Ibn Isḥāq (1) said: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar ibn al-Zubayr related to me, from ʿUrwah, from ʿĀʾishah, who said:

“None of their women was killed except one woman. By Allah, she was with me, chatting and laughing loudly, while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was putting her menfolk to death in the market-place. Then a voice called out her name: ‘Where is So-and-so?’ She answered, ‘Here I am, by Allah.’ I said to her, ‘Woe to you—what is the matter?’ She replied, ‘I am to be executed.’ I asked, ‘Why?’ She said, ‘Because of something I have done.’ She was then taken away and her neck was struck.’”

ʿĀʾishah used to say, “By Allah, I shall never forget my astonishment at her—how cheerful she was and how much she laughed, even though she knew she was about to be killed.”

Imām Aḥmad (2) transmitted this ḥadīth as well, through Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm, from his father, from Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq, with the same chain.

Ibn Isḥāq (3) said: She was the one who had dropped the millstone on Khallād ibn Suwayd and killed him, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had her executed in retaliation (4). Elsewhere Ibn Isḥāq names her Nubātah (5), the wife of al-Ḥakam al-Quraẓī.

Ibn Isḥāq (6) said: Thereafter the Messenger of Allah ﷺ distributed the wealth, women, and children of Banū Qurayẓah among the Muslims after deducting the fifth. To every cavalryman he allotted three shares—two for his horse and one for the rider—and to every foot soldier a single share. The horses on that day numbered thirty-six.

He added: It was the first occasion on which booty was divided by shares and a fifth was set aside.

Ibn Isḥāq (7) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Saʿd ibn Zayd with captives from Banū Qurayẓah to Najd, where he exchanged them for horses and weapons. He had chosen for himself from among their women Rayḥānah bint ʿAmr ibn Khunāfah, one of the women of Banū ʿAmr ibn Qurayẓah. She remained with him until she died while still in his possession. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had offered her Islam, but she declined; later she embraced Islam, and he was pleased with her conversion. He also offered to free her and marry her, but she preferred to remain in bondage, finding that easier for herself. She stayed with him until he passed away—peace and blessings be upon him.

Ibn Isḥāq (8) then discussed the verses revealed regarding the episode of the Trench, beginning at the start of Sūrat al-Aḥzāb. We have presented that in full in our commentary (9), and to Allah belong all praise and grace.