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Samhudi writes that al-Watih was one of the largest forts of Khaybar. He reports that its name is said to come from a man called al-Watih ibn Mazin.
Ibn Ishaq relates that the people of Khaybar withdrew into their two forts, al-Watih and as-Sulalim, and that these were the last to be taken. The Prophet ﷺ besieged them « بضع عشرة ليلة », a little over ten nights. They asked for their lives to be spared and for the right to leave. This was granted to them.
Al-Waqidi details the terms. The inhabitants kept their lives and left with their children. They handed over the gold, the silver, the weapons and the cloth, except the garment each one was wearing. They lost the protection of the agreement if they hid anything.
Ibn Ishaq reports that Kinana, chief of the Banu Abi al-Huqayq, denied holding a treasure. Part of it was found buried in a ruin. The sources give this concealment, made under oath, as the reason for his execution.
Samhudi reports, from Ibn Shabba, that the people of al-Watih and as-Sulalim surrendered by agreement, and that these lands went to the Prophet ﷺ as his own. Imam Malik said that Khaybar was taken partly by force and partly by agreement. Ibn Ishaq states that the al-Katiba quarter was used for the fifth of the spoils and for the share of the Prophet ﷺ, distributed in dates and barley to his wives and his relatives.
As-Sulalim. Samhudi writes: « كان آخر حصون خيبر فتحا ». Al-Waqidi places the fort of the family of Abi al-Huqayq there. Saudipedia lists it among the forts that still exist, without describing or locating it.
Today. Saudipedia writes: « حصن الوطيح ويسمى مكيدة أو عبلة ورشيدة ». Makida is a stone village at the southern end of old Khaybar. It has been under rehabilitation since about 2014. Between Makida and ash-Shurayf lies a salt flat, as-Subaykha. Access to the fort should be checked with the RCU.
What is certain and what is not
- Certain: Khaybar was taken, and the Prophet ﷺ then let the inhabitants work the land (Bukhari 2338). The fort-by-fort detail is not found in the two Sahih collections.
- Historians' account: the siege of al-Watih and as-Sulalim, the surrender by agreement, the terms, the affair of Kinana's treasure (Ibn Ishaq, al-Waqidi, Ibn Shabba).
- Tradition: the location of al-Watih at Makida, and the names « عبلة ورشيدة ». The location of as-Sulalim is not known.
- Uncertain: the origin of the name “al-Watih”.
Sources
1. Bukhari 2338 (sunnah.com).
2. Ibn Hisham, as-Sira an-nabawiyya, vol. 2 p. 332, 336-337, 349-352.
3. Al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi, vol. 2 p. 668-671.
4. Samhudi, Wafaʾ al-wafa, vol. 4 p. 73, 97, 167.
5. Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, vol. 7 p. 478.
6. Saudipedia, « محافظة خيبر ».
7. Asharq al-Awsat (ar), 2 April 2014.