the Life of Prophet Muhammad (saw)

Burial of the Martyrs

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] supervised the martyrs� burial and said: "I bear witness that anyone who is wounded in the way of All�h, All�h will resurrect him with his wound bleeding a liquid which is blood-like in colour but musk-like in scent." [Ibn Hisham 2/98]

Some of the Companions carried their men killed in the war to Madinah, but the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] ordered that they should be sent back in order to be buried where they were killed. He ordered that they should not be washed but buried as they were after stripping them off their armours and leather clothes. He used to bury every two or three martyrs together in one grave and even join two men in one garment while saying: "Who is the more learned of the Qur��n?" and he would commit him to earth first. He would say: "I bear witness to those on the Day of Resurrection." He buried both �Abdullah bin �Amr bin Haram and �Amr bin Al-Jamuh in one grave due to the affection they used to possess to each other. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/98; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/584]

They missed the coffin of Hanzalah, they sought it and found that it was on a spot nearby with water dripping off it. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] told his Companions that the angels were washing him and said: "Ask his wife". They asked her and she confirmed that he had been in a state of ceremonial impurity. That was why Hanzalah was called �Ghaseel Al-Mal�ikah� (i.e. the one washed by the angels). [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/94]

When the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] saw how his uncle and foster brother, Hamzah, was mutilated, he was extremely grieved. When his aunt Safiyah came to see her brother Hamzah, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] ordered her son Az-Zubair to dismiss her in order not to see what happened to her brother. She refused and said, "But why should I go away. I have been informed that they have mutilated him. But so long as it is in the way of All�h, whatever happens to him satisfies us. I say: All�h is Sufficient and I will be patient if All�h wills." She approached, looked at him and supplicated All�h for him and said: "To All�h we all belong and to Him we will verily return." and she implored All�h to forgive him. Then the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] ordered that he should be buried with �Abdullah bin Jahsh � who was his nephew as well as his foster brother.

Ibn Mas�ud said: We have never seen the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] weeping so much as he was for Hamzah bin �Abdul Muttalib. He directed him towards Al-Qiblah, then he stood at his funeral and sobbed his heart out. [Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.255]

The sight of the martyrs was extremely horrible and heart-breaking. Describing Hamzah�s funeral, Khabbab said: "No shroud long enough was available for Hamzah except a white-darkish garment. When they covered his head with it, it was too short to cover his feet. Similarly if they covered his feet his head would be revealed. Finally they covered his head with it and put some plant called �Al-Idhkhir� to cover his feet." [Mishkat 1/140]

Al-Imam Ahmad reported that when it was Uhud Day and the time that the idolaters returned, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said:

"Istawoo (i.e. form rows as for prayer) so that I offer thanks and praise to my Lord, the Great and the All-Mighty."

So they stood in rows behind him. Then he said:

"O All�h, no one can withhold what You permit or permit what You withhold. No one can guide whom You decree to go astray or make go astray the one whom You guide. No one can grant provisions you have withheld and no one can withhold what you grant. No one can near what You ordained to be distant, or detach what You decree to be close. O All�h, spread onto all of us Your Mercy, Your Grace, and Provisions."

"O All�h, I implore You to grant me permanent bliss that neither changes nor vanishes. O All�h, You Alone we seek for Help at hardships. You Alone we resort to for security on a day of terror. O All�h, to You Alone I resort to protect us from the evils of Your grants (i.e. the evils they may lead us to) and from the evils of Your deprivation. O All�h, make us love Faith and make it pleasant and beloved wholeheartedly by us! Make disbelief, ungodliness and disobedience detestable to us. Let us be among those who are rightly guided. O All�h, make us live as Muslims and cause us to die as Muslims; and make us join with the righteous but not with the disgraced and misled ones. O All�h, make Your enmity befall the disbelievers, who belie Your Messenger and divert from Your righteous way. O All�h, let Your wrath, Your chastisement and Your enmity befall the disbelievers, and those on whom You sent down the Book. Let them be afflicted with war decreed by You. O All�h, the Author of Truth." [Musnad Imam Ahmad 3/424]

After committing all the martyrs to earth, and after offering praise and supplication to All�h, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] went back to Madinah.

On his way back, matchless examples of love and devotion were revealed by the truthful women believers; in no way less great than the men�s heroic deeds in the fight.

