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The Banu Qaynuqa (also referred to as Banu Kainuka, Banu Kaynuka, Banu Qainuqa) were a Jewish tribe of pre-Islamic Arabia. They were among the first Jews that settled at Medina, and the most powerful of all the Jewish tribes of the peninsula before Islam. They formed a gild of goldsmiths. They had also a marketplace, known under the name "Market of the Banu Qaynuqa," which was the general marketplace of the city before Muhammad laid out the great marketplace. Besides this they possessed two strong castles in the north of Medina.

In September 622, Muhammad arrived at Medina with a group of his followers. The Jewish tribes in Medina were generally welcoming, many even converting to Islam. Those who had remained Jewish in Medina were generally unaffected. Muhammed and his followers consolidated their power as the ruling party in Medina. Three of the Jewish tribes, the Banu Qurayza, Banu Qaynuqa, and Banu Nadir, signed a non-aggression pact and military alliance with Mohammed, called the Constitution of Medina. Jews and other non-Muslims accepting the protection of the Muslim authorities at that were considered dhimmi. In exchange for paying tax (jizya), the Muslims provided military protection and granted the dhimmi citizenship rights, and were allowed to continue their culture and worship, even being exempt from military conscription at that time. Female dhimmi were allowed to marry Muslim men, although male dhimmi were required to convert to Islam before they could take Muslim brides.

In March 624, Muslims led by Muhammad defeated the Meccans of the Quraysh tribe in the Battle of Badr. Muhammad had been in conflict with his own former tribe, the Banu Quraish, since he left it to found Islam. His victory allowed him to return to Medina.

After a few years, a dispute broke out between the Muslims and the Banu Qaynuqa. A jewish man was alleged to have pinned the clothing of muslim woman sitting in a jewler's shop in the Qaynuqa marketplace, so that she was stripped naked when she stood up. A muslim man coming upon the resulting commotion killed the shopkeeper in retaliation. This escalated to a chain of revenge killings. Soon full scale war broke out, until Abdallah ibn Ubayy, an old Muslim ally of Qaynuqa and the chief of the Khazraj, interceded on their behalf and persuaded Mohammed to send the entire Banu Qaynuqa into exile, confiscating their land and property.

Subsequently they settled in Adra'at and Qadi al-Qura in the north.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

• Muhammad and the Jews