BISMILLAH IR RAHMAN IR RAHEEM THE BATTLE OF THE TRENCH by Khadijah Stephens Copyrighted 2000, by the Mosque of the Internet and Khadeijah Stephens www.mosque.com TERMS OF PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION The Mosque of the Internet grants permission to Islamic schools, organizations or Muslim individuals to download, copy, print, publish, record and/or distribute this story either for profit or non-profit without reimbursement to the Mosque of the Internet providing the following six conditions are complied with in full and without exception. The Mosque of the Internet owns and retains the copyright of this story and no other person/s, school, organization or individual etc., owns or has any right or claim to the copyright. No alterations whatsoever are made. Reference to The Mosque of the Internet with its internet address www.mosque.com appears on the front cover. Should artwork be included in its publication the artwork must conform with Islamic principles, for example no drawings of human beings. The Mosque of the Internet is informed of its publication and ten copies of the published book sent to the Mosque of the Internet. If any of these conditions are not met then all previously mentioned permission/s are automatically revoked and legal action will be taken to the maximum extent of the copyright infringement jurisdiction law in the State of Delaware, USA will be sought. BACKGROUND A century or so before, the great-grand parents of the Jews of Medina migrated to the City and its surrounding areas. The reason for their migration from the greener pastures of their homeland was because it was written in their Holy Books that a Prophet would arise in that vicinity, and each tribe hoped to have the honor of the Prophet for their own tribe. The description of the expected Prophet was well known to the Jews and as the years rolled by, one by one, the signs relating to the time of his coming had been fulfilled. His anticipation was upon the lips of every Jew in Medina, and they taunted their pagan Arab neighbors saying that when he came they would be put to death on account of their pagan practices. The Jews had heard Prophet Muhammad's teaching, but even though they recognized the truth he brought, they refused to accept and follow him for the simple fact he was not a Jew. Had they heeded the words of Prophet Jesus, the Messiah, instead of rejecting him, they would have understood his warning that the covenant was about to be taken from them if they did not reform and follow him. As history narrates, they chose not to follow him and continued to follow the tampered version of the Torah. Allah says: "Do you then hope that they will believe in you, when some of them have already heard the Word of Allah and knowingly tampered with it, although they understood its meaning!" Koran, Chapter 2 verse 75. Therefore, it is not surprising that most of the Jews of Medina resented the presence of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, and could not fail to notice that every day the number of his followers increased. However, there were some Jews, including a former well loved and respected rabbi that converted to Islam, but now they had become outcasts, despised for their acceptance of the Prophet and his message. It wasn't just the Jews that resented the Prophet's presence but the pagan Arab chieftains of Medina for many of their tribesmen now abandoned their authority and pledged their allegiance to the Prophet. Rather than loose their position in society, some of these chieftains claimed to have converted to Islam but their tongues said what their hearts did not. Their sole aim was to retain their social standing which they perceived to be fading away. However, despite all these underlying factors, a pact was made between the Jews and pagan Arabs that neither party would support the enemies of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and that in the event of an attack they would lend him their support. In return, both parties received many benefits and justice in their affairs. A PLOT TO KILL THE PROPHET, praise and peace be upon him A time came when the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, needed the help of his Jewish allies, the tribe of Nadir, so its chieftains invited the Prophet and several of his companions to a meal to discuss the matter. The meal was poisoned, but before the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, ate of it, the Angel Gabriel came and warned him of their treachery. As soon as the angel left, the Prophet arose and left the gathering. His companions waited a while then excused themselves and returned to his house. Soon after, the Prophet sent word to his would be assassins that he knew of their attempt to murder him. They were astounded when the messenger repeated their exact words of intent to them, as they were the only ones who knew about it. The Prophet's message concluded with the statement that their treaty with him no longer existed and that he gave them ten days to leave Medina. He warned that anyone remaining after that time would be beheaded. THE REVENGE OF THE TRIBE OF NADIR As the fifth year after the Migration drew to a close, the expelled Jews from the tribe of Nadir who had relocated to Khybar a little over two years before became more restless than ever. There had been talk for a long time that the Koraysh were bent on revenge and planned to rid themselves