ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ شَاقُّوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُThat is because they opposed Allah and His Messenger.means, Allah prepared this specific punishment and sent His Messenger and his Companions against them, because they defied Allah and His Messenger and denied the good news that Allah sent forth in the Books of previous Messengers regarding the coming of Muhammad. The Jews knew these facts about Muhammad just as they knew their own children.Allah said,وَمَن يُشَاقِّ اللَّهَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِAnd whosoever opposes Allah, then verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.The Prophet Cut down the Date Trees of the Jews by the Leave of Allah Allah said,مَا قَطَعْتُم مِّن لِّينَةٍ أَوْ تَرَكْتُمُوهَا قَايِمَةً عَلَى أُصُولِهَا فَبِإِذْنِ اللَّهِوَلِيُخْزِيَ الْفَاسِقِينَ