Banu Qurayza

Banu Qurayza بنو قريظة
Tribe
Location	Yathrib, Hejaz
Descended from	Koreiza ben Elian
Religion	Judaism

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The Banu Qurayza (Arabic: بنو قريظة; alternate spellings include Quraiza, Qurayzah, Quraytha, and the archaic Koreiza) were a Jewish tribe which lived in northern Arabia, at the oasis of Yathrib (now known as Medina). They were one of the three major Jewish tribes of the city, along with the Banu Qaynuqa and Banu Nadir.^[1] Jewish tribes reportedly arrived in Hijaz in the wake of the Jewish–Roman wars and introduced agriculture, putting them in a culturally, economically and politically dominant position.^[2][3] However, in the 5th century, the Banu Aws and the Banu Khazraj, two Arab tribes that had arrived from Yemen, gained dominance.^[4] When these two tribes became embroiled in conflict with each other, the Jewish tribes, now clients^[3][5] or allies^[4] of the Arabs, fought on different sides, the Qurayza siding with the Aws.^[6]

In 622, Muhammad migrated to Medina after successfully negotiating with the Khazraj—to which his great-grandmother belonged^[7]—and the Aws to mediate their tribal conflicts in the city.^[8][9] Previously, in Mecca, tensions had arisen between Muhammad and the Quraysh following his attacks on their faith after they had previously shown little interest in his proselytizing activities.^{[10][11][12][13]} After the migration, Muhammad often raided Quraysh trade caravans and plundered their goods, leading to armed conflicts between the two.^[14][15] Muhammad also tried to convince the Jewish population of Medina that he was their prophet, but failed and was criticized, in part, for the inconsistency of his Quran with the Jewish scriptures.^[16][17][18] This led to the transfer of the direction of the Islamic prayer from Jerusalem to the Kaaba in Mecca, and sometime later to the expulsion of the Banu Qaynuqa and Banu Nadir from Medina by him.^[19][20][6]

After the Battle of the Trench, Muhammad was reportedly visited by Gabriel, who directed him to attack the Qurayza.^[21] Despite the tribe's earlier assistance in excavating the trench to impede the Meccans' advance and providing the Muslims with their tools,^[22][23][24] Muhammad later accused them of having sided with his enemy—a claim that they strongly refuted.^[25] At a later stage of Muhammad's siege against them, the Qurayza initially proposed surrendering and vacating their land, while requesting permission to carry one camel load of possessions per person. When Muhammad declined, they subsequently requested to depart without taking any belongings. Muhammad, however, insisted that they surrender unconditionally.^[26][27]

After a 25-day siege, the Banu Qurayza surrendered.^[28] The Muslims of Banu Aws entreated Muhammad for leniency, prompting him to suggest that one of their own should serve as the judge, which they accepted. Muhammad assigned the role to Sa'd ibn Muadh, a man nearing death from an infection in his wounds from the previous Meccan siege.^[28][29][30] He pronounced that all the men should be put to death, their possessions to be distributed among Muslims, and their women and children to be taken as captives. Muhammad declared, "You have judged according to the very sentence of God above the seven heavens."^[29][28] Consequently, 600–900 men of Banu Qurayza were executed. The women and children were distributed as slaves, with some being transported to Najd to be sold. The proceeds were then utilized to purchase weapons and horses for the Muslims.^[a]

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