Events Between Khandaq and Hudaybiyyah

Execution of Banu Qurayza - 5 AH

After the Confederate forces retreated, defeated by internal distrust and a severe sandstorm, the Muslims believed the battle was over. However, as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ returned home, Angel Gabriel appeared and informed him that the angels had not yet put down their arms. He instructed the Prophet ﷺ to immediately march against Banu Qurayza for conspiring with the Quraysh during the siege.

Siege of Banu Qurayza

The Prophet ﷺ responded swiftly, sending a public announcement throughout Madinah, instructing the Muslims to march to Banu Qurayza and pray Asr there. The Muslim army laid siege to the Banu Qurayza’s fortress for 25 days, cutting off their supplies and waiting for their surrender. Facing starvation and isolation, the Banu Qurayza realized they had no escape.

The Verdict of Sa’d ibn Mu’adh

With no hope left, Banu Qurayza surrendered and sought leniency. Their longtime allies, the Aws tribe, pleaded on their behalf. In response, the Prophet ﷺ appointed Sa’d ibn Mu’adh رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, the leader of Aws, to decide their fate. Sa’d رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ ruled that the men should be executed, their property distributed, and the women and children taken captive, a decision aligned with the Jewish law of the Torah for acts of treason.

The ruling was carried out, and the properties of Banu Qurayza were distributed among the Muslims. Shortly after delivering the verdict, Sa’d ibn Mu’adh رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ passed away from wounds sustained during the Battle of the Trench. His death was marked by a momentous event—70,000 angels reportedly attended his funeral, signifying his high status.

Capture and Conversion of Thumamah ibn Uthal

During a minor expedition of 30 companions against the Banu Bakr tribe, the Muslims captured Thumamah ibn Uthal, a powerful chief of Banu Hanifah, and brought him to Masjid an-Nabawi. The Prophet ﷺ ensured he was treated well and released him without ransom after three days. Deeply moved by this kindness, Thumamah embraced Islam and later traveled to Makkah for Umrah, where he openly declared his faith. When the Quraysh mocked him, he warned them and enforced an economic embargo, cutting off Yamamah’s grain supply to Makkah.The embargo severely affected the Quraysh, but eventually, the Prophet ﷺ wrote a letter to Thumamah, allowing the wheat supplies to resume.

Ghazwa of Banu Lahyan - 6 AH

In 6 AH, the Prophet ﷺ led 300 fighters against Banu Lahyan to avenge the Tragedy of Raji' (4 AH), where Muslim missionaries were betrayed and killed. Using a deceptive route to surprise the enemy, the Muslims reached their campgrounds, but Banu Lahyan had already fled into the mountains. Though no battle took place, the expedition sent a strong warning to hostile tribes, reinforcing the growing strength of the Muslim community.

The Story of Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi' - 6 AH

In Jumada al-Awwal, 6 AH, the Prophet ﷺ sent Zayd ibn Harithah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ with 170 men to intercept a Quraysh caravan returning from Syria. The Muslims successfully captured the entire caravan, including its wealth, camels, and prisoners. Among the captives was Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi', the Prophet’s ﷺ son-in-law and husband of Zaynab bint Muhammad رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا.

During Fajr prayer, Zaynab رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا publicly declared from the women's section, "I have given Abu al-As my protection! O Muslims, grant him your protection too!" The Prophet ﷺ was surprised but affirmed her protection, stating that all Muslims are equal in granting safety. He ﷺ then suggested to the captors that they return Abu al-As’s wealth, which they did willingly.

Before leaving for Makkah, some Ansar encouraged Abu al-As to accept Islam, but he refused to convert for personal gain. Instead, he returned to Makkah, repaid all debts, and then publicly declared his Islam before traveling back to Madinah. The Prophet ﷺ then reunited him with Zaynab رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا without requiring a new marriage contract or mahr, a unique exception in Islamic history.

Legislation of Hijab

Around this time, the command for hijab for Muslim women was revealed, marking an important step in Islamic social guidelines. Additionally, the Prophet ﷺ’s marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا took place, an event that carried significant social and religious implications.

The Expedition of the Withered Leaves (Sariyya al-Khabat)

The Prophet ﷺ sent 300 men, led by Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, to intercept a Quraysh caravan. Though the Muslims did not encounter the caravan, they faced extreme food shortages, surviving on withered leaves. Eventually, they discovered a massive whale that had washed ashore, which sustained them for a month. This expedition demonstrated the endurance and resilience of the early Muslim army.

Zaynab bint Jahsh: The Generous and Pious Wife

The Prophet ﷺ married Zaynab bint Jahsh رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا in the beginning of Dhu al-Qa'dah in the 5th year of the Hijrah. This marriage is significant because the verses of hijab were revealed on the night of the wedding, and Allah directly performed the marriage in Surah al-Ahzab (33:37). The walima for this marriage was the most generous among all the Prophet's ﷺ wives. Before her marriage to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Zaynab رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا was married to Zayd ibn Harithah رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ.

Zaynab bint Jahsh رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا was renowned for her piety and generosity, earning the titles Mother of the Orphans and Mother of the Poor. As the first of the Prophet's ﷺ wives to pass away after him, she received a large stipend during Umar ibn Khattab's رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ caliphate. When given 12,000 dirhams, she immediately distributed all of it in charity, refusing to keep any for herself. Umar رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ  admired her selflessness and gave her an additional 1,000 dirhams — which she also gave away, praying not to receive such wealth again. Her prayer was answered as she passed away before the next year's stipend, in the 20th year of Hijrah. Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا described her as the most pious woman she ever saw.

Reports in the Quran, hadith, seerah, and tafsir mention that the Prophet ﷺ initially advised Zayd رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ to keep his wife, but Allah revealed that the Prophet ﷺ was concealing something in his heart. Scholars offer two interpretations:

• Version A: The Prophet ﷺ had an inclination toward Zaynab رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا, which he ﷺ concealed.

• Version B: The Prophet ﷺ knew through revelation that Zaynab رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا would become his wife but kept it hidden out of fear of public perception.

Version B is regarded as stronger by later scholars, while earlier scholars accepted Version A without issue. The marriage demonstrated that there is no prohibition in marrying the divorced wives of adopted sons, breaking a pre-Islamic custom.