ٱلْأَحْزَاب ١٢
- وَإِذۡ dan ketika
- يَقُولُ berkata
- ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقُونَ orang-orang munafik
- وَٱلَّذِينَ dan orang-orang yang
- فِي dalam
- قُلُوبِهِم hati mereka
- مَّرَضٞ berpenyakit
- مَّا tidak
- وَعَدَنَا menjanjikan kepada kami
- ٱللَّهُ Allah
- وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ dan rasul-Nya
- إِلَّا kecuali
- غُرُورٗا tipuan
Dan (ingatlah) ketika orang-orang munafik dan orang-orang yang hatinya berpenyakit berkata, "Yang dijanjikan Allah dan Rasul-Nya kepada kami hanya tipu daya belaka."
(Dan) ingatlah (ketika orang-orang munafik dan orang-orang yang berpenyakit dalam hatinya berkata) yakni penyakit lemah keyakinannya: ("Allah dan rasul-Nya tidak menjanjikan kepada kami) akan mendapat pertolongan Allah (melainkan tipu daya.") kedustaan belaka.
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Tafsir Surat Al-Ahzab: 12-13
Dan (ingatlah) ketika orang-orang munafik dan orang-orang yang berpenyakit dalam hatinya berkata, "Allah dan Rasul-Nya tidak menjanjikan kepada kami melainkan tipu daya. Dan (ingatlah) ketika segolongan di antara mereka berkata, "Hai penduduk Yatsrib (Madinah), tidak ada tempat bagimu, maka kembalilah kamu. Dan sebagian dari mereka minta izin kepada Nabi (untuk kembali pulang) dengan berkata, "Sesungguhnya rumah-rumah kamu terbuka (tidak ada penjaga)." Dan rumah-rumah itu sekali-kali tidak terbuka, mereka tidak lain hanyalah hendak lari. (Al-Ahzab: 12-13)
Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aalaa menceritakan keadaan tersebut, yaitu ketika golongan yang bersekutu bermarkas di sekitar Madinah, sedangkan kaum muslim terkepung oleh mereka dalam keadaan yang sangat terjepit dan sangat gawat.
Dan Rasulullah shallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam ada di antara mereka; mereka mendapat ujian dan cobaan yang berat, dan mereka diguncangkan oleh guncangan yang sangat kuat. Maka pada saat itulah tampak kemunafikan dan berkatalah orang-orang yang di dalam hatinya terdapat penyakit nifak mengungkapkan apa yang terkandung di dalam diri mereka, seperti yang disebutkan oleh Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aalaa dalam firman-Nya: Dan (ingatlah) ketika orang-orang munafik dan orang-orang yang berpenyakit dalam hatinya berkata, "Allah dan Rasul-Nya tidak menjanjikan kepada kami melainkan tipu daya. (Al-Ahzab: 12) Adapun orang-orang munafik, mereka menampakkan keasliannya; dan orang-orang yang di dalam hatinya masih terdapat keraguan atau iman yang lemah, mereka menghela napas karena rasa waswas yang ada dalam hatinya dan imannya yang masih lemah dalam menghadapi keadaan yang sangat sempit dan gawat tersebut.
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Kaum yang lainnya mengatakan seperti apa yang disitir oleh firman-Nya: Dan (ingatlah) ketika segolongan di antara mereka berkata, "Hai penduduk Yatsrib." (Al-Ahzab: 13) Yakni penduduk Madinah, seperti yang disebutkan di dalam hadis sahih: Telah diperlihatkan kepadaku dalam tidurku tempat hijrah kalian, yaitu suatu tanah yang terletak di antara dua harrah (tanah yang berbatu), maka pada mulanya aku berpikir itu adalah tanah Hajar, tetapi ternyata tanah itu adalah tanah Yatsrib (kota Madinah). Lafal yang lain menyebutkan Madinah sebagai ganti dari Yatsrib.
Menurut hadis yang diriwayatkan oleh Imam Ahmad, telah menceritakan kepada kami Ibrahim ibnu Mahdi, telah menceritakan kepada kami Shalih ibnu Umar, dari Yazid ibnu Abu Ziad, dari Abdur Rahman ibnu Abu Laila, dari Al-Barra radhiyallaahu ‘anhu yang telah menceritakan bahwa Rasulullah shallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam pernah bersabda: Barang siapa yang menyebut Madinah dengan sebutan Yatsrib, hendaklah ia memohon ampun kepada Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aalaa karena sesungguhnya kota ini adalah Tabah, ia adalah Tabah. Diriwayatkan oleh Imam Ahmad secara tunggal, di dalam sanadnya terkandung ke-dha’if-an, hanya Allah Yang Maha Mengetahui. Menurut suatu pendapat, dinamakan Yatsrib pada asalnya karena seorang lelaki yang bermukim padanya dari kalangan bangsa Amaliqah; lelaki itu bernama Yatsrib ibnu Mahabil ibnu Aus ibnu Amlaq ibnu Lauz ibnu Iram ibnu Sam ibnu Nuh. Demikianlah menurut As-Suhaili.
