Banu Qurayza

The Banu Qurayza (Arabic بنو قريظة; alternate spellings include Quraiza, Qurayzah, Quraytha, and the archaic Koreiza) were a Jewish tribe who lived in northern Arabia during the 7th century, at the oasis of Yathrib (now known as Medina). The bulk of the tribe's men, apart from a few who converted to Islam, were killed in 627 CE, following a siege mounted by Muslim inhabitants of Medina and immigrants from Mecca. The Muslims believed that the Banu Qurayza had agreed to aid their Meccan enemies in their attack on Medina, which the Muslims had just repulsed in the Battle of the Trench.

Before the Muslim refugees arrived in Medina

In the early 600s the bulk of the tribe resided in Medina, where they were allied to Arab tribe of Aws, one of the two major tribes that controlled the town. Another Jewish tribe, the Banu Nadir, was also linked to Aws, and were close allies and friends of the Banu Qurayza. A third Jewish tribe, the Banu Qaynuqa, had allied itself with Aws's more powerful rival, the Khazraj faction. (For alliances, see Guillaume's English translation of Ibn Ishaq, p. 253.) The Banu Qurayza were led by Ka'b ibn Asad.

The arrival of the Muslims

In 622, Muhammad arrived in Medina, transforming the political landscape; the longstanding enmity between the Aws and Khazraj tribes was dampened as both embraced Islam and accepted Muhammad's leadership. The early Muslim historians record that the Muslims and Jews of the area signed an agreement, the Constitution of Medina, which committed the Jews and the Muslims to mutual cooperation. Some Western academics say that this "treaty" is possibly a collage of agreements, oral rather than written, of different dates, and that it is not clear when they were made or with whom.

Tensions quickly mounted between the Muslim and Jewish communities; the Banu Nadir were expelled from Medina in 625 following what Muslim sources claim was a violation of the treaty, and the Banu Qaynuqa were expelled soon afterwards, after a quarrel over an insult to a Muslim woman's honor escalated into murder.

War with Mecca

In 627, the army of Mecca attacked Medina under the command of Abu Sufyan. Abu Sufyan asked the Banu Qurayza tribe to help them conquer Medina, by attacking the Muslims from behind the lines or letting them into the town.

According to one early historian, Ibn Ishaq, the Banu Qurayza chief, Ka'b, was initially reluctant, but eventually decided to support the Meccans, being so persuaded by Huyayy ibn Akhtab, chief of the Banu al-Nadir.

According to the hadith collection, the Sahih Bukhari, this was the second time Bani Qurayza had broken the peace treaty and allied with Banu Al-Nadir against the Muslims; the first time, Banu Qurayza suffered no loss and were allowed to stay in Medina. ([1])

However, Abu Sufyan's forces were defeated in the Battle of the Trench, and retreated, abandoning their allies to the victors. The very day of the victory, reportedly incited by the Angel Jibril, Muhammad led the Muslim troops towards the Banu Qurayza's neighborhood. The Banu Qurayza retreated into their stronghold and contemplated their alternatives. As the Banu Qurayza morale waned (according to Ibn Ishaq), their chief made a speech to them, suggesting three alternative ways out of their predicament: embrace Islam; kill their own children and women, then rush out for a "kamikaze" charge to either win or die; or make a surprise attack on Saturday (the Sabbath, when by mutual understanding no fighting would take place). But it seems that none of these alternatives were accepted. After a siege that lasted several weeks, the Banu Qurayza surrendered unconditionally.

The judgment

According to Muslim accounts, Banu Aus pleaded to Muhammad for Banu Qurayza and asked Muhammad to appoint Sa'd ibn Mua'dh as an arbitrator to decide their fate. Their request was accepted. Since, at that time no specific punishment had been given in the Qur’an about the fate of the Jews, Sa'd ibn Mua'dh announced that he would base himself on the Torah and pronounced that all men should be executed. Muhammad approved the ruling, calling it similar to God's judgment. According to Ibn Ishaq, when an arrow hit Sa'd ibn Mua'dh, he said "O God, seeing that you have appointed war between us and them grant me martyrdom and do not let me die until I have seen my desire upon the Banu Qurayza." It is not clear that whether Muhammad knew Sa'd's desired revenge. This ruling was taken to refer to all males over puberty, some 600-900 individuals according to Ibn Ishaq. A few converted to Islam, and were spared.

The directive cited, according to Jewish tradition, referred specifically (and solely) to the period of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites and only under certain circumstances. Hence it cannot be applied to this particular incident in which the Banu Qurayza were alleged to have committed treason. However, John Esposito, professor of Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, writes that Muhammad's use of warfare in general was alien neither to Arab custom nor to that of the Hebrew prophets, as both believed that God had sanctioned battle with the enemies of the Lord.

