Book: Dalail an-Nubuwwah by Bayhaqi

Chapter on the descent of Banu Qurayzah regarding the judgment of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, may Allah be pleased with him, and what happened in their killing, the capture of their women and children

Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Furak informed us that Abdullah ibn Ja'far al-Asbahani narrated to us, who narrated from Yunus ibn Habib, who narrated from Abu Dawud, who narrated from Shu'bah, from Sa'd ibn Ibrahim, who informed us that Abu Abdullah al-Hafiz narrated to us, saying that Ahmad ibn Salman told us, who narrated from Ja'far ibn Muhammad ibn Shakir, who narrated from Aftan, who narrated from Shu'bah, who narrated from Sa'd ibn Ibrahim, saying: I heard Abu Umamah ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf narrating from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri, who said: The people of Qurayzah descended upon the judgment of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent to Sa'd, and he came to him riding a donkey. When he came close to the mosque, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Rise to your leader or to the best among you." He said, "These have come upon your judgment." He said, "Their warriors shall be killed, and their offspring shall be captured." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "You have judged them according to the judgment of Allah," and perhaps he said, "according to the judgment of the king."

Reported by Aftan, this hadith is found in Sahih Bukhari in the Book of Jihad, (168) under the chapter: "When the enemy descends upon the judgment of a man," and Muslim also reported it in Book 32 of Jihad, (22) under the chapter: "Permissibility of fighting those who violate the treaty."

Translation of Classical Arabic Text

Chain of Narrators:

Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz informed us, saying: Ismail ibn Muhammad ibn Al-Fadl narrated to us, saying: My grandfather informed us, saying: Ibrahim ibn Al-Mundhir narrated to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Fulayh narrated to us, from Musa ibn Uqbah, from Ibn Shihab. And Abu Al-Husayn ibn Al-Fadl Al-Qattan also narrated to us, saying: Abu Bakr ibn Attab narrated to us, saying: Al-Qasim ibn Abdullah ibn Al-Mughirah narrated to us, saying: Ibn Abi Uways narrated to us, saying: Ismail ibn Ibrahim ibn Uqbah narrated to us, from his uncle Musa ibn Uqbah, who said:

Hadith:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was asked to appoint a judge among them from his companions. He said, "Choose whomever you wish from among my companions." They chose Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, approved that. They went to Sa'd ibn Mu'adh for judgment. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, commanded them to arm themselves, which was placed in his tent, and to then go to him and be bound. They were then placed under the guardianship of Osama's house. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, sent a message to Sa'd ibn Mu'adh. A Bedouin came to him on a donkey, claiming that the imprint of the saddle of his donkey was made of brocade, and he was followed by a man from the Banu Abd al-Ashhal tribe who walked beside him. The Bedouin showed great respect to Banu Qurayzah and recollected their alliance. He mentioned the oath they took on the day of Bu'ath. He said, 'They chose you over anyone else from your people, hoping for your mercy, compassion, and kindness towards them. So lead them for they are to you a beauty and a large number.' Sa'd was greatly moved by this, without any reluctance, till they came near. The man then said, "Do you not respond to what I address you with?" Sa'd replied, "The time for me to be disloyal to you in the sight of Allah has passed." The man then left and returned to his people. They asked him what had transpired. He informed them that Sa'd had not gone ahead of them and relayed their conversation. Sa'd then judged that their fighters be killed, their children and women taken captive, and their wealth divided. They remembered that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, had said to Sa'd, "Indeed, you have judged among them with the judgment of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic."

The Battle of Badr

In the Battle of Badr, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, fought against the Quraysh who claimed to have six hundred soldiers. The battle took place near the home of Abu Jahl in Badr, and the Quraysh suffered heavy losses. The Muslim army seized their women, children, and belongings, distributing the spoils among the Muslims present.

The Distribution of Horses

At that time, the Muslims had a total of thirty-two horses, each horse receiving two shares of the spoils.

The Incident with Huwayy ibn Akhtab

A man named Huwayy ibn Akhtab was brought before the Prophet. The Prophet asked him if he knew what was coming, to which Huwayy responded that he did and blamed himself for not participating in the jihad. The Prophet then ordered his execution, which was carried out by Sa'd ibn Mu'adh.

Thabit ibn Qays's Request

Thabit ibn Qays, from the Banu Harith bin Khazraj tribe, approached the Prophet and asked for the release of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam and his wife. The Prophet granted his request, and Zubayr was freed.

Thabit advises Zubayr to Embrace Islam

Thabit went to Zubayr and told him that the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, asked for him. Thabit conveyed the message, "The Messenger of Allah has mentioned your destruction and that of your family and wealth. Embrace Islam, and you will be safe."

Zubayr asked about the two groups mentioned, so Thabit described them by name. Thabit informed him that they had been killed and none were left. He advised Zubayr to seek guidance from Allah and hoped that he would be saved for the better. Zubayr then asked Allah's forgiveness, saying that there is no good in life after them.

Upon hearing this, Thabit reported to the Messenger of Allah, who ordered for Zubayr to be killed. When Allah decreed the fate of Banu Qurayzah, relieving the believers of their hardships, the Quran revealed the grace of Allah upon them, sending winds and unseen soldiers to help them.

