Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1215
The Expedition of al-Khandaq (the Confederates)
ذِكْرُ نَقْضِ بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ الْعَهْدَ الَّذِي بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمَّا نَزَلَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ فِيمَا ذُكِرَ، خَرَجَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ حُيَيُّ بْنُ أَخْطَبَ النَّضْرِيُّ حَتَّى أَتَى كَعْبَ بْنَ أَسَدٍ الْقُرَظِيَّ صَاحِبَ عَقْدِ بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ وَعَهْدِهِمْ، وَكَانَ قَدْ وَادَعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ، وَعَاهَدَهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ كَعْبٌ بِحُيَيٍّ أَغْلَقَ دُونَهُ بَابَ حِصْنِهِ، فَاسْتَأْذَنَ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَبَى أَنْ يَفْتَحَ لَهُ، فَنَادَاهُ حُيَيٌّ: وَيْحَكَ يَا كَعْبُ ! افْتَحْ، قَالَ: وَيْحَكَ يَا حُيَيُّ ! إِنَّكَ امْرُؤٌ مَشْؤُومٌ، وَإِنِّي قَدْ عَاهَدْتُ مُحَمَّدًا، فَلَسْتُ بِنَاقِضٍ مَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ، وَلَمْ أَرَ مِنْهُ إِلَّا صِدْقًا وَوَفَاءً. قَالَ: وَيْحَكَ ! افْتَحْ لِي أُكَلِّمْكَ، قَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا أَنَا بِفَاعِلٍ، قَالَ: وَاللَّهِ، إِنْ أَغْلَقْتَ دُونِي إِلَّا خَوْفًا عَلَى جَشِيشَتِكَ أَنْ آكُلَ مَعَكَ مِنْهَا. فَأَحْفَظَ الرَّجُلُ، فَفَتَحَ لَهُ، فَقَالَ: وَيْحَكَ يَا كَعْبُ ! جِئْتُكَ بِعِزِّ الدَّهْرِ، وَبَحْرٍ طَامٍ، جِئْتُكَ بِقُرَيْشٍ عَلَى قَادَتِهَا وَسَادَتِهَا حَتَّى أَنْزَلْتُهُمْ بِمُجْتَمِعِ الْأَسْيَالِ مِنْ رُومَةَ، وَبِغَطَفَانَ عَلَى قَادَتِهَا وَسَادَتِهَا حَتَّى أَنْزَلَتْهُمْ بِذَنْبِ نَقْمَى إِلَى جَانِبِ أُحُدٍ، قَدْ عَاقَدُونِي وَعَاهَدُونِي عَلَى أَلَّا يَبْرَحُوا حَتَّى نَسْتَأْصِلَ مُحَمَّدًا وَمَنْ مَعَهُ. قَالَ لَهُ كَعْبٌ: جِئْتَنِي وَاللَّهِ بِذُلِّ الدَّهْرِ وَبِجَهَامٍ قَدْ أُهْرِقَ مَاؤُهُ، فَهُوَ يُرْعِدُ وَيَبْرُقُ، وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ شَيْءٌ، وَيْحَكَ يَا حُيَيُّ ! خَلِّنِي وَمَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ، فَإِنِّي لَمْ أَرَ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ إِلَّا صِدْقًا وَوَفَاءً. فَلَمْ يَزَلْ حُيَيٌّ بِكَعْبٍ يَفْتِلُهُ فِي الذُّرْوَةِ وَالْغَارِبِ حَتَّى سَمَحَ لَهُ عَلَى أَنْ أَعْطَاهُ عَهْدًا وَمِيثَاقًا: لَئِنْ رَجَعَتْ قُرَيْشٌ وَغَطَفَانُ وَلَمْ يُصِيبُوا مُحَمَّدًا أَنْ أَدْخُلَ مَعَكَ فِي حِصْنِكَ حَتَّى يُصِيبَنِي مَا أَصَابَكَ، فَنَقَضَ كَعْبُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ عَهْدَهُ وَبَرِئَ مِمَّا كَانَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ . وَوَعَظَهُمْ عَمْرُو بْنُ سُعْدَى وَخَوَّفَهُمْ سُوءَ فَعَالِهِمْ، وَذَكَّرَهُمْ مِيثَاقَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعَهْدَهُ، وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: إِذَا لَمْ تَنْصُرُوهُ فَاتْرُكُوهُ وَعِدُوهُ، فَأَبَوْا. وَخَرَجَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ بَنُو سَعْنَةَ: أَسَدٌ وَأُسَيْدٌ وَثَعْلَبَةُ فَكَانُوا مَعَهُ، وَأَسْلَمُوا. وَأَمَرَ كَعْبُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ حُيَيَّ بْنَ أَخْطَبَ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ وَغَطَفَانَ رَهَائِنَ تَكُونُ عِنْدَهُمْ. فَبَلَغَ عُمْرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ خَبَرُ نَقْضِ بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ الْعَهْدَ، فَأَعْلَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِخَبَرِهِمْ، فَبَعَثَ سَعْدَ بْنَ مُعَاذٍ، وَسَعْدَ بْنَ عُبَادَةَ وَهُمَا سَيِّدَا قَوْمِهِمَا، وَمَعَهُمَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ وَخَوَّاتُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ- زَادَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ: وَأُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ- فَقَالَ: انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَنْظُرُوا أَحَقٌّ مَا بَلَغَنَا عَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ أَمْ لَا، فَإِنْ كَانَ حَقًّا فَالْحَنُوا إِلَيَّ لَحْنًا أَعْرِفُهُ وَلَا تَفُتُّوا فِي أَعْضَادِ النَّاسِ، وَإِنْ كَانُوا عَلَى الْوَفَاءِ فِيمَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ فَاجْهَرُوا بِهِ لِلنَّاسِ. فَخَرَجُوا حَتَّى أَتَوْهُمْ فَوَجَدُوهُمْ قَدْ نَقَضُوا الْعَهْدَ، فَنَاشَدُوهُمُ اللَّهَ وَالْعَهْدَ الَّذِي كَانَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَنْ يَرْجِعُوا إِلَى مَا كَانُوا عَلَيْهِ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ، قَبْلَ أَنْ يَلْتَحِمَ الْأَمْرُ، وَلَا يُطِيعُوا حُيَيَّ بْنَ أَخْطَبَ، فَقَالَ كَعْبٌ: لَا نَرُدُّهُ أَبَدًا، قَدْ قَطَعَتْهُ كَمَا قَطَعْتُ هَذَا الْقُبَالَ- لِقُبَالِ نَعْلِهِ- وَقَالَ: مَنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( ﷺ ) ؟ لَا عَهْدَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ. فَشَاتَمَهُمْ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ، كَمَا قَالَ ابْنُ عُقْبَةَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ وَابْنُ عَائِذٍ وَابْنُ سَعْدٍ - وَقَالَ ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ: إِنَّهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ- وَشَاتَمُوهُ وَكَانَ رَجُلًا فِيهِ حِدَّةٌ، فَقَالَ لَهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ- أَوْ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ إِنْ كَانَ الْأَوَّلُ سَعْدَ بْنَ مُعَاذٍ-: دَعْ عَنْكَ مُشَاتَمَتَهُمْ، فَمَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ أَرْبَى مِنَ الْمُشَاتَمَةِ. وَقَالَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ لِكَعْبٍ: أَتَسُبُّ سَيِّدَكَ يَا عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ مَا أَنْتَ لَهُ بِكُفْءٍ يَا ابْنَ الْيَهُودِيَّةِ، وَلَتُوَلِّيَنَّ قُرَيْشٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مُنْهَزِمِينَ، وَتَتْرُكُكَ فِي عُقْرِ دَارِكَ فَنَسِيرُ إِلَيْكَ، فَنُنْزِلُكَ مِنْ جُحْرِكَ هَذَا عَلَى حُكْمِنَا. وَرَجَعُوا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَقَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ: عَضَلُ وَالْقَارَةُ، يَعْنِي كَغَدْرِ عَضَلٍ وَالْقَارَةِ بِأَصْحَابِ الرَّجِيعِ. وَسَكَتَ الْبَاقُونَ، ثُمَّ جَلَسُوا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: أَبْشِرُوا يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِنَصْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَعَوْنِهِ، إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَطُوفَ بِالْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيقِ وَآخُذَ الْمِفْتَاحَ، وَلْيَهْلْكَنَّ كِسْرَى وَقَيْصَرُ وَلَتُنْفِقُنَّ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ. يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ حِينَ رَأَى مَا بِالْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنَ الْكَرْبِ. قَالَ ابْنُ عُقْبَةَ: ثُمَّ تَقَنَّعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِثَوْبِهِ حِينَ جَاءَهُ الْخَبَرُ عَنْ بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ، فَاضْطَجَعَ وَمَكَثَ طَوِيلًا، وَانْتَهَى الْخَبَرُ إِلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِنَقْضِ بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ الْعَهْدَ، فَاشْتَدَّ الْخَوْفُ وَعَظُمَ الْبَلَاءُ، وَخِيفَ عَلَى الذَّرِارِيِّ وَالنِّسَاءِ، وَكَانُوا كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: إِذْ جَاءُوكُمْ مِنْ فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ الأَبْصَارُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ [الْأَحْزَابِ 10]. وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ قُبَالَةَ عَدُوِّهِمْ، لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ الزَّوَالَ عَنْ مَكَانِهِمْ، يَعْتَقِبُونَ خَنْدَقَهُمْ يَحْرُسُونَهُ.