Hamnah bint Jahsh met the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] on the way back, and he announced the death of her brother � �Abdullah bin Jahsh � to her. She said: "To All�h we belong and to Him we will verily return. I ask All�h�s forgiveness." Then he announced the death of her maternal uncle Hamzah bin �Abdul Muttalib. She said: "To All�h we belong and to Him we will verily return. I ask All�h�s forgiveness." But when he announced the death of her husband Mus�ab bin �Umair to her, she shouted and woed. Seeing her doing so, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said: "The woman�s husband is extremely dear to her." [Ibn Hisham 2/98]

He passed by a woman of Bani Dinar whose husband, father and brother were all killed at Uhud. When their death announced, she said: "How is the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] ?" They said: "Well indeed. O mother of so... Thanks for All�h; he is well and as good as you desire." She said: "Let me see him." They pointed at him. Seeing him she said: "All misfortunes are nothing so long as you are safe." [Ibn Hisham 2/99]

Umm Sa�d bin Mu�adh came running to see the Prophet [pbuh]. At that time her son was holding the rein of his mare. Seeing his mother, he said to the Prophet [pbuh]: "O Messenger of All�h [pbuh]. This is my mother." The Prophet [pbuh] said: "She is welcome"; and he stopped and waited for her. When she drew near, he consoled her, for her killed son �Amr bin Mu�adh. But she said: "So long as I see you are safe, my misfortune will certainly go into oblivion." Then the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] supplicated All�h for the relatives of those who were killed at Uhud and said: "Cheer up! Umm Sa�d and bear good tidings to their kindred that all their people killed in the battle are comrades in Paradise and they are intercessors for all their kinsfolk." She replied, "O Messenger of All�h, we are satisfied. Who would cry on them after this cheerful news?" Then she resumed saying: "O Messenger of All�h, invoke All�h (for those who stayed behind)" He said: "O All�h keep sorrow off their hearts! And console them with their misfortunes. Compensate those who stayed behind with goodness and welfare." [As-Seerat Al-Halabiyah 2/47]

In the evening of that day � i.e. Saturday, the seventh of Shawwal, 3rd year A.H. � the Messenger arrived in Madinah. As soon as he reached his house, he handed his sword to his daughter Fatimah and said: "O daughter, wash the blood off this sword. By All�h it has been helpful to me today." �Ali bin Abi Talib handed her his sword and said: "And wash the blood of this sword too. By All�h, it has been helpful to me today." So the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said: "Sahl bin Haneef and Abu Dujana have been as courageous as you are in the fight." [Ibn Hisham 2/100]

Most of the narrations confirmed that seventy Muslims were killed and most of them, sixty-five, Helpers; forty-one of whom were from Khazraj and twenty-four from Aws. This, besides one Jew and four Emigrants.

As for the polytheists, twenty-two of them were killed, but some versions speak of thirty-seven; after all, All�h knows best. [Ibn Hisham 2/122-129; Fath Al-Bari 7/351]

On Saturday night, the eighth of Shawwal, and after their return from Uhud, the Muslims spent that night in an emergency case � though they were dead-beat, extremely exhausted. They stayed on the alert, and spent that night guarding the outlets and inlets of Madinah. They were specially busy guarding their general leader, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] for fear that some suspects could commit an unexpected folly.

Hamr� Al-Asad Invasion

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] on his part, spent the night pondering over the situation. He feared that the idolaters might think � while they were still on their way to Makkah � of reversing their way and diverting to Madinah after they had realized that they had availed nothing of that victory. They might regret and decide to invade Madinah as a compensation. Therefore the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] was determined to go out in pursuit of the Makkan army.

The Prophet [pbuh] called out unto people and ordered them to march to encounter the enemy of Islam. That was on Sunday morning � next day to Uhud � the eighth of Shawwal. He said: "Nobody will march to the fight except those who have already participated in Uhud fight." �Abdullah bin Ubai said: "I will march out with you." "No," said the Prophet [pbuh].

Whilst the Muslims were suffering a lot from painful pains and deep anxiety, they responded to his call positively. Jabir bin �Abdullah implored the Prophet [pbuh] to allow him join them in that fresh invasion on account that he always had a liking to witness all the battles that the Prophet [pbuh] was involved in. He had not participated in Uhud because his father asked him to stay in Madinah with his sisters . And he was granted his wish.

The Muslims marched out until they reached a place called Hamra� Al-Asad � about eight miles from Madinah. He encamped there. In that place Ma�bad bin Abi Ma�bad came to the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] and professed Islam. Some people said that he remained an idolater; he simply desired to give the Messenger some advice out of abidance by a covenant between Khuza�ah (his tribe) and Bani Hashim. He said "O Muhammad [pbuh]! By All�h, we feel great sorrow for what had happened to you and to your Companions. We really hope you will not suffer again." So, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] suggested that he overtake Abu Sufyan and discourage him from pursuing his evil intentions.

