Friday Sermon
25 October 2024
Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
Accounts were being mentioned about how the Banu Quraizah broke their treaty with the Muslims during the Battle of the Confederates. As a result, the Muslims lay siege to their fortresses in order to punish them for trying to cause harm to the Muslims and breaking their covenant. Further details in relation to this are as follows; when the siege intensified, the Banu Quraizah exited their fortresses upon the verdict of the Holy Prophetsa. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1993, p. 9)
There are various narrations with regards to how many days the siege of Banu Quraizah lasted. Some narrations state 10 days, others mention 15 days, some state 14 days, and yet others state 25 days. (Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 2, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, 1990, pp. 57 and 59; Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1993, p. 20)
Considering the various historical narrations in relation to its dates, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra has said that the duration of this siege was approximately 20 days. (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets, Vol. 2, p. 488)
Hazrat Sa‘d bin Mu‘adhra was made the arbiter in this verdict. The details of this are that the Holy Prophetsa instructed the Jews to be imprisoned, upon which they were tied with ropes. This task was supervised by Hazrat Muhammad bin Maslamara. The women and children were also taken out of the fortresses and taken to one side, and Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Salamra was appointed to take care of them. All their belongings in the fortresses were collected, such as their weapons, clothes, and other belongings, etc. Inside they found 1,500 swords, 300 pieces of armour, 2,000 spears, 1,500 leather shields, and many other items. They also found many utensils, vessels of wine, and other intoxicating items, which were discarded. They also found many camels and other animals, which were all collected. Prominent people of the Aus tribe went to the Holy Prophetsa and said, “O Messengersa of Allah! The Banu Quraizah are our allies, and even our allies are ashamed and troubled due to their treachery. Therefore, forgive them for our sake.” The Holy Prophetsa sat in silence, and the people of the Aus tribe became insistent. Eventually, the entire tribe arrived and started pleading [to the Holy Prophetsa]. Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa said, “Will you be satisfied if one of your own is entrusted with the task of passing a verdict in relation to them?” Everyone replied, “Yes, indeed.” The Holy Prophetsa then said, “This matter is entrusted to Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh.”
In another narration, this incident has been recorded in the following manner: The Holy Prophetsa said: “Choose whomsoever you please from among my companions.” Subsequently, they chose Hazrat Sa‘d bin Mu‘adhra. The Holy Prophetsa agreed to this. Hazrat Sa‘d was a chief of the Aus tribe and an ally of Banu Quraizah. And so, the people of the Aus tribe were not only satisfied, but happy, as they believed that the matter had now fallen into their own hands and it was an Arab custom to support one’s allies. However, Divine decree had determined something different altogether; the pure and sincere heart of Hazrat Sa‘dra was inclined towards giving precedence to God and His Messengersa overall relations. At the time, Hazrat Sa‘d was in the tent of Rufaidah Aslamiah at the mosque in Medina. She would treat the wounded and had a tent inside the mosque.
The Holy Prophetsa had Hazrat Sa‘dra stay in this tent so that his treatment could be supervised and he could easily be tended to, as he was injured. When the Holy Prophetsa entrusted the matter to Hazrat Sa‘d bin Mu‘adhra, the tribe of Aus went to him, and mounted him on a donkey whose saddle was made of palm bark, covered with leather, and its reins made from palm fibres. Hazrat Sa‘dra was a heavy and well-built man. The people gathered around Hazrat Sa‘dra and said, “O Abu Amr, the Holy Prophetsa has entrusted you with the matter of the allies of Aus so that you may deal kindly with them. So, please show mercy to them.” As more people gathered, Hazrat Sa‘dra remained silent. However, when the insistence grew, he said, “Now is the time that I need not fear any reproach when fulfilling the command of Allah the Almighty.”
Hazrat Sa‘dra came to the Holy Prophetsa, and people were also gathered around him. According to Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophetsa was in the mosque that had been established for prayers during the siege of Banu Quraizah. When Hazrat Sa‘d bin Mua’dhra came to him, the Holy Prophetsa saw him and said [to the tribespeople] “Stand up to honour your leader.” In another narration, it is said that the Holy Prophetsa stated, “Stand up for the most excellent of men among you.”
