Muhammad’s deteriorating relations with the Jews  

Knowing the Jews of Medina would never convert to Islam, and concerned that they would not be willing to support him in any wars against the Meccans, Muhammad had them sign the Charter of Medina which committed them to ally themselves with the Muslims in any attack on the city, and accept Muhammad as virtual Ruler of Medina. (See full text of the Charter in Ibn Ishaq, pp231-233)

   Then when Allah changed the qibla back to the Kabah in Mecca, Muhammad began a series of attacks on the Meccans which were to lead him to victory at the Battle of Badr in 624CE and the cold-blooded killing and beheading of the fleeing and captive Quraysh.   

   Flushed with victory after this crucial battle, Muhammad turned his sights on the Jews. The following narrative and chronology of Muhammad’s attacks, raids and killings of Jews is taken from the Sirat Rasul Allah (Life of the Apostle of Allah) by Ibn Ishaq. 

624CE  

1. Attack on the Beni Qaynuka. 

As Ibn Ishaq describes, Muhammad summoned the Jewish tribe to Islam. They refused and were besieged. Lined up and chained for execution, they were rescued by their ally, the Khazraj leader, Abdullah b. Uubayy, and sent into exile instead. (Ibn Ishaq, p363)

2. Assassination of Ka’b. 

Muhammad ordered the killing of the Jew, Ka’b b. al-Ashraf, for writing poetry lamenting the fate of the Meccan leaders that Muhammad had had killed in cold blood. This ‘attack upon God’s enemy cast terror among the Jews, and there was no Jew in Medina who did not fear for his life’. (Ibn Ishaq, pp364-369) 

3. Murder of Ibn Sunayna. ‘

Muhammad said, “Kill any Jew that falls into your power.” Thereupon Muhayyisa b. Masud killed Ibn Sunayna, a Jewish merchant.’ (Ibn Ishaq, p369)

625CE

4. Assassination of Asma b. Marwan. 

After the Battle of Uhud, Muhammad had Asma, a Jewish poetess, assassinated for criticising him for ordering the death of aged chieftain, Abu Afak, who had also mocked Muhammad in poetry. 

   Asma was killed by Umayr b. Adiy, and ‘when he asked the apostle if there would be any repercussions, Muhammad said, “No, two goats wouldn’t butt their heads about her.” (Ibn Ishaq, pp675-676)

5. Attack on the Beni al-Nadir. 

Muhammad said that Allah had told him that this wealthy Jewish tribe were plotting to kill him, so ‘he marched against them. The Jews took refuge in their forts, and Muhammad ordered their date-palms to be destroyed.  Allah cast terror in their hearts. They asked Muhammad to exile them and to spare their lives on condition that they could keep all the property that they could carry on camels, except their armour, and he agreed….Only two of the Jews converted to Islam to retain their property.’  (Ibn Ishaq pp437-439)

627CE

6. Massacre of the Beni Qurayza. 

After the Battle of the Trench, Muhammad turned on the last Jewish tribe of Medina, and accused them of treachery. 

   ‘As Muhammad approached the forts in which they had taken refuge, he shouted, “You brothers of monkeys! How Allah has disgraced you and brought His vengeance against you!” 

   He then besieged them for 25 nights until they were sore pressed and Allah cast terror in their hearts.’ (Ibn Ishaq, p461)

   Sa’d b. Muadh was chosen by Muhammad as arbitrator, and when he pronounced that ‘the men should be slaughtered and the women and children taken into slavery’, Muhammad cried, “You have given the judgement of Allah above the seven heavens!’” Trenches were dug. ‘Then Muhammad sent for them [the Jewish men] and had their heads struck off as they were brought out before him in batches, 600 or 700 in all, though some put the figure as high as 800 or 900.’ 

   ‘Then Muhammad divided the captive wives and children among the Muslims, … choosing Rayhana d. Amr b. Khunafa as his personal concubine …and sent some of the captive women to Najd to be sold in exchange for horses and weapons.’  (Ibn Ishaq, pp463-466)

7. Assassination of Jewish leader Sallam. 

Sallam b. Abul-Huqayq, leader of the exiled Beni al-Nadir, had joined the Meccans in the Battle of the Trench/Siege of Medina, and had settled in Khaybar. Muhammad authorised five Muslims to go to Khaybar. They entered Sallam’s house by treachery and killed him in his bed. The assassins returned to Muhammad and disputed as to who had killed him. Muhammad demanded to see their swords and said, ‘It was Abdullah b. Unays’ sword that killed him. I can see traces of food on it!’’ (Ibn Ishaq, pp482-484) 

628CE

8. Muhammad orders the killing of Yusayr b. Rizam. 

Muhammad learned that the new Jewish leader of Khaybar was allying himself with the Ghatafan, so he sent a delegation of 30 Muslims to Yusayr with blandishments, ‘saying that if he would visit the apostle, he would give him an appointment and honour him.’

