Battle of the Trench (Al Khandaq)

The Battle of the Trench took place in Shawwal, the fourth year of the Hijra. Some say it occurred ten months and five days after the Hijra, while others believe it happened in the fifth year of the Hijra. It is also known as the Battle of the Confederates (Ghazwat al-Ahzab), as various factions of the enemies gathered to wage war against the Muslims.

Reasons for the Battle of the Trench

The immediate cause of the Battle of the Trench was the arrival of some Jewish leaders from the Banu Nadir and Banu Wa'il tribes in Mecca. They incited the Quraysh to wage war against the Muslims and eliminate them, claiming that their religion was superior to that of Prophet Muhammad.

This led to the revelation of verses from Surah An-Nisa (The Women) by Allah, addressing the situation and seeking revenge against the Prophet Muhammad after he had expelled them from Medina.

Number of Muslim and Polytheist Armies

The Muslim army consisted of approximately 3,000 fighters during the Battle of the Trench. The polytheist army, on the other hand, numbered around 10,000 fighters. Some sources suggest that the Muslim army had 900 fighters. The polytheist army included 10,000 people from the non-combatant Jewish tribe of the Banu Qurayza, who had violated their agreement with the Prophet Muhammad. They were composed of 4,000 Quraysh members and the rest from various tribes such as Banu Salim, Asad, Fazara, Ghatafan, and Ashja'. All of these groups were led by Abu Sufyan.

Confederate Parties in the Battle of the Trench

Several tribes joined together to fight against the Muslims and were collectively referred to as the Confederates (Al-Ahzab). These tribes included the Quraysh and their allies, such as the Kinana and Tihama tribes, with a total of 4,000 fighters. They were followed by 700 members of the Banu Salim, led by Sufyan ibn Abd Shams, as well as contingents from the Banu Asad, Ghatfan, Fazara, and Ashja'.

This alliance was primarily incited by the Jews of Banu Nadir and their leaders. It is worth mentioning that Harith ibn Auf refrained from participating in this alliance.

Events of the Battle of the Trench

The Battle of the Trench began with the Confederate parties, each with their respective tribes and leaders, approaching Medina. When the Prophet Muhammad learned of this, he ordered his companions to dig a trench around the vulnerable side of the city, a tactic unfamiliar to the Arabs but used by the Persians in warfare. The Prophet himself participated in the digging, while the hypocrites among the Muslims were slow and hesitant, often returning to their homes without permission.

To divide the task of digging the trench, the Prophet assigned specific sections to different groups of his companions. During the trench digging, they encountered a large rock they could not break. They called upon the Prophet, who, in the name of Allah, struck the rock with a pickaxe, breaking it, and the Muslims cheered. He also prophesied victories in regions like the Levant, Persia, and Yemen.

The digging continued throughout the day, and the Muslims returned to their homes for rest at night. The trench took a full month to complete, and after its construction, the Prophet Muhammad stationed his army to defend it.

During the trench-digging, Huyayy ibn Akhtab tried to persuade the Banu Qurayza to break their treaty with the Prophet Muhammad, hoping to gain their support for the siege of Medina. At first, their leader, Ka'b ibn Asad al-Qurazi, refused, but he later agreed to break the pact, intensifying the hardship on the Muslims. When the polytheists arrived at the trench, one of them, 'Amr ibn Wud, managed to cross and engage in combat with Ali ibn Abi Talib, who killed him. Another Jew tried to enter the city's fortifications with the intent to kill women and children, but he was thwarted and killed by Safiyya bint Abd al-Muttalib.

The fighting at the trench continued until evening, causing the Muslim armies to miss their Asr (afternoon) and Maghrib (evening) prayers. The Prophet Muhammad ordered Bilal ibn Rabah to call the Adhan (prayer call), and each group of Muslims prayed separately in their respective sections. During this time, Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud came to the Prophet Muhammad and revealed that he had secretly embraced Islam. The Prophet instructed him to support the Muslims without revealing his faith, leading to Nu'aym's role in sowing discord among the Confederate parties.

The Battle of the Trench was a significant event in early Islamic history and played a crucial role in protecting the city of Medina from external threats. The construction of the trench and the strategic moves by the Prophet Muhammad and his companions ultimately thwarted the confederate armies, leading to their withdrawal and the preservation of the Muslim community.

