Battle of the Trench: Jews of Madina Betrayed the Prophet! - AI Visualized - O Messenger | Ep. 8
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Clouds of dust rising on the horizon were a clear sign of an approaching storm. Under the vengeful command of Abu Sufyan, a massive army of 10,000 warriors gathered from all over the Arabian Peninsula had reached the outskirts of Medina. "With an army of 10,000 men, we'll make them curse the day they were born!" The idolaters were burning with a desire for revenge. But what they saw in front of them left them stunned. The army's only approach to the city was blocked by a trench that was nearly 6 kilometers long. They were incredibly wide and deep, like a barrier impossible to cross. The confidence they had felt for an easy victory suddenly turned into fear and uncertainty.
Faced with such a defensive tactic, the enemy had no idea what to do, because they had never seen anything like it in their entire lives. But how did things come to this point? And how did the Muslims come up with such a plan to stand against this overwhelming force? And most importantly, what was about to happen next? Betrayals, secret plans, and miracles. Let’s witness together the epic story of the Battle of the Trench. This video series is based on hundreds of references from reliable Islamic sources. All AI visuals were prepared in consultation with qualified Muslim scholars and are in line with Islamic guidelines.
The Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir had been expelled from Medina as punishment for their betrayal. Some of them went to Sham (Levant/Syria) while others settled in Khaybar. Khaybar had a larger Jewish population than any other region. So, because of their numbers, they were encouraging one another to fight. And that confidence led them to plan their revenge against the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions. But of course, this was not something they could do on their own. So, they sent a delegation of 19 men to persuade the Quraysh and other Arab tribes to go to war against the Prophet (peace be upon him).
They would first visit the Quraysh, then the tribes of Ghatafan and Banu Sulaym, and after them, many other Arab tribes. This is why this battle was also known as the Battle of Al-Ahzab - The Batte of Confederates, because many tribes, large and small, would gather together to stand against the Muslims. As planned, the delegation's first stop was Mecca. Remember the end of Uhud? Abu Sufyan had challenged the Prophet (peace be upon him) to meet him again at Badr a year later. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) accepted that, and the following year, marched with his army to Badr. But when he arrived, he found no one there. The Quraysh didn't even dare to face him.
They had suffered a crushing defeat at Badr, and since then, Abu Sufyan had been burning with a deep desire for revenge. "Then welcome. Those who help us in our fight against Muhammad are the most beloved to us." Islam was growing day by day, and the Quraysh knew that they could no longer stand against it on their own. So they had no choice but to accept this offer. Abu Sufyan wanted to see whether the Jewish delegation was truly determined and serious in this cause. So he decided to test them, and found that they were even more eager than he was. He said: "O people of the Jews, inform us about our dispute with Muhammad.
Whose religion is better, ours or his?" "If we must speak the truth, before Allah, you are closer to the truth than he is." Yet, deep down, they knew the reality was the exact opposite. But still, driven by their thirst for revenge, they did not hesitate to lie. The Jewish delegation made an agreement with the Quraysh and secured their first ally. But that wasn't enough for them. To gain more support, they went to the tribe of Ghatafan, who lived between Mecca and Najd. And it didn't take much time to convince them either. Soon after, the Banu Sulaym also agreed to join forces with them.
It wasn't only the Jewish delegation; the Quraysh themselves were also working tirelessly to persuade more tribes. Then they gained the support of the Ahabish tribe and the tribes allied with them as well. With all these groups combined, their forces reached nearly 4,000 men. And after securing the support of the tribes around Medina, the Banu Nadir and the Quraysh eventually gathered a massive army of 10,000 men. "With an army of 10,000 men, we'll make them curse the day they were born!" While all of this was happening, a message came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) from the tribe of Khuza’a. "He's coming!
Abu Sufyan is raising a large army marching here!" -"How many?" -"Thousands." "Did you see them yourself?" "I passed their scouts in the wadi (valley), they’re moving fast." The Prophet (peace be upon him) immediately gathered his companions to consult with them. Everyone was sharing their opinions. Until one idea came that would change everything. "O Messenger of Allah, back in Persia, whenever we feared attacks from enemy cavalry, we would dig trenches around our city for protection." The one who spoke was Salman Al-Farisi, a companion of Persian origin. The Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions had never heard of such a tactic before.
Rasulullah (the Messenger of Allah) found the idea reasonable and approved it. They were going to dig trenches so wide and deep that even horses could not cross them. But first, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went out to decide where the trench should be dug. On one side of Medina, there were wide fields of volcanic rock. And on the other side were large stretches of date palm groves. Armies could not cross either of them. And to the south stood a large mountain, making entry from that direction impossible as well. In a way, Allah had already placed Medina under natural protection. Only one side remained open.
And that was where a long trench would be dug to completely block the enemy's approach to the city. But they had less than 10 days to complete it. Everyone began digging with all their strength. And leading them was the Messenger of Allah himself (peace be upon him). With a pick and shovel in his hands, he too was working side by side with his companions, while encouraging them at the same time. Despite the heat and hunger, they kept digging all day without rest. Sometimes the companions would say: "Ya Rasulullah (O Messenger of Allah), please rest. Our work is enough. You do not need to tire yourself." He could have chosen not to work at all.
After all, he was the Messenger of Allah, and no one would have objected. But he was the one who said, "The leader of a people is the one who serves them." For him, sitting and watching was harder than working. He knew that Allah's blessings and mercy come through hardship. And so he worked harder than anyone else. That year, Arabia was in the grip of a severe drought and famine. Many Muslims had to tie stones to their stomachs to endure the pain of hunger. By doing so, they were trying to ease their pain with a false sense of fullness. Feeling desperate, a group of companions came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and told him about their suffering.
But when they saw the scene in front of them, their words just caught in their throats. Because when Rasulullah ﷺ untied the cloth around his stomach, not one stone, but two fell to the ground. "Have you also tied stones to your stomach? Because of hunger?" He was enduring the same hardship, even more than they were. One day, when Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) in that condition, he couldn't bear it any longer. He went home and said to his wife: "I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ weakened by hunger. Anyone else would have collapsed under such hardship.
Do we have anything to eat at home?" His wife replied, "By Allah, we have nothing except this small goat and a few handfuls of barley." Jabir slaughtered the goat, and his wife ground the barley into flour. They placed the meat in a pot and left it to cook in the clay oven. Just as Jabir was about to leave home to invite the Prophet (peace be upon him), his wife said: "Please don't put me in a difficult position before the Messenger of Allah." She meant that he shouldn't invite too many people, because the food they had prepared was only enough for a few people. Jabir went to Rasulullah (peace be upon him) and told him that they had prepared a little food.
Then he asked him to come with a few companions. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said something he never expected. He called out to all the companions who were digging the trench and said: "Your brother is inviting us to a meal!" What Jabir's wife had feared had now come true. She only had enough food for a few people, but now an entire army of Sahaba (Companions) was coming. When Jabir returned home and told his wife what had happened, she asked: "Did the Prophet ask you how much food we had?" "Yes." "Then it will be fine." She trusted that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ knew something that they did not. Jabir was overwhelmed and did not know what to do.
When the Prophet (peace be upon him) arrived, he made dua (supplication) for baraka (blessing) over the meat and the bread. He then invited his companions inside, ten at a time. Then he took the bread out of the clay oven with his own hands, placed a piece of meat on top, and gave it to each of the companions himself. Everyone slowly began to feel full. Yet, neither the meat nor the bread got any less. They stayed the same. Jabir and his wife were amazed by what they saw. About that day, Jabir later said: "By Allah, a thousand people came and ate until they were full. Yet our pot was still boiling and bread was still being made from our dough." A thousand people witnessed this miracle.
And as this event was told over and over again, not a single one of them ever denied it. Think about it: how could a people who devoted their lives to truth ever speak of something that never happened? Could all of them, Ma'zallah (God forbid), agree upon the same lie? For the companions, these miracles were clear realities. Many times, Allah granted such blessings through the hands of His Messenger (peace be upon him). Indeed, during battles like Badr and Tabuk, at wedding meals, and in times of famine, miracles like these were witnessed again and again. Sometimes by 180 people, sometimes 400, and sometimes even by 1,500 people.
While Rasulullah (peace be upon him) and his companions were digging the trench, the companions came across a large, solid rock. But no matter how hard they tried, they could not break it. So they immediately informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ came and took the axe of Salman Al-Farisi. Then he said "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah) and hit the rock with a powerful blow. With that single hit, one-third of the rock crumbled. He said: "Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)! I have been given the keys to Sham (Syria). By Allah, I can see its red palaces at this very moment." He struck it a second time, and another third of the rock broke apart. Again he shouted: "Allahu Akbar!
I have been given the keys to Persia. By Allah, I can see Madain's white palace." When he struck it the third time, he shouted: "Allahu Akbar! I have been given the keys to Yemen. By Allah, I can see the gates of Sana'a at this very moment." With that final blow, the rock shattered completely. When the believers heard these glad tidings, their faith grew even stronger. But what about the Munafiqun (hypocrites)? How did they react? In a mocking tone, they said: "How can he promise us the treasures of Kisra and Qaysar (Chosroes and Caesar), when none of us feels safe even to relieve himself?" They were trying to discourage everyone around them. Think about it.
When these promises were given, Medina was surrounded by enemy tribes who all came together to kill the entire population of the Muslims. The believers had not even fully defeated Quraysh yet. They had to dig a trench to defend themselves. They were hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. Yet, the one who actually made those promises was Allah, the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. And every word the Prophet (peace be upon him) had said was the truth. And one by one, those promised victories would come true, within just a short span of time, during the caliphates of Umar and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them both).
The trench that would leave the Mushrikun (idolater) army stunned was completed in just six days. It was about 9 meters wide, roughly the length of five men. And its depth was about half of that. It was so wide that even the most skilled horseman could not jump across it. Along the nearly 6 kilometer trench, only one small section was narrow enough for a single horseman to cross. "I think they’re coming." An army of 10,000 idolaters led by Abu Sufyan had arrived. They were facing a battle strategy they had never seen before. And it was a huge disappointment for them. "Stop! Stop your horses!" "What is this? What’s happening?" "Stop!