The people of Banu Abd al-Ashhal said, “We stood in two rows for Hazrat Sa‘dra. Each one of us welcomed him until he reached the Holy Prophetsa.” The Holy Prophetsa said, “O Sa‘d, decide among them.” Hazrat Sa‘dra replied, “Allah and His Messengersa are more deserving of giving a verdict.” The Holy Prophetsa said, “Indeed, Allah has commanded you to make the decision regarding them.” The people of Aus said, “O Abu Amr, the Holy Prophetsa has entrusted you with the decision concerning your confederates. So, please treat them kindly and consider their plight.”
Hazrat Sa‘dra asked, “Will you be satisfied with my decision regarding the Banu Quraizah?” They replied, “Yes, we were content with your decision even in your absence (they had proposed his name in his absence). You are fully authorised to make the decision, and we hope you will show mercy to us just as another individual had done for his allies, the Banu Qainuqah. We prefer you, and today we are ever in need of your judgment.” Hazrat Sa‘dra responded, “I will make every effort.” They asked, “What do you mean by this?” Hazrat Sa‘dra replied, “I ask you by Allah’s covenant, will my decision be binding?” He asked them once again to seek their confirmation, and they affirmed, “Yes.”
Then Hazrat Sa’‘dra turned to where the Holy Prophetsa was seated. Out of respect for the honour and lofty status of the Holy Prophetsa, he did not directly address him and instead submitted, “Do those sitting on this side [of me] also make this pledge?” He was indicating towards the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa and the people with him affirmed, “Yes.”
Hazrat Sa‘dra then announced: “I decree that the adult men among them be executed, their women and children be taken as captives, and their wealth be divided. Their homes should be given to the Muhajirin, not to the Ansar.” The Ansar objected, “But we are their brothers, we were with them.” Hazrat Sa‘dra replied, “I want them to be independent of you” that is, so that the Muhajirin could become autonomous in their affairs.
The Holy Prophetsa said, “Sa‘d, your decision is in accordance with the judgment that Allah had decreed in the seven heavens.” In one narration, it is mentioned that the Holy Prophetsa said about Hazrat Sa‘d’sra judgment, “This is the decision that the angel informed me about at the time of Sehri [pre-dawn meal].” (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1993, pp. 9-11; Sharh al-Zarqani ala al-Mawahib ladunya, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1996, p. 81)
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra has elaborated on this incident in further details:
“After a siege of more or less twenty days, these ill-fated Jews agreed to descend from their fortresses to be judged by the verdict of such a man, who despite being their confederate, found no mercy in his heart due to their evil schemes; and despite being an epitome of justice and equity, he did not possess the same compassion and tenderness at heart as was present in the man who was a ‘Mercy for All Mankind.’ The details are that the Aus tribe were old allies of the Banu Quraizah, and at the time, Sa‘d bin Mu‘adhra was the chieftain of this tribe. He had been wounded in the Ghazwah of the Ditch and was now under medical treatment in the veranda of the Mosque in Medina […] Sa‘dra arrived mounted on an animal and on the way a few people from the Aus tribe persistently pleaded, ‘We are allies of the Quraizah. Just as the Khazraj dealt with their ally tribe the Banu Qainuqa‘ with mercy, you also deal with the Quraizah leniently. Do not give them a harsh punishment.’ At first, Sa‘dra listened to their plea silently, but when they began to overly persist, he responded, ‘This is the time when Sa‘d shall not care for the reproach of anyone who raises an objection.’ Upon hearing this response, the people took to silence.
“When Sa‘dra drew near, the Holy Prophetsa instructed his Companionsra:
قُومُوا إِلى سَيِّدِكُمْ
“‘Stand for your chieftain and assist him in dismounting.’
“When Sa‘dra dismounted and moved towards the Holy Prophetsa, he said:
“‘Sa‘d! The Banu Quraizah have accepted you as their arbitrator, and they have agreed to abide by whatever verdict you may deem fit.’ Upon this, Sa‘dra lifted his sights towards the people of his own tribe, the Aus, and said:
عَلَيْكُمْ بِذَالِكَ عَهْدُ اللّٰهِ وَمِيْثَاقُهٗ اِنَّ الْحُكْمَ فِيْهِمْ بِمَا حَكَمْتُ
“‘Do you take God as your witness and make a firm promise that you shall be bound to act upon the verdict I issue with regards to the Banu Quraizah?’
“‘Yes, we promise, said the people. Then, he made a gesture in the direction where the Holy Prophetsa was seated and said:
وَعَلٰي مَنْ هٰهُنَا
“‘Does the honourable man who is seated here also promise that he shall be bound to act upon my verdict?’
