How wretchedly Khaybar fought to defend the farmland and date-palms they had hoarded!
They shrank from death, so their sanctuary was laid open, and they resigned themselves to the deed of the base and humbled.
Do they flee from death? Death is death—and the death of a withered soul is no fair fate.

Kaʿb ibn Mālik (1) also said, as Ibn Hishām transmits from Abū Zayd al-Anṣārī, in the ṭawīl metre:

We reached Khaybar and its fields at dawn
with every youth bare-chested and driving ahead. (2)
A generous soul when the highest aims are sought,
never weakened, daring the foe in every scene.
His cooking-pot’s ashes rise tall each wintry night,
yet he hews with the tempered edge of an Indian blade.
He deems death praiseworthy when it grants martyrdom—
hoping for it from God and for victory with Aḥmad.
He guards and protects the honor of Muḥammad,
shielding him both with tongue and hand.
He champions him against whatever may trouble him,
staking his own life before Muḥammad’s life.
He believes, with pure devotion, the tidings of the unseen,
seeking thereby honor and triumph on the morrow.

Section: His ﷺ passage through Wādī al-Qurā, his siege of a group of Jews, and his treaty with the Jews of Taymāʾ, as reported by al-Wāqidī.

Al-Wāqidī (3) said: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz related to me, from al-Zuhrī, from Abū Salamah, from Abū Hurayrah, who said:

We departed with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, from Khaybar to Wādī al-Qurā. Rafāʿah ibn Zayd ibn Wahb al-Judhāmī had given the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, a black slave named Midʿam, who used to ready his mount. When we reached Wādī al-Qurā we came upon some Jews, and a number of Arabs had also arrived there. While Midʿam was unloading the pack of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, the Jews—who had greeted us with a volley of arrows as soon as we dismounted, before we could form ranks—were shouting from their strongholds. A stray arrow struck Midʿam and killed him.

The people said, “Good news for him—Paradise awaits!” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, replied:

“By the One in whose hand is my soul, no. The cloak he took on the day of Khaybar, before the spoils had been divided, is now kindling fire upon him.”

When the people heard this, a man brought the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, a sandal-strap—or two sandal-straps—whereupon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“A single sandal-strap of fire, or two sandal-straps of fire.”

This ḥadīth