of Prophet Muhammad and his followers. With this in mind, Huyay -- who had been the chief conspirator in the failed attempt to kill the Prophet -- together with the chieftains of Khybar journeyed across the hot desert sands to Mecca to progress the matter. They were taken to Abu Sufyan upon their arrival who welcomed them as they ingratiated themselves telling him that the Koraysh were dearer to them than anyone else on account of their intent to rid themselves of the Prophet. Abu Sufyan was heartened by these words and together with Safwan and the other Koraysh chieftains they made their way to the Ka'ba, entered it, and took a solemn oath that they would not fail one another in the achievement of their mutual goal. During this congenial occasion Abu Sufyan inquire of his new allies: "You are knowledgeable of the first scripture, therefore, give us you opinion. Is our religion better than that of Muhammad?" Without hesitation, the Jews replied: "Your religion is better than his -- you are nearer to the truth!" In an effort to enlist the hostile or indifferent nomadic tribes of the Najd, it was agreed that the Jews should visit with their chieftains and if revenge was insufficient enough reason to win their support then they would offer handsome bribes. There was no need to offer a bribe to the tribe of Asad; they readily lent their support. However, the tribe of Ghatafan with its branches declared their need to be recompensed. Eventually a deal was struck with the Ghatafan being promised half the date harvest of Khybar. As for the tribe of Sulaym, there were among them those who inclined to Islam and so the leaders of the Nadir were unable to secure their full support. When the tribe of Amir was approached they declined, remaining loyal to the alliance contracted earlier with the Prophet. The current strength of the Koraysh army and its previous allies was four thousand strong, however, through the effort of Huyay and his fellow chieftains, their ranks were now swelled by an additional two thousand, seven hundred men -- more than double their number at Uhud and so the preparations of war were once again set in motion. THE KORAYSH PREPARE FOR BATTLE The army was divided into two divisions, the Koraysh, together with its proven allies from the south were to set out upon their march to Medina via the coastal route, which was also the same route they had taken to Uhud upon the last encounter. As for the second division, it was agreed that they would approach Medina from their homelands of the Najd. There was much prestige to be gained in the forthcoming encounter so, although Abu Sufyan was the commander of the Koraysh army, it was agreed among the Koraysh chieftains that they would take it in turns to lead the army so that the honors would be evenly divided. THE WARNING: Not everyone in Mecca supported Abu Sufyan. There were a few, including Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet, who once again feared for his nephew's safety, so, under the cloak of secrecy several horsemen left for Medina with the news. The urgent state of affairs compelled them to ride with such haste that they reached Medina in just four days. Upon reaching Medina, the horsemen wasted no time and went directly to the Prophet to inform him of the two armies advancing on Medina on either side giving details of their numbers and weaponry. Once again, the Muslims had a week in which to prepare for the encounter. Immediately, the Prophet sent word to the people of the outlying areas of Medina to return to the City, and called for a meeting to discuss the strategy that would serve them best. Once more he reminded the companions that if they obeyed Allah and were patient, victory would be theirs. His words made an indelible impression upon his companions as they remembered the disobedience of some among them with its consequences at Uhud. Ideas abounded from every quarter, however, Salman proposed a plan that had been both used and proven effective in Persia. Salman told the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, that when the Persians feared a cavalry attack, they would dig a large, circular trench around them as it was extremely difficult for enemy horses to cross the wide divide and consequently they had been better able to defend themselves. Salman's proposal met with great enthusiasm and so it was agreed that this would be the course they would adopt. THE DIGGING OF THE TRENCH: It was unnecessary to dig a complete trench around the City as there was an unbroken line of fortified houses, strong enough to resist the advance of the enemy in one part. Then again, outside the City lay the fortresses of their allies from the Jewish tribe of Krayzah that also afforded them additional protection. There was yet another blessing, outside the City towards the north-west lay impenetrable hillocks of rock. One of these hillocks was called the hill of Sal, and it was there that they decided to make their camp after connecting the existing fortifications together by the trench. The site had other advantages; the ground on the near side of Sal's slope was considerably higher than in other places, not only did it afford additional protection but from it they would be able to monitor the movements of the unbelievers. There was no time to waste, so Salman instructed the companions on the depth and width of the trench, and the digging began. Salman, had until recently been the slave of the