Then followed the terrible breaking up of homes, and the wandering forth of a whole tribe, as of old, to seek other dwelling-places.  Some went to Kheibar, where they were to suffer later on still more severely at Mahomet’s hands; some went to Jericho and the highlands south of Syria, but all vanished from their ancient abiding places as suddenly as if a plague had reduced their land to silence.  It was an important conquest for Mahomet, and has found fitting notice in the Kuran.  The number of his enemies within the city was considerably reduced.  He was gradually proving his power by breaking up the Jewish federations, and thereby advancing far towards his goal, his unassailable, almost royal dominance of Medina.  Moreover, he bound the refugees closer to him by dividing the despoiled country amongst them.  It was an event worthy of incorporation into the record of divine favours, for by it the sacred cause of Islam had been rendered more triumphant.

“God is the mighty, the wise!  He it is who caused the unbelievers among the people of the Book to quit their homes.  And were it not that God had decreed their exile, surely in this world would he have chastised them:  but in the world to come the chastisement of the fire awaiteth them.  This because they set them against God and His Apostle, and whoso setteth him against God—!  God truly is vehement in punishing.”

The sura ends in a mood of fierce exultation unrivalled by any ecstatic utterances of his early visions.  It is the measure of his relief at his first great success since the humiliation of Ohod.  His fervour beats through it like the clamour of waters, in whose triumphant gladness no pauses are heard.

“He is God, beside whom there is no God:  He is the King, the Holy, the Peaceful, the Faithful, the Guardian, the Mighty, the Strong, the Most High!  Far be the glory of God from that which they unite with Him!  He is God, the Producer, the Maker, the Fashioner!  To Him are ascribed excellent titles.  What ever is in the Heavens and in the Earth praiseth Him.  He is the Mighty, the Wise!”

The expulsion of the Beni Nadhir was a brutal, but necessary act.  The choice lay between their security and his future dominion, and he uprooted their dwellings as ruthlessly as any conqueror sets aside the obstacles in his path.  Half measures were impossible, even dangerous, and Mahomet was not afraid to use terrible means to achieve his all-absorbing end.  He had avowedly accepted the behests of the sword, and did not repudiate his master.  The hated Jews were enemies of his God, whose vicegerent he now ranked himself; their ruin was in the divinely appointed order of the world.

The time was soon at hand when, by arrangement, the Medinan army was to repair to Bedr to meet the Kureisch.  The Meccans sent a messenger in Schaban (Nov. 625) to Mahomet, saying that they were prepared to advance against him with 2000 foot and 50 horse.  This large army did in reality set out, but was soon forced to return, owing to lack of supplies and scarcity of food.