SECTION II: The Cunning of Qorayish Tribesmen Led to the Arab Conquests

CHAPTER I: Arab Conquests Companions Were Fashioned by the Pharaonic Qorayish Tribe, and Not by Islam

Introduction: The Pharaonic Qorayish Tribe:

1- Arab conquests companions inherited the same pre-Islamic Qorayish culture of violence, enslavement, looting, and invading typical of the Middle Ages, practiced by Arabs within raids among tribes in the Arabian peninsula. They carried their tyranny outside Arabia, headed by Qorayish, under banners of Islam, though Islam is the religion of peace, justice, and freedom. Hence, we conclude then that Arab conquests companions ignored on purpose Islamic values in the Quran, and they pretended to be converts of the new religion during Muhammad's lifetime, hiding their true colors. Once Muhammad died, they showed their true nature of violence and blood-thirsty atrocities and desire for looting once they reached power and authority. This culture of Qorayish remained with them after they left Mecca and Yathreb and the whole of Arabia to conquer other countries, carrying and bearing this violent culture and spreading it in the name of Islam.  

2- Such crimes were committed on purpose with deliberate scheming and plotting, especially by the beneficiaries of Qorayish: the major tribe that was the archenemy of Islam, conspiring against the burgeoning religion from the very beginning and waging wars against Muhammad. Once the prophet died, Qorayish planned to be the leader of early Muslims, since no more divine revelations will come to expose any conspiracies. Qorayish manipulated the banner and name of Islam to plot and execute the crime of Arab conquests that went against the Quran, of course.

3- Part of such plotting and scheming of Qorayish was to plant spying agents around Muhammad; this was expected in times of struggle and waged wars. Within such agents loyal to Qorayish, the tribe managed to unite all Arabs after Muhammad's death to conquer the surrounding countries to establish a mighty empire. This entails a research to prove these facts: how Qorayish plotted and planned all this? What were its schemes and conspiracies? These queries will be answered in a coming chapter in this section. But first, let us explain in this current chapter the fact that Arab conquests companions are agents planted by Qorayish around Muhammad in Yathreb, to conspire against Islam. To get to know the agents of Qorayish as a product of the scheming tribe, we must get to know Qorayish first and its features in the only source used by Quranists: the Quran itself. Thus, we will prove how Qorayish followed the footsteps of Moses' Pharaoh.

4- Qorayish is described three times in the Quran as following the footsteps of Moses' Pharaoh, in its waged wars against Muhammad. Within the context of the Battle of Badr, God tells us about Qorayish and its similarity to Moses' Pharaoh in three verses: "Like the behavior of Pharaoh's people and those before them. They rejected Our signs, so God seized them for their sins. God is Strict in retribution." (3:11). "Like the behavior of the people of Pharaoh, and those before them. They rejected the signs of God, so God seized them for their sins. God is Powerful, Severe in punishment. That is because God would never change a blessing He has bestowed on a people unless they change what is within themselves, and because God is Hearing and Knowing. Such was the case with the people of Pharaoh, and those before them. They denied the signs of their Lord, so We annihilated them for their wrongs, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh-they were all evildoers." (8:52-54). Hence, Moses' Pharaoh and his retinue of powerful men resemble Qorayish and its mighty powerful men, as we discuss in detail below.

Firstly: Moses' Pharaoh's People Were Imams of All Tyrants and So Were Qorayish Tribesmen:

1- Moses' Pharaoh's people and household followed the footsteps of all tyrants before them, and later on, they had become imams of all tyrants after them; God tells us the following about their fate: "So We seized him, and his troops, and We threw them into the sea. Observe, therefore, what was the end of the oppressors. And We made them leaders calling to the Fire. And on Resurrection Day, they will not be saved." (28:40-41). Hence, any tyrannical regime is described to be Pharaonic, as any tyrants follow the footsteps of Moses' Pharaoh, whose superiority in earth and tyranny made him to deify himself. Other tyrants assume that God has chosen them to rule over people within a theocracy, as done by the so-called 'righteous' four caliphs and the Arab conquests companions and all caliphs of all dynasties later on. Hence, we understand the Quranic repetition of the story of Moses and Pharaoh and the Pharaonic regime and enmity toward God; this was a warning beforehand to Muslims, showing that Islam rejects theocracies and tyranny of all sorts. This refutes any claims of Arab conquests companions and those who followed their footsteps in tyranny, oppression, corruption, and theocracies, just as Moses' Pharaoh. Yet, most Arabs among the countries of the Muhammadans from the Gulf to Morocco submit to theocracies; even secular tyrants lean on clergymen of man-made, earthly creed to control and ride nations. Quranic verses about Moses' Pharaoh are no longer rightly understood, as the Quran is deserted and abandoned by the Muhammadans now; the Quranic verses are now like poems/dirges sung at funerals! What a shame!