Stop your horses!" They had imagined that they would easily enter Medina, spill blood in the streets, and hunt the Muslims down one by one. -"Stop! I said stop!" -"What’s going on?" But still, Abu Sufyan had no intention of backing down. After finishing their preparations, they began shooting a storm of arrows from across the trench. The arrows were slicing through the air with a frightening whistle as they rained down on the Muslims. But the trench turned out to be a far greater obstacle than they had expected. No matter how hard they tried, they simply could not cross it. If you remember, there was a part of the trench that wasn't as wide as the rest.
Some tried to cross from there, but they were struck down before they could make it across. But Amr ibn Abd Wudd managed to get through. He was one of the most renowned and fearsome warriors in all of Arabia. Covered from head to toe in armor, he pulled hard on his horse's reins and stopped right in front of the Muslim army. "Who will fight me?" Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said, "Ya Rasulullah (O Messenger of Allah), allow me to fight him." Seeing Ali’s determination, he prayed, "O Allah, grant him Your help." Then Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stepped forward into the field. "Look, Ali...
Ali is going." "Zulfiqar." "Who are you?" "I am Ali, son of Abu Talib." "I don't want to spill your blood. Your father was my friend." "By Allah, I do want to spill yours." Amr became furious. He pulled out his sword and mounted his horse. But Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "How can I fight you when I am on foot and you are on horseback? Come down and face me!" So Amr dismounted and stood before Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). "Come on! Let’s see what you’ve got." Ali offered him two choices: "Accept Islam, or turn back." But Amr refused both. The duel began when Amr struck the first blow. Ali blocked it with his shield.
But the sword cut into the shield and its tip wounded his head. A cloud of dust rose from the ground and wrapped around both of them, making it impossible for anyone to see what was happening inside. For a moment, no one could tell what had happened. Until a voice was heard. "Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)!" Amr's head had fallen to the ground. That voice belonged to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). When the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the companions heard the Takbir (proclamation of greatness), they realized that Ali had defeated Amr. And they all joined in shouting "Allahu Akbar!" Two or three more men also crossed the trench to attack Ali.
But out of fear of death, they turned back. The enemy could not gain anything from their attacks. So they decided to remain in their siege positions. There was simply nothing else they could do. For several days, both sides shot arrows at each other from a distance. But it only made the battle drag on even longer. And the longer it continued, the worse it would be for the Quraysh. Because the weather was growing harsher and harsher each day. In the daytime, it was scorching hot, and at night, it was freezing cold. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent about 500 companions to Medina and secured the city.
In the cold of the night, he personally stood guard at the narrowest part of the trench because he thought the enemy might try to cross from there. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) later said that when the Prophet ﷺ returned home, he was shivering from the cold. Because the crops around the city had already been harvested, the enemy army's animals had nothing to eat. "No feed left. We brought too little." At this rate, their animals would start dying one by one. Since they thought that they would fight for only a day or two and win easily, they had brought only a small amount of food with them. If things continued like this, they wouldn't be able to hold out for long.
Abu Sufyan was aware of the situation. So he ordered his men to intensify their arrow fire. It was so intense that even moving became almost impossible for the Muslims. Then a group of the Quraysh cavalry reached a spot across from the Muslims and began shooting arrows at them. Their attack was so heavy and non-stop that the Muslims had to defend the trench without a break until sunset. And because of this, Rasulullah (peace be upon him) and the companions were not able to pray Asr on time.
The Messenger of Allah became so angry that he cursed the Mushrikun army saying: "May Allah fill their homes and their graves with fire, just as they have prevented us from praying Asr!" Then he made up the missed prayer, and so did his companions. The Messenger of Allah had not even cursed the people who stoned him in Ta'if. Yet the importance of prayer was so great that he made such dua (supplication) against those who had prevented them from praying. The fighting at the trench was still very intense. But the Mushrikun army wasn't the only threat. Something the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had feared from the very beginning had now come true.
Remember the treaty of Medina that was made after the Hijra (migration)? According to that agreement, the tribes of Medina had promised to defend the city together if it was ever attacked. But Banu Qurayza broke that promise. And even worse, they decided to help the enemy and committed an even greater betrayal. "Banu Qurayza... broke the promise. The fortresses... two threats. We knew it. It was obvious they'd break the treaty." They lived in strong fortresses in the southern part of Medina. And from there, they were planning to march against the Muslims.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) immediately sent Sa'd ibn Mu'adh and a few other companions to speak with them and try to turn them away from this decision. But the Jews showed no sign of changing their minds. They were determined to wipe out the Muslims. So now, not only were the arrows coming from outside, but the Jewish forces from the south were also putting heavy pressure on the Muslims. The Qurayza Jews lived inside Medina, within the city. Which meant the Muslims would now be caught between two fires.
And to make things even worse, the hypocrites were once again spreading fitna (strife) and saying: "Allah and His Messenger have given us nothing but false promises." Allah describes that day in Surah Al-Ahzab. "Remember when they came at you from above you and below you, and when the eyes rolled with fear and the hearts reached the throats, and you assumed about Allah various assumptions. Then and there the believers were put to the test and were violently shaken." Everything seemed to be turning against the Muslims. But right at that moment, Allah opened a way out for them. An opportunity that could change the course of the battle.
Nuaym ibn Masud, the leader of the Ashja tribe from the Ghatafan, had accepted Islam but had not told anyone yet. He secretly came to the Messenger of Allah to declare his faith. As soon as he took Shahada (Testimony of Faith) and became Muslim, he said: "O Messenger of Allah... If there is anything I can do, just command me." Someone who had just tasted the sweetness of faith could not just sit still. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw his determination, he turned it into an opportunity. He said: "Go back to the enemy and do whatever you can to cause division among them." Nuaym understood exactly what was being asked of him.
Nuaym quietly slipped into each of the three enemy groups, acting as if he had never accepted Islam. He first went to Banu Qurayza and planted doubt in their hearts. "If the Quraysh and the Ghatafan fail to defeat the Muslims, they will go back home and leave you alone. And then the Muhammad ﷺ will easily be able to punish you. If you don't want that to happen, ask the Quraysh and the Ghatafan to give you some of their men as hostages. That way, they won't betray you, because they would never risk losing their own people." After that, Nuaym went to the Quraysh and said: "The Banu Qurayza have regretted their decision to attack the Muslims, and have made a secret agreement with them.
They promised the Muslims that, in return for forgiveness for breaking the treaty, they would capture 70 men from the Quraysh and hand them over for execution. So if the Jews ask for any of your men as hostages, do not accept anything like that." Then he went to the Ghatafan and warned them in the same way. If the Jews asked for hostages, they shouldn't give anyone. Since Nuaym was from Ghatafan himself, no one suspected him. And they accepted his advice immediately. Following what Nuaym had said, Banu Qurayza asked the Quraysh and the Ghatafan for hostages to ensure their safety. Now the Mushrikun became convinced that Nuaym had been telling the truth.
And of course, they refused to hand over anyone. Later, Abu Sufyan would say about that day, "If they had asked me for even a baby goat, I would not have given it." And so the plan worked. Their alliance had turned into mistrust. The siege had gone on for a very long time, and their unity had begun to fall apart. Both the Muslims and the enemy forces were exhausted. Hunger, thirst, and the cold had pushed both sides to their limits. But there was one difference between them. The Muslims drew their strength from Allah, the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth, the One who has power over all things. While the other side relied on lifeless idols, stones that had no power whatsoever.
The Messenger of Allah wanted to know what the enemy army was doing and what their plans were. That night, he decided to send someone into their camp. He asked a small group of Muslims standing guard around him: "Who will bring me news of these people, and Allah will make him my companion on the Day of Judgment?" You might think, what an honor! Who wouldn't want this? But the night was so harsh that no one responded. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, who was there at night, later said: "We had wrapped ourselves in pieces of cloth, just trying to stay where we were because of the freezing cold, hunger, and the terror of the night. I had never seen a night so dark or a wind so violent in my entire life.
It was so dark that we couldn't even see our fingertips. And the wind roared like thunder." When no one responded, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called out to Hudhayfah. "Go and bring me information about the enemy." Hudhayfah did not know what to do. How could he go in that freezing cold? Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) made dua for him. "O Allah, protect him from in front of him, from behind him, from his right, from his left, from above, and from below." Hudhayfah said, "At that moment, all the fear inside me disappeared. And the cold left me as well." Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) told me: "Hudhayfah, until you return to me, do not do anything that might alert them.
Do not shoot an arrow, do not throw a stone, and do not strike with a spear or a sword." Hudhayfah then quietly slipped into the Quraysh camp. There he saw Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Quraysh, warming himself by a fire. Hudhayfah was behind him. His bow and arrow was ready. Their leader was right there. With one shot, he could have struck a major blow. But he remembered what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said and held himself back. There was actually a divine decree behind this. Allah was protecting His servant whom He would later guide to Islam from dying in disbelief. Then Hudhayfah moved closer into the crowd and blended in among them.
Abu Sufyan was about to announce an important decision. But a doubt came to his mind. Since it was too dark to recognize anyone, he took a precaution. "Grab the arm of the man next to you and ask his name." Hudhayfah was almost caught. But Allah inspired an idea in his heart. While everyone else grabbed only the person beside them, he quickly grabbed the arms of both the man on his right and his left and aggressively asked: "Who are you?" They both said their names, and so no one noticed him. "My people! This fierce wind has destroyed everything we have. Our horses and camels have begun to die. Pack up and leave at once!
For I have decided to go." Hudhayfah got the information and headed back. He still didn't feel any cold. But as soon as he reached the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the cold returned. He found the Prophet ﷺ praying to his Lord with deep humility. And when he received the good news from him, the Prophet (peace be upon him) felt a great relief. Finally, the enemy was about to retreat. Then one night, Allah sent a wind so strong that the desert sand was lifted into the air and the tents of the idolaters were torn apart. The storm blew sand into their faces, and their horses and camels panicked, running in every direction. Everything fell into complete chaos.
