Consequences
of the Truce of Hudaibiyah
The fourth condition of the Treaty
was as an irritant of the highest degree. This condition was repulsive to the
Muslims, however, the Quraish eventually requested the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to cancel this
condition which seemingly was in their favor. The following events will explain
what caused this surprising change. A few days after the return of the Muslims
to Al-Madinah, Abu Basir, who had already confessed Islam in Makkah, broke away
and took shelter in Al-Madinah. The Quraish sent two of their men to bring Abu
Basir (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) back to Makkah
according to the recently signed Treaty. The Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) sent him back. At Dhul-Hulaifah, he,
according to a plan, said to one of his guards, "Your sword appears to be
of the highest quality." Hearing this, another guard unsheathed the sword
of his fellow and began to admire it. Abu Basir (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "Let me see the sword." He gave it to Abu
Basir (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) without the least
care.
Abu Basir (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) struck him with the sword so hard that his head came off and
fell down. The other guard took to his heels towards Al-Madinah and entered
into the Prophet's Mosque frightened, and narrated the incident to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). He was still
reporting the event when Abu Basir (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) came in following him with the unsheathed sword. When he was
sure he wouldn't get any protection in Al-Madinah, Abu Basir (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم): "You have already fulfilled your
duty by handing me over to the polytheists, but Allâh the Almighty caused me to
restore my liberty. I will now go away because you will, in fulfillment of your
agreement, give me to the polytheists again." Saying this he left the
place. The man from the Quraish returned to Makkah and related the incident to
them.
Abu Basir (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) fled to the seacoast and settled at Eis. When Abu Jandal bin
Suhail (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) came to know of
this, he also escaped from Makkah and joined Abu Basir (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). Now, whoever embraced Islam in Makkah
fled from there to join the band of Abu Basir (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). The band grew so strong that it began to intercept the trade
caravans of Makkah. Things got so bad that the Quraish wrote to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to abrogate the
fourth condition of the Treaty, and they would no longer demand the return of
those who escaped and went to him in future.
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) accepted the request of the Quraish and
sent a message to Abu Basir (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
to come to Al-Madinah along with his band of men. This order reached Abu Basir (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) at a time when he
was seriously ill and confined to bed. However, he called Abu Jandal (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and instructed him
to carry out the command without loss of time.
Abu Basir (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) then passed away and Abu Jandal (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) left for Al-Madinah accompanied by his fellows. This is how
the despised fourth condition of the Treaty was mutually canceled.
Return
of the Muslims from Abyssinia
On return from Hudaibiyah, the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) sent Amr bin Umayyah
Damri (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) with a letter
addressed to Negus, the King of Abyssinia, to bring Ja'far bin Abu Tâlib (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and all other Muslim
migrants back to Al-Madinah. Through this dispatch, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) had also invited
Negus to accept Islam, which he did at once. He bade farewell to the Muslims
with many valuable gifts. From Hudaibiyah, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) reached Al-Madinah in Dhul-Hijjah and
stayed in Al-Madinah till Muharram, 7 AH. Towards the end of 6 AH, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) introduced among the
Muslims the practice of racing camels and horses. It is said that Aishah's
mother died the same year and Abu Hurairah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) embraced Islam.
The
Seventh Year of Migration
Conquest
of Khaibar
After the Truce of Hudaibiyah, the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) obtained peace with
the Makkan polytheists. However, news came to Al-Madinah that there was a plan
to launch an attack on Al-Madinah. Being uprooted from Al-Madinah, Banu Nadir
and Banu Qainuâ' were staying in Khaibar and the flames of revenge were burning
in their hearts, and very soon the Jews of the region were incited to rise up
against the Muslims. Khaibar became the center of hostility against the
Muslims. They started large-scale military preparations against the believers.
They drew Banu Ghatfân to their side by promising them half of the produce of
Al-Madinah.
The Jews had the support of the hypocrites
of Al-Madinah and even though they were far away from Al-Madinah, they knew of
every move the Muslims were making. Informed of their military preparations,
the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
marched towards Khaibar in Muharram, 7 AH, at the head of one thousand five
hundred Companions leaving Saba' bin Arfatah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in Al-Madinah as Administrator. He (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) chose Raji', a region lying between
Khaibar and Banu Ghatfân, to serve as his military camp, with the result Banu
Ghatfân who kept fearing a Muslim attack at any time, could not dare go to help
the Jews of Khaibar.
In Khaibar, there were three
settlements in which the Jews had a cluster of six big forts. They had among
them fighters like Marhab and Yâsir who were wrestlers of repute. They stepped
forward and made a challenge for a duel. Muhammad bin Maslamah and Zubair bin
Awwâm (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) accepted the
challenge. After a fierce fight, Maslamah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) killed Marhab and Zubair bin Awwâm (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) slew Yâsir. As per some narratives, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) was the man who had killed Marhab.
Finding it almost impossible to face
the Muslims in the open, the Jews stayed in their forts. The Muslim army
launched an attack on the fort called Nâ'im which belonged to Marhab and
captured it. The next fort to be captured was Sa'b bin Mu'âdh. Then attack was
made on the second settlement of Khaibar. Its forts were also captured. Now
came the Qamus, fort of Abu Huqaiq in the third settlement, it also fell.
Safiyyah bint Hua'i was brought to Al-Madinah as a captive and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) married her after
setting her free.
Watih and Salâlim were the two
remaining forts that came under siege by the Muslim troops, which continued for
ten days. They obtained peace and safety from the Muslims on giving half of the
produce from their lands and gardens.
During the battle of Khaibar,
fifteen Muslims were honored with martyrdom, four from the Muhâjirin and eleven
from the Ansâr, while 39 Jews were killed. Zainab bint Al-Harth, the wife of a
Jewish chieftain, Salâm bin Mishkam served the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) a poisonous roasted goat. As he took a
piece of it, he spat saying that the bones were giving information about the
poison. Bishr bin Al-Bara' (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
who was sharing the meal, had taken a piece of meat and swallowed it which led
to his immediate death. Zainab was called and she confessed her crime. She was
handed over to the relatives of Bishr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) but they held back from killing her as she had already
accepted Islam. According to another narrative, she did not embrace Islam and
was killed in retaliation. Preparations to set out for Al-Madinah were still on
when some migrants of Abyssinia appeared before the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) along with the valuable gifts and a
letter from Negus, the King of Abyssinia. Their caravan included Ja'far bin Abu
Tâlib, his wife, Asma' bint Umais, his sons Abdullah, Aun, and Muhammad, Khâlid
bin Saeed bin Al-Âs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
bin Umayyah, his wife, Aminah bint Khalaf, and his son, Saeed (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). While Umm Khâlid,
Amr bin Saeed, Abu Musa Ash’ari (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ), Jahm bin Qais, Harth bin Khâlid, Muhinah bin Ghidâr, Ma'mar
bin Abdullah, Abu Hâtib bin Amr, Malik bin Rabi'ah bin Qais and Amr bin Umayyah
Damri (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) were those who had
gone to bring them back. Some of them went to Al-Madinah and the rest arrived
in Khaibar.
On the way back in the eastern side
from Khaibar, there lay the flourishing town of Fidak. The Jews of Fidak sent a
message to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
to take away everything in lieu of their lives. The request was accepted. Since
Fidak came under possession without a fight, the property was given to state
control as the sole property of Allâh and His Messenger. When the Muslim army
passed by Wâdi-ul-Qura, the Jews of the area began to shoot arrows at the
Muslims. They were also besieged and they earned peace and safety at the cost
of half of their produce. The people of Taima also obtained peace like those of
Wâdi-ul-Qura.
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