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The Madinan Period, Part 18: Banū Qurayẓah and the Judgement of Saʿd ibn Muʿādh

Section 4 of 20 · The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: The Madinan Period

Room for Different Interpretations

وَأَنزَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَـٰهَرُوهُم مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مِن صَيَاصِيهِمْ وَقَذَفَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلرُّعْبَ فَرِيقًا تَقْتُلُونَ وَتَأْسِرُونَ فَرِيقًا وَأَوْرَثَكُمْ أَرْضَهُمْ وَدِيَـٰرَهُمْ وَأَمْوَٰلَهُمْ وَأَرْضًا لَّمْ تَطَـُٔوهَا ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرًا

“He has brought those of the people of the Book (the Jews) who had backed them, down from their fortresses, and cast awe into their hearts, so as to make you kill some of them and take others as captives; and He let you inherit their land and their homes and their wealth, and a land you have not trodden (so far) . And Allah is Powerful to do any thing.” (33:26–27)

Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says that He brought down those who supported them among the People of the Scripture from their fortresses and cast terror into their hearts, so that a party you killed, and you took captive a party; and He caused you to inherit their land and their homes and their properties, and a land which you have not trodden; and ever is Allah over all things competent. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says in these āyāt, which are in Sūrat al-Aḥzāb, verses 26 and 27, that He has brought down the People of the Book from their fortresses, and He cast fear in their hearts.

So Jibrīl (peace be upon him) was telling Muḥammad (peace be upon him) to go to Banū Qurayẓah, which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did. And, as described, the Ṣaḥābah had an argument on whether they should pray before sunset or whether they should pray at Banū Qurayẓah, and they split: some of them prayed, while some of them waited until they got there, and then they prayed. And when they told the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about it, he didn't berate any of the two opinions.

This is very important, because it shows that in issues of fiqh, for example, there is room for different interpretations, because we would have different understanding of the text. But the point here is that one should follow the opinion because they believe it to be the truth: not because it's the more convenient, not because it's the easiest, not because it's the easy way out. No, you do it because this is what you really believe that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, wants from you to do. That's an important principle. If one has ikhlāṣ in this regard, and they choose the opinion based on what they believe is the best, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will reward them.