Battle of Khaybar

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Khaybar
partof=Campaigns of Prophet /Muhammad


caption=Hazrat Ali slays Marhab
date=629
place=Khaybar
result=Muslim victory
combatant1=Muslim army
combatant2=Jews of Khaybar oasis
commander1=Muhammad
commander2=al-Harith ibn Abu Zaynab†Fact|date=May 2007
strength1=1,600
strength2=Khaybar10,000 [Lings (1983), p. 264]

Banu Ghatafan

4,000 [Lings (1983), p. 264]
casualties1=less than 20
casualties2=Greater Than 3/4 from The Soldiers

The Battle of Khaybar was fought in the year 629 between Muhammad and his followers against the Jews living in the oasis of Khaybar, located 150 kilometers (95 miles) from Medina in the north-western part of the Arabian peninsula, in modern-day Saudi Arabia. According to Muslim sources, the Muslims attacked Jews who, having reached agreement with the Muslims and then broken their word, had barricaded themselves in a fort.cite encyclopedia | title=Ali | encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica Online | accessdate=2007-10-12]

On the reasons for the attack, William Montgomery Watt notes that the presence of the Banu Nadir in Khaybar, who were inciting hostilities along with neighboring Arab tribes against Muhammad. Contemporary scholar Laura Veccia Vaglieri, while giving full credence to Watt's view, points out other reasons such as Muhammad's raising his prestige among his followers, as well as to capture booty to sustain subsequent conquests. Veccia Vaglieri, L. "Khaybar", Encyclopaedia of Islam ] Stillman 19]

The Jews of Khaybar finally surrendered and were allowed to live in the oasis on the condition that they would give one-half of their produce to the Muslims. Jews continued to live in the oasis for several more years until they were finally expelled by caliph Umar. The imposition of tribute upon the conquered Jews served as a precedent for provisions in the Islamic law requiring the exaction of tribute known as "jizya" from non-Muslims under Muslim rule, and confiscation of land belonging to non-Muslims into the collective property of the Muslim community. [Stillman 18–19] [Lewis 10]

Pretext to battle

Khaybar in the 7th century

In the 7th century, Khaybar was inhabited by the Jews. The inhabitants had stored in a redoubt at Khaybar a siege-engine, swords, lances, shields and other weaponry. In the past some scholars attempted to explain the presence of the weapons, suggesting that they were used for settling quarrels among the families of the community. Vaglieri suggests that it is more logical to assume that the weapons were stored in a depôt for future sale. Similarly the Jews kept 20 bales of cloth and 500 cloaks for sale, and other luxury goods. These commercial activities as a cause of hostility, Vaglieri argues, are similar to the economic causes behind persecutions in many other countries throughout history. The oasis was divided into three regions: al-Natat, al-Shikk, and al-Katiba, probably separated by natural diversions, such as the desert, lava drifts, and swamps. Each of these regions contained several fortresses or redoubts containing homes, storehouses and stables. Each fortress was occupied by a separate family and surrounded by cultivated fields and palm-groves. In order to improve their defensive capabilities, the fortresses were raised up on hills or basalt rocks.

Banu Nadir

After they were sent into exile in 625, the Banu Nadir had settled in Khaybar. In 627, the Nadir chief Huyayy ibn Akhtab together with his son joined the Meccans and Bedouins besieging Medina during the Battle of the Trench. [Stillman 14, 16-17] In addition, the Nadir paid Arabian tribes to go to war against the Muslims. Bribing Banu Ghatafan with half their harvest, Banu Nadir secured 2,000 men 300 horsemen from the tribe to attack Prophet Muhammad,Watt, "Muhammad at Medina", p. 34-37.] Nomani, "Sirat al-Nabi", p. 368-370.] and similarly persuaded the Bani Asad.al-Halabi, "Sirat-i-Halbiyyah" (Vol. II, part 12), p. 19.] They attempted to get the Banu Sulaym to attack the Muslims, but the tribe gave them only 700 men, since some of its some of its leaders were sympathetic towards Islam; the Bani Amir refused to join them all together, as they had a pact with Prophet Muhammad.Lings, "Muhammad: his life based on the earliest sources", p. 215-6.] Once the battle started, Huyayy ibn Akhtab persuaded the Banu Qurayza to go against their covenant with Prophet Muhammad and turn against him during the battle. [Peterson, "Muhammad: the prophet of God", p. 127.] After defeat of the confederates in the battle and Qurayza's subsequent surrender, Huyayy (who was at that time in the Qurayza strongholds of Medina) was killed alongside the men of the Qurayza. After the death of Huyayy, Abu al-Rafi ibn Abi al-Huqayq took charge of the Banu Nadir at Khaybar. Al-Huqayq soon approached neighboring tribes to raise an army against Prophet Muhammad. [Nomani (1979), vol. II, pg. 156] [Urwa, "Fath al-Bari", Vol. VII, pg. 363] After learning this, the Muslims, aided by an Arab with a Jewish dialect, assassinated him.Stillman 17]

