AFTER Medina was emptied of Banu Nadir, then after the Last Badr incident and after the expeditions of Ghatafan and Dumatul-Jandal had passed, the time came when the Muslims now experienced a more peaceful life in Medina. They were able to organize their lives, no longer faced such difficulties thanks to the war spoils they had obtained from the fighting during that time, even though in many respects this event had made them forget about matters of agriculture and commerce. But alongside this peace, Muhammad was always vigilant against all deception and enemy movements. Spies were constantly sent throughout the regions of the peninsula, gathering news about the activities of Arab tribes that were plotting against him. Thus he was always on alert, so that the Muslims could always defend themselves.
It is not difficult to appreciate how necessary it is to be vigilant and cautious at all times after seeing all kinds of deception by the Quraysh and non-Quraysh against the Muslims. This is also because the countries of that time—and much of their development throughout their histories—were comprised of clusters of small republics that stood independently of one another. Each used an organizational system closer to tribal methods. This forced them to rely on customs, institutions, and traditions that existed, which were difficult for us to imagine compared to organized nations. In this regard, Muhammad, as an Arab, was extremely vigilant, remembering how strong the desire for revenge resided in the Arab nature. Both the Quraysh and the Jews of Banu Qaynuqa' and the Jews of Banu Nadir, as well as the Arab tribes of Ghatafan, Hudhayl, and tribes bordering al-Sham, were waiting for one another, hoping that Muhammad and his Companions would perish. If they got the opportunity, each hoped to take revenge against the man who had now come to divide Arab society with his faith. The man who had left Mecca, taking refuge in a state of powerlessness, with no strength except the faith that had filled his great soul, within five years had become strong and capable, so that even the strongest Arab cities and tribes respected him.
The Jews were Muhammad's keenest observers, carefully watching his teachings and preaching methods. With his victories, they were most concerned about their own fate. They were the preachers of the teaching of tawhid (monotheism) in the Arab lands. Regarding control of this field, they competed fiercely with the Christians. They always hoped to defeat this rival. And perhaps they were right, considering that the Jews are a Semitic people inherently more inclined toward monotheism. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity is something that cannot easily be comprehended by a Semitic soul. And now Muhammad, a man from the heart of Arabia and from the very heart of the Semites themselves, was preaching the doctrine of tawhid in such a powerful and captivating way, reaching into people's hearts, and raising human dignity to a higher level. Now he had become so powerful, able to expel Banu Qaynuqa' from Medina and drive Banu Nadir from their colonial territory. Could they allow him to continue thus, and would they themselves go to al-Sham or return to their first homeland, Jerusalem in the Promised Land—Palestine—or must they try to incite the Arabs to take revenge on Muhammad?
The plan to incite the Arabs was what most occupied the minds of the leaders of Banu Nadir. To carry out this plan, some of them went to meet the Quraysh in Mecca. They consisted of Huyayy ibn Akhtab, Sallam ibn Abil-Huqayq, and Kinana ibn al-Huqayq, along with some from Banu Wa'il and Hawatha ibn Qais and Abu 'Ammar.
When the people of Mecca asked Huyayy about his group, he answered:
I will let them go back and forth to Khaybar and Medina until you come to them and set out together to confront Muhammad and his Companions.
When they asked him about Quraiza, he answered:
They remain in Medina only to deceive Muhammad. When you arrive, they will be with you.
The Quraysh became hesitant about advancing or retreating. They had no disagreement with Muhammad except over his teaching about God. It was not impossible that he was also right, for with each passing day his teaching proved stronger and more elevated.
Gentlemen from the Jewish group," said the Quraysh. "You are the People of the Book who came first and know well what causes dispute between us and Muhammad. The question now is: which is better, our religion or his?
