The Life of Muhammad

The Event of Al-khandaq (trench)

The battle of al-Khandaq was one of the most violent battles that Muslims were engaged in. The Arab tribes gathered together against the Prophet (a.s.), and therefore it was called ‘the battle of parties (ahzab)’. Muslims were very worried about it and fear prevailed over them. The Holy Qur'an has talked about that in this verse, (When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes turned dull, and the hearts rose up to the throats).[1]

The role of the Jews

The Jews of the Arabia had a big role in this battle. A group of them went to the people of Quraysh telling them that they would be with them against the Prophet (a.s.) to do away with him and his followers. The people of Quraysh said to them, “O community of the Jews, you are the people of the first Book and the knowledge that we have been disagreeing on. We and Muhammad; is our religion better or his?”

The Jews replied, “But, it is your religion (idolatry) that is better than his religion, and you are worthier of the truth than him.”

This was the logic of the Jews! They preferred idolatry to the religion of Allah. The Qur'an talked about what happened between the Jews and the people of Quraysh when revealing,

***(Have you not seen those to whom a portion of the Book has been given? They believe in idols and false deities and say of those who disbelieve: These are better guided in the path than those who believe. Those are they whom Allah has cursed, and whomever Allah curses you shall not find any helper for him. Or have they a share in the kingdom? But then they would not give  ***

[1] Qur'an, 33:10.

to people even the speck in the date stone. Or do they envy the people for what Allah has given them of His grace? But indeed We have given to Ibrahim's children the Book and the wisdom, and We have given them a grand kingdom. So of them is he who believes in him, and of them is he who turns away from him, and hell is sufficient to burn).[1]

However, Quraysh responded to the call of the Jews.

Digging the trench

When the Prophet (a.s.) knew about the preparation of Quraysh and the other Arab tribes of Ghatafan to fight him, he gathered his companions, informed them of that, and asked them to suggest the best way to repel that aggression. His companion Salman al-Farisi suggested to him to dig a trench around Medina to prevent the enemy from entering the town. The Prophet (a.s.) admired this suggestion and began with his companions the digging of the trench. The hypocrites of Muslims often slipped away to escape the working in the trench; therefore Allah revealed this verse concerning them, (Allah knows those of you who steal away, hiding themselves. And let those who conspire to evade orders beware lest grief or painful punishment befall them).[2] As for Muslims, they tried their best in digging the trench, and whenever they had something to do, they asked the Prophet’s permission to go to carry it out, and then Allah revealed this verse concerning them, ***(Only those are believers who believe in Allah and His Messenger, and when they are with him on a momentous affair they go not away until they have asked his permission; surely they who ask your permission are they who believe in Allah and His Messenger; so when they ask your permission for some affair of theirs, give  ***

[1] Qur'an, 4:51-55.
[2] Qur'an, 24:63.

permission to whom you please of them and ask forgiveness for them from Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful).[1]

The Prophet (a.s.) himself worked with the other Muslims and hated to be distinguished from them. In fact, this plan was very wise that it kept the Muslims safe from the evils of Quraysh and its allies. Quraysh and the parties remained astonished at the trench and they could not cross it. They remained at the other side of the trench shooting arrows at Muslims and the Muslims did the same without taking place of a general war between the two sides. 

The Prophet with Nu’aym

Nu’aym bin Mas’ud, who was from the chiefs of Ghatafan that came to fight the Prophet, became Muslim at the hand of the Prophet (a.s.) at that very time. He said to the Prophet (a.s.), “O messenger of Allah, I have become Muslim and my people do not know about that. You can order me with whatever you like.”

The Prophet (a.s.) ordered him to discourage the tribes and cheat them as war would be a trick. Indeed, Nu’aym did his role positively in discouraging those tribes (in the alliance) and causing sedition between them. He went to the Bani Quraydhah, whome he was their companion in the pre-Islamic age, and said to them, “O bani Quraydhah, you have already known my love to you and the good relation between me and you.”

They said, “You are right. You are not doubted to us.”

He said, “Surely, (the tribes of) Quraysh and Ghatafan are not like you. The country is yours in which there are your properties, children, and women. You cannot leave it to elsewhere. Quraysh and Ghatafan have come to fight  

[1] Qur'an, 24:62.

Muhammad and his companions, and you have supported them against him. Their country, properties, and women are in other than it (this country) and so they are not like you. If they find an opportunity, they will make use of it; otherwise, they will go back to their country and leave you alone with him (the Prophet), and you are not able to stand against him when you are alone before him. Therefore, do not fight with these people (of Quraysh and other tribes) until you will take hostages from their notables to be in your hands as insurance to you in order to fight with them against Muhammad until you will defeat him.”

They all said, “You have well advised.”

They all trusted in his advice. Then, he went to the people of Quraysh and said to Abu Sufyan and the other chiefs with him, “You have already known my love to you and my desertion to Muhammad. I have been informed of something that I feel, due to my loyalty to you, I must tell you about it, but you have to keep it secret.”

They said, “Yes, we do.”

He said to them, “Know that the Jews regretted what they did to Muhammad, and they sent him a messenger telling him that they regretted what they did to him, and that if it would please him, they would take from Quraysh and Ghatafan some notables as hostages, and then they would hand them over to Muhammad to kill them, and then they (the Jews) would be with him. So, if the Jews ask you for some men as hostages, do not give them even one man from you.”

Abu Sufyan approved Nu’aym’s saying. He sent Ikrima bin Abi Jahl with some men to the Bani Quraydhah asking them to join Quraysh to fight against the Prophet (a.s.). The Jews of the Bani Quraydhah said to them, “We will not fight with you except if

you give us some men from you as hostages in our hands and then we will fight against Muhammad.”

The delegation went back telling Quraysh and Ghatafan what Bani Quraydhaha had said, and so they trusted what Nu’aym said. They said, “By Allah, we do not hand over to them anyone from us.”

Thus, the Muslims were safe from the Jews of the Bani Quraydhah who did not join Quraysh or participate in the war against the Muslims.[1] 

The crossing of the trench

Some forces of the enemy could cross the trench and began challenging the Muslim forces for fighting. From among the enemy forces that could cross the trench was Amr bin Abd Widd who was the famous hero and knight of Quraysh in the pre-Islamic age. The ground shook under the pride, the haughtiness, and the strength of that hero. Fear and silence overcame the Muslims when this hero walked here and there before them disdainfully. He cried out, “O men of Muhammad! Would anyone of you duel (with me)?”

No one of Muslims replied except Imam Ali, who was too young then, saying, “I am to him, O messenger of Allah…”

The Prophet (a.s.) was too worried about Imam Ali (a.s.). He said to him, “It is Amr!”

Imam Ali (a.s.) sat down obediently to the order of the Prophet (a.s.).

Amr, again, scorned the Muslims saying, “O men of Muhammad, where is your paradise that you claim you shall enter when you are killed? Does no man from you want it?”

[1] Encyclopedia of Imam Ameerul Mo'minin Ali bin Abi Talib, vol. 2 p. 23.

No one of the Muslims replied to him, except Imam Ali (a.s.) whom the Prophet (a.s.) permitted after insisting. The Prophet (a.s.) said, “The whole faith has appeared to the whole disbelief.”

Then the Prophet (a.s.) raised his hands towards the heaven praying, “O Allah, you have taken from me Hamza on the Day of Uhud, and Ubayda on the Day of Badr, so keep to me Ali today… O my Lord, leave me not alone, and You are the best of inheritors.”

The hero of Islam advanced with no bit of fear or worry. Amr bin Abd Widd was astonished at the courage of this young man and his daring to duel with the great hero of the Arabs. He asked him, “Who are you?”

Imam Ali (a.s.) replied, “I am Ali bin Abi Talib.”

Amr felt pity for him and said, “Your father was my friend.”

Imam Ali (a.s.) paid no attention to his father’s friendship with Amr, and he said, “O Amr, you have promised your people that no man from Quraysh invites you to three things except that you respond to him.”

Amr said, “Yes, it is my promise.”

Imam Ali (a.s.) said, “I invite you to Islam.”

Amr said mockingly, “Shall I leave my grandfathers’ religion? Give up this!”

Imam Ali (a.s.) said, “I refrain from killing you and you go back (leave the battle).”

Amr became angry and was astonished at the daring of this young man. He said to him, “Then, the Arabs begin talking about my fleeing.”

Imam Ali (a.s.) said to him, “Then, I invite you to the fight.”[1]

Amr wondered at the courage of this young man. He dismounted from his horse, unsheathed his sword, and struck Imam Ali (a.s.) on his helmet that was split and his head was wounded. The Muslims were certain that Imam Ali (a.s.) would meet his end, but soon Imam Ali (a.s.) struck Amr so strongly that he fell to the ground sunk in his blood. Imam Ali (a.s.) cried out ‘Allahu Akbar’, and the Muslims cried out ‘Allahu Akbar’ too. The back of polytheism was broken and its power failed. It was the victory of Muslims at Imam Ali’s hand before the actual war began. The Prophet (a.s.) said, “The fighting of Ali bin Abi Talib against Amr bin Abd Widd on the day of al-Khandaq (the trench) is better than the deeds of my nation until the Day of Resurrection.”[2]

The Prophet’s great companion Huthayfah bin al-Yaman said, “If the virtue of Ali’s killing of Amr on the Day of al-Khandaq is divided among all Muslims, it shall include them.”[3]

Abdullah bin Abbas said when interpreting this Qur’anic verse (and Allah sufficed the believers in fighting),[4] “He sufficed them by Ali bin Abi Talib.”

The people of Quraysh wept too much for Amr and were very sad because the killing of him was the actual defeat to them.

Amr’s sister did not weep for Amr because his killer was the first and best hero among all the Arabs. She recited:

“If the killer of Amr was other than his killer,

[1] Mustadrak al-Hakim, vol. 3 p. 32.
[2] Tareekh al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, vol. 13 p. 19, Mustadrak al-Hakim, vol. 3 p. 32.
[3] Rassa’il (letters of) al-Jahidh, p. 60.
[4] Qur'an, 33:25.

I would weep for him (Amr) until the last of time.

But his killer cannot be faulted,

And whose father was called the master of the country.”[1]

Imam Ali (a.s.) killed another hero from Quraysh. He was Nawfal bin Abdullah, and that caused another defeat for Quraysh. Then the Prophet (a.s.) said, “Now we attack them, and they do not attack us.”[2]

Quraysh and its allies ran away overcome by fright and worry after losing their greatest hero in this battle, whereas the Muslims did not face any loss.

[1] Amali al-Murtadha, vol. 2 p. 7-8.
[2] A’yan ash-Shia, vol. 3 p. 113.