Tricks and T muon^145
accepted both. This attitude was to have major consequences for the
future of the Muslim community, as after the Prophet's death t.vo main
schools of thought appeared: the ahl al-hadj/b, who after Abdullah ibn
Umar and in the spirit of the fir st group mentioned above kept to the lit-
eral meaning of the sayings reported in Prophetic tradition (slmnab), and
the abl ar-rqy, who with Abdullah ibn Masud tried to understand the pur-
pose of the saying, its spirit, and its o ccasionally figurative meaning. Both
approaches had been accepted by the Prophet, and both were therefore
cotrect and legitimate ways of remain ing faithful to the message.
About three thousand men now encircled the Banu Qurap:ah fortress-
es. T rapped, with tittle food, the Banu Qurayzah nevertheless resisted for
twenty-five days, so strong was theis fear of the fate they expected them
after such serious treason. The Prophet sent Abu Lubabah, a man from
the Aw~ (who had formerly sealed a pact with the Danu Nad.ir and had in
effect remained close to the Banu Quray%ah), to discuss the terms of their
surrender. At the sight of the desolation inside the fortress walls, Abu
Lubabah could not help himlng to the Banu Qurayzah that death would
be their fate if they surrendered. He later bitterly regretted his attitude,
which couJd have led the Banu Qurayzah not to surrender or to seek a way
out through other alliances. However, they decided to open the doors of
theit fortresses and acknowledge their defeat.
The women and children were placed in the custody of a former rabbi,
Abdullah ibn Sallam, and the seven hundred men were tied up and kept
aside in a field. Their belongings, riches, and weapons were collected to be
taken back to 1-Iedina. T he Aws immediately sent a delegation to the
Prophet requesting him to deal with the Banu Qurayzah with the same
clemency he had shown so far to the other groups that had joined against
him. Mubammad asked the Aws: ' '\''/ould you be satisfied if 1 asked one
of you to pronounce the judgment about them?,,]1 They answered most
positively, convinced that one of their own could not forget past alliances,
and the Prophet sent for Sad ibn iVfuadb, who was still wounded and was
being nursed in the Medina mosque. A delegation went to fetch him.
The Prophet had so far spared his prisoners' lives. As previously noted,
he had found some of the Badr captives among his fiercest enemies at
Uhud, and the same had happened wid1 the Banu Nadir: he had allowed
them to leave with their women and children and their wealth, and later
their chief, Huyay, led the Confederate plot. Among the Banu Qurayzah