As-Suhaili mengatakan, sesungguhnya di dalam kitab Taurat kota Madinah disebutkan mempunyai sebelas nama, yaitu Madinah, Tabah, Taibah, Miskinah, Jabirah, Mahabbah, Mahbubah, Qasimah, Majburah, Azra, dan Marhumah. Diriwayatkan dari Ka'bul Ahbar yang mengatakan, "Kami menjumpai di dalam kitab Taurat Allah berfirman kepada kota Madinah, “Hai Taibah, hai Tabah, hai Miskinah, janganlah engkau mengurangi perbendaharaanmu, angkatlah bebatuanmu di atas bebatuan kota lainnya.”
Firman Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aalaa: tidak ada tempat bagi kalian. (Al-Ahzab: 13) Yakni di markas mereka itu yang ada didekat markas Nabi shallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam maka kembalilah kalian. (Al-Ahzab: 13) ke rumah dan kampung halaman kalian.
Dan sebagian dari mereka minta izin kepada Nabi (untuk kembali pulang). (Al-Ahzab: 13) Menurut Aufi, dari Ibnu Abbas radhiyallaahu ‘anhu, mereka yang meminta izin ini adalah Bani Harisah; mereka mengatakan bahwa rumah-rumah mereka terbuka, mereka takut rumah-rumahnya dimasuki oleh para pencuri. Hal yang sama dikatakan oleh lainnya yang bukan hanya seorang. Ibnu Ishaq menyebutkan, orang yang mengatakan demikian adalah Aus ibnu Qaizi. Dia mengatakan (kepada teman-temannya), "Beralasanlah kalian untuk pulang ke rumah kalian, bahwa rumah-rumah kalian adalah tidak ada penjaganya." Yakni tidak ada yang menghalang-halanginya dari serangan musuh, padahal kenyataannya mereka takut kepada musuh.
Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aalaa berfirman: Dan rumah-rumah itu sekali-kali tidak terbuka. (Al-Ahzab: 13) Yaitu tidaklah seperti apa yang mereka sangka. mereka tidak lain hanyalah hendak lari. (Al-Ahzab: 13) Maksudnya, lari dari medan perang.
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Ayat 12
Dan ingatlah ketika orang-orang munafik yang sengaja menyembu-nyikan kekafirannya dan orang-orang yang hatinya berpenyakit serta lemah imannya berkata, 'Apa yang dijanjikan Allah dan Rasul-Nya kepada kami hanya tipu daya belaka. Dia pasti tidak akan mampu menolong pasukan mukmin. ' Mereka berkata demikian karena mereka melihat jumlah pasukan kafir jauh lebih besar daripada pasukan mukmin. 13. Demikianlah perkataan kaum munafik. Dan ingatlah juga ketika segolongan di antara mereka berkata dengan penuh hasutan, 'Wahai penduduk Yasrib! Tidak ada tempat bagimu untuk menyelamatkan diri jika kamu tetap bersama Muhammad dan tentaranya, maka kembalilah kamu ke rumah. ' Dan lihatlah bahwa akibat dari upaya hasutan itu sebagian dari mereka, yakni pasukan mukmin, terpengaruh sehingga meminta izin pulang kepada Nabi dengan berkata, 'Sesungguhnya rumah-rumah kami terbuka tanpa penjaga,' padahal rumah-rumah itu tidak terbuka; mereka hanyalah membuat-buat alasan karena ketakutam sehingga hendak lari dari peperangan itu.
Dalam keadaan yang demikian mencekam, Allah menguji kekuatan iman orang-orang yang beriman, sehingga nyata mana yang benar-benar beriman, yang memurnikan ketaatan hanya kepada Allah saja, percaya bahwa Muhammad ﷺ adalah rasul Allah, dan percaya pula akan kemenangan Islam dan kaum Muslimin, serta mana yang goyah dan rapuh imannya, yang mengikuti Rasulullah hanya semata-mata hendak mencari keuntungan diri mereka saja. Seakan-akan Perang Ahzab ini merupakan suatu seleksi bagi kaum Muslimin, tentang siapa yang benar-benar kawan dan siapa yang sungguh-sungguh lawan.
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PERANG KHANDAQ
“Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Ingatlah olehmu nikmat Allah kepada kamu seketika datang kepada kamu tentara-tentara."
(pangkal ayat 9)
Di dalam ayat ini Allah ﷻ memperingatkan kembali nikmat dan karunia Allah dan pertolongan besar yang Dia berikan kepada mereka, sebagai hamba-hamba-Nya yang ber-iman. Yaitu ketika kota Madinah hendak diserbu oleh Ahzab, yaitu beberapa golongan yang telah bersekutu hendak menghancurkan Islam yang baru tumbuh. Maka datang tentara demi tentara, yaitu pada bulan Syawwal tahun kelima dari hijrah Nabi ﷺ menurut hadits yang masyhur.
Menurut riwayat dari Musa bin Uqbah terjadi Perang Khandaq itu tahun keempat Hijriyah.
