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181 
Battle of Banu Quraydha 
On his return from the Battle of the Trench, as the Prophet 
prepared to take a bath in the apartment of Umm Salamah, 
Jibreel came to him. He informed the Prophet that he and 
other angels were being sent to terrify Banu Quraydha and inflict 
havoc on their fortresses. 
Following Jibreel’s news the Prophet sent out an 
announcement that everyone who followed him was to perform 
the ‘Asr prayer at Banu Quraydha. It was time for the Muslims to 
witness an act of divine intervention and draw comfort from it. 
The Prophet entrusted the affairs of the state to Umm 
Maktoom and sent out an advance party under Ali. Banu 
Quraydha spotted the approaching Muslims and began hurling 
abuses at the Prophet . The rest of the Muslims also made quick 
preparations to join the vanguard, but were late in reaching Banu 
Quraydha. The Prophet set out accompanied by the Muhajireen 
and the Ansar and halted at Ana, a famous well of Banu 
Quraydha. 
As it happened, even before the Muslim forces got there, 
Allah cast terror into the hearts of Banu Quraydha. They shut 
themselves in their castles, too terrified to confront the Muslim 
warriors who arrived to lay siege. The Jews sent word to the 
Prophet that they wished to consult with Abu Lubaba, who 
was then sent there as chief negotiator. Seeing him approach, the 
men rushed toward him while their women and children began to 
weep bitterly. Their tears and lamentation moved Abu Lubaba 
deeply. They said to him, “Do you think it desirable that we 
submit to Muhammad?” 
“Yes,” replied Abu Lubaba, and then he pointed to his throat 
indicating that all of them would be put to death. Instantly it 
occurred to him that he had betrayed Allah and His Messenger by 
giving the enemy information through his gesture. He hastened 
back, went straight to the Prophet’s mosque and tied himself to 

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182 
one of the pillars, vowing that the Prophet alone would 
unfasten him. When the Prophet heard what Abu Lubaba had 
done, he remarked, “Had he come to me I would have invoked 
Allah’s forgiveness upon him. Since he has imprisoned himself of 
his own voilition, I will leave him in the same state until Allah 
decides his fate.” 
The long seige disheartened Banu Quraydha. Twenty-five 
days passed, and they finally surrendered to the Prophet . He 
imprisoned the men and kept the women separate. The people of 
Aus asked him to show mercy to their old allies just as he had 
done with Banu Qaynuqa. 
Wisely, the Prophet avoided putting himself in the position 
of sole arbiter of the captives’ fates. He asked the people of Aus, 
“Would you let an arbitrator from amongst you decide?” They 
nodded, and to their pleasure the Prophet appointed their 
chief, Sa’d bin Mu’adh, judge. 
The wound Sa’d had received in the Battle of the Trench had 
left him confined to Madinah. He was summoned to the Muslim 
camp, and as he rode up, the Prophet said to the people, “Rise 
up to help him.” Obediently the people rose and advanced to 
help Sa’d. They milled around him clamouring, “Sa’d, treat your 
allies kindly.” Sa’d did not reply. When the people grew insistent 
with their plea’s, he said, “This is the time when Sa’d cares least 
about the reproaches of those who reproach Allah Almighty.” 
Sa’d’s words were an emphatic rejection of the people’s 
requests. They knew then that no ieniency was to be expected, 
and some people returned to Madinah and announced the demise 
of the captives. 
When Sa’d dismounted, and he was told that Banu Quraydha 
had declared their willingness to accept his verdict, he 
pronounced his judgment – the men were to be killed, the women 
and children to be taken captive, and the property to be divided 
among the Muslim community. 

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183 
The Propeht remarked, “The judgment you have passed on 
them was passed by Allah Almighty in the seven heavens. This 
judgment is also in accordance with the law of the Jews; in fact, it 
shows more compassion than is found in Jewish law.” 
Following Sa’d’s decision, Banu Quraydha were brought to 
Madinah. They were confined in the house of a woman of Banu 
Najjar – the daughter of Harith. Pits were dug in the marketplace 
of Madinah, and the prisoners were brought in groups and 
beheaded in these pits. Some sources put their number at 400, 
while others place it between 600 and 700. Only one woman was 
put to death. She had thrown a hand mill at Khalaad bin Suwayd 
and killed him. 
Along with them, Huyayy bin Akhtab, the chieftain of Banu 
Nadir was also killed. He was one of those twenty chieftains of 
the Jews who had orchestrated the alliance between the Quraysh 
and Banu Ghatfan. It was he who had swayed Banu Quraydha to 
break their pact with the Muslims, pledging them his support and 
saying he was ready to share their fate. He remained with them 
during the seige and their subsequent surrender, and was finally 
put to death with them. 
Some individuals of Banu Quraydha had embraced Islam 
before the surrender and escaped punishment. The booty 
amounted to 1500 swords, 300 coats of mail, 2000 lances, 500 
shields, and a large number of goods, vessels, and livestock. The 
Prophet then kept one-fifth of the date palms and the captives, 
and he divided the rest of the booty among the soldiers – the foot 
soldiers got one part, and the cavaliers received three parts of the 
whole – one portion for the soldier and two for his horse. 
The prisoners were sent to Najd and arms bought in lieu of 
them. However, the Prophet chose Rayhana bint Zayd bin 
Amr bin Khanafah for himself. It is said that he married her after 
setting her free. She died after the Prophet’s Farewell Hajj. 

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184 
Whe the Muslims did away with Banu Quraydha, the prayer 
of Sa’d bin Mu’adh, the righteous servant of Allah, was answered. 
He lay in a tent by the Prophet’s mosque so that the Prophet
could visit him and enquire after his health. One day, a she-goat 
leaped on him and caused his injury to bleed again. Sa’d 
succumbed to his injury. It is said that angels lifted his coffin. 
Abu Lubaba, who had imprisoned himself in the Prophet’s 
mosque for his hint to Banu Quraydha about their fate, had spent 
six nights tied to a pillar. His wife would unfasten him at prayer 
time, and afterwards he would again tie himself to the pillar. Then 
a verse regarding Abu Lubaba was revealed to the Prophet
while he was at Umm Salamah’s house. Allah revealed He had 
forgiven Abu Lubaba. People rushed to Abu Lubaba with the 
good news and tried to untie him, but he reused to be unbound 
saying that none but the Prophet would do it. The Prophet 
unfastened him when he came out to offer Fajr prayer and events 
came to a close. 
After the Battle of Banu Quraydha, the Prophet led a 
number of expeditions to consolidate the peace he had won. 
Some of his important military excursions are described in the 
following section.