Battle of Khaybar

The Battle of Khaybar was one of the battles led by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It took place after the Battle of the Trench and before the Battle of the "., occurring in the seventh year of the Islamic calendar, during the month of Muharram. Khaybar was a fortified city located to the north of Medina, inhabited by Jewish communities.

In this campaign, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) led the Muslim forces to conquer Khaybar. This article will delve into the reasons for the campaign, its objectives, the timing of the battle, a detailed account of the events, the outcomes, and the lessons learned.

Reasons for the Battle of Khaybar

After the conclusion of the Battle of the Trench, and following the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah with the Quraysh and the subsequent security it brought, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) desired to confront other groups that had opposed the Muslims during the Battle of the ".. These opposing groups included the tribes of Najd that had allied with the Quraysh and the Jews of Khaybar, who had orchestrated the attack on Medina during the Battle of the Trench. From this background, the causes of the Battle of Khaybar can be summarized as follows:

1. The first reason was to establish peace, security, and tranquility in and around Medina, putting an end to the ongoing cycle of violence that had persisted for a significant period.
2. The second reason was the involvement of the Jews of Khaybar, who were the masterminds behind the ".' attack on Medina. They had made an agreement with the tribe of Ghatfan to participate in the war with an army of six thousand fighters in exchange for a year's supply of dates from Khaybar.

Objectives of the Battle of Khaybar

Discussing the objectives of any campaign undertaken by the Muslims under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) largely involves spreading the message of Islam. However, a closer examination of the events of the Battle of Khaybar allows us to specify the objectives of this campaign as follows:

1. Eliminating the Jewish presence in Khaybar, especially after the Jews had participated in the ".' alliance that attacked Medina during the Battle of the "..
2. Consolidating Muslim control over the city of Medina and boosting their self-confidence while breaking the fortifications of the entrenched Jewish community in Khaybar.
3. Continuing to propagate the Islamic faith and upholding the word of God, for which the Muslims embarked on all their campaigns.
4. Benefiting from the economic resources of Khaybar, particularly its date palm groves.

When Was the Battle of Khaybar?

After discussing the reasons and objectives of this campaign, it is worth mentioning the timing of the Battle of Khaybar before delving into its details. In this context, the Battle of Khaybar took place in the month of Muharram in the seventh year of the Islamic calendar, precisely. It occurred after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had concluded the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah with the Quraysh and secured the peace agreement. After the treaty, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions returned to Medina.

They spent the month of Dhul-Hijjah and a portion of Muharram in Medina. Then, they prepared the army and set out for Khaybar, intending to conquer it with the help of Allah. The strength of the army was around 1,400 fighters, including 200 horsemen from the Muslim knights, and Allah knows best.

Events of the Battle of Khaybar

The Muslim army camped near the city of Khaybar on the night when the attack on Khaybar began. In the morning, the people of Khaybar were filled with panic and fear when they saw the Muslim armies. They retreated to their fortifications, saying, "Muhammad and the Thursday," where "the Thursday" refers to the Muslim army. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) exclaimed, "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Khaybar is destroyed! When we arrive in the area of a people, it is a bad morning for those who have been warned."

The battle began, and after several attempts to breach the fortifications of Khaybar, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) announced, "I will certainly give this banner to a man whom Allah and His Messenger love, and he will conquer it with Allah's help." The Prophet then entrusted the banner to Ali ibn Abi Talib, despite his eye ailment. The Prophet spat in Ali's eyes, and he was miraculously healed by Allah. Ali was given the banner and instructed, "Proceed with your troops until you enter their field, then invite them to Islam and inform them of the rights of Allah upon them. By Allah, if Allah guides one man through you, it is better for you than possessing red camels."

When the Jews saw the Muslim army, they retreated to their fortifications. The Muslims attacked the first of Khaybar's eight fortresses, called Na'im. Marhab, one of the Jewish knights in Khaybar, challenged a fighter from the Muslim army before the battle, reciting his famous lines. Ali ibn Abi Talib accepted the challenge and killed Marhab. The fierce battle raged around the Na'im fortress, and after several days of fighting, the Jews were defeated.

The Jews retreated from the Na'im fortress and took refuge in the Sa'b fortress, another heavily fortified position. The Muslims laid siege to it for three days. Finally, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ordered the attack, and the Muslims were able to conquer it. The Jews then retreated to the strongholds of the Zabir fortress, the last one in the first section of Khaybar. The Muslims besieged the Zabir fortress intensely. When the Muslims struggled to breach it, the Prophet Muhammad ordered the use of catapults, weakening the defenders, and the Jews fled, leaving their women and children behind. With the conquest of the Zabir fortress, the Muslims gained control of the first section of Khaybar. The Jews escaped from the smaller fortresses after the major fortresses had fallen into the hands of the Muslims, and they sought refuge in the second section of Khaybar.

Once the first section of Khaybar was secured for the Prophet Muhammad, the Muslim army advanced to the second section of the city, which contained the Qamus fortress, the Bani Abi al-Huqayq fortress, the Watiyah fortress, and the Salamim fortress. All these fortresses were well fortified. The Muslim army besieged them for fourteen full days. When the siege did not bring any results, the Muslims employed catapults to attack the fortresses. The people of Khaybar then requested a peace agreement with the Prophet Muhammad. The Jews in the fortresses sent Ibn Abi al-Huqayq to negotiate with the Prophet. He agreed to spare the lives of those in the fortresses and requested them to leave Khaybar completely, leaving the land, wealth, gold, silver, and everything to the Muslims. The peace agreement was reached, and with Allah's help and strength, Khaybar was conquered.

Results of the Battle of Khaybar

The most significant outcomes of the great Battle of Khaybar, fought by the Muslims against the Jews of Khaybar over several days, are as follows:

1. Confirmation of the military capabilities and combat resilience of the Muslims during a prolonged battle against well-fortified fortresses.
2. The Battle of Khaybar showcased the Muslims as valiant warriors and led several Arab tribes that had previously opposed the Muslims to establish peace agreements with them.
3. The campaign effectively ended the Jewish presence in Khaybar and spread Islam within the city, breaking the stronghold of the Jews on the Arabian Peninsula.
4. The Battle of Khaybar had significant economic benefits for the Muslims, as they distributed the spoils among themselves after the conquest of the city, and Allah knows best.

Lessons and Teachings from the Battle of Khaybar

After this lengthy account of the great Battle of Khaybar, let's highlight some of the key lessons and teachings that can be derived from this campaign:

• Sincerity in Fighting for the Sake of Allah: The Battle of Khaybar emphasized the necessity of sincerity in fighting for the sake of Allah to achieve victory. Prolonged battles against well-fortified strongholds require a pure heart, genuine devotion to Allah, and great patience, as victory comes with His permission.
• Prohibition of Consuming Horse Meat: The Battle of Khaybar also illustrated the prohibition of consuming the meat of domesticated horses, regardless of the circumstances. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) forbade it during this campaign and allowed the consumption of camel meat.
• Prohibition of Intercourse with Female Captives Before Ensuring Their Purity: The Battle of Khaybar reaffirmed the prohibition of engaging in sexual relations with female captives until they were purified. This purification process is crucial, and it is not permissible to have intimate relations with female captives before ensuring their purity.