Asal mula timbulnya maksud hendak menyerbu kota Madinah ini ialah dari kalangan pemuka-pemuka Yahudi Bani Nadhir yang dahulu dari itu telah diusir Nabi dari Madinah karena kedapatan mufakat jahat mereka hendak membunuh Nabi seketika beliau datang ziarah ke kampung mereka di pinggir kota Madinah. Sebagian mereka telah berpindah ke Khaibar. Karena sakit hati mereka, pergilah beberapa orang pemukanya, di antaranya ialah Salam bin Abil Haqiq dan Salam bin Misykam dan Kinanah bin Rata. Mereka pergi menuju Mekah menghubungi musyrikin Quraisy, menghasut mereka supaya suka menyerbu ke kota Madinah dan mereka, orang Yahudi, bersedia memberikan bantuan orang-orang dan sokongan harta benda. Orang Quraisy tertarik oleh ajakan itu dan terus menyiapkan tentara. Lalu utusan Yahudi itu pergi pula kepada Kabilah Arab Ghathafan. Mereka hasut pula Ghathafan itu supaya menyerbu Madinah bersama Quraisy, sebab Quraisy sudah siap. Ghathafan pun menyambut ajakan Yahudi itu.
Quraisy pun keluarlah dengan persiapan yang besar dan mereka keluarkan pula habsyi-habsyi yang ada di Mekah dan mereka perlengkapi dengan senjata. Pemimpinnya ialah Abu Sufyan sendiri.
Ghathafan pun keluar pula dengan perlengkapan besar. Pemimpinnya Uyainah bin Hashn bin Badr. Jumlah gabungan kedua tentara itu sampai sekitar 10.000 orang. Satu penyerbuan yang hebat dahsyat dan dapat menghancurkan, kalau berhasil. Sedang bilangan kaum Muslimin di masa itu belum sebanyak itu.
Maka dengan anjuran dari Salman ai-Farisi, Rasulullah ﷺ memerintahkan menggali parit di sebelah bagian timur kota Madinah, yaitu jurusan yang landai yang mudah dimasuki dalam penyerbuan. Dengan kerja keras parit itu atau lubang besar dan dalam yang tidak dapat dilompati, walaupun dengan kuda, telah dikerjakan siang malam. Rasulullah sendiri pun ikut bekerja. Beliau turut menggali tanah dan mengangkutnya sehingga menimbulkan semangat berlipat ganda pada sahabat-sahabatnya.
Musuh-musuh itu pun datang dan melabuhkan tentara besar itu di sebelah timur, dekat dari Bukit Uhud dan bagian-bagian yang lain lagi berlabuh di dataran lebih tinggi. Sedang kaum Muslimin yang bersiap menghadapi tentara besar itu adalah 3.000 orang dipimpin oleh Rasulullah ﷺ, sendiri (Ada juga riwayat mengatakan hanya 700 orang). Mereka menunggu menghadapi musuh dengan membelakangi Perbukitan Sala' Pertahanan mereka adalah parit galian itu, yang memang sukar buat dilalui, baik tentara jalan kaki atau berkendaraan. Apakah lagi di sebelah atasnya tentara Muslimin siap menunggu siapa saja yang mencoba hendak melalui parit itu. Dan di balik parit pertahanan dan pahlawan-pahlawan Islam yang menunggu segala kemungkinan itu berlindunglah perempuan-perempuan dan anak-anak yang tertanam dalam sekali di jiwa mereka bahwa mereka akan selamat.
Tetapi di sebelah agak ke timur lagi dari kota Madinah, di balik Bukit Uhud ada perkampungan orang Yahudi dari Bani Quraizhah. Sejak Rasulullah ﷺ, hijrah ke Madinah mereka telah mengikat janji tidak akan membantu musuh jika Madinah diserang dari luar, bahkan akan sama-sama mempertahankannya dan pihak Muslimin pun memberikan jaminan akan membela mereka dan tidak akan mengganggu agama mereka. Mereka mempunyai benteng yang kuat pula di tempat itu. Ketika Madinah mulai dikepung, mereka berdiam diri ingat akan janji yang telah diperbuat dengan Rasulullah ﷺ
Tetapi Huyai bin Akhthab, seorang dari pemuka mereka sendiri yang telah pindah ke Khaibar datang menemui mereka dan membujuk mereka agar memungkiri janji, lalu berpihak kepada tentara sekutu yang telah mulai mengepung akan menyerbu. Menurut Huyai, sekaranglah waktu yang sebaik-baiknya buat menghancurkan Muhammad, Bani Quraizhah mempunyai persediaan tentara 800 orang.
Berita akan belotnya Bani Quraizhah itu cepat juga terdengar oleh Rasulullah ﷺ Segera beliau utus kepada mereka sahabatnya yang setia dari kalangan Anshar, yang sejak zaman dahulu baik hubungannya dengan Yahudi Bani Quraizhah itu, yaitu Sa'ad bin Mu'az. Mereka dibujuk supaya jangan belot karena bahayanya amat besar. Selama ini mereka dijamin keamanan oleh Rasulullah ﷺ dan kaum Muslimin, bertetangga secara baik. Maka kalau mereka khianat, nasib mereka akan sama dengan nasib Bani Nadhir yaitu akan diusir habis dari Madinah. Tetapi sambutan mereka sangat kasar. Mereka maki-maki Sa'ad bin Mu'az dengan ucapan sangat kurang ajar, “Makanlah alat kelamin ayahmu!"
Tetapi perang berhadapan tidak akan dapat terjadi. Tidak ada dari tentara yang 10.000 itu yang sanggup menyusuh masuk parit. Menempuh itu artinya hanya mati.
