Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 315
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 315 proposal also as they were afraid that they might incur divine wrath by dishonouring the Sabbath. As their suffering and distress continued to mount, they thought of a device whereby they might be able to discover what the Holy Prophet had in mind concerning them, and they sent an emissary to the Holy Prophet requesting that Abu Lubaba bin Mundhar of A us might be sent to them as that they might seek his advice. When he came to them, he was overcome by the piteous wailings of the Jewish children and the cries of the Jewish women, and in answer to the query whether Banu Quraidhah should offer to open thei r gates leaving their fate to be decided by the Holy Prophet, he nodded an affirmative, but, symbolically drawing his hand across his throat, intimated that they might fight to the last, as death was all they could expect. On retiring, he was greatly distr essed that he had acted without any authority on the part of the Holy Prophet, and had been guilty of a grievous sin. So bitter was his remorse that he went and tied himself to a pillar in the mosque, occupying himself with supplication and seeking forgive ness. He continued in this condition till the Holy Prophet himself released him therefore. His indiscretion became ultimately the cause of the ruin of Banu Quraidhah, who, instead of throwing themselves upon the mercy of the Holy Prophet, determined upon r esistance to the bitter end. At last when the siege had continued for about three weeks, Banu Quraidhah sent word to the Holy Prophet that they were prepared to abide by whatever might be determined by Sa’d bin Muaz, chief of Aus, who still suffered from the injury inflicted upon him by an arrow in the trench, and was under treatment in