“The Holy Prophetsa responded, ‘Yes, I promise.’
“After this covenant and agreement had been affirmed, Sa‘dra announced his verdict: the combatant men of the Banu Quraizah would be executed; their women and children would be taken captive and their wealth would be distributed amongst the Muslims. When the Holy Prophetsa heard this verdict, he spontaneously said:
لَقَدْ حَكَمْتَ بِحُكْمِ اللّٰهِ
“‘Your verdict is a Divine Decree.’
“In other words, this was a decree that could not be overruled. The meaning of these words was that the verdict relevant to the Banu Quraizah took place in such circumstances, that divine power could be seen clearly working at the centre of affairs and for this reason, feelings of mercy held by the Holy Prophetsa could not prevent this outcome. This was true indeed, because the Banu Quraizah requested that Abu Lubabahra be sent to them, and then such words slipped his tongue that were completely without foundation. Consequently, the Banu Quraizah refused to accept the Holy Prophetsa as their judge, and under the assumption that the Aus tribe would deal leniently with them as they were allies, appointed Sa‘d bin Mu‘adhra, the chief of the Aus tribe as their arbitrator. Furthermore, Sa‘dra became so resolute in the matter of justice and equity that feelings of relation and alliance were wiped out of his heart completely. Moreover, before announcing his verdict, Sa‘dra took a firm promise from the Holy Prophetsa to affirm that this decision would be administered in full. All of these things could not have been a coincidence. Verily, at the base of these events was a Divine Decree, and this verdict was that of God, not Sa‘d’sra.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, pp. 488-491)
Regarding the implementation of Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh’sra decision, it is further recorded that once Sa‘dra had made his ruling, the Holy Prophetsa returned to Medina on Thursday, 9 Dhu al-Hijjah. Another narration states that he returned on 5 Dhu al-Hijjah, while Ibn Sa‘d writes that he arrived back in Medina on the 7th, which also fell on a Thursday. The prisoners were ordered to be brought to Medina. In compliance with the Holy Prophet’ssa instructions, the captives were taken to the residence of Hazrat Usama bin Zaidra, while the women and children were placed in the home of Hazrat Ramlah bint Harithra. It is also reported that all captives were confined in Hazrat Ramlah bint Harith’sra house. The Holy Prophetsa ordered that dates be brought for them, and the dates were scattered all over the ground because of the large quantities. The Jews ate plentifully through the night. The Holy Prophetsa also ordered that their weapons, provisions, clothing, and other belongings be taken to Hazrat Ramlah’sra house, while the camels and goats were left grazing under the nearby trees. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1993, pp. 11-12; Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 2, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 58)
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra writes:
“It seems that due to the treachery, treason, rebellion, sedition, disorder, murder, and bloodshed of the Banu Quraizah, the verdict had already been issued by the heavenly court of justice that their combatant members should be expunged from the face of the earth. The Divine instruction initially given to the Holy Prophetsa regarding this battle also establishes that this was a Divine Decree. However, God did not wish for this verdict to be issued by His Messenger and for this reason, kept the Holy Prophetsa completely separate through immensely intricate manifestations of His power, and had this verdict announced by Sa‘d bin Mua’dhra. Moreover, this announcement was made in such a manner that the Holy Prophetsa could no longer influence this decision, because he had already promised that he would abide by the verdict in full.”
Some opponents raise allegations against the Holy Prophetsa and at times poison the minds of our youth by saying that the Holy Prophetsa committed a grave injustice against the Banu Quraizah. This is a clear response to them that this decision was not made by the Holy Prophetsa, rather this decision was made by one of the Companionsra, and at that, Allah the Almighty ensured it was a Companionra who was in fact an ally of the Banu Quraizah and had taken a solemn oath from the Holy Prophetsa.
Nonetheless [Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra continues] “Since the influence of this decision was not limited to the person of the Holy Prophetsa alone, rather, affected all of the Muslims collectively, the Holy Prophetsa did not consider it his right to change this verdict by his own opinion irrespective of how heavily it may have leaned towards mercy and forgiveness. It was this very divine power which moved the Holy Prophetsa to spontaneously utter the words:
قَدْ حَكَمْتَ بِحُكْمِ اللّٰهِ
“‘O Sa‘d! Your verdict seems to be a Divine Decree, which no one has the power to alter.’
