The Good News that Muslims will Dominate the People of the Book
While delivering the good news to His believing servants that victory and dominance will be theirs against the disbelieving, atheistic People of the Scriptures, Allah then said,
لَن يَضُرُّوكُمْ إِلاَّ أَذًى وَإِن يُقَـتِلُوكُمْ
يُوَلُّوكُمُ الاٌّدُبَارَ ثُمَّ لاَ يُنصَرُونَ
They will do you no harm, barring a trifling annoyance; and if they fight against you, they will show you their backs, and they will not be helped. (Al-i’Imran 111)
This is what occurred, for at the battle of Khaybar, Allah brought humiliation and disgrace to the Jews. Before that, the Jews in Al-Madinah, the tribes of Qaynuqa`, Nadir and Qurayzah, were also humiliated by Allah. Such was the case with the Christians in the area of Ash-Sham later on, when the Companions defeated them in many battles and took over the leadership of Ash-Sham forever. There shall always be a group of Muslims in Ash-Sham area until `Isa, son of Maryam, descends while they are like this ﴿on the truth, apparent and victorious﴾. `Isa will at that time rule according to the Law of Muhammad , break the cross, kill the swine, banish the Jizyah and only accept Islam from the people.
Allah said next,
ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَ مَا ثُقِفُواْ
إِلاَّ بِحَبْلٍ مِّنْ اللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِّنَ النَّاسِ
Indignity is put over them wherever they may be, except when under a covenant (of protection) from Allah, and a covenant from men
meaning, Allah has placed humiliation and disgrace on them wherever they may be, and they will never be safe,
إِلاَّ بِحَبْلٍ مِّنْ اللَّهِ
except when under a covenant from Allah
under the Dhimmah (covenant of protection) from Allah that requires them to pay the Jizyah (tax, to Muslims,) and makes them subservient to Islamic Law.
وَحَبْلٍ مِّنَ النَّاسِ
and a covenant from men
meaning, covenant from men, such as pledges of protection and safety offered to them by Muslim men and women, and even a slave, according to one of the sayings of the scholars. Ibn `Abbas said that,
إِلاَّ بِحَبْلٍ مِّنْ اللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِّنَ النَّاسِ
except when under a covenant from Allah, and a covenant from men
refers to a covenant of protection from Allah and a pledge of safety from people. Similar was said by Mujahid, `Ikrimah, `Ata’, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Allah’s statement,
وَبَآءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ
they have drawn on themselves the wrath of Allah
means, they earned Allah’s anger, which they deserved,
وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَسْكَنَةُ
and destitution is put over them
meaning they deserve it by decree and legislatively.
Allah said next,
ذلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ
وَيَقْتُلُونَ الاٌّنْبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ
This is because they disbelieved in the Ayat of Allah and killed the Prophets without right
meaning, what drove them to this was their arrogance, transgression and envy, earning them humiliation, degradation and disgrace throughout this life and the Hereafter. Allah said,
ذلِكَ بِمَا عَصَواْ وَّكَانُواْ يَعْتَدُونَ
This is because they disobeyed and used to transgress (the limits set by Allah)
meaning, what lured them to disbelieve in Allah’s Ayat and kill His Messengers, is the fact that they often disobeyed Allah’s commands, committed His prohibitions and transgressed His set limits. We seek refuge from this behavior, and Allah Alone is sought for each and every type of help.