After the greeting, Gabriel asked the Prophet (sa) if he had laid down his arms, then informed him that the angels had not laid down theirs. He told him that he was on his way to cause the souls of the Krayzah to tremble in fear, then he told the Prophet (sa) that Allah, the Exalted, had sent him to deliver the command that he should retaliate against treachery of the Krayzah.

The Siege

Prophet Muhammad (sa) called upon his three thousand strong army to reassemble and informed them of the Command of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (sa) gave Ali the standard and instructed his followers not to offer the afternoon prayer until they reached the outlying fortresses of the Krayzah.

However, Sa’ad who had been severely injured during the battle was not to accompany them but to remain behind in the tent that had, by the instruction of the Prophet (sa), been pitched inside the Mosque so that he could be near him. Just before sunset, the Muslims surrounded the fortresses and terror struck deep in the hearts of its inhabitants.

The position remained unchanged for twenty-five nights until at last the Krayzah sent a message to the Prophet (sa) requesting Abu Lubabah, a tribesman from Aws with whom they had a long association, be allowed to consult with them. The Prophet (sa) agreed and Abu Lubabah went to the fortresses accompanied by several other companions who remained outside. As the doors to the fortress opened, Abu Lubabah was overcome by the plight of women and children crying and his heart softened toward them.

For a brief moment, the fact that the Krayzah had betrayed the Prophet (sa) and had been willing to kill Muslims, including himself, slipped from his mind. It was almost like old times and together he and some of their elders climbed five flights of stairs to a room where they sat down to discuss the matter. After the usual pleasantries, the Krayzah asked whether or not he thought they should surrender, he told them that they should, but at the same time pointed to his throat indicating that they would be put to death. Suddenly, Abu Lubabah was jolted back to reality and horror stricken by his action and cried out with a verse from the Koran:

".. to You we turn, and to You is the arrival.” Koran Ch.60:4

Meanwhile, outside the fortresses, Abu Lubabah's companions awaited his return, however, such was his deep shame and regret that he left the fortress by another entrance and returned to Medina alone. Upon reaching Medina, Abu Lubabah tied himself to a pillar in the Mosque saying that he would not move from it until Allah relented towards him.

He remained tied to the pillar for either ten or fifteen days, only being released by his daughter when the time for prayer arrived. Prophet Muhammad (sa) waited patiently for his return, but not long after Abu Lubabah had tied himself to the pillar news of what transpired reach him. The Prophet (sa) told his companions that if he had come to him, he would have supplicated to Allah for his forgiveness, but as he had chosen this course of action there was nothing he could do until Allah pardoned him.

The Dilemma of the Krayzah

Amongst the Krayzah were several whose only barrier to their acceptance of the Prophet (sa) was that he was not a Jew. Ka'b now went to them and suggested that they accept the Prophet (sa) and thereby save themselves as well as their property.

However, they refused saying that the preferred death and would accept nothing else other than the Torah and the Law of Moses, peace be upon him. Ka'b was a resourceful man, and suggested several other solutions, but all proved unacceptable to his fellow tribesmen. Amr, Su'ads son, had been against breaking the pact right from the start and openly declared that he would not take part in its breaking. He now offered his fellow Jews a solution, but said he was unsure whether or not the Prophet (sa) would accept it. Amr suggested that they offer the Prophet (sa) a form of tax in exchange for their freedom.

Like Ka'bs suggestions his was also rejected. That night, Amr left the fortress alone and made his way to Medina where he spent the night in the Mosque. What happened to him afterwards is unknown, however, the Messenger of Allah (sa) told his companions that Amr was a man whom Allah saved on account of his loyalty. Sometime before the siege, the three sons of Hadl, who was the brother of Krayzah himself, had come to visit relatives in the fortresses. They had been students of the elderly Syrian Jew, the son of Hayyaban, who had spoken so many times of the signs that would announce the coming the a new Prophet (sa).

They remembered well his words and reminded their fellow Jews with them, but as before, their words fell on deaf ears. When they realized they would never convince them they decided to slip away in the still of the night and embrace Islam. As they left the fortress they told the Muslim guards of their intent and were guided to the camp. There was yet another person who left the fortresses, his name was Rifa'ah, Samawal's son. With stealth he managed to escape from the fortress unnoticed and slipped through the Muslim guards to the house of Salma, the daughter of Kays. Salma was the half sister of the Prophet's mother, Lady Aminah, who had married into the tribe of Khazraj, and it was there in her house that he embraced Islam.

The End of the Siege

The next morning the Krayzah decided to surrender and opened the doors to the fortresses. The women and children were separated from the menfolk, taken to one sector of the camp and placed under the supervision of Abdullah, Salaam's son, who had once been their rabbi. In the meantime, the men's hands were tied behind their backs and led away to a different sector of the camp.

