The Banu Qurayza Incident Between Myth and History: Reassessing Early Sources and Restoring Prophetic Justice
Few episodes in the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ life have been as misrepresented as the case of Banu Qurayza, often portrayed as a mass execution of hundreds of Jews following the Battle of the Trench. This story, frequently cited by polemicists, has fueled misunderstanding and hostility toward Islam.
Yet a careful re-examination of early sources—combined with Qur’anic ethics and sound historical method—reveals a very different picture: the Prophet’s actions reflected measured justice, legal due process, and mercy, not indiscriminate violence.
Historical and Political Context
In 5 AH / 627 CE, Medina faced an existential siege when a coalition of hostile tribes, led by Quraysh, encircled the city in what became known as the Battle of the Trench (al-Khandaq).
Among Medina’s inhabitants were three Jewish tribes—Banu Qaynuqaʿ, Banu al-Nadir, and Banu Qurayza—each bound by the Constitution of Medina, which guaranteed mutual defense and neutrality.
During the siege, reports suggest that Banu Qurayza violated their pact and conspired with the attacking forces to strike Medina from the rear. Such a betrayal, if successful, could have destroyed the nascent Muslim community. After the confederate army withdrew, the Prophet ﷺ besieged Banu Qurayza’s fortress for twenty-five days until they surrendered. At their own request, judgment was placed in the hands of Saʿd ibn Muʿādh, chief of the Aws tribe and their former ally.
The Arbitration of Saʿd ibn Muʿādh
Saʿd ruled that the combatants who had committed treason be executed and that the women and children be treated as prisoners of war. The Prophet ﷺ neither imposed this verdict nor altered it; rather, he accepted a judgment delivered by an arbitrator freely chosen by the accused.
Saʿd’s ruling corresponded to Jewish law of the period—specifically, Deuteronomy 20:10–14—which prescribes capital punishment for male combatants of a besieged city guilty of treachery. Thus, the decision was rooted not in vengeance but in contemporary legal norms that Banu Qurayza themselves recognized.
The Question of Numbers: Myth versus Evidence
The often-repeated claim that between 600 and 900 men were executed traces back to Ibn Ishaq’s Sīra, compiled more than a century after the events. His account was later echoed by al-Waqidi and al-Tabari, both of whom relied on narrative storytelling rather than authenticated isnād-based methodology.
However:
None of the canonical ḥadith collections (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, etc.) mention any number or describe the event as a massacre.
The earliest credible numeric report comes from Abu ʿUbayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam (d. 224 AH) in his legal compendium Kitāb al-Amwāl. Citing the reliable Tābiʿī ʿAbd Allah ibn Kaʿb ibn Mālik, Abu ʿUbayd states that only forty combatants were executed.
This figure is significant because:
It appears in a legal-economic context, not a polemical or legendary one.
It aligns with the Qur’anic principle of individual accountability—“No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another” (Q 6:164).
It conforms to the Constitution of Medina, which recognized personal rather than collective responsibility.
The conclusion is clear: the inflated numbers likely arose in later centuries when storytellers and political partisans embellished early events to serve their own agendas.
Qur’anic Ethics and Prophetic Mercy
The Qur’an describes the Prophet ﷺ as “a mercy to all worlds” (Q 21:107). His leadership was defined by restraint, justice, and forgiveness—even toward enemies.
The Qur’an consistently commands proportional and fair punishment:
“Stand firmly for justice as witnesses for God, even against yourselves or your kin.” (Q 4:135)
“No soul shall bear the burden of another.” (Q 6:164)
Understood in this light, the Banu Qurayza ruling was not a collective reprisal but a legal decision limited to proven offenders. The Prophet upheld the judgment of a neutral arbitrator, thereby demonstrating the Qur’anic values of due process and moral integrity.
Beyond the Numbers: The Human Dimension
Even in times of war, the Prophet ﷺ embodied compassion. He forbade the killing of non-combatants, ensured humane treatment of prisoners, and urged his followers to feed captives with the same food they ate:
“They give food, despite their love for it, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive.” (Q 76:8)
This verse—revealed in Medina—reflects the ethical climate the Prophet cultivated: discipline in battle, mercy in victory, and respect for human dignity.
Why the Story Matters Today
Correcting the record is not merely an academic exercise. It has three vital implications:
Restoring the Prophet’s moral image as a just and compassionate leader.
Grounding historical understanding in Qur’anic ethics, countering polemical distortions.
Strengthening interfaith dialogue by demonstrating that justice and mercy are foundational Islamic values, not later inventions.
Moreover, this case underscores the necessity of reading Islamic history through critical verification, not inherited legend. Authentic faith does not fear evidence, it welcomes truth.
Method for Researchers
For direct consultation of Abu ʿUbayd’s text, scholars can access the verified Arabic edition of Kitāb al-Amwāl through Al-Maktaba al-Shamela
Search within the text using keywords such as “Banu Qurayza,” “forty,” “ʿAbd Allah ibn Kaʿb ibn Mālik,” or “executed men.” Relevant discussions usually appear under sections on war spoils (al-ghanā’im) and the rulings on captives (aḥkām al-sabī wa al-asrā).
Conclusion
Revisiting the Banu Qurayza incident is not about apologetics—it is about truth and fairness.
When examined through reliable sources and Qur’anic ethics, the event reflects the Prophet’s unwavering commitment to justice, mercy, and individual responsibility. Far from a tale of vengeance, it stands as an example of principled leadership under extreme pressure.
Restoring this balanced understanding not only honors the integrity of the Prophet’s mission but also safeguards the intellectual honesty of Islamic scholarship—and invites all people of faith to see in him what the Qur’an proclaimed: a mercy to the worlds.
References
Abu ʿUbayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam, Kitāb al-Amwāl, citing ʿAbd Allah ibn Kaʿb ibn Mālik.
Ibn Hisham, Al-Sīra al-Nabawiyya.
Al-Tabari, Tārīkh al-Rusul wa al-Mulūk.
Kister, M. J., “The Massacre of the Banu Qurayza: A Re-examination of a Tradition,” Hebrew University.
“Siege of Banu Qurayza,” Wikipedia.