2- God describes in the Quran Qorayish and its tyrants who occupied Meccan Kaabah shrine and breached the treaty with early believers as imams/leaders of disbelief: "But if they violate their oaths after their pledge, and attack your religion, then fight the imams of disbelief-they have no faith-so that they may desist." (9:12). Thus, such aggressors and transgressors are imams of all tyrants following the footsteps of Qorayish and the footsteps of Moses' Pharaoh. This is applied now by Arabs who follow the example of Arab conquests companions and the Arab civil wars of the 7^th century until now. These companions were imams of disbelief as per the Quran; yet, the Sunnite clergymen assume that such companions were infallible and illustrious examples to be followed! Following them, Arabs engage into internecine strife until now! This has been going on from the assassination of caliphs Othman and Ali until now for 14 centuries! This is sheer madness perpetuated by Sunnites and Shiites until now!

Secondly: The Qorayish and the Pharaonic Tyranny:

1- Moses' Pharaoh's tyranny is shown in God's words to Moses: "Go to Pharaoh; he has transgressed." (79:17). Transgression here means tyranny: the excess of injustices, aggression, and transgression. This was Moses' Pharaoh, and the same applied to Qorayish as well; that is why the Quran describes Qorayish disbelievers several times as following the route of tyranny blindly until they receive punishment in this world and the Hereafter: "…and We leave them to move blindly in their tyranny" (6:110). "…and He leaves them to move blindly in their transgression" (7:186). "…We leave those who do not expect Our encounter to move blindly in their tyranny" (10:11).

2- God tells Muhammad the following about Qorayish and its distortion of the inherited traditions of the religion of Abraham: "So be not in doubt regarding what these people worship. They worship only as their ancestors worshiped before. We will pay them their due in full, without any reduction." (11:109). This means that Qorayish used to worship the Almighty in a false way inherited from the distortions of their forefathers, and they will be punished for it.

3- It is noteworthy that this Quranic verse, within the same context, warns Muhammad in a stern manner: " So be upright, as you are commanded, along with those who repented with you, and do not transgress. He is Seeing of everything you do." (11:112). Here, we find a divine command to avoid transgressions committed by Qorayish, and the next verse warns against trusting Qorayish the unjust tribe so as to avoid the punishment preserved for it: "And do not incline towards those who do wrong, or the Fire may touch you; and you will have no protectors besides God, and you will not be saved." (11:113). Thus, they were not only to avoid transgression and tyranny, but also not to trust tyrants of Qorayish. This is the best advice to every believing human being seeking righteousness indeed. These verses were revealed in Mecca, warning beforehand Muhammad and early believers against trusting Qorayish and its tyrants; this warning comes from God the Omniscient. Such warning in its strong phrasing in the Quran comes here as tyrants at the time were plotting and scheming against Islam. 

Thirdly: The Fearsomeness of Moses' Pharaoh and the Fearsomeness of Qorayish:

1- Tyrants terrorize their nations, as done by Moses' Pharaoh before. Even Moses felt afraid when God told him to go to Pharaoh, and he asked to be aided by his brother Aaron; see 20:24-32. God told both brothers/prophets the following as they were afraid of the tyrant: "Go to Pharaoh; he has tyrannized. But speak softly to him, perhaps he will remember or have some fear. They said, "Lord, we fear he may persecute us or become violent." He said, "Do not fear, We are with you, hearing and seeing." (20:43-46). God interfered to allay the fears of Moses and Aaron, what about the oppressed people under the tyrannical rule of Pharaoh? Let us remember Pharaoh's words about the Israelites: "…We will kill their sons, and spare their women. We have absolute power over them." (7:127).

2- Likewise, Qorayish was fearsome and tyrannical; early Muslims felt afraid of them shortly before the Battle of Badr, and they tried to coax Muhammad to avoid such military confrontation, despite divine promise of victory. God wanted them to stop being afraid of Qorayish, and that was impossible unless military victory would take place. This divine interference in a decisive battle destroyed the myth of an invincible Qorayish; see 8:5-12 and 8:41.