Seorang ahli perang tanding di zaman Jahiliyah yang jarang sekali orang berani meng-hadapinya, bernama Arm bin Abd Wadd dari Bani Arnir tampil ke dekat parit dan bersorak menghendaki lawan, siapa yang berani turun ke bawah untuk berperang tanding beradu ke-kuatan dengan pedang atau dengan tombak dengan kaum Muslimin. Di belakangnya meng-ikuti pula yang lain.
“Siapa berani, ayuh tampil ke muka! “ katanya.
Nabi memerintahkan Ali bin Abi Thalib.
Mulanya kedatangan Ali hendak berkelahi dengan dia itu dipandang enteng saja, karena anak muda. Tetapi setelah dilihatnya kesungguhan Ali menantangnya, lalu dihadapinya. Setelah tikam-hienikam, tohok-menohok beberapa lama, tombak Ali telah dapat menembus dadanya. Kejadian itu benar-benar menaikkan semangat kaum Muslimin.
Hampir sebulan lamanya tentara sekutu itu terkendala di luar kota, akan maju tidak bisa karena adanya khandaq. Akan mundur masih segan karena masih mengharap akan dapat menghancurkan Muhammad ﷺ Tiba-tiba datanglah embusan angin dari timur yang sangat keras melanda sehingga aman dan apa saja yang tertegak digulungnya roboh. Menghidupkan api pun tidak bisa, sebab selalu diembus oleh angin keras itu. Kadang-kadang dibangkitkannya debu ke atas. Kemah-kemah yang ditegakkan dengan kuat, dibongkar habis oleh angin yang keras itu, sehingga segala persediaan menjadi kucar-kacir; makanan tidak dapat dimasak, air tidak dapat direbus, kemah tidak dapat dipasang. Dan semuanya itu terjadi pada malam hari. Maka dengan hati sangat jengkel, Abu Sufyan sebagai kepala dari tentara Quraisy terus memasang pelana kendaraannya lalu berkata kepada tentara yang dipimpinnya, “Hai Quraisy sekalian! Tidak ada gunanya lagi kita lebih lama di sini, angin begini kerasnya, segala persediaan sudah rusak, api tidak mau menyala, periuk tidak dapat dijerangkan, kemah tidak dapat didirikan. Lebih baik segera kita berangkat meninggalkan tempat ini. Saya sendiri sekarang juga berangkat!"
Mendengar seruan demikian, yang lain pun segera menurutinya. Maka kalahlah mereka sebelum bertempur. Inilah yang disebutkan Allah ﷻ di ujung ayat, “Maka Kami kirimlah kepada mereka angin dan tentara-tentara yang tidak kamu lihat." Artinya bahwa pada masa yang demikian cuaca telah menjadi salah satu pula yang memberikan pertolongan untuk mencapai kemenangan. Lalu di ujung ayat Allah ﷻ berfirman lagi,
“Dan Allah itu adalah melihat apa yang kamu kerjakan."
(ujung ayat 9)
Di dalam ilmu perang modern pun masih diperhitungkan oleh jenderal-jenderal yang berpengalaman dari hal medan dan cuaca.
Medan dan cuaca saja tidaklah boleh ditunggu. Bahkan ikhtiar sendiri pun harus ada pula. Itulah tafsir dari ujung ayat bahwa Allah pun senantiasa melihat pula bagaimana caranya manusia mengadakan persiapan dan persediaan dalam menghadapi musuhnya. Kita melihat bahwa Nabi ﷺ, telah mengadakan persediaan yang oleh musuh-musuh tidak dikira-kira sejak semula, yaitu mengadakan parit pertahanan atau khandaq. Adanya khandaq itu telah memporak-porandakan rencana penyerangan (strategi) musuh. Mereka yang tadinya menyediakan perbekalan misalnya untuk seminggu dua minggu, rupanya harus memakan waktu lebih banyak dari yang dikira semula, yaitu hampir satu bulan.
Dan lagi pekerjaan penting yang lain, yang dalam perang pun menjadi bagian yang tidak boleh diabaikan. Yaitu siasat mengucar-kacirkan persiapan musuh dengan politkpecah-belah. Sebab sudah nyata bahwa tiga kelompok musuh yang telah bersatu, yang tentaranya tidak kurang dari 10.000 orang, gabungan Quraisy dan Ghathafan, kemudian menggabung pula Yahudi Bani Quraizhah dengan 800 tentara, bukanlah jumlah yang kecil.
Seorang Ghathafan bernama Nu'aim bin Mas'ud dengan sembunyi datang kepada Rasulullah ﷺ menyatakan bahwa dirinya mulai waktu itu telah masuk Islam, namun kaumnya dan pihak musuh belum ada yang tahu. Dia diminta instruksi kepada Rasulullah ﷺ apa yang dapat dia kerjakan.
Lalu Rasulullah menerimanya dengan gembira karena sebagai Rasul Allah ﷻ yang penuh firasat, sudah dapat beliau baca pada wajah Nu'aim, bahwa dia memang telah Islam sungguh-sungguh. Lalu beliau beri dia instruksi. Pertama hendaklah dia rahasiakan bahwa dia telah masuk Islam. Dia di perintahkan menemui pihak musuh satu demi satu dan berusaha memecahkan persekutuan mereka. Nabi bersabda. “Engkau seorang diri, tetapi engkau akan sanggup berbuat banyak untuk menghancurkan kekuatan mereka. Ingatlah bahwa perang adalah mempunyai berbagai tipu daya!"
