Note [original edition] : Such of those who have received the scriptures, as
assisted the confederates;] These were the
Jews of the tribe of
Koreidha, who, tho’ they were
in league with
Mohammed, had, at the incessant persuasion of
Caab Ebn Asad, a
principal man among them, perfidiously gone over to his enemies in this war of
the ditch, and were severely punished for it. For the next morning, after the
confederate forces had decamped,
Mohammed and his men returned to
Medina, and,
laying down their arms, began to refresh themselves after their fatigue; upon
which
Gabriel came to the prophet and asked him whether he had suffered his
people to lay down their arms, when the angels had not laid down theirs; and
ordering him to go immediately against the
Koradhites, assuring him that
himself would lead the way.
Mohammed, in obedience to the divine command,
having caused public proclamation to be made that every one should pray that
afternoon for success against the sons of
Koreidha, set forward upon the
expedition without loss of time; and being arrived at the fortress of the
Koradhites, besieged them for twenty-five days, at the end of which those
people, being in great terror and distress, capitulated, and at length, not
daring to trust to
Mohammed’s mercy, surrendered at the discretion of
Saad Ebn
Moadh
1,
hoping that he, being the prince of the tribe of
Aws, their old
friends and confederates, would have some regard for them. But they were
deceived: for
Saad, being greatly incensed at their breach of faith, had
begged of
God that he might not die of the wound he had received at the ditch
till he saw vengeance taken on the
Koradhites, and therefore adjudged that the
men should be put to the sword, the women and children made slaves, and their
goods be divided among the
Moslems; which sentence
Mohammed had no sooner
heard than he cried out,
That Saad
had pronounced the sentence of God: and the
same was accordingly executed, the number of men who were slain amounting to
six hundred, or, as others say, to seven hundred, or very near, among whom
were
Hoyai Ebn Akhtab, a great enemy of
Mohammed’s, and
Caab Ebn Asad, who had
been the chief occasion of the revolt of their tribe: and soon after
Saad, who
had given judgment against them, died, his wound, which had been skinned over,
opening again
2.
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1
See chap. 8. p. 142.
-
2
Al Beidawi, Abulf. Vit. Moh. p. 77. & Gagnier, Vie de Mahomet, l. 4, c. i 2.