The enemy army could not understand what was happening. In misery and panic, they began to retreat and ran away without even looking back. Surah Al-Ahzab describes that moment: "O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allah upon you when armies came to you, and We sent upon them a wind and armies you did not see. And Allah is watchful of whatever you do." The siege had ended, and the enemy had been driven away. But those who had betrayed the Muslims were still inside Medina. Their treachery could not be ignored. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had just returned from the trench and hadn't even taken off his armor when suddenly Jibril (Gabriel) (peace be upon him) appeared before him.
He said: "O Messenger of Allah, have you put down your weapons?" Rasulullah (peace be upon him) replied, "Yes we have." Then Jibril (peace be upon him) said: "But we have not put ours down yet. So set out for them." The battle was not over yet. The next target was clear: Banu Qurayza. The Jews also knew that their betrayal would not go unpunished. They said: "By Allah, Muhammad will come for us now." And withdrew into their strong fortresses. Feeling safe behind those walls, they hurled heavy insults at the Prophet (peace be upon him). They had no intention of surrendering. They were relying on the promise made to them by the hypocrites of Medina.
The hypocrites had secretly sent them a message saying: "Do not leave Medina. We will help you with everything." But there was one thing that Jews forgot. Hypocrites never keep their promises. At that moment, two men among them suddenly cried out, "This is the man Ibn Hayyaban told us about. Do not fight him." Who were these men? And who was this Ibn Hayyaban they were talking about? What had he foretold? Ibn Hayyaban was a Jewish scholar who had come to Medina before the Prophethood of Rasulullah (peace be upon him). He had said: "The coming of the Prophet is near. And this is the place where he will migrate." Long before the Prophet's mission began, he had told the Banu Nadir about him.
And then he passed away there. When he said those words, two brothers, Usaid and Tha'labah, were also there and heard him clearly. And now, they ignored the call of those two brothers. Banu Qurayza were trapped inside their fortresses. The help they expected from the hypocrites was not coming either. And they finally realized that the siege was not going to end. So in desperation, they asked to negotiate with the Prophet (peace be upon him). "By God, we will not yield until you meet our terms!" But his answer was firm. "No. You have no choice but to surrender and accept my judgment unconditionally." Realizing that they had no other option, the Jews finally surrendered.
Banu Qurayza had committed one crime after another. First they broke their treaty, and collaborated with the enemy. And on top of that, instead of apologizing, they hurled insults at the Prophet (peace be upon him). Despite all their betrayal, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ treated them in a way unparalleled in history. He instructed that the punishment be carried out purely for the sake of Allah, not out of anger or revenge. Because in Islamic law, punishments cannot be applied with personal emotions mixed into them. It may sound surprising, but as they were about to be executed, he ordered that they be given food, water, and milk.
It was an extremely hot day, and he did not want them to be executed under that heat. He said: "Do not combine the heat of the sun with the heat of the sword." SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah). The Battle of the Trench was a turning point for the Muslims. All three Jewish tribes had been driven out of Medina, and the idolaters were no longer a threat. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "After this battle, we will go to attack them, and they will not come to attack us." And that’s exactly what happened. The idolaters would never be able to recover their strength, while the Muslims would grow stronger and stronger each day throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
In the 5th year after the Hijra, the Prophet (peace be upon him) received news that the tribe of Banu al-Mustaliq had begun to see the growing power of Medina as a threat, and were planning to attack them. As soon as Rasulullah (peace be upon him) heard this, he gathered around 700 of his companions. And after sunrise, they reached the place where Banu al-Mustaliq had set up camp. The tribe was completely unprepared. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arranged his army in battle formation, and with a sudden strike, they eliminated this threat. The enemy had been defeated. But a far more dangerous enemy was inside the army. On the way back to Medina, unexpected problems were about to arise.
At the center of it all was the chief of the hypocrites, Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul. If he had stayed in Medina while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was away, he could have caused trouble and unrest. That's why the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took him along on the expedition. When he was with the Muslims, he would praise and support the Prophet (peace be upon him). But when he was alone with his close friends, he would speak against Islam and mock the believers.
About him and the ones that are like him, Allah said in the Quran: "When they meet the believers, they say, 'We believe'; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, 'Indeed, we are with you; we were only mocking.'" Every Friday, he would come to Masjid An-Nabawi and sit among the Muslims. He would listen to the Prophet's (peace be upon him) sermon, and when it ended, he would suddenly stand up and call out: "O people! Help this Messenger whom Allah has placed among you! Through him, Allah has honored you, made you superior and victorious. So listen to him, respect, and obey him." He would do this every single Friday. Until the day of Uhud, when he led 300 men away from the army.
Normally, when he was called to join a military expedition, he wouldn't go. He would always find an excuse to stay behind. But this time he decided to join, because he didn't see any real danger and was actually after the spoils of war. And at the same time, he was looking for a chance to cause trouble and division among the Muslims who were growing stronger and stronger each day. And that chance would come to him twice. So what was the first of these incidents? On the way back from the expedition, the Muslim army set up camp by a well. Everyone was taking turns drawing water. But a small dispute became an opportunity for the hypocrites.
While Jahjah ibn Masud from the Muhajirun (Emigrants) and Sinan ibn Wabar from the Ansar (Helpers) were drawing water from the same well, an argument broke out between them. Then things began to escalate, and Jahjah moved angrily towards Sinan. Seeing this, Sinan shouted: "O Muhajirun (Emigrants)! Where are you? Come and help me!" In an instant, the Ansar and the Muhajirun, who had shown the best examples of brotherhood, stood face to face. The chief hypocrite, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, had found the perfect chance to cause fitna (dissension), and he did everything he could to use it.
"O Ansar, these Muhajirun gained strength and honor through you, and now they treat you with such arrogance and disrespect. You welcomed them into your city and gave them a place to live. You shared your wealth and food with them. You are the ones to blame for the humiliation you suffer. By Allah, if we return to Medina, the most honorable will expel the lowest." He was referring to the Prophet ﷺ and the Muhajirun, Ma'zallah (God forbid). These provocative words made the already tense atmosphere even worse. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard about what happened, he immediately went to his companions.
He angrily said: "What is this call to Jahiliyyah (Days of Ignorance)?" And after seeing that the Ansar and the Muhajirun had fallen into conflict over such a small matter, he said: "Leave this call to Jahiliyyah, because it is filth!" He gave these serious warnings because what caused all this was a kind of tribal pride, racism, and a sense of material superiority. But in Islam, superiority comes only through Taqwa (piety/God-consciousness); that is, being conscious of Allah, avoiding sins, and obeying His commands. These words of Rasulullah ﷺ deeply touched the hearts of the companions. And Sinan forgave Jahjah.
For those who continue to take pride in their own people in this way, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would later say: "He is not one of us who calls to tribalism. He is not one of us who fights for the sake of tribalism. And he is not one of us who dies for tribalism." After this incident, Rasulullah (peace be upon him) made an unusual decision. During the hottest hours of the day, he ordered the Muslim army to march towards Medina. Until that day, they had never set out in such scorching heat. But there was wisdom behind the Prophet's (peace be upon him) command. He wanted to keep his companions from talking about the words of Abdullah ibn Ubayy.
They set out in the afternoon, and did not stop until the first light of dawn. They were so exhausted and sleepless that they could hardly stand. They collapsed where they were, and instantly fell asleep. In this way, their minds were distracted, and the issue was prevented from escalating. Through this incident, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught us a timeless lesson. A Muslim should always keep himself busy. Never sit idle. Because doing nothing and laziness opens the door to haram pleasures and eventually sins. So, did the chief hypocrite stop causing trouble after this incident? Of course not. He was still looking for another chance to spread fitna.
And soon, he found the second opportunity. This time, he would dare to slander the Prophet's (peace be upon him) own family. As the army was marching back towards Medina, they noticed two people in the distance trying to catch up with them. One of them was riding a camel, and the other was walking beside it holding its reins. The person on the camel was our mother Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). And the man leading it was Safwan ibn al-Muattal. Abdullah ibn Ubayy would twist this scene and make a terrible slander against the Prophet's (peace be upon him) pure and honorable wife. "By Allah, he was not free from her.
Nor was she free from him." Implying that, Ma'zallah (God forbid), something had happened between them. And with those words, he started the rumor and fitna. That horrible accusation spread through the army like wildfire. Passed from one person to another. But what was the truth behind it? Let's go back to how it all began. Whenever Rasulullah went on an expedition, he would take one of his wives along with him. This time, the one who joined him was our mother Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). While the companions were resting, Aisha went far away from the army for a personal need. When she returned, they were getting ready to move.
But at that moment, she realized that her necklace was missing. Thinking that the army would not leave without her, she went back to look for it in the same place she had just been. But it took her some time to find it. And by then, the army had already moved on, not realizing that she was missing. Back then, to protect their privacy, women would travel in covered, tent-like cabins placed on top of camels called the Houdah. Since our mother Aisha was not heavy, the companions who lifted the Houdah did not realize she wasn't inside. And they set off. When our mother returned, she found that the army was gone.
Since it was dangerous to travel alone in the desert, she decided to stay where she was. She thought, "They will realize that I'm missing and come back for me." And after some time, she fell asleep. While she was sleeping, someone slowly approached from a distance. It was Safwan ibn al-Muattal. Safwan was responsible for collecting anything the army had left. He always stayed behind to pick up whatever had been dropped or forgotten, and bring it to the next campsite. That day too, he had come to check the area after the army had moved on, and saw someone sleeping on the ground.
When he realized that it was our mother Aisha, he said: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return)." Hearing his voice, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) woke up. Without saying a single word, Safwan lowered his camel and then moved aside so that she could mount it comfortably and in privacy. Then he took the camel's reins and began leading it towards the army's camp. After several hours, they finally caught up with the rest of the army. And when Abdullah ibn Ubayy saw this, he decided to use it as an opportunity to harm the Prophet and his mission (peace be upon him). The slander spread from one person to another.
And soon, the entire city of Medina was shaken by it. Sadly, even three leading companions came to believe the slander and began to talk about it. While the fitna was spreading throughout Medina, our mother Aisha had no idea what was happening. Because right after returning from the expedition, she fell severely ill and had to stay in bed for some time. Since she didn't know what was being said, she couldn't deny the accusations or defend herself. It was clear that this was another test from Allah. Just like the one during the Battle of Uhud.
