The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

59. THE GATHERING [OF FORCES]
A Medinan sura, the bulk of which is taken to refer to the Jewish clan of
Banu al-Nadir, who originally agreed with the Prophet that they would fight
neither for nor against him, yet, after the Meccan defeat of the Muslims in the
Battle of Uhud, made an alliance with the Meccans. They also tried to kill the
Prophet while he was in their area. He asked them to leave and they agreed,
but Ibn Ubayy, the head of the ‘hypocrites’ of Medina, promised them that, if
they fought the Muslims, he and his camp would fight with them (verses 11–
13), and, if they had to leave Medina, he and his camp would leave with
them. Because the Banu al-Nadir had repeatedly broken their agreements,
the Muslims besieged them in Medina (in ah 4/626 ce), Ibn Ubayy did not
keep his promise, and the Banu al-Nadir agreed to leave, some going to Syria
and some to Khaybar. In this sura, God stresses that any gains were His doing
and so should be distributed in accordance with His instructions (verses
6–10). The end of the sura, consequently, emphasizes obedience and awe
towards God (verses 21–4). The sura takes its name from the gathering of
forces in verse 2.
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1 Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies God; He is the
Almighty, the Wise. 2 It was He who drove those of the People of the
Book who broke faith a out from their homes at the first gathering of
forces––you [believers] never thought they would go, and they themselves
thought their fortifications would protect them against God.
God came up on them from where they least expected and put panic
into their hearts: their homes were destroyed by their own hands,
and the hands of the believers. Learn from this, all of you with
insight! 3 If God had not decreed exile for them, He would have
tormented them [even more severely] in this world. In the Hereafter
they will have the torment of the Fire 4 because they set themselves
against God and His Messenger: God is stern in punishment
towards anyone who sets himself against Him.
5 Whatever you [believers] may have done to [their] palm trees––
cutting them down or leaving them standing on their roots––was
a They were unfaithful to their agreements with the Prophet (see the introduction to
this sura).