Allah drove back the disbelievers in their rage, leaving them thwarted and without success

والصَّلَاةُ والسَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَشْرَفِ اْلمُرْسَلِيْنَ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ الطَّيّبِيْنَ الطَّاهِرِيْن

Allah said : 

﴿قَدْ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُعَوِّقِينَ مِنْكُمْ وَالْقَائِلِينَ لِإِخْوَانِهِمْ هَلُمَّ إِلَيْنَا وَلَا يَأْتُونَ الْبَأْسَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا﴾

“Indeed, Allah knows the hinderers among you and those who say to their brothers [in appearance among the Muslims], "Come to us," yet they join the battle only briefly.”

﴿أَشِحَّةً عَلَيْكُمْ فَإِذَا جَاءَ الْخَوْفُ رَأَيْتَهُمْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ تَدُورُ أَعْيُنُهُمْ كَالَّذِي يُغْشَىٰ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ الْخَوْفُ سَلَقُوكُمْ بِأَلْسِنَةٍ حِدَادٍ أَشِحَّةً عَلَى الْخَيْرِ أُولَٰئِكَ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا فَأَحْبَطَ اللَّهُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرًا﴾ 

“Stingy towards you. And when fear comes, you see them looking at you with eyes revolving, like one overcome by death. And when the fear departs, they scold you with sharp tongues, begrudging towards good [wealth and spoils of war]. Those have not believed, so Allah has rendered their deeds worthless, and that, for Allah, is easy.”

﴿يَحْسَبُونَ الْأَحْزَابَ لَمْ يَذْهَبُوا وَإِنْ يَأْتِ الْأَحْزَابُ يَوَدُّوا لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ بَادُونَ فِي الْأَعْرَابِ يَسْأَلُونَ عَنْ أَنْبَائِكُمْ وَلَوْ كَانُوا فِيكُمْ مَا قَاتَلُوا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا﴾

“They think the confederates have not yet withdrawn. And if the confederates were to return, they would wish to be out in the desert among the Bedouins, inquiring about your news. And if they were among you, they would not fight except for a little.”

﴿لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا﴾ 

“There has certainly been an excellent example for you in the Messenger of Allah; for anyone who places their hope in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah often [in both fear and hope, in times of hardship and ease].”

﴿وَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْأَحْزَابَ قَالُوا هَٰذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَصَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَمَا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا إِيمَانًا وَتَسْلِيمًا﴾ 

“And when the believers saw the confederates, they said, 'This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth.' And it only increased them in faith and submission.”

﴿مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَضَىٰ نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَنْتَظِرُ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا تَبْدِيلًا﴾ 

Among the believers are men who have been true to what they pledged to Allah. Some have fulfilled their vow [by attaining martyrdom], while others await [the same], and they have not altered their commitment in the slightest.

﴿لِيَجْزِيَ اللَّهُ الصَّادِقِينَ بِصِدْقِهِمْ وَيُعَذِّبَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنْ شَاءَ أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا﴾ 

“Allah may reward the truthful for their truthfulness and punish the hypocrites if He wills, or accept their repentance if He wills. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”

﴿وَرَدَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِغَيْظِهِمْ لَمْ يَنَالُوا خَيْرًا وَكَفَى اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْقِتَالَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ قَوِيًّا عَزِيزًا﴾

“And Allah repelled the disbelievers in their fury, leaving them without achieving [victory over the Muslims, which they deemed] 'good'. And Allah sufficed the believers in battle, and Allah is Ever-Powerful, Almighty.”

[الأحزاب: 9-25.] 

It is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he said:

“إِنِّي نُصِرْتُ بِالصَّبَا وَإِنَّ عَادًا أُهلِكَت بِالدَّبُورِ“

“I was aided by the east wind (as-Saba), and ^Ad was destroyed by the west wind (ad-Dabur).”

This is narrated by ‘Ahmad in his Musnad.

The Entry of Fear into the Hearts of the Polytheists and Their Retreat

The unity among the polytheists fractured, and fear and anxiety spread within their hearts, intensified by the dense darkness that engulfed them as their fires were extinguished, to the point where one could not see their own hand if extended. ‘Abu Sufyan then declared, "O Quraysh, this is no place to remain; the horses and camels are perishing, and we have suffered greatly from this wind, as you all see. So, depart, for I am leaving." Thereupon, they all departed.

When the confederates had dispersed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“الآنَ نَغْزُوهُمْ وَلاَ يَغْزُونَنَا، نَحْنُ نَسِيرُ إِلَيْهِمْ“

"Now we will raid them, and they will not raid us; we will march towards them."

This was narrated by Al-Bukhariyy, and it occurred exactly as the truthful and trusted ﷺ had said. After that, the Quraysh never returned to wage war against the Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ continued to campaign against the polytheists until Allah granted him the conquest of the honoured city of Makkah.

Conclusion

Allah granted victory to His Prophet ﷺ and his Companions on the day of the Battle of the Trench, even though their enemies were formidable in strength, fierce in determination, and far superior in numbers and resources. Yet Allah promised victory to those who stood firm and patient in support of His Prophet ﷺ and the religion, along with elevated status in this world and the Hereafter. Thus, the victory Allah bestowed upon the Companions in the Battle of the Trench was immense, shattering the prestige of the polytheists and their allies. Allah instilled fear into the hearts of their enemies, and as a result, the polytheists no longer dared to confront the Muslims thereafter, bearing the disgrace that befell them.

And Allah is the Most Knowing and Wise. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.

Sources

These issues are compiled and summarised from:

• The Noble Qur'an
• Sahih Al-Bukhariyy
• Musnad ‘Ahmad
• As-Siyar by Ibnu ‘Ishaq
• Maghazi l-Waqidiyy
• Siratu bni Hisham
• Al-Shama'ilu l-Muhammadiyyah by At-Tirmidhiyy
• As-Siratu l-Nabawiyyah wa ‘Akhbaru l-Khulafa' by Ibnu Hibban