Main Events:

• Hazrat Salman said O Messenger of Allah! When siege was laid to us in Persia, we used to dig trenches to
defend ourselves. It was really an unprecedented wise plan The Messenger of Allah hurriedly gave orders
to implement the plan.
• Madinah was covered in three of its sides by mountains and palm tree orchards The northern side was
open to attacks. So the trench was ordered to be on that side
• Forty yards was allocated to each group of ten to dig
• The trench was 15000 ft in length, 27ft in width, 7 10 ft in depth
• Some parts of the trench were covered with water and in some parts fire was lit up to make it difficult for
the enemy to cross the trench
• The Holy Prophet himself participated in the digging of the trench. There was a hard rock. Several
attempts to break it were unsuccessful When the Prophet struck it thrice with a spade. It crushed to
pieces. With each strike, the Prophet predicted the fall of Syria, Madain and Yemen to Muslims.
• The Prophet and his companions were starving yet they worked diligently during daylight. The digging of
trench was completed in around six days
• He ordered that the women and children stay in the castles and fortresses giving charge of the city of
Madinah to Hazrat Hassan bin Thabit during his absence
• Hypocrites again in fear and treachery requested the Prophet to be given permission to return as their
houses were unsafe. And ˹remember˺ when a group of them said, “O people of Yathrib!1 There is no
point in you staying ˹here˺, so retreat!” Another group of them asked the Prophet’s permission ˹to
leave˺, saying, “Our homes are vulnerable,” while ˹in fact˺ they were not vulnerable. They only wished
to flee. (33:13)
• Three thousand Muslims, with Prophet Muhammad at their head, came out to encounter the idolaters,
with Allah's Promise of victory deeply established in their minds. They entrenched themselves in Sila'
Mountain with the trench standing as a barrier between them and the disbelievers.
• Hazrat Zayd ibn Haritha was the flagman for the emigrants while Hazrat Sa'd ibn Ubada was the flagman of
the Helpers. The Prophet placed guards at points where the trench was not very deep and at some
entrance points.
• The confederates were taken by surprise. It was a new war strategy for them. The enemy units camped in
a place to the north of Medina where the Battle of Uhud had earlier taken place.
• The enemy units attacked in turns. These units were commanded by famous warriors (Ikrima ibn Abu Jahil,
Umar's brother Dirar ibn Khattab, Khaled ibn Walid and Amr ibn As). The Commander-in-chief was Abu
Sufyan,
• During the siege, both sides shot arrows and threw stones at each other. One day the tent of the Prophet
was heavily attacked by arrows, but this attack failed, as the Companions counterattacked with arrows and
stones
• In the course of the battle, several cavalries passed over the trench at a narrow spot onto the side of the
Islamic army. Amr ibn Abduved a fierce warrior crossed the trench and was killed by Ali with a sweeping
blow of the sword. Nawfal ibn Abdullah died falling into the trench. The other horsemen rapidly retreated
back across the trench.
• Huay bin Akhtab went to the chief of Banu Qurayza to join them with the enemy Due to the treaty, Ka'ab
resisted at first. But finally agreed to take sides with the confederates
• Banu Qurayza sent men to attempt entry into Madinah from the other sides. Hazrat Safyah, the Holy
Prophet's aunt spotted one such Jew. She struck hard on his head and then threw his head outside the
fortress she was staying in. This gave the impression to the Jews that there were men on guard in the city
so they made no further attempts