Zaynab bint Al-Harith (Arabic: زينب بنت الحارث, d. 629) was a Jewish[1] woman who attempted to assassinate Muhammad in the aftermath of the battle of Khaybar.
Zaynab, along with the other women and children, was barricaded in the fortresses of al-Khatiba, while her husband Sallam commanded the resistance from the Natat area.
[5]: 404 Nine days later, Ali ibn Abi Talib managed to penetrate the fortress of Na’im.
Marhab ibn Al-Harith then stepped forward to avenge his brother, but after a bloody battle, Ali also killed him.
[4]: 512–514 After this, a general battle broke out; the Jews were defeated when the Muslims killed Zaynab’s brother Al-Harith.
[5]: 404–405 [9] Over the next ten days, Zaynab witnessed civilians, weapons and treasures being brought into the safety of the al-Khatiba fortresses while the Muslims captured the forts in the Natat and Al-Shiqq areas.
There was no actual fighting, but the defenders could not withstand the siege indefinitely because Muhammad cut off their water supplies; and so they surrendered.
[5]: 406 [10] As the leaders went to Muhammad to negotiate the terms of surrender, soldiers ran into the castles to collect weapons, treasures and captives.
When the treaty negotiations were finished, Zaynab pushed her way into Muhammad’s presence and offered him the meal as a gift.
[3]: 249–252 [6]: 123–124 According to Ibn Ishaq: When the apostle had rested, Zaynab d. al-Harith, the wife of Sallam b. Mishkam prepared for him a roast lamb, having first inquired what joint he preferred.
"[3]: 252 After swallowing the poisoned mutton, Bishr ibn al-Bara remained paralysed for the rest of his life.
Narrated Ibn Shihab: Jabir ibn Abdullah used to say that a Jewess from the inhabitants of Khaybar poisoned a roasted sheep and presented it to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who took its foreleg and ate from it … The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had himself cupped on his shoulder on account of that which he had eaten from the sheep.