Seerah | Lecture 29 | The end of the Battle of the Trench & the 6th year after Hijrah

The Battle of the Trench concludes with the withdrawal of the confederate army following a period of siege, a series of skirmishes involving key companions, and a divine intervention consisting of a powerful storm and unseen forces. Following this victory, the Prophet Muhammad directs his attention to the Banu Qurayza, who are besieged for their breach of agreement and treasonous conduct. The conflict ends with a judgment rendered by Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, who orders capital punishment for the fighting men of the tribe while sparing women and children. The sixth year after the Hijrah is marked by numerous expeditions, or saraya, and the strategic assassination of Abu Rafi, a key instigator of the confederate alliance, by a group of Ansar.

The text details the capture and subsequent conversion of Thumama ibn Uthal, the king of Yamama, highlighting the Prophet’s treatment of him as a captive and the resulting economic impact on Makkah when Thumama later restricts the flow of grain to the city. The account concludes with the Prophet’s journey toward Makkah for the purpose of performing Umrah, his diversion to Hudaybiyah upon learning of the Quraysh’s hostile preparations, and the occurrence of the Bay'at-e-Ridwan. This oath of allegiance, taken under a tree, is described as a moment of divine pleasure, during which the Prophet performs the pledge on behalf of Uthman ibn Affan, who had been sent as an emissary to Makkah.

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Key topics & takeaways

The Battle of the Trench

• Duration of the siege — the confederate army surrounded Madina for approximately one month, beginning in the month of Dhul-Qa'dah ▸1:07.
• Role of Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud — a recent convert from the Ghatfan tribe, he received permission to sow discord among the confederate forces, successfully turning the Jews and the Quraysh against one another ▸2:54.
• Divine intervention — Allah sent a storm from the east and unseen armies to destroy the tents, fires, and supplies of the confederate army ▸3:33.
• Retreat of the confederates — Abu Sufyan signaled a retreat toward Makkah after the destruction of their camp, ending the threat posed by the 10,000-man army ▸4:40.
• Angelic presence — the Prophet confirmed that angels were present during the battle to protect the Muslims and Madina ▸5:13.

The Siege of Banu Qurayza

• Command to march — following the Battle of the Trench, the Prophet performed ghusl and was instructed by Jibril to march against the Banu Qurayza for their treason ▸6:08.
• Duration of the siege — the Muslims surrounded the fortress of the Banu Qurayza for one month ▸7:24.
• Judgment of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh — the tribe agreed to abide by the decision of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, who ruled that all fighting men of the tribe were to be executed, while women and children were to be spared and their goods seized as booty ▸8:02.
• Fate of Huyayy ibn Akhtab — a primary leader in organizing the confederate army, he was captured at the fortress and executed by the Prophet's order ▸9:05.

Expeditions and the Sixth Year of Hijrah

• Assassination of Abu Rafi — a group of Ansar from the Khazraj tribe sought and received permission to kill Abu Rafi, a key enemy of the Prophet ▸11:52.
• Conditions of the mission — the Prophet explicitly forbade the killing of women, children, or vulnerable people during the expedition against Abu Rafi ▸12:07.
• Miraculous healing — after breaking his leg during the mission, Abdullah ibn Atik returned to the Prophet, who performed masah over the injury, resulting in an immediate and complete recovery ▸13:24.
• Capture of Thumama ibn Uthal — Muhammad ibn Maslama captured the king of Yamama during the Sariya Najd and brought him to the Prophet ▸14:30.
• Treatment of the captive — the Prophet ordered that Thumama be tied in the mosque and provided with food and milk from his own home ▸15:45.
• Conversion of Thumama — after being released on the third day, Thumama performed ghusl and accepted Islam, later becoming the first Muslim to enter Makkah for Umrah while reciting the Talbiyah ▸18:03.
• Economic strategy — Thumama swore to block all grain and produce from Yamama from entering Makkah until the people submitted to Islam, causing a severe drought and food shortage in the city ▸22:00.

The Expedition to Hudaybiyah

• Intent of the journey — the Prophet traveled toward Makkah with approximately 1400 to 1500 companions in the state of Ihram, intending only to perform Umrah peacefully ▸23:38.
• Miracle of water — at the dry well of Hudaybiyah, water miraculously flowed from the Prophet’s fingers, allowing the companions and their animals to drink and refilling the well to overflowing ▸27:20.
• Emissary to Makkah — Uthman ibn Affan was sent to Makkah to negotiate peaceful entry, but the Quraysh refused to allow the Prophet to enter and detained Uthman ▸28:44.
• Bay'at-e-Ridwan — upon receiving false news of Uthman’s death, the Prophet took an oath of allegiance from the companions under a tree, pledging to fight to the death ▸30:32.
• Symbolic pledge — the Prophet placed his own hand over his other hand to represent the hand of Uthman, confirming that Uthman had participated in the oath despite his absence ▸33:39.