tribe of Krayzah and knew that his former masters owned many tools, so it was agreed that they should be asked to loan them in accordance with the pact they had signed with the Prophet a few years ago that also stated they would not ally themselves with the enemy of the Prophet. The Krayzah were quick to realize that they stood to loose their possessions and date groves if they did not help defend Medina and so every tool they possessed was made available and work began. Each section of the Muslim community was designated a specific area to excavate and soon the continuous sound of axes hacking away at the ground and shovels removing the loosened ground filled the air, coming only to a halt at the time of prayer and when sleep finally overtook them. Prophet Muhammad worked tirelessly alongside his companions who encouraged one another to work harder. As for Salman, he was an extremely strong, fit person. During his years of slavery he had labored tirelessly in the fields digging and carrying, and his companions were amazed to see just how strong he actually was; all were of the opinion that he was worth ten of them put together. As the digging progressed, rocks were excavated and put to one side for use during the encroaching battle. There were not enough baskets to go around to transport the earth so the companions took to using their upper garments as bags. Young lads came out to lend a hand, but much to their sorrow, were thanked but told to return home. THE MIRACLE OF THE BOULDER: Jabir and his companions were working hard on their section when they struck a huge boulder. Try as best they might, no one, not even the strongest among them could shatter it let alone move it. When the news of the boulder reached the Prophet he left what he was doing and made his way to it, then, taking hold of a ax he struck the boulder three times whereupon it started to disintegrate into a piles of sand. As the Prophet struck the boulder the first time, a light shone so brilliantly from it that it reached the ramparts of the castles in distant Yemen; which was then under the rule of Abysinnia. Upon his second strike, the light stretched as far away as the fortresses of Syria and upon the third, it reached and lit up the white palace of Chosroes in Madian. The Prophet later explained that the miraculous light was a sign that one day Islam would spread to these distant lands. THE MIRACULOUS MEAL: Before the Prophet returned to his digging, Jabir asked permission to return home to his wife, the Prophet agreed and Jabir went home. Jabir had noticed that the Prophet had strapped a stone to his stomach to ease his hunger pains and had been told that he had not eaten for three days. It distressed him greatly to see him in such a condition and so upon reaching his home he asked his wife if she had any food in the house. Jabir's wife told him that the only food they had was some barley and their nanny goat. Immediately, Jabir went out, slaughtered the goat and ground the barley. A fire was kindled and a large cooking pot filled with water placed on it to which the goat meat was added, and then the oven was made ready to bake the bread. When the food was almost ready and the barley flour kneaded, Jabir returned to the Prophet and told him that he had prepared some food at home and asked if he and some others would care to join him in a meal. The Prophet asked what he had prepared whereupon Jabir told him and he remarked: "That is indeed a lot of food." The Prophet told Jabir to return to his wife and tell her not to remove the pot from the fire, nor yet the bread from the oven until he arrived. Then, the Prophet turned to all his companions and said: "Let us go," and so they all laid down their tools and made their way to Jabir's house. Jabir reached his home shortly before the Prophet and his companions arrived and told his wife: "The Blessing of Allah be upon you, the Prophet together with all the Muhajir, Ansar, and others are coming!" Shortly afterwards, the Prophet entered and told his companions to take their place a few at a time and not to over crowd the room. Then, he broke the bread into pieces and put some of it on top of the meat, following this, he took some more bread from the oven and asked his companions to pass the food around. As soon as the first group had taken their fill, the next group entered and the Prophet served his companions until all were replete. Even after everyone had eaten, the same quantity of bread and meat remained just as if no one had eaten. Then the Prophet spoke to Jabir's wife saying: "Eat some and send some as a gift to the hungry." THE BATTLE OF THE TRENCH Six days had now passed since word reached the Prophet of the Koraysh and their allies march. By now, the Muslims whose home lay on the outskirts of Medina had left their homes seeking the safety of City. The Prophet and his companions, who numbered three thousand, had just finished digging the trench when news arrived that the Koraysh army had been seen marching along the valley of Akik, which lies to the south-west of Medina, and that the Ghatafan and Najd tribes were but a short distance from Uhud. Time was short, so the Prophet sent word that the women and children should confine themselves to the upper rooms of the fortified houses, however, Ladies Ayesha, Umm Salamah and Zaynab took turns to go the Prophet's tent at the foot of Sal to tend to his needs. The Koraysh had relied heavily upon