Muhammad faced a difficult situation when he returned from Tabuk. It wasnt that he was going to have explain why Allahs prophet had marched 30,000 men into the desert on a long expedition into the desert to fight an enemy which never showed up. The subjugation of the towns in the vicinity of Tabuk, and the tribute handed over by them, would vindicate the campaign. Plus, Muhammad could claim that the Byzantine army would have attempted to invade Arabia if Muhammad had not marched out to Tabuk.
No, the main problem was how to deal with those who had refused to join the expedition? Muhammads revelations during the expedition had denounced the Hypocrites of Medina as if they should be treated as unbelievers. But many of those Hypocrites were close kin to Muhammads troops. His words -- which we have just reviewed in verses 38-101 -- had been harsh, but overly harsh punishment would risk alienating his allies in Medina.
So, although Muhammad had declared that Allah would never forgive those who had mocked the jihadists (in 9:79-80), and although he had repeatedly stated that the Hypocrites were doomed to hell (in 9:67, 68, 73, 79, 90), he adopted a policy of clemency toward those who expressed repentance. This was hinted at in verses 95-95; the idea seems to be that Allah would remain displeased with the Hypocrites because their repentance would not be genuine, but at least if they pretended to repent, they would be tolerated. Even though Muhammad had stated already that the Hypocrites were doomed, he says in v. 102, Perhaps Allah will turn unto them in forgiveness -- referring to /some/ of the Bedouins, and /some/ of the people of Medina, which his listeners would generously interpret to mean people not under the blanket-condemnation had had so recently thrown over all those who had refused to join the expedition.
How could the Hypocrites express their repentance? Some Hypocrites, having been informed about what Muhammad had said to his troops, went into the mosque at Medina and insisted on staying there till he released them -- a practice which seems to have been similar in significance to the Old Testament practice of holding onto the horns of the altar as a sort of sanctuary-base (see First Kings 1:50-53 and 2:28-34 for examples of this practice). After Muhammad arrived at the mosque, he said that he had been instructed to take it easy on those men. (??? What happened to v. 73's command???)
They gratefully offered to give alms, but he said he would not accept them -- but then verses 103-104 were revealed, which resulted in their alms being accepted. This is a clear example of how, in Islam, good deeds pay for bad deeds; in this case the payment is quite literal!
Other people who had stayed behind still posed a problem, and Muhammad did not decide right away what to do with them. One person in particular was Kab ibn Malik, who served in a capacity of something like a press agent for Muhammad. Kab and two others (Halal ibn Umayyah and Murarah ibn Rabi) were ordered to withdraw from the community, and this isolation continued for 50 days, awaiting Allahs decree, as v. 106 puts it. Then verses 118-119 were revealed about these three men, resulting in their return to the community.
Verses 107-110 refer to a mosque which had been constructed by some members of the Banu Ghanam tribe. It was alleged that rather than using this mosque for Islam, these men were using it as a sort of speak-easy where they conspired against Muhammad, and that it was their hope that eventually a Christian named Abu Amir, who had opposed Muhammad and had left the area, would return and use the mosque. However, it seems that Abu Amir had died, thus collapsing the plot. When Muhammad returned from Tabuk, they apparently decided to try to make the best of things, and so they invited Muhammad to pray at their mosque. As a result, verses 107-110 were revealed, and Muhammad sent men to the mosque to demolish the mosque, which they did. At some point, the house of Swalim, where people had freely expressed their opposition to the Tabuk-expedition, was burnt also. Notice, by the way, the similarity between v. 109 and Jesus parable of the Wise Man and the Foolish Man in Matthew 7:24-27.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
No, the main problem was how to deal with those who had refused to join the expedition? Muhammads revelations during the expedition had denounced the Hypocrites of Medina as if they should be treated as unbelievers. But many of those Hypocrites were close kin to Muhammads troops. His words -- which we have just reviewed in verses 38-101 -- had been harsh, but overly harsh punishment would risk alienating his allies in Medina.
So, although Muhammad had declared that Allah would never forgive those who had mocked the jihadists (in 9:79-80), and although he had repeatedly stated that the Hypocrites were doomed to hell (in 9:67, 68, 73, 79, 90), he adopted a policy of clemency toward those who expressed repentance. This was hinted at in verses 95-95; the idea seems to be that Allah would remain displeased with the Hypocrites because their repentance would not be genuine, but at least if they pretended to repent, they would be tolerated. Even though Muhammad had stated already that the Hypocrites were doomed, he says in v. 102, Perhaps Allah will turn unto them in forgiveness -- referring to /some/ of the Bedouins, and /some/ of the people of Medina, which his listeners would generously interpret to mean people not under the blanket-condemnation had had so recently thrown over all those who had refused to join the expedition.
How could the Hypocrites express their repentance? Some Hypocrites, having been informed about what Muhammad had said to his troops, went into the mosque at Medina and insisted on staying there till he released them -- a practice which seems to have been similar in significance to the Old Testament practice of holding onto the horns of the altar as a sort of sanctuary-base (see First Kings 1:50-53 and 2:28-34 for examples of this practice). After Muhammad arrived at the mosque, he said that he had been instructed to take it easy on those men. (??? What happened to v. 73's command???)
They gratefully offered to give alms, but he said he would not accept them -- but then verses 103-104 were revealed, which resulted in their alms being accepted. This is a clear example of how, in Islam, good deeds pay for bad deeds; in this case the payment is quite literal!
Other people who had stayed behind still posed a problem, and Muhammad did not decide right away what to do with them. One person in particular was Kab ibn Malik, who served in a capacity of something like a press agent for Muhammad. Kab and two others (Halal ibn Umayyah and Murarah ibn Rabi) were ordered to withdraw from the community, and this isolation continued for 50 days, awaiting Allahs decree, as v. 106 puts it. Then verses 118-119 were revealed about these three men, resulting in their return to the community.
Verses 107-110 refer to a mosque which had been constructed by some members of the Banu Ghanam tribe. It was alleged that rather than using this mosque for Islam, these men were using it as a sort of speak-easy where they conspired against Muhammad, and that it was their hope that eventually a Christian named Abu Amir, who had opposed Muhammad and had left the area, would return and use the mosque. However, it seems that Abu Amir had died, thus collapsing the plot. When Muhammad returned from Tabuk, they apparently decided to try to make the best of things, and so they invited Muhammad to pray at their mosque. As a result, verses 107-110 were revealed, and Muhammad sent men to the mosque to demolish the mosque, which they did. At some point, the house of Swalim, where people had freely expressed their opposition to the Tabuk-expedition, was burnt also. Notice, by the way, the similarity between v. 109 and Jesus parable of the Wise Man and the Foolish Man in Matthew 7:24-27.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
