The hostility of the Jews towards the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In our days, any Muslim who tries to defend himself is labeled as a terrorist, which fuels hatred, misunderstanding, and Islamophobia among those ignorant of history and blind to the truth. In this article, I will explain how this did not start recently but rather from the beginning, from the very emergence of Islam. Tribes wanted to destroy this religion that changes everything they know and denies them what they desire. One of the most prominent of these was Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf, the Jewish figure.
Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf
- Who Was He
Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf was from the Banu al-Nadir tribe, one of the prominent Jewish tribes in Medina. He belonged to a noble and wealthy family and had a significant influence on his people and the neighboring tribes. Ka'b was a skilled poet with a strong command of language, a formidable warrior, and used his talents to criticize and attack Muslims in Medina.
- Historical Background
During the early days of Islam, Medina was home to several Jewish tribes, including Banu al-Nadir, who lived alongside the Aws and Khazraj tribes. Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf was one of the leaders of Banu al-Nadir. When he learned of the Battle of Badr and its outcome for the Quraysh, he was deeply saddened and wept, composing a poem expressing his grief. When the Quraysh leaders heard it, they also wept. Ka'b felt that the Muslims posed a threat to Jewish interests due to their increasing power demonstrated at Badr.
Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf became a significant source of strife between the Muslims and their allies who had made agreements with them after Badr. He was supposed to have a treaty with the Prophet ﷺ, as he was a leader among Banu al-Nadir. True to the reputation of the Jews breaking treaties, Ka'b began by mocking and insulting the Prophet ﷺ, and he was known for his lewd poetry about the Prophet’s wives and female companions. He became a serious threat to the Muslims’ safety when he went to a Quraysh leader, Abu Sufyan (then known as Suhayl ibn Amr), in the third year of the Hijra.
- The Assassination of Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf
Abu Sufyan was one of the staunchest enemies of the Muslims and devoted all his wealth to fighting them. Ka'b asked Abu Sufyan to avenge the dead of Badr, which was one of the reasons for the Battle of Uhud (for reference, Abu Sufyan embraced Islam in the eighth year of the Hijra during the conquest of Mecca). The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Who will deal with Ka'b?" Muhammad ibn Maslama stood up and said, "I will, O Messenger of Allah." Muhammad ibn Maslama (who was a foster brother of Ka'b, hence trusted by him) sought permission from the Prophet ﷺ to deceive Ka'b under the pretext of asking for food due to their poverty after following the Prophet. Ka'b responded by suggesting they pledge their women as collateral. Muhammad ibn Maslama proposed they pledge their weapons instead, which Ka'b accepted.
Muhammad ibn Maslama went to Ka'b’s fortress one night with a group of men, though their exact number is unknown but more than four. He called out to Ka'b, inviting him to take a short walk to inquire about his well-being. Once they were away from the fortress, Muhammad ibn Maslama took the opportunity to strike Ka'b. He ordered his companions to kill Ka'b from behind, but despite their efforts, he did not die immediately and continued to resist even as Muhammad ibn Maslama tried to restrain him.
Ka'b’s death was a seismic event for the Jews and the Quraysh, instilling fear in the hearts of the Jews due to the manner of his killing. This led to the renewal of the treaty between them and the Muslims.
Conclusion
The same situations that occurred during the early days of Islam are happening today, but blind Muslims fail to see it. These "cute" Muslims do not want to accept the truth that nations are established with firmness and severity, not by accepting others' opinions. If someone like Ka'b were killed today, and there were many like him, the one who killed him would be labeled a terrorist, just as they label Palestinian resistance. There is something that no one notices due to media blackout: the Zionist entity, in its expansion, commits murder, looting, and rape, which is undeniable in history.
In closing, I want to say that today, as Muslims, we deserve this because we have abandoned what we were created for and what we were warned about, which is the worship and oneness of Allah and neglected the obligation similar to prayer, which is jihad. We let them divide us and label us as Iraqi, Egyptian, Jordanian, creating borders between us to foster hatred and make it easier for them to achieve their goals, eventually leading to what they call "normalization."
Know that asking from others besides Allah is humiliation. Know that speaking little with Allah negates our humanity. And know that He alone is worthy of thanks and praise.
:Sources
- A'lam al-Qur'an, pp. 823-826
- Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, al-Dhahabi