being able to pillage the crops of the Muslims to provide fodder for their horses, however, much to their dismay, when they reached the oasis they found the fields had already been harvested. There was nothing to feed their hungry horses and the supplies they brought with them were limited. However, the camels of the tribes of Ghatafan and the Najd were more fortunate as they were able to graze upon the tamarisk bushes that grew near Uhud. Due to the unexpected circumstances, the Koraysh knew that they must strike quickly, otherwise their cavalry would be too weak to make an effective strike, and so word was sent to their allies to join them immediately outside Medina. PRELUDE TO THE ATTACK: The Koraysh had expected the believers to defend themselves from the fortified buildings and fortresses of Medina. When they saw that the Prophet had made his camp outside the City their spirits rode high as they thought the battle would be over quickly and victory would soon be theirs. However, as Abu Sufyan and his men drew closer to the Prophet's camp their spirits were soon deflated. They thought that they would be able to overcome the Prophet's army by the sheer force of their numbers, but now, their eyes fell upon the deep, wide trench with archers poised ready to fire. The order was given to advance and as soon as they came within range, a warning volley of arrows hurtled through the air and fell but a short distance in front of them. The Koraysh realized it was going to be difficult enough for them to get as far as the trench and that their prospect of breach it was considerably more difficult, so they retreated to assess the situation. The chieftains were in agreement that the best approach would be to apply tactics that would weaken a section in the line of defense, then, cross the trench and attack from within. With this intent, Khalid and Ikrima, two of the Koraysh commanders, examined the trench from a safe distance to determine its weakest part. During their surveillance they noticed that a section of the trench was not as wide or as deep as the rest, however, it was heavily guarded and the guards needed to be eliminated if they were to penetrate the trench at that point. HUYAY AND THE TRIBESMEN OF KRAYZAH: Huyay, from the expelled tribe of Nadir, knew that one of the fortresses blocking the approach to Medina belonged to a fellow Jew from the tribe of Krayzah by the name of Ka'b, Asad's son. Huyay hoped that he might prevail upon him to break the pact he had made with the Prophet so that the Koraysh would be able to attack the City from two directions at the same time. If he succeeded, it would mean that their pact ceased to exist and that their numbers would swell by a further seven hundred. With this in mind he went to Abu Sufyan to propose his plan. Abu Sufyan thought the idea was sound, and so Huyay made haste to the fortress. Upon reaching the fortress Huyay announced himself as he knocked at its door, but Ka'b would not open it as he suspected the reason for his visit. He, like many others of his tribe considered that it was on account of Huyay's pride and poor judgment that had led to the expulsion of the tribe of Nadir, and that his domineering personality was something they could do without. Huyay knocked several times but Ka'b still refused to let him in and reminded him that he had a pact with the Prophet and told him he was not prepared to break it. When Huyay realized he was getting nowhere, he changed his tactics and resorted to shaming Ka'b for not affording him the customary hospitality. He told him that in his eyes he was too mean to even share his food with him! Huyay's ploy worked, and reluctantly Ka'b opened the door. Huyay told Ka'b that he had brought the chieftains and armies of the Koraysh, Ghatafan, Najd and Kinanah to Medina and that their army was now ten thousand strong. He told Ka'b that they had all sworn allegiance to one another to rid themselves of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, and his followers, and that this time he was sure that he would not escape. THE WAVERING HEART: Ka'b was still reluctant to break his promise. However, the overwhelming number of the Koraysh army was something Ka'b had not reckoned upon and his heart started to waver as Huyay's persuasive tongue worked upon him. But Ka'b continued to resist and told him that if he broke the pact it would bring shame upon him. Huyay was quick to realize that Ka'b was weakening and continued to elaborate on what he deemed to be multiple advantages for them if they were rid of the Prophet and his preaching. Huyay was so convinced that this would be the last of the Prophet that he swore by the Creator, that if the Koraysh and their allies returned to their homes and had not rid themselves of the Prophet this time, then he would stay in Ka'bs fortress with him and take the consequences. The oath Huyay took was sufficient to convince Ka'b that the Prophet and his companions would not withstand the onslaught of the Koraysh army. When Huyay asked to see the pact the Prophet and Ka'b had agreed upon, Ka'b fetched it, showed it to him and Huyay tore it in half. Ka'b went to his people to relate the conversation he and Huyay had just exchanged. Despite the convincing arguments, there was an element among them who were not convinced and refused to break their word, amongst them was Amr, Suda's son. Meanwhile, several of Ka'bs tribesmen decided to go out of the