The Believers Shaken / The Battle of the Confederates The Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza broke their covenant with the Prophet and decided to join the Confederate army against the Muslims. The news reached the Prophet. This was an extremely dangerous turning point in the battle in favor of the Confederates because the only remaining entrance into Medina from the south was under the control of Banu Qurayza. When the news reached the Prophet, he sent Al-Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam to investigate and find out whether it was true. When Al-Zubayr reached their fortresses, he found them repairing and strengthening their fortifications in preparation for war. He immediately returned to the Prophet and informed him. The Prophet wanted to make absolutely certain, so he sent Sa’d ibn Mu’adh, the leader of the Aws tribe, because before Islam he had been an ally of Banu Qurayza. He also sent Sa’d ibn ’Ubadah, the leader of the Khazraj, along with ’Abdullah ibn Rawahah. The Prophet told them: “Go until you reach those people and find out whether what has reached us about them is actually true, or merely a rumor. If it is only a rumor, announce it openly among the people so that they may feel reassured”—because the news had already begun spreading among the Muslims. “But if it is true”—meaning that they really have broken the covenant—“then speak to me in a way that I will understand, and do not weaken the resolve of the people.” Meaning that they should communicate the truth to him privately, using an agreed-upon expression, so that the Muslims would not panic, lose their determination, or become frightened. The men set out until they reached Banu Qurayza. When the Jews of Banu Qurayza saw the delegation, they shut the gates of their fortresses in their faces. Sa’d ibn Mu’adh called out to them from outside the fortifications: “Ka’b!” Ka’b appeared. Sa’d said: “Will you not open the gate for us?” Ka’b replied: “What do you want? We are at war.” Sa’d said: “We have heard something about you, so we have come to make sure that it is true.” Ka’b asked: “What have you heard about us?” Sa’d replied: “We have heard that you have broken your covenant with the Messenger of God.” They replied: “Who is this Messenger of God?” Sa’d said: “Woe to you! Muhammad, the Messenger of God!” They said: “And who told you that Muhammad is the Messenger of God? And who is this Muhammad? We do not know him, and there is no covenant or agreement between us and him!” Sa’d ibn Mu’adh was a man of strong temper—he could become angry and emotional quickly. Sa’d became furious and lost his temper. He insulted them, and they insulted him, even though there had previously been a strong friendship and good relationship between them. Sa’d said angrily: “By God, I will not leave them until I make them hear what pleases God and His Messenger.” He then said to them: “O brothers of apes and swine! I hope that God will defeat the Confederates by Himself, causing them to turn back in frustration, without gaining any good.” And whenever Sa’d said something during the Battle of the Trench, the Qur’an would later be revealed with words corresponding to what he had said. Whatever supplication he made that day was answered as he had hoped. Then the Qur’an was revealed: “And Allah repelled those who disbelieved, with their rage, and they gained no good. And Allah was sufficient for the believers.” The Qur’an was revealed exactly as Sa’d had spoken. Then Sa’d said to them: “Then we will come back to you and besiege you in these very fortresses, and you will submit to our judgment.” And this indeed happened after the battle. (See the upcoming parts.) The companions returned to the Messenger of God. They said to him: “’Adal and Al-Qarah.” This was a coded expression referring to the treachery of the tribes of ’Adal and Al-Qarah against the Muslims at the well of Al-Raji’. The Prophet immediately understood that they meant betrayal. He became deeply distressed and saddened by the news. He covered his head with his garment and did not speak to anyone. He lay down and remained that way for a long time without speaking. The hardship and fear became even heavier upon the people when they saw him lying down. They understood that no good news had come to him concerning Banu Qurayza. Then he raised his head and said: “Rejoice in the opening granted by God and His victory!” How? The companions had relied on the fact that Banu Qurayza were on the southern side of Medina and had a covenant with them. They believed that Banu Qurayza would protect their rear. But now the Jews of Banu Qurayza had broken their covenant and had become an enemy. The Muslims had lost every apparent source of hope and were surrounded from every direction. So where would they turn their hearts sincerely? To Allah. Whoever places his trust in Allah will never be disappointed. He is sufficient for him, and He is the best Protector and the best Helper. Allah says: “Who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him?” So they would turn to Allah with the desperation of someone who has nowhere else to turn. “Rejoice in the opening granted by God and His victory!” Allah describes the messengers: “Until, when the messengers lost all hope and thought that they had been denied, Our victory came to them.” Despite the Prophet’s