Page:Baladhuri-Hitti1916.djvu/58

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CHAPTER IV

Khaibar

The capitulation of Khaibar. The Prophet invaded Khaibar[1] in the year 7. Its people contended with him, delayed him and resisted the Moslems. So the Prophet besieged them for about one month.[2] They then capitulated on the terms that their blood would not be shed, and their children be spared, provided that they evacuate the land, which he permitted the Moslems to take together with the gold and silver and arms—except what was on the person of the banu-Khaibar, and that they keep nothing secret from the Prophet. They then told the Prophet, "We have special experience in cultivation and planting palm-trees," and asked to be allowed to remain in the land. The Prophet granted them their request and allowed them one-half of the fruits and grains produced saying: "I shall keep you settled so long as Allah keeps you."

ʿUmar expels the people of Khaibar. During the caliphate of ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb, a pestilence spread among them and they mistreated the Moslems. ʿUmar, thereupon, made them evacuate the land, dividing what they had among those of the Moslems who already had a share in it.

The terms made. Al-Ḥusain ibn-al-Aswad from Muḥammad ibn-Isḥaḳ who said:—"I once asked ibn-Shihâb about Khaibar and he told me that he was informed that the

  1. Yâḳût, vol. ii, p. 503.
  2. Diyârbakri, Taʿrlkh al-Khamîs, vol. ii, p. 47.

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