Muhammad and The Jews — Page 99
THE LAST ENCOUNTER Ghifiir, who was incharge of the camels, was killed. His wife and the camels were carried away by al-Faziiri. Al-Ghiibah is near Medina in the direction of Syria. That the Ghatafiin should have ventured so near Medina was not only a provocative act but also a signal of danger for the Muslims. Further efforts to seek a peaceful settlement seemed to be futile. So the Apostle took immediate action to break the alliance between the Jews of Khaybar and the Ghatafiin. The Apostle marched (Mubarram 7 Hijri, May/June 628) from Medina to Khaybar by way of cl~r, a mountain between Medina and Wadi al-Fure, where a mosque was built for him. From there he continued his march to al-Sal). bii", which is an evening's journey from Khaybar. Then he went forward with the army and halted at al-Raji:. to prevent the Gha!afiin who had marched out to join forces with Khaybar, "but after a day's journey, hearing a rumour about their property and families, they thought they had been attacked during their absence, so they went back on their tracks and left the way to Khaybar open to the Apostle. " 1 The Apostle reached Khaybar at night. Looking at Khaybar he prayed: "We ask Thee for the good of this town and the good of its inhabitants and the good of what is in it, and we take refuge in Thee from its evil and the evil of its people and the evil that is in it". 2 The Muslim army passed the night there. It seems the Apostle was still not sure whether the Jews really wished to give battle. However, when he saw the Jewish preparations any doubts on that count were removed. Taking into consideration the position of the Khaybar strongholds and the surrounding swamp, the date palms and valleys providing a natural protection, this must have been the most difficult military expedition for the Muslims. But unfortunately very few details of the battle are given by lbn lsl). iiq; those which are given are grist to a story-teller's mill rather than material for a historical examination. Ibn Isl). iiq's account is replete with isnlids. 3 The account begins with a long chain of isniids but all that the report 1 Ibn Hisham, p. 757. The whole account is given in detail by Ibn Hisham as well as lbn Sa. . d, pp. 106-117. 2 Ibn Hisham, p. 757. 3 Ibid. pp. 755-778. 99