Page 24 - Arabian Studies (V)

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14 Arabian Studies V

mistook the evidence of Jewish activity. The ‘Udhrah undertook
military responsibilities whilst the Jews undertook agricultural acti­
vities. It seems that the economy was based on agriculture, but we
possess no knowledge of the political structure of the town. One
can assume, however, that it did not differ from the tribal system
of rule which contained community law and tradition, and was
governed by the head of the tribe and the elders.
However, this independence came to an end in the seventh year
of the Hijrah (A.D. 628), when the Prophet, having taken Khaybar
and thereby having dealt with offending Jews, turned his attention
to Wadi ’l-Qura. The inhabitants spurned the Prophet’s invitation
to embrace Islam, and prepared to meet the Muslims with force. In
the ensuing battle, the Muslims gained victory, but suffered the loss
of some of the Companions of the Prophet. Wadi ’l-Qura hence­
forth became subject to the city of Medina, which became the first
capital of the new Islamic state. The Jews were left in charge of the
agricultural affairs of Wadi ’l-Qura, and ‘Amr b. Sa‘Id b. al-‘As
was appointed governor of the city.
As a result of the defeat of Wadi ’l-Qura, the city of Tayma’
accepted the leadership of the Prophet, and became part of the
Islamic community. Al-Baladhurl and other Arab historians refer
to Hamzah or Jamrah b. al-Nu‘man- head of the Banu ‘Udhrah
in Wadi ’l-Qura, as being the first who came to Medina from
the people of Hijaz, and presented the collected zakat or poor-
tax.103
Unlike other towns, such as Khaybar, Wadi ’l-Qura was
exempted by the Prophet from the customary payment of half of
all agricultural produce, and was allowed to submit a third only;
the remaining two-thirds being divided between the Jews and the
‘Udhrah, was the custom prior to Islam.104 Al-Bakri, quoting Ibn
al-Kalbl, says that some of the Jewish families, known as the Banu
‘Urayd, had a friendly relationship with the Prophet, were treated
generously by him and given a yearly gift, consisting of produce
from Wadi ’l-Qura. He adds that this gift had continued until his
own time (d. 204/819). Moreover, none of the Jews belonging to
these families were expelled.105
Qurh (Wadi *1-Qura), throughout the period of the Umayyads,
and during much of the ‘Abbasid period, remained one of the most
prominent cities of the Hijaz, and al-Maqdisi in speaking of Qurh
towards the close of the tenth century A.D. wrote:
‘The region of Qurh, known as Wadi ’l-Qura—it is today [985
A.D.] the greatest, most populous town in the Hijaz, after Mecca.
It is a prosperous trading town in which many merchants reside.
From its imposing fortifications, there emerges a castle. The town