Battle of Khandaq: Difference between revisions

'''The Battle of Khandaq''' (Arabic: {{ia|غزوة الخندق}}, Battle of the Trench) or '''The Battle of Aḥzāb''' (Arabic: {{ia|غزوة الأحزاب}}, Battle of the Confederates) took place in the [[5|fifth]] year of [[Hijra]]/627. It initially broke out by the stratagem of [[Banu Nadir]] tribe. [[Quraysh]] tribe became united with all its allies including polytheist 'Arab tribes in order to eradicate Islam. The number of their soldiers was 10,000, yet Muslim army was only 3,000 soldiers. [[Banu Qurayza]] tribe had promised to be impartial in case of war; nevertheless, they violated the contract and became confederate with the unbelievers. To take up arms against the unbelievers, Muslims dug a trench around [[Medina]], an idea from [[Salman al-Farsi]]. The war terminated by Muslim's victory and the army of polytheists had to withdraw.

During the battle, [['Amr b. 'Abd Wudd]], eminent for his great valor and bravery, proceeded the trench along with some other warriors and threw down the challenge that who would dare to fight with him. Muslims remained silent, while they were overwhelmed with panic. Ultimately, [['Ali (a)]] volunteered and went for the challenge with the [[Prophet (s)]]'s consent. He succeeded to take 'Amr's life. This had such a huge positive impact on Muslim's spirit that led to them triumphing over the enemy. "'Ali's stroke was superior to any jinn's or human's (thaqalayn) worship", said Prophet Muhammad (s).

The majority of historians believe the date of its occurrence is the [[5|fifth]] year of Hijra. There are different views about the exact month. Some sources believe it was [[Shawwal]], and some others refer to [[Dhu l-Qa'da]]. In a hadith, it has been said that the prophet set off for the war on Thursday, [[Shawwal 10|10th of Shawwal]]/[[March 7]], and ended it on Saturday, [[Dhu l-Qa'da 1|first of Dhu l-Qa'da]]/[[March 27]], 627.

Being exiled by the Prophet (s) owing to their disloyalty, [[Banu Nadir]] tribe went to [[Khaybar]] and instigated other Jews to arrange a war against Muslims. This could be the chief cause of the war. After that, some Jews from Banu Nadir and [[Banu Wa'il]] such as; Huyayy b. Akhtab, Sallam b. Abi l-Huqayq, Kinana b. Rabi' b. Abi l-Huqayq, Hawdhat b. Qays al-Wa'ili, Abu 'Ammar al-Wa'ili, went to [[Mecca]] and encouraged [[Abu Sufyan]] and [[Quraysh]] to begin a war against [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]]. Abu Sufyan accepted their plan with open arms, thus Jews and Quraysh got unified. As following plans, Jews mentioned earlier met Ghatafan tribe, led by 'Uyayna b. Hisn al-Fazari. They persuaded them to take part in the war by promising to provide them with one-year date product of [[Kaybar]] area. Then, they visited Banu Sulaym b. Mansur and convinced them as well.

The unbelievers' army all together were 10,000 men. Four thousands of them along with 300 horses and 1,500 camels were from Quraysh tribe and its confederates. In some references, the number of them (Quraysh, Ghatafan, Banu Sulaym, Banu Asad, Banu Ashja', Banu Qurayza, Banu Nadir, and other Jews) is said to be 24 thousands. The unity of the unbelievers and Jews in this war represents their determination to eliminate Islam. That is why, when Imam 'Ali (a) confronted 'Amr b. 'Abd Wad, the Prophet said: "The whole Islam has faced the whole polytheism". Some sources believe the number of Muslims was only 3,000.

== Digging the Trench==

Being informed about polytheists' determination by a supporter from [[Khuza'a]] tribe, the [[Prophet (s)]] asked for people's opinions about whether to stay in [[Medina]] and fight there, or leave the city and confront the polytheists out of the city. "Whenever we were in danger by enemy's horsemen in [[Iran]], we dug trench all around us", said [[Salman al-Farsi]]. Having been conquered in the [[Battle of Uhud]] due to their opposition with Prophet's opinion (and leaving the city), people chose to stay in town and accepted Salman's suggestion to dig trench. Digging trench was not commonplace among 'Arabs up to that time, and it provoked amazement among both Muslims and the polytheists.

The Prophet (s) ordered people to dig a trench before them, having [[Mount Sal']] behind. They had to start the job from Mudhad (a fort located in the West of [[Fath Mosque]]) and carry it on to Dhubab region and Mount Ratij (besides Mount Banu 'Ubayd, at the West of Bathan). The Prophet (s) specified 40 Dhira' (around 20 meters) for every ten people and made each tribe responsible for digging each part. It is said that [[Muhajirun]] were to dig the trench from Ratij to Dhubab, and [[Ansar]] had to do so from Dhubab to Mount Banu 'Ubayd. The Prophet (s) himself contributed to the work. He made doors for trench and the responsibility of guarding them lay with a person from each tribe.

Muslims borrowed many implements such as spade, pickaxe, axe, and basket from [[Banu Qurayza]], who were Prophet's (s) confederate at that time. Allah sent some verses to the Prophet (s) about the pious men who did not cease working without the Prophet's approval, and also about [[hypocrite]]s who were not dedicated to work and abandoned the job to visit their families without Prophet's permission.

Digging trench lasted for 6 days. Youngsters and adolescents took part in it as well.

The most difficult time for Muslims was when it was known that [[Banu Qurayza]] tribe, who had promised to be impartial in case of war, violated the contract and leaned towards the polytheists. [[Ka'b b. Asad al-Qurazi]], the leader of Banu Qurayza, despite his unwillingness at the beginning, chose to be on the polytheists' side after the because of the persuasion of Huyayy b. Akhtab. The Prophet (s) sent the leaders of [[Aws and Khazraj]] tribes (in order: [[Sa'd b. Mu'adh]] and [[Sa'd b. 'Ubada]]) to make sure about the authenticity of this news. He asked them to inform him in a way that no one found out so that it would not put Muslims in low spirits. Banu Qurayza had the worst behavior with them with the most insulting words. They came back to the Prophet (s) and notified him by naming the two tribes 'Adal and Qara. What they meant by it was the remembrance of the treachery of these two tribes towards [[Khubayb b. 'Adi]] and his friends in Raji'.

Muslims feared very much, since they were nervous about their family condition inside [[Medina]] (situated at the back of their domicile), and they had to confront those enemy warriors passing the trench every now and then. The holy Qur'an depicted Muslim's fear and their suspicion about God's promises very plainly.{{enote|And when the hypocrites were saying, as well as those in whose hearts is a sickness, ‘Allah and His Apostle did not promise us [anything] except delusion.’ (12) And when a group of them said, ‘O people of Yathrib! [This is] not a place for you, so go back!’ And a group of them sought the Prophet’s permission, saying, ‘Our homes lie exposed [to the enemy],’ although they were not exposed. They only sought to flee. (Quran 33:12-13)}} The fear was so deep that Mu'attib b. Qushayr, a hypocrite, said that Muhammad promised us the conquest of [[Iran]] and [[Rome]]; however, no one dares to go out even to ease his nature.

Muslims guarded the trench in turn, day and night, enduring severe cold weather and hunger. Some miracles ascribed to the [[Prophet (s)]] about satisfying Muslim's hunger have been narrated. One time, there were so many attacks from the enemy that the Prophet didn't manage to say Noon and Afternoon prayers, and had to perform them later along with Sunset and Dusk prayer.