The killing of the Banu Qurayza men

Ibn Ishaq describes the killing of the Banu Qurayza men as follows:

Then they surrendered, and the apostle confined them in Medina in the quarter of d. al-Harith, a woman of B. al-Najjar. Then the apostle went out to the market of Medina (which is still its market today) and dug trenches in it. Then he sent for them and struck off their heads in those trenches as they were brought out to him in batches. Among them was the enemy of Allah Huyayy b. Akhtab and Ka`b b. Asad their chief. There were 600 or 700 in all, though some put the figure as high as 800 or 900. As they were being taken out in batches to the apostle they asked Ka`b what he thought would be done with them. He replied, 'Will you never understand? Don't you see that the summoner never stops and those who are taken away do not return? By Allah it is death!' This went on until the apostle made an end of them. Huyayy was brought out wearing a flowered robe in which he had made holes about the size of the finger-tips in every part so that it should not be taken from him as spoil, with his hands bound to his neck by a rope. When he saw the apostle he said, 'By God, I do not blame myself for opposing you, but he who forsakes God will be forsaken.' Then he went to the men and said, 'God's command is right. A book and a decree, and massacre have been written against the Sons of Israel.' Then he sat down and his head was struck off.

The spoils of battle, including the enslaved women and children of the tribe, were divided up among Muhammad's followers, with Muhammad himself receiving a fifth of the value (as khums, to be used for the public good). Some of these were sold soon after to raise funds for jihad.

Sources

Sources regarding the Banu Qurayza are sparse: the only known mentions of this tribe are in Muslim sources, and date from no earlier than 150 years after the event. Some information - including the judgment pronounced and carried out on the tribe - is to be found in hadith accepted as sahih by most Sunni Muslims. (Shia traditions also report this, but Shia do not accept the same hadith collections.) Most details - such as the number killed, the siege, the speech given by Ka'b before surrender, Ka'b's decision to join Quraish, and Huyai's efforts to persuade him - derive ultimately from a single account, that of Ibn Ishaq. His work is among the earliest surviving sources on Islamic history, but he is considered quite unreliable by the main hadith scholars, especially Imam Malik. The attitude of Western historians towards both the hadith and Ibn Ishaq varies from general acceptance to near-total scepticism; see historiography of early Islam. This event has been documented in the History of Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, which is one of the main sources of information about the early history of Islam.

Hadith

Various hadith treat of this event:

Muslim Book 026, Number 5557 (abridged; remainder describes when not to kill snakes and jinn):

Abu as-Sa'ib, the freed slave of Hisham b. Zuhra, said that he visited Abu Sa'id Khudri in his house, (and he further) said: [...] He said: There was a young man amongst us who had been newly wedded. We went with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) (to participate in the Battle) of Trench when a young man in the midday used to seek permission from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) to return to his family. One day he sought permission from him and Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) (after granting him the permission) said to him: Carry your weapons with you for I fear the tribe of Quraiza (may harm you). The man carried the weapons and then came back and found his wife standing between the two doors...

Bukhari Volume 5, Book 57, Number 66 (nearly identical to Muslim Book 031, Number 5940:

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair: During the battle of Al-Ahzab, I and 'Umar bin Abi-Salama were kept behind with the women. Behold! I saw (my father) Az-Zubair riding his horse, going to and coming from Bani Quraiza twice or thrice. So when I came back I said, "O my father! I saw you going to and coming from Bani Quraiza?" He said, "Did you really see me, O my son?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Allah's Apostle said, 'Who will go to Bani Quraiza and bring me their news?' So I went, and when I came back, Allah's Apostle mentioned for me both his parents saying, "Let my father and mother be sacrificed for you."'

Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 68 (nearly identical to Bukhari Volume 5, Book 59, Number 443; Muslim Book 019, Number 4370 gives slightly more detail):

Narrated 'Aisha: When Allah's Apostle returned on the day (of the battle) of Al-Khandaq (i.e. Trench), he put down his arms and took a bath. Then Gabriel whose head was covered with dust, came to him saying, "You have put down your arms! By Allah, I have not put down my arms yet." Allah's Apostle said, "Where (to go now)?" Gabriel said, "This way," pointing towards the tribe of Bani Quraiza. So Allah's Apostle went out towards them.

Bukhari Volume 5, Book 59, Number 444:

Narrated Anas: As if I am just now looking at the dust rising in the street of Banu Ghanm (in Medina) because of the marching of Gabriel's regiment when Allah's Apostle set out to Banu Quraiza (to attack them).

