Bismillah ir rahman ir raheem the jews of medina during the time of the Prophet by
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The Miracle of the Boulder Jabir and his companions were working hard on their section when they struck a huge boulder. Try as best they might, no one, not even the strongest among them could shatter it, let alone move it. When the news of the boulder reached the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) he left his section of digging and made his way to it. Then, taking hold of an ax struck the boulder three times saying “Allah is the Greatest” whereupon it disintegrated into piles of sand. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) struck the boulder the first time, a light shone so brilliantly from it that it reached the palaces of Syria (Ash Shams). Upon his second strike, the light stretched as far away as Madian in Persia whereas the light of the third strike reached and lit up Yemen which was under the protectorate of Abyssinia at that time. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) later explained that the miraculous light was a sign that one day Islam would spread to these distant lands. This light is reminiscent of the light which emitted from Lady Aminah when she conceived and then again when she gave birth to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) Six days had now passed since word reached the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) of the Koraysh and their allies march. By now, the Muslims whose home lay on the outskirts of Medina had left seeking the safety of City. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and his Companions, who numbered three thousand, had just finished digging the trench when news arrived that the Koraysh army had been seen marching along the valley of Akik, south-west of Medina, and that the bribed Ghatfan and Najd tribes were but a short distance from the mountain of Uhud. Time was short, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) sent word that the women and children should confine themselves to the upper rooms of the fortified houses, however Ladies Ayesha, Umm Salamah and Zaynab took it in turns to go the Prophet's tent at the foot of Sila to tend to his needs. The Koraysh had relied heavily upon being able to pillage the crops of the Muslims to provide fodder for their horses, however, much to their dismay, when they reached the oasis they found the fields had already been harvested. There was nothing to feed their hungry horses and the supplies they brought with them were limited. However, the camels of the tribes of Ghatfan and the Najd were more fortunate as they were able to graze upon the herbage and bushes that grew near Uhud. Due to the unexpected circumstances, the Koraysh knew they must strike quickly, otherwise their cavalry would be too weak to make an effective strike, and so word was sent to their allies to join them immediately outside Medina. The Koraysh had expected the believers to defend themselves from the fortified buildings and fortresses of Medina. When they saw that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had made his camp outside the City their spirits rode high as they thought the battle would be over quickly and victory would soon be theirs. However, as Abu Sufyan and his men drew closer to the Prophet's camp their spirits were soon deflated. They had thought they would be able to overcome the Prophet's army by the sheer force of their numbers, but now, their eyes fell upon the deep, wide trench with archers poised ready to fire. The Koraysh advanced and as soon as they came within range, a warning volley of arrows hurtled through the air and fell but a short distance in front of them. The Koraysh realized it was going to be difficult for them to even get as far as the trench and that their prospect of breaching it was considerably more difficult, so they retreated to assess the situation. The chieftains were in agreement that the best approach would be to apply tactics that would weaken a section in the line of defense, then, cross the trench and attack from within. With this intent, Khalid and Ikrimah, two of the Koraysh commanders, examined the trench from a safe distance to determine its weakest part. During their surveillance they noticed a section of the trench was not as wide or as deep as the rest, however, it was heavily guarded and the guards needed to be eliminated if they were to penetrate the trench at that point. Huyay and the Tribesmen of Krayzah Huyay, from the expelled tribe of An-Nadir, knew that one of the fortresses blocking the approach to Medina belonged to a fellow Jew from the tribe of Krayzah by the name of Ka'b son of Asad son of Al-Qurazi. Huyay hoped that he might prevail upon him to break the pact he had made with the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) so that the Koraysh would be able to attack the City from two directions at the same time. If he succeeded, it would mean the Koraysh forces would be swelled by a further seven hundred. With this in mind he went to Abu Sufyan to propose his plan. Abu Sufyan thought the idea was sound, and so Huyay made haste to the fortress. Upon reaching the fortress Huyay announced himself as he knocked at its door, but Ka'b would not open it as he suspected the reason for his visit. He, like many others of his tribe considered that it was on account of Huyay's pride and poor judgment that had led to the expulsion of the tribe of An-Nadir, and that his domineering