Battle Of Ahzab Khandak

Battle of Ahzab (Khandak)
1. Brief history
This battle was occurred in month of Syawal during 5th year of Hijra (February of 627 AD). This war has two names, which is Ahzab and Khandak. Ahzab come from an Arabic word “الاحزاب” which mean confederates which being use by the Quran in Surah Al-Ahzab verses 9-33 to show the alliance of the Jews and the Quraish during the battle. In this Surah, Allah has clearly told the story of this battle and how He sent aid to help the Muslim. The name Khandak was also an Arabic words “الخندق” which means "ditch".1 This word was referring to the trenches dug by Muslims surround Madinah while getting prepared for the battle. This Arabic term comes from Persian word ‘kandak’ which mean ‘what has been dug’.2
2. Why it happen
The Battle of Ahzab involving Arab and Jewish tribes which were not happy with the Prophet Muhammad SAW. This was started when the Bani al-Nadir and Bani Qaynuqa wanted to avenge the Prophet SAW because expelling them from Madinah.3 The leader of Bani al-Nadir, Huyayy b. Akhtab tried to incite all Arabs for joining them and work together to fight against the Prophet SAW and destroyed the Muslim. First, he and other Jews leader went to Makkah and met Abu Sufyan to make an alliance. The Quraish which also bear a grudge with Muslim because of their lost in the previous battle agreed to form an alliance with the Jewish.4 According to Rahman (2009), Ibn Kathir states: "The reason why the Confederates came was that a group of the leaders of the Jews of Banu Nadir, whom the Messenger of Allah had expelled from Al-Madinah to Khaybar, including Sallam bin Abu Al-Huqayq, Sallam bin Mishkam and Kinanah bin Ar-Rabi`, went to Makkah where they met with the leaders of Quraysh and incited them to make war against the Prophet".