The Jews replied: "Certainly your religion is better, for you are more correct than he." Regarding this, God says in the Qur'an:
"Did you not see those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They believe in superstition and idols and say to the disbelievers: 'These are more rightly guided than those who believe.' They are those upon whom Allah has cast His wrath. And whoever Allah has cursed, you will find for him no helper." (Qur'an, 4:51-52)
In the position of the Jews facing the Quraysh in preferring paganism over Muhammad's tawhid, Dr. Israel Wilkinson in his History of the Jews in the Arab Lands states: "They should not have fallen into such a grave error, nor should they have openly declared before the leaders of the Quraysh that idolatry is better than tawhid as taught by Islam, even if this would result in their request not being fulfilled. For the Israelites, for centuries, in the name of their ancient ancestors as bearers of the banner of tawhid among the nations of the world, had experienced all kinds of suffering, murder, and oppression only because of their faith in the One God, which they endured through various ages throughout their history. Therefore, they should have been willing to sacrifice their lives and everything they held dear in confronting and subduing the idolaters. All the more so when seeking protection from the idolaters would mean fighting against themselves and opposing the teachings of the Torah which asked them to avoid idolaters and to face them as enemies."
Huyayy ibn Akhtab and the Jews who shared his views, who had told the Quraysh that their paganism was better than Muhammad's tawhid in order to persuade them to fight him, which they would accomplish after several months of preparation, apparently did not stop there. Rather, the Jews went again to meet the tribe of Ghatafan, which consisted of Qais Ailan, Banu Fazara, Asja', Sulaim, Banu Sa'd, and Asad, as well as all those who sought revenge on the Muslims. They were very active in urging people to seek revenge, mentioning that the Quraysh were also participating in fighting Muhammad. They praised the paganism of the Quraysh and promised that they would certainly achieve victory.
The groups now organized by the Jews set out to fight Muhammad and his Companions. From the Quraysh side, led by Abu Sufyan, 4,000 warriors were prepared, three hundred horses, and 1,500 men with camels. The command of the brigade arranged at Dar an-Nadwa was given to 'Uthman ibn Talha. His father had been killed leading the troops at Uhud. Banu Fazara, led by 'Uyayna ibn Hishn ibn Hudhaifa, had a large force ready with 100 camels. Asja' and Murra each brought 400 warriors. Murra was led by al-Harith ibn 'Auf and Asja' by Misyar ibn Rukhayla. Then came Sulaim, the cause of the Bi'r Ma'una incident, with 700 men. All of them gathered, and then Banu Sa'd and Asad joined. Their total came to approximately 10,000 men. All of them set out toward Medina under the command of Abu Sufyan.
When they arrived, during the war, the leaders of the tribes took turns commanding, each taking a turn for one day.
News of their departure reached Muhammad and the Muslims in Medina. They were terrified. Now all the Arab tribes had united to decide to destroy and annihilate them, coming with equipment and a huge number of men, something that had never happened in the entire history of Arab warfare. If in the battle of Uhud the Quraysh had achieved victory over them when they went out to meet them outside Medina, and if both their equipment and manpower were far below this allied force, what more could the Muslims do now in facing a force consisting of thousands of men—cavalry, camels, weapons, and other equipment?! There was no other way except to hold out in Yathrib, which was still virginal, as Abdullah ibn Ubayy had said.
But was holding out alone enough against such a mighty force? Salman al-Farisi was a man who knew much about warfare, something unknown in the Arab regions. He suggested that a trench be dug around Medina and the city be fortified from within. The Muslims immediately carried out this suggestion. As they were digging the trench, the Prophet also worked with his own hands. He helped carry the earth and continued to encourage them, urging them to redouble their efforts. The Muslims had brought the necessary tools, consisting of shovels, picks, and baskets for carrying earth from the Jewish tribe of Quraiza, who were still under Islamic rule. By working energetically, the digging of the trench was completed in six days. Meanwhile, the walls of houses facing the direction of the enemy approach, which were about two farsakh from the trench, were also reinforced. The houses behind the trench were evacuated. Women and children were placed in reinforced houses, and along the trench on the Medina side, rocks were placed so that if needed they could be thrown as weapons.
When the Quraysh and their groups arrived, expecting to meet Muhammad at Uhud, they found the place empty. They continued their journey to Medina, but they were startled by the sight of the trench. Contrary to their expectations, they were amazed to see this type of defense, which was still unknown to them. Moved by irritation, they considered hiding behind such a trench to be an act of cowardice that had never happened among Arab society. The force of the Quraysh and their allies then camped at Mujtama' al-Asyal in the Ruma region, and the force of Ghatafan and its followers from Najd camped at Dhanab Naqama. Meanwhile, Muhammad set out with three thousand
Muslims, with the mountain of Sal' behind them and the trench as a barrier between them and the enemy. Here he camped and pitched his red tent.