“Upon saying these words, the Holy Prophetsa quietly stood up and returned to the city. At the time, his heart was grieved with the thought that a nation, which he greatly hoped would embrace Islam, was being deprived of faith and being sentenced to divine wrath and chastisement due to their evil deeds. It was perhaps on this occasion that the Holy Prophetsa uttered the following words with intense regret:
لَوْ اٰمَنَ بِيْ عَشَرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُوْدِ وَلَآمَنَتْ بِيَ الْيَهُوْدُ
“‘If only ten men (i.e., ten influential men) had believed in me, I would have hoped to God that this entire nation would accept me and would have been saved from Divine punishment.’
“When the Holy Prophetsa was leaving, he instructed that the men be separated from the women and children of the Banu Quraizah. Hence, both these groups were brought into Medina separately and were gathered at two separate locations. In line with the instruction of the Holy Prophetsa, the Companionsra (many of whom perhaps remained hungry themselves) arranged for a large quantity of fruit to be brought to the Banu Quraizah for their consumption. It is written that the Jewish tribe spent the entire night eating fruit.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, pp. 491-493)
The following morning, the Holy Prophetsa commanded for ditches to be dug in a marketplace in Medina, extending to the house of Abu Jahm Adwi in Ahjar al-Zait. The Holy Prophetsa, accompanied by several Companions, arrived at the site. He summoned the men of Banu Quraizah, who were brought out in groups, and each group was executed by the ditch. While being led away, the men turned to Ka’b bin Asad, asking, “What do you think Muhammad, the Messengersa of Allah, is about to do?” Ka’b replied, “That which will be disagreeable to you. May you be ruined! No matter the circumstances, you do not come to understand. The one who summons you will not spare you and the one who dies does not return. I swear by God that only the sword awaits you now (there is no escape from death). I had called you to a different course, yet you refused.”
The Jews began to murmur among themselves, “This is no time for anger. If we had listened to you, we would not have broken our covenant with Muhammad, the Messenger of Allahsa.” Huyayy bin Akhtab stated, “Enough of this lamenting. Now, nothing will save us. Be prepared to endure the sword.”
Hazrat Alira and Hazrat Zubair bin al-Awwamra were tasked with overseeing the execution of the Jews, and according to some narrations, various Companionsra were assigned the task of carrying out the individual executions. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1993, p. 12)
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra has detailed this incident as follows:
“The following day, in the morning, the verdict of Sa‘dra was to be put into effect. The Holy Prophetsa appointed a few able men to perform this task and stood close by, so that if guidance was required while the verdict was being administered, the Holy Prophetsa could provide immediate guidance. Another reason was so that he could instantly provide a decision if anyone appealed for mercy. Although the verdict of Sa‘d could not be appealed against in general, but in his capacity as a King or Chief Executive of a democracy, the Holy Prophetsa definitely had the right to hear an appeal with respect to a specific person on individual grounds. As an act of compassion, the Holy Prophetsa also ordered that criminals should be executed separately from one another, i.e., when one was being executed the other should not be present nearby. Thus, every criminal was brought separately and executed according to the verdict of Sa‘d.
“When Huyayy bin Akhtab, chief of the Banu Nadir, was brought for execution, he looked to the Holy Prophetsa and said, ‘O Muhammad[sa], I do not regret having opposed you. However, the truth is that he who abandons God is abandoned by God.’ Then, he looked to the people and said, ‘Nothing can be done in the face of God’s command. This is His command and His decree.’
“When Ka‘b bin Asad, the chief of Quraizah was brought to be executed, the Holy Prophetsa urged him through gestures to embrace Islam. He responded, ‘O Abu al-Qasim! I would have accepted, but people will say that I have become afraid of death. Let me die upon the Jewish religion.’”