3. Preparation of the army
Most of Confederate soldiers were collected by the polytheists of Makkah led by Abu Sufyan. He took 4,000 infantry (foot soldiers), 300 cavalry, and between 1,000 to 1,500 camel rider. Besides, Bani al-Nadir started inciting the nomads in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula (Najd). They also bribe Bani Gatafan to join forces by bribe them with half of Bani al-Nadir’s harvest which succeeds to bring 2,000 men and 300 horsemen to their force.5 Bani al-Nadir also succeeds convincing other tribes like Bani Fazara, Bani Murra, Bani Asyja’, Bani Sulaim, Bani Sa’d, Bani Asad and some more to become their ally for attacking Makkah. Totally, the strength of the Confederate armies was almost 10,000 infantry and 600 horsemen which will confront with 3,000 Muslim armies.6
4. War strategy
A week before the Confederate armies arrived in Madinah, Prophet SAW and all Muslims had been warned by their ally, Bani Khuza’a.7 Prophet Muhammad SAW then gathers all Madinah peoples to discuss on what are the best strategies that can be used in order to confront such a huge army. As usual in other battles, Prophet SAW wanted to avoid fighting and only do that when there are no other alternative so that he can minimize the loss.8 One of the Companions, Salman Al-Farisi then gives suggestion. He is a person who knows a lot of war strategy that is still not known in the Arabian Peninsula. He suggested to Prophet SAW to dig a trench around Madinah and strengthened the city from inside.9 The trench will give huge advantage to Muslims which only have few numbers of soldiers by acting as defense mechanism. Inside of the city, wall of all houses that facing toward the enemy were been strengthened and all woman and children were placed in each of the houses.10 All of this effort took about six days to be finished. Then Prophet SAW made his military camp near a small hill named Sal’ and arranged all Muslim soldiers there.
Besides, Prophet SAW also tried to demoralize and break the enemy unity. During the siege started, Prophet SAW sent an offer peace to Bani Gatafan, the second largest contingent in the Confederates armies.11 This offer succeeds to rise up motivation of Muslim soldiers and also put a doubt among Bani Gatafan which actually never intended to join the Confederate at first. Although the offer was rejected, Prophet SAW succeeds to break the unity of the Confederate armies.12
5. The siege of Madinah
When the Confederate armies arrived, they were shocked by the defense that is unfamiliar to them. They thought it was a cowardly act unprecedented in the Arab nation. They then built their camps nearby. Because they cannot across the trench, the Confederate armies just keep shooting their arrows.13 This situation prolongs and their food supplies were almost exhausted. Huyayy bin Akhtab then went to the Jews of Bani Quraiza which is the neutral side that have treaty with Prophet SAW to persuade them for joining the Confederates.14 Although at first Huyayy bin Akhtab’s offer was being rejected by the Quraiza’s leader, Ka’b bin Asad, but finally Bani Quraiza agreed to help after saw a huge number of Confederate armies.15
The agreement with Bani Quraiza had boost motivation of the Confederate armies. Some of warriors from the Quraish like ‘Amr bin Abd Wudd, Ikrima bin Abi Jahal, and Dzirar bin Al-Khattab tried to make an attempt to cross the trench with horses.16 The attempted was failed when Sayidina Ali and few Muslims stop and attacked them back until their forces run away without looking back again.17 However, betrayal news of Bani Quraiza turns Madinah into chaotic moment.18 This situation was being described by Allah in the Quran:
“When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when eyes grew wild and hearts reached to the throats, and ye were imagining vain thoughts concerning Allah. There were the believers sorely tried, and shaken with a mighty shock. And when the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, were saying: Allah and His messenger promised us naught but delusion.”(33:10-14)
In order to settle this issue, Prophet SAW sent few troops to guard and defend Madinah if the Bani Quraiza attacks them from the North. Every night, when the troops pray, they intentionally raised up their voice to trick the enemy that there were a large force of Muslim soldiers that guarding the city from inside.19 Prophet SAW asked help from Naiin bin Masud, a respectable Arab’s leader among the Confederacy, which embraced Islam secretly to cast doubt among the Quraish and Bani Quraiza and at once create suspicious and distrust feeling among both ally.20
At night, the wind was blowing a hurricane accompanied by heavy rain caused fear in their hearts. Therefore they decided to retreat and leave home. This situation is told by Allah in the Quran:
“O ye who believe! Remember the Grace of Allah, (bestowed) on you, when there came down on you hosts (to overwhelm you): But We sent against them a hurricane and forces that ye saw not: but Allah sees (clearly) all that ye do.”(33:9) The next day, no one had been found by the Prophet SAW in that place.21 Prophet SAW together with other Muslims returned to Madinah, while expressing gratitude to God for having spared from harm.

References
1) Nomani, Shibli (1970). Sirat al-Nabi. Karachi: Pakistan Historical Society.
2) Solihin, S. M. (n.d.). Reading Materials Fiqh Sirah, Gombak: IIUM Printing.
3) Al-Jauhari, R. R. (2012). Biografi Agung Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam,Kuala
Lumpur: Must Read Sdn. Bhd.
4) Rahman, M. S. (2009). Tafsir Ibn Kathir Juz’ 21(Part 21) : Al-Ankaboot 46 to Al-Ahzab 30
(2nd Edition). London: MSA Publication Limited.
5) Watt, William M. (1956). Muhammad at Medina. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
6) Lings, Martin (1983). Muhammad: his life based on the earliest sources. Vermont: Inner
Traditions International.

References: 1) Nomani, Shibli (1970). Sirat al-Nabi. Karachi: Pakistan Historical Society. 2) Solihin, S. M. (n.d.). Reading Materials Fiqh Sirah, Gombak: IIUM Printing. 3) Al-Jauhari, R. R. (2012). Biografi Agung Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam,Kuala Lumpur: Must Read Sdn. Bhd. 4) Rahman, M. S. (2009). Tafsir Ibn Kathir Juz’ 21(Part 21) : Al-Ankaboot 46 to Al-Ahzab 30 (2nd Edition). London: MSA Publication Limited. 5) Watt, William M. (1956). Muhammad at Medina. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 6) Lings, Martin (1983). Muhammad: his life based on the earliest sources. Vermont: Inner Traditions International.