Absolute Justice, Kindness and Kinship — Page 234
Trust and Accountability 229 loosened, the ropes of all the prisoners must also be loosened. That is they had no right to single out ‘Abb a s ra. This was his clear verdict. 35 In contrast to his treatment of close relatives, his treatment of committed enemies was no different in matters of justice. He was invariably guided by the following injunction of the Quran. …and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. … (S u rah al-M a ’idah; Ch. 5: V. 9) The age-old enmity between Jews and Muslims has always been unduly exaggerated by the enemies of Islam. Yet, the conduct of the Holy Prophet sa towards the Jews was always governed by this verse. He always settled disputes between Muslims and Jews with absolute justice. The following incident provides us with a shining example of his conduct in such matters. Ban u Na di r were one of the Jewish tribes of Medina. This tribe was earlier exiled from Medina for committing treachery and breach of trust against their Muslim allies during the Battle of the Ditch. Although the teaching of the Talmud would condemn them to death, without exception, for committing this grave crime, it was only the kindness of the Holy Prophet sa which changed the verdict of death to banishment