personality was something they could do without. Huyay knocked several times but Ka'b still refused to let him in and reminded him that he had a pact with the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and told him he was not prepared to break it. When Huyay realized he was getting nowhere, he changed his tactics and resorted to shaming Ka'b for not affording him the customary hospitality. He told him that in his eyes he was too mean to even share his food with him! Huyay's ploy worked, and reluctantly Ka'b opened the door. Huyay told Ka'b that he had brought the chieftains and armies of the Koraysh, Ghatfan, Najd and Kinanah to Medina and that their force was now ten thousand strong. He told Ka'b that they had all sworn allegiance to one another to rid themselves of Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and his followers, and that this time he was sure he would not escape. The Wavering Heart Ka'b Asad’s son was still reluctant to break his promise. However, the overwhelming number of the Koraysh army, their allies and the support of his fellow Jew was something he had not reckoned upon and his heart started to waver as Huyay's persuasive tongue worked upon him. But Ka'b continued to resist and told him that if he broke the pact it would bring shame upon him. Huyay was quick to realize that Ka'b was weakening and continued to elaborate on what he deemed to be multiple advantages for them if they were rid of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and stop his preaching. Huyay was so convinced this would be the last of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) that he swore by Allah, that if the Koraysh and their allies returned to their homes and had not rid themselves of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) this time, then he would stay in Ka'bs fortress with him and take the consequences. The oath Huyay had just taken was sufficient to convince Ka'b that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and his Companions would not withstand the onslaught of their enemies. When Huyay asked to see the pact the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and Ka'b had agreed upon, Ka'b fetched it, showed it to him and contemptuously Huyay tore it up. Ka'b went to his people to relate the conversation he and Huyay had just exchanged. Despite the convincing arguments, there was an element among them who were not convinced and refused to break their word, amongst them was Amr, Suda's son. In the Jewish community there was an elderly man by the name of ibn Al Hayyaban. He had left Syria many years before to await the coming of the last Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), for he was knowledgeable of the scriptures and expected his prophesied arrival in that region and taught its signs to all who would listen. Like him, many of his followers believed that the time had arrived and recognized the fact that Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had the qualities mentioned in the scripture. However, the fact remained he was not a Jew, and to many this was a major obstacle as their racial pride was at stake. Meanwhile, several of Ka'bs tribesmen decided to go out of the fortress to determine for themselves if the report Huyay brought was true. When their eyes fell upon the formidable sight of the huge, unbelieving army, terror struck their hearts, they had never seen anything like it before in their life and returned quickly to report to their tribesmen what they had seen. The Betrayal of the Krayzah The tribe of Krayzah no longer needed convincing, the enemies of the Prophet seemed formidable and they no longer needed to be convinced and so their principals were put to one side; some even turned informant and went to the Koraysh camp to tell them of the weaker parts of the City's defense, whilst a few who inclined to Islam slipped away from the fortresses to take the news to the Prophet's camp. Omar was the first to learn of the Krayzah’s betrayal and went straight to tell the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). It was indeed an act of treachery, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) sent Zubair to determine if the report was correct. Then he sent Sa’ad from the tribe of Aws and Sa’ad from the tribe of Khazraj together with Usayd for additional confirmation, for he was neither a person to act in haste nor take a decision without first having verified the matter. Zubair reached the fortress before his other Companions and learned that the report was correct. When his companions arrived they pleaded with the Krayzah not to pursue their intention, but it was to no avail. The Krayzah informed him that as far as they were concerned the pact no longer existed between them -- they had become enemies. The treacherous breaking of the pact caused a weakness in the line of defense. The Jewish fortresses were no longer a protective barrier but a gate through which the enemy could advance with comparative ease, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) immediately sent a hundred men to strengthen the area. Shortly afterward news reached the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) that Huyay had urged the Koraysh and their allies to send a thousand men to the fortresses and then launch an attack on the fortified buildings in which the Muslim women and children had been housed for protection. