Did Safiyyah willingly sleep with Muhammad despite killing of her relatives?

Summary:

• Muhammad killed Safiyyah's brother, husband, and other male relatives during the daytime and then had sexual relations with her (most probably the next night)
• He also tortured her husband before killing him.
• Previously, Safiyyah's tribe resided in Medina. However, Muhammad expelled her tribe from Medina. They later settled in Khaibar but were subsequently attacked again by Muhammad.
• Safiyyah's father had also been priviously slaughtered by Muhammad during the incident of Banu Qurayzah.

Raping a captive woman is a cruel act, but to do so on the same night when she is in a state of trauma from the loss of her relatives is the height of cruelty. Muslims regard Muhammad as a mercy to all mankind, but his actions toward Safiyyah contradict this claim. Some Muslims justify Muhammad's behavior by suggesting that Safiyyah willingly engaged in intercourse with him just after killing of her male relativers because she had dreamt of him before and was not in shock or grief over the loss of her relatives. However, this explanation is flawed. Safiyyah, as a human being with emotions and agency, would have found it highly unlikely to willingly engage in intimate relations with someone just after he had killed her brother, husband and other male relatives.

Table of Contents:

• Summary:
  • Not only Safiyyah, but indeed Muhammad is RESPONSIBLE if Muslim Jihadists raped millions of captive women on the very first night after killing their relatives
  • Muhammad had sex with Safiyyah right after killing his husband and the brother 
  • Muslim apologists still defending Muhammad through lame excuses
  • Muslim Excuse 1: If only beauty was the reason, why did then Muhammad marry her and not enjoyed her as a slave girl?
  • Muslim Excuse 2: Safiyyah dreamt of Muhammad even before the war

Not only Safiyyah, but indeed Muhammad is RESPONSIBLE when Muslim Jihadists raped millions of captive women on the very first night after killing their relatives

Muslim Excuse: Safiyyah had already dreamt about the Prophet. So, it was not a shock for her to have sex with him on the same night when her brother/husband and other male relatives were killed.

Our Response: But Islam allowed the rape of all women on the very night and those women had never dreamt about their Jihadists rapists who killed their male relatives the same day.

In Islamic Sharia, it is allowed to rape the captive women of the war by making them slaves. This rape of captive women in Sharia is an abuse of humanity. But not even letting them mourn the dead bodies of their fathers/brothers/husbands/sons, and raping them in this state of shock and trauma, it is simply the peak of abuse of humanity. 

If the captives were virgin girls (or minor girls who have yet not menstruated), then Muslims were allowed to rape them the same night, even with penetration in their vaginas. But if the captive women had husbands, then Muslims were not allowed to penetrate their vaginas, but they were allowed to drive all other kinds of sexual pleasures the same night, such as kissing them, making them naked and enjoying their whole body (except for vagina), compelling them to masturbate them, rubbing their penis in their thighs, etc. 

Imam Bukhari writes in his Sahih Bukhari (link):

باب هل يسافر بالجارية قبل أن يستبرئها ولم ير الحسن بأسا أن يقبلها أو يباشرها وقال ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما إذا وهبت الوليدة التي توطأ أو بيعت أو عتقت فليستبرأ رحمها بحيضة ولا تستبرأ العذراء وقال عطاء لا بأس أن يصيب من جاريته الحامل ما دون الفرج وقال الله تعالى إلا على أزواجهم أو ما ملكت أيمانهم

Chapte: Is it permissible for a man to travel with his slave-girl before he has had sexual intercourse with her?

Al-Hasan did not see anything wrong with his kissing or engaging in foreplay with her. Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'If a man gives a slave-girl who has already menstruated as a gift, sold her, or freed her, he should wait until she has purified herself from her menses before having sexual intercourse with her. As for a virgin, she does not need to wait until she has purified herself.' Ata' said: 'There is nothing wrong with a man driving sexual pleasure with his pregnant slave-girl as long as he does not penetrate her vagina.' 