The Messenger�s fears of a possible return of the idolaters proved to be absolutely true. For no sooner had the idolaters dismounted and encamped at Ar-Rawh� � a place thirty-six miles from Madinah, than they started reproaching one another. A group of them said to another one: "You did nothing. You broke down their force but you left them. There are still some distinguished men among them who will probably gather people up to fight you again. So let us go back and annihilate them and crush down their forces."

It was in fact a hasty decision taken by shallow-minded people who misjudged the potential power and morale on both parties, that is why an eminent leader of Quraish, Safwan bin Omaiyah, tried to dissuade his people from pursuing that venture, saying: "O people. Do not do such a thing! For I fear that he will gather up those who had stayed behind and did not share in Uhud. Go back home as winners. For I am not sure of what turn will the consequences take if you get involved in such a fight. It might be to your prejudice in the final place." Notwithstanding that weighty argument, the majority of the polytheists were determined to embark on that risky undertaking.

Ma�bad bin Abu Ma�bad meanwhile arrived on the scene and tried to exaggerate the danger awaiting them in order to thwart their plan, he said: "Muhammad [pbuh] has marched to meet you with a large host of fighters, I have never seen something similar to it before. He has mustered all the troops who have tarried and did not share in Uhud. They surely regret what they have missed and want to compensate for it now. Their hearts are filled with hate and resentment." Abu Sufyan said: "Woe to you! What do you suggest?" He said: "By All�h, I see that you would not leave till he comes and you see the heads of their horses; or till the vanguard of his army turns up to you from behind that hill."

Abu Sufyan said: "By All�h, we have reached a common consent to crush down the Muslims and their power." The man, once more with an implied warning, advised him to stop it.

In the light of this news, the resolution and determination of the Makkan army failed and panic and terror took firm hold of them. They consequently deemed it safest to complete there withdrawal back to Makkah. They, however, as an alternative, started a hostile nerve propaganda aiming at dissuading the Muslims army from pursuing them. A caravan belonging to �Abd Qais happened to pass by towards Madinah. Abu Sufyan, in the context of his propaganda, asked them to communicate a message to Muhammad [pbuh] to the effect that the Makkans had rallied their ranks to annihilate the Messenger and his Companions, in return Abu Sufyan promised to give the people of the caravan loads of raisins at the forum of �Ukaz the following year.

The people of the caravan conveyed the message to the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] at Hamr� Al-Asad, but to no effect, on the contrary, Abu Sufyan�s words augmented them in Faith. All�h says:

"� And they said: �All�h (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us). So they turned with Grace and Bounty from All�h. No harm touched them; and they followed the good Pleasure of All�h. And All�h is the Owner of Great Bounty." [Al-Qur'an 3:173,174]

After the arrival of the caravan on Sunday, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] stayed at Hamr� Al-Asad for three days � Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday � 9-11 Shawwal, 3 A.H. and then returned to Madinah. Before his return, he took Abu �Azza Al-Jumahi as a prisoner of war. Incidentally, this man had also been captured at Badr but on account of his poverty, and the large family he supported, the Prophet [pbuh] had been gracious enough to release him on condition that he would not involve himself in war against the Muslims again. Abu �Azza did not keep his promise and took part in Uhud hostilities on the side of the polytheists. Here again he implored Muhammad [pbuh] for pardon but the latter told him that a believer wouldn�t be taken twice in the same snare. He then deservedly merited the sentence of death which was executed by Az-Zubair or, in another version, by �Asim bin Thabit.

A Makkan spy, called Mu�awiyah bin Al-Mugheerah bin Abi Al-�As, was sentenced to death too. This spy was the grandfather of �Abdul Malik bin Marwan on his mother side. When the idolaters went back after Uhud, Mu�awiyah came to his paternal cousin �Uthman bin �Affan ��� ���� ���. �Uthman gave him shelter � after securing the Prophet [pbuh]�s permission � on condition that if he was caught there after three days, he would be killed. But he did not comply with it, so when the Muslim army left Madinah, he stayed there for more than three days during which he was spying for Quraish. So when the army returned, Mu�awiyah fled out of Madinah. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh], on this account, ordered Zaid bin Harithah and �Ammar bin Yasir to pursue him and kill him. So he was killed. [Ibn Hisham 2/60-129; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/91-108; Fath Al-Bari 7/345-377; Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.242-275]

Undoubtedly, the invasion of Hamr� Al-Asad is not a separate invasion, but rather a part, or more specifically, a sequel to Uhud.

