Chapter - 28

28. DOUBLE TRAGEDY

The Muslims of Madina had just finished a gruelling battle against the Makkans as they defended Madina from their aggression. The Muslims suffered some losses and were forced to retreat when the Makkans made a counter strike, just as the Muslims were winning the battle. The archers who were defending the rear side of the Muslim forces had left their post, thinking that the battle was over. The Makkan cavalry saw this weakness and quickly exploited it causing havoc in the Muslims ranks.

However, the Muslims had managed to regroup and rally around the Prophet (pbuh). They even chased after the Makkan army in case they change their minds and returned to fight the Muslims again.

The news of the Muslim’s ‘defeat’ had reached Madina and there were many groups who were ecstatic about the Muslim losses. The two main groups were the Jews of Madina and the Hypocrites. Both of these groups had enjoyed the peace Islam had brought to Madina but deep down they wanted nothing more than the Muslims to be crushed by the Makkans.

The Jews openly expressed their happiness of the Muslim losses and took this opportunity to invent lies against the Prophet (pbuh). They began to say that Muhammad (pbuh) was no more than an impostor and began to say some nasty things against him.

The hypocrites in Madina celebrated the defeat of the Muslims at Uhud. They openly boasted that they had walked away from the battlefield even though this had been a cowardly act. They encourage the people in Madina to leave Islam saying that Muhammad (pbuh) was no more than a normal leader. However, the Muslims knew better – he was the true messenger of Allah for all humanity.

One of the results of Uhud was that many tribes around Madina were now thinking about attacking the Muslims and began planning their own raids on Madina. Previously, the Muslims had seemed invincible but now this image had been shattered in their minds. This ill-will and hostility had become a major menace to peace in Madina.

When finally the heroic Muslims returned to Madina; this was the atmosphere they were welcomed with. They were utterly exhausted by the fighting and the long marches they endured. Many of the Muslims were injured and nursing wounds. However, despite this, they were ready to defend Islam and their community by following the command of their beloved Prophet (pbuh).

The news reached the Prophet (pbuh) that the Bedouins were recruiting an army to attack Madina. The Prophet (pbuh) immediately despatched a small force to face this new enemy. About 150 Muslims were despatched under the leadership of Abu Salamah. When the Bedouins heard the news that a Muslim army had been sent, they immediately ran away leaving everything behind.

In this whole episode, the only casualty was Abu Salamah who had been injured at Uhud. His injuries became infected and the wounds opened up. He was in urgent need of medical attention. Despite the best efforts and care provided by his Muslim companions, the injuries were too great and soon Abu Salamah passed away. He had been a well-respected, loved and pious Muslim.
There were other such small skirmishes that had similar results. Before very long, the forces hostile to the Muslims had been beaten and peace was restored. However, this peace wouldn’t last long and was shattered by two horrific events of treachery and deceit. These events saw a new type of evil which led to the death of some very pious and learned Muslims.

A mixed delegation came to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) requesting him to send some Muslims to teach their tribes about Islam. After considering their request, Muhammad (pbuh) sent with them some knowledgeable Muslims. However, this delegation had no intention of learning about Islam from these Muslims but had other more sinister motives.

As the small group reached a place called al-Raji. The tribe of Abu Lihyan were already waiting to ambush the Muslims with 100 archers. The tribe attacked the Muslims who were all killed in the fighting apart from two Muslims – Khubaib and Zaid bin Ad Dathna. The tribes arrested these two Muslim so that they could sell them to the Makkans.

These prisoners knew that the Makkans would not show them any mercy or compassion and they would be facing death soon. The Makkans would take revenge on them for the deaths of their comrades in the battle of Badr. Both these Muslims had fought in the battle against the Makkans at Badr. The Makkan tribes would be ready to pay a handsome price so that they could witness the death of this two brave youngsters.

