The Battle of the Trench (Al-Khandaq / Al-Ahzab)
غزوة الخندق (الأحزاب)
Summary
A confederation of 10,000 fighters — Quraysh, Ghatafan, and others — besieged Madinah. On the advice of Salman al-Farisi, the Muslims dug a trench (khandaq) around the exposed northern approach. After a siege of nearly a month, Allah sent a fierce wind and unseen forces that scattered the confederates.
Details
The Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayzah broke their treaty and sided with the confederates, creating a threat from within. Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud, who had secretly embraced Islam, sowed distrust between the confederates and Banu Qurayzah. During the digging, the Prophet himself worked alongside the Companions, and miracles occurred — a single plate of food fed the entire trench-digging workforce. The Prophet struck a rock three times, and with each strike, a light flashed and he prophesied the conquest of Yemen, Syria, and Persia. After the confederates retreated, the Prophet said: 'Now we will march against them, and they will not march against us.'