Al-Huqayq was succeeded by Usayr ibn Zarim. It has been recorded by one source [Zurqani, Ala al-Mawahib, Vol. II, p.196, Egypt] that Usayr also approached the Ghatafan and rumors spread that he intended to attack the "capital of Muhammad". The latter sent Abdullah bin Rawaha with a number of his companions, among whom were Abdullah bin Unays, an ally of Banu Salima, a clan hostile to the Jews. When they came to him they spoke to him and treated him saying that if he would come to Prophet Muhammad he would give him an appointment and honour him. They kept on at him until he went with them with a number of Jews. Abdullah bin Unays mounted him on his beast until when he was in al-Qarqara, about six miles from Khaybar, Usayr changed his mind about going with them. Abdullah perceived his intention as he was preparing to draw his sword so he rushed at him and struck him with his sword cutting off his leg. Usayr hit him with a stick of shauhat wood which he had in his hand and wounded his head. All Prophet Muhammad's emissaries fell upon the thirty Jewish companions and killed them except one man who escaped on his feet. [Ibn Ishaq, A. Guillaume, p. 665-666] Abdullah bin Unays is the assassin who volunteered and got permission to kill Banu Nadir's Sallam ibn Abu al-Huqayq at a previous night mission in Khaybar.

Many scholars have considered the above machinations of the Nadir as a reason for the battle. According to Montgomery Watt, their intriguing and use of their wealth to incite tribes against Prophet Muhammad left him no choice to attack; [Watt 189] Vaglieri concurs that one reason for attack was that the Jews of Khaybar were responsible for the Confederates that attacked Muslims during the Battle of the Trench. Shibli Numani also sees Khaybar's actions during the Battle of the Trench, and draws particular attention to Banu Nadir's leader Huyayy ibn Akhtab, who had gone to the Banu Qurayza during the battle to instigate them to attack Prophet Muhammad. [Nomani (1979), vol. II, pg. 156]

Treaty of Hudaybiyya

In 628, when the Muslims attempted to perform the pilgrimage, [Lings (1987), p. 249] After much negotiations, the Muslims entered a peace treaty with the Quraysh, ending the Muslim-Quraysh wars. Some of his followers, however, were discontent at the terms Prophet Muhammad had agreed to.Ehlert, Trude."Muhammad", "Encyclopaedia of Islam"]

Scholars agree that Prophet Muhammad's need to raise his prestige amongst his followers, which had been eroded by the Treaty, was one reason for the battle.Stillman 18] [Watt 188–189] [Lewis "Arabs in History" 43] Vaglieri also argues that the conquest of Khaybar would satisfy those Muslims who had hoped to conquer Mecca, as well as bring in army and money. Stillman adds that Prophet Muhammad needed the victory to show the Bedouins, who were not strongly tied to the rest of the Muslim community, that the alliance with him would pay off. In addition, the treaty also gave Prophet Muhammad the assurance of not being attacked in the rear by the Meccans during the expedition.

Political situation

As war with Prophet Muhammad seemed imminent, the Jews of Khaybar entered into an alliance with the Jews of Fadak oasis. They also successfully persuaded the Bedouin Ghatafan tribe to join their side in the war in exchange for half their produce. However, the lack of central authority at Khaybar prevented any further defensive preparations, and quarrels between different families left the Jews disorganized. The Banu Fazara, related to the Ghatafan, also offered their assistance to Khaybar, after their unsuccessful negotiations with the Muslims. [Nomani (1979), vol. II, pg. 159]

Course of battle

Before the battle, the people of Khaybar no doubt knew of the war. The Muslims set out for Khaybar in May 628, Muharram 7 AH. [Watt 1956), pg. 341] According to different sources, the strength of his army varied from 1,400 to 1,800 men and between 100 and 200 horses. Some Muslim women (including Umm Salama) also joined the army, in order to take care of the wounded. [Nomani (1979), vol. II, pg. 162] Compared to the Khaybarian fighting strength of 10,000, the Muslim contingent was small, but this gave Muslims advantages. It allowed Muslims to swiftly and quietly march to Khaybar (in only three daysHaykal, Muhammad Husayn . Ch. "The Campaign of Khaybar and Missions to Kings". "The Life of Muhammad". Shorouk International, 1983.] ), catching the city by surprise. It also made Khaybar over-confident in themselves. [Lings (1983), pg. 263] As a result, the Jews failed to mount a centrally organized defense, leaving each family to defend its own fortified redoubt.