The Quraysh and other Arab tribes saw that they could not break through the trench. Thus for several days they only exchanged arrows with one another. Abu Sufyan himself and his followers were convinced that it would be futile for them to stay long facing the city of Yathrib with its trench, for they would not be able to break through it.
At that time, an unusually cold season was occurring, accompanied by a violent storm wind, so that there was always a fear that heavy rain would fall. If the people of Mecca and the people of Ghatafan could easily shelter in their houses in Mecca or Ghatafan, then the tents they had pitched now in front of the city of Yathrib would not be able to protect them at all. Besides, they had originally expected to achieve victory more easily, without such difficulty as at Uhud. They would return home singing songs of victory and enjoying the distribution of spoils and plunder. So what more could hold Ghatafan to return home?! They had become involved in this war only because the Jews had once promised them a third of the agricultural harvest of Khaybar if they achieved victory. But now they saw that achieving victory seemed impossible, or at least beyond reality. In such a severe winter, extraordinary effort would be required, which would make them forget all about the produce and gardens!
On the other hand, the Quraysh, seeking revenge for the Badr incident and other defeats after Badr, might at some time still pursue, hoping that the trench would not always remain in Muhammad's grasp, and as long as Banu Quraiza remained willing to help the people of Yathrib, it would extend their resistance for months. Would it not be better for the Ahzab to simply return home? Yes! But gathering these groups again to fight Muhammad would not be an easy matter. In fact, the Jews, especially Huyayy ibn Akhtab as their leader, had once succeeded in gathering the tribes to seek revenge for their group and Banu Qaynuqa' against Muhammad and his Companions. If this opportunity were lost, it would not return, and if Muhammad won by the withdrawal of the Ahzab, a great danger would threaten the Jews.
All of this was calculated by Huyayy ibn Akhtab. He was worried about the consequences. There was no other way. He had to risk the final outcome. To the Ahzab, he whispered that he had succeeded in convincing Banu Quraiza to break their peace treaty with Muhammad and the Muslims, and further would join them, and that once Banu Quraiza did this, on one hand all supplies and reinforcements to Muhammad would be cut off, and on the other hand the way into Yathrib would be opened. The Quraysh and Ghatafan were pleased with Huyayy's information. Huyayy quickly went to meet Ka'b ibn Asad, the man who was concerned with the treaty of Banu Quraiza. But as soon as Ka'b learned of his arrival, he closed the gate of his fortress, thinking that the treachery of Banu Quraiza against Muhammad and the breaking of their treaty and joining the enemy might indeed benefit the Jews if the Muslims were destroyed. But conversely, they themselves would be completely annihilated if the Ahzab suffered defeat and their power left Medina. Nevertheless, Huyayy persisted, until finally the fortress gate was opened.
Ka'b, how unfortunate," he said then. "I come at an opportune time and bring the right force. I come with the Quraysh and Ghatafan with their leaders and chiefs. They have promised me that they will not leave until they have utterly destroyed Muhammad and his Companions."
But Ka'b still hesitated. He spoke of Muhammad's honesty and faithfulness to the treaty. He was worried about the consequences of what Huyayy asked. But Huyayy continued to mention the disasters experienced by the Jews because of Muhammad, and also the disasters they would themselves experience if the Ahzab failed to destroy him. He described the strength of the Ahzab, their equipment, and their numbers. What now stood in their way to destroy all the Muslims in an instant was only this trench. Now Ka'b began to soften.
What if the Ahzab force turns back?" he asked then. Here Huyayy gave assurance that if the Quraysh and Ghatafan came back and failed to strike Muhammad, he would stay in the fortress and remain with them in a common struggle. In Ka'b's heart, his Jewish nature began to stir. He accepted Huyayy's request, began to break his treaty with Muhammad and the Muslims, and came out of his neutral stance.