3- While early believers felt afraid of Qorayish before the Battle of Badr, the army of Qorayish felt too sure of victory, showing off their might: "...those who left their homes boastfully, showing off before the people, and barring others from the path of God. God comprehends what they do." (8:47).

Fourthly: The Cunning of Moses' Pharaoh and the Cunning of Qorayish:

1- Tyranny and superiority is linked directly to cunning and plotting: tyrants are the worst and biggest criminals within a given society or country, controlling it while feeling superior above the rest of people. That is why Paradise is not for those who hold political ambitions that lead them to use corrupt means and to seek superiority above the others. God is the Only Supreme One, superiority is His alone: "Be He glorified. He is exalted, far above what they say." (17:43). Such corrupt affluent ones who give themselves airs of sham superiority follow the footsteps of Moses' Pharaoh: "Pharaoh exalted himself in the land…" (28:4). "From Pharaoh; he was a transgressing tyrant." (44:31). "Pharaoh was high and mighty in the land; he was a tyrant." (10:83). Moses' Pharaoh himself followed the footsteps of Satan who felt superior and haughty, and God has said to Satan: "O Satan, what prevented you from prostrating before what I created with My Own hands? Are you too proud, or were you one of the exalted?" (38:75). In contrast to such superior ones, God says about the winners in the Last Day the following: "That Home of the Hereafter-We assign it for those who seek no superiority on earth, nor corruption. And the outcome is for the cautious." (28:83).  

2- Those who seek superiority and riches need cunning, plotting, conniving, conspiring, and scheming to attain, and retain, full power and authority, with airs and titles of glorification that should be exclusively to God alone, and to keep their high stature, they must go on scheming and plotting, but they will pay a heavy price eventually. God says in the Quran a general sociopolitical rule applicable in all eras and locations before and after the Quranic revelation: "And thus We set up in every city its leading wicked sinners, to conspire in it, but they conspire only against themselves, and they do not realize it." (6:123). 

3- The Quran tells us that God responds to human cunning by cunning of His own: this does NOT indicate humanizing of divine epithets or actions; rather, this is an image to make us understand how God turns the evil scheming against its authors eventually, because God's ways and actions are definitely beyond any sort of linguistic description or human imagination. Examples of such rhetorical style of description are as follows: "…God is swifter in scheming…" (10:21). "…they conspire only against themselves, and they do not realize it." (6:123). Thus, this is a divine law for all eras and locations: evil ways turn against its fashioners.  

4- Evil ways and schemes harm its authors eventually; God describes in the Quran the cunning and evil ways of Qorayish against Muhammad and warns the tribe against the consequences of such schemes that will turn against it: "Priding themselves on earth, and scheming evil. But evil scheming overwhelms none but its authors. Do they expect anything but the precedent of the ancients? You will not find any change in God's practice, and you will not find any substitute to God's practice." (35:43). Hence, the Qorayish cunning evil ways are linked to its tyranny, and this entailed a divine warning in the Quran.

5- Such warnings are repeated in verses revealed in Mecca, a fact that asserts the historical event of Qorayish repeated plotting and conspiring against Muhammad, Islam, and early believers. "Those before them plotted, but the entire plot is up to God. He knows what every soul earns. Those who disbelieve will know to whom the Ultimate Home is." (13:42). "Those before them also schemed, but God took their structures from the foundations, and the roof caved in on them. The punishment came at them from where they did not perceive." (16:26). God reminds them of Noah's people's plotting and its consequences: "And they schemed outrageous schemes." (71:22) "Because of their wrongs, they were drowned, and were hurled into a Fire. They did not find apart from God any helpers." (71:25), and of Thamood's destruction: "They planned a plan, and We planned a plan, but they did not notice. So note the outcome of their planning; We destroyed them and their people, altogether. Here are their homes, in ruins, on account of their iniquities. Surely in this is a sign for people who know." (27:50-52)

