Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 338
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 338 that the best way of achieving this was that he should himself proceed to Medina and talk directly to the Holy Prophet. If an understanding could be reached, the Holy Prophet would deal graciously with him and might recognize him as the chief of Khaibar. U sair expressed his approval of such a design and called together the leading personalities among the Jews of Khaibar for consultation. Most of them opposed the plan and in order to discourage Usair said that they did not expect that Muhammad would acknowle dge him as chief of Khaibar. He told them that his own appraisal of the situation was that Muhammad was sick of the constant state of conflict and hostility and was anxious to put an end to it. Thus Usair bin Razam agreed to accompany Abdullah bin Rawaha and his party to Medina and, on his side, selected an equal number of Jews to accompany him to Medina. It is difficult to determine whether he had any secret design in his mind against Abdullah a nd his party, or whether he changed his mind after the two parties had set out from Khaibar on the journey to Medina. What happened is that when the parties arrived at Qarqarah, distant six miles from Khaibar, in the course of an apparently amicable conver sation Usair stretched his hand towards the sword of Abdullah bin Unais Ansari who, apprehending mischief from him, spurred his mount forward and then veering round towards Usair called out to him, ‘Enemy of God, have you determined upon treachery?’ To whi ch Usair made no reply. Abdullah repeated his question but Usair still remained silent and adopted an aggressive attitude. This was possibly a predetermined signal for the Jews to fall upon the Muslims and to destroy them.