That was Uhud Invasion with all its stages and details. It has for long been discussed by scholars and men of research. Was it a defeat or not? Doubtlessly, the military superiority in the second phase of the battle was in favour of the polytheists who could successfully direct the steering mechanism of hostilities and inflict heavy losses in lives on the Muslims. Admittedly, a part of the believers were clearly defeated, but this could never be considered a Makkan victory.

The Makkan army failed to occupy the camp of the Muslims. The greater bulk of the Madinese army, chaos and confusion notwithstanding, did not take to escape, on the contrary they showed matchless and heroic resistance and managed to gather themselves again around their headquarters fighting bravely and courageously. They, moreover, did not allow the Makkans to run after them in pursuit. Neither Muslim captives were taken nor spoils were gained by the Makkans. The enemies of Islam were also too cowardly to conduct the third phase of war, and impress their superiority on the battlefield, on the contrary, they were in hot haste to evacuate the field even before the Muslims did. Madinah itself, the capital of the Muslims, was only a stone�s throw from the lines of the enemy, and vulnerably exposed, yet the polytheists were not bold enough to storm it to plunder its wealth or capture the Muslim women therein.

These suggestive details in fact support our argument that the event of Uhud was just a precious occasion on which the Makkans managed only to inflict heavy losses on the Muslims but failed to achieve their ultimate goals of annihilating the Muslim army in the process of their encompassment operation. After all, it is not unusual for conquerors to sustain such casualties and losses, but these could under no circumstances be regarded as victory for the hostile party.

The incident of Hamr� Al-Asad is interesting in this regard. It is a curious sight indeed of a victorious army in retreat for fear of disgrace and defeat, and the crestfallen and crippled group of Muslims in pursuit.

Uhud Battle in the final judgement was just one phase of military activities in the whole process of war between two hostile parties each of whom earned their legitimate portion of both success and failure and then desisted further engagement but without cowardly escape or resigned surrender. In this sense, this battle could be rightly regarded as an inseparable war.

In this context, All�h says:

"And don�t be weak in the pursuit of the enemy; if you are suffering (hardships) then surely, they (too) are suffering (hardships) as you are suffering, but you have a hope from All�h (for the reward, i.e. Paradise) that for which they hope not." [Al-Qur'an 4:104]

The verse explicitly identifies both attitudes as regards losses and hardships as identical. Both parties concluded the war operations and went back neither victorious nor vanquished.

The Observations of the Noble Qur��n on the Battle of Uhud

Some Qur��nic verses were revealed to shed light on the most decisive phases of the battle successively, adduce quite clearly the cause that led to that heavy loss, and illustrate the vulnerable areas that were still persisting in the souls of some believers as regards their duties in forging a decisive attitude with respect to the noble objectives for which the Muslim Community, was created and was supposed to accomplish.

The Noble Qur��n also spoke about the attitude of the pretenders to Faith and made clear the hostility and hatred that they harboured against All�h and His Messenger. The Words of All�h managed as well to erase all traces of ambiguities and insinuations, raised by the hypocrites and their allies, the Jews � the authors of conspiracy and intrigue hatching � and which were still in active operation in the hearts of some weak-of-heart Muslims.

The laudable judgement and long-sought objectives that were attributable to the battle of Uhud, were also another topic for the Noble Qur��n to dwell on at length. Sixty verses relevant to the battle were revealed giving full account of the first phase of the battle:

"And (remember) when you (Muhammad [pbuh]) left your household in the morning to post the believers at their stations for the battle (of Uhud)." [Al-Qur'an 3:121]

And to end in a comprehensive commentary on its results and moralities:

"All�h will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will All�h disclose to you the secrets of the Ghaib (unseen), but All�h chooses of His Messengers whom He pleases. So believe in All�h and His Messengers. And if you believe and fear All�h, then for you there is a great reward." [Al-Qur'an 3:179]

Lessons and Moralities

Ibn Al-Qaiyim has made a pointed reference to the battle of Uhud and given full elucidation of the Divine benefits and moralities that resulted from it. Some Muslim scholars, on the authority of Ibn Hajar, said: The reverse in Uhud resulted from the neglect on the part of the archers of the explicit command of the Prophet [pbuh], and leaving the spot which they were ordered to safeguard to the end. In other words, the success of the Muslims depends upon their obedience to the Prophet [pbuh]. As long as they carry out his behests, All�h will help them in facing all kinds of odds. But when they will set aside his commands in their pursuit of worldly riches, they are bound to come to grief. Another relevant issue of great significance says that it is customary for Prophets to be tried with different adversities; nevertheless, the final outcome is positively in their favour. Should the Muslims be victorious all the time, great many pretenders to Faith will enter the fold of Islam, and consequently the clear line of demarcation between true believers and hypocrites will become blurred. Contrarily, if the Muslims were to be defeated all the time, the final objective of the ministry of Prophets will not be effected. It is wise then to combine both success and failure so that sifting between true Muslims and hypocrites could be realized.