The Difficulties Faced by the Muslims

The Prophet, peace be upon him, participated with his companions in digging the trench in cold weather. He carried soil and prayed, 'O Allah, verily, life is the life of the Hereafter, so forgive the Ansar (Helpers) and the Muhajirun (Emigrants).' The Muslims endured extreme hunger and exhaustion, to the point of placing stones on their stomachs due to the severity of hunger. Meanwhile, the polytheists incited the Qurayzah tribe to break their covenant with the Prophet, peace be upon him. At that moment, Az-Zubair bin Al-Awwam confirmed this conspiracy and informed Allah, the Exalted, of the Muslims' agitation through His words: 'When they came at you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes shifted in fear, and hearts reached the throats, and you assumed about Allah [various] assumptions. There, the believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking.' (Quran, 33:10-11).

The hypocrites took advantage of this opportunity and began to weaken the Muslims' resolve. However, the Prophet, peace be upon him, boosted their morale and gave them glad tidings of victory. He entrusted the protection of the city to three hundred of his companions, fearing treachery from the Qurayzah tribe. He also attempted to alleviate the suffering of the Muslims through a treaty with the Ghatafan tribes, offering them a portion of the city's dates. However, the noble Ansar (Helpers) advised him not to make this treaty, asserting their honor.

The Victory of the Believers in the Battle of the Trench

Some of the polytheists attempted to cross the trench, but the noble companions killed them. What also contributed to relieving the Muslims was the proposal of Nu'aim bin Mas'ud to sow discord among the Qurayzah tribe, the Quraysh, and the Ghatafan. He suggested that the Qurayzah tribe should take hostages from the Quraysh and the Ghatafan, fearing their treachery. He informed the Quraysh that they should not trust the Qurayzah tribe and that the Muslims would demand hostages.

At the end of the battle, Allah, the Exalted, sent a severe wind and a force of angels, instilling terror in the hearts of the polytheists. Allah says: 'O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allah upon you when armies came to [attack] you, and We sent upon them a wind and armies [of angels] that you did not see. And ever is Allah, of what you do, Seeing.' (Quran, 33:9).

The Prophet's Miracles in the Battle of the Trench

Several miracles occurred for the Prophet, peace be upon him, during the Battle of the Trench, including:

1. Multiplying a small amount of food: Jabir bin Abdullah brought a small amount of food for the Prophet, peace be upon him, to share. The Prophet called around a thousand of his companions, and they all ate after he prayed for the food and blessed it. The companions found a trench of water between the mountains, and the Prophet instructed them to pour water into it and strike it with a piece of wood. It became like a mountain of bread.
2. The Prophet's prophecy of the conquest of Greater Syria, Yemen, and Persia: When the companions faced a rock while digging the trench, the Prophet, peace be upon him, took a pickaxe and struck it. He broke a third of it and said, 'Allahu Akbar! I have been given the keys to Greater Syria. By Allah, I can see its red palaces now.' He then struck it again, breaking another third, and said, 'Allahu Akbar! I have been given the keys of Persia, and by Allah, I can see the white palace of Madain.' He struck it a third time, and with 'Bismillah,' he broke the remaining part, saying, 'Allahu Akbar! I have been given the keys to Yemen, and by Allah, I can see the gates of Sana'a from where I am.

Results of the Battle of the Trench

 There were several outcomes of the Battle of the Trench, including:

• The steadfastness of the Muslims in the face of the Confederates (Ghazwat al-Ahzab), despite the harsh conditions they endured, led to the withdrawal and failure of the enemy coalition.
• The fear of the polytheists and the Qurayzah tribe remaining alone against the Muslims after the Confederates (Al-Ahzab) fled led to their accountability for their treachery.
• The erosion of trust among the factions of the Confederates (Al-Ahzab) caused division among them.
• With the wise leadership of the Prophet, peace was upon him during the battle, which included training the noble companions to endure the siege, forcing the Confederates (Al-Ahzab) to retreat.
• The martyrdom of six of the companions, three from the Aws tribe and three from the Khazraj tribe. In contrast, three of the polytheists were killed.

Lessons and Insights from the Battle of the Trench

Numerous lessons and insights can be derived from the Battle of the Trench, including:

• Wise leadership requires confidence and composure. The Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered the digging of the trench and worked alongside his companions, elevating their morale, in contrast to the polytheists' panic and disarray.
• New strategies in warfare, such as using trenches, were adopted by the Muslims.
• The Battle of the Trench highlighted the notion that warfare could involve deception, as demonstrated by the companion Nu'aim bin Mas'ud, who sowed discord among the opposing factions.
• Preparing for battle and taking the initiative are essential for success, while defensive tactics alone are insufficient.
• Victory comes from Allah alone, and humans can attain it through trust in Allah, reliance on Him, and supplication. Allah's support changed the situation from fear to victory for the Muslims.