Ali raped a minor captive girl on the same night when she was made captive after the war.

Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 22967:

Narrated Buraydah: 
I hated Ali as I had never hated anyone. ... The Prophet sent to us Ali, and among the female captives was a slave girl who was the finest of the female captives, and he apportioned the Khums (one-fifth of war booty given to the Prophet and his family). Ali divided the shares, and his head was dripping (after taking a ritual bath following sexual intercourse with the slave-girl). We said: "O Abu al-Hasan (i.e. Ali), what is this?!" Ali replied: "Did you not see the slave-girl who was among the female captives? I divided the shares and apportioned Khumus. Then she became part of the Khumus. Then she became part of the household of the Prophet, and then she became part of the house of Ali, and (thus) I had sexual intercourse with her." ...
Grading: Classed Sahih by al-Arna'ut

Istibra is a period of sexual abstinence required till the first period of the captive girl is over. This is to ensure no confusion on paternity. Since Ali raped that captive girl the same night without any Istibra, thus some people criticized this action of Ali.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqallani answered this criticism and wrote (link):

وقد استشكل وقوع على على الجارية بغير استبراء وكذلك قسمته لنفسه فأما الأول فمحمول على أنها كانت بكرا غير بالغ ورأى أن مثلها لا يستبرأ كما صار إليه غيره من الصحابة

"There was a question about whether it was permissible for 'Ali to have sexual intercourse with a slave-girl without waiting for her to purify herself from her menses, as well as whether it is permissible to divide her among partners. As for the first issue, it is assumed that the slave-girl in question was a non-pubescent virgin, and it was believed that such a girl does not need to purify (i.e. Istibra) herself, and it is in accordance with the practice of other Companions." 

So, the questions are:

• Those millions of captive women didn't dream about their rapist Jihadists, why did then Islam let them be raped the same night?
• Did those millions of captive women have any less human value than Safiyyah?
• Or does Islam consider them only as animals, and thus their trauma and grieving do not count? 

Even Judaism/Christianity allowed the captive women to mourn for a full 30 days for their loved ones, and before that, no one was allowed to marry them.

(Bible, Deuteronomy, Chap 21):

So, even if the Jews and Christians were able to feel the pain of those captive women thousands of years before Muhammad, why did then Muhammad was not able to see the pain of those poor captive women?

Look at the anguish and trauma experienced by women when their families are slaughtered.

The History of al-Tabari, vol.8, page 122:

Safiyyah bint Huyayy was brought to Messenger of God, and another woman with her. Bilal, who was the one who brought them, led them past some of the slain Jews. When the woman who was with Safiyyah saw them, she cried out, struck her face, and poured dust on her head. When the Messgner of God saw her, he siad, "Take this she-devil away from me!" .. he messenger of God said to Bilal ... "Are you devoid of mercy Bilal, that you take two women past their slain men?"

It is unfortunate that Muslim apologists still try to defend Islam by questioning the authenticity of this tradition. But we tell them that this tradition does not need any authenticity, while it is a UNIVERSAL TRUTH. Our human intellect tells us whenever you slaughter the family of any woman, then she will always cry and strike her face, and pour dust on her head in grief and sorrow. So, why do you need to deny the authenticity of this narration, when it is only telling a Universal Truth? 

And Muhammad is strange, on one side he was telling Bilal to show mercy on the woman who had just seen her slain relatives, but on the other hand, the same Muhammad let his Jihadist Sahaba rape and drive sexual pleasures from those poor women the same night, when they were in the state of trauma. 

Muhammad had sex with Safiyyah the next night after killing her male relatives

Safiyyah was the daughter of a Jewish tribe leader. Prophet Muhammad killed her brother and husband in the battle of Khaybar, and then didn't even let her weep at their dead bodies, but distributed all the captive women on the same day as slave women among his companions. Previously, Muhammad had also slaughtered her father. 