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) wasted no time in sending Zayd together with three hundred men to protect them. Each night as the Companions patrolled the streets they exalted Allah with such intensity that their voices rang out through the City and they appeared far greater than their number. For one reason or another, the unbelievers abandoned their intent and no harm came to the women and children, however, the Koraysh had succeeded in weakening the Muslim army through the re-deployment of their forces. As a result the Companions were forced to take longer periods patrolling the trench, and now weariness posed an additional hazard. However, spirits were lifted by the kind words and encouragement of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), who reminded them that victory would be theirs if they were steadfast, and obeyed Allah and His Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). Days and nights passed and the commanders of the Koraysh army, 'Amr son of Abd-e-Wudd, Ikrimah Abi Jahl’s son and Dirar Al-Khattab’s son waited for the right opportunity to attack. However, they didn't have to wait too long as one day Ikrimah noticed that the narrowest section of the trench was less well guarded than usual and so he, Dirar, Amr and two others were able to jump over it on horseback. Just as the last man cleared the trench, Ali together with some of his companions arrived to reinforce the section leaving no way for the unbelievers to retreat. Amr shouted out a challenge for someone to engage him in single combat. Without hesitation, Ali took up the challenge, but when Amr saw him he declined to fight on account of the friendship that had existed between their fathers many years before. Ali was adamant and refused to back-down, and so Amr accepted the challenge and dismounted. As they fought, clouds of dust arose in the air and the onlookers were unable to determine exactly what was going on. Then, much to their relief they heard Ali's voice exalting Allah, and his companions knew that Amr must be dead. The fight had distracted the Companions attention, so one of the Koraysh seized the opportunity to try and make his escape back to the other side of the trench. Turning his horse around, he raced toward the trench only to find Nawfal from the tribe of Makhzum was in his way and so the tribesman, with his horse, plunged headlong into the trench. When the believers saw what had happened, they made use of the stones excavated from the trench and pelted him with them. From the bottom of the trench, the unbeliever cried out saying, "Arabs, death is better than this!" whereupon they ceased their stoning and one of them climbed down into the trench and the unbeliever took his last breath. Up until now there had been considerable apprehension among the unbelieving cavalry concerning their ability to cross the trench. However, Dirar and Ikrimah had demonstrated that although it was difficult it was not impossible, so several attacks were made that day and in the days that followed, but, all were of no avail. The fighting was spasmodic but none-the-less wearisome for the believers who could not afford to risk being caught off guard. No fatalities were sustained on either side although Sa’ad Mu'adhs son was severely wounded when an arrow pierced an artery in his arm however many of the unbeliever’s horses were wounded. Nu’aym from the Ghatfan Tribe of Ashja After Nu'aym from the Ghatfan tribe of Ashja's encounter with the Muslims of Medina before the second challenge of Badr, his heart inclined still further to Islam. But now that Abu Sufyan had called upon the support of the Ghatfan tribe, his branch of the tribe had lent their support and so with reluctance he had been drawn into the conflict. When Nu’aym was in Medina he had heard some of the Prophet's teachings promoting brotherly love, peace, justice and mercy. He had witnessed the unifying effect of Islam upon its very diverse congregation, now there they were with just one third of the number of the unbelieving army, prepared to defend their Religion without any thought of tribal superiority or surrender, it was indeed an act of bravery through absolute conviction and love of Allah and His Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). As Nu’aym thought about it he knew that his allegiance did not lie with the unbelievers, it lay with the Prophet. That night was the turning point in Nu’aym's life as he made his way undetected to Medina and slipped into its City and then on toward the camp of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). When Nu’aym reached the camp he asked to be taken to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and upon seeing him the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) welcomed him and inquired as to the nature of his visit. Nu'aym told him that he had come to declare his belief and bear witness to the truth in the Oneness of the Creator that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) brought, adding that he would do whatever he commanded. In passing, he mentioned that his people and the other tribes knew nothing of the teachings of Islam, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told Nu'aym to go out and do his best to bring about discord among his people so that they would withdraw. Nu'aym thought for a minute and then asked the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) if deception would be permissible for he had a plan he thought would work to disunite the Koraysh and the Jews. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) replied, "Say whatever you will to draw them away from us; war is nothing but deceit." The Plot of Nu’aym It was time for Nu'aym to leave, and after the greetings of peace had been exchanged he made his way back though the winding streets of the City to the Krayzah fortress. For many years Nu'aym had been friendly with the Krayzah and when they saw him they welcomed him and offered him food. Nu'aym thanked them for their offer but told them that he had come to them upon a more important matter. He told them that he feared for their safety if the Koraysh and Ghatfan failed to defeat the Muslim army and returned home leaving them alone to face the Muslims. It was a matter that concerned many of the Krayzah since their chieftains and rabbis had broken the pact. They remembered well how, although, Huyay and his fellow tribesmen's lives had been spared after their attempt to murder the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), that they had been expelled from Medina and forced to leave their homes and date groves behind -- and this was something they did not want to happen to them. Nu'aym told them that in his opinion, if he found himself in a position such as theirs, he would not strike a blow against the Muslims unless the Koraysh and Ghatfan were prepared to hand over to them some of their leaders as a guarantee that they would not be deserted in the event that their allies were forced to retreat. Nu'aym's logic made a lot of sense, the Krayzah needed no further convincing and adopted his suggestion. Now that Nu'aym had succeeded with the first part of his plan, he made his way to Abu Sufyan's tent. He found Abu Sufyan in the company of the other Koraysh chieftains and embarked upon the second part of his plan. He told them that he had come across a very alarming piece of information which was vital to them, however, he told them that he would only divulge the matter if they swore they would never tell anyone who gave it to them. Anxiously, Abu Sufyan and those with him swore never to turn informant. Nu'aym then told them the Jews were having second thoughts about their treatment of Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and that he had received word informing him of such. Nu'aym had caught their attention and proceeded to tell them that in order to repair their relationship the Jews would take leaders from both the Koraysh and Ghatfan tribes as hostage and then deliver them to Muhammad so that he may put an end to them, and thereafter fight alongside him. Nu'aym further alarmed Abu Sufyan when he told him that the terms had been accepted. He concluded his devising with the warning that they, in his opinion, should not let anyone remain with the Krayzah, and so the seeds of mistrust were sown and took root. Abu Sufyan, together with the other chieftains met with those of the Ghatfan and decided to assess the loyalty of the Krayzah themselves rather than relying entirely upon the report of Nu'aym. However, in the interim period, both allies agreed to postpone telling Huyay about the matter. On 5th Shawwal 5H, the allies agreed to send Ikrimah to the Krayzah with a message. The message was brief and straight to the point and read, "Prepare yourselves to fight tomorrow so that we may rid ourselves of Muhammad." No sooner had the Krayzah received the message they sent one back saying, "Tomorrow is the Sabbath, and we will not fight with you against Muhammad unless you send us some of your men that we might hold until we have rid ourselves of him. It is our fear that if things go against us you will retreat and leave us to face him -- this, we cannot do alone." Ikrimah returned in haste to Abu Sufyan and his fellow chieftains and the message was duly delivered. No sooner had the message been read they swore, "Nu'aym has told us the truth!" Immediately, another message was dispatched informing the Krayzah that they would not be sending any one but that they must fight all the same. The Krayzah's fears were confirmed and they sent back another message stating, yet again, that they would not fight until they received their demands. In a state of rage, Abu Sufyan went to confront Huyay. He demanded to know where the help was that the Jews promised, and told him that they had deserted him with the intent of betrayal. Huyay was taken aback by the accusation and swore by the Torah that the reason his fellow Jews would not take up arms against the Muslims was that it was the Sabbath and without doubt he would see them fight with all their might against the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) the day after. As of yet, Abu Sufyan had not told Huyay of the demand for hostages, but when he told him his reaction was indifferent and Abu Sufyan took it to be indicative of his guilt and swore by his god, al-lat, that the whole affair was nothing but treachery on both his part and the Krayzah. Huyay swore yet again by the Torah that he was not a traitor, but Abu Sufyan refused to believe him, and so Huyay, fearing the wrath of Abu Sufyan, made a hasty retreat to the safety of the Krayzah fortresses. Two weeks had passed, and little except mistrust of one another had transpired among the Koraysh and its Jewish allies. Fodder was in very short supply, wounded mounts often died, and in addition, the weather turned to be exceptionally cold and wet. It was a time of frustration on the aggressor’s part. Many had hoped that by now the engagement would have been resolved and they would be reaping the coveted spoils of war, but it wasn't so, and discontent became