There is also mention of the forgiveness of a Jew by the name of Rifa‘ah. In this regard, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra further writes:
“Another Jew by the name of Rifa‘ah, humbly implored a soft-hearted Muslim lady to intercede on his behalf so that he may be spared. The Holy Prophetsa forgave Rifa‘ah due to the intercession of this Muslim lady. Hence, the Holy Prophetsa forgave anyone for whom a plea of mercy was sought, which is evidence of the fact that the Holy Prophetsa was compelled by the verdict of Sa‘dra, otherwise, his heart was not inclined to execute the Jews.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, p. 494)
This is a clear answer to the allegation that the Holy Prophetsa was unjust. The execution of the men from Banu Quraizah continued in this way until the Holy Prophetsa had completed the task. The execution lasted until the evening. Then, the ditches were filled with dirt. All of this took place in the presence of Hazrat Sa‘d bin Mu‘adhra. Allah the Almighty accepted his prayer and granted coolness to his eyes. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1993, p. 13)
According to historical accounts, Nabatah was the only one from among the women to be executed. She was the wife of a man named Hakam from the Banu Quraizah. She had thrown a rock upon Hazrat Khalladra who was resting by a wall of Banu Quraizah’s fortress, resulting in his martyrdom. She was subsequently executed in recompense for this murder. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1993, pp. 13-14)
However, there are some historians who disagree with this account. They are of the opinion that certain narrations regarding the Banu Nadir and Khaibar have become mixed with this incident, and due to certain circumstantial evidence, they do not believe the incident of this woman’s execution to be true. And Allah knows best. (Al-Sahih min Sirah al Nabi al-A’zamsa, Vol. 12, Al-Markaz al-Islami li al-Dirasat, pp. 136-137)
There is also mention of the incident regarding Raihanah bint Zaid Nazriyah. The women and children from Banu Quraizah who had been captured were distributed among the Muslims of Medina. Among them was a woman from the Banu Nadir named Raihanah bint Zaid who was married to a man named Hakam from the Banu Quraizah. The Holy Prophetsa had selected her for himself. According to some, she accepted Islam while others say that the Holy Prophetsa kept her as a slave-girl. There are also those who say that the Holy Prophetsa married her. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1993, p. 15; Sirat Encyclopaedia, Vol. 7, Dar al-Salam, pp. 428-429)
There are various narrations; the reality will become clear further along. When these narrations are studied, it becomes evident that historians have been mistaken in this matter. Firstly, this narration contradicts the reality of events and is weak. Even if there is any truth to the narration, then only in the fact that the Holy Prophetsa freed her, and she returned to her parents’ home. where she would eventually pass away. If, for the sake of conversation, this narration was deemed to be true, then the Holy Prophetsa would have married her, not kept her as a slave-girl.
On the subject of the false incident regarding Raihanah, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra details:
“Various historians write that one person from among the prisoners of Banu Quraizah, was a lady named Raihanah, and the Holy Prophetsa kept her as a slave-girl for himself. It is on the basis of this very narration that Sir William Muir has raised a very hurtful allegation against the Holy Prophetsa. However, in actual fact, this narration is absolutely false and baseless. Firstly, the narration of Sahih al-Bukhari which has been quoted above, in which it has been stated that the Holy Prophetsa distributed the prisoners of Banu Quraizah amongst the Companionsra disproves this narration. If the Holy Prophetsa had selected a female prisoner for himself, naturally, this would have been mentioned in the narration of Bukhari on this occasion. However, even the slightest indication has not been made to this affect in Bukhari.
“In addition to this, other authentic narrations clearly prove that Raihanah was among those prisoners who the Holy Prophetsa released as an act of benevolence, and after this, Raihanah left Medina and went to the home of her parents (the Banu Nadir) and continued to reside there. ‘Allamah Ibn Hajar, who is among the most illustrious of research scholars, states that this latter narration is correct. However, even if it is accepted that the Holy Prophetsa took Raihanah into his own guardianship, she definitely lived there as his wife, not a slave-girl. However, as for those historians who have related that the Holy Prophetsa took her into his own guardianship, most have also explicitly elucidated that the Holy Prophetsa freed her and then married her. Ibn Sa‘d has transmitted a narration related by Raihānah herself in which she states, ‘The Holy Prophetsa freed me and then, after I accepted Islam, he married me. My dowry was set at twelve Auqiyyah, (i.e. 40 dirhams)’ In comparison to this narration, Ibn Sa‘d has declared the other narration, which Sir William Muir has based his conclusion on, as being categorically false and contrary to the truth (it remains a doubtful narrations); and has further written that this is the opinion of those who possess knowledge.
“Hence, first and foremost, as substantiated by the narration of Bukhari, and the same has been expounded in Isabah, the Holy Prophetsa did not take Raihanah under his guardianship in the first place; rather, he set her free, after which she returned to her family and began to live with them. Secondly, even if the narration is accepted that the Holy Prophetsa did in fact take her into his own supervision, even in this case, the Holy Prophetsa freed her and then married her; but he did not keep her as a slave-girl. (as some historians have taken from her own account. To what extent that is correct, only Allah knows).
