Jews were felled such that the Jews may leave their strongholds and confront the Muslims.

Then, the Jews asked the Noble Prophet (S):

“Did you not forbid such acts?”

The blessed Verse was revealed saying:

“What you cut down of the palm-trees, or you abandoned them, it was by Allah's Command such that He might disgrace and humiliate the disobedient.”

The Arabic word layna is applied to an exquisite kind of palm-tree. Such decree as to felling palm-trees is an exceptional one the Islamic law as per which upon attacking the enemy, trees should not be felled nor animals be killed nor farms be set ablaze.

Such exceptions exist and according to the exception in question, trees may be cut down in order to provoke the enemies to leave their strongholds, to prepare the battlefield, and the like requisites. Likewise, the Islamic law forbids the consumption of carcasses, but the same is allowed as necessity arises.

The expression:

“such that He might disgrace and humiliate the disobedient”

reflects that at least one of the goals behind such act was to disgrace and humiliate the enemies and shatter their morale.