After the Battle of Khaybar, Muhammad learned that a Jewish man named Kinana ibn al-Rabi knew where some treasure was hidden. Kinana refused to hand over the treasure, so the prophet of Islam ordered one of his followers to torture Kinana. We read in Ibn Ishaq’s “Life of Muhammad” (p. 515):
“Kinana ibn al-Rabi, who had the custody of the treasure of Banu al-Nadir, was brought to the apostle who asked him about it. He denied that he knew where it was. A Jew came (Tabari says ‘was brought’) to the apostle and said that he had seen Kinana going round a certain ruin every morning early. When the apostle said to Kinana, ‘Do you know that if we find you have it I shall kill you?’ he said ‘Yes.’ The apostle gave orders that the ruin was to be excavated and some of the treasure was found. When he asked him about the rest he refused to produce it, so the apostle gave orders to al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, ‘Torture him until you extract what he has,’ so he kindled a fire with flint and steel on his chest until he was nearly dead. Then the apostle delivered him to Muhammad ibn Maslama and he struck off his head, in revenge for his brother Mahmud.”