Nu'aim berjanji akan melaksanakan perintah Rasulullah ﷺ dengan sebaik-baiknya. Maka yang terlebih dahulu ditemuinya ialah Bani Quraizhah. Di zaman dia masih jahiliyah dia mempunyai pergaulan yang baik dengan mereka itu. Sebab itu kedatangannya dipercayai.
Lalu dia berkata, “Hai Bani Quraizhah! Selama ini kalian sudah tahu urungan baikku dengan kalian."
Mereka jawab, “Memang engkau orang baik. Kami tidak ragu kepada engkau. Lalu dia berkata, “Quraisy dan Ghathafan tidak sama keadaannya dengan kalian. Negeri ini negeri kalian. Di sini harta kalian, anak-anak kalian dan istri-istri kalian. Kalian tidak akan dapat memindahkan mereka ke tempat lain. Tetapi Quraisy datang kemari pergi memerangi Muhammad. Lalu kalian berkawan dengan mereka memerangi Muhammad ﷺ pula. Sedang Quraisy dan Ghathafan bukan orang sini. Negeri mereka, harta benda mereka dan anak istri mereka berada di tempat jauh, bukan seperti kalian. Kalau Quraisy dan Ghathafan menang dapatlah mereka mengambil harta benda Muhammad ﷺ Tetapi kalau mereka tidak berhasil, mereka akan segera meninggalkan tempat ini, sedang kalian akan mereka tinggalkan menghadapi sendiri Muhammad ﷺ yang telah kalian musuhi itu. Kalau demikian jadinya tidaklah kalian akan sanggup menghadapi Muhammad ﷺ Sebab itu dengan jujur saya nasihatkan kepada kalian supaya kalian meminta jaminan dari bangﷺan-bangﷺan mereka. Minta kirimkan anak-anak muda mereka kepada kalian sebagai jaminan bahwa jika terjadi perang dengan Muhammad ﷺ, mereka tidak akan meninggalkan dan mengecewakan kalian."
Saran Nu'aim itu rupanya termakan oleh mereka dan mereka berkata, “Apa yang engkau sarankan itu tepat sekali."
Setelah itu dia menarik diri dari Bani Quraizhah dan pergi menemui Quraisy. Lalu dia berkata kepada Abu Sufyan dan orang-orang yang dikelilingnya, seraya berkata, “Kalian sudah kenal bagaimana baik hubungan saya selama ini dengan kalian dan bagaimana pula saya menjauhkan diri dari Muhammad ﷺ Sesungguhnya saya sudah mendengar suatu berita penting yang saya merasa wajib menyampaikan kepada kalian sebagai nasihat jujur. Harap saya kalian rahasiakan pula."
Mereka jawab, “Akan kami simpan rahasia itu."
Dia teruskan, “Kalian harus tahu bahwa orang-orang Yahudi itu rupanya sudah menyesal tentang perbuatannya memungkiri janji dengan Muhammad ﷺ Mereka telah mengirim utusan kepada Muhammad ﷺ menyatakan mereka menyesal atas perbuatan khianat itu. Mereka menawarkan kepada Muhammad ﷺ, “Tanda kami telah menyesal, sudikah tuan menerima jika kami kirimkan orang-orang dari Qurasiy dan Ghathafan sebagai sandera? Supaya dapat tuan potong leher orang-orang itu? Kemudian kami bergandeng bahu dengan tuan memusnahkan Quraisy dan Ghathafan yang masih tinggal?" Muhammad ﷺ telah menjawab, “Bersedia menerima orang-orang itu jika dikirim."
Lalu Nu'aim berkata seterusnya, “Lantaran itu kalau ada utusan Yahudi mengirim utusan meminta orang-orang sandera, jangan kalian beri, walau seorang pun."
Setelah tampak hilang kepercayaan Quraisy kepada Yahudi itu Nu'aim pun me-lanjutkan siasatnya pula kepada Ghathafan. Setelah bertemu, dia pun berkata, “Wahai se-luruh Ghathafan. Kalian adalah asal-usulku dan keluarga dekatku dan manusia yang paling aku cintai. Saya percaya bahwa kalian tidak akan merasa ragu kepada diri saya."
“Memang, kami percaya kepadamu," jawab mereka.
Lalu dia berkata, “Ini rahasia besar, simpan baik-baik."
Mereka jawab, “Baik!"
Lalu diuraikannya pula perkataan yang dikatakan kepada Quraisy itu bahwa Yahudi telah merasa menyesal mengkhianati Muhammad ﷺ, Tanda penyesalannya dia menjanjikan kepada Muhammad ﷺ, akan mengirim beberapa orang dari Quraisy dan Ghathafan untuk dipotong leher mereka oleh Muhammad. Sebab itu kalau ada Yahudi itu meminta sandera jangan diterima.
