The Marketplace and the Siege

One day, not long after the Battle of Badr, a Muslim woman went to the marketplace — the jewellery market controlled by the Jews — to sell or trade some jewellery that she had. She sat next to a shop, on the floor, and gave her jewellery to the Jewish owner of the shop. Some Jews were gathering, and they asked her to uncover her face; she refused. So the owner of the store went behind her without her knowing, and pinned the bottom of her dress to her back. As she was sitting on the floor, her dress would drag on the ground, so when he pinned it to her back she did not feel it; she was unaware of what he was doing. But when she stood up, she was exposed — because of the dress being pinned to her back, when she stood up her legs, part of her ʿawrah, were exposed, and she screamed. A Muslim who was there and saw what had happened attacked the Jew and killed him, and then the Jews ganged up against the Muslim and killed him.

News was delivered to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) immediately. He called the army and went to the Banū Qaynuqāʿ and laid siege to their forts immediately — no questions asked. A Muslim woman had been violated: this was an invitation to war. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) laid siege to their fort for fifteen days, and these Yahūd, who had been bragging about their skills as fighters, their training, and the weakness of Quraysh, were now shaking in their forts, and were willing to surrender.