In Safar 4 H one chief of Abu Bara came from Najd to Madina. The Prophet (s.a.) invited him to embrace Islam. He said that he would have no objection to embracing the Faith, but he would prefer if the Prophet (s.a.) sent with him a delegation of Muslims to Najd to extend the invitation to the people there. The Prophet (s.a.) expressed his doubt that some persons in Najd might harm the delegates. Abu Bara said that the men will go in his personal protection. The Prophet (s.a.) selected seventy companions who were pious, and well informed, and sent them with a letter from himself to the people of Najd. On reaching the region, the delegation halted at Bar Maoona and gave the Prophet (s.a.)’s letter to Haram ibne Malhaan to take it to Aamir ibne Tofail, the nephew of Abu Bara. That enemy of Allah refused to read or even take the letter. Haram ibne Malhaan, sensing the situation said that if he had his pardon, he would say something. Before he could say anything further, at a hint from Aamir, one of his men pierced a spear in the back of the courier. He fell down dead.
After this heartless murder, Aamir sent his men to Bar Maouna to attack the Muslims. But they refused to act because they were aware of the protection that Bara had promised them. With the help of some other tribes, Aamir surrounded the Muslims and killed all of them excepting two of the group. Of these two, one was Kaab ibne Zaid whom they thought dead and left him. The other was Umro ibne Umayya who was taken prisoner but later on released as a thanksgiving offer of Aamir’s mother for a boon that she had received! When Umro reached Qurrat al Kadr, on the way to Madina, he noticed two companions of Aamir and quietly shadowed them. While the two were sleeping under a tree he murdered them as a Qasas for the killing of the delegates by Aamir. When he reached Madina he learnt that both the persons had been given a written amnesty by the Prophet (s.a.). When the Prophet (s.a.) was informed of this event, he said that whatever had happened was because of lack of information and misunderstanding and that blood money shall be paid to both the families.
The Prophet (s.a.) was having an agreement of cooperation with the Jewish Tribes of Bani Qaniqa, Bani Qariza and Bani Nazeer. He thought of borrowing some money from Bani Nazeer for paying to the families of the two deceased persons as a settlement. They responded by saying that he was their guest and they would comply with what he has asked for. The Prophet (s.a.), along with his Companions, went to the locality of Bani Nazeer which was in the neighborhood of Madina. He sat there with his back to the wall of their fortress. Bani Nazeer were not having any good intentions. They sent a person, Umro ibne Hajash, to climb the wall of the fortress and throw a big stone on the Prophet (s.a.) to kill him. The Prophet (s.a.) got a vision that he should immediately rise and return to Madina. He sent a word through Mohammed ibne Maslima that the Bani Nazeer were behaving treacherously and were attempting to kill him contrary to the terms of their agreement. He served them a notice that with all their belongings they should go away within ten days. When Bani Nazeer got this notice, they prepared to leave Madina. But Abd Allah bin Ubai, who was their cohort, asked them to keep staying in their homes and not to shift to any other
place. He assured them that he would help them with a 2,000 strong contingent. He also told them that in the event of a conflict even Bani Qariza, Bani Ghatfan and their allies too will help them. When Bani Nazeer received offers of help, they decided to stay put.and sent word to the Prophet (s.a.) that they wouldn’t evacuate their homes and he might do whatever he wished to! In a manner it was an invitation to fight, leaving no choice for the Prophet (s.a.). The Prophet (s.a.) got together a small contingent and marched towards the fortress. Tabari writes:
“On that day
the Standard of the Prophet (s.a.) was in the hand of Ali ibne Abi Talib (a.s.). ” Ref: Tareeq e Tabari, Vol 2, Page 226
When Bani Nazeer saw the Islamic contingent coming, they locked themselves inside the fortress. The Muslims established a siege of the fortress. When they saw that they were surrounded from all sides, the Bani Nazeer started flinging stones and arrows from the ramparts of the fortress but didn’t succeed in disturbing the siege. One night some Jews came out of the fortress and sent a barrage of arrows on the Muslims to force them lift the siege. One of them took aim of the Prophet (s.a.)’s tent and shot an arrow. The Prophet (s.a.) ordered his tent to be pitched at the base of the hill away from the open, exposed place. The Prophet (s.a.) ordered the shifting, and Hazrat Ali (a.s.) stood up and watched to identify the bowman. When the Companions missed Ali (a.s.) they asked the Prophet (s.a.) of his whereabouts. He said that he must have gone for some work. A short while after that they found Ali (a.s.) coming with the head of a Jew in his hand. He went near the Prophet (s.a.) and put the head near his feet. He said, “This is the head of the famous Jewish bowman, Galool, who had sent the arrow towards your tent! He and nine of his fellow bowmen have been creeping around our camps. If I can lay my hands on more of them, I shall bring them dead or alive!” The Prophet (s.a.) sent Abu Dajana, Sahl ibne Hanif and a few more persons with Hazrat Ali (a.s). He came out with his men. They must have gone a little distance when they surrounded the Jews before they could get inside the fortress and lock themselves in. All the nine Jews were killed outside the gate of their fortress.
When Bani Nazeer saw that their men got killed and Bani Ghatfan and Bani Qariza didn’t turn up to help nor was any sign of the two thousand men promised by Abd Allah ibne Ubai, they capitulated to the Prophet (s.a.) and requested for amnesty that they would ultimately evacuate the fortress and leave the place. The Prophet (s.a) agreed to their request but prohibited them from taking the arms with them. Whatever else was in their possession, they were free to take away. Therefore the Jews demolished their dwellings with their own hands and they carried away the doors, windows and other merchandise on camels and went singing and playing musical instruments! Some of them went towards Syria and one group in which there was Salam ibne Abil Haqeeq, Kanana ibne Rubiahand Hai ibne Akhtab went to the west of Madina and settled down in Khaibar.
The lands of Bani Nazeer and the gardens were treated as Fai (the Evacuee Property) were termed as theproperty of the Prophet (s.a.). Therefore Hazrat Omer says: “The property of Bani Nazeer that Allah had given to His Prophet (s.a.) was a special property because the Muslims neither ran their horses nor the camels.” Fatooh al Baladan, Page 26 This event took place in Rabi al Awwal 4 H and six months after the Battle of Ohod.
Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi 