The Confederates to camp at the confluence of the two channels

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

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companions completed digging the trench, the Quraysh, along with their allies, approached and camped at the confluence of two channels known as Majma^u l-‘Asyal.

Beholding the trench, they remarked, "By Allah, this is a stratagem that the Arabs have never devised." They began to take turns in leading their forces, with ‘Abu Sufyan at the forefront one day, followed by Khalid ibnu l-Walid another day, ^Amr ibnu l-^As on another, then Jubayrah ibnu Wahb on another and on other days ^Ikrimah ibnu ‘Abi Jahl and Dirar ibnu l-Khattab.

The Confederates repeatedly maneuvered their cavalry, alternately dispersing and regrouping, while engaging in intermittent skirmishes with the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They attempted to advance and press forward, only to be repelled by a steady volley of arrows and stones. This situation persisted for a time, marked solely by these exchanges, with no open combat ensuing.

The Jews of Banu Quraydhah breached their covenant with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ

The Banu Quraydhah had made a pledge to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to refrain from allying with his enemies. However, Huyayy ibnu ‘Akhtab, the leader of Banu n-Nadir (who were among the Jews expelled from Medina by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ), addressed the Quraysh during his march alongside them, stating: "My people (referring to Banu Quraydhah) are with you, and they constitute a significant force." In response, ‘Abu Sufyan encouraged him, saying, "Go to your people so that they may break the covenant they have with Muhammad." Huyayy proceeded to Ka^b ibnu l-‘Asad al-Quradhiyy, the leader of Banu Quraydhah and the custodian of their covenant with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He continued to persuade Ka^b until he ultimately breached the agreement with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

The Breach of the Confederates at the Trench

A group of polytheists advanced on horseback, attempting to breach the trench through a narrow passage. Among them was ^Amr ibnu ^Abdi Wudd, who, at the age of ninety, challenged: “Who will duel (me) “? ^Aliyy ibnu ‘Abi Talib said “I will duel him ». The Messenger of Allah ﷺ provided ^Aliyy with his sword Dhu l-Faqar and attired him with a turban.

^Aliyy emerged and addressed ^Amr, saying, “O ^Amr, you pledged to Allah that no man from Quraysh would offer you to one of two choices without you accepting one.” ^Amr replied, “Indeed.” ^Aliyy then said, “I call you to Allah, His Messenger, and Islam.” ^Amr responded, “I have no need for that.” ^Aliyy continued, “Then I invite you to combat.” ^Amr replied, “Why, O my nephew? By Allah, I do not wish to kill you.” ^Aliyy answered, “But I, by Allah, wish to kill you.” At this, ^Amr, enraged, dismounted, struck his horse and hit its face, then approached ^Aliyy. They grappled and exchanged blows until ^Aliyy killed him. The cavalry of the polytheists then fled from the trench in defeat.

The defeat of the Confederates

Allah sent forth a fierce wind, specifically the Saba wind, during nights of intense cold. It uprooted the tent pegs, overturned the shelters of the polytheists, and extinguished their fires. The wind tossed their men upon their belongings, blew dust upon them, and hurled stones at them. The wind did not exceed the bounds of their encampment. They then began to hear takbir (proclamations of Allah's greatness) and the clatter of weapons throughout their camp — these sounds came from the angels. Then the leader of each tribe among them would call to his people, saying, "O tribe of so-and-so, come to me!" And regarding this, Allah said :

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَاءَتْكُمْ جُنُودٌ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا وَجُنُودًا لَمْ تَرَوْهَا وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا﴾

    “O you who have believed, recall the favour of Allah upon you when armies came against you, and We sent against them a wind and armies you did not see. And Allah is All-Seeing of what you do.”

﴿إِذْ جَاءُوكُمْ مِنْ فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ الْأَبْصَارُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَا﴾ 

“When they came at you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes shifted in fear and the hearts reached the throats, and you assumed about Allah assumptions.”

﴿هُنَالِكَ ابْتُلِيَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُوا زِلْزَالًا شَدِيدًا﴾

“There, the believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking.” 

﴿وَإِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا﴾ 

 “And when the hypocrites and those whose hearts are diseased said, "Allah and His Messenger did not promise us except delusion.”

﴿وَإِذْ قَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ يَا أَهْلَ يَثْرِبَ لَا مُقَامَ لَكُمْ فَارْجِعُوا وَيَسْتَأْذِنُ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمُ النَّبِيَّ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ وَمَا هِيَ بِعَوْرَةٍ إِنْ يُرِيدُونَ إِلَّا فِرَارًا﴾ 

“And when a faction of them said, "O people of Yathrib, there is no place for you here; therefore, return." A group among them sought permission from the Prophet, saying, "Indeed, our houses are unprotected," while they were not exposed. They intended nothing except to flee.” 

﴿وَلَوْ دُخِلَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَقْطَارِهَا ثُمَّ سُئِلُوا الْفِتْنَةَ لَآتَوْهَا وَمَا تَلَبَّثُوا بِهَا إِلَّا يَسِيرًا﴾ 

“And if they had been attacked from all sides and asked to renounce their faith, they would certainly have done so without attempting to excuse themselves.”

﴿وَلَقَدْ كَانُوا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ قَبْلُ لَا يُوَلُّونَ الْأَدْبَارَ وَكَانَ عَهْدُ اللَّهِ مَسْئُولًا﴾

“Indeed, they had previously pledged to Allah that they would not turn their backs (in retreat), and a pledge made to Allah is something that must be answered for.”

﴿قُلْ لَنْ يَنْفَعَكُمُ الْفِرَارُ إِنْ فَرَرْتُمْ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ أَوِ الْقَتْلِ وَإِذًا لَا تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا﴾

 “Say, 'Fleeing will not benefit you if you flee from death or killing, and if you do, you will be granted enjoyment for only a short while.” 

﴿قُلْ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَعْصِمُكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ سُوءًا أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ رَحْمَةً وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا﴾

 “Say, "Who is it that can protect you from Allah if He wills harm upon you or wills mercy for you?" And they will not find for themselves any protector or helper other than Allah.”

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