Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

Pohtical and Cultural History oflslim
Meanwhile the news of the impending attack reached the Holy Prophet through the B?nu Khuz’ah living in the neighbourhood of Makkah. As the intelligence of the confederates’ march reached him, the Holy Prophet took counsel of his companions as how to repel the collected force from all over Arabia. To meet such a vast force in the open field was out of the question. Medina was naturally fortified by rugged rocks on one side and the other two sides by the continuous rows of stone-built houses only its north side remaining open for attack from outside the cir>. Salman the Persian, who had become a Muslim, advised the Holy Prophet to fortify the city by digging trenches. Accordingly all started digging a trench on the open northern side of the city and completed it within six days, the Holy Prophet himself joining in excavating the hard and rocky soil. The Muslims encamped behind the trench, and ten archers were posted in it at equidistant points. Abu Sufyan at the head of 14,090 confederates arrived on 8th Dhiq’ad, 5 A.H. (31st March, 627 A.D.) before the digging of the trench was completed. His horsemen and camel riders were bewildered at the sight of the trench, a piece of human ingenuity and a new means of defence hitherto unknown in Arabia. Small numbers of horsemen made several attempts to cross the trench but were repulsed by showers of arrows from the Muslim archers. While attempting to cross the trench Amr b. Abdu Wudd was killed by Ali (Rad.A).
The enemy besieged Medina with their full force while the Muslims, appreciably lesser in number and comparatively ill-armed, were hard to put to fight simultaneously on two fronts. The hypocrites wert active under Abdullah b. Ubay and the Banu Qurayzah led by K’ab b. As’ad were secretly in league with the Quraysh now raised their heads. Abu Sufyan pressed hard from outside the city. The confederates had come prepared but for one day’s battle hoping for an easy victory and lost of plunder. Already dispirited and depressed they were yet persuaded by Huwayy b. Akhtab the leader of the Banu Nazir who had been in league with them originally to pitch their tents before Medina. Two weeks passed in this manner in Dhuq’ad 5 A.H. (March-April 627).
The allies intrigued with Banu Qurayzah who promised to attack the Muslims from the rear while the Muslims tried to detach the Bsdouins from their alliance with the Quraysh and Nu’aym b. Mas’ud created a rupture between the Jewish and Qurayshite allies. They ultimately decided to capture the city by assault and the hypocrites now found an opportunity to retire to their homes. On the

28th day of the siege, in the morning, the allies sried to storm the city. All attempts to take the city by general assault, however, proved

The Battle ofAhzab (Confederate) or the Battle of Trench 129
futile so that the allies were forced to try to capture it by intrigue but even in this, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) confounded their plans. Meanwhile misunderstandings grew among the allies-the Ghatfan and Abu Sufyan, and the Banu Qurayzah and Abu Sufyan-and the day was followed by a night of terror.
A sand-storm destroyed their tents and scanty supplies, scattered their pack and riding animals and gave the coup de grace to their morale, the Makkhans. therefore, did not wait for the morning and dispersed in confusion, leaving Khalid and Amr b. al-A’s with two hundred men in the rear Thus all the attempts of overwhelming odds to crush the Muslims were frustrated and the power of the allies was broken for ever. The enemies could never again assemble in such a large number against the Holy Prophet. The break-up of the confederacy marked the complete failure of the Makkhans and laid the foundation of the Muslim State in Medina which was shortly to expand all over Arabia and the neighbouring countries. The casualties in the siege of Medina were six Muslims and three Makkhans. This battle is also known as that of al-Ahzab (confederates). As the Banu-Qurayzah had helped the confederates and had planned to attack the Muslim women housed in one quarter during the war of Ahzab, their fastnesses were besieged for twentyfive nights and forced to surrender. They chose their former ally, Sa’d b. Mu’adh, as an arbitrator who gave a verdict for the execution of 400 of their fighting male members, the captivity of their females and children and confiscation of their property which was divided among the Muslims. This harsh punishment that was meted out was in accordance with the Mosaic Law. Had it been decided by the Holy Prophet himself, they might have received milder punishment as in the case of Banu Qaynuqa and Banu Nazir. The Holy Prophet had to take this punitive measure in self-defence against the destructive activities of traitors within the gates.6 RESULTS
1- After the battle of Ditch Muhammad, the Holy Prophet, was able to establish peace within Medina and its neighbourhood. Small expeditions were sent to punish treacherous persons and unruly tribes in the early 6th year of the Hijrah. The Banu Bakr who had taken part in the previous Makkhan wars against the Medinites were routed at Fadak. The establishment of peace made easier the work of the propagation of the Faith.
Hitti, History of the Arabs, P 117

