Battle of Khaybar

The Battle of Khaybar ( ar, غَزْوَة خَيْبَر, label=Arabic) was fought in 628 CE between the early Muslims led by Muhammad and Jews living in Khaybar, an oasis located 150 km from Medina in the northwestern Arabian Peninsula (present-day Saudi Arabia), as part of the early Muslim conquests. Jewish tribes reportedly arrived in the Hejaz region in the wake of the Jewish–Roman wars and introduced agriculture, putting them in a culturally, economically and politically dominant position. According to Islamic sources, Muslim troops marched on Khaybar and engaged the Jews, who had barricaded themselves in forts after breaching an agreement with the Muslims.

History

Islamic sources accuse the Jews of Khaybar of having plotted to unite with other Jewish tribes from Banu Wadi Qurra, Tayma and Fadak as well as with the Ghatafan (an Arab tribe) to mount an attack on Medina. Scottish historian William M. Watt notes the presence in Khaybar of the Banu Nadir, who were working with neighboring Arab tribes to protect themselves from Medina's Muslim community, who had earlier attacked and exiled Jewish tribes, accusing them of violating the Charter of Medina and (based on prophetic vision) of conspiring to kill Muhammad. Orientalist Laura V. Vaglieri claims other motives for the Muslim offensive might have included the prestige that the engagement would confer upon Muhammad among his followers, as well as the loot which could be used to supplement future campaigns.Veccia Vaglieri, L. "Khaybar", Encyclopaedia of IslamStillman 19.

The battle ended with the surrender of the Khaybar Jews, who were then allowed to continue living in the region on the condition that they would give one-half of their produce to the Muslims. The Jews of Khaybar continued to live on the oasis for several more years, until they were expelled by the second Rashidun Caliph, Umar. The imposition of tribute by the Muslims onto the Jews served as a precedent for provisions in Islamic law, which requires the regular exaction of tribute—known as ''jizya''—from ''dhimmi'' non-Muslim subjects living in areas under Muslim rule, as well as the confiscation of land belonging to non-Muslims to merge into the collective property of the Muslim community (''Ummah'').Stillman 18–19.Lewis 10.

Background

Khaybar in the 7th century

In the seventh century, Khaybar was inhabited by 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 divisions, such as the desert, lava drifts, and swamps. Each of these regions contained several fortresses or redoubts including 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.

Ali al-Sallabi, Al-Mawardi and Muhammad Said Ramadan al-Bouti and other chroniclers counted the overall fortresses in Khaybar which the Muslim besieged consisted of around eight to thirteen separated fortresses:

# al-Bariyy fortress
# Kuthaibah fortress
# al-Qamush fortress
# al-Qullah fortress
# al-Wathin fortress
# an-Nathah fortress
# as-Salalim fortress
# Zubayr fortress
# ash-Shiqq fortress
# Second Bariy fortress
# Na'im fortress
# Sha'b fortress
# Ubayy fortress

Banu Nadir tribe

After they were sent into exile in 625 from Medina by Muslim forces, 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. In addition, the Nadir paid Arabian tribes to go to war against the Muslims. Bribing Banu Ghatafan with half of their harvest, Banu Nadir secured 2,000 men and 300 horsemen from the tribe to attack 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 leaders were sympathetic towards Islam. The Bani Amir refused to join them all together, as they had a pact with Muhammad.Lings, ''Muhammad: his life based on the earliest sources'', p. 215-16. Once the battle started, Huyayy ibn Akhtab persuaded the Banu Qurayza to go against their covenant with Muhammad and turn against him during the battle. After the 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 Huyayy's death, 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 Muhammad.Nomani (1979), vol. II, pg. 156. 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 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 was Abdullah bin Unays, an ally of Banu Salima, a clan hostile to the Jews. When they came to Usayr, they told him that if he would come to Muhammad, Muhammad 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 he was in al-Qarqara, about six miles from Khaybar. Usayr suddenly changed his mind about going with them. Abdullah perceived Usayr's bad intention as the latter was preparing to draw his sword. So Abdullah rushed at him and struck him with his sword cutting off his leg. Usayr hit Abdullah with a stick of shauhat wood which he had in his hand and wounded his head. All Muhammad's emissaries fell upon the thirty Jewish companions and killed them except one man who escaped on his feet. 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 Muhammad left him no choice but to attack. 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

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