"In 626 Abu Sufyan and the Quraish resumed the offensive, this time with 10,000 men, and with material aid from the Banu-Kuraiza Jews. Unable to meet such a force in battle, Mohammed defended Medina by having a trench dug around it. The Quraish laid siege for twenty days; then, disheartened by wind and rain, they returned to their homes. Mohammed at once led 3000 men against the Banu-Kuraiza Jews. On surrendering, they were given a choice of Islam or death. They chose death. Their 6oo fighting men were slain and buried in the market place of Medina; their women and children were sold into slavery.
Abu Sufyan, perceiving the strength of Mohammed's forces, allowed him to enter unopposed. Mohammed responded handsomely by declaring a general amnesty for all but two or three of his enemies. He destroyed the idols in and around the Kaaba, but spared the Black Stone, and sanctioned the kissing of it. He proclaimed Mecca the Holy City of Islam, and decreed that no unbeliever should ever be allowed to set foot on its sacred soil. The Quraish abandoned direct opposition; and the buffeted preacher who had fled from Mecca eight years before was now master of all its life."
http://www.sullivan-county.com/x/medina.htm
Ishaq:464 The Jews were made to come down, and Allahs Messenger imprisoned them. Then the Prophet went out into the marketplace of Medina, and he had trenches dug in it. He sent for the Jewish men and had them beheaded in those trenches. They were brought out to him in batches. They numbered 800 to 900 boys and men. Tabari VIII:40 The Messenger commanded that furrows should be dug in the ground for the Qurayza. Then he sat down. Ali and Zubayr began cutting off their heads in his presence.
Tabari VIII:38 The Messenger of Allah commanded that all of the Jewish men and boys who had reached puberty should be beheaded. Then the Prophet divided the wealth, wives, and children of the Banu Qurayza Jews among the Muslims.
So we have an account of Mohammed beheading his prisioners and sellng the women and children into slavery. We also have an account that upon entering Mecca Mohammed showed great mercy and spared all the city apart from the main leaders. There are also accounts of fathers, husbands and brothers being slaughtered and Mohammed taking the widows for his wives. Either by their free will as some say or against their will as is contested by others. Many sources coming down on one or the other side contradicting each other depending on what side of the argument they are.
I will now look at other sources and see what it is written there.
Mohammed did destroy nearly all the idols of the Hindu religion upon capturing the city. But that is not the same as slaughtering women and children.
He did however, without doubt behead all the POW's as can seen by the first paragraph if they did not convert to Islam. The women and chidren were sold into slavery.
Bukhari:V4B52N175 He heard the Prophet saying, Paradise is granted to the first batch of my followers who will undertake a naval expedition. The Prophet then said, The first army amongst my followers who will invade Caesars City will be forgiven their sins.
Ishaq:385 Amr Jamuh was a very lame man. He had four lion-like sons who were present at the Apostles battles. At Uhud he came to the Prophet and told him that his sons wanted to keep him back and prevent his joining the army. Yet, by Allah, I hope to tread in the Heavenly Garden of Paradise despite my lameness. The Apostle said, Allah has excused you, and Jihad is not incumbent on you. Then Muhammad turned to his sons and said, You need not prevent him. Perhaps Allah will favor him with martyrdom. So the lame old man went into battle and was killed.
Mohammed's own words declaring that Holy War - Jihad is a good thing and that a muslim killed in Jihad will go to heaven. There was also a lot of site with a lot of quotes from the Qua'ran which were obviously tinted in a bias way and could be looked at on many different levels. Also of other prophets from other religions basically saying the same thing for example - Quran 4:80 He who obeys the Messenger obeys Allah. NOthing that extrodianry - sounds very familiar - however - it is clearly obvious that Mohammed decapitated alot of prisioners who did not convert to Islam and sold their wives and children into slavery. It is also pretty clear that Mohammed has made clear that a Holy War is the duty of every muslim and that the killing of Infedals is a good thing - the Angel Gabrail and Allah himself giving them 'power over their enemies.'
There is at this point - i have found no concrete evidence yet of mass slaughter and murder of women and children by the express order of Mohammed - however- he does give permission and carried out the act himself of seling them into slavery. When taking Mecca he was very mercyful in contrast to he's other conquests - and so far I have only seen accounts of the men being beheaded who did not convert - there are also claims that the women were raped - but then again I guess that's what happens when you put someone into slavery, you can basically do what you want with them.
What happened with Mohammed's milatery conquests and the capturing of booty and the enslavement of women and chidren is nothing different then what happened all around the world and which continued up into our own modern times - with slavery existing in America non-the-less.
However, the question of it being appropiate behaviour of a prophet of God and messenger of peace maybe quite dubious - especially chopping of the heads of POW's -which Mohammed ordered to be carried out. Also the enslavement of women and children isn't something very palatable to us in this day and age - but is was something tha Mohammed took part in.
But going back to our original look at things. What is permitted in Jihad - so far as I can tell - you not suppose to go around killing women and children on a whim, but you are allowed to chop of the heads of your enemies when you capture and defeat them if they do not convert to Islam - and you are allowed to take all the possesions as booty and sell their women and children into slavery. These things Mohammed adtually done and ordered himself while he was fighting his Holy War/Jihad.
I will look further into the issue to see what other sources say on the matter. But so far - jihad as mohammed practiced does not allow for terroists to go around blowing up women and children.
so if a Jihad is declared and it is legitamte - you are allowed to fight the troops and the other government organizations of your enemy - you are allowed to chop of the heads of your enemies (POW/s) who do not convert to Islam - as Mohammed himself had ordered to be done - and you can sieze all their wealth and possesions as booty - giving a fifth of your spoils to the Messenger or the good of the faith -and you are allowed to sell the women and children of your enemies. However - you are not allowed to go around blowing up women and children of your enemies as a tool of terror -fear - or a method of Jihad.
If i find evidence contray to this I will post it - but so far - the terroists are not carrying out Jihad in the way Mohammed did. They are not following the example of the Prophet Mohammed. As Mohammed done himself when he fought the First Holy War of Islam- any Muslim in a Jihad is allowed to fight the enemy troops or government leaders - behead any enemy warriors/leaders/men captured who do not convert to Islam. They are allowed to take the defeated enemies possesions as spoils of war giving a fifth of it to the Messenger or the good of Islam. They are allowed to sell the women and children into slavery. On the other hand - lets not forget Mohammed's grand gesture of mercy when he captured Mecca - in stark contrast to many other leaders - he granted a mass amnesity.
But I will look into the matter a bit further - and will relate any new discoveries that i find.
And I would have to say that Jihad is an EXTREME form of warfare, so in and of itself creates those "extremists", curse their oily hides. What Webster's doesn't tell you is that the Jihadists do not seek to conquer, or subjugate rival civilizations. They seek to completely ANNIHILATE them. Anybody engaged in Jihad is an extremist, in my opinion.