Translation
✧ Mention of Banū Qurayẓah's breaking the covenant that was between them and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ When the polytheists encamped, as has been mentioned, the enemy of Allah, Ḥuyayy b. Akhṭab al-Naḍrī, went out until he came to Kaʿb b. Asad al-Quraẓī, the holder of Banū Qurayẓah's pact and treaty. He had made peace with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on behalf of his people and covenanted with him over that. When Kaʿb heard of Ḥuyayy, he shut the gate of his fortress against him. He asked permission to enter, but Kaʿb refused to open for him. Ḥuyayy called to him: "Woe to you, O Kaʿb! Open up." He said: "Woe to you, O Ḥuyayy! You are an ill-omened man. I have made a covenant with Muḥammad, and I will not break what is between me and him. I have seen nothing from him but truthfulness and faithfulness." He said: "Woe to you! Open for me so I may speak with you." He said: "By Allah, I will not do it." He said: "By Allah, you have shut me out only out of fear for your barley porridge, lest I eat some of it with you." The man became angry, so he opened for him. He said: "Woe to you, O Kaʿb! I have brought you the might of the age and a surging sea. I have brought you Quraysh with their leaders and chiefs until I made them camp at the meeting of the torrents from Rūmah, and Ghatafān with their leaders and chiefs until they camped at the tail of Naqmā beside Uḥud. They have covenanted with me and pledged to me that they will not leave until we utterly destroy Muḥammad and those with him." Kaʿb said to him: "By Allah, you have brought me the humiliation of the age and a rain cloud whose water has been poured out, so it thunders and lightens but has nothing in it. Woe to you, O Ḥuyayy! Leave me and what I am upon, for I have seen nothing from Muḥammad but truthfulness and faithfulness." Ḥuyayy kept working on Kaʿb, twisting him at the forelock and the withers, until he relented to him on condition that he gave him a covenant and a solemn bond: if Quraysh and Ghatafān return and do not strike Muḥammad, he will enter his fortress with him so that whatever befalls him befalls him also. So Kaʿb b. Asad broke his covenant and dissociated himself from what had been between him and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. ʿAmr b. Suʿdā admonished them and warned them of the evil of their action, reminding them of the Messenger of Allah's ﷺ treaty and covenant. He said to them: "If you do not help him, then leave him and his enemy." But they refused. Some of Banū Qurayẓah, namely Banū Saʿnah: Asad, Usayd, and Thaʿlabah, went out to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and were with him, and they became Muslims. Kaʿb b. Asad ordered Ḥuyayy b. Akhṭab to take hostages for them from Quraysh and Ghatafān to be kept with them. The news of Banū Qurayẓah's breaking the covenant reached ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb, and he informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ of their news. He sent Saʿd b. Muʿādh and Saʿd b. ʿUbādah, the two chiefs of their people, along with ʿAbd Allāh b. Rawāḥah and Khawwāt b. Jubayr—Muḥammad b. ʿUmar added: and Usayd b. Ḥuḍayr—and said: "Go and see whether what has reached us about these people is true or not. If it is true, then make an indirect allusion to me that I recognize, and do not break the people's strength. If they are keeping the covenant that is between us and them, then proclaim it openly to the people." They went out until they came to them and found that they had broken the covenant. They adjured them by Allah and the covenant that had been between them to return to what they had been upon before, before the affair became intertwined, and not to obey Ḥuyayy b. Akhṭab. Kaʿb said: "We will never return it. He has cut it as I cut this strap"—a strap of his sandal—and he said: "Who is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? There is no covenant between us and him." Saʿd b. ʿUbādah reviled them, as Ibn ʿUqbah, Muḥammad b. ʿUmar, Ibn ʿĀʾidh, and Ibn Saʿd said—and Ibn Isḥāq said: it was Saʿd b. Muʿādh—and they reviled him, for he was a man of sharp temper. Saʿd b. Muʿādh—or Saʿd b. ʿUbādah, if the first was Saʿd b. Muʿādh—said to him: "Leave off reviling them, for what is between us and them is more serious than reviling." Usayd b. Ḥuḍayr said to Kaʿb: "Do you revile your master, O enemy of Allah? You are not his equal, O son of a Jewess. Quraysh will surely turn away defeated, if Allah wills, and leave you in the midst of your abode. Then we will march against you and bring you out of this burrow of yours under our judgment." They returned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Saʿd b. ʿUbādah said: "ʿAḍal and al-Qārah"—meaning like the treachery of ʿAḍal and al-Qārah against the companions of al-Rajīʿ. The rest remained silent, then they sat down. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Rejoice, O assembly of believers, in the help of Allah Almighty and His aid. I hope to circumambulate the Ancient House and take its key. Kisrā and Caesar shall surely perish, and you shall surely spend their wealth in the cause of Allah." He said that when he saw the distress that had befallen the Muslims. Ibn ʿUqbah said: Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ covered his head with his garment when the news of Banū Qurayẓah came to him, lay down, and remained for a long while. The news of Banū Qurayẓah's breaking the covenant reached the Muslims, fear intensified, the affliction grew great, and there was fear for the children and women. They were as Allah Almighty said: "When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes swerved and the hearts reached the throats" [al-Aḥzāb 10]. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Muslims were facing their enemy, unable to move from their place, taking turns at their trench, guarding it.
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