Muhammad and The Jews — Page 96
of Medina having lost influence and power, it was now up to the Jews of Khaybar to salvage what was left of their prestige and above all to find a modus vivendi with the rising power of Islam. They had several advantages. Khaybar unlike Yathrib was a homogeneous state of Jews and was thus free from Arab alliances and tribal feuds. It was rich, its strongholds were self-contained, and it could stand a long siege. It could either negotiate a peace with the Apostle from a position of strength or become a garrison state, an Arabian Sparta, to ensure survival. If history was any guide, it would be self-defeating, for its lines of communications were not safe for all time. The tribes which were hostile to Islam could change sides. The Meccans had already signed a peace treaty with the Apostle. Abu Rafi'° Sallam b. Abu al-I;Iuqayq, who succeeded I;Iuyayy b. Akhtab, made lavish though judicious use of the B. al-Na<;lir's wealth to induce the neighbouring Arabs and especially the strong tribe of Ghatafan to join the Jews of Khaybar against the Muslims. Finally he succeeded in collecting a large army. 1 The Khazraj, having obtained the Apostle's permission, sent a party under the leadership of" Abd Allah b. "Atik to kill him. Muslims thought that by removing the leader it would be possible to avoid large scale blood- shed. After Sallam's assassination, al-Yusayr b. Zarim took over the leadership. He gathered the Jewish tribes and addressed them saying "My predecessors had adopted wrong tactics to oppose Muhammad; the best thing is to attack his stronghold and I intend to do so". 2 The news of al-Yusayr's intentions created anxiety in Medina. So the Apostle sent "Abd Allah b. Rawa]. iah together with three other persons to investigate the truth. "Abd Allah b. Rawa]. iah returned to Medina and confirmed the news. Since the Muslims did not want war and were depressed with the seemingly unfavourable terms of the Treaty of I;Iudaybiyah 3 , "Abd Allah b. Rawa]. iah was sent again. But this time he was on an official mission and was accompanied by thirty other persons. On behalf of the Apostle, he proposed nego- tiations. The Muslims were ready to try for peace by offering al-Yusayr an honourable appointment as the chief of whole Khaybar. Since the distrust was mutual, al-Yusayr left for Medina with thirty of his own guards. The arrangement was that each Muslim would be 1 Ibn Hisham, p. 714; Ibn Sacd, Vol. II, p. 90. 2 Al-Waqidi, Vol. II, p. 566. a See Chapter VI for a discussion of the treaty. 96 ,,