’ F ,”., ’ ’ >,

130 Political and Cultural Histoni of Islam
,’\ vi’tJiUiii f ’ . , -,
2. ^n/i Throughout these years the Holy Prophet suffered greatly i.i’llcdue to the chaos and confusion created by the heathens and ’i oofollowers more than of his own family members. He was ^nsrisneither idle nor did he allow his followers to be so. By riii// devotion to God and humanity he disciplined himself and his ?’>’””followers. In the gradual consolidation of Islam the number •”jiil^f Muslims increased. At Badr, Muhammad (PBUH) had ’!l • *been able to gather only 313 followers, at Uhud 700 and at ’Ji!! l(Ahzab about 3,000 Muslims.
3. ’ \ /:,Now Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had two enemies, the gjj j” Jews and the Makkhans, on two fronts but it was a problem y.1ttjfor him to cope with the situation with such a small number (|JA!|fof followers at a time. He therefore thought of forming a’ o^ji>rfriendship with one while fighting with the other After the i*jj-u battle of Ahzab it was easier for him to create friendship /}’!_, with the Makkhans than with the Jews. Besides this, jlli, Muhammad (PBUH) had brought economic deadlock to the ’IOIT.J Makkah and by entering into defensive pacts with the Banu <^lfiifDamrah, Mudallij and other tribes living in the region h’jbi /between Medina and Yanbu and spreading his influence over fmi ’Najd and thus closing their trade routes to Syria, Egypt and /JolJ ^aq which made them mild and changed their outlook ’” rth towards Muslims.
4.
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.
The battle of Ditch proved a turning point in the history of Islam. The days of the offensive operations of the Quraysh were at last over and much of their prestige was lost. It revealed the weakness of the military strength of the Quraysh. The Success of the Muslims in the battle of Ditch improved ’ the position of the Holy Prophet who successfully defended Medina from the attacks of the enemy. The people of .Medina now recognised the Holy Prophet as the absolute ifrerofthecity.
s^he victory of the Muslims over a greatly superior force produced a marvellous effect on the neighbouring tribes who voluntarily became the allies of the Muslims. Henceforth Islam began to spread rapidly among the neighbouring tribes.
The Battle of Ahzab (Confederate) or the Battle of Trench 131
7. After driving the enemy from the city the Muslims determined to punish the Banu Qurayzah who joined the Makkhans in their attack on Medina. The Jews appealed to the Holy Prophet to have their fate decided by their own man Sa’d ibn Mua’dh was appointed as the arbiter of their fate. According to his decision three to four hundred men were put to death, women and children sold into slavery and the rest expelled into Syria and the spoil was divided amongst the army.
8. In the sixth year of the Hijrah, the Holy Prophet granted to all Christians a Charter which is a monument of enlightened tolerance. They were not to be unfairly taxed, no bishop was to be expelled from his monastery, no pilgrim was to be detained from the performance of pilgrimage, no Christian Churches were to be pulled down for the building of mosques. Christian women married to Muslims were to enjoy their own religion. In case of the repair of Churches the Muslims were to help the Christians.
9. Thus the dark clouds cleared and the bright sun shone with peace and tranquility. The most powerful organized expedition against Islam, utterly failed. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions came back to their homes in the city and thanked Allah for the retreat of the enemy.
10. This expedition of the Makkhans and their allies with its resultant destruction of the Banu Qurayzah enabled the Muslims to establish themselves as Medina’s absolute masters. The power of the munafiqun was finally broken, and all Arab tribes admired Muslims power, dominion, and the new prestige of Muhammad (PBUH) as sovereign of Medina. The Islamic message, however, was not meant for Medina alone but for the whole of mankind. The Holy Prophet and his Companions still faced the task of preparing for the greater task ahead, namely bringing the word of God to the wide world, calling all men to the true faith arid making that faith secure against all enemies. That is precisely what awaited them, and what we shall study in the sequel. Thus the great enterprise of the Jewish-Makkhans conspiracy came to a fruitless end.7
7 Dr M Hamidullah, P 78

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