Bismillah ir rahman ir raheem the jews of medina during the time of the Prophet by
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The Date Groves of Khaybar Two and a half days had now passed, and as evening approached the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) called upon a guide to take him nearer to the fortifications, as it was his plan to position his army between the inhabitants of the fortresses and the Ghatfan whose arrival was anticipated. The night was dark and all was still behind the ramparts; no one detected their presence so the Muslims were able to reach the clearing that lay in front of the ramparts, then return undetected to the camp. As dawn approached, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and his followers offered their prayers and as the sun spread its rays, they saw the fields and date groves beyond which lay the fortresses. Soon after, the farmers came out from the fortresses to tend to their groves and fields, and were panic stricken as they caught sight of the Prophet's army. The farmers dropped their tools and fled back to the fortresses to raise the alarm whereupon the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) exalted Allah, saying, "Allah is the Greatest, Khaybar is crushed!" Then he recited: "When it descends upon their courtyards, evil will be the morning of those forewarned." Koran 37:177 The Events of Khaybar It was now the 7H after the migration and as the alarm rang out, the Jewish chieftains met hastily to discuss their course of action. All except one felt their fortresses were strong enough to repel the Muslims. However, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) knew well from a previous Revelation, that despite their numbers, their hearts would be divided. The Revelation was fulfilled yet again as each party chose to defend themselves in individual groups. “Their fear of you in their hearts is greater than their fear of Allah; that is because they are a people who do not understand. They will never fight against you all together except from fortified villages or from behind walls. Their courage is great among themselves; you think them to be united, yet their hearts are not united. That is because they are a people who have no sense.” Koran 59:13-14 Outside the fortifications, the small Muslim army stood as one in readiness with heart, mind, body and soul, trusting, loving and fearing Allah rather than being terrified by what would have appeared to the unbeliever as a daunting army of first rate archers protected by very strong fortifications. The order was given and the first assault was launched upon the fortress nearest to them. The Jews remained behind the fortress walls, some busied themselves strengthening its weaker parts whilst the remainder engaged themselves showering bevies of arrows down upon the Muslims from the ramparts. Never before had the Muslims faced such ferocity, and the ladies accompanying them were kept busy tending the wounded. The Spy from the Fortresses The hostilities raged for five days and nothing as yet had been gained. One night during Omar's command, a spy infiltrated the Muslim camp and was caught, then brought before Omar. The man feared for his life and offered to give Omar information if he would spare him. Omar accepted and the Jew told him that there was another fortress less well guarded than the one they were attacking and that its strongholds housed an arsenal of weapons, amongst which were those used to breach the walls of fortresses. The next day, Omar launched an attack on the less well-guarded fortress and Allah blessed the Muslims with success, and the fortress fell. As they searched its strongholds and cellars they found the information they had been given to be accurate as their eyes fell upon not only an arsenal of hand weapons but a large catapult strong enough to hurl heavy rocks at the fortress walls and two long, strong shields under which several men could walk and get close to the fortress walls without being harmed. The Ghatfan The four thousand strong tribe of Ghatfan had set out upon their march to Khaybar intending to support their Jewish allies. At nightfall, after their first day's march, they struck camp and settled themselves down to sleep, however, they had little rest because during the night a strange, urgent voice was heard calling to them saying, "Your people, your people, your people!" They were very startled and looked around them but were unable to detect whether the voice came from the heavens or the earth. All manner of thoughts raced through their minds, but their paramount thought was that their families were in some sort of danger, so they returned home. When they reached their homes their families were very surprised to see them, all was well and no harm had come to them. However, the Ghatfan were reluctant to set out again as they feared that perhaps harm was on its way, and then again, it was in their opinion, mostly likely that if they did set out they would arrive too late. The Fortress of Na’im With the capture of the arsenal came the turning point of the encounter. Amongst the arsenal the Muslims found the Jews had designed and constructed the first tank out of wood which now was seized by the Muslims, and one by one the fortresses started to fall. However, there remained five strong fortresses, some of which were better equipped and greater in man power than their counterparts. Na’im was the first of the five to be targeted, unlike the other fortresses, its soldiers came outside its walls to fight and the Muslims faced strong resistance that forced them to temporarily withdraw. That evening, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) announced, "Tomorrow, I