The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 3 of 4

162 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
"And so they arose, along with those other Muslims God wished, and they set
off for Bann Qurayza. The time for the al-'asr prayer came while they were en
route, and they remembered the prayer. Some of them asked others, 'Don't you
know that the Messenger of God (SAAS) ordered you to perform the al-%zsr
prayer among Bana Qurayp?' Others said, 'It's the prayer (time).' And so some did
pray while others postponed it until they could perform it among Bann Quraym,
after the sun had set. They informed the Messenger of God (SAAS) which of
them had performed it earlier and those who had postponed it, and people say
that the Messenger of God (SAAS) did not berate either of the two groups.
"When 'Ali saw the Messenger of God (SAAS) approaching, he met him
and said to him, 'Go back, Messenger of God, God will take care of the Jews for
you.' 'Ali had heard from them some ugly talk with reference to the Messenger
of God (SAAS) and his wives, may God be pleased with them, and he disliked
for him to hear this. The Messenger of God (SAAS) asked h i why he was
advising him to go back, but 'Ali concealed from him what he had heard of them.
Then the Messenger of God (SAAS) commented, 'I think you have heard them
say something harmful about me; I will go on, for if the enemies of God saw me
they would not say any of what you heard.'
"When the Messenger of God (SAAS) alighted at their fortresses, they being
high above him, he addressed a group of their nobles at the top of his voice so that
they could hear h i saying, 'Respond, you tribe of Jews, you brothers of apes,
for disgrace from God, Almighty and Glorious is He, has come down upon you!'
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) then besieged them with legions of the
Muslims for some ten nights. God had brought back Huyayy b. Akhrab and
he had entered the forts of Bana Qurayza. God cast terror into them, and the
siege was very hard on them. They eventually shouted for Abn Lubaba b. 'Abd
al-Mundhir - they had been allied to the an?& - but Aha Lubaba stated, 'I will
not go to them until the Messenger of God (SAAS) gives me permission.' The
Messenger of God (SAAS) then gave him permission.
"And so Abn Luhaba went to them and they complained to him and asked
him what he thought they should do since they did not have the power to engage
in warfare. Abn Luhzba gestured at his throat across which he brought his
fingers, showing them that it was their execution that was wanted.
"When Aha Lubsba left them, he was suddenly aghast, realizing that some
urge had overcome him. He told himself that he could not look the Messenger
of God (SAAS) in thg face until he did some loyal act as repentance that God
would appreciate.
"And so he went back to Medina and tied his hands to one of the tree trunks
(supporting the roof) of the mosque. It is said that he remained tied there for
some 20 days.
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) asked, when Aha Luhaha absented himself,
'Hasn't Aha Lubaba yet finished dealing with his allies?' When it was related to
him what Ahn Lubaba had done, he said, 'After (he left) me some urge overcame