Conquest of Fort Khayber, Introduction, Conquest of 10 forts
Update on 12September, 2026
This article is about conquest of khayber. In this article you will read about
Battle of khayber, Introduction
Background of battle of khayber
Departure of army
Battle strategy
Battle strategy of Khayber people
Names of Khayber 10 forts
Events of battle
Hazrat ali conquered khayber
Battle of Khyber
Introduction
At a distance of about three floors from Khyber Medina towards Syria it was an area with a Jewish population. In this place, the Jews had built strong fortresses.
Passage view of Battle Khyber
It was only a few days before the Prophet returned to Hudaybiyah that he found out that the Jews of Khyber were planning to attack Madinah again. They wanted to avenge the failure of the trench warfare, to regain their lost honor. They had also brought the brave warriors of Babu Ghatfan with them and they had an agreement that if they conquered Madinah. So a share of the, produce of Khyber will always be given to Banu Ghatfan.
(Fatah Al-Bari, Volume 7, Page 356 - Sharh Al-Mawahib, Volume 2, Page 217)
Muslims did not forget harshness of battle of Trench until the end of the war. That is why all the Muslims agreed that now we will go out and fight the enemy.
(Rahmatul Al-Amin Page 7)
Departure of the army
Only those companions who were mentioned in Surat al-Fatah were included in this army ( that Allah was pleased with them who were taking pledge under a tree.)
Their total strength was fourteen hundred, of whom two were riding horses.
Battle strategy
Hazrat Mohammad knew that Ghatfan had gathered an army with the help of the Jews, that is why you stayed between Khyber and Ghatfan.
So that Ghatfan's army will be overwhelmed by you and will not be able to help the Jews. When the Ghatfanions found out, they went back.
(Sirat Anbi Volume 2 Page 380)
You waited for the morning. When it was dawn, you started preparing. When the Jews of Khyber went out for their work, as soon as it was dawn. But seeing your army, they said that Mohammad had come with his army... Rasoolallah raised his hands for prayer.
The strategy of the people of Khyber
Rasoolullah set up a camp in Khyber and at the same time he started building mosques and preaching. Hazrat Usman was the officer of this camp and all the responsibilities were given to him.
Fort
The people of Khyber built ten forts near population. There were ten thousand soldiers in them. These 10 forts were conquered one by one by the Muslims. The names of the forts are below.
Names of forts
Fort Naham
Fort Natat
Hassan Sahab bin Mowaz
Hassan Al-Zubair
Hasan Shan
Hasan Albar
Hassan Abi
Hasan Tabari qamoos
Hassan Vita
Hasan Salam
Facts of the war
Mahmud bin Muslimah was made the chief of the army and he started the battle at Fort Natat.
Holy Prophet himself was also a participant in the war. The war continued for 5 days but the fort was not conquered.
Muhammad bin Muslimah also advised them to cut the date palms of the garden.
So that if they feel sad, they should come and fight from the fort. Some dates were cut but Hazrat Abu Bakr said that this area will be taken over by the Muslims so why harm yourself? The Messenger of Allah liked it.
When Mahmood bin Muslima sat down to rest a little by the wall of the fort, the Jews stoned him to death.
Muhammad bin Muslimah narrated the story of his brother's martyrdom to Hazrat Muhammad, then he said,
"Tomorrow, the flag of the army will be hoisted on a person whom Allah and His Messenger love."
It was such a distortion that all the brave men of the army started waiting for the command of the army the next day.
Secrets of war were found by a Jew
One night when Hazrat Ummar was guarding the army, he arrested a Jew.
You entrusted the Jew to the Messenger of Allah. The Jew said, "I will tell you the secrets of war if my lord gives me the safety of my children."
The Jew said that tonight the Jews are keeping their children and women in Fort Shan. I know that place. I will tell you about the fort later. Fort Shaan also has equipment to break the fort in the kitchen.
I will also tell you about the fort later.
Hazrat Ali conquered Khyber
*The Conquest of Khaybar by Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) - A Detailed Account*
The Battle of Khaybar, 7 AH / 628 CE, is one of the most decisive moments in early Islamic history. It wasn’t just a military victory. It was a test of leadership, strategy, and faith. And at the center of it was Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA).
Here’s the expert breakdown:
*1. Background: Why Khaybar?
After the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Prophet ﷺ turned to Khaybar.
*Khaybar* was a cluster of 8 fortified Jewish settlements ∼150 km north of Madinah. It was the economic and military hub for tribes who were hostile to Muslims.
Key reasons for the expedition:
1. *Security threat*: The Jews of Khaybar had allied with the Confederates in the Battle of the Trench and were funding anti-Muslim coalitions.
