format_quote Originally Posted by
evangel
What made Mohammed go after the three clans of Jews in Medina?
Hi,
He didn't just 'go after' the three tribes. When Prophet Muhammad pbuh first came to Madinah (the hijrah) and established the Islamic state he made a covenant and peace agreement with the 3 tribes. They were all to live in peace and defend the city together. Dr. M. Hamidullah explains the following points:
When the Prophet Mohammed settled down in Medina, he found there complete anarchy, the region having never known before either a State or a king to unite the tribes torn by internecine feuds. In just a few weeks, he succeeded in rallying all the inhabitants of the region into order. He constituted a city state, in which Muslims, Jews, pagan Arabs and also probably a small number of Christians, all entered into a statal organism by means of a social contract. The constitutional law of this first 'Muslim' State - which was the confederacy as a sequence of the multiplicity of the population groups - has come down to us in toto, and we read therein not only in clause 25: "to Muslims their religion, and to Jews their religion," or, "that there would be benevolence and justice," but even the unexpected passage in the same clause 25: "the Jews . . . are a community (in alliance) with - according Ibn Hisham and in the version of Abu-'Ubaid, a community (forming part) of - the believers (i.e., Muslims)." The very fact that, at the time of the constitution of this city-state, the autonomous Jewish villages acceded of their free will to the confederal State, and recognized Muhammad as their supreme political head, implies in our opinion that the non-Muslim subjects possessed the right of votes in the election of the head of the Muslim State, at least in so far as the political life of the country was concerned. (Hamidullah, Introduction to Islam, paragraphs 414-416)
During the life of Prophet Muhammad, there was a Jewish synagogue in Madinah and an educational institute known as Bait Al-Midras. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) preserved and protected both of them.
After the Battle of Badr (2nd year after hijrah) when the Muslims triumphed over the Makkan polytheists, the Jews of Banu Qaynuqa began to display open hostility with the Muslims. When the Prophet Muhammad pbuh went to them an requested them to honor their pact they replied by saying, "Those people with whom you fought were inexperienced and ignorant of the ways of warfare, which allowed you to score an easy victory. If you fight us we would teach you a lesson." They then fortified themselves in their quarters and the Muslims surrounded them and laid siege. None of the other Jewish tribes assisted the tribe of Banu Qaynuqa because they recognized the clear violation of the treaty on the part of the latter. The Banu Qaynuqa tribes realized they couldn't hold up and they surrendered. Instead of taking prisoners and slaves as other contemporary leaders would have done to their vanquished enemies, the Prophet Muhammad pbuh allowed them to take their belongings and leave Madinah.
After the Battle of Uhud (3rd year after hijrah), when the Muslims had a less favorable outcome in their battle with the Makkans, the Jews of Banu Nadeer attempted to take advantage of the Muslim's weakness and assasinate the Prophet Muhammad pbuh when he visited them. The Prophet pbuh escaped and issued a 10-day ultimatum for the tribe of Banu Nadeer to leave Madinah. However, the Prophet Muhammad pbuh even allowed them to retain all their property and appoint agents to look after their farms. The Banu Nadeer however consulted with Abdullah Ibn Ubayy Ibn Salul, the leader of the hypocrites in Madinah. The latter told them that he had 2000 fighters who would assist them against Prophet Muhammad and he also assured them the Ghatafan would come to their aid. The tribe of Banu Nadeer, feeling confident that they could destroy the Muslims, rejected the Prophet's ultimatum and prepared for war. The Muslims laid siege to their quarters during which time they recieved none of the promised support from Abdullah Ibn Ubayy or his allies. After 26 days they surrendered and asked to leave under the original conditions. This was no longer reasonable since they themselves had rejected the Propet's offer. Thus they were to leave with whatever belonging they could take with them, and their land was turned over to the Muslims. And yet, the Prophet still did not enslave them, take them prisoner or spill any blood in this conflict. He was always keen to find a peaceful situation.
In the 5th year after hijrah, an alliance was made between the arab tribes of Ghatafan, the Quraysh of Makkah, the Jews of Khaybar (which included the exiled tribe of Banu Nadeer), the arabs of Sulaym, Asad, Ashja' and Fazarah. Together, this coalition raised a massive army of 10 000 soldiers to march against and annihilate the Muslims once and for all. The Muslims could not face such an immense force and consequently they dug a trenche around the northern part of the city to defend themselves. The coalition forces laid siege to the Muslims in the battle known as Al-Khandaq. The Muslims had only protected the norther part of the city as their allies, the last Jewish tribe called Banu Qurayzah, lay to their south beyond the orchards. However, the coalition forces were able to persuade the Banu Qurayzah to break their treaty with the Muslims and attack them from behind. The Banu Qurayzah had the ability to attack the undefended Muslim city - occupied now only by women and children - from the south.
When rumours spread that Banu Qurayzah had broken their peace treaty with the Prophet Muhamamd pbuh and had joined the coalition of forces surrounding the Muslim city of Madinah, the Prophet pbuh was distressed and sent to them four of his companions as a delegation to request them to honor their treaty. Sa'd ibn Mu'âdh [chief of the 'Aws tribe], Sa'd ibn 'Ubâdah [chief of the khazraj tribe], Abdullah ibn Rawâhah and Khawât ibn Jubayr were the four members of the delegation.
The Banu Qurayzah treated the delegation rudely, disavowed all past treaties with the Prophet, and began to exchange insults with Sa'd ibn 'Ubâdah. Sa'd ibn Mu'âdh interrupted saying that the matter was far too serious than to enter into a petty exchange of insults. He pleaded with the Banu Qurayzah but to no avail; they began to abuse him using the most vulgar and obscene language. Sa'd ibn Mu'âdh said, "You would have been well advised to use better language." With that, they left and conveyed their sad report secretly to the Prophet pbuh to avoid causing more fear to spread in amongst the Muslims who already had an army of 10 000 camped on their doorstep and were now open to attack from the Banu Qurayzah behind them.
The Banu Qurayzah sent some of their fighters in to the undefended city to attack the Muslims. A Muslim woman, Safiyyah bint Abdul-Muttalib, saw one of the Qurayzah warriors creeing about the quarters of the Muslim women. She managed to kill him and the others fled thinking that the Muslims had left men to guard the rear as well. (Ibn Sayyid al-Nâs,
'Uyûn Al-Athar, pp. 89).
After the coalition forces had disbanded, given up the siege and left, the Muslims surrounded the quarters of the Banu Qurayzah and laid siege to them. Those amongst the Banu Qurayzah who had opposed their tribe's violation of the treaty were allowed to leave freely but the remaining warriors were killed. The Muslims had seen how leniency failed with the previous tribes who had gathered up their forces to launch another attack on the Muslims. The Banu Qurayzah had also witnessed this and despite all that they still chose to violate their treaty with the Muslims.
I hope this helps.
Regards