and you cannot move away from it to another place. Quraysh and Ghatafan, on the other hand, have their property, children, and women far away. If they see an opportunity for plunder, they will seize it; but otherwise, they will return to their own lands, leaving you to face the man alone. And since he is in your land, you have no power to withstand him if they leave you. Therefore, do not fight alongside these people until you obtain hostages from their leading men, to keep in your hands as security that they will fight Muhammad alongside you until you engage him in decisive battle.” They replied, “You have given sound and sincere counsel.”
He then went out until he came to Quraysh and said to Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and the Qurayshi men with him, “O people of Quraysh, you know my affection for you and my separation from Muhammad. I have learned something which I consider it my duty to convey to you as sincere advice; so keep it confidential for my sake.” They said, “We shall.”
He said, “You know that the Jews have regretted what they did in their dealings with Muhammad. They have sent word to him: ‘We regret what we have done. Would it satisfy you, with regard to us, if we took leading men from the two tribes, Quraysh and Ghatafan, and handed them over to you, so that you might strike off their heads, and then join you against those of them who remain?’ He sent back to them: ‘Yes.’ Therefore, if the Jews send to you seeking hostages from among your men, do not hand over to them a single man of yours.”
He then went out until he came to Ghatafan and said, “O people of Ghatafan, you are my kinfolk and my clan, and the people dearest to me. I do not think you suspect me.” They said, “You have spoken the truth.” 78/A He said, “Then keep it confidential for my sake.” They said, “We shall.” He then told them the same thing that he had told Quraysh and warned them as he had warned Quraysh.
Then, on the night preceding Saturday in Shawwal of the fifth year, as part of what Nu'aym had done for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, Abu Sufyan and the leaders of Ghatafan sent Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, together with a group from Quraysh and Ghatafan, to Banu Qurayzah. They said to them, “We are not in a place where we can remain. The camels and horses have perished. So come out in the morning to fight, so that we may engage Muhammad in decisive battle and finish what lies between us and him.”
Banu Qurayzah replied, “Today is Saturday, a day on which we do no work. Some of our people once committed a violation on that day, and what befell them is not unknown to you. Moreover, we will not fight alongside you unless you give us hostages from among your men, to remain in our hands as security for us until we engage Muhammad in decisive battle. For we fear that, if war wears you down and the fighting becomes severe for you, you will depart for your own lands and leave us behind with the man in our land; and we have no strength to withstand Muhammad in such a situation.”
When the messengers returned to Quraysh and Ghatafan with what Banu Qurayzah had said, Quraysh and Ghatafan said, “By Allah, what Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud told you is certainly true.” They sent word to Banu Qurayzah: “By Allah, we will not hand over to you a single one of our men. If you wish to fight, then come out and fight.”
When the messengers brought this response to Banu Qurayzah, they said, “What Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud told you is certainly true. These people want only to fight: if they find an opportunity, they will seize it; but otherwise, they will hasten back to their own lands, leaving you to face the man in your land.” So they sent word to Quraysh and Ghatafan: “By Allah, we will not fight alongside you until you give us hostages.” But they refused them, and Allah caused them to abandon one another (1). Allah then sent against them a wind during intensely cold winter nights, which overturned their cooking pots and cast down their vessels.