2. *Economic necessity*: After years of boycott and war, the Muslim state needed a stable source of food and resources. Khaybar was famous for its date farms and agriculture.
3. *Removing the base of plotting*: As long as Khaybar stood, Madinah would never be safe.
The Prophet ﷺ left Madinah with ∼1400-1600 men. No women. No children. This was a full campaign.
*2. The Problem: Impregnable Forts
Khaybar was not one fort. It was 8 major forts spread across the oasis:
*Na'im, Qamus, al-Watih, al-Sulalim, Abi, an-Nizar, ash-Shiqq, and al-Katiba.*
The Jews had 10,000+ fighters, high walls, gates of iron, and stored food for years.
The Muslims tried for days. Several companions led attacks and returned without success. Morale was low. The forts seemed impossible to breach.
This is where the turning point comes.
*3. The Appointment of Hazrat Ali (RA): "The Standard of Victory"*
On the eve before the final assault, the Prophet ﷺ made a statement that changed everything.
He said: _“Tomorrow I will give the flag to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love. Through him, Allah will grant victory.”_ [Sahih Bukhari 3701, Sahih Muslim 2406]
The companions spent the night wondering who it would be.
The next morning, the Prophet ﷺ asked: _“Where is Ali?”_
He was told: _“He is suffering from sore eyes.”_
Hazrat Ali (RA) was brought. His eyes were inflamed and painful. The Prophet ﷺ applied his saliva to Ali’s eyes and made dua. By Allah’s will, Ali (RA) was instantly cured as if he had never been ill.
Then the Prophet ﷺ handed him the flag and gave him 3 instructions:
1. *Call them to Islam first.* Don’t fight until you invite them.
2. *Be firm, but not arrogant.*
3. *Allah will guide through you even one man.*
*4. The Conquest: The Fall of Fort Na'im and Qamus
Hazrat Ali (RA) led the army to the first major fort: *Fort Na'im*.
*Stage 1: The Duel*
A famous Jewish warrior named *Marhab* came out challenging. He was armored head to toe and reciting poetry about his bravery.
Ali (RA) stepped forward. The duel was short. Ali (RA) struck Marhab with such force that his sword split the helmet, head, and reached the teeth. Marhab fell. The morale of the defenders collapsed.
*Stage 2: Breaching the Fort*
The Muslims laid siege. Hazrat Ali (RA) was at the front, directing strategy. After days of fighting, Fort Na'im fell.
The next major target was *Fort Qamus* - the strongest fort in Khaybar, belonging to the Banu Abi al-Huqayq. It was on a hill and had the biggest store of weapons and food.
The siege was tough. Here comes the most famous incident:
During the battle, Ali’s shield broke. In that moment, he pulled the *iron gate of the fort* off its hinges and used it as a shield to climb and fight. After the battle, 8 men together could not move that same gate. [Musnad Ahmad]
This showed both his physical strength and the barakah of the Prophet’s ﷺ dua.
One by one, under Ali’s leadership, the forts fell. The last to fall was *al-Watih and al-Sulalim*.
*5. The Terms of Surrender and Wisdom*
After seeing the fall of their strongest forts, the Jews of Khaybar asked for terms.
The Prophet ﷺ, through the command of Allah, made a treaty:
1. *The people could stay on the land* and continue farming.
2. *50% of the produce* of dates and crops would go to the Muslim treasury. The other 50% was theirs.
3. *They could be expelled any time* if the Muslim state needed the land.
This was revolutionary. It wasn’t total destruction. It was governance. It secured food for Madinah for years and set the model for how Islamic states would deal with ahl adh-dhimmah.
*6. Expert Analysis: Why Was Hazrat Ali (RA) Chosen?*
Scholars point to 4 reasons:
1. *Spiritual Rank*: "Loves Allah and His Messenger" was not just praise. It was a certification of iman and sincerity.
2. *Strategic Mind*: Ali (RA) didn’t just fight. He prioritized calling to Islam first, then siege, then battle.
3. *Symbol of Strength*: The Muslims needed a psychological win. Ali’s presence broke the enemy’s morale.
4. *Model for Leadership*: The Prophet ﷺ was showing the ummah what leadership under pressure looks like: calm, decisive, and God-conscious.
*7. The Aftermath and Legacy*
1. *Economic*: Khaybar ended the food crisis in Madinah. The annual yield fed the Muslim army and poor.
2. *Military*: It removed the last major Jewish power base in Hijaz that was plotting against Muslims.
3. *Spiritual*: The title _"Asadullah" - The Lion of Allah_ and _"Ghalib" - The Victor_ became strongly associated with Ali (RA) after Khaybar.
The conquest of Khaybar proved that victory in Islam is not just about swords. It’s about a man whose heart is attached to Allah, and whose hand becomes the means of Allah’s decree.
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