News of Quraiza's joining the Ahzab reached Muhammad and his Companions. They were very shocked and also worried about the consequences. Muhammad immediately sent Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, the leader of Aus, and Sa'd ibn Ubada, the leader of Khazraj, along with Abdullah ibn Rawaha and Khawat ibn Jubair, to find out the true state of affairs. When they returned, they were to give a sign if it was indeed true, so that it would not demoralize people.
But when the messengers arrived there, they found the situation of Quraiza even worse than what they had heard before. They also tried to persuade them to honor the existing treaty. But Ka'b said to them that the Jews of Banu Nadir should be returned to their homeland. At that time, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh—who was also a good friend with Quraiza—tried to convince them not to experience the same fate as Banu Nadir or something worse. The Jews now wanted to continue attacking Muhammad.
Who is the Messenger of Allah?!" said Ka'b. "We heard that Muhammad is not bound by any friendship or treaty!"
The two sides then argued with one another.
Muhammad's messengers returned. They reported what they had witnessed. A great disaster now threatened. The fear intensified. The people of Medina now saw that Quraiza had opened the way for the Ahzab, who would enter the city and destroy them. This was not mere imagination and illusion. It was proven that Banu Quraiza had now cut off all supplies and food to them. It was also proven when Huyayy ibn Akhtab returned, informing them that Quraiza had joined the Quraysh and Ghatafan—their spirits had changed and they were ready for war. The matter was that Quraiza had extended the time by ten more days for the Ahzab to make preparations, as long as the Ahzab would truly attack the Muslims during those ten days. And indeed that is what they did. They had formed three large forces to fight the Prophet. One force under the command of Ibn al-A'war as-Sulami came from the direction above the wadi, a force led by 'Uyayna ibn Hishn came from the side, and a force led by Abu Sufyan was positioned at the direction of the trench. In this incident, the following verse was revealed:
"When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes grew dim and the hearts rose up to the throats (in fear), and you entertained thoughts about Allah, thoughts that were unfounded. Then the believers were tried and shaken with a tremendous shaking. And behold, the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease said: 'Allah and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion.' And when a party of them said: 'O people of Yathrib! There is no standing ground for you, so turn back!' And a group of them asked the Prophet for permission, saying:"
'Surely our houses are exposed!' But they were not exposed. They only wished to flee." (Qur'an, 33:10-13)
But for the people of Yathrib it may be excused if they were so afraid and their hearts were shaken by it. Those who may be excused are those who thought: Before, Muhammad promised us that we would have the wealth of Khosrau and the Roman Caesar. But now people do not feel safe even just going to a garden. Their dimmed eyes can be excused. Likewise, those who felt very anxious in their fear can also be excused. Is it not death itself that now dances before their eyes, licking out from the swords in the hands of the Quraysh and Ghatafan, seeping into hearts as a threat, and also coming from the treacherous houses of Banu Quraiza? Surely wretched are the Jews. Surely it was fitting that Muhammad should utterly destroy Banu Nadir rather than merely allow them to leave in comfort and allow Huyayy and company to incite society and Arab tribes to strike the Muslims. Yes, surely a great disaster, a great threat. There is no power nor might except with Allah."
From a moral perspective, the Ahzab already felt so emboldened that some Quraysh knights dared to advance, such as 'Amr ibn 'Abd Wudd, Ikrima ibn Abi Jahl, and Dihyar ibn al-Khattab. They directly attacked the trench. They headed to a somewhat narrow section. They spurred their horses so they could cross the trench and reach the Sabkha that lay between the trench and Mount Sal'. At that moment, Ali ibn Abi Talib came out with some Muslims, quickly seizing a gap in the trench that had been attacked by their cavalry. Then 'Amr ibn 'Abd Wudd called out:
"Who dares to fight?!"
After his invitation was answered by Ali ibn Abi Talib, he spoke again with great arrogance:
"O my cousin! I do not wish to kill you." "But I wish to kill you," replied Ali.
Then the duel took place, and Ali succeeded in killing him. At that same moment, the cavalry of the Ahzab scattered in disarray, so they hit the trench again as they fled without looking left or right.