Safiyyah initially came in the possession of companion Dihya Al-Kalbi. Later, when companions described the "beauty" of Safiyah in front of Muhammad, then he gave 7 slave women to Dihya and got Safiyah for himself. 

Sahih Muslim, Book of Marriage (link):

After the battle of Khaiber, the companion Dihya got beautiful slave woman (i.e Safiyah). When Prophet Muhammad came to know about the beauty of Safiyah, then he took her for himself and gave 7 slave women to Dihya as exchange for Safiyah. Then he handed her to Um Salim so that she could prepare her as bride for him.

Muhammad most probably slept with her (most probably on the next night) after killing her male relatives. Muhammad desired to have intercourse with her just when they were just 6 miles away from Khaibar. But it finally happened in As-Sahbaa, which is 16 miles (i.e. one day march) away from Khaibar.  

Sahih Bukhari, Book of al-Maghazi (link):

Narrated Anas bin Malik: ...Then we reached Khaibar; and when Allah enabled him to conquer the Fort (of Khaibar), the beauty of Safiya bint Huyai bin Akhtab was described to him. Her husband had been killed while she was a bride. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) selected her for himself and took her along with him till we reached a place called Sa`d-AsSahba, (which was one station from Khaibar)' where her menses were over and he took her for his wife.

Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabqat (link):

When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, conquered Khaybar and Allah granted him their wealth, he took Safiyya bint Huyayy and her cousin from al-Qamus as captives ...  and when they reached a place called Tibar, six miles from Khaybar, he intended to consummate the marriage with her, but she declined ... When they reached al-Sahba, a distance of one station from Khaybar, the Messenger of Allah told Umm Sulaym, "Take care of your companion and comb her hair." The Prophet intended to consummate the marriage there ...  and the Messenger of Allah consummated the marriage with her and spent the night with her

Please remember, a day before having sex with her, Muhammad killed the husband ad brother of Safiyah in the battle of Khaybar. Muhammad gave no time to Safiyah even to weep for them. 

Muhammad tortured Safiyyah's husband before killing him

Before becoming the captive and wife of Muhammad, she was married to Kinana, the treasurer of the Banu Nadir, a Khaybar clan. Kinana was tortured and killed under Mohammed’s eyes to get him to confess where the treasure was hidden. Finally, part of the treasure was found and the rest remained untraceable. Muhammad delivered Kinana to Az-Zubair, saying, “Chasten him to the point of bringing forth what he hides.”

Az-Zubair burned Kinana’s chest with flint, leaving him almost dead. Kinana was finally put to death by another companion of the prophet.

Sirah of Ibn Hisham, page 764:

“Kinana ibn al-Rabi, who was the guardian of the treasure of the Banu al Nadir, was brought before the apostle who questioned him about it. He did not know where it was. A Jew arrived in front of the apostle and said that he had seen Kinana around a ruin every morning very early. The Apostle asked Kinana, “Do you know that if we find out that you have hidden it, we will kill you?” He replied, “Yes.” The apostle gave orders for the ruin to be searched and the treasure was found. Then asked where the rest of the treasure was but he refused to reveal it, so the apostle ordered al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwan: Torture him until he reveals  what he knows. Then he lit a fire with and witha flint and he burned his chest until he was almost dead. Then the apostle delivered him to Muhammad ibn Maslama, who cut off his head to avenge his brother Mahmud.”

