Rayhana bint Zayd
Muhammad picked Rayhana from his war booty, she was ‘The Right Hand Possess’: sexual property. Rayhana was born into the Arab Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza in Medina. The history of the battle in which she became a prisoner of war is complex. I try to keep it as concise as possible. Muhammad carried out raids from Medina. The Meccans therefore wanted to eliminate him permanently. Medina was prepared for the war: the inhabitants dug a trench on the only accessible side of the city. It was not possible to get through Mecca with camels and horses. The year is 627 and the battle lasted two weeks. The strategy that Muhammad copied from the Persians was effective. Mecca then tried to cross the mountain range into Medina on the side where the Jewish tribe was located. To this end, the Banu Qurayza broke the agreement to march together against Mecca. Although this attempt also failed, Muhammad saw it as treason. It is understandable that the Jewish tribe wanted to be delivered from Muhammad . After all, he had become the occupier of Medina. As we know, Islam is the religion of revenge and it was not bad. Muhammad had the Jewish fortress surrounded and three weeks later the Jews surrendered. The Jewish men and older boys were beheaded in the central part of the city, the women and children sold on the slave market. It must have been a bloodbath, should they not have betrayed Muhammad? Does that justify collective punishment? Later the prophet would also withdraw from agreements. Muhammad unilaterally broke the treaty of Hudaibiyya (628). A treaty to refrain from war with Mecca for ten years. Muhammad took Mecca. The city was not prepared for it. Back to the battle at the moat. Muhammad chose the most beautiful woman from the spoils of war: Rayhana. There are various views on whether or not to marry Rayhana. In any case, Muhammad did not have to marry her because the spoils of war were free. What is clear is that Rayhana refused to convert and also refused to wear an Islamic hijab. That alone makes it unlikely that she would have agreed to marry the prophet. According to some sources, Muhammad eventually set her free, while others say she remained his slave. We won’t know anymore. She died around the year 630 not long before Muhammad died.
12. The wifes of the prophet: Rayhana