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THE__JEWS__OF__MEDINA, page : 12
A Way of Life
The Jews were for the most part were moneylenders, farmers and date palm plantation
owners. They controlled much of the land‟s produce and also other commodities such as
clothing and wine which they sold to the Arabs at inflated prices. On account of their
wealth they were in a position to have the upper hand when purchasing merchandize
from caravaners passing through Yathrib which they would later sell to their Arab
neighbors at a handsome profit. The Jewish blacksmiths were highly skilled in the art of
forging weaponry and readily sold their swords and other items of warfare to the Arabs.
Sorcery and fortune telling had also become a lucrative source of income.
To prevent the Aws and Khazraj from gaining further strength it was in the Jews interest
to encourage the tribes to take loans from them and stipulate that the Arabs pledge their
fertile land as a surety. It was not uncommon for the money borrowed to pass the term of
its loan and so the Jews reaped a handsome profit not only from usury but in the
acquisition of land. Added to this was the underlying factor that the Jews were well
aware that the money they lent the Arabs would be used either to buy their merchandize
or wasted on paying handsome amounts of money to mercenary poets who would
The Jews were for the most part were moneylenders, farmers and date palm plantation
owners. They controlled much of the land‟s produce and also other commodities such as
clothing and wine which they sold to the Arabs at inflated prices. On account of their
wealth they were in a position to have the upper hand when purchasing merchandize
from caravaners passing through Yathrib which they would later sell to their Arab
neighbors at a handsome profit. The Jewish blacksmiths were highly skilled in the art of
forging weaponry and readily sold their swords and other items of warfare to the Arabs.
Sorcery and fortune telling had also become a lucrative source of income.
To prevent the Aws and Khazraj from gaining further strength it was in the Jews interest
to encourage the tribes to take loans from them and stipulate that the Arabs pledge their
fertile land as a surety. It was not uncommon for the money borrowed to pass the term of
its loan and so the Jews reaped a handsome profit not only from usury but in the
acquisition of land. Added to this was the underlying factor that the Jews were well
aware that the money they lent the Arabs would be used either to buy their merchandize
or wasted on paying handsome amounts of money to mercenary poets who would