On arrival in Makkah, Khubaib was the first to be taken for crucifixion to a place outside Makkah called at Tan’im. They allowed Khubaib to make a final prayer and he prayed two Rakahs. He turned to the executioner after salah and said that he would have prayed longer but he did not want them to think that he was afraid to die.

Abu Sufyan stepped forward and asked “Would you not wish that Muhammad (pbuh) was here and you were safe with your family?” Khubaib replied that he wish that Muhammad wasn’t even hurt by a thorn whilst he (Khubaib) was safe with his family! Abu Safyan was shocked at how much love and respect the people had for Muhammad (pbuh).

Zaid bin Ad Dathna was purchased and murdered by Safwan bin Omaiyah in revenge for the death of his father. This was another cold-blooded execution that saw the end of another pious Muslims at the hands of the Makkans.

Shortly after this appalling incident at al-Raji, another delegation came to visit the Muslims in Madina. Their spokesman, Abu Bara, requested that a small group of Muslims should be sent to the people of Najd to teach them about Islam This time Abu Bara gave his personal protection and promise to the Prophet (pbuh) saying that the Muslims would not be hurt.

The Prophet (pbuh) initially was very reluctant and concerned that there might be sinister motives behind this request. The death of the last group of Muslims was still fresh in everyone’s mind.

After much consultation and guarantees of protection from Abu Bara who headed this delegation, the Prophet (pbuh) decided to send forty or so Muslims to teach the people of Najd about Islam. On the way, they passed through the locality of Bani Saleem and Bani ‘Amir. This tribe did not honour the guarantee and protection given by Abu Bara and decided to attack the Muslim. They were encouraged by Amir bin at-Tufail to quickly armed themselves and lay waiting for the Muslims.

The Muslims were unaware of any possible hostilities. They would travel during the day and pray during the night. They were a very peaceful and learned people, many of whom had learned directly from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Bani Saleem attacked this peaceful group at a place near Ma’una well. This time the enemy had no intention of taking Muslims prisoners but instead wanted to murder them all.

The Muslims were on a peace mission to teach about Islam and were not prepared for battles. However, they fought of these aggressors with the customary bravery and acts of great heroism. However, this bigger and well-armed army overpowered them.

The fact that the protection offered by Abu Bara had not been enforced was also a shock which went against the honour of Arabs. The Muslims were now reeling from this second shameless act of aggression.

Amr bin Omaiyah and Al-Mundir bin Ubayah were two of the survivors from this group of Sahabah who returned to Madina with this bad news. He had been tending to the sheep whilst this battle took place. When he returned, he saw the carnage that had taken place. However, as he returned to Madina, he attacked and killed two men from Bani Kilab. He was angry that their tribe had been involved in the massacre of the unarmed and peaceful Muslims.

This was also a grave mistake especially because these two people were returning from Madina under the Prophet’s protection. The news of this massacre of the Muslims reached Madina; they were utterly devastated by the loss of these innocent lives. When the news of the death of two innocent people reached the Prophet (pbuh), he was very angry with Amr. The Prophet (pbuh) decided to pay the blood money in compensation for the death of these two innocent victims.

The Muslims and the Jews had an agreement that they would jointly pay the blood money when the need arose. The Prophet (pbuh) decided to visit Bani Nadeer to collect this money. Little did anyone know that the Bani Nadeer would try and action their own plan trying to kill the Prophet.

What would happen with this fragile peace that existed in Madina? Would Bani Nadeer succeed in their sinister plan and how would the Muslim community react to such an act of treachery? The Bani Nadeer were no weak tribe who had much support from groups inside Madina as well as outside communities – would they call for an all out war against the Muslims?

29. BANI NADEER EXPULSIONS AND THE TRENCH

Chapter 29

29. BANI NADEER EXPULSIONS AND THE TRENCH

The cold-blooded massacre of two groups of Muslims was a horrific crime against Islam. They had been invited by the tribes on a mission of education and peace but had been ambushed on route. They were unarmed and had no intention of fighting whilst their attackers wanted to take advantage of their kind nature by massacring them all.