Remember the chaos that broke out when a Mushrik shouted: "I killed Muhammad!" "I killed Muhammad!" "I killed Muhammad!" When in reality, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had fallen into a pit. That time, the companions were tested to see who would stand firm on the battlefield, and who would turn away. But now, the test was different. It was about who would take part in spreading a rumor they hadn't witnessed with their own eyes, and who would stay away from it. Allah had kept Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) completely unaware of what was being said. As time went on, those who said "Unless it's proven, it's nothing but slander" and those who helped spread it were revealed one by one.
It was a very heavy trial, one that only a woman as strong as Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) could bear. Our mother still had no idea. But she began to notice a change in Rasulullah's behavior towards her. He no longer showed the same love and care as before. He wouldn't even mention her name. Instead, when he wanted to learn about Aisha's condition, he would ask her mother, "How is your patient?" This distant attitude weighed heavily on Aisha's heart (may Allah be pleased with her). She couldn't understand why the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was treating her in this way.
About 20 days later, she finally recovered enough to get out of bed, and went outside with the mother of Mistah ibn Uthatha. When Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) heard the rumors about herself, she was so overcome with shock that she trembled, collapsed, and fainted. In the days that followed, she cried so much that she became even worse than before. When she arrived at her parents' house, she said: "My dear mother, what are the people saying about me? And why didn't you tell me?" And then she burst into tears. Her mother tried to comfort her. At that moment, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was on the roof reciting the Quran.
When he heard his daughter crying, he came down, sat beside her, and tried to calm her down. His heart was full of firm faith in his daughter's innocence. But the entire house was filled with deep sorrow because of the terrible slander. This was one of the hardest trials any woman could ever go through. Even if she had tried to defend herself, everyone had already heard the slander. And some had even believed it. Even though none of them had seen anything with their own eyes. They had simply joined in repeating what others were saying. From the outside, it was just saying some words. It seemed like a small thing. But in reality, its weight, its accountability before Allah were immense.
This very incident showed how dangerous the tongue can be. And why slandering someone with adultery is among the seven major sins. With just a single word, the peace of countless families could be destroyed. There wasn't even the slightest sign that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was guilty. But the hypocrites just wouldn't stop talking. Those days were harder for Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) than anything she had ever gone through. Neither my tears stopped, nor could I sleep. I cried so much that I thought my liver would burst from crying. Seeing her in such a state, an Ansari woman came and asked for permission to stay with her and cry alongside her.
When Aisha agreed, they wept together. Meanwhile, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the one who had started this slander and caused all this suffering, was pleased with the situation. He had achieved what he wanted. He had shaken the Muslims with a terrible lie. Wherever he went, he would keep talking about it, doing everything he could to spread it even more. Rasulullah (peace be upon him) knew very well that his beloved Aisha was completely innocent of such an accusation. But seeing such a cruel and deceitful slander spread so quickly among the people weighed heavily on his heart. And during those painful days, he could not defend our mother Aisha without any evidence.
If he had done so, the hypocrites would have accused him of being biased towards his wife because of his love and affection. And that wouldn't suit the sense of justice of a Prophet. And those so-called Muslims were not few in number. So Rasulullah had no choice but to wait. He was waiting for revelation from Allah. But as part of this divine test, that revelation would not come for an entire month. Doesn't this long wait clearly prove once again that he was truly a Prophet? That revelation came to him only from Allah?
If the Prophet (peace be upon him) had been speaking from his own Nefs (self/desire), if Ma'zallah (God forbid), he had made up the verses of the Quran, would he have put himself through such hardship for an entire month? Forget 30 days, he could have fabricated an Ayah (verse) in 30 minutes and ended the matter right away. Ma'zallah. But despite all his pain, he waited patiently for the revelation to come. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to Aisha's parents' house. He turned to his wife and said: "O Aisha, I have been told such and such about you. If you are innocent, Allah will declare your innocence.
And if you have committed a sin, then seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him." "By Allah, I know you've heard what people are saying. And that has been planted in your mind, and you've taken it as the truth. Now if I told you that I am innocent, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would not believe me. And if I confessed to you falsely that I am guilty, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would believe me. By Allah, I can find no example for myself and for you except that of the father of Yusuf (Joseph), when he said, 'So beautiful patience is most fitting for me. From Allah alone I seek help to bear what you are saying.'" And that was exactly what she did.
She remained patient, and with tears in her eyes, she turned to Allah and asked for His help. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) had just finished speaking when a different state suddenly came over the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Beads of sweat began to fall from his blessed forehead. It was a sign that the long days of waiting had finally come to an end. Allah's message, revelation, was being sent down. But our mother Aisha felt no worry at all. She was certain that Allah would show His justice and that her innocence would soon be made clear to everyone.
When this state of receiving revelation finally lifted from the Prophet (peace be upon him), a huge smile appeared on his blessed face. He then turned to Aisha and said: "O Aisha, Allah has declared your innocence!" In the verses that were revealed, Allah said: "Indeed, those who came up with the slander are a group among you. Do not think it is bad for you; rather it is good for you. Every single person among them has a share in what he earned from the sin, and the one who took the greatest part in it will have a great punishment." The sorrow that had filled the house for days finally lifted.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Aisha, and her parents all breathed a deep sigh of relief. After an entire month of hardship and waiting, the verses had finally confirmed Aisha's innocence. And with that, the fitna that had spread throughout Medina finally came to an end. The truth has finally come out. I'm sure Aisha is happy and at ease now. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah). After the Ayah that cleared Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) of the accusation, and mentioned the punishment of the one who started it, more verses were revealed. This time, about those who had spread the slander.
"When you passed it from one tongue to the other, and said with your mouths what you had no knowledge of, taking it lightly while it is extremely serious in the sight of Allah." Because slander was a sin, a violation of someone's honor and rights, they had to face its punishment. The three companions who had believed and repeated the rumor, and therefore unintentionally helped its spread, were called before the Prophet (peace be upon him). "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ is calling you." They walked in slowly, with their hearts full of regret. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ neither showed anger nor held any grudge against them.
But the punishment for slander, and for taking part in it, was clear in Islam. Each of them received 80 hits with a stick in public. This punishment served as an important lesson not just for them, but for all of Medina. Those who witnessed that punishment would never again speak about something they had no knowledge of. Not only for this incident, but for major crimes as well, Islam introduced clear laws and punishments to deter people from committing them. Their main purpose was deterrence. And as a result, crime rates remained incredibly low.
But beyond that, through these laws and punishments, Allah was actually protecting His servants from something far worse: the punishment of the Hereafter. And while these laws were being put into practice, no one was treated unfairly. Everyone was equal. There was no privilege for the strong over the weak to rich over the poor, or the free over the slave. For example, there was an incident of theft that took place in Medina. And the group from the Banu Makhzum tribe tried to intercede for a woman who had stolen something, and asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) not to carry out the punishment. When Rasulullah heard this, he became very upset.
He stood up and delivered this sermon: "O people! Those who came before you were destroyed because when one of their nobles stole, they let him off. But when one of the weak people among them stole, they would carry out the punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would cut off her hand." So what happened to Abdullah ibn Ubayy? The man who caused all that chaos. Was he not punished? And when he did, wasn't limited to this one incident. Remember the Battle of Uhud? With his deceitful words, he caused around 300 soldiers from the Muslim army to turn back before the battle even began.
He would secretly work with the idolaters and the Jews, constantly plotting against the Muslims. He would spread fitna among the believers, trying to break the bond of brotherhood between them. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), of course, knew everything this chief hypocrite was doing. But he chose to be patient and remained silent. One day, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reached a point where he could no longer tolerate the fitnas Abdullah ibn Ubayy was causing. So he went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, allow me to chop off the head of this hypocrite!" But the Prophet (peace be upon him)'s response showed the wisdom behind his patience.
He said, "Leave him. Otherwise, people will say that Muhammad is killing his own companions." If you recall, before the Prophet (peace be upon him)'s migration, Abdullah ibn Ubayy was about to become the king of Medina. He had even had a crown made for himself. He had that much respect among the people. Rasulullah (peace be upon him) knew that a lot of people still trusted Ibn Ubayy. He was hiding his hypocrisy so cunningly that many thought he was a sincere Muslim. Someone they could rely on. If Rasulullah had ordered his execution, rumors might have spread that Muhammad is killing his companions.
Tribes that were thinking about becoming Muslim might have become afraid saying, "Whenever he wants, he could kill us too." And so, to prevent that, Rasulullah (peace be upon him) chose patience. Years later, he would see the fruit of that decision four years after the incident of the slander. In the 9th year after the Hijra, Abdullah ibn Ubayy fell ill and eventually died. His son Abdullah was a righteous and sincere Muslim. He came to Rasulullah (peace be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, please give me your shirt, so that I can use it as a shroud for my father." Then he asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to lead the funeral prayer and make dua for his father's forgiveness.
Can you imagine how hard that must have been for a son? His father had been one of the greatest enemies of Islam from the moment the Prophet set foot in Medina. Yet, what's truly remarkable is that Rasulullah (peace be upon him) did not turn him down. He gave his own shirt as a shroud for Abdullah ibn Ubayy. When he was told that everything was ready for the funeral, he went and led the Janaza (funeral) prayer. He even walked to his grave for the burial. The companions were curious. Why would the Messenger of Allah ﷺ lead the funeral prayer of a man who had spent his entire life plotting against Islam?
Why would he show such kindness to someone who had tried to harm the Muslims at every opportunity? There had to be a reason, a deep wisdom behind it. And surely there was. "O Messenger of Allah, why did you give him the shirt you were wearing?" When asked about it, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "My shirt and my prayer will not save him from the punishment of Allah. But I hope that through this, a thousand people from his tribe will embrace Islam." And indeed, that act had a profound impact on the people around Abdullah ibn Ubayy. According to some of our sources, because of the Prophet's ﷺ patience and compassion on that day, around 1,000 people accepted Islam with sincere hearts.