Maka pada lima hari bulan Syawwal tahun kelima hijriyah itu, dengan takdir Allah Quraisy di bawah Abu Sufyan dan Ghathfaan di bawah pimpinan kepala-kepalanya mengutus Ikrimah bin Abu Jahal bersama dengan beberapa orang yang lain menemui Bani Quraizhah. Utusan itu menyampaikan bahwa kami tidak akan lama tinggal di sini karena persediaan perbekalan sudah hampir habis. Sebab itu mereka mendesak Bani Quraizhah supaya bersedia memasuki medan perang sehingga beres urusan kita dengan Muhammad ﷺ
Bani Quraizhah menjawab bahwa pada hari Sabtu mereka tidak mungkin keluar pergi berperang. Kalau kami langgar peraturan kami itu, kami keluar hari Sabtu, kami akan dapat celaka. Hal itu tentu sudah tuan-tuan ketahui. Dan kami tidak akan segera saja masuk ke medan perang kalau tuan-tuan Quraisy dan Ghathfaan tidak memberikan jaminan kepada kami bahwa tuan-tuan tidak akan meninggalkan kami. Jaminan itu ialah orang-orang yang akan dapat kami anggap sebagai sandera. Karena kami takut apabila peperangan ini akan membawa kerugian bagi tuan-tuan, maka tuan-tuan akan segera meninggalkan kami menghadapi sendiri Muhammad ﷺ itu. Kalau terjadi demikian kami tidak sanggup.
Siasat Nu'aim sangatberhasil, Persekutuan telah pecah. Rasa percaya-mempercayai di antara yang bersekutu sudah mulai pecah. Baru sekira tiga minggu saja, pengepungan sudah mulai goyah dan khandaq tidak dapat mereka seberangi.
Musim dingin kian lama kian mendatang. Dingin di Madinah terkenal sampai kepada zaman kita ini. Dingin yang dicampuri oleh embusan angin keras dari timur, yang oleh orang Arab disebut angin Shibaa. Dia berembus di telinga mendenging-denging dan kering sehingga kulit akan segera pecah-pecah.
Mana angin sengit berembus, mana pula semangat persatuan telah pecah dan satu terhadap yang lain mulai putus karena siasat Nu'aim, Dalam saat itu pula Rasulullah ﷺ mendorongkan siasat yang kedua, yaitu membujuk Ghathafan dan beberapa kabilah dari Nejd menyuruh mereka pulang saja. Untuk mereka akan diberi hadiah kenang-kenangan sepertiga hasil kurma Madinah. Karena Rasulullah ﷺ tahu benar bahwa Ghathafan ini ikut berperang bukanlah karena suatu cita-cita yang hendak dipertahankan, melainkan karena ingin mendapat harta rampasan kalau mendapat kemenangan menyerbu Madinah. Sudah dicoba hendak menyerbu ke dalam kota satu kali, namun gagal total karena waspadanya kaum Muslimin.
“Ketika mereka datang kepada kamu dari atas kamu dan dari sebelah bawah kamu."
(pangkal ayat 10)
Inilah yang dibayangkan oleh Huzaifah bin Al-Yaman, “Di dalam itu kami duduk berbaris di tempat pertahanan kami berjaga-jaga. Abu Sufyan di tempat ketinggian di atas kami, Bani Quraizhah di sebelah bawah kami; yang kami takuti mereka akan menyerang mengganggu anak-anak kami. Malam itu sangat gelap dan angin berembus keras sekali. Suara angin menderu-deru seperti petir layaknya, sehingga jika diangkat jari-jari ke muka tidaklah akan kelihatan. Untuk penangkis dingin dan sejuk itu saya menyelimuti badan dengan kain selimut yang diserahkan istri saya, itu pun tidak sampai penutup lutut. Tiba-tiba datanglah Rasulullah ﷺ ke dekatku, sedang saya duduk berkelumun kedinginan. Lalu Rasulullah ﷺ bertanya, “Siapa ini?"
Saya menjawab, “Huzaifah." Lalu saya bersikap dengan baik di hadapan beliau.
Beliau bertanya sekali lagi, “Huzaifah?"
“Benar, ya Rasulullah, “ jawabku.
Lalu beliau menjatuhkan perintah, “Kamu pergi sekarang juga mengintip kaum itu. Selidiki sebaik-baiknya dan bawa kabarnya kepadaku."
“Baik," jawabku. Padahal saya sangat ketakutan akan pergi mencampungkan diri ke sana dan saya pun kedinginan. Lalu Rasulullah ﷺ menadahkan tangannya ke langit me-mohonkan perlindungan Allah ﷻ atas diriku. Tiba-tiba hilang takutku dan timbul berani-ku. Dan beliau memesankan pula supaya saya berhati-hati jangan berbuat sesuatu yang mencurigakan dan kelak setelah mengetahui keadaan supaya segera kembali.
Saya pun keluar dalam kelam gelap gulita itu menuju tempat berkumpul mereka itu. Saya dapat melihat seorang yang tubuhnya tinggi besar mendekatkan kedua telapak tangannya kepada api unggun yang masih hidup, lalu membarutkannya ke mukanya. Dia sedang menyampaikan kehendak hatinya kepada pengikut-pengikutnya, bahwa penyerbuan ini tidak berhasil, perbekalan sudah habis, lebih baik segera saja pulang ke Mekah. Melihat dia asyik bekata-kata demikian saya keluarkan anak panah dari kantongnya dan sudah saya sandarkan kepada busurnya, hendak saya panah dia di bawah nyala api itu. Tetapi saya teringat pesan Rasulullah ﷺ, bahwa saya tidak boleh berbuat sesuatu sebelum saya pulang kepada beliau memberi berita.