The companions went inside the fortresses and brought out the spoils of war which were piled high outside the walls. Amongst the spoils was a plentiful supply of wine and fermented date juice, all were poured away, for Allah had forbidden Muslims to consume intoxicants.

The Request of Sa'ad, Mu'adh's Son's Tribe

Many years before Islam, the Sa’ad, Mu’adhs son’s tribe established deep ties with the tribe of Krayzah and on that account they now went to the Prophet (sa) to ask him to extend the same kind of leniency he had shown to the tribe of Kaynuka, former allies of the Khazraj, two years before.

The Prophet (sa) listened to them and asked if they would be satisfied if one of their own pronounced judgment upon their former allies and they accepted. The person the Prophet (sa) chose to pass judgment on the Krayzah was their chieftain, Sa’ad, Mu'adhs son and so some of the companions returned to Medina to fetch him and found him being attended to in the Mosque by Rufaydah, a lady from the tribe of Aslam. A mule was prepared for Sa’ad and the party set off for the fortresses.

During the course of the ride, Sa’ads companions told him that he was to pass judgment on their former allies and asked him to treat them well on that account. Sa’ad was not a person to let emotion interfere with justice. He had witnessed with his own eyes how those that had been taken captive at Badr and allowed to ransom themselves had ridden against them at Uhud, and yet again their treachery during the recent encounter. He was also aware of the tribe of Nadir's incitement of the Koraysh to take up arms against the Muslims, and seen how the Krayzah had been ready to follow the lead of their peers and broken their pact with the Prophet (sa).

As Sa’ad approached the camp, the Prophet (sa) saw him and out of respect for Sa’ad said: “Stand up for your master” and told the tribesmen to greet their chieftain, which they did. Without wasting time, they approached Sa’ad saying, "Father of Amr, the Messenger of Allah (sa) has appointed you to judge our former allies." Sa’ad asked them to swear by Allah that they would accept his judgment, and this they did. The Prophet (sa) told Sa’ad that his judgment would also be binding upon himself.

Then, Sa’ad proceeded to pronounce judgment saying, "It is my judgment that the men shall be killed, and the women and children taken captive." The Prophet (sa) turned to Sa’ad and said, "You have judged with the judgement of Allah from above the seven heavens." Shortly after, the women and children were escorted into the City. That night, the men of the Krayzah spent their time reciting the Torah and supporting one another in their decision.

None, on account of racial pride, had the slightest wish to embrace Islam, and as they had done so many times before with the full support of their wives said that death was better for them than embracing Islam. The next morning trenches were dug in the market place and all except one of the Krayzah men were put to death. Huyay, who had once plotted to murder the Prophet (sa), then incited the Koraysh to rise up against him was also put to death with them.

The only man to be spared was Zabir, Bata's son, an elderly man whose hatred of the Prophet (sa) and Islam was well known. His fate was yet to be determined because he had once spared the life of a Muslim named Thabit, Kays son, so Zabir was taken to Medina where he was lodged with the women and children. Although the women had strongly upheld the declaration of their husbands that they preferred death rather than embracing Islam, cries of grief and anger filled the air as Zabir told the women of the fate of their men. Zabir tried to quieten them but told them that if there had been any good in their men they would have been saved, then he urged the widows to seek refuge in their religion.

Thabit went to the Prophet (sa) to ask him to spare the life of Zabir whereupon the Prophet (sa) granted his request. When Thabit told Zabir of his reprieve all Zabir would say was, "What is there left in life for an old man without a wife or children!" So Thabit went to the Prophet (sa) again and told him what Zabir said, so the Prophet (sa) mercifully told him to return his wife and children to him. Zabir was still unthankful and asked Thabit, "Is it possible for a family to survive without property?"

Once again Thabit went to the Prophet (sa) and told him of Zabir's request and the Prophet (sa) ordered Zabir's that with the exception of his weapons and armor that all of his property be returned to him. Zabir’s hatred of Islam had blinded him to the mercy and generosity now offered and so he went to Thabit yet again saying, "By Allah, I ask you Thabit, by your indebtedness to me that I should join my people. They are gone and there is no good left in life."

At first Thabit did not take him seriously, but when Zabir insisted, his request was granted. As for Zabir's wife and children, the Prophet’s mercy towards them still prevailed and they were freed under the protection of Thabit and retained their possessions. The captives were given to the believers who took part in the siege. Many were ransomed by their fellow tribesmen from Nadir and returned to live with them in Khybar.

The Prophet took into his household, Rayhanah, who had married into the tribe of Krayzah from the tribe of Nadir. Rayhanah was housed with the Prophet's maternal aunt Salma. At first she opposed Islam, but as time went by her fellow Jews that had converted to Islam spoke to her about it and the veil was lifted from her heart. When Rayhanah embraced Islam the glad tidings were taken straight away to the Prophet (sa) who immediately set her free.