▁of ▁travel , ▁the ▁Gh ata fan ▁thought ▁they ▁heard ▁their ▁enemy ▁behind ▁them ▁and ▁turned ▁around ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁protect ▁their ▁families ▁and ▁poss essions , ▁thus ▁opening ▁the ▁path ▁for ▁Muhammad ' s ▁army . ▁Another ▁story ▁says ▁that ▁a ▁myster ious ▁voice ▁war ned ▁the ▁Gh ata fan ▁of ▁danger ▁and ▁convinced ▁them ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁their ▁homes . ▁ ▁Cour se ▁of ▁the ▁Battle ▁ ▁The ▁Muslim s ▁set ▁out ▁for ▁Kh ay bar ▁in ▁March ▁ 6 2 8 , ▁Mu har ram ▁A H ▁ 7 . ▁According ▁to ▁different ▁sources , ▁the ▁strength ▁of ▁the ▁Muslim ▁army ▁varied ▁from ▁ 1 , 4 0 0 ▁to ▁ 1 , 8 0 0 ▁men ▁and ▁between ▁ 1 0 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 ▁horses . ▁Some ▁Muslim ▁women ▁( including ▁U mm ▁Sal ama ) ▁also ▁joined ▁the ▁army , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁take ▁care ▁of ▁the ▁wounded . ▁Comp ared ▁to ▁the ▁Kh ay bar ian ▁fighting ▁strength ▁of ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁Muslim ▁cont ing ent ▁was ▁small , ▁but ▁this ▁provided ▁an ▁advantage , ▁allowing ▁them ▁to ▁swift ly ▁and ▁quietly ▁march ▁to ▁Kh ay bar ▁( in ▁only ▁three ▁days ), ▁catch ing ▁the ▁city ▁by ▁surprise . ▁It ▁also ▁made ▁Kh ay bar ▁over conf ident . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁Jews ▁failed ▁to ▁mount ▁a ▁cent r ally ▁organized ▁defense , ▁leaving ▁each ▁family ▁to ▁defend ▁its ▁own ▁fort ified ▁red ou bt