Jews’ Breach of Pledge As Explained in Surah Al-Hashr
However, the Jewish groups breached their pledge and helped the enemies of Muslims and this led to their banishment from Medina. This has been mentioned in Surah Al-Hashr.
Al-Hashr is the 59th chapter of the Quran which has 24 verses and is in the 28th Juz. It is Madani and the 101st Surah revealed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Hashr in Arabic means driving a group out of their home in order to take part in war, etc. Verse 2 of the Surah is about driving Jews of Bani Nadhir out of Medina.
They were a Jewish Arab tribe that lived in northern Arabia at the oasis of Medina until the 7th century. When the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Muslims went to Medina (known as Hijra), The Bani Nadhir tribe pledged to support Muslims and defend the city along with them in case of an enemy attack.
But they breached their pledge and, therefore, there was a war between them and Muslims in which they were defeated and expelled from Medina.
The content of Surah Al-Hashr is mainly about introduction of God’s names and attributes, rules of war, the danger of Jews and hypocrites and their joint conspiracies against Islam, the consequences of forgetting God, the Tasbeeh (glorification) of God by all beings, and the role of Quran in purifying one’s soul.
The Surah begins with Tasbeeh and glorification of God: “All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify God. He is the Majestic and All-wise.”
Then there is a mention of the battle between the Muslims of Medina and the Jews who broke their promise. According to the verses, no one imagined Muslims had the power to defeat the Jews but God “cast terror into their hearts so that their homes were destroyed by their own hands”.
Then the chapter discusses the rules about distribution of the spoils of war.
It also criticizes the hypocrites and reveals their treasonous behaviors against Muslims.
Also in a short section, the verses offer a description of the Holy Quran and its effects on purification of the soul. The Surah then enumerates some attributes of God and His Asma al-Husna (beautiful names).