The Trial and Hypocrisy at the Time of Distress

During the time of trial and distress, some hypocrites claimed that Allah and His Messenger had promised them false hopes. They turned away from supporting Allah and His Messenger. Thabit mentioned the various reactions of the Muslims during the tribulation, with some sacrificing their lives and others patiently waiting.

Thabit also noted that those who disbelieved out of envy did not attain any good. Allah saved the believers from the fighting, displaying His power and might. He also mentioned the treachery of Banu Qurayzah and their alliance with the enemies of Allah and His Messenger.

Interpretation of Quranic Verses

And what the Muslims conquered from them of killing and capturing them, and what they inherited from their land and homes and wealth - a land they have not trodden. And Allah is over all things competent. And He revealed the Quran, a Quran that if you recite, you will recognize, consisting of twenty-nine verses. Its beginning is "O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allah upon you when armies came to you and We sent upon them a wind and armies [invisible]. And Allah, of what you do, is Seeing." And Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz informed us, saying: Abu Ja'far Al-Baghdadi narrated to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Khalid narrated to us, saying: My father told us that Ibn Lahiyah informed us, saying: Abu al-Aswad narrated from Urwah ibn Az-Zubair, saying: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, stayed with the Banu Qurayzah until they asked him to appoint an arbitrator between them and him that they would abide by his judgment. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Choose from my companions whoever you wish." And he mentioned the story of Musa ibn Uqba, except that he added in his saying: "And a land they have not trodden." They claim it is Khaybar, and I do not consider it anything but every land that Allah has opened to the Muslims, or it is its opener until the Day of Judgment. Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz informed us, saying Abu Al-Abbas: Muhammad ibn Ya'qub said: Ahmad ibn Abd al-Jabbar told us, saying: Yunus ibn Bukayr narrated to us from Ibn Ishaq, and he mentioned the story of their descent regarding the judgment of Sa'd ibn Mua'dh, what was said to Sa'd, and what Sa'd said. Ibn Ishaq said: "Then they were given judgment, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, confined them in Medina at the house of Zaynab bint al-Harith, a woman from the Banu an-Najjar, then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, went to the location of the trenches."

Marketplace of Medina

One of the key events in early Islamic history took place in the marketplace of Medina, which remains a bustling hub today. The Prophet Muhammad ordered a group of individuals - including the enemies of Islam Huwayy ibn Akhtab and Ka'b ibn Asad - to be confined in a trench. The total number of individuals was around 800 to 900, with Ka'b being their leader. They were questioned by the Prophet concerning their intentions, to which Ka'b responded cryptically, indicating his understanding of the situation.

Interrogation and Resolution

The Prophet eventually dealt with them, with Huwayy ibn Akhtab being brought forward in a humiliating manner. After a brief exchange, Huwayy recognized the power of Allah and his own fate. He then turned to the people and spoke of the divine decree, fate, and the struggle set by Allah for the Children of Israel.

Jabal ibn Jawwal al-Tha'labi stepped forward and affirmed that Huwayy's words were true. He emphasized the importance of standing firm in the face of challenges and striving until the very end. Some among the audience remarked that Huwayy ibn Akhtab had indeed spoken the truth.

Additional Narrative

According to Ibn Ishaq, the story of Thabit ibn Qays ibn al-Shammas is likened to that of Musa ibn Uqba. Thabit had encountered Ka'b ibn Asad, shedding light on Ka'b's character when inquired about him. The narrative highlights significant events and interactions that shaped early Islamic history.

Conversation of Thabit

Thabit ibn Akhtab and others spoke, then Thabit said: "I ask you, O Thabit, by Allah, haven't you joined me with the people? By Allah, there is no good in life after them. I will not be patient until I meet my beloved ones." Thabit advanced and was beheaded. When Abu Bakr heard this, he said: "He will meet them in the Hellfire, everlasting and eternal." The Prophet commanded to kill all those who grew from them.

Division of the Spoils

The Messenger of Allah distributed the wealth of Banu Quraydha, their women, and children among the Muslims. The division and the shares were only assigned to the warriors of Banu Quraydha, totaling thirty-six horses that day. The Prophet allocated three shares for each horse owner - one for the rider and two for the horses. Each man received one share.

Saad's Expedition and Rayhana

The Prophet sent Saad bin Zaid to Banu Abd al-Ashhal to purchase horses and weapons. Among the captured women was Rayhana bint Amr ibn Khunafa, a woman of Banu Amr ibn Quraydha. She was offered marriage and the veil by the Prophet but chose to remain with her people. The Prophet isolated her as she rejected Islam and clung to Judaism. He felt troubled by this and left her alone. While in a gathering with his companions, he heard the footsteps of a man who converted to Islam and had his hair grown.

Story of the Companions: The Incident of Banu Qurayzah

Once, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), a companion named Atiyyah al-Qurazi recounted an incident related to the tribe of Banu Qurayzah. Atiyyah mentioned that he was among those captured in the aftermath of the Banu Qurayzah conflict, where the Prophet commanded the execution of those who had reached puberty, due to treachery.

This narrative sheds light on the historical events that took place between the early Muslim community and the Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayzah, showcasing the complexities of alliances and conflicts during the Prophet's time.

References:
- Ibn Hisham's Sirah (3:196-198)
- Ibn Kathir's History (4:125-126)
Narration sourced from Ibn Hisham's Sirah (3:197)