During these events, ‘Amr Bin Omaiyah survived and made his way back to Madina. On route, he murdered two Arabs from the tribe of ambushers although they had not taken part in the fighting. This meant that blood money would need to be paid by the community of Madina to the tribe of Bani Kalib. This is a form of compensation for the lives that are taken wrongly or mistakenly.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and a few of his companions set off to meet Bani Nadeer to collect a share of the blood money. They had a treaty that if blood money needed to be paid by either party, they would work together to raise this money. Both parties had signed this treaty and this was the first time that this step had to be taken.

The Bani Nadeer invited Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions into their homes, which was in a fortified part of Madina. They listened to the Prophet (pbuh) as he explained what happened and the need for this money to be raised. They then asked the Prophet (pbuh) to remain seated near the wall whilst they went upstairs to discuss this amongst themselves.

The leaders already knew the details of the treaty well and that they were obliged to pay this money. However, this was an opportunity for the Jews to rid Madina of Muhammad (pbuh); after all Muhammad (pbuh) wasn’t armed and only had a few companions with him. They thought that it would take little effort to attack the Prophet (pbuh) and put an end to Islam.

The leader of Bani Nadeer hatched a plan where they would throw a large millstone on the Prophet (pbuh) as he rested against the wall. This would be certain death for the Prophet (pbuh) who was the spiritual leader of the Muslims. Just as they had agreed to the plan and were ready to put it into action , the Prophet (pbuh) got up and without saying a word, walked away and headed towards his own house.

The Jews became worried and asked his companions why the Prophet (pbuh) had left is such a hurry. This also confused the companions and they replied that they too did not know.

The Prophet (pbuh) returned to the Muslim area of Madina and revealed to the Muslims what had happened. He told them that the Angel Jibrael had revealed to him the details of an assassination plot by Bani Nadeer and that’s why he had left in such a hurry from there. The Muslims were all horrified, especially because this was treachery of the highest order. This went against the code of conduct of the Arabs and against all their treaties and agreements.

A message was sent to Bani Nadeer to leave Madina for this was an act of treachery and breaking of the treaty. The Muslims waited patiently for the reply from Bani Nadeer, the answer to which could either mean a war between them both or Bani Nadeer leaving Madina.

Bani Nadeer had already decided that they would surrender and leave Madina. They had made the mistake and broken the treaty with the Muslims. They were in the wrong. However, Abdullah ibn Ubaya, the leader of the hypocrites told Bani Nadeer that he would support them along with many of his followers. If needed they would come to their rescue with hundreds of fighters along with other Jewish tribes such as Bani Quraizah.

The Jews began to rethink their situation. They had a great advantage because their quarters were fortified and any enemy would find it difficult to attack them. Bani Nadeer was also well-armed and were experienced fighters through the many battles they had fought in the past. They now had the backing of many allies who would help them if fighting broke out. They decided that they would stay and fight the Muslims.

This message was sent to the Prophet (pbuh) and he ordered the Muslims to gather their forces and march onto Bani Nadeer. When this command was given, the Muslims immediately rushed to prepare for war and before very long they were ready to march. The Muslims began their march to Bani Nadeer through the streets of Madina. When the Muslims reached Bani Nadeer they found that the Jews had fortified their position and were also ready for battle.

Bani Nadeer attacked the Muslims by shooting arrows and throwing rocks at them from their forts. The Muslims were in a very weak position and the trees that surrounded Bani Nadeer’s forts, were a nuisance which prevented them from counter attacking. Despite this, the Muslims fought bravely and counter attacked as best as they could.

The command was given to cut down the trees and Bani Nadeer were under siege with many small skirmishes between both parties. As the week dragged on, Bani Nadeer became worried, especially since there were no signs of the promised reinforcements from the hypocrites and other tribes. Allah put fear inside their hearts and soon Bani Nadeer wanted an end to this siege. The siege had only lasted for a few days and there were very few casualties from either side.

