Surah Al-Mujadila 58:8

The Evil of the Jews

Ibn Abi Najih reported from Mujahid,

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ نُهُواْ عَنِ النَّجْوَى ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ

(Have you not seen those who were forbidden to hold secret counsels, and afterwards returned to that which they had been forbidden,) He said, "The Jews." Similar was said by Muqatil bin Hayyan, who added, "The Prophet had a peace treaty with the Jews. When one of the Prophet's Companions would pass by a gathering of Jews, they would speak among themselves in secret, prompting the believer to think that they were plotting to kill or harm him. When the believer saw this, he feared for his safety and changed the route he was taking. The Prophet advised them to abandon their evil secret talks, but they did not listen and kept on holding the Najwa. Allah the Exalted sent down this Ayah in their case,

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ نُهُواْ عَنِ النَّجْوَى ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ

(Have you not seen those who were forbidden to hold secret counsels, and afterwards returned to that which they had been forbidden)." Allah's statement,

وَيَتَنَـجَوْنَ بِالإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَمَعْصِيَتِ الرَّسُولِ

(and conspired together for sin and wrongdoing and disobedience to the Messenger.) means, they used to talk to each other,

بِالإِثْمِ

(for sin) which involves themselves,

وَالْعُدْوَنِ

(and wrongdoing) which effects others. They speak about disobedience and defying of the Messenger , with persistence and recommending each other to follow their way,

وَإِذَا جَآءُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ اللَّهُ

(And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting wherewith Allah greets you not,) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `A'ishah said, "Some Jews came to the Prophet and greeted him by saying, `As-Sam `Alayka, O Abul-Qasim.' So I said to them, `wa `Alaykum As-Sam (the same death be upon you).' The Prophet said,

«يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفُحْشَ وَلَا التَّفَحُّش»

(O `A'ishah, Allah does not like rudeness and foul speech.) I said, `Didn't you hear them say, `As-Sam Alayka' He said,

«أَوَ مَا سَمِعْتِ أَقُولُ: وَعَلَيْكُم»

(Didn't you hear me answering them back by saying, `Wa `Alaykum (And the same upon you)') Allah the Exalted then sent down this Ayah,

وَإِذَا جَآءُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ اللَّهُ

(And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting wherewith Allah greets you not,)" The narration collected in the Sahih states that `A'ishah said, "And be upon you the death, disgrace and curse." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to her,

«إِنَّهُ يُسْتَجَابُ لَنَا فِيهِمْ، وَلَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهُمْ فِينَا»

(Allah accepts our supplication against them, but not theirs against us.) Ibn Jarir recorded that Anas bin Malik said, "A Jew passed by Allah's Messenger , who was sitting with his Companions, he greeted them and they greeted him back. Allah's Messenger ﷺ then said to his Companions,

«هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَا قَالَ؟»

(Do you know what he just said) They said, `He said: As-Salam, O Allah's Messenger.' The Prophet said,

«بَلْ قَالَ: سَامٌ عَلَيْكُم»

(Rather he said, Sam `Alaykum.) meaning, `may you disgrace your religion.' Allah's Messenger ﷺ then said,

«رُدُّوه»

(Bring him back,) and when he was brought back, the Prophet asked him,

«أَقُلْتَ: سَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ؟»

(Did you say: Sam `Alaykum) He said, `Yes.' The Prophet then said,

«إِذَا سَلَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فَقُولُوا: عَلَيْك»

(When the people of the Book greet you, say, `Wa `Alaykum.')" meaning, `and the same on you too.' The basis for the Hadith of Anas is in the Sahih and similar to this Hadith of `A'ishah is in the Sahih. Allah said,

وَيَقُولُونَ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَوْلاَ يُعَذِّبُنَا اللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ

(and say within themselves:"Why should Allah punish us not for what we say") means, the Jews say these words, changing the meaning of the Islamic greeting, into an abusive statement, and then say, `Had he been a Prophet, Allah would have punished us for what we said. Allah knows what we conceal. Therefore, if Muhammad ﷺ were a Prophet, Allah would have sent His punishment on us sooner, in this life.' Allah the Exalted replied,

حَسْبُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ

(Hell will be sufficient for them;) ell should be sufficient for them in the Hereafter,

يَصْلَوْنَهَا فَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

(they will enter therein. And worst indeed is that destination!) Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said that the Jews used to say, "Sam `Alayka," to Allah's Messenger ﷺ. They would say then within themselves, "Why does Allah not punish us for what we say" This Ayah was later revealed,

وَإِذَا جَآءُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ اللَّهُ وَيَقُولُونَ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَوْلاَ يُعَذِّبُنَا اللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ حَسْبُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ يَصْلَوْنَهَا فَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

(And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting wherewith Allah greets you not, and say within themselves: "Why should Allah punish us not for what we say" Hell will be sufficient for them; they will enter therein. And worst indeed is that destination!) Its chain of narration is Hasan, but they (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not collect it.

Manners of the Najwa, (Secret Counsel)

Allah the Exalted teaches His believing servants to avoid the ways of the disbelievers and hypocrites,

يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِذَا تَنَاجَيْتُمْ فَلاَ تَتَنَـجَوْاْ بِالإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَمَعْصِيَةِ الرَّسُولِ

(O you who believe! When you hold secret counsel, do it not for sin and wrongdoing, and disobedience to the Messenger,) meaning, do not hold evil secret counsels like the ignorant disbelieving People of the Scriptures and their allies among the hypocrites, who imitate their ways,

وَتَنَـجَوْاْ بِالْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ الَّذِى إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ

(but do it for Al-Birr and Taqwa; and have Taqwa of Allah unto Whom you shall be gathered.) and He will then inform you of all your deeds and statements; He has counted and recorded them and will justly hold you accountable for them. Allah the Exalted said,

إِنَّمَا النَّجْوَى مِنَ الشَّيْطَـنِ لِيَحْزُنَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَيْسَ بِضَآرِّهِمْ شَيْئاً إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

(An-Najwa are only from the Shaytan, in order that he may cause grief to the believers. But he cannot harm them in the least, except as Allah permits. And in Allah let the believers put their trust.) Allah states that secret talks, where the believers feel anxious, are

مِنَ الشَّيْطَـنِ لِيَحْزُنَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ

(only from Shaytan, in order that he may cause grief to the believers.) meaning, that those who hold such counsels do so because of the lures of the devil,

لِيَحْزُنَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ

(in order that he may cause grief to the believers.) The devil seeks to bother the believers, even though his plots will not harm the believers, except if Allah wills it. Those who are the subject of evil Najwa, should seek refuge in Allah and put his trust in Him, for none of it will harm them, Allah willing. The Sunnah also forbids the Najwa so that no Muslim is bothered by it. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِذَا كُنْتُمْ ثَلَاثَةً فَلَا يَتَنَاجَى اثْنَانِ دُونَ صَاحِبِهِمَا، فَإِنَّ ذلِكَ يُحْزِنُه»

(If you were three, then two of you should not hold a secret counsel in the presence of the third person, because that would cause him to be worried.) This Hadith is collected in the Two Sahihs using a chain of narration that contained Al-A`mash. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that `Abdullah bin `Umar said that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said,

«إِذَا كُنْتُمْ ثَلَاثَةً فَلَا يَتَنَاجَى اثْنَانِ دُونَ الثَّالِثِ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ، فَإِنَّ ذلِكَ يُحْزِنُه»

(If you were three, then two of you should not hold a secret counsel in the presence of the third person, except with his permission, because that would cause him to be worried.) Muslim collected this Hadith.

Ayat ini mencela perbuatan yang dilakukan orang Yahudi yang melakukan tindakan yang memancing perselisihan dan permusuhan antara mereka dan kaum Muslimin, padahal telah diadakan perjanjian damai antara mereka dan kaum Muslimin. Rasulullah saw memperingatkan sikap mereka itu, tetapi mereka tidak mengindahkannya.

