Safiyya bint Huyayy (Arabic: صفية بنت حيي, c. 610 - c. 670) was a Jewess from the Banu Nadir tribe, who became Muhammad's eleventh wife. After Muhammad's death, she became involved in the power politics of the early Muslim community and had acquired substantial wealth by the time of her death. The Arabic language (Arabic: ‎ transliterated: ), or simply Arabic (Arabic: ‎ transliterated: ), is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... Jews (Hebrew: יהודים, Yehudim) are followers of Judaism or, more generally, members of the Jewish people (also known as the Jewish nation, or the Children of Israel), an ethno-religious group descended from the ancient Israelites and converts who joined their religion. ... The Banu Nadir (Arabic: ‎) were one of the three main Jewish tribes living in Medina, now in Saudi Arabia, in the 7th century. ... For other people named Muhammad, see Muhammad (disambiguation). ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Turkish: Müslüman, Persian: مسلمان) is an adherent of Islam. ...

Early life

Safiyya was born in Medina and belonged to the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir. Her father, Huyayy ibn Akhtab was the chief of Banu Nadir, and her mother, Barra bint Samawal, belonged to the Banu Qurayza tribe. When Banu Nadir was expelled from Medina in 625, her family settled in Khaybar, an oasis near Medina.^[1] Her father and brother went from Khaybar to join the Meccan and Bedouin forces beseiging Muhammad in Medina during the Battle of the Trench. Both fought alongside the Banu Qurayza and were killed, together with all the men of Banu Qurayza, by Muhammad's followers.^[2] In 627 or early in 628, Safiyya married Kinana ibn al-Rabi, treasurer of Banu Nadir; she was about 17 years old at that time.^[1] Medina (Arabic: ‎ or المدينة ; also transliterated into English as Madinah) is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia. ... The Banu Nadir (Arabic: ‎) were one of the three main Jewish tribes living in Medina, now in Saudi Arabia, in the 7th century. ... Huyayy ibn Akhtab was a chief of the Banu al-Nadir, a Jewish tribe of pre-Islamic Arabia. ... The Banu Qurayza (Arabic بنو قريظة; alternate spellings include Quraiza, Qurayzah, Quraytha, and the archaic Koreiza) were a Jewish tribe who lived in northern Arabia during the 7th century, at the oasis of Yathrib (now known as Medina). ... Medina (Arabic: ‎ or المدينة ; also transliterated into English as Madinah) is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia. ... Khaybar is the name of a geographical location in Saudi Arabia. ... This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ... Bedouin resting at Mount Sinai Bedouin, derived from the Arabic , a generic name for a desert-dweller, is a term generally applied to Arab nomadic pastoralist groups, who are found throughout most of the desert belt extending from the Atlantic coast of the Sahara via the Western Desert, Sinai, and... Combatants Muslims Quraysh-led Coalition Commanders Muhammad Abu Sufyan ibn Harb Strength 3,000 10,000 The Battle of Khandaq (AKA Battle of the Trench (Arabic غزوةالخندق), Battle of the Ditch, Battle of Ahzab (Arabic غزوةالاحزاب) was an attack by the city of Mecca on the city Medina in 627. ... Kinana ibn al-Rabi was a Jewish leader of seventh-century Arabia and an opponent of Muhammad; son of the poet al-Rabi ibn Abu al-Huqayq, who flourished at Medina in the seventh century, prior to the appearance of Mohammed at that town. ...

Capture and marriage to Muhammad

In 628, Safiyya was captured, together with two of her cousins, after Muhammad's victory over Jews in the Battle of Khaybar. Since her father and husband (was killed as a retaliation for Mahmud bin Mesleme) were both killed during the battle, she was among the slave women. When Mohammad was told that Dihya ibn Khalifa was asking for Safiyya he set her free by paying the required amount (which is called Safiyy afterwards) due to her father's role and dignity in the tribe. He had done the same after the Battle of Mustaliq and freed the daughter of the chief. Combatants Muslims Jews of Khaybar oasis Commanders Muhammad Strength 1,400–1,800 unknown The Battle of Khaybar was fought in the year 629 between Muhammad and his followers against the Jews living in Khaybar, an oasis located 150 kilometers (95 miles) from Medina in the area of Hejaz of... Kinana ibn al-Rabi was a Jewish leader of seventh-century Arabia and an opponent of Muhammad; son of the poet al-Rabi ibn Abu al-Huqayq, who flourished at Medina in the seventh century, prior to the appearance of Mohammed at that town. ... Juwayriyya bint al-Harith (Arabic: جويرية بنت الحارث juwayriyya bint al-ḥārith) was married to prophet Muhammad when he was 58 years old and she was 20. ...

Muhammad gave Safiyya the option of marrying to him or leaving freely of which she chose to marry him, and thus she could become Muhammad's wife .^[3]

Despite her conversion, Muhammad's other wives ostracized her for her Jewish origin. Doubts about Safiyya's commitment to Islam and the suspicion that she would avenge her slain kin are recurring themes in the numerous Muslim biographies of her. In these stories, Muhammad or Umar admonish the doubters and reaffirm the quality of her Islam.^[1] For other uses of the name, see Umar (disambiguation). ...

Political involvement and estate

In 656, Safiyya sided with caliph Uthman. She defended him during his last meeting with Ali, Aisha, and al-Zubayr, and when Uthman was besieged in his house Safiyya made an unsuccessful attempt to reach him, and brought him food and water by means of a plank placed between her dwelling and his.^[1] Caliph is the term or title for the Islamic leader of the Ummah, or community of Islam. ... For other uses of the name, see Uthman (disambiguation). ... ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (Arabic: ‎ Persian: ‎ )‎ (599 – 661) was an early Islamic leader. ... Aisha bint Abu Bakr, Ayşe, Ayesha, Aisha, or Aisha (Arabicعائشة `āisha, she who lives) was a wife of Muhammad, whom Muslims regard as the final prophet of Islam. ...

Safiyya died in 670 or 672, leaving an estate of 100,000 dirhams in land and goods, one-third of which she bequeathed to her sister's son, who followed Judaism. Her dwelling in Medina was bought by Muawiyya, who was a caliph at that time, for 180,000 dirhams.^[1] Dirham is a unit of currency in several Arabic-speaking nations, including: Islamic Dirham The Moroccan dirham The United Arab Emirates dirham 1/1000th of the Libyan dinar 1/100th of the Qatari riyal The dirham, spelt diram, is 1/100 of the Tajikistani somoni. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people with around 15 million followers as of 2006. ... Muˤāwiyya I, or Muˤāwiyya ibn Abī-Sufyān (Arabic: ). (602 - May 6, 680) was the fifth Muslim Caliph and founder of the Umayyad Dynasty of Islamic caliphs. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Vacca, V. Safiyya. In P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Islam Online. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.
2. ^ Stillman, Norman (1979). The Jews of Arab Lands: A History and Source Book. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America. ISBN 082760198., p.17
3. ^ Ibn Hanbal.Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, v3, pp 138