6- Between the cunning evil ways of Moses' Pharaoh and those of Qorayish: of course, Moses' Pharaoh is the typical example of tyranny in the Quran: "He and his troops acted arrogantly in the land, with no justification…" (28:39). Even Moses sought refuge of God from such tyranny as a believer would do so from Satan: "Moses said, "I have sought the protection of my Lord and your Lord, from every tyrant who does not believe in the Day of Account."" (40:27). Moses' Pharaoh did not need so much plotting, as he used to control fully all wealth, authority, and power, thinking his foes oppressed because of his absolute power; yet, Moses' Pharaoh had to use scheming and plotting to face the peaceful prince who had hidden his true faith and tried to preach to his people, and later on God saved this prince: "So God protected him from the evils of their scheming, while a terrible torment besieged Pharaoh's people." (40:45). Thus, Moses' Pharaoh did not use absolute power to overthrow this prince as he had used it with the Israelites, but tried  scheming against him and failed. As for Qorayish, things were slightly different; imams of disbelief did no control everything fully and they had to preserve their interests and tribal relations. Even Muhammad himself belonged to a powerful clan or tribe, with followers inside and outside Mecca. Hence, Qorayish tribal and military power had to be used cautiously and plotting, conspiring, and scheming had to be of use within deceitful ways of politics, especially planting spies and agents around Muhammad. Hence, the cunning evil ways would replace confrontations and absolute power. Hence, we conclude that the cunning of Qorayish was worse than that of Moses' Pharaoh. God says about the scheming o Qorayish the following: "…the scheming of those who disbelieve is made to appear good to them…" (13:33). "They planned their plans, but their plans are known to God, even if their plans can eliminate mountains." (14:46). Hence, we maintain the theory that Qorayish planted its agents and spies around Muhammad, who later on became famous leaders of immigrants in Yathreb and Arab conquests companions. God assures Muhammad in the Quran about the inevitable divine punishment waiting for them: "Do not ever think that God will break His promise to His messengers. God is Strong, Able to Avenge." (14:47). God tells Muhammad not to feel sad, but to be patient: "But do not grieve over them, and do not be troubled by what they plot." (27:70). "So be patient. Your patience is solely from God. And do not grieve over them, and do not be stressed by their schemes." (16:127). God asserts twice that the Qorayish plotters will be punished: "As for those who reject Our messages, We will gradually lead them from where they do not know. And We will encourage them. Our plan is firm." (7:182-183). "So leave Me to those who reject this discourse; We will proceed against them gradually, from where they do not know. And We will encourage them. Our plan is firm."" (68:44-45). This is the divine cunning against that of Qorayish tribesmen.

Fifthly: Plotting and Conspiring of Ancient People:

1- The difference between plotting and cunning ways is that the latter is a hidden type of conspiring; Pharaoh thought that his magicians made a cunning conspiracy against himself: "Pharaoh said, "Did you believe in Him before I have given you permission? This is surely a conspiracy you schemed in the city, in order to expel its people from it. You will surely know."" (7:123), while plotting tend to be more overt and public: "Pharaoh turned away, put together his plan, and then came back."(20:60) and sometimes hidden: "…Thus We devised a plan for Joseph…" (12:76).

2- This divine plotting is against tyrants of all eras and locations: "Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with Aad…The like of which was never created in the lands. And Thamood, those who carved the rocks of the valley. And Pharaoh of the stakes. Those who committed excesses in the lands. And spread much corruption therein. So, your Lord poured down upon them a scourge of punishment; your Lord is on the lookout" (89:6-14). That was why the plotting and scheming of Moses' Pharaoh were turned against him: "…Thus Pharaoh's evil deeds were made to appear good to him, and he was averted from the path. Pharaoh's guile was only in defeat." (40:37). "…But the scheming of the unbelievers can only go astray." (40:25). God made Pharaoh to adopt and bring up Moses in his palace to be later on the cause of his ruin and woe, and all plots of Pharaoh turned against himself, and eventually, he drowned along with his soldiers, and his cunning ways availed him not; he used to deify himself as well!

3- The same fate is expected for the cunning and plotting of Qorayish: they would be sieged by their cunning ways unwittingly as God gives them time to repent but they will be smitten if they would not repent: see 7:183 and 68:45. "Or are they planning a conspiracy? The conspiracy will befall the disbelievers." (52:42). ''They plot and scheme, but We plot and scheme. Therefore, give the blasphemers respite, a brief respite'' (86:15-17)

Lastly:

 How was the cunning of Qorayish? What were its plans, plots, and conspiracies? What was the nature of such plotting? How and why was it different from the cunning of Moses' Pharaoh? How did Qorayish make use of the status of early Muslims and their development to serve its purposes? Answers will be found in the coming chapters, so please read on.