so they went to the city and settled there, and they also took up residence in Khaybar. They presumed that this prophet would arise from the Children of Israel; but when he was sent from the descendants of Ishmael, an Arab people, they envied them and rejected him—Allah’s refuge is sought—even though they recognized him as clearly as they recognize their own sons: “Yet when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it” (Quran 2:89). They protested, “This is not the prophet we were promised.”

They nevertheless concluded a treaty with the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—but then violated it. In Medina there were three tribes: Banu Qaynuqaʿ, Banu Nadir, and Banu Qurayzah. Each had pledged allegiance to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, yet all of them broke the covenant.

Allah—praise be to Him—vanquished them at the hands of the Prophet ﷺ. The last of them were Banu Qurayzah, regarding whom Saʿd ibn Muʿādh—may Allah be pleased with him—passed judgment: their fighting men were to be executed, their women and children taken captive, and their wealth seized. They numbered about seven hundred. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered their execution, and they were all put to death. Such are the Jews: ever given to treachery, betrayal, and covenant-breaking—from the time Moses, peace be upon him, was sent among them until today and until the Day of Resurrection. They are the most deceitful of people with respect to covenants and the least trustworthy with respect to trusts. Therefore they can never be relied upon in any matter; whoever does so has plainly failed to learn their history since ancient times.

The Prophet’s statement, “Tomorrow I will surely hand the banner to a man through whose hands Allah will grant victory; he loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him,” contains two tremendous virtues.