fortress to determine for themselves if the report Huyay brought was true. When their eyes fell upon the formidable sight of the huge, unbelieving army, terror struck their hears, they had never seen anything like it before in their life and returned quickly to tell their tribesmen what they had seen. For the most part, the Krayzah no longer needed to be convinced and so their principals were put to one side; some even turned informant and went to the Koraysh camp to tell them of the weaker parts of the City's defense, whilst a few slipped away from the fortresses to take the news of the betrayal to the Prophet's camp. THE PROPHET LEARNS OF THE BETRAYAL: Omar was the first to learn of the betrayal and went straight to tell the Prophet. It was indeed cause for concern, so the Prophet sent Zubair to determine if the report was correct. Then he sent Sa'd from the tribe of Aws and Sa'd from the tribe of Khazraj together with Usayd for additional confirmation. Zubair reached the fortress before his other companions and learned that the report was correct. When his companions arrived they pleaded with the Krayzah not to pursue their intention, but it was to no avail, they informed him that as far as they were concerned the pack no longer existed between them -- they had become enemies. THE WEAKENED LINE OF DEFENSE: The breaking of the pact posed a weakness in the line of defense. The Jewish fortresses were no longer a protective barrier but rather a gate through which the enemy could advance with comparative ease, so the Prophet immediately sent a hundred men to strengthen the area. Shortly afterwards news reached the Prophet that Huyay had urged the Koraysh and their allies to send a thousand men to the fortresses and then launch an attack on the fortified buildings in which Muslim women and children had been housed for protection. The Prophet wasted no time in sending Zayd together with three hundred men to protect them. Each night as the companions patrolled the streets they exalted Allah with such intensity that their voices rang out through the City and they appeared far greater than their number. For one reason or another, the unbelievers abandoned their intent and no harm came to the women and children, however, the Koraysh had succeeded in weakening the Muslim army through the re-deployment of their forces. As a result the companions were forced to take longer periods patrolling the trench, and now weariness posed an additional hazard. However, spirits were lifted by the kind words and encouragement of the Prophet, who reminded them that victory would be theirs if they were steadfast, and obeyed Allah and His Prophet. THE PENETRATION OF THE TRENCH: Days and nights passed and Khalid and Ikrima waited for the right opportunity to attack. However, they didn't have to wait too long as one day Ikrima noticed that the narrowest section of the trench was less well guarded than usual and so he, Khalid. Amr and two others were able to jump over it on horseback. Just as the last man cleared the trench, Ali together with some of his companions arrived to reinforce the section leaving no way for the unbelievers to retreat. Amr shouted out a challenge for someone to engage him in single combat. Without hesitation, Ali took up the challenge, but when Amr saw him he declined to fight on account of the friendship that had existed between their fathers many years before. Ali was adamant and refused to back-down, and so Amr was forced to accept the challenge and dismounted. As they fought, clouds of dust arose in the air and onlookers were unable to determine exactly what was going on. Then, much to their relief they heard Ali's voice exalting Allah, and his companions knew that Amr must be dead. The fight had distracted the companions attention, so one of the Koraysh seized the opportunity to try and make his escape back to the other side of the trench. Turning his horse around, he raced toward the trench only to find Nawfal from the tribe of Makhzum was unable to get out of his way quick enough and so the Korayshite, with his horse, plunged headlong into the trench. When the believers saw what had happened, they made use of the stones excavated from the trench and pelted him with them. From the bottom of the trench, the unbeliever cried out saying: "Arabs, death is better than this!" whereupon they ceased their stoning and one of them climbed down into the trench and the unbeliever took his last breath. Up until now there had been considerable apprehension among the unbelieving cavalry concerning their ability to cross the trench. However, Khalid and Ikrima had demonstrated that although it was difficult, it was not impossible, so several attacks were made that day and in the days that followed, but, all were of no avail. The fighting was spasmodic but none-the-less wearisome for the believers who could not afford to relax and risk being caught off guard. No fatalities were sustained on either side although Sa'd was severely wounded when an arrow pierced an artery in his arm, however, many of the unbelievers horses were wounded. THE MIRACULOUS SUSPENSION OF THE SETTING SUN: One day during the siege the intensity of the fighting was such that both the Zuhr and Asr prayers remained unsaid and the daylight had started to fade which concerned the believers. The believers went to the Prophet to tell them of their concern whereupon the Prophet supplicated to Allah and sun's descent in the