Introduction to the Study of The Holy Quran — Page 164
164 Mu‘adh. 181 The Prophet accepted their demand and sent word to Sa‘d, who was lying wounded, to come and give his award on the Jewish breach of faith. As soon as the Prophet’s decision was announced, the Awsites who had been allies of the Banu Qurayzah for a long time ran to Sa‘d and began to press him to give his award in favour of the Banu Qurayzah. The Khazraj, they said, had always tried to save Jews allied to them. It was up to Sa‘d to save the Jews allied to his tribe. Sa‘d went mounted to the Banu Qurayzah. Men of his tribe ran with him on both sides, pressing him not to punish the Banu Qurayzah. All that Sa‘d said in reply was that the person who had to make an award held a trust. He had to discharge the trust with integrity. "I will therefore give my award, taking everything into consideration, and without fear or favour," he said. When Sa‘d reached the Jewish fortress, he saw the Banu Qurayzah lined up against the wall of the fort, waiting for him. On the other side were Muslims. When Sa‘d got near them he asked, "Will you accept my award?" They said, "Yes. " Sa‘d’s Award in Harmony with the Bible Turning to the Banu Qurayzah he asked the same question, and they also agreed. Then shyly he pointed to the side where the Prophet was sitting and asked if the people on that side also agreed to abide by his award. On hearing this, the Prophet replied, "Yes. " 182 Then Sa‘d gave his award in accordance with the following commandment of the Bible. Says the Bible: When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee. And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it: And when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God hath given thee. Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee: That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the Lord your God. 183 According to the teaching of the Bible, if the Jews had won and the Prophet had lost, all Muslims—men, women and children—would have been put to death. We know from history that this was the very intention of the Jews. The least the Jews would have done was to put to death the men, to enslave the women and children