Ketika itu saya belum tahu bahwa orang itulah Abu Sufyan.
Karena teringat akan pesan Rasulullah ﷺ, itu maka panahku aku kembalikan ke dalam kantongnya, lalu aku beranikan diriku dan aku masuk ke tengah-tengah askar yang banyak itu. Kebetulan aku masuk ke tengah-tengah Bani Amir. Sebab tidak lama aku ada di tengah-tengah mereka terdengarlah pemimpin mereka berseru, “Hai Bani Amir! Segera kita berangkat! Segera kita berangkat! Kita tidak dapat lagi berhenti lama-lama di sini."
Kata Huzaifah selanjutnya, “Memang aku dengar suara anginyang keras bertiup sehingga membangkitkan pasir-pasir dan batu-batu kerikil menimbuni alat-alat persiapan dan hamparan kemah mereka, bahkan seluruh angin ribut yang keras itu telah memukul mereka."
Setelah melihat keadaan yang demikian, Huzaifah pun kembalilah kepada Nabi ﷺ, Didapatinya beliau sedang shalat. Karena kebiasaan beliau bilamana menghadapi hal-hal yang hebat itu beliau selalu shalat lalu memohonkan karunia dari Allah ﷻ Setelah beliau selesai shalat sunnah itu, maka Huzaifah pun lalu mendekati beliau dan menceritakan segala yang terjadi bahwa angin ribut yang sangatkeras itulah membuat musuh-musuh itu kacau-balau dan mereka mulai meninggalkan tempat itu.
Itulah yang dimaksud dalam pangkal ayat 10, “Ketika mereka datang kepada kamu dari atas kamu dan dari sebelah bawah kamu." Artinya, bahwa musuh telah mengepung dari segala pihak. Yaitu Quraisy yang datang dari sebelah selatan dan hendak mengepung dari sebelah selatan, Ghathafan datang dari jurusan timur dan Yahudi Bani Quraizhah pun telah belot dan khianat akan janjinya. “Dan seketika telah kacau-balau penglihatan" Artinya, bahwa karena musuh itu telah mengancam dari segala pihak seakan-akan goncanglah penglihatan, ke jurusan mana akan dihadapkan perhatian, padahal musuh telah mengepung dari segala pihak. Akan dihadapi yang datang dari sebelah selatan, yaitu orang Quraisy, namun bahaya Ghathafan tidak kurang dari itu. Akan dihadapi Ghathafan dan Quraisy, kalau-kalau Bani Quraizhah bangkit pula menyerbu. Padahal jumlah musuh setelah bergabung tidak kurang dari 10.000 atau 11.000 orang. Sedang kaum Muslimin hanya sekitar 3.000 orang saja, mungkin kurang. Itulah yang dimaksud dengan zhaagatil abshaar, yaitu berkacau-balau penglihatan, entah ke mana akan ditujukan. Sehingga kalau kiranya musuh yang 10.000 itu tergenggam dalam satu komando, mungkinlah hancur pertahanan Madinah waktu itu. Tetapi kelemahan mereka adalah karena komando tidak satu, dan masing-masing tidak benar-benar percaya-mempercayai. “Dan telah me-nyenak hati ke kerongkongan." Inilah kalimat yang tepat untuk menggambarkan rasa panik, kecemasan dan kekacauan pikiran. Yaitu yang terdapat dalam kalangan orang-orang yang bertahan di Madinah itu.
“Dan kamu menyangka tenhadap Allah berbagai prasangkaan."
(ujung ayat 10)
Pada saat yang demikian itu boleh dikatakan penduduk Madinah mulai panik, mulai kacau pikiran. Timbullah berbagai persangkaan terhadap Allah ﷻ Ayat yang selanjutnya menjelaskan berbagai macam persangkaan itu.
“Di situlah diuji orang-orang yang beriman dan akan digoncangkan dengan goncangan yang sangat."
(ayat 11)
Negeri telah dikepung, musuh tiga kali lipat banyaknya. Sedang Bani Quraizhah tetangga sendiri mulai berkhianat. Semuanya itu adalah ujian berat bagi orang-orang yang beriman di masa itu. Dan memang iman itu selalu ditantang oleh ujian. Di ujung ayat 10 di atas dikatakan bahwa timbul berbagai sangkaan terhadap Allah ﷻ Ada sangkaan yang buruk dan ada sangkaan yang baik. Memang pada segala zaman di mana saja saat-saat demikian menyebabkan penglihatan ber-kacau, hati menyesak ke kerongkongan.
“Dan seketika berkata orang-orang yang munafik dan orang-orang yang di dalam hati mereka ada penyakit, “Tidaklah yang dijanjikan oleh Allah dan Rasul-Nya itu selain dari penipuan."
(ayat 12)
Untuk menjelaskan maksud ayat ini lebih baik kita salin sebuah hadits yang disampaikan oleh sahabat Rasulullah ﷺ yang hadir dan turut bekerja keras menggali parit (khandaq) itu di samping Rasulullah ﷺ Yaitu Amr bin Auf.
