Huyayy ibn Akhtab
Encyclopedia
Huyayy ibn Akhtab was a chief of the Banu al-Nadir, a Jewish tribe of pre-Islam
ic Arabia.
. Barra bint Samawal was from distinguished Arabian Jewish family. Her father was the poet al Samaw'al ibn Adiya
At first, when his tribe, the Banu Nadir
were located at Medina
, Huyayy's hostility to Muhammad was not pronounced. When Abu Sufyan, the Quraysh leader and an enemy of Muhammad, presented himself before Huyayy's house, he, fearing to compromise himself, refused to admit him.
But he was to become the most inveterate enemy of Muhammad
who had besieged the Banu Nadir
and confiscated their property, so that ibn Hisham
, Muhammad's biographer, calls him "the enemy of Allah."
in 627
Later, Muhammad took Qamus
, the fortress of the Qurayza, carried to Medina from seven to eight hundred Jews, among them being Huyayy, and killed them in the market-place. When Huyayy was brought before Muhammad, he said to him:
Huyayy had a daughter together with Barra bint Samawal: Safiyya bint Huyayy
. Safiyyah was also captured by Muhammad, who reportedly threw his cloak over, and she became one of his wives
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic Arabia.
Family
Huyayy ibn Akhtab had a daughter with Barra bint Samawal: Safiyya bint HuyayySafiyya bint Huyayy
Safiyya bint Huyayy was a Jewish woman captured from the Banu Nadir tribe at age 17, who became Muhammad's wife. She was, along with all other wives of Muhammad, titled Umm-ul-Mo'mineen or the "Mother of Believers"....
. Barra bint Samawal was from distinguished Arabian Jewish family. Her father was the poet al Samaw'al ibn Adiya
After the hijrah — 622 CE
At one occasion, he had a discussion with Muhammad upon the mystical letters beginning some of the suras in the Quran.At first, when his tribe, the Banu Nadir
Banu Nadir
The Banu Nadir were a Jewish tribe who lived in northern Arabia until the 7th century at the oasis of Yathrib . The tribe challenged Muhammad as the leader of Medina. and planned along with allied nomads to attack Muhammad and were expelled from Medina as a result. The Banu Nadir then planned the...
were located at Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, Huyayy's hostility to Muhammad was not pronounced. When Abu Sufyan, the Quraysh leader and an enemy of Muhammad, presented himself before Huyayy's house, he, fearing to compromise himself, refused to admit him.
But he was to become the most inveterate enemy of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
who had besieged the Banu Nadir
Banu Nadir
The Banu Nadir were a Jewish tribe who lived in northern Arabia until the 7th century at the oasis of Yathrib . The tribe challenged Muhammad as the leader of Medina. and planned along with allied nomads to attack Muhammad and were expelled from Medina as a result. The Banu Nadir then planned the...
and confiscated their property, so that ibn Hisham
Ibn Hisham
Abu Muhammad 'Abd al-Malik bin Hisham , or Ibn Hisham edited the biography of Muhammad written by Ibn Ishaq. Ibn Ishaq's work is lost and is now only known in the recensions of Ibn Hisham and al-Tabari. Ibn Hisham grew up in Basra, Iraq, but moved afterwards to Egypt, where he gained a name...
, Muhammad's biographer, calls him "the enemy of Allah."
Expulsion of Banu Nadir to Khaybar — 625 CE
But when the Jews, driven by the Muslims from Medina, settled at Khaibar, Huyayy incited them, with the Arab tribes of Quraish and Ghatafan, into active revolt against Muhammad, resulting in the Battle of the TrenchBattle of the Trench
The Battle of the Trench also known as Battle of Ahzab, Battle of the Confederates and Siege of Medina , was a fortnight-long siege of Yathrib by Arab and Jewish tribes. The strength of the confederate armies is estimated around 10,000 men with six hundred horses and some camels, while the...
in 627
Battle of the Trench — 627 CE
Huyayy came to Ka'b ibn As'ad, the chief of the Banu Quraiza, but failed to incite him to war against Muhammad.Later, Muhammad took Qamus
Qamus
Qamus was the name of one of the fortresses of Al-Rabi ibn Abu al-Huqayq, Banu Qurayza situated near Khaybar. The fortress was attacked by Muslim forces and defeated. Among the people in the fortress at the time was Huyayy ibn Akhtab, the leader of Banu Nadir. It was after this event that Muhammad...
, the fortress of the Qurayza, carried to Medina from seven to eight hundred Jews, among them being Huyayy, and killed them in the market-place. When Huyayy was brought before Muhammad, he said to him:
- "I reproach not myself for having carried on war against thee."
Huyayy had a daughter together with Barra bint Samawal: Safiyya bint Huyayy
Safiyya bint Huyayy
Safiyya bint Huyayy was a Jewish woman captured from the Banu Nadir tribe at age 17, who became Muhammad's wife. She was, along with all other wives of Muhammad, titled Umm-ul-Mo'mineen or the "Mother of Believers"....
. Safiyyah was also captured by Muhammad, who reportedly threw his cloak over, and she became one of his wives