The Jews, going on the offensive, charged from Natat attacking the Muslim army's flanks. When the Muslims started their operations, they met much opposition, in particular from Khabarian archers, the best in Arabia and wounded more that 50 Muslims. Five days of fighting resulted in no achievements. On the night of the sixth, Umar caught a Jewish spy, who advised Muslims that they should attack the fort of Naim.Lings (1983), p. 255-6]

torming Naim

The advantages of attacking Naim was that it wasn't well-guarded and could fall with the least effort. In addition it had a stockpile of weapons (especially siege engines) stored, that could be used against the more well-defended forts. Muhammad sent various contingents to attack the fort, first under Abu Bakr, later led by Umar, and finally under Ali. Duels took place between Ali and Marhab, the chief of the fort, and between Zubayr and Yasir (Marhab's brother) - both resulting in Muslim victory. Ali managed to seize a portal, and used it as a bridge to bring his men into the fort. Fighting inside the fort continued, until the Jewish leader al Harith ibn Abu Zaynab was killed in combat.

When the fort fell, Muslims recovered various siege machines. Among them was a ballista for hurling projectiles, and two testudos that could bring men to the walls so they could breach an entrance.

Failure of Banu Ghatafan

Knowing the outcome of Prophet Muhammad's battles with other Jewish tribes, the Jews of Khaybar put up fierce resistance, and the Muslims were forced to take the fortresses one by one. During the battle, the Muslims were able to prevent Khaybar's Ghatafan allies (consisting of 4,000 men) from providing them with reinforcements. One reason given is that the Muslims were able to buy off the Bedouin allies of the Jews. Watt, however, also suggests that rumors of a Muslim attack on Ghatafan strongholds might also have played a role. [Watt (1956), pg. 93]

The Jews, after a rather bloody skirmish in front of one of the fortresses, avoided combat in the open country. Most of the fighting consisted of shooting arrows at a great distance. On at least one occasionthe Muslims were able to storm the fortresses. There were also some single combats, [Watt (1956), pg. 218] the most notorious one being between Ali and Marhab, a famed Arab warrior. [Nomani, vol. II, pg. 165-6]

The besieged Jews managed to organize, under the cover of darkness, a transfer of people and treasures from one fortress to another as needed to make their resistance more effective.

Neither the Jews nor the Muslims were prepared for an extended siege, and both suffered from a lack of provisions. The Jews, initially overconfident in their strength, failed to prepare their water supplies even for a short siege. [Watt (1956), pg. 219]

After the forts at an-Natat and those at ash-Shiqq were captured, there was little resistance. The Jews speedily met with Prophet Muhammad to discuss the terms of surrender. [Watt (1956), pg. 218] The people of al-Waṭī and al-Sulālim surrendered to the Muslims on the condition that they be "treated leniently" and the Muslims refrain from shedding their blood. Prophet Muhammad agreed to these conditions and did not take any of the property of these two forts.

Aftermath

Muhammad met with Ibn Abi Al-Huqaiq, al-Katibah and al-Watih [Watt 1956), pg. 218] to discuss the terms of surrender. As part of the agreement, the Jews of Khaybar were to evacuate the area, and surrender their wealth. The Muslims, would cease warfare, and not hurt any of the Jews. After the agreement some Jews approached Prophet Muhammad, with a request to continue to cultivate their fine orchards, and remain in the oasis. In return, they would give one-half of their produce to the Muslims. Prophet Muhammad accepted the proposal. [Watt 1956), pg. 218] He also ordered the restitution to the Jews of their holy scriptures.

According to Ibn Hisham's version of the pact with Khaybar, it was concluded on the condition that the Muslims "may expel you [Jews of Khaybar] if and when we wish to expel you." Norman Stillman believes that this is probably a later interpolation intended to justify the expulsion of Jews in 642. The agreement with the Jews of Khaybar served as an important precedent for Islamic Law in determining the status of dhimmis, (non-Muslims under Muslim rule). [Stillman 18–19] [Lewis 10]

After hearing about this battle, the people of Fadak, allied with Khaybar during the battle, sent Muḥayyisa b. Masūd to Muhammad. Fadak offered to be "treated leniently" in return for surrender. A treaty similar to that of Khaybar was drawn with Fadak as well.