A peace deal was decided and Bani Nadeer were banished from Madina. They were allowed to carry their wealth upon their camels with the exception of weapons. Bani Nadeer took their wealth and left Madina never to return. They settled in Syria and made a fresh start there. A few of them settled inside other Jewish communities in Arabia.

This battle had only lasted a few days but Madina was rid of this troublesome tribe who had caused so much friction amongst the people of Madina. There was now peace and everyone was happy with the outcome.

After this battle, some Bedouins and other tribes would start amassing troops to attack Madina. However, the Prophet (pbuh) would dispatch some men who would dispel these small groups of rebels and troublemakers.

The Muslims camped at Badr for a few days before returning as champions, even though no fighting had taken place. Badr was famous for their markets and during their stay the Muslims managed to do plenty of business. This had been a highly successful expedition for the Muslims, which left the Makkans even more hell-bent on attacking the Muslims.

Peace was restored in Madina and the Muslims lived in harmony with the freedom to follow their Deen. However, this was not the end of this episode as a delegation of Jews travelled to Makkah to encourage them to raise another army to fight the Muslims. They offered their full support in such an attack as well as promises of many more tribes joining them. The Makkans already had a score to settle with the Muslims and were very eager to join this campaign.

This delegation travelled far and wide, encouraging many other tribes to join them in this final showdown with the Muslims. Soon the foundations were laid for the biggest army seen in Arabia to descend upon Madina. At a secret time, all the armies would meet in a location just outside Madina and then attack the Muslims. They also had the advantage of a surprise attack, which would mean that the Muslims wouldn’t have time to make preparations to defend themselves.

As the Makkans started making preparation to mobilize their forces, news of this impending invasion was sent to the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) quickly called a meeting of the prominent Muslims to consult tactics against such a huge army. This army was bigger and better armed than anything they had ever faced before. This was the biggest army the Muslims had ever seen and indeed the biggest army that had been raised in Arabia.

After much discussion, Salman Farsi suggested that a trench be dug between the two armies. It would be at a strategic point which would prevent the army attacking the Muslims. Madina was well protected from three sides by mountains and forts of the different tribes in Madina. The trench would only need to be dug on the north side, which would be enough to defend Madina.

The Muslims immediately put this plan into action as they quickly began assigning different jobs out amongst themselves. They divided themselves into groups of ten with each group digging one section of the trench. It had to be wide and deep enough so that the army could not penetrate it. This in itself was no easy task in such a short time. It would require hard work from all quarters of the Muslim community for the trench to be completed on time.

The Muslims hurried and started work with the hope of finishing the trench before the enemy arrived. They had news that the armies had already begun the long march to Madina and would be there in a matter of days. The work was very difficult but the Muslims put their heart into it, working through the hot midday sun and long into the night.

During the digging of the trenches, even the Prophet (pbuh) was involved in the hard work of labour. He would dig the trench as well as carry the sand and rocks on his shoulders. The Muslims struggled on, even though there was a shortage of food and other supplies.

In one incident, a companion complained to the Prophet about the extreme hunger he was suffering. He showed the Prophet (pbuh) that he had tied a rock to his stomach to subdue the pain of hunger. The Prophet (pbuh) also lifted his shirt and revealed to him that he had two rocks tied to his stomach. The Prophet (pbuh) was suffering like the rest of his companions as well as working shoulder to shoulder with them.

One of the companions, Jabir bin Abdullah, invited the Prophet (pbuh) to join him in a meal of meat and barley. There must have been enough food for about ten people. The Prophet (pbuh) invited the rest of the Muslims. Jabir watched in astonishment as group after group of people came and ate from the same food. When everyone had eaten their fill, he noticed that the food remained the same as if no one had eaten it. This was a miracle of the Prophet (pbuh).

