Seerah | Lecture 28 | The Battle of the Trench and the Faith of the Believers

The Battle of the Trench is presented as a series of miraculous events and tests of faith, centering on the steadfastness of the Muhajirin and Ansar against the confederate army of Ahzab. The account details the strategic defense of Medina through the trench, the treachery of the Jewish tribe of Banu Quraiza, and the eventual divine intervention that caused the enemy forces to disperse. The narrative emphasizes the spiritual authority of the Prophet Muhammad, his role in sustaining the morale of the believers, and the specific sacrifices made by the Sahaba to preserve the sanctity of the Muslim community.

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Key topics & takeaways

Miracles of the Prophet

• Feeding the army — the Prophet miraculously fed all the Sahaba-e-Kiram during the Battle of the Trench using a small amount of food provided by Sayyiduna Jabir ibn Abdullah ▸1:44
• Resurrection of the sons of Jabir — the Prophet prayed for the two sons of Sayyiduna Jabir after they died in an accident, and Allah restored them to life with their wounds cured ▸4:40
• Multiplication of dates — a small quantity of dates brought by a young girl was multiplied by the Prophet to feed the entire army, with the original amount remaining unchanged ▸5:44
• Protection from cold — the Prophet placed his hands on the chest of Sayyiduna Huzaifa ibn Yaman, causing him to feel warm despite the severe winter weather during his reconnaissance mission ▸8:29
• Healing through saliva — the Prophet cured the wounds of Sayyiduna Sa'd ibn Mu'adh by applying his blessed saliva and hand ▸30:44

The Battle and Strategy

• The Ahzab army — the enemy coalition consisted of 10,000 men from various groups who surrounded Medina ▸6:16
• Treachery of Banu Quraiza — despite an existing agreement with the Muslims, the Jewish tribe of Banu Quraiza breached their pact and joined the Ahzab army after being persuaded by Huyayy ibn Akhtab ▸16:25
• Rejection of compromise — the Prophet proposed a deal to give one-third of Medina's profits to the Banu Ghatafan to break the enemy coalition, but the Sahaba refused, stating they would only offer the enemy their swords and spears ▸18:40
• The duel of Ali ibn Abi Talib — Sayyiduna Ali fought the warrior Amr ibn Abde Wud, who was considered equivalent to a thousand men, and killed him with a single strike of the sword Dhul-Fiqar ▸25:11
• The role of Na'im ibn Mas'ud — a Muslim from the Banu Ghatafan tribe was given permission by the Prophet to sow discord between the Jews and the Quraish, successfully causing a rift in the enemy alliance ▸34:11

The Believers and the Munafiqin

• The test of the believers — the Quran describes the siege as a severe earthquake of the heart, yet the true believers remained faithful and patient, viewing the trial as a fulfillment of the promise made by Allah and His Messenger ▸13:25
• The flight of the Munafiqin — a group of hypocrites sought permission to leave the battlefield under the false pretense that their homes were unprotected, though their true intent was to flee ▸12:32
• Defense by Sayyida Safiyya — while the men were at the trench, Sayyida Safiyya defended the castle where women and children were sheltered by killing an enemy infiltrator, which deterred further attacks on that position ▸33:21
• Martyrdom of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh — Sayyiduna Sa'd died from wounds sustained during the battle, and it is recorded that 70,000 angels attended his funeral and his grave emitted the fragrance of musk ▸31:24

Rituals and Supplications

• Missed prayers — due to the intensity of the siege, the Prophet and the Sahaba missed the Asr prayer and performed it along with Maghrib after sunset ▸27:48
• Dua against the enemy — the Prophet prayed for the defeat of the Ahzab, asking Allah to shake the ground beneath them and fill their homes and graves with fire ▸28:16
• The Hawari of the Prophet — the Prophet designated Sayyiduna Zubair ibnul-Awam as his hawari (disciple/helper) after he volunteered three times to scout the enemy ▸30:13
• Divine victory — Allah fulfilled the promise of victory by sending a sandstorm and raining stones upon the enemy, forcing them to retreat ▸35:33