The Truth in Islam - Discover Authentic Islamic Knowledge

The Event That Shocked Arabia

In 627 CE, following the Battle of the Trench, Muhammad laid siege to the Banu Qurayza, a Jewish tribe in Medina. After their surrender, he approved the execution of approximately 600-900 men and teenage boys. This mass beheading, recorded in authentic Islamic sources, represents one of the most disturbing events in early Islamic history.

"Then they surrendered, and the apostle confined them in Medina... Then the apostle went out to the market of Medina and dug trenches in it. Then he sent for them and struck off their heads in those trenches as they were brought out to him in batches." — Sirat Rasul Allah (Ibn Ishaq)

The Historical Context

Who Were the Banu Qurayza?

The Banu Qurayza were one of three major Jewish tribes in Medina. When Muhammad migrated to Medina in 622 CE, he established a treaty with them. They were blacksmiths and farmers who lived peacefully in the city for generations.

The Accusation of Treason

During the Battle of the Trench (also called the Battle of the Confederates), the Quraysh army besieged Medina. Muhammad accused the Banu Qurayza of negotiating with the enemy, though they never actually fought against the Muslims. The historical evidence suggests they remained neutral, confined to their fortress.

The Siege and Surrender

After the Quraysh army withdrew, Muhammad immediately turned his attention to the Banu Qurayza. According to authentic hadith:

"On the day of the battle of Al-Ahzab (the Confederates), the Prophet said, 'None should offer the Asr prayer but at Banu Quraiza.' The Asr prayer became due for some of them on the way. Some of them decided not to offer it till they reached Banu Quraiza while others decided to offer the prayer on the road." — Sahih Bukhari 4:52:280

Muhammad besieged their fortress for 25 days. With no help coming and facing starvation, they surrendered on the condition that Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, an Arab leader they trusted, would judge their fate.

The Verdict: Total Annihilation

Sa'd's Judgment

Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, who was mortally wounded in the Battle of the Trench, decreed:

All men should be killed
All women and children should be enslaved
All property should be divided among the Muslims

Muhammad's response to this verdict was chilling:

"You have judged amongst them with (or similar to) the judgment of Allah." — Sahih Bukhari 5:59:362

By affirming Sa'd's judgment as being in accordance with Allah's will, Muhammad took full responsibility for what followed.

The Mass Execution

The Beheading Process

Ibn Ishaq, the earliest biographer of Muhammad, provides a detailed account:

"The apostle went out to the market of Medina (which is still its market today) and dug trenches in it. Then he sent for them and struck off their heads in those trenches as they were brought out to him in batches. They numbered 600 or 700, though some put the figure as high as 800 or 900." — Sirat Rasul Allah

The Criterion: Pubic Hair

To determine who qualified as a "man" for execution, Muhammad ordered an examination:

"The Messenger of Allah commanded that all of them who had reached puberty should be killed." — Sahih Muslim 19:4370

Boys were inspected for pubic hair. If pubic hair was found, they were considered men and executed. If not, they were spared and enslaved. This meant boys as young as 12-13 were beheaded.

Duration of the Massacre

The beheadings took place over the course of an entire day and night. Trenches were dug in the marketplace, and the Jewish men were brought out in groups, forced to sit beside the trenches, and then beheaded one by one. Their bodies were thrown into the trenches as each batch was executed.

The Quranic Reference

The Quran references this event in Surah 33 (Al-Ahzab), celebrating the victory:

"And He brought down those of the People of the Book who supported them from their fortresses and cast terror into their hearts. [Some] you killed, and [some] you took captive. And He caused you to inherit their land and their homes and their properties and a land which you have not trodden. And ever is Allah, over all things, competent." — Quran 33:26-27

The phrase "some you killed, and some you took captive" refers directly to the execution of the men and enslavement of the women and children.

The Fate of Women and Children

Enslavement and Distribution

All women and children of the Banu Qurayza were enslaved. Muhammad took one-fifth of the captives as his personal share (as prescribed in Quran 8:41), and distributed the rest among his fighters.

Rayhana: Muhammad's War Captive

One woman from the Banu Qurayza, Rayhana bint Amr, became Muhammad's concubine. Her husband had just been executed in the massacre. According to Islamic sources, Muhammad offered to marry her, but she preferred to remain his slave. She was forced to convert to Islam.

Sold for Weapons

Some of the enslaved women and children were taken to Najd and Syria and sold in slave markets. The money from these sales was used to purchase weapons and horses for future military campaigns.

Islamic Scholarly Interpretation

Justification in Islamic Tradition

Classical Islamic scholars unanimously accept this event as historical fact. They justify it by arguing:

The Banu Qurayza committed treason by negotiating with the enemy
The verdict was given by Sa'd, not Muhammad (though Muhammad approved it as Allah's judgment)
This was the standard treatment of treasonous tribes in warfare
The judgment followed Jewish law from Deuteronomy 20:10-14

Problems with the Justification

These defenses are problematic:

The "treason" is questionable: The Banu Qurayza never actually fought against Muhammad. At most, they may have considered breaking their neutrality.
Muhammad approved the verdict: By declaring Sa'd's judgment to be in accordance with Allah's will, Muhammad made it his own decision.
The execution exceeded normal practice: Even in 7th-century Arabia, executing 600-900 men was exceptional and shocking.
Jewish law was misapplied: Deuteronomy 20:10-14 applies only to distant cities in warfare, not to residents of one's own city who had a treaty.

Historical Impact

This massacre had several lasting consequences:

Eliminated Jewish presence in Medina: Combined with the earlier expulsion of the Banu Qaynuqa and Banu Nadir, this completed Muhammad's goal of making Medina fully Muslim.
Sent a message: Other Jewish and Christian tribes quickly submitted or fled.
Enriched the Muslims: The property, weapons, and wealth of the Banu Qurayza funded further conquests.
Established precedent: This event became a reference point for how to treat defeated enemies.

Biblical Contrast

The contrast between Muhammad's actions and Jesus's teachings is profound. Jesus taught His followers:

"But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." — Matthew 5:44-45

When Peter drew a sword to defend Jesus, Christ rebuked him:

"Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword." — Matthew 26:52

Jesus was executed as a perceived threat to Rome, yet He never commanded violence against His enemies. He taught forgiveness, even from the cross:

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." — Luke 23:34

Muhammad, by contrast, personally supervised the beheading of hundreds of men who had surrendered peacefully.

Questions to Consider

How can a prophet of God approve the execution of 600-900 men, including teenage boys?
If the Banu Qurayza truly committed treason deserving death, why were only the men killed while women and children were enslaved?
What does it say about Muhammad's character that he took a woman as a concubine whose husband he had just executed?
If this was a just judgment, why did it shock even some of Muhammad's own followers?
Can a religion founded by a man who approved such violence truly be a religion of peace?
How can Muslims call Muhammad "the mercy to mankind" when he ordered mass executions?

Conclusion

The Banu Qurayza massacre is not a minor incident or a disputed event—it is recorded in the most authentic Islamic sources and accepted by all major Islamic scholars as historical fact. The mass beheading of 600-900 men and teenage boys, the enslavement of women and children, and Muhammad's direct approval of these actions raise profound moral and theological questions.

For those investigating Islam, this event cannot be dismissed or explained away. It reveals the fundamental difference between Muhammad's example and Christ's teachings. One supervised mass executions; the other taught radical forgiveness. One enriched himself through violence; the other died penniless on a cross.

The Banu Qurayza Massacre: Mass Execution in Islamic History