Page 546
mā qaṭaʿtum min līnatin ʾaw taraktumūhā qāʾimatan ʿalā ʾuṣūlihā fa-bi-ʾidhni llāhi wa-li-yukhziya l-fāsiqīna
Whatever palm trees you cut down or left standing on their roots, it was by Allah’s will and in order that He may disgrace the transgressors.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah al-Hashr - Verse 5
The blessed Verse provides a response to the criticism raised by Banu Nadhir Jews directed at the Noble Prophet (S), as mentioned above in the occasion of Revelation. It was at the behest of the Noble Prophet (S) that some of the palm-trees adjacent to the strongholds of the Jews were felled such that the Jews may leave their strongholds and confront the Muslims. Then, the Jews asked the Noble Prophet (S):
"Did you not forbid such acts?"
The blessed Verse was revealed saying:
The Arabic word layna is applied to an exquisite kind of palm-tree. Such decree as to felling palm-trees is an exceptional one the Islamic law as per which upon attacking the enemy, trees should not be felled nor animals be killed nor farms be set ablaze. Such exceptions exist and according to the exception in question, trees may be cut down in order to provoke the enemies to leave their strongholds, to prepare the battlefield, and the like requisites. Likewise, the Islamic law forbids the consumption of carcasses, but the same is allowed as necessity arises.
The expression:
reflects that at least one of the goals behind such act was to disgrace and humiliate the enemies and shatter their morale.