ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib The Expedition of BanŪ-qurayzah When the joint forces of the Quraysh and the Jews were vanquished in the ghazwah al-Ahzab, The Prophet (a.s) decided to take action against Banū-Qurayzah who had breached their agreement with the Muslims and openly sided with the Quraysh-Jewish Combine during that campaign, on the instigation of Huyay ibn Akhtab.

The Prophet (a.s) formed an advanced party of three Khazrajis under `Ali (a.s) and sent them with the standard of war. Al-Tabari writes: “The Prophet (a.s) gave the Standard of War to `Ali ibn Abi-Talib and sent him with the Advance Guard towards Banū-Qurayzah.”[1] Banū-Qurayzah had a feeling that they might be punished for their breach of the agreement. They had locked themselves up in their fort after the armies of the infidels was decimated and thought that their fort was unconquerable.

When `Ali (a.s) reached near the fort, and planted a spear in the ground, the Jews shouted invectives against the Prophet (a.s). When he heard this, he wanted to return and tell the Prophet (a.s) to stop going close to the fort. He was still on the way when the Prophet (a.s) arrived. `Ali (a.s) requested him not to go near the fort because the Jews were using foul language. The Prophet (a.s) said that when they see him, they would desist from using such language.

On reaching near the fort, the Prophet (a.s) reprimanded them and ordered his tent to be pitched outside the fort. The Muslims laid siege of the fort and sealed all the exit and entry points for the besieged Jews. Among the inmates of the fort was Huyay ibn Akhtab who had tempted Banū-Qurayzah to support the Quraysh in the Battle of al-Ahzab. He had promised the Banū-Qurayzah that in the event of the defeat of the Quraysh he would stay with them and share their fate.

The chief of Banū-Qurayzah, Ka`b ibn Asad saw that the siege by the Muslims was getting tougher, therefore he told his people that there is mention of the prophethood of Muhammad (a.s) in the Divine Books, and if [1] Tārīkh al-Tabarī, Vol 2, Page 245 they agree to embrace Islam now, they could win their freedom without any problem… But their men would not agree to this suggestion.

Then Ka`b suggested that the next course of action open for them was to kill their women and children, go out of the fort and fight to finish. Doing this, they will have no care left for their families. They would not accept even this suggestion.