Seerah | Lecture 31 | The Battle of Khayber

The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, after the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, focused on propagating Islam globally, sending letters to various rulers. He sent Sayyiduna Dihyah Kalbi to the King of Rome (Heraclius), Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Hudhafah to the King of Iran (Parvez Khusrau), Sayyiduna Amr ibn Umayyah to the King of Abyssinia (Najashi), and Sayyiduna Hatib ibn Balta'ah to the ruler of Egypt (Al-Muqawqis). These letters invited the recipients to Islam, promising safety and double reward, while warning that rejecting the message would make them accountable for the sins of their subjects. The Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, also sent letters to the ruler of Yamama and Harith Ghassani in Sham.

Following these diplomatic efforts, the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, turned his attention to the Jews of Khayber, who had continued to oppose the Muslims despite previous defeats. After a brief skirmish at Dhatul-Qirad, the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, marched to Khayber with a large army. Khayber was a fortified settlement consisting of eight main fortresses, including Qutayba, Na'im, Shaq, Qamus, Natat, Sa'b, Tikh, and Sulalim. The Muslim army established its headquarters between Khayber and the Bani Ghatfan tribe to defend against potential reinforcements. The conflict involved the fall of the fortress Na'im and the martyrdom of Sayyiduna Mahmud ibn Maslama, as well as the conversion and martyrdom of a shepherd named Aswad Ra'i.

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Key topics & takeaways

Diplomatic missions

• Nature of the Prophet's mission — the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, was sent to all of humanity and jinn until the Day of Judgement, unlike previous prophets sent to specific areas ▸2:17
• The letter to Heraclius — the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, invited the Roman Emperor to Islam; Heraclius questioned Abu Sufyan about the Prophet's lineage, the truthfulness of his claims, the status of his followers, and his conduct in war ▸4:43
• Heraclius's assessment — based on the testimony that the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, never lied to people, Heraclius concluded the claim to prophethood was true, though he ultimately did not accept Islam publicly ▸7:25
• The letter to Parvez Khusrau — the King of Iran reacted with arrogance, tearing the Prophet's letter into pieces, which led the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, to pray that Allah tear his kingdom into pieces ▸16:35
• The fate of Parvez Khusrau — on the same night the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, spoke those words, the King of Iran was killed by his own son ▸17:29
• The letter to Al-Muqawqis — the ruler of Egypt received the letter with honor, replied respectfully, and sent gifts including two maids, Maria Qibtiyya and Sireen, honey, clothing, and animals ▸20:24
• Gifts from Al-Muqawqis — the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, received the mule Duldul and another animal named Ya'fur, along with a thousand mithqal of gold ▸24:21
• The ruler of Yamama — he offered to accept Islam only if the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, granted him a share in the leadership and profits of the land, an offer the Prophet rejected, stating Islam is not for materialistic purposes ▸26:46
• Harith Ghassani — upon receiving the letter, he rejected the message and prepared for war, which served as a catalyst for the Battle of Mu'tah ▸27:21

The Battle of Khayber

• Ghazwa-e-Dhatul-Qirad — a group led by Abdur-Rahman ibn Uyaynah Fuzari stole camels from the Muslims, but they were pursued and forced to abandon the animals by Sayyiduna Salama ibn Akwa ▸30:11
• Strategic location — Khayber was a Jewish stronghold located approximately 300 kilometers from Madina, known for its expert warriors and fortified castles ▸34:32
• The Takbir — when the Muslims entered Khayber, they shouted the Takbir, but the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, advised them to be calm, noting that Allah is not deaf or absent ▸36:11
• The treasure of Jannah — the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, identified the phrase La hawla wala quwwata illa billah as one of the treasures of Jannah ▸37:38
• The fortress Na'im — this fortress held the supplies for the Jews and was the first to fall to the Muslims under the command of Sayyiduna Mahmud ibn Maslama ▸40:19
• Aswad Ra'i — a slave who grazed the Jews' animals, he accepted Islam after hearing the Prophet's message, fought for the Muslims, and was granted Jannah by Allah despite having performed little formal worship ▸41:16
• The status of Aswad Ra'i — the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, remarked that Allah had enlightened his face and granted him a beautiful fragrance after his martyrdom ▸42:57
• The siege of Qamus — the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, surrounded this fortress for 20 days, and it was commanded by the warrior Marhab ▸44:19