SubhanAllah. For years, the Muslims had longed to visit the Kaaba. And now, the time had finally come. "We are finally going to Mecca?" "Yes." It would be for a journey that would begin because of a dream the Prophet (peace be upon him) would see. But this journey would end in a way that no one had expected. "Then, you will remain here as our prisoner!" And the Muslims would find themselves accepting a treaty they never wanted to accept. What kind of treaty was it? And what happened on that remarkable journey? We'll see all of them in the next episode, InshaAllah. Stay tuned.
Faced with such a defensive tactic, the enemy had no idea what to do, because they had never seen anything like it in their entire lives. But how did things come to this point? And how did the Muslims come up with such a plan to stand against this overwhelming force? And most importantly, what was about to happen next? Betrayals, secret plans, and miracles. Let’s witness together the epic story of the Battle of the Trench. This video series is based on hundreds of references from reliable Islamic sources. All AI visuals were prepared in consultation with qualified Muslim scholars and are in line with Islamic guidelines.
The Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir had been expelled from Medina as punishment for their betrayal. Some of them went to Sham (Levant/Syria) while others settled in Khaybar. Khaybar had a larger Jewish population than any other region. So, because of their numbers, they were encouraging one another to fight. And that confidence led them to plan their revenge against the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions. But of course, this was not something they could do on their own. So, they sent a delegation of 19 men to persuade the Quraysh and other Arab tribes to go to war against the Prophet (peace be upon him).
They would first visit the Quraysh, then the tribes of Ghatafan and Banu Sulaym, and after them, many other Arab tribes. This is why this battle was also known as the Battle of Al-Ahzab - The Batte of Confederates, because many tribes, large and small, would gather together to stand against the Muslims. As planned, the delegation's first stop was Mecca. Remember the end of Uhud? Abu Sufyan had challenged the Prophet (peace be upon him) to meet him again at Badr a year later. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) accepted that, and the following year, marched with his army to Badr. But when he arrived, he found no one there. The Quraysh didn't even dare to face him.
They had suffered a crushing defeat at Badr, and since then, Abu Sufyan had been burning with a deep desire for revenge. "Then welcome. Those who help us in our fight against Muhammad are the most beloved to us." Islam was growing day by day, and the Quraysh knew that they could no longer stand against it on their own. So they had no choice but to accept this offer. Abu Sufyan wanted to see whether the Jewish delegation was truly determined and serious in this cause. So he decided to test them, and found that they were even more eager than he was. He said: "O people of the Jews, inform us about our dispute with Muhammad.
Whose religion is better, ours or his?" "If we must speak the truth, before Allah, you are closer to the truth than he is." Yet, deep down, they knew the reality was the exact opposite. But still, driven by their thirst for revenge, they did not hesitate to lie. The Jewish delegation made an agreement with the Quraysh and secured their first ally. But that wasn't enough for them. To gain more support, they went to the tribe of Ghatafan, who lived between Mecca and Najd. And it didn't take much time to convince them either. Soon after, the Banu Sulaym also agreed to join forces with them.
It wasn't only the Jewish delegation; the Quraysh themselves were also working tirelessly to persuade more tribes. Then they gained the support of the Ahabish tribe and the tribes allied with them as well. With all these groups combined, their forces reached nearly 4,000 men. And after securing the support of the tribes around Medina, the Banu Nadir and the Quraysh eventually gathered a massive army of 10,000 men. "With an army of 10,000 men, we'll make them curse the day they were born!" While all of this was happening, a message came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) from the tribe of Khuza’a. "He's coming!
Abu Sufyan is raising a large army marching here!" -"How many?" -"Thousands." "Did you see them yourself?" "I passed their scouts in the wadi (valley), they’re moving fast." The Prophet (peace be upon him) immediately gathered his companions to consult with them. Everyone was sharing their opinions. Until one idea came that would change everything. "O Messenger of Allah, back in Persia, whenever we feared attacks from enemy cavalry, we would dig trenches around our city for protection." The one who spoke was Salman Al-Farisi, a companion of Persian origin. The Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions had never heard of such a tactic before.
Rasulullah (the Messenger of Allah) found the idea reasonable and approved it. They were going to dig trenches so wide and deep that even horses could not cross them. But first, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went out to decide where the trench should be dug. On one side of Medina, there were wide fields of volcanic rock. And on the other side were large stretches of date palm groves. Armies could not cross either of them. And to the south stood a large mountain, making entry from that direction impossible as well. In a way, Allah had already placed Medina under natural protection. Only one side remained open.
And that was where a long trench would be dug to completely block the enemy's approach to the city. But they had less than 10 days to complete it. Everyone began digging with all their strength. And leading them was the Messenger of Allah himself (peace be upon him). With a pick and shovel in his hands, he too was working side by side with his companions, while encouraging them at the same time. Despite the heat and hunger, they kept digging all day without rest. Sometimes the companions would say: "Ya Rasulullah (O Messenger of Allah), please rest. Our work is enough. You do not need to tire yourself." He could have chosen not to work at all.
After all, he was the Messenger of Allah, and no one would have objected. But he was the one who said, "The leader of a people is the one who serves them." For him, sitting and watching was harder than working. He knew that Allah's blessings and mercy come through hardship. And so he worked harder than anyone else. That year, Arabia was in the grip of a severe drought and famine. Many Muslims had to tie stones to their stomachs to endure the pain of hunger. By doing so, they were trying to ease their pain with a false sense of fullness. Feeling desperate, a group of companions came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and told him about their suffering.
But when they saw the scene in front of them, their words just caught in their throats. Because when Rasulullah ﷺ untied the cloth around his stomach, not one stone, but two fell to the ground. "Have you also tied stones to your stomach? Because of hunger?" He was enduring the same hardship, even more than they were. One day, when Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) in that condition, he couldn't bear it any longer. He went home and said to his wife: "I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ weakened by hunger. Anyone else would have collapsed under such hardship.
Do we have anything to eat at home?" His wife replied, "By Allah, we have nothing except this small goat and a few handfuls of barley." Jabir slaughtered the goat, and his wife ground the barley into flour. They placed the meat in a pot and left it to cook in the clay oven. Just as Jabir was about to leave home to invite the Prophet (peace be upon him), his wife said: "Please don't put me in a difficult position before the Messenger of Allah." She meant that he shouldn't invite too many people, because the food they had prepared was only enough for a few people. Jabir went to Rasulullah (peace be upon him) and told him that they had prepared a little food.
Then he asked him to come with a few companions. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said something he never expected. He called out to all the companions who were digging the trench and said: "Your brother is inviting us to a meal!" What Jabir's wife had feared had now come true. She only had enough food for a few people, but now an entire army of Sahaba (Companions) was coming. When Jabir returned home and told his wife what had happened, she asked: "Did the Prophet ask you how much food we had?" "Yes." "Then it will be fine." She trusted that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ knew something that they did not. Jabir was overwhelmed and did not know what to do.
When the Prophet (peace be upon him) arrived, he made dua (supplication) for baraka (blessing) over the meat and the bread. He then invited his companions inside, ten at a time. Then he took the bread out of the clay oven with his own hands, placed a piece of meat on top, and gave it to each of the companions himself. Everyone slowly began to feel full. Yet, neither the meat nor the bread got any less. They stayed the same. Jabir and his wife were amazed by what they saw. About that day, Jabir later said: "By Allah, a thousand people came and ate until they were full. Yet our pot was still boiling and bread was still being made from our dough." A thousand people witnessed this miracle.
And as this event was told over and over again, not a single one of them ever denied it. Think about it: how could a people who devoted their lives to truth ever speak of something that never happened? Could all of them, Ma'zallah (God forbid), agree upon the same lie? For the companions, these miracles were clear realities. Many times, Allah granted such blessings through the hands of His Messenger (peace be upon him). Indeed, during battles like Badr and Tabuk, at wedding meals, and in times of famine, miracles like these were witnessed again and again. Sometimes by 180 people, sometimes 400, and sometimes even by 1,500 people.
While Rasulullah (peace be upon him) and his companions were digging the trench, the companions came across a large, solid rock. But no matter how hard they tried, they could not break it. So they immediately informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ came and took the axe of Salman Al-Farisi. Then he said "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah) and hit the rock with a powerful blow. With that single hit, one-third of the rock crumbled. He said: "Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)! I have been given the keys to Sham (Syria). By Allah, I can see its red palaces at this very moment." He struck it a second time, and another third of the rock broke apart. Again he shouted: "Allahu Akbar!
I have been given the keys to Persia. By Allah, I can see Madain's white palace." When he struck it the third time, he shouted: "Allahu Akbar! I have been given the keys to Yemen. By Allah, I can see the gates of Sana'a at this very moment." With that final blow, the rock shattered completely. When the believers heard these glad tidings, their faith grew even stronger. But what about the Munafiqun (hypocrites)? How did they react? In a mocking tone, they said: "How can he promise us the treasures of Kisra and Qaysar (Chosroes and Caesar), when none of us feels safe even to relieve himself?" They were trying to discourage everyone around them. Think about it.
When these promises were given, Medina was surrounded by enemy tribes who all came together to kill the entire population of the Muslims. The believers had not even fully defeated Quraysh yet. They had to dig a trench to defend themselves. They were hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. Yet, the one who actually made those promises was Allah, the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. And every word the Prophet (peace be upon him) had said was the truth. And one by one, those promised victories would come true, within just a short span of time, during the caliphates of Umar and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them both).
The trench that would leave the Mushrikun (idolater) army stunned was completed in just six days. It was about 9 meters wide, roughly the length of five men. And its depth was about half of that. It was so wide that even the most skilled horseman could not jump across it. Along the nearly 6 kilometer trench, only one small section was narrow enough for a single horseman to cross. "I think they’re coming." An army of 10,000 idolaters led by Abu Sufyan had arrived. They were facing a battle strategy they had never seen before. And it was a huge disappointment for them. "Stop! Stop your horses!" "What is this? What’s happening?" "Stop!
Stop your horses!" They had imagined that they would easily enter Medina, spill blood in the streets, and hunt the Muslims down one by one. -"Stop! I said stop!" -"What’s going on?" But still, Abu Sufyan had no intention of backing down. After finishing their preparations, they began shooting a storm of arrows from across the trench. The arrows were slicing through the air with a frightening whistle as they rained down on the Muslims. But the trench turned out to be a far greater obstacle than they had expected. No matter how hard they tried, they simply could not cross it. If you remember, there was a part of the trench that wasn't as wide as the rest.
