Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
One of the brothers sent me a question saying: We know that Allah the Almighty said about the Jews: "They will not fight you all except in fortified villages or from behind walls." At the same time, we saw how a group of them released four of their prisoners. With my certainty in the truthfulness of Allah's words, how do we reconcile this verse with the operation of release that shows some courage or valor from the Jewish soldiers?
I consulted with one of the brothers, and he gave me an answer that pleased me. I wanted to share it with you in a simplified manner because it is a model of how to deal with the verses of the Quran and relate them to reality. We answer this objection, brothers, in several ways:
The verses speak of a specific situation where the hypocrites in the city conspired with the Jews. Allah the Almighty revealed that they were lying in what they had agreed upon in terms of supporting each other, and He gave good tidings to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions that they would not dare to do so. The negation in the verse is not a negation of all the conditions of the Jews or the hypocrites at all times; for He, the Most High, said: "They will not fight you" in the context of that confrontation.
The verses are understood in their entirety; Allah the Almighty said: "Humiliation has been thrust upon them wherever they are found, except for a covenant from Allah and a covenant from the people." This indicates that the Jews are in a state of humiliation unless they find someone to support and aid them and be a protector for them. Without this cover, they do not move or fight except from behind walls and from behind fortresses. But if they find someone who is with them and supports them, you will find them daring. So how, when the forces of disbelief and hypocrisy in the world have supported them? Therefore, the verses in the Surah describe different situations of their behavior, and each situation has its condition and nature.
Allah the Almighty says: "They will not fight you all except in fortified villages or from behind walls," which may mean that the word "all" is a condition of the addressee (i.e., the condition of your gathering and strength), not from the Jews or the hypocrites, meaning they do not dare to confront you while you are gathered except from behind fortresses.
This verse is a ruling on the "group" of Jews and hypocrites, not on their individuals, meaning that it is not necessarily applicable to each individual among them. For example: Imam Muslim narrated from Salama bin Al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said - within a long hadith -: When we arrived in Khaybar, their king "Marhab" came out brandishing his sword and saying: "I have known, O Khaybar, that I am Marhab... A warrior tested in battle, when wars approach, they ignite."
And Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) went out to him after Amr (Salama's uncle) had gone out. This is a knight from the Jews who comes out to challenge the Muslims, and the companions did not find that strange, nor did they say: O Messenger of Allah, how did Marhab and other knights of the Jews come out, while Allah says: "They will not fight you all except in fortified villages"? There are situations and there are knights among the Jews who have courage, but the majority of their group is cowardice and cowardice.
Looking at the recent operation, we find that it did not come except after eight months of siege, starvation, and the dropping of tons of explosives. Then they entered after belts of fire, killing hundreds of non-combatant Muslims, supported by other foreign forces, using aid trucks disguised within them, and fleeing through the floating pavement.
What courage and valor is this? May Allah frustrate them and all the traitors and criminals who support and help them in tightening the noose on the Muslims, starving them, and killing them.
In conclusion, dear ones, our role is not only to stop at the question and scientific answers and the analysis of the verses, but rather to strive to support our brothers and lift the burden of abandonment from ourselves. And that these events leave a deep impression on our faith, thought, loyalty, and innocence, and that we take the means of strength so that Allah may support us against this criminal gang and those who support them.
May Allah guide us to righteous deeds that are accepted and to the support of the religion that pleases Him with us on the day we meet Him. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.