Note [édition originale] : It was he who caused those who believed not, of the people who receive
the scripture, to depart from their habitations at the first emigration.] The people here intended were the
Jews of the tribe of
al Nadîr, who
dwelt in
Medina, and when
Mohammed fled thither from
Mecca, promised him to
stand neuter between him and his opponents, and made a treaty with him to that
purpose. When he had gained the battle of
Bedr, they confessed that he was
the prophet described in the law: but upon his receiving that disgrace at
Ohod, they changed their note; and
Caab Ebn al Ashraf, with forty horse, went
and made a league with
Abu Sofiân, which they confirmed by oath. Upon this,
Mohammed got
Caab dispatched, and, in the fourth year of the
Hejra, set
forward against
al Nadîr, and besieged them in their fortress, which stood
about three miles from
Medina, for six days, at the end of which they
capitulated, and were allowed to depart, on condition that they should
entirely quit that place: and accordingly some of them went into
Syria, and
others to
Khaibar and
Hira
1.
This was the
first emigration, mentioned in the passage before us. The
other happened several years after, in the reign of
Omar, when that
Khalîf
banished those who had settled at
Khaibar, and obliged them to depart out of
Arabia
2.
Dr.
Prideaux, speaking of
Mohammed’s obliging those of
al Nadîr to quit
their settlements, says that a party of his men pursued those who fled into
Syria, and having overtaken them, put them all to the sword, excepting only
one man that escaped. With such cruelty, continues he,
did those barbarians
first set up to fight for that imposture they had been deluded into
3. But a
learned gentleman has already observed that this is all grounded on a mistake,
which the doctor was led into by an imperfection in the printed edition of
Elmacinus; where, after mentioning the expulsion of the
Nadîrites, are
inserted some incoherent words relating to another action which happened the
month before, and wherein 70
Moslems, instead of putting others to the
sword, were surprised and put to the sword themselves, together with their
leader
al Mondar Ebn Omar, Caab Ebn Zeid alone escaping
4.
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1
Al Beidawi, Jallal. &c. V. Abulf. vit. Moh. cap. 35.
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2
Idem Interpp.
-
3
Prid. Life of Moh. p. 82.
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4
V. Gagnier. not. in Abulf. vit. Moh. p. 72.