   Yusayr and his companions were then killed by the Muslims on the journey to Medina. (Ibn Ishaq, pp665-666). ‘Muhammad had said, “I will not see Yusayr” meaning “Kill him.”’ (Al-Waqidi, p279)

9. Muhammad attacks and conquers Khaybar. 

Promising his followers great riches and booty, Muhammad sent a letter to the Jews at Khaybar, claiming to be a prophet of God, and ‘brother of Moses’, and summoning them to Islam. He then led the Muslims in a surprise ‘dawn attack on Khaybar, shouting, “Allahu akbar! Allah is Supreme! Khaybar is destroyed!” He then conquered the settlement piece by piece and captured the forts on by one as he came to them.The women of Khaybar were distributed among the Muslims. The apostle threw his cloak over Safiya, daughter of Huyayy b. Akhtab, [who had been killed by the Muslims along with his allies, the Beni Qurayza the year before], so that the Muslims knew that he had chosen her for himself.’  (Ibn Ishaq, pp511-515)

10. Muhammad has Jewish leader Kinana tortured to death. 

‘Kinana b. al-Rabi, custodian of the treasure of the Beni al-Nadir was brought before the apostle. Kinana denied knowing its whereabouts, so Muhammad said, ‘You know that if we find you have it, I shall kill you?’ When some of the treasure was found, the apostle said “Torture him until you extract what he has”, so they kindled a fire with flint and steel on his chest until he was nearly dead. Then the apostle gave Kinana over to Muhammad b. Maslama and he struck off his head.’ (Ibn Ishaq, pp515-517)

Muhammad’s sayings about the Last Day and the final annihilation of the Jews

Muhammad’s sayings in the hadith

After Muhammad’s death, tens of thousands of his sayings were collected together and recorded and written down by various Muslim scholars, who then sifted through these anecdotes and organised them into categories of reliability, such as shahih (authentic), hasan (good), da’if (weak) mawdhu’a (fabricated), or munkar (denounced).

   These collections of anecdotes, known as hadith reflect, enlighten and explain passages of the Quran and Muhammad’s own thoughts and actions. Hadiths classified as sahīh or hasan have been used to form the basis of Sharia (Islamic Law). 

   There are six canonical hadith collections that are widely accepted by Sunni Muslims. The two most famed for their reliability are those of Persian scholars Muhammad al-Bukhari (810–870) and Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (817–875). 

   However, even these two collections, known as Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim respectively, were not compiled until well over 200 years after Muhammad’s death, and by then  hundreds of thousands of spurious and embellished anecdotes were in existence, none more so than Muhammad’s supposed sayings relating to the terrors of the Day of Judgement for the Jews and other unbelievers, compared to the delights of Paradise for the faithful. 

The ten signs of the Last Day

The Islamic concept of the Last Day is heavily influenced by the Christian concept of the Day of Judgement. It contains references to the last trumpet, the Resurrection of the Dead, and the Second Coming of Jesus/Isa. 

   However, according to Islam, Christians are ‘deluded’’ in believing that Jesus died on the Cross, and wicked and idolatrous to claim that Jesus was the Son of Allah. 

   In this Apocalyptic scenario, therefore, the Messiah Jesus/Isa, though miraculously born of a virgin by Allah’s will, is merely the mortal prophet of Islam who preceded Muhammad, the last and the seal of the prophets.  

   ‘The apostle said, “The Last Day will not come until you see ten signs beforehand.” He listed: smoke, Dajjal, the beast, the rising of the sun from the west, the descent of Jesus, son of Mary, the Gog and Magog, and land-slidings in three places, one in the east, one in the west and one in Arabia, at the end of which fire would burn forth from the Yemen, and would drive people to the gathering place.’ (Sahih Muslim, 6931)

   Muslims alone will recognize Dajjal, ‘blind in the right eye which looks like a bulging grape’, as the False Messiah or Anti-Christ because of the Arabic letters Kaaf (k), Faa (f), Raa (r), on his forehead which spell the word Kufr (disbelief). 

