THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME WITH PROPHET MUHAMMAD THE PROPHET OF ALLAH 051 THE AFTERMATH OF THE ENCOUNTER AT THE TRENCH by Khadeijah A. Stephens Copyright © 1984-2012 by Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com Khadeijah A. Stephens Bismillah Ir Rahman Ir Raheem The Aftermath of the Encounter at the Trench It was noon, the day after the Encounter at the Trench and the obligatory prayer had been offered and the believers began to disperse. Not long after the prayer, Angel Gabriel came to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). After greeting him, Gabriel asked the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) if he had laid down his arms, and informed him the angels had not laid down theirs. Gabriel told the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) he was on his way to cause the souls of the Krayzah to tremble in fear, then he told the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) that Allah, the Exalted, had sent him to deliver the command that he should retaliate against the treachery of the Krayzah. The Siege Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) called upon his three thousand foot soldiers and thirty cavalry to reassemble and informed them of the Command of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) gave Ali the standard and instructed his followers not to offer the afternoon prayer until they reached the outlying fortresses of the Krayzah. Sa’ad Mu’adhs son had been severely injured during the battle and lost a lot of blood and became deeply sorrowed he was unable to take part in the forthcoming siege. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was concerned about Sa’ads condition and so he arranged for a tent to be erected in the Mosque where Sa’ad could be nursed and also be near him. Just before sunset, the Muslims surrounded the fortresses and terror struck deep in the hearts of the Jews. The Krayzah sent a message to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) requesting Abu Lubabah, a tribesman from Aws with whom they had a long association, be allowed to consult with them. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) agreed and Abu Lubabah went to the fortresses accompanied by several other Companions who remained outside. As the doors to the fortress opened, Abu Lubabah was overcome by the plight of women and children crying and his heart softened toward them. For a brief moment, the fact that the Krayzah had betrayed the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and had been willing to kill Muslims, including himself, slipped from his mind. It was almost like old times and together he and some of their elders climbed five flights of stairs to a room where they sat down to discuss the matter. After the usual pleasantries, the Krayzah asked whether or not he thought they should surrender, he told them they should, but at the same time pointed to his throat indicating they would be put to death. Suddenly, Abu Lubabah was jolted back to reality and horror stricken by his action and cried out with a verse from the Koran: ".. to You we turn, and to You is the arrival.” Koran Ch.60:4 Meanwhile, outside the fortresses, Abu Lubabah's companions awaited his return, however, such was his deep shame and regret that he left the fortress by another entrance and returned to Medina alone. Upon reaching the Mosque of Medina, Abu Lubabah tied himself to a pillar saying he would not move from it until Allah relented towards him. He remained tied to the pillar for either ten or fifteen days, only being released by his daughter when the time for prayer arrived. Meanwhile Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) waited patiently outside the fortresses for his return, but not long after Abu Lubabah had tied himself to the pillar news of what transpired reached the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told his Companions that if he had come to him, he would have supplicated to Allah for his forgiveness, but as he had chosen this course of action there was nothing he could do until Allah pardoned him. The Dilemma of the Krayzah Amongst the Krayzah were several whose only barrier to their acceptance of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was that he was not a Jew. Ka'b now went to them and suggested that they accept the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and thereby save themselves as well as their property. However, they refused saying they preferred death and would accept nothing else other than the Torah and the Law of Moses, peace be upon him. Ka'b was a resourceful man, and suggested several other solutions, but all proved unacceptable to his fellow tribesmen. Amr, Su'ads son, had been against breaking the pact right from the start and openly declared that he would not take part in its breaking. He now offered his fellow Jews a solution, but said he was unsure whether or not the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) would accept it. Amr suggested that they offer the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) a form of tax in exchange for their freedom. Like Ka'bs suggestions his was also rejected. That night, Amr left the fortress alone and made his way to Medina where he spent the night in the Mosque. What happened to him afterwards is unknown, however, the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told his Companions that Amr was a man whom Allah saved on account of his loyalty. Sometime before the siege, the three sons of Hadl, who was the brother of Krayzah himself, had come to the fortresses to visit relatives. They had been students of the elderly Syrian Jew, the son of Hayyaban, who had spoken so many times of the signs that would announce the coming the a new Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). They remembered well his words and reminded their fellow Jews with them, but as before, their words fell on deaf ears. When they realized they would never be convinced, they decided to slip away in the still of the night and embrace Islam. As they left the fortress they told the Muslim guards of their intent and were guided to the camp. There was yet another person who left the fortresses, his name was Rifa'ah, Samawal's son. With stealth he managed to escape from the fortress unnoticed and slipped through the Muslim guards to the house of Salma, the daughter of Qays. Salma was the half sister of the Prophet's mother, Lady Aminah, who had married into the tribe of Khazraj, and it was there in her house that he embraced Islam. The End of the Siege The siege had now taken twenty-five days and it was on the following morning the Krayzah surrendered and opened the doors to the fortresses. The women and children were separated from the menfolk, taken into one sector of the camp and placed under the supervision of Abdullah, Salam's son, who had once been their rabbi. In the meantime, the men's hands were tied behind their backs and led away to a different sector of the camp. Allah says: “He brought down from their fortresses those who had supported them from among the People of the (Jewish) Book and cast terror into their hearts, so that some you killed and others you took captive.” Koran 33:26 The Companions went inside the fortresses and brought out the spoils of war which were then piled high outside the walls. The Krayzah had amassed a huge arsenal of weapons amongst which were one thousand five hundred swords, two thousand spears, three hundred suits of armor and five hundred shields. Amongst the spoils was a plentiful supply of wine and fermented date juice, all of which were poured away, for Allah had forbidden Muslims to consume intoxicants. The Request of the Tribe of Sa’ad, Mu’adhs Son Many years before Islam, the Sa’ad, Mu’adhs son’s tribe established deep ties with the tribe of Krayzah and on that account they now went to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to ask him to extend the same kind of leniency he had shown to the tribe of Kaynuka, former allies of the Khazraj, two years before. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) listened to them and asked if they would be satisfied if one of their own pronounced judgment upon their former allies and they accepted. The person the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) chose to pass judgment on the Krayzah was their chieftain, Sa’ad, Mu'adhs son and so some of the Companions returned to Medina to convey the message to him and found him being nursed in the Mosque by Rufaydah, a lady from the tribe of Aslam. A mule was prepared for Sa’ad and the party set off for the fortresses. During the course of the ride, Sa’ads companions told him he was to pass judgment on their former allies and asked him to treat them well on that account. Sa’ad was not a person to let emotion interfere with justice. He had witnessed with his own eyes how those who had been taken captive at Badr and allowed to ransom themselves had ridden against them at Uhud, and yet again their treachery during the recent encounter. He was also aware of the tribe of An-Nadir's incitement of the Koraysh to take up arms against the Muslims, and seen how the Krayzah had been ready to follow the lead of their peers and broken their pact with the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). As Sa’ad approached the camp, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) saw him and out of respect for Sa’ad said to the Muslims, “Stand up for your master” and told the tribesmen to greet their chieftain, which they did. Without wasting time, they approached Sa’ad saying, "Father of Amr, the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) has appointed you to judge our former allies." Sa’ad asked them to swear by Allah they would accept his judgment, and this they did. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told Sa’ad that his judgment would also be binding upon himself. Then, Sa’ad proceeded to pronounce judgment saying, "It is my judgment that the men shall be put to death, and the women and children taken captive." The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) turned to Sa’ad and said, "You have judged with the judgement of Allah from above the seven heavens." Shortly after, the women and children were escorted to Medina. That night, the men of the Krayzah spent their time supporting one another in their decision. None, on account of racial pride, had the slightest wish to embrace Islam, and as they had done so many times before, with the full support of their wives, said death was better for them than embracing Islam. The next morning trenches were dug in the market place and all except one of the tribesmen of the Krayzah were put to death. Despite their treachery if they had chosen to accept Islam their lives would have been spared because no one who, even in circumstances such as this, who says, “I bear witness that there is no god except the Creator, and Muhammad is one of His Prophets” is put to death.” Zabir, Bata’s son The only man to be spared was Zabir, Bata's son, an elderly man whose hatred of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and Islam was well known. His fate was yet to be determined because he had once spared the life of a Muslim named Thabit, Qays son, so Zabir was taken to Medina where he was lodged with the women and children. Although the women had strongly upheld the declaration of their husbands that they preferred death rather than embracing Islam, cries of grief and anger filled the air as Zabir told the women of the fate of their men. Zabir tried to quieten them but told them that if there had been any good in their men they would have been saved. Thabit had asked the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to spare the life of Zabir whereupon the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) granted his request. When Thabit told Zabir of his reprieve all Zabir would say was, "What is there left in life for an old man without a wife or children!" So Thabit went to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) again and told him what Zabir said, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) mercifully told him to return his wife and children to him. Zabir remained ungrateful and asked Thabit, "Is it possible for a family to survive without property?" Once again Thabit went to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and told him of Zabir's request and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) ordered that with the exception of his weapons and armor all of his property was to be returned to him. Zabir’s hatred of Islam had blinded him to the mercy and generosity now offered and so he went to Thabit yet again saying, "By Allah, I ask you Thabit, by your indebtedness to me that I should join my people. They are gone and there is no good left in life." At first Thabit did not take him seriously, but when Zabir insisted, his request was granted. As for Zabir's wife and children, the Prophet’s mercy towards them still prevailed and they were freed under the protection of Thabit and retained their possessions. As for the other captives they were given to the believers who took part in the siege. Many were ransomed by their fellow tribesmen from An-Nadir and returned to live with them in Khaybar. The Death of Sa’ad, Mu’adhs Son Shortly after Sa’ad had pronounced sentence on the Krayzah he returned to the Mosque in Medina where his condition continued to deteriorate. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) visited him frequently and then one night as he entered he found Sa’ad in a semi-unconscious state. He sat down near his head and tenderly cradled it close to his chest then supplicated saying, "O Allah, in sincerity Sa’ad has labored on the Path with Your Messenger attending to every aspect, take now his soul with the best acceptance in the way that You take the souls of Your creation." Sa’ad, who had supplicated sometime before that his soul should be taken if he had served his purpose, regained consciousness, opened his eyes and said in a weakened voice, "Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), I bear witness that you have delivered your message." When Sa’ad was comfortable, the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) left his tent and a few hours later Angel Gabriel came to tell him that Sa’ad had passed away. The funeral arrangements were made and men, women and children walked in his funeral procession. As his bier was carried to his grave its bearers were surprised how light it seemed. When they reached the grave the bier was placed at its side and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) led the funeral prayer. As Sa’ads bier was lowered into his grave the Prophet's face turned ashen and he exclaimed, "Exalted is Allah!" three times, whereupon the exaltation was taken up by the mourners. After a short pause the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) said, "Allah is the Greatest!" and once again his mourners repeated the exaltation. A little while after the funeral the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was asked what had caused his face to suddenly turn ashen, whereupon he told his inquirer, "The grave closed in upon your companion and he felt constricted, and if any man could have escaped it, it would have been Sa’ad. Then, Allah relieved him from it." The bearers also commented to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) upon the lightness of Sa’ads bier as he had been a large person and they expected it to have been heavier whereupon the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told them that he had seen angels bearing his bier along with them. The Forgiveness of Abu Lubabah Several days later, just before the dawn prayer when the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was in the home of Lady Umm Salamah, he told her that he had received news that Abu Lubabah had been forgiven. It was wonderful news and Lady Umm Salamah was given permission to convey it to him. Immediately, Lady Umm Salamah went to the door of her room which opened into the Mosque and called to Abu Lubabah saying, "Abu Lubabah, good news, Allah has relented toward you." Several men had already gathered in the Mosque to await the dawn prayer, when they heard the good news they raced toward him to untie the ropes, but Abu Lubabah stopped them saying, "Do not untie me, let the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) set met free with his own hands." When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) entered the Mosque Abu Lubabah told him that he wished to give a third of his property in charity to atone for his action. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) accepted and loosened the ropes that bound him and his property was given to the poor. Abdullah Ateeq’s Son and the Jew, Shalom Son of Abi Al-Huqaiq The Jew, Shalom son of Abi Al-Huqaiq better known as Abu Rafi lived in his fortress in Khaybar and had been very active spending his wealth on the supply of arms and enlisting the support of tribes to rise up and fight against the Muslims. He had also composed degrading, insulting poems about the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). In Dhul Qa'dah 5H Abdullah Ateeq’s son and five other Muslims went to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and asked if it was permitted for them to seek him out and kill him on account of the tremendous harm he had caused. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) agreed, but made it very clear that no women or children should be killed in their assault. Abdullah and his companions left for Khaybar and as they came within sight of Abu Rafi’s fortress Abdullah told his companions to conceal themselves. In the meantime, the people started to return to the fortress from their toil in the orchards so Abdullah wrapped himself in his cloak so as to remain undetected and pretended to answer a call of nature. Abdullah waited for the right moment. Once the right moment arrived he mixed with the people and the gate-keeper supposed him to be one of them. As soon as Abdullah got inside the fortress he looked for a place to hide and waited until nightfall. When it was dark and the inhabitants had gone to bed, Abdullah made his way to Abu Rafi’s residence and stealthily let himself in. While Abu Rafi’s household slept, Abdullah entered Abu Rafi’s room and attacked him without arousing his household, but was unsure if he was dead. In his haste to make a quick retreat in the darkness of the fortress, Abdullah fell and broke his leg. He was in great pain and bound his leg tightly to support it then dragged himself to his hide-out and waited until morning to make good his escape. Abdullah joined his companions outside the fortress and waited for a while until they heard the announcement ring out from the fortress that Shalom, Abi Huqaiq’s son was indeed dead. Upon their return to Medina they went straight to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to inform him of their accomplishment. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) saw Abdullah’s broken leg he put his hand over it and supplicated whereupon it was healed immediately. The Aftermath of the Encounter at the Trench 051 Back Cover Subtitles The Siege The Dilemma of the Krayzah The End of the Siege The Request of the Tribe of Sa’ad, Mu’adhs Son Zabir, Bata’s son The Death of Sa’ad, Mu’adhs Son The Forgiveness of Abu Lubabah Abdullah Ateeq’s Son and the Jew, Shalom Son of Abi Al-Huqaiq