Excuses by Islamic apologists

Islamic apologists present this excuse:

Book "Tabqat-Ibne-Saad", 8/123:

فقال: لها رسول الله: اختاري، فإن اخترت الإسلام أمسكتك لنفسي وإن اخترت اليهودية فعسى أن أعتقك فتلحقي بقومك. فقالت: يا رسول الله لقد هويت الإسلام وصدقت بك قبل أن تدعوني حيث صرت إلى رحلك وما لي في اليهودية أرب وما لي فيها والد ولا أخ، وخيرتني الكفر والإسلام فالله ورسوله أحب إلي من العتق وأن أرجع إلى قومي

... So, the Prophet said to her: ‘Make your choice, if you will choose Islam, I’ll select you for myself and if you chose Judaism, I’ll set you free and send you to your people.’ She said; ‘O Allah’s Messenger indeed I felt affection for Islam and testified for you even before you gave me this invitation when I came to you. I have no guardian among the Jews, neither father nor brother and I prefer Islam over disbelief. Allah and His Messenger are dear to me then freedom and to return to my people.

Response:

Islamic apologists found it convenient to fabricate traditions to uphold the honor of their Prophet.

To understand how Islamic apologists fabricated traditions, please read the following two articles:

1. The Hadith Fabrication Factory of Muslims: 131 Traditions claimed it was Ishaaq who was slaughtered, while 133 Traditions were fabricated that claimed it was Ismael who was slaughtered
2. The alleged incident of the splitting of the moon proves the UNRELIABILITY of Hadith and Ilm-ul-Hadith

The tradition in Sahih Muslim starkly contradicts the account in Tabaqat, suggesting that Muhammad conditioned Safiyya's freedom upon marrying him rather than setting her free first. 

Sahih Muslim, Book of Marriage (link):

Allah's Apostle emancipated Safiyya, and her emancipation was treated as her wedding gift. 

Thus, Safiyya's emancipation was conferred as her bridal gift, indicating a simultaneous act of marriage and liberation. This contradicts the notion that Muhammad initially freed her and then proposed marriage. Additionally, it raises questions about the rationale behind Safiyya's emancipation. What distinguished her actions that prompted Muhammad to grant her freedom?

Evidently, Muhammad's actions suggest a different motivation, primarily driven by Safiyya's allure. His gift of seven slave women in exchange for her further underscores his fascination with her beauty. Thus, it appears Muhammad's intent was not solely focused on her emancipation and return to her Jewish roots, but rather on indulging in her beauty.

This pattern echoes in Muhammad's encounter with Juwayriyyah, daughter of the Banu al-Mustalq leader. Initially enslaved, Juwayriyyah sought assistance from Muhammad to secure her freedom. However, Muhammad's reaction to her beauty led him to propose a marriage offer as a condition for her emancipation.

Sunan Abi Dawud, The Book of Manumission of Slaves (link):

Juwayriyyah, daughter of al-Harith ibn al-Mustaliq, fell to the lot of Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas, or to her cousin. She entered into an agreement to purchase her freedom. She was a very beautiful woman, most attractive to the eye. Aisha said: She then came to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) asking him for the purchase of her freedom. When she was standing at the door, I looked at her with disapproval. I realised that the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) would look at her in the same way that I had looked. She said: Apostle of Allah ... I have come to you to seek assistance for the purchase of my freedom. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Are you inclined to that which is better? She asked: What is that, Apostle of Allah? He replied: I shall pay the price of your freedom on your behalf, and I shall marry you. She said: I shall do this.

And lastly, this "authentic" tradition of Muslims itself tells us that Safiya considered Muhammad as the "most hated" and abhorred person for killing his father, brother and husband. 

 Sahih Ibn Habban (11/607) (link):

عن عبد الله بن عمر رضي الله عنه قال : ... قالت صفية :وكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من أبغض الناس إليَّ قَتل زوجي وأبي وأخي فما زال يعتذر إليَّ ويقول : ( إن أباك ألَّب علي العرب وفعل وفعل ) حتى ذهب ذلك من نفسي .۔۔ رواه ابن حبان في " صحيحه " ( 11 / 607 ) ،  .

Abdullah Ibn Umar narrates that Safiya said:"Rasool Allah was among the most hated person for me, while he killed my husband, father and brother. Then he used to make excuses that my father used to incite the Arabs against him. He kept on apologizing for so long till I was no more angry. 
Grading: Sahih (authentic)

This tradition is itself a testimony that Safiya was angry upon Muhammad after the killing of his husband, father and brother and considered him the most hateful person, and if she slept with him the very same night, then it was only in order to save herself from the harm that Muhammad could have inflicted upon her as a slave woman. 