   Dajjal will be of Jewish origin and the Jews of Isfahaan will be his main followers and they will refer to him as the Messiah. As he stirs up fitna (turmoil) in the world, Jews and a great number of non-Jewish women will flock to him upon witnessing his false miracles.  

The coming of Jesus and his battle with Dajjal 

The world will be saved by Jesus/Isa descending from heaven to kill the Anti-Christ/Dajjal and his followers. 

   The apostle said, “Then Prophet Isa, son of Maryam, will descend during fajr (sunrise prayer) and will set out in pursuit of Dajjal. All those who embraced the evil of Dajjal shall perish even as the breath of Jesus touches them. The breath of Jesus shall precede him as far as the eye can see and the Dajjal will be captured at the gate of Lod. Then, Dajjal will begin to melt, as salt dissolves in water. The spear of Jesus shall plunge into Dajjal's chest, ending his dreaded reign.’ (Sahih Muslim 5228)

Islam’s annihilation of the Jews

The wicked unbelievers and supporters of Dajjal will be rooted out, for even the trees and rocks will speak out against them. 

   ‘Abu Huraira reported the apostle as saying, ‘The last hour will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them until the Jews hide behind a stone or a tree, and the stone or a tree will say: “Muslim, or servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him.” But the Gharqad tree will not say this, for it is the tree of the Jews.(Sahih Muslim 2922/6985) 

   ‘And none of those who followed Dajjal will be left, they will all be killed.’ (Imam Ahmad 14426). 

The defeat of the Christian Byzantine empire

It is not just the Jews who will be annihilated. Muhammad also predicted that the coming of the Dajjal would be preceded by a great battle against al-Rum, the Christian Roman Byzantine Empire in which the Muslim forces would conquer Byzantium/Constantinople without weapons. 

   ‘They would only say, ‘There is no god but Allah and Allah is supreme. The gates would be opened to them and they would enter therein, and they would be collecting spoils of war and distributing them amongst themselves when a noise would be heard saying, ‘Verily Dajjal has come.’ (Sahih Muslim 2920)

The triumph of Islam 

As far as Christians are concerned, at Jesus Christ’s proclamation of the Truth of Islam, Christianity will become extinct. The Cross, symbol of Christianity, will be destroyed, all pigs will be slaughtered as unclean, and there will of course be no more need for the jizyah (the Islamic tax on subjugated People of the Book).  

   ‘The Prophet said, “The Hour will not begin until Jesus, son of Mary, comes down as a just judge and a just ruler. He will break the Cross, kill the swine, and abolish the jizyah, and wealth shall become so abundant that no one will accept it.” (Sahih Bukhari 3448) 

   All battles will cease and ‘the earth will be filled with peace just a vessel is filled with water. All people will be united and none shall be worshipped except Allah.’ (Ibn Majah 4077)

Modern Islamic anti-Semitism

We have seen how the majority of devout Muslims across the world have learned from the anti-Semitic Quran that the Jews are their eternal enemies, and that they must not associate with Jews and Christians ‘who are allies only to each other.’  

   Thus Muslims link Jews and Christians inextricably in their minds and see the whole of Western capitalist society, particularly America, to which many Jews emigrated and built successful lives, as part of the great Satanic entity which has to be destroyed before the Day of Judgement and the reign of Islam can be accomplished.

Numerous Islamic videos on YouTube such as those issued by Merciful Servant and ILoveUAllah reinforce this desire for the destruction of Western civilization, as images of great skyscrapers and then ruins are accompanied by Islamic voice-overs describing the coming of the Dajjal and the destruction of the world. 

   Meanwhile, people all over the world, Muslims and non-Muslims,  are condemned to death for blasphemy for the slightest criticism of Islam or its prophet, whilst media outlets in Islamic countries such as Iran spew forth with impunity cartoons in which Jews are cruelly caricatured as apes and pigs striving for world dominance, with the USA as both their ally and their tool:

For a study of modern Arab cartoons with anti-Semitic motifs, go to:

https://jcpa.org/article/major-anti-semitic-motifs-in-arab-cartoons/

Photo by Cody Chan on Unsplash