heavens was suspended and remained suspended until both prayers had been offered. Immediately after the conclusion of the prayers, the sun sank and darkness fell. Now that the sun had set the unbelievers returned to their camp so the comparative peacefulness of the evening descended. However, the believers could not afford to relax as there was always the possibility that the unbelievers might strike and take them unaware. Later that night Khalid and his cavalry returned, however Usayd and his companions spotted them and launched volleys of arrows at them and their advance was prevented. Amongst the followers of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, were hypocrites and those whose faith was weak. The believers did not complain of their circumstances and their faith always increased in times of hardship. However, the hypocrites and those of weak faith found it increasingly hard to endure the pangs of hunger which were now accentuated by the onset of cold nights and lack of sleep. Their support started to falter, soon, murmuring from these groups were heard that attempted to undermine the order of the Prophet. In their opinion it was thought that the Prophet's decision should be overridden as they were of the opinion that the trench afforded very little protection compared to that of the City. Their murmuring fell on the deaf ears of the strong believers and Allah sent down a verse that sustained them that reads: "Or did you suppose that you would enter Paradise untouched by that which was endured by those before you! Affliction and adversity befell them; and they were shaken until the Messenger, and those who believed him said: 'When will the victory of Allah come?' Isn't it so that the victory of Allah is near." Koran, Chapter 2 verse 214 THE FAZARAH AND MURRAH, TWO TRIBES OF THE GHATAFAN: Hardship affected not only the believers, the fodder the unbelievers brought with them was virtually deplete and their horses lay wounded or weakened, however, on account of their vast numbers, tiredness was a lessor factor as they were able to take turns to rest. Out of compassion for his companions and not weakness, Prophet Muhammad sent envoys by night with a message to two Arab branch chieftains of the tribe of Ghatafan, namely the tribes of Fazarah and Murrah. The message contained an offer of one third of the highly prized date harvest of Media if they would lay down their arms and not fight against them. The dates of Medina were famous and their quality superior to those of Khybar, and so the chieftains preferred the offer of the Prophet to that of Huyay, but they were greedy, and sent word back that they would only settle for half the harvest. The Prophet declined and sent word that he was only prepared to let them have a third, whereupon the chieftains agreed. The Prophet asked Othman to come to his tent to draw up the peace treaty between them; then he sent for the chieftains of Aws and Khazraj, the two Sa'ds, and told them of his plan. Sa'd, who had been severely injured, asked the Prophet if his plan was something that he would have them do or if Allah had commanded that it should be so, or, whether perhaps it was something he was doing out of concern for them. The Prophet, told him that it was the latter and that he would not have proposed it if it had not been for his injury, and the frequent attacks upon them. He continued to tell them that through this he hoped to alleviate the severity of the attacks. Allah fortified Sa'd who turned to his beloved Prophet to reassure him and mentioned that not long before both he and the unbelievers worshiped false gods together with Allah, and that they had been idols worshipers, neither knowing Allah, nor yet worshiping Him. He continued to tell the Prophet that during that era the Ghatafan had not eaten their dates unless they were given because they had been either their guests, or else they had bought them. He said that he felt that now that Allah had blessed them with Islam, guided and strengthened them with it and sent them His Prophet, he did not see why they should be given their property. Then Sa'd swore by Allah that the Ghatafan would be given nothing except the sword until such time that Allah decided between them. The Prophet was pleased by Sa'ds strong belief and agreed to abandon the gesture. Othman, who had by this time, finished drawing up the peace treaty, now struck the message through and wrote: "Do your worst!" NU'AYM FROM THE GHATAFAN TRIBE OF ASHJA: After Nu'aym's encounter with the Muslims of Medina before the second challenge of Badr, his heart inclined still further to Islam. Now that Abu Sufyan had called upon the support of the Ghatafan tribe, his branch tribe, the tribe of Ashja, had lent their support and so reluctantly he had been drawn into the conflict. It was shortly after the Prophet decided not to proceed with the peace treaty with the two other branches of the Ghatafan, that Nu'aym knew deep in his heart that his allegiance belonged to Allah and His Prophet. When he was in Medina he had heard some of the Prophet's teachings and witnessed the unifying effect of Islam upon its very diverse congregation, now there they were, with just one third of the number of the unbelieving army, prepared to defend their religion without the thought of tribal superiority or surrender, it was indeed an act of bravery through absolute conviction. It was the turning point in Nuaym's life; that night