Muhammad and The Jews — Page 74
swords to Muhammad and his companions leaving no encumbrances behind us, until God decides between us and Muhammad. If we do perish, we shall not leave children behind us to cause us anxiety. If we conquer we can acquire other wives and children'. They said, 'Should we kill these poor creatures? What would be the good of life when they were dead?' He said, 'Then if you will not accept this suggestion (iii) tonight is the eve of the Sabbath and it may well be that Muhammad and his companions will feel safe from us then, so come down, perhaps we can take Muhammad and his companions by surprise. ' They said: 'Are we to profane our Sabbath and do on the Sabbath what those before us of whom you well know did and were turned into apes?' He answered, 'Not a single man among you from the day of your birth has ever passed a night resolved to do what he knows ought to be done. ' 1 It is at once apparent that the first alternative of Kacb b. Asad is a reflection of lbn lsl;liiq's questionable story of the rabbis of the B. Quray+ah who had told the Tubbac of the coming of the prophet. 2 The Jews, according to Ibn lsl;liiq's version of Kacb's speech, knew that the Apostle was right and was the true messenger of God,3 and still on the eve of their death they refused to accept him. The first alternative and the answer the Jews gave is patently absurd. If they were convinced that the Apostle was an impostor and they were ready to die then they were heroes, but if it had "become plain" to them that he was a prophet and they still persisted in their death-wish then it meant that the whole clan had gone mad. Obviously, it had not "become plain" to them and Ibn Isl;laq has put in Kacb b. Asad's mouth what had "become plain" to him. The second alternative shows lbn lsiJii. q's ignorance of the Jewish law and history. These 600 to 900 men were going to fight an army of 3,000 soldiers, who had returned victorious from the Battle of the Abzab. Though it seemed to be a mad act of self destruction, yet there was a slim hope. The victorious Muslims were in bad shape. 4 The general position in Judaism is that suicide is strictly forbidden "And surely the blood of your lives shall I require"5 is considered a prohibition referring to suicide. The preservation of one's life is considered io be of such importance that man is not permitted to sacrifice 1 Ibn Hisham, pp. 685-686. 2 The story as suggested earlier has a latter day Muslim gloss. 3 ". •. for by God it has become plain to you that he is the prophet who has been sent and that it is he whom you find mentioned in your scripture. . . " (Ka'"b b. Asad's speech). 4 See infra, Chapter YI. 5 Genesis 9:5.