When the sun had set, Naufal ibn Abdullah ibn al-Mughira arrived, riding his horse to cross the trench, but at that very moment he was struck severely and died along with his horse in that place. In this matter, Abu Sufyan offered to ransom his friend's body with a hundred camels. But the Prophet rejected this, saying:
Take the body. What is filthy, its ransom is also filthy.
In an excessive manner, the Ahzab now began again to ignite the fire of hostility with the aim of frightening and weakening the spirits of the Muslims. The enthusiastic Quraiza came down from their fortresses and strongholds. They entered the houses in Medina nearest to them. Their aim was to frighten the residents.
At that time, Safiya bint Abd al-Muttalib was in al-Fari', the fortress of Hassan ibn Thabit. Hassan was also there with the women and children. At that time, there was a Jew wandering around the fortress.
Do you see?" Safiya said to Hassan, "That Jew is wandering around our fortress. I truly do not trust him. He will reveal our secrets to the Jews. While the Messenger of Allah and the Companions are busy. Go down and kill him."
May Allah forgive you, Safiya," replied Hassan. "You know that I am not the one who would do that."
Hearing this, Safiya immediately took a stick. She came down from the fortress and struck the Jew until he met his death.
Hassan, come down and strip him. It is a pity he is a man; if not, I myself would do it."
Safiya, I do not need to strip him," Hassan replied. The people of Medina were still in fear, their hearts still anxious. Meanwhile, what always occupied Muhammad's thoughts was how to find a way out. There had to be a tactic. He sent messengers to the Ghatafan side, promising them a third of Medina's fruit harvest in exchange for them leaving that place.
The Ghatafan themselves actually had begun to tire. They had already shown signs of weariness, for they had been besieging for so long with all the toil they had endured during that time. The matter was only because they wanted to fulfill the appeal of Huyayy ibn Akhtab and the Jews who were his followers. Moreover, Nu'aim ibn Mas'ud, by the Prophet's order, had gone to meet Quraiza, who at that time did not know that he had entered Islam. In the age of ignorance, he had associated closely with Quraiza. He reminded them again of their past relations and friendship. Then he mentioned that they had supported the Quraysh and Ghatafan in fighting Muhammad, while both the Quraysh and Ghatafan might not stay long there. These two tribes would certainly leave to return home, and they would be left alone facing Muhammad, who would certainly attack them as well. Therefore, he advised them not to join that group before obtaining guarantees in the form of some people as hostages from both groups. In this way, the Quraysh and Ghatafan would not leave them. Quraiza was satisfied with Nu'aim's information.
Next, he went to the Quraysh, whispering that Quraiza actually felt very sorry about their action of breaking the treaty with Muhammad and that they now tried to win his favor and establish a bond of friendship again by wanting to hand over the leaders of the Quraysh to him to be killed. Therefore, he advised that when the Jews sent someone asking for guarantees in the form of leaders from them, it should not be granted. Like with the Quraysh, Nu'aim then did the same with Ghatafan. Nu'aim's information created doubt in the hearts of the Quraysh and Ghatafan.
Their leaders immediately consulted. Abu Sufyan then sent a message to Ka'b, the leader of Banu Quraiza: "We have stayed here long and besieged this man. In our opinion, you should attack Muhammad tomorrow and we will back you up."
But Abu Sufyan's messenger returned with the answer from the leader of Quraiza: "Tomorrow is Saturday, and on Saturday we cannot fight or do any work."
Hearing this, Abu Sufyan became furious. Nu'aim was right then. He sent the messenger back with a message to Quraiza: "Find another Saturday to replace tomorrow's Saturday, for Muhammad must be attacked tomorrow. If we start attacking Muhammad while you do not join us, then our alliance will dissolve by itself, and we will attack you first before Muhammad."
Quraiza's reply to Abu Sufyan's statement was to repeat that they would not break the Sabbath. Some of their people had incurred the wrath of Allah by breaking the Sabbath, so they became apes and pigs. Then they mentioned the hostages they were asking for, so they could be more certain of their struggle.