widespread. The Morale of the Believers The believers were better protected from the rain and the cold as they had the hill of Sila to shelter them. However, they were very tired on account of their constant vigil and signs of hunger were apparent, but unlike their adversaries, their morale was high and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) supplicated to Allah after each obligatory prayer for three successive days for the unbelievers to be put to flight. Added to the extreme cold and rain, Allah now sent unseen angels driving a bitterly cold wind from the east that brought torrential rain and forced the unbelievers to take shelter in their tents as the wind rushed howling between them. As the night progressed, the storm worsened to such a degree that their tents were ripped from the ground, tossed in the air and torn into shreds -- not one of the unbeliever's tents remained standing. Allah speaks of this in the Holy Koran saying: "Believers, remember the Favor of Allah to you when there came against you hosts (armies), We unleashed against them a wind and hosts (of angels) you could not see. Allah sees the things you do." Koran 33:9 As for the Muslim tents, Allah protected them all and none were wrecked by the wind. As on many other occasions, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) spent most of the night in prayer. After the conclusion of his final prayer, he visited a neighboring tent and asked Hudhayfah to go among the enemy and bring word of their condition. The Unbeliever’s Decision As Hudhayfah made his way towards the Koraysh encampment he found them shivering, huddled and crouched together trying to warm themselves as the winds roared about them. No one paid any attention to him and so he was able to get close to Abu Sufyan without being noticed. As dawn approached, the ferocity of the wind died down and the unbelievers started to try and warm themselves as Abu Sufyan cried out for all to hear, "People of the Koraysh, our horses and camels are dying, the Krayzah have let us down and betrayed us. We have suffered on account of the wind! Leave this place, I intend leaving!" The hostilities had began in Shawwal and now it was Dhul Qa’dah and Abu Sufyan was so anxious to leave that he forgot his camel was still hobbled and made it rise on three legs. Just then, Ikrimah called to him with the reminder that he was their chieftain and demanded to know if he was prepared to abandon his men, whereupon Abu Sufyan felt ashamed of his actions and dismounted. Everyone had had enough, and not long after the Koraysh army broke camp and started out on its long march home, however, Abu Sufyan remained behind with Khalid to ride behind his beleaguered army. As they rode together, Khalid had time to reflect upon the words of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and commented, "Any sensible person knows that Muhammad does not lie." Abu Sufyan was astonished and retorted, "You, of all people have lesser right to say such a thing!" Khalid asked why, whereupon he replied, "Muhammad belittled the honor of your father; he killed Abu Jahl your chieftain!" Everyone had been so busy with their own affairs that Hudhayfah was able to slip away unnoticed to where the Ghatfan had camped. When he reached their camp-site he found they had dispersed and so he returned to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) with the welcome news, for the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) hated fighting, except defensive fighting, as his preference was always that of inviting his adversaries to the mercy of Allah. When he reached the camp he was told that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was praying, so Hudhayfah went to him and waited for him. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) noticed his arrival and beckoned him to come and sit beside him as prayed. As Hudhayfah sat down, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) covered him in the folds of his cloak to warm him, and there he remained until the prayer reached its conclusion. After the prayer, Hudhayfah related the blessed news of the enemies retreat and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) immediately thanked Allah for His Mercy, for Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was sent as a mercy for all people, not as a promoter of war. The thin thread of the light of dawn had appeared on the horizon so Bilal arose to call the believers to prayer. After the prayer finished the believers turned to look in the direction of the enemy campsite – it was completely deserted. It was indeed a time for thanksgiving and rejoicing, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) gave his Companions permission to break camp and return to their families. The immediate danger was over, however, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was still on guard. There was always the possibility that the unbelievers had retreated out of sight only to await news from the Krayzah that the trench had been abandoned. With this in mind the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) sent Jabir and Abdullah, Omar's son to call his men back. Jabir and Abdullah set off calling at the top of their voices telling them to return, but it was to no avail, so they returned to tell the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) what had happened but the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) just smiled and returned home himself with his close Companions. |