The socio-economic dimensions of the Battles of Khaybar and Hunayn

Wars have always existed throughout history for various reasons. As a result of these struggles, the victorious side would take the belongings and individuals left behind by the defeated side as spoils of war. In some cases, the spoils would be taken by the victorious commander and used at their discretion. In other cases, these spoils were distributed fairly among the soldiers for various reasons. Throughout his life, the Prophet Muhammad participated in battles for various reasons. Especially during the Medinan period, he first confronted polytheists and later engaged in conflicts with Jewish and Christian groups. Both the military expeditions (sariya) he dispatched and the battles (ghazawat) he personally led resulted in the acquisition of significant spoils of war. Among the campaigns in which Muslims captured spoils and prisoners, the battles of Khaybar and Hunayn stand out as the two most significant events in terms of the volume of gains during the Prophetic mission. The distribution of these spoils sparked debate among the Muslim community. Gifts given to those who had recently embraced Islam had a notably positive impact on their attitudes and loyalty. Following this distribution, the level of social welfare within the Muslim society increased. Examining the effects of these distributed spoils on Muslims is crucial for understanding their social and economic implications. Certain practices related to spoils from the pre-Islamic (Jāhiliyyah) period were abolished with the advent of Islam, while others were either maintained as they were or reformed through new regulations. In this context, information regarding the social, economic, and political impacts of war spoils has been sought in sīrah sources such as al-Wāqidī, Ibn Hishām, and Ibn Saʿd. This study examines the spoils obtained from the battles of Khaybar and Hunayn, as well as their distribution. The Islamic understanding of spoils is explored in the context of these two battles. The study provides a brief overview of the battles of Khaybar and Hunayn, examines what spoils and captives were taken, and evaluates the distribution of these spoils. The socio-economic and political aspects of this distribution are also discussed.