Hearing such a request, Abu Sufyan was more convinced of the information Nu'aim had given him. Now he thought about what to do. When this was discussed with Ghatafan, they also still hesitated about fighting Muhammad. They were influenced by the promise that had been given to them that a third of Medina's fruit harvest would be theirs, but this promise had not been fulfilled because it still faced resistance from Sa'd ibn Mu'adh and the leaders of Medina, both from Aus and Khazraj and from the Companions of the Prophet.
That night, a violent wind blew, accompanied by heavy rain. The sound of thunder rumbled, interspersed with continuous lightning. Suddenly the wind blew very hard and all the pots where they were cooking overturned. Now fear arose in their hearts. They imagined that the Muslims would seize this opportunity to attack and strike them. At that moment, Tulaiha ibn Khuwaylid stepped forward and shouted: "Muhammad has already attacked us. Save yourselves! Save yourselves!"
Brothers from Quraysh," said Abu Sufyan. "It is no longer fitting for us to stay long in this place. Our forces consisting of horses and camels are already ruined. Banu Quraiza have already broken their promise to us, and even we hear things from them that do not please. Added to this, we face a wind that is so fierce. So it is better that we return home. I myself will leave."
Amid the still-blowing wind, the group left carrying supplies as light as possible, followed by Ghatafan and the other groups.
The next day, Muhammad found no one at all in that place. He returned home to Medina with the rest of the Muslims. They together expressed their deepest gratitude to Allah, for they had been saved from all dangers. The believers had not been involved in battle.
After the Ahzab left, Muhammad again thought about their situation. Allah had saved him from the enemy that had been threatening him. But even so, the Jews could repeat such an incident, could seek another opportunity, not again in such a severe winter as in this year, which had been Allah's help in destroying the enemy. Moreover, even if not for the Ahzab having left and internal discord among them having occurred, Banu Quraiza would surely have been ready to come down to Medina, strike, and provide all kinds of help in destroying the Muslims.
So, do not leave the snake's tail that has been cut off. Because of their actions, Banu Quraiza must be wiped out. In this matter, the Prophet commanded that it be proclaimed to all, namely: Whoever remains faithful should perform the Asr prayer at the settlement of Banu Quraiza. Then Ali was sent first with a banner to that place. Even though the Muslims were exhausted from the long siege by the Quraysh and Ghatafan, they quickly moved to the battlefield again. They were confident that they would achieve victory. It is true that Banu Quraiza lived in fortresses as strong as those of Banu Nadir, but even if these fortresses could protect them, they would not be able to withstand the Muslims. Food supplies were now in the hands of the people of Medina, after the Ahzab left that place. Therefore, the Muslims also hurried forward with joy, following Ali, toward the place of Banu Quraiza.
It turned out that they—Huyayy ibn Akhtab from Banu Nadir was also there—threw indecent words at Muhammad. They denied him, cursed him, and wanted to defame his wife. After the defeat of the Ahzab force at Medina, it seemed they already felt what would happen to them.
When the Messenger then arrived there, Ali met him and asked that he not approach the Jewish fortification.
Why?" asked Muhammad. "It seems you heard them cursing me." "Yes," replied Ali. "If they see me," said the Messenger of Allah, "they surely would not utter such words."
When he came near the fortification, they called out to him:
O monkey race. Has Allah not humiliated you and sent down His wrath upon you all?!" "Abu al-Qasim," they said. "Surely you are not unaware."
All day, the Muslims continued to arrive at the place of Banu Quraiza, until they could gather there. Then Muhammad ordered that the place be besieged.
Such a siege lasted twenty-five nights. Meanwhile, there were several clashes with mutual throwing of arrows and stones. During this siege, Banu Quraiza did not dare come out of their strongholds. After feeling tired and certain that they would not receive relief from disaster and would surely fall into the hands of the Muslims if the siege continued long, they sent someone to the Messenger with the request "to send Abu Lubaba to us so that we may ask his opinion regarding our matter." Actually, Abu Lubaba was from Aus, who was a close friend of theirs.
As soon as they saw Abu Lubaba's arrival, they gave him an extraordinary welcome. The women and children immediately cried out, greeting him with weeping. He felt very sorry seeing them.