A similar incident took place when a lady brought some dates to the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) spread the dates out over a cloth and asked the people to eat from them. Before long, the cloth was overflowing with dates and all the Muslims managed to eat from this blessed food.

During the digging of the trench, one group of diggers came across a problem which they could not solve. A huge boulder prevented them from digging any further and despite their best efforts; they could not move it nor break it. They called upon the Prophet (pbuh) to come and advise them.

The Prophet (pbuh) took a pickaxe and hit the rock with all his might three times before it broke into tiny pieces. On each strike, there was a spark and the Prophet (pbuh) said a few words. When the people asked the Prophet about this. He explained that after the first strike, he had seen the palaces of sham which meant that the Muslims would conquer Syria. After the second strike he had seen the palaces of Persia which meant the Muslims would conquer Persia. After the Third strike, the Prophet (pbuh) saw the gates of Sana which meant that the Muslims would conquer Yemen.

These visions were like prophecies that foretold some of the many successes the Muslims would achieve in the future. Despite the fact that the Muslim numbers were small and they were facing a formidable army, the Muslims were pleased with these glad tidings. 

The trench was finally completed as the huge armies of the Kuffar approached Madina. Would the trench prevent the Army from attacking the Muslims or would this be a minor obstacle for this huge army? Would the Muslims be able to last a long siege, even though their supplies were low and many were suffering from hunger? How would the Hypocrites fare in the battle? Would they double cross the Muslims like at Uhud or would they stand and fight with their Muslim comrades? Would the Bani Quraizah honour the treaty between them and the Muslims by defending against the enemies or would they let them into Madina through their forts?

These were all compelling questions that were running through the minds of the Muslims as they faced this huge army sitting by their doorstep, ready to attack them. The Muslims had been promised victory even though the Arab army was equally confident of victory. The outcome of this battle will be revealed next time, Insha’Allah.

Chapter 30

30. THE BATTLE OF THE TRENCHES

The two great armies faced each other across the battlefield. On one side were the Muslims of Madina who were much smaller in number but were now fighting for; their very survival. On the other side were the army of the Kuffar which was made up of many different tribes gathered from all over Arabia. The army included Quraish, Gatfan and other Jewish and Arab tribes. This huge army was much bigger than the whole Muslim population.

Between the two armies was a trench (Khandak in Arabic). It had just been completed by the Muslims as their only means of defence against the Kuffar. This was not a common tactic used by the Arabs so the Kuffar were unsure how they would contend with it. It was deep enough and wide enough to be a formidable barrier against any army.

The Kuffar tried their best to cross the trench so that they could march onto Madina. However, the Muslims repelled all their attacks and attempts to cross the trench by shooting arrows at them. There were many attempts made by the Kuffar but none were successful. There was a narrow section in the trench where some Kuffar forces managed to break through. They took control of that small area and their leader ‘Amr bin ‘Abd-e-Wudd demanded a man-to-man battle with a Muslim fighter.

Ali stepped forward and quickly finished ‘Amr causing the small group of Kuffar to retreat. The Muslims soon had re-gained this area that the Kuffar had occupied. The battle continued for days with more futile attempts to cross the trench by the Kuffar. The Muslim were utterly exhausted in defending Madina but despite this they continued fighting. The Kuffar had resigned to the fact that they would not be able to cross the trenches so they laid siege to Madina, preventing supplies entering Madina. It was only a matter of time before the Muslims would begin to starve.

The Kuffar did not rest in this siege but tried many new tactics to penetrate Madina and attack the Muslim forces through volleys of arrows. The Muslims held onto their position and braved these difficult and trying circumstances.

The Muslims would often be late for Salah and would need to pray them late. In one incident, Umar cursed the Kuffar army because they had caused him to miss his Asr Salah. The fighting had been so intense that day that the Prophet (pbuh) prayed the Asr Salah (mid Afternoon prayer) after sunset followed by the Maghrib Salah, the sunset prayer.