attempts to prevent this news from spreading among the Muslims, the dangerous news eventually spread. This was one of the most difficult moments in the history of the Islamic mission and one of the greatest trials the Muslims had ever experienced. Allah says: “When they came upon you from above you and from below you…” “From above you” refers to Banu Qurayza, because they were positioned on higher ground. “And from below you” refers to the Confederates stationed around the trench. Allah then describes the condition of the Muslims when they heard the news: “And when the eyes became terrified, and the hearts reached the throats, and you entertained various thoughts about Allah. There, the believers were tested and were shaken with a tremendous shaking.” This description applies only to someone who has reached the peak of fear. Their eyes became terrified, like the eyes of someone overcome by the fear of death at the moment of dying. And their hearts reached their throats. When a person becomes extremely frightened, he breathes rapidly, his lungs expand, and his heart pounds intensely—as though their hearts were about to leap out of their mouths. Was what the Prophet had promised them while they were digging the trench—the sight of the palaces of Rome, Persia, and Yemen—really true? Would Allah break His promise to His Prophet? God forbid. Allah says: “There, the believers were tested and were shaken with a tremendous shaking.” And He says: “And they were shaken until the Messenger and those who believed with him said, ‘When will the help of Allah come?’ Surely, the help of Allah is near.” At the same time, Allah describes the condition of the hypocrites in Medina. Allah says: “And when the hypocrites and those with sickness in their hearts said, ‘Allah and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion.’” Because of the intensity of their fear, the hypocrites could no longer pretend to believe or conceal their hypocrisy. They said that the Prophet’s promise of the opening of Rome, Persia, and Yemen was nothing but deception: “Allah and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion.” The hypocrites then began fleeing. Allah says: “And when a group of them said, ‘O people of Yathrib, there is no place for you here, so return.’ And a group of them asked the Prophet for permission to leave, saying, ‘Indeed, our houses are exposed,’ although they were not exposed. They only wanted to flee.” Because of the extreme fear and hypocrisy of these people, when they addressed the inhabitants of Medina, they did not call them by the name “people of Medina.” Instead, they said: “O people of Yathrib”— Yathrib was the old name of Medina before Islam. They encouraged the people to return home and flee rather than participate in the battle, leaving Muhammad and those with him at the trench. Another group went to the Prophet and asked him for permission to return to their homes, claiming that they needed to protect their houses, women, and children, who might be exposed to danger if Banu Qurayza entered the war. Because the Prophet was truthful and trustworthy by nature and did not accuse people of lying, he did not assume that they were lying. He believed them and was about to give them permission to leave. Then Sa’d ibn Mu’adh entered unexpectedly and found them asking for permission while the Prophet was about to grant it. Sa’d asked: “What is their situation, O Messenger of God?” The Prophet replied: “They want permission to leave to protect the women and children.” Sa’d said: “No, by the One who sent you with the truth! They want nothing but to flee.” Then the Qur’an was revealed with the very words spoken by Sa’d: “They say, ‘Indeed, our houses are exposed,’ although they are not exposed. They want nothing but to flee.” Sa’d said: “This is always what they do with us, O Messenger of God. Whenever something difficult happens to us, they abandon us and ask for permission to leave. Do not give them permission, O Messenger of God.” So the Prophet did not give them permission, and the Qur’an exposed them. Before the trench was dug, the Prophet had ordered the women and children to remain inside the fortified areas. But now that the Jews had broken their covenant, there was no longer any safety. The Jews could potentially enter, kill the women and children, and plunder the homes. The companions became extremely distressed. Their hearts were no longer fully with the army—they were thinking about their children and women. And Allah’s words came true: “There, the believers were tested and were shaken with a tremendous shaking.” This tremendous fear caused the companions to negotiate with the Prophet, asking: “O Messenger of God, should we send some of our men to guard the women and children?” He said: “Yes. Every night, send a group of men who will loudly proclaim the takbir and patrol around our homes. The Jews will hear them”—meaning Banu Qurayza—“and they will know that we have not left our women without men and guards. Then they will return to us during the day.” The Prophet turned to his Lord, asking Him to lift this overwhelming distress. The companions were now living with one terrifying uncertainty: They did not know on which day Banu Qurayza and the Confederates had agreed to launch their final attack and open the gates of the fortresses. And the fear in their hearts continued to grow.