Abu Lubaba," they said then. "Should we submit to Muhammad's judgment?" "Yes," he replied while making a gesture with his hand to his throat. "If not, it means your necks will be cut."
Some books of the Prophet's history say that Abu Lubaba felt very sorry about making such a gesture.
After Abu Lubaba left, Ka'b ibn Asad advised them that they should embrace Muhammad's religion and become Muslim. Their lives, possessions, and children would be safer. But this advice was rejected by Ka'b's companions: "We will not abandon the teaching of the Torah; we will not replace it with another."
Then he suggested again that the women and children should be killed, and they could fight Muhammad and his Companions with drawn swords without leaving a burden behind. Let Allah decide, defeat or victory against Muhammad. If they are destroyed, there will be no offspring to worry about later. Conversely, if they win, they will have women and children again."
It is a pity to kill them. What is life without them?" "If that is the case, there is no other way; we must submit to Muhammad's judgment. We have heard what is waiting for us." Thus said Ka'b then to them.
They now consulted among themselves.
Their fate will not be worse than Banu Nadir," said one of them. "Representatives of ours from Aus will defend. If they suggest that they be allowed to go to Adhri'at in the Syrian territory, Muhammad will surely agree."
Banu Quraiza sent a messenger to Muhammad, suggesting that they would go to Adhri'at leaving their possessions. But it turned out this proposal was rejected. They had to submit to the judgment. In this matter, they then sent a man to Aus with the message: Gentlemen, you should be able to help your brothers; just as Khazraj did for their brothers. A group from Aus quickly went to meet Muhammad.
O Messenger of Allah," they began, "can the request of our confederates be granted as was the request of the confederates of Khazraj that was granted before?" "Brothers from Aus," said Muhammad, "can you accept it if I ask one of you to mediate the matter with your confederate friends?" "Of course," they replied. "If that is the case," he said, "tell them to choose anyone they wish."
In this matter, the Jews then chose Sa'd ibn Mu'adh. It seemed their eyes were already closed to the fate that had been determined for them, so they completely forgot about Sa'd's arrival when they first broke the treaty, were warned, and also when they cursed Muhammad before him and wrongly criticized the Muslims.
Sa'd then made an agreement with both sides. Each should be willing to accept the judgment he would make. After such an agreement was given, Banu Quraiza was commanded to come down and lay down their weapons. They obeyed this command. Then Sa'd judged that those who had committed war crimes should be put to death, their property divided, and their women and children taken captive.
Hearing this judgment, Muhammad said: "By Him who holds my life in His hand. Your judgment has been accepted by Allah and by the believers, and thus I have been commanded."
After this, he went out to a marketplace in Medina. He commanded that several trenches be dug there. The Jews were brought and their necks were struck there, and they were buried in the trenches. Actually, Banu Quraiza had not expected to receive such a punishment from Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, their confederate. They even thought he would act like Abdullah ibn Ubayy toward Banu Qaynuqa'. Perhaps Sa'd remembered that if the Ahzab side had won because of Banu Quraiza's treachery, the Muslims would surely have been utterly destroyed, killed, and oppressed. So the punishment was like the threat hanging over the Muslims themselves.
The tenacity of the Jews in facing death can be seen in this conversation with Huyayy ibn Akhtab when he was brought to undergo the punishment of beheading. The Prophet looked at him and said:
Huyayy, has al-Tulman not brought you disgrace?" "Each person tastes death," said Huyayy. "And my lifespan cannot be prolonged. I do not blame myself for being your enemy." Then he turned to the crowd and spoke again: "Brothers. It is nothing for us to undergo the command of Allah, which has been ordained for the Children of Israel to face this struggle."
There was also the incident that occurred with Zubair ibn Bata from Banu Quraiza. He had once done a favor to Thabit ibn Qais during the Battle of Bu'ath, for he had freed him from enemy captivity. Now Thabit wanted to repay with his own hand the kindness of that man, after Sa'd ibn Mu'adh had pronounced judgment on the Jews. He spoke to the Messenger about Zubair's favor to him before and risked asking his permission to save Zubair's life. The Messenger granted his request. But when Zubair learned of Thabit's effort, he said: A man as old as I am, with no wife, no children anymore; what more should I live for?!"
