Muhammad ibn Ishaq narrated from al-Zuhri that al-Zubayr ibn Bata al-Qurazi, whose kunyah was Abu Abd al-Rahman, had once shown kindness to Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammās during the pre-Islamic period, on the Day of Buath. He had captured him, cut off his forelock, and then set him free. On the day of Qurayzah, Thabit came to him while he was an old man and said, “O Abu Abd al-Rahman, do you recognize me?” He replied, “Could one such as I fail to recognize one such as you?” Thabit said, “I wished to repay you for the favor you showed me.” He replied, “A noble man repays a noble man.”

Thabit then went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, “O Messenger of Allah, al-Zubayr once showed me a favor, and I owe him a debt of gratitude. I would like to repay him for it, so grant me his life.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “He is yours.” Thabit then went to him and said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has granted me your life.”

He said, “What use is life to an old man with neither family nor children?” Thabit then went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what of his family and property?” He said, “They are yours.” So Thabit went to him and said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has given me your wife and children; they are yours.”

He said, “What good is it for a household in the Hijaz to remain without any wealth?” Thabit then went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked, “And his property, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “It is yours.” Thabit went to him and said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has given me your property; it is yours.”

He said, “O Thabit, what has Allah done to the man whose face was like a Chinese mirror, in which the young maidens of the tribe would gaze at themselves—Kab ibn Asad?” Thabit replied, “He has been killed.” He asked, “And what has become of the chief of town and desert, Huyayy ibn Akhtab?” Thabit replied, “He has been killed.” He asked, “And what has become of our leader when we charged and our defender when we turned back, Azal ibn Shammuil?” Thabit replied, “He has been killed.” He asked, “And what has become of the two assemblies”—meaning Banu Kab ibn Qurayzah and Banu Amr ibn Qurayzah? Thabit replied, “They are gone; they have been killed.”

He said, “O Thabit, I ask you by the favor I did you: join me with my people. By Allah, there is no good in life after them. I shall not wait for as long as it takes to draw up a bucket of water before joining my loved ones.” Thabit then brought him forward, and his neck was struck. When his words, “joining my loved ones,” reached Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, he said, “By Allah, he will join them in the Fire of Hell, abiding therein forever and ever.” (1)

They said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had ordered the execution of those among them who had grown pubic hair. (2) He then divided the wealth, women, and children of Banu Qurayzah among the Muslims. On that day, the shares allotted to cavalry and to foot soldiers were established, and he set aside one-fifth of it. The horseman received three shares: two shares for his horse and one share for himself; while the foot soldier who had no horse received one share. There were thirty-six horses. This was the first booty in which shares were apportioned.

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then sent Sad ibn Zayd al-Ansari, of Banu Abd al-Ashhal, to Najd with captives from among the captives of Banu Qurayzah, and acquired horses and weapons for them in exchange.

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, selected for himself from among their women Rayhanah bint Amr ibn Khananah, one of the women of Banu Amr ibn Qurayzah. She remained with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, until he died, while she was still in his possession. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wished to marry her and require her to observe the veil, but she said, “O Messenger of Allah, rather, leave me”