“Furthermore, it should also be remembered that with respect to the name, genealogy, tribe, etc., of Raihanah, there is such diverse contradiction within various narrations, that it would perhaps not be unreasonable to doubt the very existence of her person all together; especially when it is taken into account that she is said to be the wife of a person who is definitely the most well-documented historical figure in the world. And Allah knows best.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, pp. 486-488; Lughat al-Hadith, Vol. 4, p. 527)
The details regarding the distribution of the spoils of war are that when the spoils were gathered, the Holy Prophetsa separated the dates and distributed them. There were 36 horses in this expedition; each horse would have two shares, one for the riders and one for those who were on foot. One thousand women and children were taken captive. Before distributing the spoils, the Holy Prophetsa took out the Khums [a fifth reserved for Allah and His Messengersa]. The prisoners were distributed into five parts and one part was taken as Khums. Of that part, the Holy Prophetsa would free some, grant some as gifts and employ others. Similarly, the Holy Prophetsa also took Khums out from the dates and out of every other thing before distributing it. The distribution of each thing would be determined by a draw; whatever portion from that draw came into the Khums would be taken by the Holy Prophetsa and he appointed Hazrat Mahmiyah bin Jaz’a Zubaidira to oversee the Khums. The remaining four parts would be distributed. The Holy Prophetsa also granted spoils to those women who were present during the battle. These women included Hazrat Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalibra, Hazrat Umm Ammarahra, Hazrat Umm Salitra, Hazrat Umm Ala’ah Ansariyahra, Hazrat Sumairah bint Qaisra, Hazrat Umm Sa‘d bin Mu‘adhra, and Hazrat Kabshah bint Rafi’ra. The Holy Prophetsa sent Hazrat Sa‘d bin Ubadahra with a caravan to Syria with the wealth obtained as Khums, including the prisoners and other things, in order to trade them for weapons and horses. According to one narration, Hazrat Uthman bin Affanra and Hazrat Abd al-Rahman bin Aufra bought a share from the Khums. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1993, pp. 15-16)
However, there is also the opinion that all the prisoners were kept in Medina and they were not sent anywhere else. Then, over time, the Holy Prophetsa would free them out of his mercy. After a deep study of various historical sources, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra writes:
“In line with the verdict of Sa‘dra, the women and children had been taken captive. It is ascertained from various narrations that the Holy Prophetsa sent them towards Najd. Some of the tribes that were situated here paid their ransom and obtained their release. The Muslims utilised this money to purchase horses and arms for their own defence. If this was indeed the case, it should come as no surprise, because the tribes of Najd and the Banu Quraizah were allies. Prior to the Battle of Quraizah, they had fought together in the Battle of the Confederates. As a matter of fact, it was due to the incitement of the people of Najd that the Banu Quraizah raised up the flag of rebellion against the Holy Prophetsa in the first place. Thus, if the Najadis obtained the release of the prisoners of Banu Quraizah from the Muslims, this is nothing out of the ordinary. However, authentic narrations disclose that these prisoners remained in Medina (and did not go anywhere), and according to custom, the Holy Prophetsa distributed them into the guardianship of various Companionsra. Afterwards, some from among them paid the value of their ransom and obtained freedom. Others were released by the Holy Prophetsa as an act of benevolence. In time, these people gradually became Muslim at their own will. History records the names of ‘Atiyyah Quradhi, ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Zubair bin Batiya, Ka‘b bin Sulaim and Muhammad bin Ka‘b. Furthermore, the latter, Muhammad bin Ka’b, is worthy of note, who went on to become a Muslim of great standing.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, pp. 495-496)
Whether these women in captivity were distributed or sold, the Holy Prophetsa delivered a verdict on this occasion which shows the vastness of his mercy and his great kindness towards women, which is worthy of being written in golden words. The Holy Prophetsa stated that any woman who was distributed or obtained at a ransom, if they had a small child then the child must not be separated from the mother until it had reached the age of maturity. Similarly, if there were two young sisters they must not be separated until they reached the age of maturity.(Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 1993, p. 16; Bashmil, Ghazwah Banu Quraizah, Nafees Academy Karachi, p. 181)
This was the conduct of the Mercy for All Peoples and his kindness towards women and even prisoners and opponents.
However, the state of the Muslims today is that in the name of Allah and His Messengersa, they are expelling people from their homes and killing them. As a consequence of this, the Muslims are losing their respect and honour. May Allah the Almighty grant wisdom and understanding to the Muslims.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 15 November 2024, pp. 2-6. Translated by The Review of Religions.)