will give the banner to someone whom Allah, and His Messenger love. In his hands Allah will give us victory -- he is not a person to turn away and flee." The next day, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked for Ali, whereupon he was informed that Ali's eyes were troubling him. However, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked for him to come and upon seeing the soreness of his eyes, he rubbed some of his saliva over them and supplicated for his recovery. Ali's eyes recovered immediately and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) handed him a large black banner made from a cloak that once belonged to Lady Ayesha. Then, Ali asked, "O Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), shall I fight them until they become as us?" Once again the just nature of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was apparent in his reply, "Continue until you reach them, then invite them to Islam and explain their obligations to Allah. If just one person is guide by Allah through you that will be better for you than a herd of red camels." As the small, but valiant army attacked, Zubair and Abu Dujanah, recognizable by his red turban, fought with the same extraordinary zeal as they displayed at Uhud. Ali led the final attack that caused the enemy to retreat. Some of the Jews took refuge in the fort, but many escaped through a back entrance to neighboring fortresses. However, most made their way to a fortress called “Zubair”, which was by far the most formidable of the remaining four and had been built on a high cliff which provided a natural defense. In the meantime, the Muslims took control of the main entrance of the fortress of Na’im. The Fortress of Zubair Only the fortresses of Zubair, Kamus and two others remained. For three days the Muslims concentrated their efforts on the fortress of Zubair, but its natural defense together with its additional soldiers made things very difficult. Then, a Jew fearing for his life, family and property, made his way in secret to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and told him that he would disclose vital information in return for the safety of his family and possessions -- the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) agreed. The Jew informed him that the fortress had an underground supply of fresh water capable of sustaining them for as long as they wanted to hold out. However, there was a place outside the fortress where the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) could dig and divert the stream so that no water flowed into the fortress. The informant further told the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) that on account of the constant supply of fresh water, the army had not concerned themselves with its storage. Work to divert the water was soon under way and when the Jews realized that their stream had been diverted they came down from their fortress and another very fierce encounter ensued in which they suffered defeat. The Fortress of Kamus The fortress of Kamus belonged to the richest of all the families of Khaybar, the family of Kinanah. Kinanah son of Ar Rabi’a was wed to Safia, the daughter of Huyay and belonged to the tribe of An-Nadir. Like others in his tribe, Kinanah had been amongst those exiled from Medina for their treachery and as they left, he and they taunted the impoverished Muslims by wearing and flaunting their excessive wealth and fineries as they rode out of the City. Kinanah could not fathom out why the Ghatfan had not as yet come to their aid, however, he had not given up hope. Each day he would look for them but there was painfully no sign of them. Two weeks later when it was apparent the Ghatfan were not coming he finally sent word to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) that he wished to surrender. Terms of Surrender The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) accepted, so Kinanah and several members of his family left the fortress to surrender. The terms agreed to were such that their lives would be spared and no prisoners taken in exchange for their wealth, property and the evacuation of Khaybar. It was not the Prophet’s intention to expose the Jews to further hardship, rather it was to confiscate their wealth in order to suppress their multiple attempts to prevent and destroy the Message he brought. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) warned that these terms of safe passage would not apply to any one who tried to smuggle or hide any of their wealth or possessions. The terms were very clear and accepted, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) called upon Abu Bakr, Ali, Zubair and Omar and ten Jews to witness the agreement. The Concealed Treasures by Kinanah While the Jewish ladies were housed in the fortress of Kamus, far from the Muslims, Kinanah like all the rest of Jews was aware of the terms of surrender with its safe passage but chose not to surrender its treasures. Kinanah had secretly buried the treasure in two places one of which was in a deserted area and the other some distance away in the trunk of fallen palm tree. Kinanah had also killed Mahmood, the brother of the Muslim warrior Muhammad ibn Mahslamah. The Muslims remembered well the excessive display of opulence the tribe of An-Nadir had made when they left Medina, and were quick to realize, as did some of the Jews, that the wealth now being declared as being their total wealth was but a mere fraction. Several Jews took Kinanah to one side and reminded him that the Prophet was not a person who could be deceived and his hiding place would no doubt be discovered. When Kinanah was questioned about the extent of the wealth, he claimed that much of it had been spent over the years and nothing remained. Kinanah was so sure his hiding place would never be discovered that without coercion he agreed that if any were found he would forfeit his life and that of his family. His hiding place was discovered but the Prophet chose not to take his life, rather, he was given to Muhammad, son of Maslama because he had killed his brother Mahmood. The Final Surrender The two remaining fortresses surrendered without further hostilities and accepted the same terms and conditions. Many of the Jews were farmers and knew how best to reap the wealth of the land, with this in mind they sent a deputation to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) saying that if he would permit them to continue as before and live in their homes, they would in return tend the land and pay rent for half its harvest each year. Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) accepted, however, he reserved the right to expel them at any time if they did not live peacefully. The Jews of Taima’ News reached the Jews of Taima’ of the fall of Khaybar before the Prophet reached their territory. Upon his arrival they showed no resistance and took the initiative to go out and meet the Prophet and sign a treaty with him for which they would in return pay a yearly tax and receive the protection of the Muslims. The Oasis of Fadak News of Khaybar's defeat soon reached the Jewish owned oasis of Fadak and with it rumors that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) intended to engage them. Not wishing to suffer the fate of their brethren, they sent word to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) they wished to surrender upon the same terms and conditions offered at Khaybar. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) accepted because he was at all times a prophet of peace. The Poisoned Lamb The Word of Allah had been fulfilled, and the band of believers took a well-earned rest before their victorious march back to Medina. A Jew by the name of Shalom, Mishkam's son, who had aided Abu Sufyan in Medina, had been killed during the hostilities and his wife Zaynab, daughter of Al-Harith sought to take revenge. Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) never refused the invitation of anyone, no matter who they were, so when Shalom's wife invited him and his Companions to a meal the invitation was graciously accepted. In preparation for the meal Shalom's wife had a lamb slaughtered, then, as she prepared it, poisoned it, paying particular attention to its shoulders as she had heard that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) like that part of meat. When the lamb was ready she set it down in front of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) who took a bite of the meat. Before he had chance to swallow it, the shoulder spoke and informed him that the meat had been poisoned whereupon he spat it out and told his Companions not to eat it. Bishr, Bara's son, who was sitting next to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had already swallowed a piece of the meat and was affected by the poison. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) sent for Shalom's wife and asked why she had poisoned the lamb, whereupon she asked who had informed him that it had been poisoned; the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) replied, "The shoulder." In reply to his question she told him that he must already know the reason why she had poisoned the lamb. However, she continued saying that it was on account of her dead husband, father and uncle. She then told the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) that she had thought if he was a king she would be better off without him, but on the other hand, if he was a prophet then the poison would inform him. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had mercy upon the woman and pardoned her for the attempt she had made against him. However, Bishr's condition continued to deteriorate in the days that followed and he passed away whereupon for the sake of justice the Jewess was handed over to his family and they put her to death. From that year up until the time the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) passed away, at the same time each year, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) would suffer on account of the tiny bit of poison he swallowed. Lady Safiya, Daughter of Huyay Shortly before the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) set out for Khaybar. Huyay had married his seventeen-year old daughter Safiya to Kinanah the son of Abi Al-Huqaiq. To the onlooker it may have appeared that the marriage was all a young girl could ever hope for on account of Kinanah's wealth and standing. However, she was a reluctant bride and far from happy. One night Safiya had a vision in which she saw the moon suspended over a city, which she knew to be Medina. In her vision she saw the moon drift towards Khaybar and when it reached the city it had come to rest in her lap. Innocently, Safiya told Kinanah of her vision whereupon, in an uncontrollable burst of anger, Kinanah struck her violently upon her face saying, "This can mean but one thing, you desire Muhammad the King of Hijaz!" When Safiya was brought before the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) he noticed her badly bruised eye and asked her about it whereupon she told him of her vision and how after she had related it to her husband he had struck her. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) proposed marriage to Safia and without hesitation she accepted. As for her dowry, Safia had been pledged as a captive by Kinanah if his wealth was discovered so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) released her and paid her dowry by ransoming her. When the time came for the Muslims to leave Khaybar, Lady Safiya left with the ladies and Umm Sulaim dressed her as befits a bride and sent her to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi was sallam) that night. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi was sallam) asked, "Whosoever has any food should bring it" and the Companions brought what they had, then he spread out a leather sheet and their wedding feast was of dates and clarified butter. The News of Wadi l-Kura As for the Jews of Wadi l-Kura, supporters of the Khaybarites, they were not to escape. For three days before the Prophet's return to Medina they fought against him and finally surrendered under the same terms as their brethren in Khaybar. The Prophet Sends Support to the Jews of Khaybar After the Prophet had returned to Medina from Khaybar the Jews felt insecure as the tribe of Murrah -- a branch of the Ghatfan -- were hostile toward them and they feared that due to their weakened circumstances they would be attacked, so they sent word to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) requesting his protection. Upon receiving the request the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) dispatched twenty Muslims to protect the Jews, of Khaybar, however, the Murrah struck quickly and all but a few Muslims were martyred defending the Jews. When news of the attack reached the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) he sent two hundred of his men to replace them, amongst whom was Osama, Zayd's son, both of whom the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) loved dearly. Soon after their arrival, the Murrah attacked again but this time after heavy combat it was they who sustained a heavy loss of life. Conclusion It can never be said that the Prophet was anything other than merciful, forbearing and just to the Jews. He always honored his part of a treaty. He was never the aggressor despite the constant provocation of the Jews. He repaid his loans handsomely by adding either an additional payment or merchandize as the case may be. He always fulfilled his promise and was slow to anger. He never sought revenge for himself, but when a command of Allah had been broken he would apply the prescribed Koranic punishment. His way was the way of guidance and peace. It might be said that the Jews were not the only ones hostile to the Prophet. This is true, but the fact remains that the pagan Arabs were not subversive, their hostilities were clear whereas the hostility of the Jews was often undetectably subtle, cunning and inciting. The Jews did not think twice about using their wealth to incite the pagan Arabs to rise up against the Prophet to do their work rather than fighting themselves for the sake of what they claimed to be their superiority over all other races. However, despite the hostility of the pagan Arabs, the Jews were undoubtedly far more reprehensible than the Arabs. This is because the Jews had been blessed to receive a succession of prophets over many centuries, as one prophet died another would soon take his place and through the Divine Guidance given to their prophets they were given the opportunity to be led to Allah, but as history shows they corrupted and abused this great blessing that until this time had not been given to any other race. The Arabs had not, on the other hand, been blessed with Divine Guidance because since the passing of Prophet’s Abraham and Ishmael many centuries had passed and there had been but a few prophets after them. There were no scriptures left to guide the Arabs and nothing remained of the teachings of those prophets, but the Arabs abandoned their idolatry. They submitted to Allah and His Prophet and accepted Islam whereas the Jews persisted in their denial and spurned the message Prophet Muhammad brought. It cannot be said that the Jews did not expected the coming of a new prophet. Rabbis such as the convert Abdullah son of Shalom had preached about the signs of Prophet Muhammad’s advent together with his description for many years. Both the signs and the Prophet’s description were written in the Jewish Scriptures; they were not ignorant. Even Buhairah, the Nazarene monk knew these signs and warned Abu Talib that - despite the fact that the Prophet was still a young boy - if continued on his journey he would pass through a Jewish settlement and they too would recognize the signs apparent in his nephew in the same way that he had and try to harm him. The Jews were also aware of the approximate location from which the expected prophet would emerge, which, as you will recall was the reason why many of their ancestors migrated to Arabia. As with Prophet Jesus - the last of the prophets sent specifically to the Jews - the Jews rejected Prophet Muhammad who was sent not just for one nation but for all the nations of the world. It becomes very clear that, with the exception of the Jews who embraced Islam, the Jews of Medina and its vicinity were a renegade people and the worst of the entire Jewish race. They were the descendants of Jews who rejected, killed several of their prophets, tampered with the Scriptures their prophets brought and like their forefathers led lives contrary to the commands Allah entrusted to His prophets to deliver. “If they argue with you, say, 'I have submitted my face to Allah and so have those who follow me.' To those who have received the Book (Jews, Nazarenes, Christians) and to the ignorant, ask, 'Have you submitted yourselves to Allah?' If they became Muslims they were guided, if they turn away, then your only duty is to warn them. Allah is watching over all His worshipers.” Koran 3:20 |