According to the following tradition, at first, Safiyyah denied sleeping with Muhammad which even upset him. 

Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabqat (link):

Safiyyah mounted the camel. The Prophet rode beside her and put a veil over her. They travelled with the Muslim army until they were six miles from Khaybar, the home of the enemy where the battle had taken place, where they stopped to rest. While they were resting, the Prophet wanted to consummate the marriage with her, but Safiyyah refused, which upset him. ... Reaching As-Sahbaa', which is one station from Khaybar, Safiyyah obeyed him (and let him sonsummate the marriage) ... He asked: "Why did you refuse during the first rest?" She replied, "O Messenger of Allah, I was afraid for you because the Jews were too near.” ( " مَا حَمَلَكِ عَلَى الَّذِي صَنَعْتِ حِينَ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَنْزِلَ الْمَنْزِلَ الأَوَّلَ فَأَدْخُلَ بِكِ ؟ " فَقَالَتْ : خَشِيتُ عَلَيْكَ قُرْبَ يَهُودَ)

Therefore, at first, Safiyyah denied sleeping with Muhammad. But later she got control of her anger in order to save herself from harm and agreed to sleep with Muhammad. And when Muhammad asked him why she had not slept with her previously, then she made an excuse that she feared the enemies. But we all know that enemies (i.e. the Jews) had already been defeated completely, and the Muslim army was going back, and Muhammad and his Army knew the strength of the enemies was ZERO, and they knew it much better than the young Safiyyah. Clearly, it was an excuse that Safiyyah had to make in order to save her from harm. 

And now look at this tradition:

The History of al-Tabari, Volume XXXIX (39), p. 185:

Ibn ‘Umar [al-Waqidi] – Kathir b. Zayd – al-Walid b. Rabah – Abu Hurayrah: While the Prophet was lying with Safiyyah, (the companion) Abu Ayyub stayed the night at his door. When he saw the Prophet in the morning he said "God is the Greatest." He had a sword with him; he said to the Prophet, "O Messenger of God, this young woman had just been married, and you killed her father, her brother and her husband, so I did not trust her (not to harm) you." The Prophet laughed and said "Good". 

And it is recorded in Sirah Ibn Hisham(Source):

”Ibn Ishaq says: When the Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him] consummated his marriage with Safiyyah [Allah be pleased with her] at Khaybar or at some point on the road from Khaybar, he spent the night with her in a dome-shaped tent. Throughout that entire night, Abu Ayyub: Khalid Ibn Zayd Al-Ansari stood guard outside the tent, girding his sword and went on going round the dome along the night. When the Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him] saw Abu Ayyub in the morning, he asked him: “What is the matter O Abu Ayyub?” He replied: “O Messenger of Allah, I feared that this woman may harm you; she is a woman whose father, husband and people were killed, and she has only embraced Islam recendy. I feared that she might try to harm you.” The Prophet [peace be upon him] supplicated for Abu Ayyub saying: “O Allah, protect Abu Ayyub just as he spent the night guarding me (1) .”

Not only were some of the companions troubled, but one of Muhammad's wives was also disturbed by the fact that a woman would want to marry her family's murderer. Such a response is fully natural:

The History of al-Tabari, Volume VIII (8), p. 187:

According to al-Waqidi: In this year the Messenger of God married Mulaykah bt. Dawud al-Laythiyyah. One of the Prophet's wives came to Mulaykah and said to her, "Are you not ashamed to marry a man who killed your father?" She therefore "took refuge [in God]" from him. She was beautiful and young. The Messenger of God separated from her. He had killed her father the day of the conquest of Mecca.

Muslim Excuse 1: If only beauty was the reason, why did then Muhammad marry her and not enjoy her as a slave girl?

