Siege of Banu Qaynuqa

The tribe of Banu Qaynuqa' was the first of Medina's Jewish groups to break the covenant of the Sahifa; they were skilled goldsmiths and arms-makers, held a great market in Medina, and were its bravest Jews at about seven hundred fighters. ¹

After the Muslims' victory at Badr, Banu Qaynuqa' grew openly hostile and insulting. The Prophet gathered them in their market, admonished them and called them to hold to the covenant; they answered with arrogance: "Muhammad, do not let it delude you that you killed some men of Quraysh who were greenhorns who knew nothing of fighting. Had you fought us you would have known that we are the people, and that you never met our like." ^{2 3}

Then came the incident of Banu Qaynuqa''s market, when a Jewish goldsmith deliberately pinned a Muslim woman's skirt to her back; when she stood her nakedness was exposed and they laughed at her — a Muslim man sprang on the goldsmith and killed him, and the Jews gathered on the Muslim and killed him. ⁴

The Prophet left Abu Lubaba ibn Abd al-Mundhir in charge of Medina, gave the command banner to his uncle Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib, and marched with the army until he besieged Banu Qaynuqa' in their fortresses on Saturday 15 Shawwal 2 AH; the siege lasted fifteen nights into Dhu al-Qa'da. ⁴

God cast terror into their hearts and they came down to the Messenger of God's judgement on their persons, wealth, women and children. Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul stood — they had been his allies in the Jahiliyya — and pressed his intercession, clinging to the Prophet's coat of mail; the Prophet granted them to him, sparing their blood, and ordered their exile from Medina without their weapons. ⁵

Ubada ibn al-Samit took charge of their departure, renouncing his pact with them to God and His Messenger; they went out to Wadi al-Qura then settled at Adhri'at in Syria, and Muhammad ibn Maslama gathered their wealth and arms, which the Prophet took a fifth of. ^{6 7}