As the days dragged on, things had become very difficult with morale extremely low amongst the Muslims. However, they still defended with such gallantry and bravery that the Kuffar were unable to cross the trenches and enter Madina.

The Jewish tribes decided that they would try their own tactics and went to see Bani Quraizah, their allies in the past. Bani Quraizah would not even let them into their forts let alone join them in battle. After some coaxing from the K’ab bin Asad - the former leader of Bani Nadir, Bani Quraizah finally let them into the fort to listen to their proposals.

The Jews said that this was the best opportunity to attack the Muslims who had concentrated all their defences on the northern side. If the Kuffar had access through their forts, they would attack them from behind and crush the Muslims. The women and children were located in this part of Madina so there would be no resistance from anyone.

Bani Quraizah were not convinced, they had seen the success Allah had granted the Prophet (pbuh) in the past and they knew that this would be treachery of the highest order. However, after lots of coaxing, the sweet words of K’ab and other delegates convinced Bani Quraizah that the Muslims would not stand a chance against their attacks. All the Kuffar army needed was a way of getting into Madina and then the Muslims would be decisively finished.

Bani Quraizah finally decided to accept their offer and side with the Kuffar army. They began to make preparations for battle against the Muslims. This move would leave the Muslims defences wide open. The second front would make defending Madina impossible and defeat for the Muslims would be imminent.

The rumours were now spreading that Bani Quraizah were preparing for war, which was one of their worst fears. It was in breach of the treaty the Muslims had with Bani Quraizah who were suppose to help the Muslims defend Madina and not help the enemy. The Muslims were already utterly exhausted in defending their position and were submerged in difficulties. This was a test of character and nerves for the Muslims.

The Prophet (pbuh) commanded some of his trusted companions to investigate if there was any truth in the rumours that Bani Quraizah were preparing to fight them. After making some discrete investigations they returned to inform the Prophet (pbuh) of the bad news. This came as a shock to the Muslims who they were shaken by this disastrous news. However, despite everything stacked against them they knew that Allah had promised them victory and they would surely succeed.

Safiyah, the aunt of the Prophet (pbuh) saw a Bani Quraizah warrior wandering about outside their quarters. In these quarters, there were only women and children but had no men guarding. Every able man was needed on the battlefront to defend Madina and fight off the Kuffar army. In fact, the only man in these quarters was the elderly Hassan.

Safiyah told Hassan to go and finish off the warrior lurking about outside. He refused saying that he was too old to fight. Safiyah herself went outside and attacked the lone warrior with a piece of wood. Soon the warrior was dead so Safiyah told the elderly Hassan to check his clothes and remove his weapons. Hassan again refused saying he was too old so Safiyah did it herself. She then threw the body over the wall which made Bani Quraizah think that this area was also well guarded.

This act of bravery was a deterrent to anyone thinking of attacking the Muslim position from behind. Bani Quraizah had been sure that this place was unguarded but this casualty put doubts in their minds so they were reluctant to attack. However, they continued to send supplies to the Kuffar army who were camping outside the trench.

When the rumour of the Bani Quraizah reached the Hypocrites they began to play their usual games. They took this opportunity to weaken the Muslim ranks by mocking them about the prediction that they would conquer the Persians, Syria and Yemen. How could they conquer such super powers when they were almost defeated now!

The Hypocrites announced that they were retreating back to their homes to defend their women and children. This left the Muslims army weakened on the battle front, just as it had been weakened at Uhud with their departure. The situation was dire and the morale of the Muslim army was greatly reduced. Despite this, the Muslims remained steadfast and watched the Hypocrites retreat from the battlefront for the second time.

The Prophet (pbuh) was concerned and thought how the Kuffar could be persuaded to leave or their ranks broken. Could Bani Ghatfan be persuaded to return to their homes, which would weaken the Kuffar army. The Prophet (pbuh) consulted Sa’d bin Mu’adh about offering the Ghatfan a share of the date harvest in return for them leaving the battle.