Pembicaraan mereka dengan berbisik-bisik itu sebenarnya dapat memperbesar dosa mereka kepada Allah. Dosa itu karena mereka telah melanggar perjanjian damai yang mereka adakan dengan Rasulullah, bahwa mereka dengan kaum Muslimin akan memelihara ketenteraman dan berusaha menciptakan suasana damai di kota Medinah. Mereka bersalah karena setiap saat mencari-cari kesempatan untuk menghancurkan kaum Muslimin dan menggagalkan dakwah Nabi Muhammad.

Orang-orang Yahudi itu jika mereka bertemu atau datang kepada Rasulullah saw mereka mengucapkan salam, tetapi isinya menghina Rasulullah saw. 'Aisyah menjawab dengan jawaban yang lebih kasar, karena sikap dan tindakan orang-orang Yahudi itu melampaui batas, baik ditinjau dari segi rasa kesopanan dalam pergaulan maupun ditinjau dari segi adat kebiasaan yang berlaku waktu itu.

Ditinjau dari segi agama Islam, maka tindakan orang-orang Yahudi itu benar-benar telah melampaui batas, karena Muhammad saw adalah seorang nabi dan rasul Allah, di mana setiap kaum Muslimin mendoakan keselamatan dan kebaikan untuknya. Allah swt berfirman:

Sesungguhnya Allah dan para malaikat-Nya bersalawat untuk Nabi. Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Bersalawatlah kamu untuk Nabi dan ucapkanlah salam dengan penuh penghormatan kepadanya. (al-Ahzab/33: 56)

Dari ayat di atas dan sebab-sebab turunnya dapat diambil pengertian bahwa hendaklah kita berlaku sabar terhadap ucapan-ucapan keji yang dilontarkan kepada kita. Jangan langsung membalas seperti yang mereka lakukan, karena di sanalah letak perbedaan antara orang Muslim dan orang kafir. Dengan bersabar mereka akan sadar dan insaf bahwa mereka telah melakukan kesalahan.

Setelah orang-orang Yahudi itu mengucapkan salam penghinaan kepada Rasulullah sebagaimana tersebut di atas, mereka berkata kepada sesamanya, "Kenapa Allah tidak menimpakan azab kepada kita sebagai akibat jawaban Muhammad. Seandainya Muhammad benar-benar seorang nabi dan rasul yang diutus Allah, tentulah kita telah ditimpa azab." Sangkaan mereka yang demikian terhadap Allah, yaitu Allah akan langsung mengazab setiap orang yang durhaka kepada-Nya, adalah sangkaan yang salah. Benar Dia akan mengazab setiap orang yang durhaka kepada-Nya, tetapi kapan datangnya azab itu, adalah urusan-Nya. Dia akan menimpakan azab itu bila dikehendaki-Nya. Tetapi jika azab itu telah datang, maka tidak seorang pun yang dapat menghindarkan diri daripadanya.

Dalam hal menjawab salam terhadap non muslim, para ulama berbeda pendapat. Ibnu 'Abbas, asy-Sya'bi, dan Qatadah menyatakan bahwa menjawab salam terhadap non muslim hukumnya wajib, sama halnya dengan menjawab salam terhadap sesama muslim. Sedangkan Imam Malik dan Syafi'i menyatakan bahwa hal tersebut tidak wajib, dalam arti hanya boleh saja. Bila mereka mengucapkan salam, maka bagi kita cukup menjawabnya dengan "'alaika."

Pada akhir ayat ini, Allah membantah anggapan mereka dengan tegas bahwa mereka pasti akan dimasukkan ke dalam neraka Jahanam. Mereka akan terbakar hangus di dalamnya. Jahanam itu adalah seburuk-buruknya tempat kembali yang disediakan bagi orang-orang kafir.