Bukhari Volume 5, Book 59, Number 445 (Muslim Book 019, Number 4374 is almost identical, but has "Zuhr" rather than "Asr"):

Narrated Ibn Umar: On the day of Al-Ahzab (i.e. Clans) the Prophet said, "None of you Muslims) should offer the 'Asr prayer but at Banu Quraiza's place." The 'Asr prayer became due for some of them on the way. Some of those said, "We will not offer it till we reach it, the place of Banu Quraiza," while some others said, "No, we will pray at this spot, for the Prophet did not mean that for us." Later on it was mentioned to the Prophet and he did not berate any of the two groups.

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 280 (nearly identical to Bukhari Volume 5, Book 58, Number 148 and Volume 8, Book 74, Number 278 and Muslim Book 019, Number 4368-9):

Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri: When the tribe of Bani Quraiza was ready to accept Sad's judgment, Allah's Apostle sent for Sad who was near to him. Sad came, riding a donkey and when he came near, Allah's Apostle said (to the Ansar), "Stand up for your leader." Then Sad came and sat beside Allah's Apostle who said to him. "These people are ready to accept your judgment." Sad said, "I give the judgment that their warriors should be killed and their children and women should be taken as prisoners." The Prophet then remarked, "O Sad! You have judged amongst them with (or similar to) the judgment of the King Allah."

Bukhari Volume 5, Book 59, Number 362 (nearly identical to Muslim Book 019, Number 4364):

Narrated Ibn Umar: Bani An-Nadir and Bani Quraiza fought (against the Prophet violating their peace treaty), so the Prophet exiled Bani An-Nadir and allowed Bani Quraiza to remain at their places (in Medina) taking nothing from them till they fought against the Prophet again). He then killed their men and distributed their women, children and property among the Muslims, but some of them came to the Prophet and he granted them safety, and they embraced Islam. He exiled all the Jews from Medina. They were the Jews of Bani Qainuqa, the tribe of Abdullah bin Salam and the Jews of Bani Haritha and all the other Jews of Medina.

Abu Dawud, Book 14 Number 2665:

Narrated Aisha: No woman of Banu Qurayzah was killed except one. She was with me, talking and laughing on her back and belly (extremely), while the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was killing her people with the swords. Suddenly a man called her name: Where is so-and-so? She said: I I asked: What is the matter with you? She said: I did a new act. She said: The man took her and beheaded her. She said: I will not forget that she was laughing extremely although she knew that she would be killed.

Abu Dawud, Book 38 Number 4390:

Narrated Atiyyah al-Qurazi: I was among the captives of Banu Qurayzah. They (the Companions) examined us, and those who had begun to grow hair (pubes) were killed, and those who had not were not killed. I was among those who had not grown hair.

See also

• Jihad
• Itmaam-i-hujjat
• Muhammad as a general
• Rules of war in Islam
• Arabian tribes that interacted with Muhammad

References

• Bat Ye'or. The Dhimmi: Jews and Christians under Islam (translated from the French by David Maisel, Paul Fenton, and David Littman. London: Associated University Presses, 1985.
• Bostom, Andrew G. 2005. The Legacy of Jihad: Islamic Holy War and the Fate of Non-Muslims. Prometheus Books, 2005.
• Guillaume, A. The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah. Oxford University Press, 1955.
• Hitti, Philip. History of the Arabs. 7th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1961.
• Hodgson, Marshall G.S. The Venture of Islam, Vol. I. University of Chicago Press, 1974.
• Lecker, Michael. Jews and Arabs in Pre- And Early Islamic Arabia. Ashgate Publishing, 1999.
• Newby, Gordon Darnell. A History of the Jews of Arabia: From Ancient Times to Their Eclipse Under Islam (Studies in Comparative Religion). Univ of South Carolina Press, 1988.

External links

• PBS site on the Jews of Medina
• The Bani Quraytha Jews - Traitors or Betrayed?
• What Happened to the Jews of Medina
• Muhammad, the Qurayza Massacre, and PBS by Andrew G. Bostom
• The Expulsion of Banu al-Qurayzah - excerpt from Akram Diya al Umari, Madinan Society At the Time of the Prophet, International Islamic Publishing House & IIIT, 1991.
• Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum: Memoirs of the Noble Prophet, by Saif al-Rahman Mubarakpuri, Darussalam Publications: Madina 2002. (chapters: Al-Ahzab (the Confederates) Invasion, Invading Banu Quraiza
• Did Prophet Muhammad ordered 900 Jews killed? on the site of jews-for-allah.org.
• Did Muhammad betray the Banu Quraiza?