Sa’d had many dealings with the Ghatafan tribe and knew them well. He said that Bani Ghatfan did not need their harvest and only wanted to defeat the Muslims. This concession from the Muslims of sharing a harvest would was unlikely to persuade them to leave the battlefield. Sa’d advised in continuing with the battle and let Allah open a path to victory.

A short while later, one of the warriors from the Kuffar army, Na’im bin Masud, sneaked across the trench and came to the Prophet (pbuh). He had accepted Islam in secrecy and was now a Muslim. He asked the Prophet (pbuh) how he could help the Muslims in their time of need. The Kuffar were not aware of his conversion to Islam, which he could use to his advantage.

After consulting the Prophet (pbuh), he returned to the Kuffar to try and cause distrust between them and break them up. This would break their resolve and would force them to return to their homes. He went to Bani Quraizah first and said that the Quraish were planning on leaving the battle and no longer wanted to fight. They would leave Bani Quraizah to face the Muslims once it was over. He told them not to trust the Quraish and to ask for hostages from their nobles as a sign of their willingness to fight. He parted from Bani Quraizah telling them that he was their friend and to keep this conversation secret.

Na’im then went to the Quraish and said that the Bani Quraizah are regretting turning against the Muslims. He said that they no longer wanted to fight but wanted to hand over some of the nobles of Quraish as compensation to the Muslims. He advised them not to trust Bani Quraizah and also request that this conversation be kept secret.

He went to the Ghatfan and did a similar sort of trick which caused them to doubt the other parties. This divided the different tribes who began to see everyone intentions in a different light.

A delegation of Quraish and Ghatfan went to see the Bani Quraizah and told them to prepare for a major offensive against the Muslims the following day. The Bani Quraizah refused saying that it was against their religion to fight on Saturday. The Makkans felt that the Jews no longer had the will to fight and wanted to make amends with the Muslims. Bani Quraizah then asked for a few of their dignitaries as reassurance to prove their desire to fight.

The Makkans were sure that Bani Quraizah were trying to trick them and wanted the prisoners so that they could hand them over to the Muslims. When both the parties left there was a feeling of mistrust and double crossing. This was the objective that Na’im wanted to achieve as the resolve of the kuffar army was finally broken.

Allah sent strong winds that turned over the cooking pots of the Kuffar army and blew their tents down. The weather was so cold and uncomfortable that they couldn’t wait to leave the battle. As dawn broke, they began to prepare for marching back. Before long the armies started to leave Madina and return home.

The Muslim were also suffering from the cold and strong winds. They were so exhausted that they did not want to move either. When the Prophet (pbuh) asked for a volunteer to check on the Makkan army no one came forward. The Prophet (pbuh) commanded Hudaifah to go and check on the Kuffar army. Although Hudaifah bin Al-Yaman was very tired, hungry and cold, he immediately got up and checked on the Kuffar army. He returned with the good news of their departure and the Muslims thanked Allah for this clear victory.

After thanking Allah for his blessing and favours, the Muslims too began to return to their homes. As the weary Muslims returned, the Angel Jibrael came to the Prophet (pbuh) and asked him why he was removing his armour. He said the angels still had their armour and were ready to march onto Bani Quraizah for their treachery.

The Angel departed saying that they were going ahead and would shake the forts of Bani Quraizah, instilling fear into their hearts. The Prophet (pbuh) commanded his men to get ready for battle and march to Bani Quraizah.

Would the weary Muslim army respond to the call of their Prophet (pbuh)? What would the outcome of this battle be? Would Bani Quraizah put up a good fight and beat the already weakened and weary Muslims? Bani Quraizah were well stocked up with supplies, which could last months. 

The outcome of this battle might not be as straight forward, all will be revealed in next chapter

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