When Allah bestowed Khaybar on the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as fay' (spoils of war without fighting), he divided the whole into thirty six lots. He put aside a half, i.e. eighteen lots, for the Muslims. Each lot comprised one hundred shares, and the Prophet (ﷺ) was with them. He received a share like the share of one of them.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) separated eighteen lots, that is, half, for his future needs and whatever befell the Muslims. These were al-Watih, al-Kutaybah, as-Salalim and their colleagues. When all this property came in the possession of the Prophet (ﷺ) and of the Muslims, they did not have sufficient labourers to work on it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) called Jews and employed them on contract.