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Conquest of Khaybar: Difference between revisions
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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
The prophet arrived in Medina from Mecca having left his homeland in the year of the hijrah. There, according to the sirah, he found 3 large Jewish tribes, the Banu Nadir, Banu Qaynuqa', and the Banu Qurayzah. The prophet preached to them and attempted to convert them to his new religion, and the Constitution of Medina actually shows that the Jews of Medina did agree to form one "ummah" or community (although the three tribes mentioned in the Sirah accounts are nowhere to be found in the Constitution of Medina). | The prophet arrived in Medina from Mecca having left his homeland in the year of the hijrah. There, according to the sirah, he found 3 large Jewish tribes, the Banu Nadir, Banu Qaynuqa', and the Banu Qurayzah. The prophet preached to them and attempted to convert them to his new religion, and the Constitution of Medina actually shows that the Jews of Medina did agree to form one "ummah" or community (although the three tribes mentioned in the Sirah accounts are nowhere to be found in the Constitution of Medina). Despite this pact, the Jews and the Muslims had a falling out as Muhammad changed the [[Qibla]] to Mecca from Jerusalem and continue to introduce new doctrines, and the Jews refused to acknowledge him as a prophet of the biblical tradition. As tensions grew things quickly came to a head with the new religion and the more established Judaism. | ||
After the [[Battle of Badr]] the prophet became more forceful in his demands that the Jews accept him as a prophet. According to the Sirah and Hadith, a number of the Jews including Kinanah, the leader of the Banu Nadir, knew that Muhammad was a prophet but deliberately sought to oppose him anyway due to stubborness and fear for their own power. This led to a series of skirmishes and conflicts with the Banu Nadir which ended in their expulsion (along with the Banu Qaynuqa') from Medina. They migrated to the Jewish stronghold oasis of Khaybar, where they had many fortresses and made a nice income from harvesting dates and other agricultural products. | After the [[Battle of Badr]] the prophet became more forceful in his demands that the Jews accept him as a prophet. According to the Sirah and Hadith, a number of the Jews including Kinanah, the leader of the Banu Nadir, knew that Muhammad was a prophet but deliberately sought to oppose him anyway due to stubborness and fear for their own power. This led to a series of skirmishes and conflicts with the Banu Nadir which ended in their expulsion (along with the Banu Qaynuqa') from Medina. They migrated to the Jewish stronghold oasis of Khaybar, where they had many fortresses and made a nice income from harvesting dates and other agricultural products. | ||
Although exiled, the Jews continued to agitate and plot against Muhammad there, and also hired the sorcerer Labid to curse Muhammad, vexing him with confusion, feelings of weakness, and the impression that he had had sex with his wives when he had not. They also bank rolled Arab tribes like their allies the | Although exiled, the Jews continued to agitate and plot against Muhammad there, and also hired the sorcerer Labid to curse Muhammad, vexing him with confusion, feelings of weakness, and the impression that he had had sex with his wives when he had not. They also bank rolled Arab tribes like their allies the Ghatafan and the Meccans who military opposed Muhammad, and engaged in a plot with the remaining Jews of Medina, the Banu Qurayzah, to betray Muhammd during the battle of the trench (this Jewish treachery would lead to the [[Massacre of the Banu Qurayzah]]. | ||
After the [[Treaty of Hudaybiyah]] brought the war between the Meccans and the Muslims to a ceasefire, many Muslims were still hungry for the booty that the wars against the pagans and the Jews had so far delivered them. Waqidi claims that Muhammad rebuked his followers for thinking of only earthly gains, while ibn S'ad claims that the expidition was motivated in large part by avarice. In any event, the spoils of war would soon come into the Muslims' hands. | After the [[Treaty of Hudaybiyah]] brought the war between the Meccans and the Muslims to a ceasefire, many Muslims were still hungry for the booty that the wars against the pagans and the Jews had so far delivered them. Waqidi claims that Muhammad rebuked his followers for thinking of only earthly gains, while ibn S'ad claims that the expidition was motivated in large part by avarice for more war booty on the part of the Muslims. In any event, the spoils of war would soon come into the Muslims' hands. | ||
==Narrative from the Sira== | ==Narrative from the Sira== | ||
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After the conclusion of the battle Kinanah agreed to terms, that the Jews would leave Khaybar but also leave all of their wealth to the Muslims. A Jewish traitor informed Muhammad that Kinanah had hidden some treasures around an old ruin. Muhammad asked Kinanah about his treasure, which he denied having. The Muslims excavated the ruin and found his treasure. When they confronted him and demanded to know where the rest of it was, Kinanah refused. Muhammad ordered that a fire be kindled on his chest to torture him into revealing the location of the hidden treasure. After he was tortured for this information, he was beheaded, and Muhammad took [[Safiyah]], his bride, as his own wife. | After the conclusion of the battle Kinanah agreed to terms, that the Jews would leave Khaybar but also leave all of their wealth to the Muslims. A Jewish traitor informed Muhammad that Kinanah had hidden some treasures around an old ruin. Muhammad asked Kinanah about his treasure, which he denied having. The Muslims excavated the ruin and found his treasure. When they confronted him and demanded to know where the rest of it was, Kinanah refused. Muhammad ordered that a fire be kindled on his chest to torture him into revealing the location of the hidden treasure. After he was tortured for this information, he was beheaded, and Muhammad took [[Safiyah]], his bride, as his own wife. | ||
Muhammad divided the spoils of Khaybar amongst his followers, taking a larger share and the Jewish princess Safiyyah for himself. The Jews were eventually allowed to stay in Khaybar and til the land in exchange for paying the [[Jizyah]] and accepting Muslim rule, making them the first [[Dhimmi]]<nowiki/>s. The Jews would stay in Khaybar after the death of Muhammad, until they were expelled by 'Umar, who justified his actions with the saying of the prophet that no religion should exist in Arabia save for Islam. | Muhammad divided the spoils of Khaybar amongst his followers, taking a larger share and the Jewish princess Safiyyah for himself. The Jews were eventually allowed to stay in Khaybar and til the land in exchange for paying the [[Jizyah]] and accepting Muslim rule, making them the first [[Dhimmi]]<nowiki/>s. The Jews would stay in Khaybar after the death of Muhammad, until they were expelled by 'Umar, who justified his actions with the saying of the prophet that no religion should exist in Arabia save for Islam. | ||
==Tafsir Accounts== | ==Tafsir Accounts== | ||