In the light of this reluctance, they had nothing except to comply with the Messenger’s judgement. The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) ordered that the men should handcuffed, and this was done under the supervision of Muhammad bin Salamah Al-Ansari while the women and children were isolated in confinement.
Thereupon Al-Aws tribe interceded begging the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to be lenient towards them. He suggested that Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh, a former ally, be deputed to give verdict about them, and they agreed.Sa‘d meanwhile stayed behind in Madinah due to a serious wound he sustained in the Confederates Battle. He was summoned and brought on a donkey. On his way to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) , the Jews used to exhort him to be lenient in his judgement on account of former friendship.
Sa‘d remained silent but when they persisted he uttered:
“The time has come for Sa‘d not to be afraid of the blame of the blamers.”
On hearing this decisive attitude, some of them returned to Madinah waiting fa desperate doom.
On arrival, he alighted with the help of some men. He was informed that the Jews had agreed to accept his verdict about them. He immediately wondered if his judgement would pass on all the people present, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) included, turning his face away in honour of him. The reply was positive.
He decided that all the able-bodied male persons belonging to the tribe should be killed, women and children taken prisoners and their wealth divided among the Muslim fighters.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) accepted his judgement saying that Sa‘d had adjudged by the Command of Allâh.
In fact, the Jews deserved that severe punitive action for the ugly treachery they had harboured against Islam, and the large arsenal they have amassed and which consisted of one thousand and five hundred swords, two thousand spears, three hundred armours and five hundred shields, all of which went into the hands of the Muslims. Trenches were dug in the bazaar of Madinah and a number of Jews between six and seven hundred were beheaded therein. Hot beds of intrigue and treachery were thus exterminated once and for all.
Huyai, a chief criminal of war, a devil of Bani Nadir and Safiyah’s father, had joined the ranks of Banu Quraiza when Quraish and Ghatfan defected, was admitted into the audience of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) with his hands tied to his neck with a rope. In audacious defiance, he declared obstinate enmity to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) but admitted that Allâh’s Will was to be fulfilled and added that he was resigned to his fate. He was ordered to sit down, and was beheaded on the spot.
Only one woman of the Jews was killed because she had killed a Muslim warrior by flinging a grinding stone upon him. A few elements of the enemy embraced Islam and their lives, wealth and children were spared. As for the spoils of the war, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) divided them, after putting a fifth aside, in accordance with Allâh’s injunctions. Three shares went to the horseman and one to the infantry fighter.
Women captives were sent to Najd to be bartered with horses and weaponry.
For himself, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) selected Rehana bint ‘Amr bin Khanaqah, manumitted and married her in the year 6 Hijri. She died shortly after the farewell pilgrimage and was buried in Al-Baqi‘.
After the war with Banu Quraiza had been settled and they had been defeated, Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh’s wish was gratified and he gave his last breath. In response to his supplication ‘Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) narrated, Sa‘d’s wounds began to bleed from the front part of his neck while he was in his tent which the Prophet (Peace be upon him) had pitched for him in the mosque so that he would be in close proximity in order to inquire about and watch his well-being closely. The people were not scared except when the blood flowed towards them, and in the Mosque along with Sa‘d’s tent, there was the tent of Banu Ghifar. They said: O people of the tent, what is it that is coming to us from you? Lo! it was Sa‘d’s wound that was bleeding and he died thereon.
The Throne of Allah Shook upon the Death of Sa’ad ibn Mu’adhJabir narrated that the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) had said: “The Throne of the Compassionate shook for the death of Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh. ”
When his bier was carried, At-Tirmidhi said: The hypocrites alleged it was too light. The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) retorted:“The angels are carrying him.”
Narrated Jabir: I heard the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam) saying, “The Throne (of Allah) shook at the death of Saad ibn Muadh.” Through another group of narrators, Jabir added, “I heard the Prophet : saying, ‘The Throne of the Beneficent (Ar-Rahman) shook because of the death of Saad ibn Muadh.” [Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Volume No. 5, Hadeeth No. 147]
[According to the Darussalam commentary, “The Throne shook” means that it shook in the delight of his welcome.]There’s more…Ibn Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alaihi wasalam) said: “This (i.e. Saad ibn Muadh) is the one at whose death the Throne shook, the gates of heaven were opened for him and seventy thousand angels attended his funeral. It squeezed* him once then released him.”
[Sunan An-Nasai, Hadeeth No. 2057. Graded ‘saheeh’ by Shaikh Al-Albani in Saheeh Sunan An-Nasai, Hadeeth No. 2055]
[*This refers to the squeezing of the grave.]And that’s not all….Al-Baraa reported that a garment of silk was presented to Allah’s Messenger (salallahu alaihi wasallam). His Companions touched it and admired its softness; thereupon he said: “Do you admire the softness of this (cloth)? The handkerchiefs of Saad ibn Muadh in Paradise are better than this.”
[Saheeh Muslim, Hadeeth No. 6036]