Khaybar: the departure and the dating

The seventh year of the prophetic Hijra opened with the Ghazwa of Khaybar. Shu’ba reported from al-Hakam, from Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Layla, that the words of the Most High "and He will reward you with a victory near at hand" (al-Fath, 18) referred to Khaybar. Moussa ibn Oqba reports that, returning from Houdaybiya, the Messenger of Allah stayed in Medina for about twenty days, then set out for Khaybar, which Allah had promised him. Az-Zouhri places the conquest of Khaybar in the sixth year, but the correct view is that it took place at the beginning of the seventh year. Ibn Ishaq states that the Messenger of Allah stayed in Medina upon his return from Houdaybiya in Dhoul-Hijja and part of Mouharram, then set out in the remainder of Mouharram and arrived at the end of Safar. Marwan and al-Miswar report that the sura of Victory was revealed to him between Mecca and Medina.

Fearing that Ghatafan, allied with the Jews, would come to their aid, he camped at ar-Raji’, a valley lying between Khaybar and the territory of Ghatafan, in order to raise a barrier. Ibn Ishaq reports that Ghatafan, when they learned the news, gathered and set out to reinforce the Jews; but after a day’s march they heard behind them a commotion among their property and their families. Believing that the enemy had struck their rear, they turned back on their heels and remained with their families, leaving the Messenger of Allah alone before Khaybar. He appointed Noumayla ibn Abdallah al-Laythi as governor of Medina.

Imam Ahmad reports through Khouthaym ibn Irak, from his father, that Abou Hourayra arrived in Medina with a group of his people while the Prophet was at Khaybar and Siba’ ibn Ourfouta al-Ghifari governed the city. Abou Hourayra said: "I came to him while he was reciting in the dawn prayer, in the first rak’a: Kaf-Ha-Ya-’Ayn-Sad (Maryam, 1), and in the second: woe to the defrauders (al-Moutaffifin, 1). I said to myself: woe to so-and-so when he measures, he will measure in full. When he had prayed, he provided us with something until we came to Khaybar, which the Prophet had already conquered, and the Muslims let us share in their portions."

The Bayhaqi reports this hadith by a similar chain.