find none to patronize or protefl them, befides Goo, God already knoweth
thofe among you who hinder others from following his apoftle, and who fay
unto their brethren, Come hither unto us and who come not to battle, except
a little * •, being covetous towards you b: but when fear cometh on
them, thou feeft them look unto thee fo r ajfiftance, their eyes rolling about
like the eyes of him who fainteth by reafon of the agonies of death : yet
when their fear is paft, they inveigh againft you with fharp tongues; being
covetous of the beft and mojl valuable p a rt of the fpoils. Thefe believe not
Jincerely ; wherefore G od hath rendred their works of no avail; and this is
eafy with G od. They imagined that the confederates would not depart and
raife the ftege : and if the confederates ihould come another time, they would
wilh to live in the defarts among the Arabs who dwell in tentsc, and there
to inquire after news concerning you ; and although they were with you this
time, yet they fought not, except a little. Ye have in the apoftle of God
an excellent example d, unto him who hopeth in G o d , and the laft day,
and remembreth G od frequently. When the true believers faw the confederates,
they faid, This is what G od and his apoftle have foretold us• ; and
G od and -his apoftle have fpoken the truth : and it only encreafed their faith
and refignation. Of the true believers fome men juftly performed what they
had promifed unto G od f ; and fome of them have finiflied their courfe6, and
fome of them wait the fame advantageh; and they changed riot their promife,
by deviating therefrom in the leaf : that G od may reward the juft performers
o f th eir covenant for their fidelity ; and may punilh the hypocritical, if he
pleafeth, or may be turne_d unto them ; for G od is ready to forgive, aid
merciful. G od hath driven back the infidels in their wrath: they obtained no
advantage ; and G od was a fufficient protestor unto the faithful in battle ; for
God
51 And who come not to battle, except a little j]
Either coming to the army in fmall numbers ;
or. flaying with them but a little while, and then
returning on fome feigned excufe; or behaving
ill in time of a&ion. Some expofitors take thefe
words to be part of the fpeech of the hypocrites,
refleding on Mohammed1 s companions for
lying idle in the trenches, and net attacking
the enemy.
b Being covetous towards you 1] i. «. Sparing
of their affiftance either in perfon or with their
purfe; or, being greedy after the booty.
c They would wijh to live in the defarts, &c.]
That they-might be abfent, and -not obliged to
go to war.
d Te have in the apoftle of G od an excellent example;]
viz. O f firmnefs in time of danger, of
confidence in the divine affiftance, and of piety
by fervent prayer for the fame.
e This is what God and his apoftle have foretold
us$] Namely, That we muft not exped to
enter paradife, without undergoing fome trials
and tribulations *. There is a tradition that
Mohammed adually foretold this expedition of
the confederates fome time before, and the lue*
cefs of it 2.
f Some men juftly performed M at they had pro-
mifed unto G od ;] ■ By Handing firm with the prophet,
and ftrenuoüîly oppofing the enemies of
the true religion, according to their engagement.
g Some o f them have finifhed their courfe »]
Or, as the words may be tranflated, have fulfilled
their vow, or paid their debt to nature, by falling
martyrs in battle ; as did Hamza, Mohammed's
uncle, Mafab Ebn Omair, and Ans Ebn al
Nadr 3, who were llain at the battle of Ohod.
The martyrs at the war of the ditch were fix, including
Saad Ebn Moâdh, who died of his wound
about a month after 4.
h And fome wait for the fame advantage ;] As
Olhman and Telha 5.
