Khyber was a locality at a distance of about 96 Kms from Madina. It consisted of eight (or ten) popular and very strong forts where the Jews lived and also gave refuge to the enemies of Islam. They had become an active center of conspiracies against Islam. In the 7th Hijrah, our Holy Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) got information about the conspiracy being hatched by the Jews against,
Muslims in connivance with other hostile elements of Islam. He(sawaw) decided to take on the challenge.In a consultative meeting, it was decided by the Muslims to take on the enemy outside Madina.
A force of 1,400 muslim fighters (History of Muslims of the World by K.A.Hameed) set out of Madina to protect themselves and their homeland against a Jewish force of more than 14,000 fighters (Allama Tabrisi).
Before the start of the battle, the Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) took ill. Imam Ali(a.s.) was also not able to participate in this battle in the beginning due to a illness in his eyes.
