The Battle of Khaybar
⚔️ The Battle of Khaybar: The End of the Jewish Threat
📅 Introduction and Context of the Expedition
Immediately after the Treaty of Hudaybiya, in Muharram of the seventh year of Hijra, the Prophet ﷺ set out to neutralize the Jewish threat concentrated in Khaybar.
Why Khaybar?
| Reason | Detail |
|---|---|
| Instigation | The Jews of Khaybar had incited the Confederates against the Muslims |
| Conspiracies | A center of plotting against Islam |
| Power | The strongest Jewish fortresses in the peninsula |
| Threat | Permanent danger to Medina |
🏰 The Impregnable Fortresses of Khaybar
The Fortifications
| Zone | Fortresses | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Natât Zone | 3 fortresses | Men and fighters |
| Shiqq Zone | 3 fortresses | Wealth and weapons |
| Katîba Zone | 2 fortresses | Women and children |
📜 Scene:
Khaybar housed the most powerful citadels in the Arabian Peninsula, surrounded by palm trees and water, inhabited by the bravest Jewish warriors.
— Source: Sīra of Ibn Hishām
🚀 The March to Khaybar
The Islamic Army
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Numbers | 1,400 fighters (the companions of Hudaybiya) |
| Cavalry | 200 horses |
| Commander | The Prophet ﷺ |
Arriving at Night
📜 Scene:
The Muslims arrived at night and did not move until dawn.
The Prophet ﷺ prayed Fajr, then mounted his horse.
When the Jews came out with their spades and baskets (farming tools) to their fields, they saw the army!
They shouted: "Muhammad and the army!"
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Allâhu Akbar! Khaybar is destroyed! When we descend upon the courtyard of a people, evil is the morning of those who were warned!"
— Source: Sahîh al-Bukhârî
⚔️ The Siege and Combat
A Long Siege
The siege of Khaybar lasted several days, with fortresses falling one after another.
The Prophet's ﷺ Illness
📜 Scene:
The Prophet ﷺ was struck with a severe headache. He gave the banner to Abû Bakr one day, who returned.
Then he gave it to 'Umar one day, who also returned.— Source: Sahîh al-Bukhârî
🦁 'Alî ibn Abî Tâlib, the Conqueror of Khaybar
The Announcement of Victory
📜 Scene:
The following night, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"I will certainly give the banner tomorrow to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love. Allah will grant victory through his hands!"
The companions spent the night wondering: who is it?
Each one hoped it would be him!
— Source: Sahîh al-Bukhârî
'Alî, Bearer of the Banner
📜 Scene:
In the morning, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Where is 'Alî?"
They said: "He has sore eyes, O Messenger of Allah." (a severe inflammation)
He said: "Bring him to me!"
They brought 'Alî, guided because he could barely see!
The Prophet ﷺ spat in his eyes and wiped them with his hand. 'Alî was healed instantly, as if he had never had any pain!
He gave him the banner and said: "Advance steadily until you descend upon their ground, then invite them to Islam..."
— Source: Sahîh al-Bukhârî
🗡️ The Famous Duel
Marhab the Jew
📜 Scene:
From the fortress emerged the greatest champion of the Jews: Marhab, of massive stature, fully armed, chanting:
"Khaybar knows that I am Marhab... Armed to the teeth, a proven hero"
'Alî رضي الله عنه stepped forward and said:
"I am the one my mother named Haydar (the lion)... Like a lion of the forests, terrible in appearance... I measure you with the sword as one measures with a bushel"
Then he struck him on the head, splitting his helmet and skull until the sword reached his teeth!
— Source: Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Muslim
The Gate of Khaybar
📜 Scene:
'Alî's shield fell during combat. He tore off the fortress gate and used it as a shield!
Abû Râfi' said: "Then he fought until Allah granted us victory. Afterward, we tried to carry that gate with seven men, but we could not!"
— Source: Dalâ'il an-Nubuwwa of al-Bayhaqî
📋 Results of the Conquest
The Fall of the Fortresses
| Fortress | Method of Conquest |
|---|---|
| Fortress of Nâ'im | Combat |
| Fortress of as-Sa'b | Combat |
| Fortress of al-Qamûs | Treaty |
| Fortress of Shiqq | Treaty |
| Fortress of Katîba | Surrender |
The System of Treatment
The people of Khaybar offered to remain on their lands in exchange for half the harvest:
| Condition | Detail |
|---|---|
| Remaining | They stay and work the land |
| Sharing | Half the fruits for the Muslims |
| Expulsion | Muslims can expel them whenever they wish |
The Prophet ﷺ said: "We will keep you there as long as we wish."
🥘 Attempted Assassination of the Prophet ﷺ
The Poisoned Sheep
📜 Scene:
Zaynab bint al-Hârith, a Jewish woman, offered the Prophet ﷺ a roasted sheep in which she had placed poison!
She asked: "Which part of the sheep does Muhammad prefer?"
They said: "The shoulder."
So she put a double dose of poison in it!The Prophet ﷺ took a bite, then said: "Remove your hands! This shoulder informs me that it is poisoned!"
But Bishr ibn al-Barâ' had already swallowed a bite, and he died from it!
— Source: Sahîh al-Bukhârî
👰 The Prophet's ﷺ Marriage to Safiyya
The Story of Safiyya bint Huyayy
📜 Scene:
Safiyya bint Huyayy ibn Akhtab, a descendant of Hârûn عليه السلام, was captured at Khaybar.
She had seen in a dream that a moon fell into her lap. Her Jewish husband struck her saying: "You want the king of Yathrib?!"
The Prophet ﷺ freed her and married her. Her dowry was her freedom.
She converted and her Islam was excellent. She loved the Prophet ﷺ until death.
— Source: Sahîh al-Bukhârî
🔍 Lessons from the Battle of Khaybar
First Lesson: The Merit of 'Alî رضي الله عنه
The Prophet ﷺ testified that he loves Allah and His Messenger, and that Allah and His Messenger love him.
Second Lesson: Prophetic Miracles
- Healing of 'Alî's eye
- Information about the poisoned sheep
Third Lesson: Justice Toward the Defeated
The Prophet ﷺ left them on their lands to work, without expelling them.
Fourth Lesson: The Sharecropping System
First application of the sharecropping system (sharing of crops) in Islam.
💡 Lesson Summary
| Element | Teaching |
|---|---|
| Khaybar | End of the Jewish threat |
| 'Alî | His merit and courage |
| The fortresses | Conquered successively |
| Sharecropping | Islam's justice toward the defeated |
| Safiyya | Wife of the Prophet ﷺ |
🌟 To Reflect:
At Khaybar, the Muslims saw the Prophet's ﷺ miracles with their own eyes: the instant healing of 'Alî's eye, and the sheep that informed about the poison. This is the Prophet we follow: supported by Allah at every step.
✅ Review Questions
- Why did the Prophet ﷺ decide to conquer Khaybar?
- What did the Prophet ﷺ say before giving the banner to 'Alî?
- How did 'Alî kill Marhab the Jew?
- How did the Prophet ﷺ know the sheep was poisoned?
- What was the system of treatment with the people of Khaybar after the conquest?
In the next lesson: The Prophet's ﷺ Letters to the Kings 📜