In the aftermath of the battle of Uhud, the hypocrites disclosed their real intentions in words and in deeds, consequently, the Muslims got to realize the existence of those wicked elements working secretly in their own homeland; and of course there would be appropriate measures to be taken in due course of time.

A third point in this context refers to purposeful deferment of victory in some areas in order to check the pride of the soul and teach the believers how to observe full patience in times of adversity. Trials and tests are provided by All�h in order that the true believers could deservedly occupy their abode in the blessed Hereafter. Martyrdom, the highest ranks that the true friends of All�h could occupy, is provided by All�h to function as a passport, granted by the Lord, leading to Paradise. In brief, fight in the cause of All�h is a golden opportunity for the true believers to have their sins effaced, and a Divinely-devised event for the disbelievers and enemies of All�h to face destruction and annihilation in recompense for their disbelief, tyranny and transgression. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/99-108]

Al-Ahzab (the Confederates) Invasion

Once again, peace and security enveloped the Arabian Peninsula and this turbulent area began to experience a period of lull after a whole year war. The Jews, however, whose treachery, intrigues and disloyalty made them taste all types of humiliation and disgrace, were not admonished. After they had been exiled to Khaibar, they remained waiting anxiously for the results of the skirmishes going on between the Muslims and the idolaters. Contrary to their hopes, the events of the war were in favour of the Muslims, therefore they started a new stage of conspiracy and prepared themselves to deal a deadly blow against the Muslims, but were too cowardly to manoeuvre directly against them, so they laid a dreadful plan in order to achieve their objectives. Twenty chiefs of the Jews with some celebrities of Bani Nadir went to Makkah to negotiate an unholy alliance with Quraish. They began to goad the people there to attack the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] promising them full support and backing. People of Quraish, who had been languid and proved too weak to challenge the Muslims at Badr, seized this opportunity to redeem their stained honour and blemished reputation. The same delegation set out for Ghatfan, called them to do the same, and they responded positively. The Jewish delegation then started a fresh effort and toured some parts of Arabia and managed to incite the confederates of disbelief against the Prophet [pbuh], his Message and the believers in All�h. Quraish, Kinanah and other allies from Tihama, in the south; rallied, ranked and recruited four thousand men under the leadership of Abu Sufyan. From the east there came tribes of Banu Saleem, Ghatfan, Bani Murrah, etc. They all headed for Madinah and gathered in its vicinity at a time already agreed upon. It was a great army of ten thousand fighters. They in fact outnumbered all the Muslims in Madinah, women, lads and elders included. To tell the truth, if they had launched a surprise attack against Madinah, they could have exterminated all the Muslims. However, the leadership inside the city was on the alert and the intelligence personnel managed to reconnoitre the area of the enemies, and reported their movement to the people in charge in Madinah. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] summoned a high advisory board and conducted a careful discussion of a plan to defend Madinah. After a lengthy talk between military leaders and people possessed of sound advice, it was agreed, on the proposal of an honourable Companion, Salman Al-Farisi, to dig trenches as defensive lines. The Muslims, with the Prophet [pbuh] at their head, encouraging, helping and reminding them of the reward in the Hereafter, most actively and diligently started to build a trench around Madinah. Severe hunger, bordering on starvation, could not dissuade or discourage them from achieving their desperately sought objective. Salman said: O Messenger of All�h! When siege was to laid to us in Persia, we used to dig trenches to defend ourselves. It was really an unprecedented wise plan. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] hurriedly gave orders to implement the plan. Forty yards was allocated to each group of ten to dig. Sahl bin Sa�d said: We were in the company of the Messenger of All�h [pbuh], the men used to dig and we evacuate the earth on our backs.