Among the Jewish women there was one who was chosen by Prophet Muhammad as wife. It was Safiyya bint Huyayy, daughter of the killed Banu Nadir chief Huyayy ibn Akhtab and widow of Kinana ibn al-Rabi, the treasurer of Banu Nadir. According to Ibn Ishaq, when Prophet Muhammad asked him to locate the tribe's treasure, al-Rabi denied knowing where it was breaking the surrender treaty. A Jew told Prophet Muhammad that he had seen Al-Rabi near a certain ruin every morning. When the ruin was excavated, it was found to contain some of the treasure. Prophet Muhammad ordered Al-Zubayr to interrogate and torture al-Rabi until he revealed the location of the rest, then handed him to Muhammad ibn Maslamah, whose brother had died in the battle, to be beheaded.Ibn Hisham. "Al-Sira al-Nabawiyya" ("The Life of The Prophet"). English translation in Guillame (1955), pp. 145–146] [Ibn Hisham."Al-Sira al-Nabawiyya" ("The Life of The Prophet"). English translation in Stillman (1979), pp. 145–146]

Muslim biographers of Prophet Muhammad tell a story that a Jewish woman of the Banu Nadir tribe attempted to poison Muhammad to avenge her slain relatives. She poisoned a piece of lamb that she cooked for Prophet Muhammad and his companion, putting especially much poison into the shoulder — Muhammad's favorite part of lamb. The attempt on Muhammad's life failed because he reportedly spat out the meat, feeling that it was poisoned, while his companion ate the meat and died. Prophet Muhammad's companions reported that, on his deathbed, Prophet Muhammad said that his illness was the result of that poisoning. [Ibn Hisham. "Al-Sira al-Nabawiyya" ("The Life of The Prophet"). English translation in Stillman (1979), pp. 146–149]

The victory in Khaybar greatly raised the status of Prophet Muhammad among his followers and, local Bedouin tribes, who, seeing his power, swore allegiance to Prophet Muhammad and converted to Islam. The captured booty and weapons strengthened his army, and he captured Mecca just 18 months after Khaybar.

The battle in classic Islamic literature

The traditional Muslim biographies of Prophet Muhammad report that in one of the fortresses, first Abu Bakr, then Umar, took up the standard in the hope of breaking down their resistance, by putting themselves at the head of the attacks, but both failed. According to this tradition, Prophet Muhammad then called to his standard-bearer Ali, who killed a Jewish chieftain with a sword-stroke, which split in two the helmet, the head and the body of the victim. Having lost his shield, Ali is said to have lifted both of the doors of the fortress from its hinges, climbed into the moat and held them up to make a bridge whereby the attackers gained access to the redoubt. The door was so heavy that forty men were required to put it back in place. This story is one basis for the Muslim view, especially in Shi'a Islam, of Ali as the prototype of heroes. [Jafri_]

On one occasion, Muslim soldiers killed and cooked a score of donkeys, which had escaped from a farm. The incident led Prophet Muhammad to forbid to Muslims the meat of horses, mules, and donkeys, unless consumption was forced by necessity. Prophet Muhammad ordered the felling of 400 palms around one fortress to force its defenders to capitulate. Finally, the Jews surrendered when after a month and a half of the siege, all but two fortresses were captured by the Muslims.

ee also

* Muhammad as a warrior
* Jihad
* Rules of war in Islam

Notes

References

*Guillaume, Alfred. "The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah". Oxford University Press, 1955. ISBN 0-1963-6033-1
*Jafri, S.H.M. "The Origins and Early Development of Shi'a Islam." Longman;1979 ISBN 0-582-78080-2
*Lewis, Bernard. "The Jews of Islam". Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1984. ISBN 0-691-00807-8
*Lewis, Bernard. "The Arabs in History". Oxford University Press, 1993 ed. (reissued 2002). ISBN 0-19-280310-7
*cite book | author = Lings, Martin | title = Muhammad: his life based on the earliest sources| publisher = Inner traditions international | date= 1983
*cite book | last = Nomani | first = Shibli | title = Sirat al-Nabi| publisher = Pakistan Historical Society | date= 1970 | location = Karachi
*Stillman, Norman. " [http://books.google.com/books?id=bFN2ismyhEYC The Jews of Arab Lands: A History and Source Book] ". Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1979. ISBN 0-8276-0198-0
*cite book | author = Ramadan, Tariq | title = In the Footsteps of the Prophet| publisher = Oxford University Press | date= 2007 | location = New York
*Montgomery Watt, W. (1956). "Muhammad at Medina". Oxford University Press.
*Montgomery Watt, W. (1964). "Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman". Oxford University Press.

;Encyclopedia
*
*"Encyclopaedia of Islam". Ed. P. Bearman et al., Leiden: Brill, 1960-2005.