64/38. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4197 — Waiting Until Morning at Khaibar
Ghazwa of Khaibar
Khaibar Hadith: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم Waited Until Morning
Sahih Bukhari : 4197
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4197
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ الطَّوِيلِ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَتَى خَيْبَرَ لَيْلاً، وَكَانَ إِذَا أَتَى قَوْمًا بِلَيْلٍ لَمْ يُغِرْ بِهِمْ حَتَّى يُصْبِحَ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ خَرَجَتِ الْيَهُودُ بِمَسَاحِيهِمْ وَمَكَاتِلِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ قَالُوا مُحَمَّدٌ وَاللَّهِ، مُحَمَّدٌ وَالْخَمِيسُ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " خَرِبَتْ خَيْبَرُ، إِنَّا إِذَا نَزَلْنَا بِسَاحَةِ قَوْمٍ فَسَاءَ صَبَاحُ الْمُنْذَرِينَ ".
Anas Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) reached Khaibar at night and it was his habit that, whenever he reached the enemy at night, he will not attack them till it was morning. When it was morning, the Jews came out with their spades and baskets, and when they saw him (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ)), they said, "Muhammad! By Allah! Muhammad and his army!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Khaibar is destroyed, for whenever we approach a (hostile) nation (to fight), then evil will be the morning for those who have been warned."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4197In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 237USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 510
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4197
This Khaibar hadith shows the Prophet’s practice when reaching a hostile people at night. Anas said Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم reached Khaibar at night. When he came to a people by night, he did not attack them until morning. In the morning, the Jewish inhabitants came out with their spades and baskets. When they saw him, they said, 'Muhammad! By Allah! Muhammad and his army!' The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then said that Khaibar was destroyed and quoted the meaning that when they came down in the area of a warned people, the morning would be bad for those warned. The focus is the timing and the public arrival, not a hidden night attack.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not attack at night when he arrived at Khaibar.
- The people of Khaibar saw him and his army in the morning.
- The narration records their reaction when they recognized him.
- The Prophet’s statement came after the morning encounter.