Some preternatural Prophetic signs appeared in the process of trenching. Jabir bin �Abdullah, seeing the Prophet [pbuh] starving, slaughtered a sheep, cooked some barley and requested the Prophet [pbuh] and some Companions to accept his invitation, but the Prophet [pbuh] gathered all the thousand people engaged in digging the trench and they started to eat until they were all completely full and yet the shoulder of mutton and dough that was being baked remained as they were undiminished. A certain woman brought a handful of dates and passed by the Prophet [pbuh], who took the dates, threw them over his cloak and invited his followers to eat. The dates began to increase in number until they dropped over the trim of his robe. Another illustrious preternatural example went to the effect that an obstinate rock stood out as an immune obstacle in the ditch. The Prophet [pbuh] took the spade and struck, and the rock immediately turned into a loose sand dune. In another version, Al-Bara� said: On Al-Khandaq (the trench) Day there stood out a rock too immune for our spades to break up. We therefore went to see the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] for advice. He took the spade, and struck the rock uttering "in the Name of All�h, All�h is Great, the keys of Ash-Sh�m (Geographical Syria) are mine, I swear by All�h, I can see its palaces at the moment;" on the second strike he said: "All�h is Great, Persia is mine, I swear by All�h, I can now see the white palace of Madain;" and for the third time he struck the rock, which turned into very small pieces, he said: "All�h is Great, I have been given the keys of Yemen, I swear by All�h, I can see the gates of San�a while I am in my place." The same version was narrated by Ishaq.[Ibn Hisham 3/330,331] The northern part of Madinah was the most vulnerable, all the other sides being surrounded by mountains and palm tree orchards, the Prophet [pbuh] as a skillful military expert, understood that the Confederates would march in that direction, so the trench was ordered to be on that side. The Muslims went on digging the trench for several days; they used to work on it during the day, and go back home in the evening until it had assumed its full dimensions militarily before the huge army of the idolaters;[ibid] which numbered, as many as ten thousand fighters, arrived and settled in the vicinity of Madinah in places called Al-Asyal and Uhud.

"And when the believers saw �Al-Ahzab� (the confederates), they said: �This is what All�h and His Messenger (Muhammad [pbuh]) had promised us, and All�h and His Messenger (Muhammad [pbuh]) had spoken the truth, and it only added to their Faith and to their submissiveness (to All�h)." [Al-Quran 33:22]

Three thousand Muslims, with Muhammad [pbuh] at their head, came out to encounter the idolaters, with All�h�s Promise of victory deeply established in their minds. They entrenched themselves in Sila� Mountain with the trench standing as a barrier between them and the disbelievers.

On attempting to attack the Muslims and break into Madinah, the idolaters were surprised to see a wide trench, a new stratagem unknown in Arabia before, standing as an obstinate obstruction. Consequently they decided to lay siege to Madinah and began to manoeuvre around the trench trying hard to find a vulnerable spot through which they could infiltrate into Madinah. To deter their enemies from approaching or bridging any gap in their defences, the Muslims hurled arrows, and engaged in skirmishes with them. The veteran fighters of Quraish were averse to this situation waiting in vain in anticipation of what the siege might reveal. Therefore they decided that a group of fighters led by �Amr bin �Abd-e-Wudd, �Ikrima bin Abi Jahl and Dirar bin Al-Khattab, should work its way through the trench. They, in fact, managed to do that and their horsemen captured a marshy area between the trench and Sila� Mountain. �Amr challenged the Muslims to a duel, and �Ali bin Abi Talib was deputed. After a short but fierce engagement, �Ali killed �Amr and obliged the others to evacuate in a state of panic and confusion. However, some days later, the polytheists conducted fresh desperate attempts but all of them failed due to Muslims� steadfastness and heroic confrontation.

In the context of the events of the Trench Battle, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] failed to observe some prayers in their right time. Jabir [R] narrated: On the Day of Trench �Umar bin Al-Khattab [R] came, cursing the disbelievers of Quraish and said: "O All�h�s Messenger! I have not offered the afternoon prayer and the sun has set." The Prophet [pbuh] replied: "By All�h! I, too, have not offered the prayer yet." The Prophet [pbuh] then went to Buthan, performed ablution and observed the afternoon prayer after the sun had set and then offered the sunset prayer after it."[Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/590] He was so indignant for this failure that he invoked All�h�s wrath on his enemies and besought All�h to fill their houses and graves with fire because they distracted him from observing the afternoon prayer. It was narrated by Ahmed and Shafa�i that the events of that battle detained him from the noon, afternoon, evening and night prayers, but he observed them combined. The different narrations point to the fact that the situation lasted for a few days.[Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.287; Sahih Muslim 1/227]

It is clear that, and because of the trench standing between the two parties, no direct engagement took place, but rather there were military activities confined to arrow hurling, consequently the fight claimed the lives of a small number of fighters, six Muslims and ten polytheists, one or two killed by sword.