Some tried to cross from there, but they were struck down before they could make it across. But Amr ibn Abd Wudd managed to get through. He was one of the most renowned and fearsome warriors in all of Arabia. Covered from head to toe in armor, he pulled hard on his horse's reins and stopped right in front of the Muslim army. "Who will fight me?" Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said, "Ya Rasulullah (O Messenger of Allah), allow me to fight him." Seeing Ali’s determination, he prayed, "O Allah, grant him Your help." Then Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stepped forward into the field. "Look, Ali...
Ali is going." "Zulfiqar." "Who are you?" "I am Ali, son of Abu Talib." "I don't want to spill your blood. Your father was my friend." "By Allah, I do want to spill yours." Amr became furious. He pulled out his sword and mounted his horse. But Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "How can I fight you when I am on foot and you are on horseback? Come down and face me!" So Amr dismounted and stood before Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). "Come on! Let’s see what you’ve got." Ali offered him two choices: "Accept Islam, or turn back." But Amr refused both. The duel began when Amr struck the first blow. Ali blocked it with his shield.
But the sword cut into the shield and its tip wounded his head. A cloud of dust rose from the ground and wrapped around both of them, making it impossible for anyone to see what was happening inside. For a moment, no one could tell what had happened. Until a voice was heard. "Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)!" Amr's head had fallen to the ground. That voice belonged to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). When the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the companions heard the Takbir (proclamation of greatness), they realized that Ali had defeated Amr. And they all joined in shouting "Allahu Akbar!" Two or three more men also crossed the trench to attack Ali.
But out of fear of death, they turned back. The enemy could not gain anything from their attacks. So they decided to remain in their siege positions. There was simply nothing else they could do. For several days, both sides shot arrows at each other from a distance. But it only made the battle drag on even longer. And the longer it continued, the worse it would be for the Quraysh. Because the weather was growing harsher and harsher each day. In the daytime, it was scorching hot, and at night, it was freezing cold. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent about 500 companions to Medina and secured the city.
In the cold of the night, he personally stood guard at the narrowest part of the trench because he thought the enemy might try to cross from there. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) later said that when the Prophet ﷺ returned home, he was shivering from the cold. Because the crops around the city had already been harvested, the enemy army's animals had nothing to eat. "No feed left. We brought too little." At this rate, their animals would start dying one by one. Since they thought that they would fight for only a day or two and win easily, they had brought only a small amount of food with them. If things continued like this, they wouldn't be able to hold out for long.
Abu Sufyan was aware of the situation. So he ordered his men to intensify their arrow fire. It was so intense that even moving became almost impossible for the Muslims. Then a group of the Quraysh cavalry reached a spot across from the Muslims and began shooting arrows at them. Their attack was so heavy and non-stop that the Muslims had to defend the trench without a break until sunset. And because of this, Rasulullah (peace be upon him) and the companions were not able to pray Asr on time.
The Messenger of Allah became so angry that he cursed the Mushrikun army saying: "May Allah fill their homes and their graves with fire, just as they have prevented us from praying Asr!" Then he made up the missed prayer, and so did his companions. The Messenger of Allah had not even cursed the people who stoned him in Ta'if. Yet the importance of prayer was so great that he made such dua (supplication) against those who had prevented them from praying. The fighting at the trench was still very intense. But the Mushrikun army wasn't the only threat. Something the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had feared from the very beginning had now come true.
Remember the treaty of Medina that was made after the Hijra (migration)? According to that agreement, the tribes of Medina had promised to defend the city together if it was ever attacked. But Banu Qurayza broke that promise. And even worse, they decided to help the enemy and committed an even greater betrayal. "Banu Qurayza... broke the promise. The fortresses... two threats. We knew it. It was obvious they'd break the treaty." They lived in strong fortresses in the southern part of Medina. And from there, they were planning to march against the Muslims.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) immediately sent Sa'd ibn Mu'adh and a few other companions to speak with them and try to turn them away from this decision. But the Jews showed no sign of changing their minds. They were determined to wipe out the Muslims. So now, not only were the arrows coming from outside, but the Jewish forces from the south were also putting heavy pressure on the Muslims. The Qurayza Jews lived inside Medina, within the city. Which meant the Muslims would now be caught between two fires.
And to make things even worse, the hypocrites were once again spreading fitna (strife) and saying: "Allah and His Messenger have given us nothing but false promises." Allah describes that day in Surah Al-Ahzab. "Remember when they came at you from above you and below you, and when the eyes rolled with fear and the hearts reached the throats, and you assumed about Allah various assumptions. Then and there the believers were put to the test and were violently shaken." Everything seemed to be turning against the Muslims. But right at that moment, Allah opened a way out for them. An opportunity that could change the course of the battle.
Nuaym ibn Masud, the leader of the Ashja tribe from the Ghatafan, had accepted Islam but had not told anyone yet. He secretly came to the Messenger of Allah to declare his faith. As soon as he took Shahada (Testimony of Faith) and became Muslim, he said: "O Messenger of Allah... If there is anything I can do, just command me." Someone who had just tasted the sweetness of faith could not just sit still. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw his determination, he turned it into an opportunity. He said: "Go back to the enemy and do whatever you can to cause division among them." Nuaym understood exactly what was being asked of him.
Nuaym quietly slipped into each of the three enemy groups, acting as if he had never accepted Islam. He first went to Banu Qurayza and planted doubt in their hearts. "If the Quraysh and the Ghatafan fail to defeat the Muslims, they will go back home and leave you alone. And then the Muhammad ﷺ will easily be able to punish you. If you don't want that to happen, ask the Quraysh and the Ghatafan to give you some of their men as hostages. That way, they won't betray you, because they would never risk losing their own people." After that, Nuaym went to the Quraysh and said: "The Banu Qurayza have regretted their decision to attack the Muslims, and have made a secret agreement with them.
They promised the Muslims that, in return for forgiveness for breaking the treaty, they would capture 70 men from the Quraysh and hand them over for execution. So if the Jews ask for any of your men as hostages, do not accept anything like that." Then he went to the Ghatafan and warned them in the same way. If the Jews asked for hostages, they shouldn't give anyone. Since Nuaym was from Ghatafan himself, no one suspected him. And they accepted his advice immediately. Following what Nuaym had said, Banu Qurayza asked the Quraysh and the Ghatafan for hostages to ensure their safety. Now the Mushrikun became convinced that Nuaym had been telling the truth.
And of course, they refused to hand over anyone. Later, Abu Sufyan would say about that day, "If they had asked me for even a baby goat, I would not have given it." And so the plan worked. Their alliance had turned into mistrust. The siege had gone on for a very long time, and their unity had begun to fall apart. Both the Muslims and the enemy forces were exhausted. Hunger, thirst, and the cold had pushed both sides to their limits. But there was one difference between them. The Muslims drew their strength from Allah, the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth, the One who has power over all things. While the other side relied on lifeless idols, stones that had no power whatsoever.
The Messenger of Allah wanted to know what the enemy army was doing and what their plans were. That night, he decided to send someone into their camp. He asked a small group of Muslims standing guard around him: "Who will bring me news of these people, and Allah will make him my companion on the Day of Judgment?" You might think, what an honor! Who wouldn't want this? But the night was so harsh that no one responded. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, who was there at night, later said: "We had wrapped ourselves in pieces of cloth, just trying to stay where we were because of the freezing cold, hunger, and the terror of the night. I had never seen a night so dark or a wind so violent in my entire life.
It was so dark that we couldn't even see our fingertips. And the wind roared like thunder." When no one responded, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called out to Hudhayfah. "Go and bring me information about the enemy." Hudhayfah did not know what to do. How could he go in that freezing cold? Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) made dua for him. "O Allah, protect him from in front of him, from behind him, from his right, from his left, from above, and from below." Hudhayfah said, "At that moment, all the fear inside me disappeared. And the cold left me as well." Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) told me: "Hudhayfah, until you return to me, do not do anything that might alert them.
Do not shoot an arrow, do not throw a stone, and do not strike with a spear or a sword." Hudhayfah then quietly slipped into the Quraysh camp. There he saw Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Quraysh, warming himself by a fire. Hudhayfah was behind him. His bow and arrow was ready. Their leader was right there. With one shot, he could have struck a major blow. But he remembered what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said and held himself back. There was actually a divine decree behind this. Allah was protecting His servant whom He would later guide to Islam from dying in disbelief. Then Hudhayfah moved closer into the crowd and blended in among them.
Abu Sufyan was about to announce an important decision. But a doubt came to his mind. Since it was too dark to recognize anyone, he took a precaution. "Grab the arm of the man next to you and ask his name." Hudhayfah was almost caught. But Allah inspired an idea in his heart. While everyone else grabbed only the person beside them, he quickly grabbed the arms of both the man on his right and his left and aggressively asked: "Who are you?" They both said their names, and so no one noticed him. "My people! This fierce wind has destroyed everything we have. Our horses and camels have begun to die. Pack up and leave at once!
For I have decided to go." Hudhayfah got the information and headed back. He still didn't feel any cold. But as soon as he reached the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the cold returned. He found the Prophet ﷺ praying to his Lord with deep humility. And when he received the good news from him, the Prophet (peace be upon him) felt a great relief. Finally, the enemy was about to retreat. Then one night, Allah sent a wind so strong that the desert sand was lifted into the air and the tents of the idolaters were torn apart. The storm blew sand into their faces, and their horses and camels panicked, running in every direction. Everything fell into complete chaos.
The enemy army could not understand what was happening. In misery and panic, they began to retreat and ran away without even looking back. Surah Al-Ahzab describes that moment: "O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allah upon you when armies came to you, and We sent upon them a wind and armies you did not see. And Allah is watchful of whatever you do." The siege had ended, and the enemy had been driven away. But those who had betrayed the Muslims were still inside Medina. Their treachery could not be ignored. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had just returned from the trench and hadn't even taken off his armor when suddenly Jibril (Gabriel) (peace be upon him) appeared before him.