1 See chap. 2. p. 24, chap. 3. p .^ z i chap. 29. 325, & c.
4 A bulf. vit. Mob. p. 79. s A l Beidawi.
God is ftrong and mighty. And he hath caufed fuch of thofe who have received
the fcriptures, as aflifted the confederates, to come down out of their
fortrefies *, and he call into their hearts terror and difmay b: a part of them ye
flew, and a part ye made captives and God hath caufed you to inherit their
land, and their houfes, and their wealth ', and a land on which ye have not
trodden '1 5 for G od is almighty. O prophet, fay unto thy wives, If ye
feek this prefent life, and the pomp thereof, come, I will make a handfome
provifion for you, and I will difmifs you with an honourable diftniifion | : but
a Such o f thofe who have received the fcriptures,
as afftfted the confederates j] Thefe were the Jews
of the tribe of Koreidha, who, tho* they were
in league with Mohammed, had, at the inceffant
perfuafion of Caab Ebn Afad, a principal man
among them, perfidioufly gone over to his enemies
in this war of the ditch ; and were fevere-
ly punilhed for it. For the next morning after
the confederate forces had decamped, Mohammed
and his men returned to Medina, and laying
down their arms, began to refrelh themfelves after
their fatigue j upon which Gabriel came to
the prophet, and asked him whether he had fuf-
fered his people to lay down their arms, when
the angels had not laid down theirs ; and ordered
him to go immediately againft the Koradhites,
alluring him that himfelf would lead the way.
Mohammed, in obedience to the divine command,
having caufed public proclamation to be made
that every one Ihould pray that afternoon for
fuccefs againft the fons of Koreidha, fet forward
on the expedition without lofs of time; and being
arrived at the fortrefs of the Koradhites, be-
fieged them for twenty five days, at the end of
which thofe people, being in great terror and dif-
trefs, capitulated, and at length, not daring to
truft to Mohammed's mercy, furrendred at the
diferetion of Saad Ebn Moadh 1, hoping that
he, being the prince of the tribe of Aws, their
old friends and confederates, would have fome
regard for them : but they were deceived; for
Saad being greatly incenfed at their breach of
faith, had begged of G od that he might not die
of the wound he had received at the ditch, till
he faw vengeance taken on the Koradhites, and
therefore adjudged that the men lhouid be put
to the fword, the women and children made
Haves, and their goods be divided among the
Mofiems ; which fentence Mohammed had no foon-
cr heard, than he cried out, That Saad had pronounced
the fentence of G od : and the fame was accordingly
executed, the number of the men who
1 See chap. S .p . 142.. 3 ^ /B eidawi
Vie de Mah. 1. 4. c. 2. 3 E bn I shak,
were llain, amounting to fix hundred, or, as
others fay, to feven hundred, or very near ;
among whom were Hoyai Ebn Akhtab a great
enemy of Mohammed's, and Caab Ebn Afad,
who had been the chief occalion of the revolt of
their tribe: and foon after Saad, who had given
judgment againft them, died, his wound, which
had been skinned over, opening again z.
b And caft into their hearts terror and difmay.]
This was the work of Gabriel, who, according
to his promife, went before the army of Mofiems.
It is faid that Mohammed, a little before
he came to the fettlement of the Koradhites,
| asking fome of his men whether any body had
* pafled them, they anfwered, that Dohya Ebn
Kholeifa the Calbite had juft palled by them,
mounted on a white mule, with houfings of
fattin : to which he replied, That perfon was the
angel Gabriel, who is fent to the fons o f Koreidha,
tofhake their caftles, and toftrike their hearts
with fear and confternation 3.
c And G od hath caufed you to inherit their
. land, &c.] Their immoveable pofieffions Mohammed
gave to the Mohajerin, faying, that the
Anfars were in their own houfes, but that the
others were deftitute of habitations. The moveables
were divided among his followers, but he
remitted the fifth part, which was ufual to be
taken in other cafes 4.
d A land on which ye have not trodden;] Bv
which fome fuppofe Perfia and Greece are meant;
others, Khaibar ; and others,- whatever lands the
Mofiems may conquer till the day of judgment *.
e 0 prophet, fay unto thy wives, I f ye feek this
prefent life^ &c. J This paflage was revealed on
Mohammed's wives asking for more fumptuous
cloaths, and an additional allowance for their ex-
pences: and he had no fooner received it, than
he gave them their option,either to continue’with
him,or to be divorced, beginning W\t)\AyeJba, who
chofe G od 'andhis apoftle, and the reft followed
her example ; upon which the prophet thanked
them,
, A bulf. Fit. Moh. p.. 77. &V. F. G ag ni i«,
* A l Beidawi. ' '' ■ ■ Idem.'