Once again, Thabit risked asking that his wife and children be freed. This too was granted. Next, he asked that his property also be saved. This was also granted.
After Zubair was satisfied with the matter of his wife, children, and property, he asked again about Ka'b ibn Asad, about Huyayy ibn Akhtab, and 'Azzal ibn Samuwal, and other leaders of Quraiza. After learning that they had been executed, he said:
Thabit, with the kindness I owe you, I ask that you hurry me to join them. Since they are no more, I too have no more use to live. I can no longer bear to live long. Let me quickly meet those I love!"
Thus the punishment of beheading was carried out also at his own request.
In principle, the Muslims would not kill women or children during this war. But at that time, they did kill one woman who had previously killed a Muslim by using a hand mill. In this matter, Aisha once said:
About her, truly it is something strange I will never forget. She was a cheerful woman who laughed much, although she knew she would be killed.
At that time, four of the Jews entered Islam. They were saved from death.
In our estimation, the destruction of Banu Quraiza was at the hand of Huyayy ibn Akhtab, even though he himself was also killed. He had broken the promise made by his own people, Banu Nadir, whom Muhammad had expelled from Medina without anyone being killed, after they accepted his judgment. But by his action of inciting the Quraysh and Ghatafan, then uniting society and Arab tribes to fight Muhammad, this greatly increased the enmity between the Jewish group and the Muslims, so that they believed the Israelites would not be satisfied until they could utterly destroy Muhammad and his Companions. He was also the one who then invited Banu Quraiza to break their treaty and abandon their neutral stance. Had Banu Quraiza persisted, they surely would not have experienced such a terrible fate. He was also the one who later came to the Banu Quraiza fortress—after the departure of the Ahzab—and incited them to fight the Muslims. Had they from the beginning been willing to accept Muhammad's judgment and acknowledge their guilt in breaking their own promise, bloodshed and beheadings would not have occurred. However, the enmity was already so rooted in Huyayy's soul and then spread to the hearts of the Quraiza, so that Sa'd ibn Mu'adh himself, as their confederate, was convinced that if they were allowed to live, peace would never come. They would incite the Ahzab again, would mobilize the tribes and Arabs to fight the Muslims, and would destroy them root and branch if they could defeat them. The harsh judgment he made was only motivated by the desire to defend himself, based on the consideration that the existence or destruction of the Jews meant the life or death of the Muslims.
The women, children, and property of Banu Quraiza were distributed by the Prophet to the Muslims, after one-fifth was set aside. Each horseman received two arrows; for his horse, one arrow.
A foot soldier received one arrow. The number of horses in the Quraiza incident was thirty-six.
After this, Sa'd ibn Zaid then sent the captives of Banu Quraiza to Najd. Thus he purchased some horses and weapons to further strengthen the Muslim army.
Raihana was one of the captives of Banu Quraiza. She fell to Muhammad's share. He offered her that if she were willing to become Muslim, she would be better treated. But she remained steadfast in her Jewish faith. He also offered that perhaps she would agree to marry him. But she answered: "Let me remain under you. This will be lighter for me, and also for you."
Perhaps also, her attachment to Judaism and her refusal to marry were rooted in sectarian fanaticism and the remnants of hatred still planted in her heart against the Muslims and the Prophet. But there is no one who spoke of Raihana's beauty as was once mentioned about Zainab bint Jahsh, even though some also mention that she was beautiful. History books differ in this regard: Did she also wear a veil like the Prophet's wives, or was she still like the Arab women of that time, who indeed did not wear a face cover. Until Raihana's death at the Prophet's residence, she remained his property.
The attack of the Ahzab and the punishment that had been inflicted on Banu Quraiza strengthened the position of the Muslims in Medina. The hypocrites completely fell silent. All of society and Arab tribes began to speak about the strength and power of the Muslims, along with the position and authority of Muhammad. However, this teaching was not only for Medina alone, but for the whole world. So the Prophet and his Companions still had to continue paving the way in carrying out the command of Allah, in inviting people to embrace the true faith, while continually blocking every attempt that would violate it. And this is indeed what they did.
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