During the process of fighting, Sa�d bin Mu�adh was shot by an arrow that pierced his artery. Perceiving his end approaching, he invoked All�h saying: "Oh, All�h, you know nothing is closer to my heart than striving in Your way against those people (disbelievers) who belied Your Messenger and banished him from his town. Oh, All�h, I deeply believe that You have decreed that we should fight them, so if there is still more fighting to go with them, let me stay alive in order to strive more against them. If it has settled down, I beseech you to ignite it again so that I breathe my last in its context."[Sahih Al-Bukhari 3/591] He concluded his supplication beseeching All�h not to let him die until he had had full revenge on Banu Quraiza. In the midst of these difficult circumstances, plottery and intrigues were in fervent action against the Muslims. The chief criminal of Bani Nadir, Huyai, headed for the habitations of Banu Quraiza to incite their chief Ka�b bin Asad Al-Qurazi, who had drawn a pact with the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] to run to his aid in times of war. Ka�b, in the beginning resisted all Huyai�s temptation, but Huyai was clever enough to manipulate him, speaking of Quraish and their notables in Al-Asyal, as well as Ghatfan and their chieftains entrenched in Uhud, all in one mind, determined to exterminate Muhammad [pbuh] and his followers. He, moreover, promised to stay in Ka�b�s fort exposing himself to any potential danger in case Quraish and Ghatfan recanted. The wicked man went on in this manner until he later managed to win Ka�b to his side and persuade him to break his covenant with the Muslims. [Ibn Hisham 3/337] Banu Quraiza then started to launch war operations against the Muslims especially the secluded garrisons that housed the women and children of the Muslims. On the authority of Ibn Ishaq, Safiyah [R], daughter of �Abdul Muttalib happened to be in a garrison with Hassan bin Thabit as well as some women and children. Safiyah said: "A Jew was spotted lurking around our site, which was vulnerable to any enemy attacks because there were no men to defend it. I informed Hassan that I was suspicious of that man�s presence near us. He might take us by surprise now that the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] and the Muslims are too busy to come to our aid, why don�t you get down and kill him? Hassan answered that he would not do it, so I took a bar of wood, went down and struck the Jew to death. I returned and asked Hassan to loot him but again Hassan refused to do that.[ibid 2/228] This event had a far reaching effect and discouraged the Jews from conducting further attacks thinking that those sites were fortified and protected by Muslim fighters. They, however, went on providing the idolaters with supplies in token of their support against the Muslims.

On hearing this bad news, the Messenger [pbuh] despatched four Muslim prominent leaders Sa�d bin Mu�adh, Sa�d bin �Ubada, �Abdullah bin Rawaha and Khawat bin Jubair for investigation but warning against any sort of spreading panic amongst the Muslims and advising that they should declare in public that the rumours are groundless if they happen to be so. Unfortunately the four men discovered that the news was true and that the Jews announced openly that no pact of alliance existed any longer with Muhammad [pbuh]. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] was briefed on this situation, and the Muslims understood their critical position with the horrible danger implied therein. Their back was vulnerable to the attacks of Banu Quraiza, and a huge army with no way to connive at in front, while their women and children unprotected standing in between. In this regard, All�h says:

"And when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harbouring doubts about All�h. There, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking."
[Al-Qur'an 33:10, 11]

Now that the Muslims were shut in within the Trench on the defensive, the hypocrites taunted them with having indulged in delusive hopes of defeating Kisra, emperor of Persia, and Caesar, emperor of the Romans. They began to sow the seeds of defeatism, and pretended to withdraw for the defence of their homes, though these were in no way exposed to danger. Here, All�h says:

"And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubts) said, �All�h and His Messenger ([pbuh]) promised us nothing but delusions!� And when a party of them said: �O people of Yathrib (Al-Madinah), there is no stand (possible) for you (against the enemy attack!) therefore go back!� And a band of them asked for permission of the Prophet ([pbuh]) saying: �Truly, our homes lie open (to the enemy).� And they lay not open. They but wished to flee." [Al-Qur'an 33:12, 13]

The Messenger of All�h, [pbuh] wrapped himself in his robe and began to meditate on the perfidy of Banu Quraiza. The spirit of hopefulness prevailed over him and he rose to his feet saying:

"All�h is Great. Hearken you Muslims, to All�h�s good tidings of victory and support."