he made his way to Medina, through its City and then on towards the camp of the Prophet. When he reached the camp he asked to be taken to the Prophet and upon seeing him the Prophet inquired as to the nature of his visit. Nu'aym told him that he had come to declare his belief and bear witness to the truth the Prophet brought, adding that he would do whatever he commanded. In passing, he mentioned that his people and the other tribes knew nothing of the teachings of Islam, so the Prophet told Nu'aym to go out and do his best to bring about discord among his people so that they would withdraw. Nu'aym thought for a minute and then asked the Prophet if deception would be permissible for he had a plan he thought would work. The Prophet replied: "Say whatever you will to draw them away from us; war is nothing but deceit." It was time for Nu'aym to leave, and after the greetings of peace had been exchanged he made his way back though the winding streets of the City to the Krayzah fortress. For many years Nu'aym had been friendly with the Krayzah and when they saw him they welcomed him and offered him food. Nu'aym thanked them for their offer but told them that he had come to them upon a more important matter. He told them that he feared for their safety if the Koraysh and Ghatafan failed to defeat the Muslim army and returned home leaving them alone to face the Muslims. It was a matter that concerned many of the Krayzah since their chieftains had broken the pact. They remembered well how, although, Huyay and his fellow tribesmen's lives had been spared after their attempt to murder the Prophet, that they had been expelled from Medina and forced to leave their homes and date groves behind -- and that was something they did not want to happen to them. Nu'aym told them that in his opinion, if he found himself in a position such as theirs, he would not strike a blow against the Muslims unless the Koraysh and Ghatafan were prepared to hand over to them some of their leaders as a guarantee that they would not be deserted in the event that their allies were forced to retreat. Nu'aym's logic made a lot of sense, the Krayzah needed no further convincing and adopted his suggestion. Now that Nu'aym had succeeded in the first part of his plan, he made his way to Abu Sufyan's tent. He found Abu Sufyan in the company of the other Koraysh chieftains and embarked upon the second part of his plan. He told them that he had come across a very alarming piece of information which was vital to them, however, he told them that he would only divulge the matter if they swore they would never tell anyone who gave it to them. Anxiously, Abu Sufyan and those with him swore never to turn informant. Nu'aym then told them that the Krayzah were having second thoughts about their treatment of Muhammad and that they had sent word to him informing him of such. Nu'aym had caught their attention and proceeded to tell them that in order to repair their relationship they would take leaders from both the Koraysh and Ghatafan tribes as hostage and then deliver them to Muhammad so that he may behead them, and thereafter fight alongside him. Nu'aym further alarmed Abu Sufyan when he told him that the terms had been accepted. He concluded his devising with the warning that they, in his opinion, should not let anyone remain with the Krayzah, and so the seeds of mistrust were sown and took root. Abu Sufyan, together with the other chieftains met with those of the Ghatafan and decided to assess the loyalty of the Krayzah themselves rather than relying entirely upon the report of Nu'aym. However, in the interim period, both allies agreed to postpone telling Huyay about the matter. The allies agreed to send Ikrima to the Krayzah with a message. The message was brief and straight to the point and read: "Prepare yourselves to fight tomorrow so that we may rid ourselves of Muhammad." No sooner had the Krayzah received the message they sent one back saying: "Tomorrow is the Sabbath, and we will not fight with you against Muhammad unless you send us some of your men that we might hold until we have rid ourselves of him. It is our fear that if the battle goes against us you will retreat and leave us to face him -- this, we cannot do alone." Ikrima returned in haste to Abu Sufyan and his fellow chieftains and the message was duly delivered. No sooner had the message been read they swore: "Nu'aym has told us the truth!" Immediately, another message was dispatched informing the Krayzah that they would not be sending any one but that they must fight all the same. The Krayzah's fears were confirmed and they sent back another message stating, yet again, that they would not fight until they received their demands. In a state of rage, Abu Sufyan went to confront Huyay. He demanded to know where the help was that his people promised, and told him that they had deserted him with the intent of betrayal. Huyay was taken aback by the accusation and swore by the Torah that the reason his fellow Jews would not take up arms against the Muslims was that it was the Sabbath and without doubt he would see them fight like a blazing fire against the Prophet the day after. As of yet, Abu Sufyan had not told Huyay of the demand for hostages, but when he told him his reaction was indifferent and Abu Sufyan took it to be indicative of his guilt and swore by his god, al-lat, that the whole affair was nothing but treachery on both his part and theirs. Huyay