Battle of Trench - The Final Muslim-Quraysh Battle

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 Battle of the Trench (Ghazwa-e-Khandaq) or Battle of the Confederates (Ghazwa-e-Ahzab) was the third and last major battle between Muslims and Quraysh of Makkah. During this battle, Muslims dug a trench around Madinah to save the city from the invasion of Quraysh. Its other name is the Battle of Confederates because several Jewish and Arab tribes allied with Quraysh to uproot Muslims from Madinah. The battle was fought in 5 AH and ended with victory for Muslims as the invaders could not breach the defenses of Madinah despite their extreme effort.

Causes of Battle of Trench

  • The Battle of Uhud (3 AH) remained successful for Quraysh, and they decided to destroy the Muslim city-state of Madinah in the next battle as early as possible. They got the chance to invade Madinah two years later in 5 AH after gaining the support of many Arab and Jewish tribes.
  • Jewish tribes of Banu Qaynuqa and Banu Nadir were expelled by Muhammad (PBUH) due to their breach of the Charter of Madinah. They were eager to take their revenge. They allied with Quraysh and persuaded several tribes of Najd to join the battle against Muslims.
  • Muslims had become powerful enough to block the trading route between Sham and Makkah. Therefore, it was important for Quraysh to keep their trading route safe from every enemy.

Preparation for Battle

The army of confederates moved towards Madinah in January 627 AD with more than 10,000 men. Half of the fighters were from Quraysh, while the remaining were composed of Jewish tribes of Banu Nadir and Banu Qaynuqa and Arabian tribes of Banu Ghatafan, Bani Assad, Banu Sulaym, Banu Shuja, and Banu Murra. The Makkans moved from the south while the other Arabian tribes moved from the east towards Madinah.

Soon after the marching of invading armies, men from the Muslim-affiliate tribe Banu Khuza’a arrived in Madinah and informed the Muslims about the invading army. It was dangerous to fight against such a large army in open battle because the adult male population of Madinah (except the Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza) was less than a third part of the attackers.

Therefore, the opinion of Salman Pharsi (Salman the Persian) was accepted to dig a ditch on the northern side of Madinah. On the other three sides, there was natural protection with trees and rocky mountains. In six days, Muslims completed the 5-meter wide and 5-meter deep trench. Muhammad (PBUH) also took part in this labor alongside other Muslims.

Meeting of Two Armies

When the allies arrived near Madinah, they became stunned after viewing the trench as it was an alien way of defense. It forced them to encamp outside Madinah. 3,000 Muslims were on the other side of the trench to defend the city.

Quraysh tried to cross the trench several times but could not make it due to Muslim archers. After about two weeks, a Qureshi warrior, Amr bin Abd Wudd, successfully crossed the trench with a few of his men and challenged Muslims to a duel. Ali (RA) accepted the challenge and killed Amr after an intense fight. Later, no one else tried to repeat this adventure.

Role of Banu Qurayza

After the expulsion of Banu Nadir and Banu Qaynuqa, Banu Qurayza was the last Jewish tribe left in Madinah. The tribe tried to remain neutral during the battle, but the chief of Banu Nadir guaranteed the victory of Quraysh and persuaded them to help the invading army. Muhammad (PBUH) got the news and sent 300 horsemen and 100 infantry to protect the city from its rear (against Banu Qurayza).

Role of Nuaym ibn Masud

The breach of the pact by Banu Qurayza created severe problems for Muslims as they were now facing enemies from both the front and rear sides. At this moment, a newly converted leader of Banu Ghatafan, Nuaym ibn Masud, played a vital role in disintegrating the confederacy. No one got information about his conversion, and he took advantage of this secrecy.

He initially went to Banu Qurayza and persuaded them to demand the leaders of the confederates as hostages so that they may not abandon Banu Qurayza in case of defeat. On the other hand, Nuaym met Abu Sufyan and other confederate leaders and warned them against giving any man as a hostage to Banu Qurayza as they might hand over the hostages to Muhammad (PBUH).

His plan remained successful. Banu Qurayza demanded hostages, and the confederates refused their demand. Practically, this issue ended the partnership between Banu Qurayza and the invaders.

End of the Siege

The long siege created problems for both Muslims and the invaders. Muslims were facing a shortage of food and lack of sleep while the cold weather was proving extremely difficult for the invaders.

In this situation, Muhammad (PBUH) also started negotiations with the Arabian tribes of Najd, as they were only there to loot the spoils of war. The days of Hajj were also approaching for the Quraysh, and both sides were eager to end this long siege. On the 27th day of the siege, a gusty wind forced the invaders to withdraw, and the steadfastness of Muslims made them victorious in this long siege.

After the end of the battle, the Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza received punishment for their breach of the pact when they surrendered after a siege of their area. It included the execution of their men and the enslavement of women and children. After the surrender of Banu Qurayza, they selected Sa’ad bin Mu’adh (RA) (chief of the Aws tribe and son of a Jewish mother) as their arbitrator, and he chose this punishment for them according to the teachings of the Torah.

Reasons for Muslim Victory in Battle of Trench

  1. Muslims defended Madinah with a trench, a new strategy for the Arabs. Due to the absence of experience with this defensive strategy, they could not cross the trench despite their best efforts for a month.
  2. Muslims defended their land with valor and commitment, and their belief in Islam never let them lose hope.
  3. Nuaym ibn Masud (RA) played a significant role in creating differences between Banu Qurayza and the invading armies.
  4. Most Arab tribes were not enemies of Muslims, and their only purpose was to loot the booty. They were not interested in the long siege and showed their eagerness to negotiate with Muslims after the prolonged siege.
  5. Cold weather and strong winds shattered the spirits of the invaders.
  6. The annual pilgrimage of Makkah was approaching, and the Quraysh had to prepare for its management. It forced them to end their siege.

Importance of the Battle of Trench

  • Defeat in the Battle of Trench badly demoralized Quraysh, and they could not attack Madinah again. Instead, they signed the Treaty of Hudaybiyya in 6 AH with Muslims.
  • Quraysh lost their trade with Syria which produced financial problems for them.
  • Muslims restored their reputation as an emerging and powerful party of Arabia. It ended the persecution of Muslims by other Arabian tribes, which started after their defeat in the Battle of Uhud.
  • The last Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza got eliminated after the Battle of Trench, which purged Madinah from the conspiracies of Jews.

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