the heathens just as the people of ‘Ad and Iram were massacred. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. I, p.
217)
“And when there cometh unto them a Scripture from Allah, confirming that in their
possession - though before disbelieved - and when there cometh unto them that
which they know (to be the Truth) they disbelieve therein. The curse of Allah is on dis-
believers.” [Qur'an (2:89)]Aus and Khazraj as well as other Arab tribes settled in Madinah were heathens like the
idolatrous Quraysh and the rest of the Arabs. But unlike them, they had become accus-
tomed to the idea of revelation in the form of a scripture of supernatural origin, prophecy,
Prophetship, inspiration, requital and the hereafter. This was courtesy of their uninter-
rupted association with the Jews of the city from whom they had business transactions,
made war and peace and lived side by side. They had, thus, come to know the teachings of
the Prophets of old and the reason why God sends them from time to time. This was of
great advantage to these people, for, when they learned about the Prophet (r) on the
occasion of Hajj at Makkah, they at once grabbed the opportunity as if they were already
prepared for it.