Seerah | Lecture 24 | Bani Nudayr

The fourth year of Hijrah was marked by significant trials for the Muslim community in Madina, including the aftermath of the incidents at Raji' and Bi'r-e-Ma'una. During this period, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) addressed the treachery of the Jewish tribe of Bani Nudayr, who violated their agreements and plotted against his life. The year also saw the revelation of various legal rulings, including the prohibition of alcohol and the establishment of punishments for theft and zina (adultery/fornication). Additionally, the Prophet (peace be upon him) married Sayyida Umm-e-Salama (may Allah be pleased with her) following the death of her husband, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Asad.

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Key topics & takeaways

The Conflict with Bani Nudayr

• The cause of the conflict — the Prophet (peace be upon him) sought the assistance of the Bani Nudayr to pay blood money (diya) for two members of the Bani Kilab tribe who were killed by mistake by Sayyiduna 'Amr ibn Umayya ad-Damri ▸5:41.
• The plot against the Prophet — while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was hosted by the tribe, they conspired to drop a large rock on him from the roof of their fortress, a plot revealed to him by Allah ▸9:53.
• The ultimatum — after the failed assassination attempt, the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent a message ordering the Bani Nudayr to leave Madina within ten days or face capital punishment ▸11:31.
• The role of Abdullah ibn Ubayy — the leader of the hypocrites encouraged the Bani Nudayr to resist, promising 2,000 men and support from other tribes, but he failed to provide any aid when the siege began ▸12:13.
• The siege — the Prophet (peace be upon him) besieged the tribe for 15 to 19 days, cutting off their food and water supply until they surrendered ▸15:03.
• The dispute over date palms — during the siege, a disagreement arose among the Sahaba regarding whether to cut down the tribe's date trees to disgrace them or preserve them as spoils of war; a verse in Surah al-Hashr confirmed that both actions were permissible by the will of Allah ▸18:05.
• The expulsion — the Bani Nudayr were allowed to leave with their belongings, departing with 600 camels to settle in places such as Khaybar, Sham, and Ariha ▸19:09.
• Distribution of spoils — the mal-e-ghanimah (war booty) from the fortress was distributed primarily among the Muhajireen at the request of the Ansar, who declined a share ▸19:38.
• Dua for the Ansar — the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed for the mercy of Allah upon the Ansar, their children, and their grandchildren for three generations ▸20:24.

Legal Rulings

• Prohibition of alcohol — the consumption of khamr (any intoxicating liquid) was forbidden in this year, based on the verse in the Qur'an identifying it as a work of Shaitan ▸31:35.
• Punishment for theft — the penalty of cutting the hand is reserved for cases where specific conditions are met, such as the stolen item exceeding a certain value; the punishment is not applied if the theft was committed out of necessity, such as extreme hunger ▸30:17.
• Punishment for Zina — the ruling of stoning to death for the crime of zina was revealed during this year ▸31:29.

Personal History

• Marriage to Sayyida Umm-e-Salama — following the death of her husband, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Asad, the Prophet (peace be upon him) married Sayyida Umm-e-Salama ▸28:38.
• The Hijrah of Umm-e-Salama — the account details her initial separation from her husband and son by her own tribe, her subsequent depression, and her eventual journey to Madina assisted by the noble Uthman ibn Talha ▸23:38.
• Character of Umm-e-Salama — she is noted for her intellect, her advice during the event of Hudaybiyah, and her role as a teacher who narrated hundreds of Hadith to prominent Sahaba ▸28:58.