He said: "O Messenger of Allah, have you put down your weapons?" Rasulullah (peace be upon him) replied, "Yes we have." Then Jibril (peace be upon him) said: "But we have not put ours down yet. So set out for them." The battle was not over yet. The next target was clear: Banu Qurayza. The Jews also knew that their betrayal would not go unpunished. They said: "By Allah, Muhammad will come for us now." And withdrew into their strong fortresses. Feeling safe behind those walls, they hurled heavy insults at the Prophet (peace be upon him). They had no intention of surrendering. They were relying on the promise made to them by the hypocrites of Medina.
The hypocrites had secretly sent them a message saying: "Do not leave Medina. We will help you with everything." But there was one thing that Jews forgot. Hypocrites never keep their promises. At that moment, two men among them suddenly cried out, "This is the man Ibn Hayyaban told us about. Do not fight him." Who were these men? And who was this Ibn Hayyaban they were talking about? What had he foretold? Ibn Hayyaban was a Jewish scholar who had come to Medina before the Prophethood of Rasulullah (peace be upon him). He had said: "The coming of the Prophet is near. And this is the place where he will migrate." Long before the Prophet's mission began, he had told the Banu Nadir about him.
And then he passed away there. When he said those words, two brothers, Usaid and Tha'labah, were also there and heard him clearly. And now, they ignored the call of those two brothers. Banu Qurayza were trapped inside their fortresses. The help they expected from the hypocrites was not coming either. And they finally realized that the siege was not going to end. So in desperation, they asked to negotiate with the Prophet (peace be upon him). "By God, we will not yield until you meet our terms!" But his answer was firm. "No. You have no choice but to surrender and accept my judgment unconditionally." Realizing that they had no other option, the Jews finally surrendered.
Banu Qurayza had committed one crime after another. First they broke their treaty, and collaborated with the enemy. And on top of that, instead of apologizing, they hurled insults at the Prophet (peace be upon him). Despite all their betrayal, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ treated them in a way unparalleled in history. He instructed that the punishment be carried out purely for the sake of Allah, not out of anger or revenge. Because in Islamic law, punishments cannot be applied with personal emotions mixed into them. It may sound surprising, but as they were about to be executed, he ordered that they be given food, water, and milk.
It was an extremely hot day, and he did not want them to be executed under that heat. He said: "Do not combine the heat of the sun with the heat of the sword." SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah). The Battle of the Trench was a turning point for the Muslims. All three Jewish tribes had been driven out of Medina, and the idolaters were no longer a threat. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "After this battle, we will go to attack them, and they will not come to attack us." And that’s exactly what happened. The idolaters would never be able to recover their strength, while the Muslims would grow stronger and stronger each day throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
In the 5th year after the Hijra, the Prophet (peace be upon him) received news that the tribe of Banu al-Mustaliq had begun to see the growing power of Medina as a threat, and were planning to attack them. As soon as Rasulullah (peace be upon him) heard this, he gathered around 700 of his companions. And after sunrise, they reached the place where Banu al-Mustaliq had set up camp. The tribe was completely unprepared. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arranged his army in battle formation, and with a sudden strike, they eliminated this threat. The enemy had been defeated. But a far more dangerous enemy was inside the army. On the way back to Medina, unexpected problems were about to arise.
At the center of it all was the chief of the hypocrites, Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul. If he had stayed in Medina while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was away, he could have caused trouble and unrest. That's why the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took him along on the expedition. When he was with the Muslims, he would praise and support the Prophet (peace be upon him). But when he was alone with his close friends, he would speak against Islam and mock the believers.
About him and the ones that are like him, Allah said in the Quran: "When they meet the believers, they say, 'We believe'; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, 'Indeed, we are with you; we were only mocking.'" Every Friday, he would come to Masjid An-Nabawi and sit among the Muslims. He would listen to the Prophet's (peace be upon him) sermon, and when it ended, he would suddenly stand up and call out: "O people! Help this Messenger whom Allah has placed among you! Through him, Allah has honored you, made you superior and victorious. So listen to him, respect, and obey him." He would do this every single Friday. Until the day of Uhud, when he led 300 men away from the army.
Normally, when he was called to join a military expedition, he wouldn't go. He would always find an excuse to stay behind. But this time he decided to join, because he didn't see any real danger and was actually after the spoils of war. And at the same time, he was looking for a chance to cause trouble and division among the Muslims who were growing stronger and stronger each day. And that chance would come to him twice. So what was the first of these incidents? On the way back from the expedition, the Muslim army set up camp by a well. Everyone was taking turns drawing water. But a small dispute became an opportunity for the hypocrites.
While Jahjah ibn Masud from the Muhajirun (Emigrants) and Sinan ibn Wabar from the Ansar (Helpers) were drawing water from the same well, an argument broke out between them. Then things began to escalate, and Jahjah moved angrily towards Sinan. Seeing this, Sinan shouted: "O Muhajirun (Emigrants)! Where are you? Come and help me!" In an instant, the Ansar and the Muhajirun, who had shown the best examples of brotherhood, stood face to face. The chief hypocrite, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, had found the perfect chance to cause fitna (dissension), and he did everything he could to use it.
"O Ansar, these Muhajirun gained strength and honor through you, and now they treat you with such arrogance and disrespect. You welcomed them into your city and gave them a place to live. You shared your wealth and food with them. You are the ones to blame for the humiliation you suffer. By Allah, if we return to Medina, the most honorable will expel the lowest." He was referring to the Prophet ﷺ and the Muhajirun, Ma'zallah (God forbid). These provocative words made the already tense atmosphere even worse. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard about what happened, he immediately went to his companions.
He angrily said: "What is this call to Jahiliyyah (Days of Ignorance)?" And after seeing that the Ansar and the Muhajirun had fallen into conflict over such a small matter, he said: "Leave this call to Jahiliyyah, because it is filth!" He gave these serious warnings because what caused all this was a kind of tribal pride, racism, and a sense of material superiority. But in Islam, superiority comes only through Taqwa (piety/God-consciousness); that is, being conscious of Allah, avoiding sins, and obeying His commands. These words of Rasulullah ﷺ deeply touched the hearts of the companions. And Sinan forgave Jahjah.
For those who continue to take pride in their own people in this way, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would later say: "He is not one of us who calls to tribalism. He is not one of us who fights for the sake of tribalism. And he is not one of us who dies for tribalism." After this incident, Rasulullah (peace be upon him) made an unusual decision. During the hottest hours of the day, he ordered the Muslim army to march towards Medina. Until that day, they had never set out in such scorching heat. But there was wisdom behind the Prophet's (peace be upon him) command. He wanted to keep his companions from talking about the words of Abdullah ibn Ubayy.
They set out in the afternoon, and did not stop until the first light of dawn. They were so exhausted and sleepless that they could hardly stand. They collapsed where they were, and instantly fell asleep. In this way, their minds were distracted, and the issue was prevented from escalating. Through this incident, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught us a timeless lesson. A Muslim should always keep himself busy. Never sit idle. Because doing nothing and laziness opens the door to haram pleasures and eventually sins. So, did the chief hypocrite stop causing trouble after this incident? Of course not. He was still looking for another chance to spread fitna.
And soon, he found the second opportunity. This time, he would dare to slander the Prophet's (peace be upon him) own family. As the army was marching back towards Medina, they noticed two people in the distance trying to catch up with them. One of them was riding a camel, and the other was walking beside it holding its reins. The person on the camel was our mother Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). And the man leading it was Safwan ibn al-Muattal. Abdullah ibn Ubayy would twist this scene and make a terrible slander against the Prophet's (peace be upon him) pure and honorable wife. "By Allah, he was not free from her.
Nor was she free from him." Implying that, Ma'zallah (God forbid), something had happened between them. And with those words, he started the rumor and fitna. That horrible accusation spread through the army like wildfire. Passed from one person to another. But what was the truth behind it? Let's go back to how it all began. Whenever Rasulullah went on an expedition, he would take one of his wives along with him. This time, the one who joined him was our mother Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). While the companions were resting, Aisha went far away from the army for a personal need. When she returned, they were getting ready to move.
But at that moment, she realized that her necklace was missing. Thinking that the army would not leave without her, she went back to look for it in the same place she had just been. But it took her some time to find it. And by then, the army had already moved on, not realizing that she was missing. Back then, to protect their privacy, women would travel in covered, tent-like cabins placed on top of camels called the Houdah. Since our mother Aisha was not heavy, the companions who lifted the Houdah did not realize she wasn't inside. And they set off. When our mother returned, she found that the army was gone.
Since it was dangerous to travel alone in the desert, she decided to stay where she was. She thought, "They will realize that I'm missing and come back for me." And after some time, she fell asleep. While she was sleeping, someone slowly approached from a distance. It was Safwan ibn al-Muattal. Safwan was responsible for collecting anything the army had left. He always stayed behind to pick up whatever had been dropped or forgotten, and bring it to the next campsite. That day too, he had come to check the area after the army had moved on, and saw someone sleeping on the ground.
When he realized that it was our mother Aisha, he said: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return)." Hearing his voice, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) woke up. Without saying a single word, Safwan lowered his camel and then moved aside so that she could mount it comfortably and in privacy. Then he took the camel's reins and began leading it towards the army's camp. After several hours, they finally caught up with the rest of the army. And when Abdullah ibn Ubayy saw this, he decided to use it as an opportunity to harm the Prophet and his mission (peace be upon him). The slander spread from one person to another.
And soon, the entire city of Medina was shaken by it. Sadly, even three leading companions came to believe the slander and began to talk about it. While the fitna was spreading throughout Medina, our mother Aisha had no idea what was happening. Because right after returning from the expedition, she fell severely ill and had to stay in bed for some time. Since she didn't know what was being said, she couldn't deny the accusations or defend herself. It was clear that this was another test from Allah. Just like the one during the Battle of Uhud.
Remember the chaos that broke out when a Mushrik shouted: "I killed Muhammad!" "I killed Muhammad!" "I killed Muhammad!" When in reality, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had fallen into a pit. That time, the companions were tested to see who would stand firm on the battlefield, and who would turn away. But now, the test was different. It was about who would take part in spreading a rumor they hadn't witnessed with their own eyes, and who would stay away from it. Allah had kept Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) completely unaware of what was being said. As time went on, those who said "Unless it's proven, it's nothing but slander" and those who helped spread it were revealed one by one.