He then started to lay decisive plans aiming at protecting the women and children, and sent some fighters back to Madinah to guard them against any surprise assault by the enemy. The second step was to take action that could lead to undermining the ranks of the disbelieving confederates. There, he had in mind to conclude a sort of reconciliation with the chiefs of Ghatfan on the basis of donating them a third of Madinah�s fruit crops. He sought the advice of his chief Companions, namely, Sa�d bin Mu�adh and Sa�d bin �Ubadah, whose reply went as follows:

"O Messenger of All�h! If it is All�h�s injunction, then we have to obey, but if it is a new course you want to follow just to provide security for us then we don�t need it. We experienced those people in polytheism and idolatry and we can safely say that they don�t need the fruit of our orchards, they rather need to exterminate us completely. Now that All�h has honoured us with Islam, I believe the best recourse in this situation is to put them to the sword." Thereupon the Prophet [pbuh] corrected their Belief saying: "My new policy is being forged to provide your security after all the Arabs have united to annihilate you (Muslims)."

All�h, the Glorious, the Exalted, praise is to him, created something that led to the dissension of the enemies of Islam and later on to their full defeat. A man from the tribe of Ghatfan called Na�im bin Mas�ud asked to be admitted in the audience of the Prophet [pbuh]. He declared that he had embraced Islam secretly and asked the Prophet [pbuh] to order him do anything that might benefit the Muslims. The Prophet [pbuh] asked him to do anything that could help the Muslims in the present distress and use any strategem of avail. The man, in a shuttle movement, between the Jews, Quraish and Ghatfan managed to incite each party to let down the other. He went to see the chiefs of Banu Quraiza and whispered in their ears not to trust Quraish nor fight with them unless the latter pledged some hostages. He tried to lend support to his counsel by claiming that Quraish would forsake them if they perceived that victory over Muhammad [pbuh] was far fetched, and the Muslims then would have terrible revenge on them. Na�im, then headed for the camp of Quraish and managed to practise a similar strategem in its final result but different in content. He claimed that he felt that the Jews regretted breaching their covenant with Muhammad [pbuh] and his followers. He told them that the Jews maintained regular correspondence with the Muslims to the effect that Quraishite hostages be sent to the camp of the Muslims with full Jewish allegiance paid to them as already agreed upon. Na�im then exhorted Quraish not to send hostages to the Jews. On a third errand, he did the same with the people of Ghatfan.

On Saturday night, Shawwal 5 A.H., both Quraish and Ghatfan despatched envoys to the Jews exhorting them to go into war against Muhammad [pbuh]. The Jews sent back messages that they would not fight on Saturday. They added that they needed hostages from them to guarantee their consistency. On receiving the replies, Quraish and Ghatfan came to believe Na�im�s words fully. Therefore, they sent a message to the Jews again inviting them to war and asking them to preclude that condition of hostages. Na�im�s scheme proved successful, and a state of distrust and suspicion among the disbelieving allies prevailed and reduced their morale to deplorable degree.

Meanwhile, the Muslims were preoccupied supplicating their Lord to protect their homes and provide security for their families. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] on his part invoked All�h�s wrath on the Confederates supplicating:

"Oh, All�h! You are quick in account, You are the sender of the Book, we beseech You to defeat the confederates." [Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/411,2/590]

All�h the Glorious, the Exalted, responded to the call of the Muslims on the spot. Coupled with the dissension and variance that found their way into the hearts of the disbelievers, forces of nature � wind, rain and cold wearied them, tents were blown down, cooking vessels and other equipage overthrown.

That very cold night the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] despatched Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman to hunt around for news about the enemy. He found out that they were preparing to leave frustrated for their inability to achieve their target. All�h did really fulfill His Promise, spared the Muslims fighting a formidable army, supported His slave (Muhammad [pbuh]) and inflicted a heavy blow on the Confederates.

The battle of the Trench took place in the fifth year Hijri. The siege of Madinah started in Shawwal and ended in Dhul Qa�dah, i.e. it lasted for over a month. It was in fact a battle of nerves rather than of losses. No bitter fighting was recorded; nevertheless, it was one of the most decisive battles in the early history of Islam and proved beyond a shadow of doubt that no forces, however huge, could ever exterminate the nascent Islamic power growing steadily in Madinah. When All�h obliged the Confederates to evacuate, His Messenger was in a position to confidently declare that thenceforth he would take the initiative in war and would not wait for the land of Islam to be invaded. [Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/590]