swore yet again by the Torah that he was not a traitor, but Abu Sufyan refused to believe him, and so Huyay, fearing the wrath of Abu Sufyan, made a hasty retreat to the safety of the Krayzah fortresses. THE MORALE OF THE UNBELIEVERS: Two weeks had passed, and little except mistrust of one another had transpired among the Koraysh and its allies. Fodder was in very short supply, wounded mounts often died, and in addition, the weather turned to be exceptionally cold and wet. It was a time of frustration on their part. Many had hoped that by now the battle would have been resolved and that they would be reaping the coveted spoils of war, but it wasn't so, and discontent became widespread. THE MORALE OF THE BELIEVERS: The believers were better protected from the rain and the cold as they had the hill of Sal to shelter them, However, they were very tired on account of their constant vigil and signs of hunger were apparent but their morale was high and the Prophet supplicated to Allah after each obligatory prayer for three successive days for the unbelievers to be put to flight. WIND AND RAIN: On top of the extreme cold and rain, Allah now sent unseen angels with a biting wind from the east that brought torrential rain forcing the unbelievers to take shelter in their tents as the wind rushed howling between them. As the night progressed, the storm worsened to such a degree that their tents were ripped from the ground, tossed in the air and torn into shreds -- not one of the unbeliever's tents remained standing. Allah speaks of this in the Holy Koran saying: "Believers, remember the Favor of Allah to you when there came against you hosts, We unleashed against them a wind and the hosts you could not see. Allah sees the things you do." Koran, Chapter 33 verse 9 As for the Muslim tents, Allah protected them all and none were wrecked by the wind. As on many other occasions, the Prophet spent most of the night in prayer. After the conclusion of his final prayer, he visited a neighboring tent and asked Hudhayfah to go among the enemy and bring word of their condition. As Hudhayfah made his way towards the Koraysh encampment he found them shivering, huddled and crouched together trying to warm themselves as the winds roared about them. No one paid any attention to him and so he was able to get close to Abu Sufyan without being noticed. As dawn approached, the ferocity of the wind died down and the unbelievers tried to warm themselves as Abu Sufyan cried out for all to hear: "People of the Koraysh, our horses and camels are dying, the Krayzah have let us down and betrayed us. We have suffered on account of the wind! Leave this place, I intend leaving!" Abu Sufyan was so anxious to leave the battlefield that he forgot his camel was still hobbled and made it rise on three legs. Just then, Ikrima called to him with the reminder that he was their chieftain and demanded to know if he was prepared to abandon his men, whereupon Abu Sufyan felt ashamed of his actions and dismounted. Everyone had had enough, and not long after the Koraysh army broke camp and started out on its long wearisome march home, however, Abu Sufyan remained behind with Khalid to ride behind his beleaguered army. As they rode together, Khalid had time to reflect upon the words of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and commented: "Any sensible person knows that Muhammad does not lie." Abu Sufyan was astonished and retorted: "You, of all people have lessor right to say such a thing!" Khalid asked why, whereupon he replied: "Muhammad belittled the honor of your father; he killed Abu Jahl your chieftain!" Everyone had been so busy with their own affairs that Hudhayfah was able to slip away unnoticed to where the Ghatafan had camped. When he reached their camp site he found they had dispersed and so he returned to the Prophet with the blessed news. When he reached the encampment he was told that the Prophet was praying, so Hudhayfah went to him and waited for him to finish. The Prophet noticed is arrival and beckoned him to come and sit beside him as prayed. As Hudhayfah sat down, the Prophet covered him in the folds of his cloak to warm him, and there he remained until the prayer reached its conclusion. After the prayer, Hudhayfah related the blessed news of their enemies retreat and the Prophet thanked Allah for His Mercy. The thin thread of the light of dawn had appeared on the horizon so Bilal arose to call the believers to prayer. After they had finished the believers turned to look in the direction of the enemy camp site -- the battlefield was completely deserted. It was a time for thanksgiving and rejoicing, so the Prophet gave his companions permission to break camp and return to their families. The immediate danger was over, however, the Prophet was still on guard. There was always the possibility that the unbelievers had retreated out of sight only to await news from the Krayzah that the trench had been abandoned. With this in mind the Prophet sent Jabir and Abdullah, Omar's son to call his men back. Jabir and Abdullah set off calling at the top of their voices telling them to return, but it was to no avail, whereupon they returned to tell the Prophet what had happened, but the Prophet just smiled and returned home himself with his close companions. Al Hamdulillah For more of the Prophet's life and events, please read the Seerah in the Mosque of the Internet's Interactive Islamic College.