It was a very heavy trial, one that only a woman as strong as Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) could bear. Our mother still had no idea. But she began to notice a change in Rasulullah's behavior towards her. He no longer showed the same love and care as before. He wouldn't even mention her name. Instead, when he wanted to learn about Aisha's condition, he would ask her mother, "How is your patient?" This distant attitude weighed heavily on Aisha's heart (may Allah be pleased with her). She couldn't understand why the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was treating her in this way.
About 20 days later, she finally recovered enough to get out of bed, and went outside with the mother of Mistah ibn Uthatha. When Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) heard the rumors about herself, she was so overcome with shock that she trembled, collapsed, and fainted. In the days that followed, she cried so much that she became even worse than before. When she arrived at her parents' house, she said: "My dear mother, what are the people saying about me? And why didn't you tell me?" And then she burst into tears. Her mother tried to comfort her. At that moment, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was on the roof reciting the Quran.
When he heard his daughter crying, he came down, sat beside her, and tried to calm her down. His heart was full of firm faith in his daughter's innocence. But the entire house was filled with deep sorrow because of the terrible slander. This was one of the hardest trials any woman could ever go through. Even if she had tried to defend herself, everyone had already heard the slander. And some had even believed it. Even though none of them had seen anything with their own eyes. They had simply joined in repeating what others were saying. From the outside, it was just saying some words. It seemed like a small thing. But in reality, its weight, its accountability before Allah were immense.
This very incident showed how dangerous the tongue can be. And why slandering someone with adultery is among the seven major sins. With just a single word, the peace of countless families could be destroyed. There wasn't even the slightest sign that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was guilty. But the hypocrites just wouldn't stop talking. Those days were harder for Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) than anything she had ever gone through. Neither my tears stopped, nor could I sleep. I cried so much that I thought my liver would burst from crying. Seeing her in such a state, an Ansari woman came and asked for permission to stay with her and cry alongside her.
When Aisha agreed, they wept together. Meanwhile, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the one who had started this slander and caused all this suffering, was pleased with the situation. He had achieved what he wanted. He had shaken the Muslims with a terrible lie. Wherever he went, he would keep talking about it, doing everything he could to spread it even more. Rasulullah (peace be upon him) knew very well that his beloved Aisha was completely innocent of such an accusation. But seeing such a cruel and deceitful slander spread so quickly among the people weighed heavily on his heart. And during those painful days, he could not defend our mother Aisha without any evidence.
If he had done so, the hypocrites would have accused him of being biased towards his wife because of his love and affection. And that wouldn't suit the sense of justice of a Prophet. And those so-called Muslims were not few in number. So Rasulullah had no choice but to wait. He was waiting for revelation from Allah. But as part of this divine test, that revelation would not come for an entire month. Doesn't this long wait clearly prove once again that he was truly a Prophet? That revelation came to him only from Allah?
If the Prophet (peace be upon him) had been speaking from his own Nefs (self/desire), if Ma'zallah (God forbid), he had made up the verses of the Quran, would he have put himself through such hardship for an entire month? Forget 30 days, he could have fabricated an Ayah (verse) in 30 minutes and ended the matter right away. Ma'zallah. But despite all his pain, he waited patiently for the revelation to come. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to Aisha's parents' house. He turned to his wife and said: "O Aisha, I have been told such and such about you. If you are innocent, Allah will declare your innocence.
And if you have committed a sin, then seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him." "By Allah, I know you've heard what people are saying. And that has been planted in your mind, and you've taken it as the truth. Now if I told you that I am innocent, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would not believe me. And if I confessed to you falsely that I am guilty, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would believe me. By Allah, I can find no example for myself and for you except that of the father of Yusuf (Joseph), when he said, 'So beautiful patience is most fitting for me. From Allah alone I seek help to bear what you are saying.'" And that was exactly what she did.
She remained patient, and with tears in her eyes, she turned to Allah and asked for His help. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) had just finished speaking when a different state suddenly came over the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Beads of sweat began to fall from his blessed forehead. It was a sign that the long days of waiting had finally come to an end. Allah's message, revelation, was being sent down. But our mother Aisha felt no worry at all. She was certain that Allah would show His justice and that her innocence would soon be made clear to everyone.
When this state of receiving revelation finally lifted from the Prophet (peace be upon him), a huge smile appeared on his blessed face. He then turned to Aisha and said: "O Aisha, Allah has declared your innocence!" In the verses that were revealed, Allah said: "Indeed, those who came up with the slander are a group among you. Do not think it is bad for you; rather it is good for you. Every single person among them has a share in what he earned from the sin, and the one who took the greatest part in it will have a great punishment." The sorrow that had filled the house for days finally lifted.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Aisha, and her parents all breathed a deep sigh of relief. After an entire month of hardship and waiting, the verses had finally confirmed Aisha's innocence. And with that, the fitna that had spread throughout Medina finally came to an end. The truth has finally come out. I'm sure Aisha is happy and at ease now. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah). After the Ayah that cleared Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) of the accusation, and mentioned the punishment of the one who started it, more verses were revealed. This time, about those who had spread the slander.
"When you passed it from one tongue to the other, and said with your mouths what you had no knowledge of, taking it lightly while it is extremely serious in the sight of Allah." Because slander was a sin, a violation of someone's honor and rights, they had to face its punishment. The three companions who had believed and repeated the rumor, and therefore unintentionally helped its spread, were called before the Prophet (peace be upon him). "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ is calling you." They walked in slowly, with their hearts full of regret. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ neither showed anger nor held any grudge against them.
But the punishment for slander, and for taking part in it, was clear in Islam. Each of them received 80 hits with a stick in public. This punishment served as an important lesson not just for them, but for all of Medina. Those who witnessed that punishment would never again speak about something they had no knowledge of. Not only for this incident, but for major crimes as well, Islam introduced clear laws and punishments to deter people from committing them. Their main purpose was deterrence. And as a result, crime rates remained incredibly low.
But beyond that, through these laws and punishments, Allah was actually protecting His servants from something far worse: the punishment of the Hereafter. And while these laws were being put into practice, no one was treated unfairly. Everyone was equal. There was no privilege for the strong over the weak to rich over the poor, or the free over the slave. For example, there was an incident of theft that took place in Medina. And the group from the Banu Makhzum tribe tried to intercede for a woman who had stolen something, and asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) not to carry out the punishment. When Rasulullah heard this, he became very upset.
He stood up and delivered this sermon: "O people! Those who came before you were destroyed because when one of their nobles stole, they let him off. But when one of the weak people among them stole, they would carry out the punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would cut off her hand." So what happened to Abdullah ibn Ubayy? The man who caused all that chaos. Was he not punished? And when he did, wasn't limited to this one incident. Remember the Battle of Uhud? With his deceitful words, he caused around 300 soldiers from the Muslim army to turn back before the battle even began.
He would secretly work with the idolaters and the Jews, constantly plotting against the Muslims. He would spread fitna among the believers, trying to break the bond of brotherhood between them. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), of course, knew everything this chief hypocrite was doing. But he chose to be patient and remained silent. One day, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reached a point where he could no longer tolerate the fitnas Abdullah ibn Ubayy was causing. So he went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, allow me to chop off the head of this hypocrite!" But the Prophet (peace be upon him)'s response showed the wisdom behind his patience.
He said, "Leave him. Otherwise, people will say that Muhammad is killing his own companions." If you recall, before the Prophet (peace be upon him)'s migration, Abdullah ibn Ubayy was about to become the king of Medina. He had even had a crown made for himself. He had that much respect among the people. Rasulullah (peace be upon him) knew that a lot of people still trusted Ibn Ubayy. He was hiding his hypocrisy so cunningly that many thought he was a sincere Muslim. Someone they could rely on. If Rasulullah had ordered his execution, rumors might have spread that Muhammad is killing his companions.
Tribes that were thinking about becoming Muslim might have become afraid saying, "Whenever he wants, he could kill us too." And so, to prevent that, Rasulullah (peace be upon him) chose patience. Years later, he would see the fruit of that decision four years after the incident of the slander. In the 9th year after the Hijra, Abdullah ibn Ubayy fell ill and eventually died. His son Abdullah was a righteous and sincere Muslim. He came to Rasulullah (peace be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, please give me your shirt, so that I can use it as a shroud for my father." Then he asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to lead the funeral prayer and make dua for his father's forgiveness.
Can you imagine how hard that must have been for a son? His father had been one of the greatest enemies of Islam from the moment the Prophet set foot in Medina. Yet, what's truly remarkable is that Rasulullah (peace be upon him) did not turn him down. He gave his own shirt as a shroud for Abdullah ibn Ubayy. When he was told that everything was ready for the funeral, he went and led the Janaza (funeral) prayer. He even walked to his grave for the burial. The companions were curious. Why would the Messenger of Allah ﷺ lead the funeral prayer of a man who had spent his entire life plotting against Islam?
Why would he show such kindness to someone who had tried to harm the Muslims at every opportunity? There had to be a reason, a deep wisdom behind it. And surely there was. "O Messenger of Allah, why did you give him the shirt you were wearing?" When asked about it, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "My shirt and my prayer will not save him from the punishment of Allah. But I hope that through this, a thousand people from his tribe will embrace Islam." And indeed, that act had a profound impact on the people around Abdullah ibn Ubayy. According to some of our sources, because of the Prophet's ﷺ patience and compassion on that day, around 1,000 people accepted Islam with sincere hearts.
SubhanAllah. For years, the Muslims had longed to visit the Kaaba. And now, the time had finally come. "We are finally going to Mecca?" "Yes." It would be for a journey that would begin because of a dream the Prophet (peace be upon him) would see. But this journey would end in a way that no one had expected. "Then, you will remain here as our prisoner!" And the Muslims would find themselves accepting a treaty they never wanted to accept. What kind of treaty was it? And what happened on that remarkable journey? We'll see all of them in the next episode, InshaAllah. Stay tuned.