The reason seems to be the beauty of Safiyyah, from which Muhammad was overpowered.

We know that Muhammad had multiple wives, which required a significant amount of time and space. Given that his house was small and located near the mosque, it was challenging for him to find private moments with his slave woman, Mariyah, without drawing criticism from his spouses. As a result, Muhammad struggled to spend intimate moments with Mariyah freely. When his wife Hafsa visited her father's home, Muhammad saw an opportunity and took it, engaging in sexual activity with Mariyah in Hafsa's quarters. Unfortunately, Hafsa returned unexpectedly, catching Muhammad and Mariyah together in a compromising position. This led to a major controversy, with the other wives joining Hafsa in protesting against Muhammad's actions. It went to the extent that Muhammad had to use the revelations in the name of Allah in order to threaten his wives. (Sunan Nisai, Hadith 3959)

Moreover, Safiyyah was a costly commodity for Muhammad, as he bought Safiyyah after giving away 7 slave women in exchange (Muhammad got those 7 slave women as war booty). Therefore, perhaps Muhammad didn't want such a costly commodity to become a slave and to stay dirty while doing work at home, but he wanted her to be free so that she remained beautiful and he could continue to enjoy her.

And as a slave girl, Safiyyah then had to go outside the home without a Hijab, with naked breasts, and then other Muslims would also have enjoyed her beauty (Note: Islam Prohibited Slave Women from Taking Hijab or Even Covering Their Naked Breasts in Public).

Muslims claim that it was an old custom to marry the daughters of the defeated king so that the slaves of the defeated nation feel some relief. Yes, we do agree too that such custom existed, but it doesn't seem that Muhammad married Safiyyah/Juwariyyah to bring any relief to the slaves, but his sole purpose seems to be keeping these 2 beauties to himself. That is why in the case of Juwariyyah, he married her after a long time had already passed. And in the case of Safiyyah too, beauty seems to be the main factor while earlier he gave away Safiyyah to another companion Dihyaya, and he became interested in Safiyyah only when other Sahaba described her beauty to Muhammad. 

Muslim Excuse 2: Safiyyah dreamt of Muhammad even before the war

Muslims also come up with this tradition:

 نَزَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَيْبَرَ وَصَفِيَّةُ عَرُوسٌ فِي مَجَاسِدِهَا، فَرَأَتْ فِي الْمَنَامِ كَأَنَّ الشَّمْسَ نَزَلَتْ حَتَّى وَقَعَتْ عَلَى صَدْرِهَا، فَقَصَّتْ ذَلِكَ عَلَى زَوْجِهَا، فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا تَمَنَّيْنَ إِلا هَذَا الْمَلِكَ الَّذِي نَزَلَ بنا، فَفَتَحَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَضَرَبَ عُنق زوجها صبرا، وتعرض من هناك من فتية النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ليتزوجها

When Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) reached Khyber while Safiya was a bride at her place. She saw in her dream that a sun came into her lap. She mentioned it before her husband. He said; ‘By Allah you do not wish for anyone except the King who has come upon us.’ Allah’s Messenger conquered Khyber and her husband was killed. From that time (of dream) she loved that the Prophet (pbuh) may marry her. (Tabarani Kabeer, Hadith 19667)

It is clear that Muslims were totally free to make up such fantasy traditions on their own, in order to defend the honour of their prophet. 

If a woman accepts the marriage proposal and sleeps willingly with the man the same night, who killed her father, brother and husband, then it means only one thing she is trying to save herself from the humiliation that she has to face as a slave woman. 

Other traditions also prove that, despite any such dream, Safiyyah considered Muhammad the most hated person. And in fact, at first, she denied even sleeping with him. 

Therefore, if Safiyah really had told this fantasy story, it is far more likely that she made it up in order to gain the favour of her captor rather than actually having a fantasy prophetic dream such as this.