When the apostle honoured Madinah with his presence he made a treaty with the Bani Qaynuqaa’ Jews not to injure them, on condition of their likewise refraining from hostility, and aiding the Musalmâns in case they should be attacked by enemies. This covenant subsisted until his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—returned from Bedr to his mansion of nobility in Madinah. When the Bani Qaynuqaa’ perceived that the notes of the Muhammadan war-tymbal began to resound loudly, they said: ‘Muhammad has fought with men who possess no knowledge of the art of war; but if he attacks us he will learn what war is.’ Accordingly they determined, under some pretence or other—recorded in biographical works—to break the treaty; but when this intention became known to his holy and prophetic lordship he assembled their chiefs, and harangued them as follows: ‘O ye Qaynuqaa’ men, profess the Faith. I swear by God that you are aware of my being His prophet. Fear Allah the Most High! Possibly a calamity like that of the Qoraish may befall you.’ The Jews replied: ‘O Muhammad, thou thinkest we are like the Qoraish. Do not be misled and deceived by thy victory over people who do not know how to fight. For, if thou wagest war against us, thou wilt learn that we are not like others.’ After uttering similar nonsense, they departed from the noble prophetic assembly. Meanwhile Jebrâil descended, and brought the following verse: ‘Or if thou apprehend treachery from any people, throw back [their league] to them with like treatment.’* Then the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.—decided to extirpate the rebels, appointed Abu-l-bâbah as his successor in [governing] Madinah, and gave a banner to Hamzah; but others allege that A’li B. Abu Tâleb received it.
Accordingly the prophet marched from Madinah, and, in conformity with a certain tradition, God the Most High inspired the Jews with fright after they had endured a siege of eleven days and nights, so that they sent a message to be allowed to abandon their fortifications and depart; whereon his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—sent the following reply: ‘Your departure will depend upon my orders.’ When, however, the Jews were no longer able to stand the siege, they necessarily complied with the requirements of Divine Providence and came out from the fort, amounting in number to seven hundred individuals. His lordship ordered Mundhar B. Qodâmah to tie the hands of all those people to their backs. Meanwhile A’bdullah B. Abu Mâna waited upon his lordship, and said: ‘O Muhammad, deal kindly with my friends.’ His lordship, however, would not listen to his reiterated entreaties. Then Ebn Salûl touched with his hand the neck of his lordship, saying: ‘O apostle of God, bestow a favour upon my relatives and friends.’ Hereon that prince became angry, and, according to one tradition, exclaimed: ‘Woe betide thee! let me alone!’ And this is narrated also in the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb; but according to another he said: ‘Woe betide thee! let me go!’ as is recorded in the Mostaqadza’. The writer of these lines says that rhetoricians consider the hurried utterance of the expression ‘Woe betide thee’ [Waylak] to be attributable to ire and wrath, rather then the expression Wayhak. On the other hand, A’bdullah again said to the prophet: ‘By Allah! I shall not leave thee till thou grantest them a favour, nor will I let go my hold of thee until thou hast compassion on three hundred men dressed in coats of mail, and four hundred lancers who protected me from every foe.’ When the expostulations and solicitations of Ebn Salûl had exceeded all bounds, his lordship the refuge of termination exclaimed: ‘Liberate them; the curse of God be upon them and accompany them!’ Then he ordered them to emigrate from their habitations, and appointed A’bâdah B. Ssâmat to superintend their exodus, not allowing them a longer respite than three days. Accordingly A’bâdah proceeded with them as far as Zabâb, which is a mountain on the road to Syria, and then returned. When the Jews arrived at Wady-l-qorâ they sojourned there one month, and then entered Syria, where they setttled, but, nevertheless, departed a short while afterwards along the road of non-existence to the infernal regions.
After the Bani Qaynuqaa’ had left their habitations and country by the world-embracing command of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—their goods and arms fell to the share of the Musalmâns. Of that spoil the prince kept three bows, two cuirasses, and three lances for himself, gave one coat of mail to Muhammad B. Moslamah, and another to Sa’d B. Moa’adh. Then he ordered one-fifth of the plunder to be separated, and divided the rest among the companions.
In the Raudzatu-l-âhbâb it is recorded that his lordship the apostle ordered A’bâdah B. Ssâmat to remove the Jews, and when they asked the latter for a respite of three days, he replied: ‘I shall give you a respite of three days, because also the apostle of Allah—u. w. b.—has commanded me to do so; but if I had the option I would give you none.’ After that A’bâdah marched out with them from their habitations, and accompanied them as far as Zabâb. From that place they went to Zara’at, which is a region in Syria, but they perished after a short time, and their property, together with their arms, fell to the share of the Musalmâns. The writer of these pages says that from this narrative it is plain that the goods of the Jews, named Bani Qaynuqaa’, had fallen into the possession of the professors of Islâm after they had perished; all the other historians and biographers assert, however, that the protectors with whom they had taken refuge obtained all the property. When the Musalmâns returned from this Ghazwah they held the prayers of the I’yd Dzohâ,* and his lordship, together with the wealthy people and the companions, slaughtered sacrifices.