The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 502
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 502 time when 3,000 Muslims were surrounded by a fierce and bloodthirsty army of 10,000 to 15,000 disbelievers in an immensely vulnerable and helpless state, and in the face of their incapability their hearts were coming to their throats, and death stared them in the eye. They turned from their pact with the Muslims and partook in a deadly coalition which was solely aimed at utterly destroying Islām and the Founder of Islām. Indeed! The very same Founder of Islām, whose first task after his arrival to Madīnah was to make the Jews his friend and ally. In response to this, the Jews also accepted him as their friend and ally and Democratic Head. In these circumstances, this action of the Banū Quraiẓah was not only a breach of agreement and treason, but was also a dangerous act of rebellion; and rebellion of such magnitude, that if their plan had succeeded, this definitely would have brought an end to the lives, honour, dignity, faith and religion of the Muslims. Thus, the Banū Quraiẓah were not guilty of one crime alone, rather, they were guilty of disloyalty, ungratefulness, breach of agreement, treason, rebellion and attempted murder. Furthermore, these crimes were committed in such circumstances as could have taken on the most atrocious possible form; and no unbiased court of law could find factors for which they would be inclined to deal leniently in their case. In such circumstances, what other punishment, except for the one that was given to them, did they deserve? Obviously, there were only three possible punishments, which could have been given to them. Firstly, imprisonment or house arrest; secondly, exile, as was the case with the Banū Qainuqā‘ and Banū Naḍīr; thirdly, the execution of combatant men and imprisonment or house arrest for the rest. Now, one should contemplate with justice, which option was available to the Muslims in light of the circumstances of that era? According to the circumstances of that era, to keep an enemy nation imprisoned in the same city was absolutely out of the question. The reason being that in the case of imprisonment, the responsibility of providing for the food and lodging of the prisoners would fall upon the Muslims, and this was a burden they could not bear at all. Secondly, in those times, there was no formal system of jails, etc. , and it was a custom that prisoners would be distributed amongst the various men belonging to the nation that was victorious. Practically, the prisoners would live and move about freely. In these circumstances, to permit an enemy and conspiring group of the highest degree to remain in Madīnah was not without its dangers. If this judgement had been administered to the Banū Quraiẓah, this would mean that they would continue to enjoy the same