Muhammad and The Jews — Page 95
CHAPTER V THE LAST. ENCOUNTER the hot-bed of anti-Muslim intrigue at Khaybar. - MAXIME RODINSON After the banishment of the B. al-Nac;lir from Medina and the discomfiture of the B. Quray+ah, Khaybar assumed great importance. The B. al-Nac;lir settled there after their expulsion from Medina and made it the centre of their activities to avenge their expulsion from Medina. The Jewish poet Sammiik warned the Muslims : Haply time and the change of fortune Will take revenge from 'the just and righteous one' 1 For killing al-Nac;lir and their confederates And for cutting down the palms, their dates ungathered Unless I die we will come at you with lances And every sharp sword that we have In the hand of a brave man who protects himself. When he meets his adversary he kills him. With the army is r;>akhr 2 and his fellows. When he attacks he is no weakling Like a lion in Tarj protecting his covert, Lord of the thicket, crushing his prey enormous. 3 But Sakhr had been defeated in the Battle of al-Al;iziib and the B. Quray+ah had also been expelled from Medina, while their leaders- including Ka"'b b. Asad and J:Iuyayy b. Akh!ab, the leader of the B. al-Nac;lir (and the father-in-law of Kiniiniih b. al-Rabi"' b. Abu al- J:Iuqayq)-had been executed. The recent defeat of the Confederates, whom the Jewish leaders had collected after a great diplomatic effort, had created a critical situation for the Jewish leadership. The Jews 1. . . ;. . . . . . WI J J, WI , a sarcastic reference to the Apostle. 2 Abu Sufyiin. 3 lbn Hishiim, p. 658. Guillaume's translation. 95