Berkata Amr bin Auf, ‘Aku dan Salman dan Huzaifah dan Nu'man bin Muqarrin dan seorang sahabat Anshar lagi menggali empat-puluh hasta yang mesti segera kami selesaikan. Kami gali terus, sampai palu-palu kami terbentur kepada sebuah batu putih keras yang menyebabkan palu-palu kami pecah dan kami sudah payah namun batu itu tidak juga dapat ditumbangkan. Lalu Salman pergi menemui Rasulullah ﷺ menceritakan, bahwa pekerjaan kami terbentur kepada sebuah batu keras besar dan putih, yang tidak terganjak dan tidak ngingis ketika hendak dihancurkan, bahkan linggis kami yang pecah dibuatnya. Men-dengar laporan Salman itu, Rasulullah ﷺ pun segera datang ke tempat itu. Lalu beliau ambil linggis besi itu dari tangan Salman, lalu beliau ayunkan dan hantamkan linggis itu ke batu tersebut, lalu memancarlah api dari bekas ayunan itu dan beliau pun mengucapkan “Allahu Akbar! “ Mendengar beliau bertakbir itu, seluruh Muslimin pun mengucapkan takbir puia mengikuti takbir beliau. Setelah itu beliau ayunkan pula linggis itu sekali lagi dan beliau hantamkan kepada batu itu, memancar pula api dan batu itu pun mulai retak. Beliau pun mengucapkan takbir pula sekali lagi dengan suara bersemangat dan kaum Muslimin yang mendengarnya pun gemuruh pula suara takbir mereka. Setelah itu beliau ayunkan sekali lagi dan beliau hantamkan pula kepada batu itu, api memancar pula dan batu itu pun pecah dan Nabi mengucapkan pula sekali lagi, Allahu Akbar! Seluruh Muslimin gemuruh pula suara takbir mengiringkannya.
Batu telah pecah dan tiga kali takbir telah terdengar. Meskipun tampak betapa hebat-nya beliau mengumpulkan tenaga untuk memecahkan batu penghalang itu, namun muka beliau kelihatan berseri-seri menunjukkan semangat beliau yang bertambah tinggi dan iman yang tiada tandingnya. Sahabat-sahabat yang banyak itu pun berseri pula wajah mereka menghadapi Rasulullah ﷺ menunggu apalagi gerangan yang akan beliau perintahkan. Lalu beliau berkata, “Ketika paluku jatuh yang pertama dan batu keras itu mulai pecah dan sinar api memancar darinya, terbayanglah di dalam cahaya lintasan api itu istana-istana di negeri Hirah dan singgasana tempat bersemayam Kisra (Persia), menyeringai kepadaku laksana saing-saing dari anjing. Di saat itu juga Jibril datang membisikkan kepadaku, bahwa semuanya itu kelak akan ditaklukkan oleh umatku.
Seketika palu aku ayunkan yang kedua kali dan batu itu mulai retak, maka dalam cahaya api terbayang pula menyeringai istana-istana merah di negeri Rum, laksana saing-saing anjing. Jibril datang pula kepadaku membisikkan, bahwa umatku akan menguasai negeri itu kelak.
Pada ayunan ketiga dan batu itu aku hantam lagi, memancar pula cetusan api. Di saat itu pula terbayang menyeringai istana-istana di negeri Shan'a, (Arabia Selatan) laksana saing-saing anjing. Jibril pun datang membisikkan kepadaku, bahwa tempat itu kelak akan dikuasai oleh umatku. Oleh sebab itu betapa pun yang kamu hadapi, gembirakanlah hatimu.
Maka bergembiralah seluruh kaum Muslimin itu dan semua mengucapkan, “Alhamdulillah. Segala puji bagi Allah, segala apa yang Allah janjikan adalah pasti dan benar."
Maka orang-orang yang munafik itu, yaitu yang masuknya ke dalam Islam hanya semata-mata karena mengharapkan keuntungan benda, melihat Islam kuat dan kalau menang perang mereka akan mendapat harta rampasan, dan kalau ternyata kaum Muslimin lemah, mereka pun bimbang, disertai pula oleh orang-orang yang ada penyakit dalam jiwanya, yaitu penyakit ragu-ragu, hati tidak tetap, pengecut, turut-turutan dan tidak ada rasa tanggung jawab, yang mau enaknya saja; maka orang-orang yang seperti itu akan memandang bahwa apa yang dijanjikan oleh Allah dan Rasul itu hanyalah semata-mata tipuan atau bujukan pengobat-pengobat hati. Mereka tidak percaya akan apa yang dikatakan Nabi. Mereka berpikir, mana bisa akan menang. Cobalah lihat, 10.000 musuh telah mengepung kita, sedang kita tidak cukup seperti mereka. Sedangkan ini, yang di hadapan mata, lagi belum tentu, apatah lagi akan menaklukkan istana Kisra di Persia, sebuah kerajaan besar, ditambah lagi dengan menaklukkan istana Roma, kerajaan besar pula. Itulah dua buah kerajaan yang amat besar di masa itu. Apatah lagi akan ditambah pula dengan menaklukkan Shan'aak, yang di waktu itu masih di bawah naungan Kerajaan Persia, diperintah oleh keturunan raja-raja Persia setelah dapat melepaskan diri dari kekuasaan Kerajaan Habsyi.
Mereka memandang bahwa palu Nabi memecah batu besar yang disambut oleh tiga kali takbir itu hanyalah omong kosong, bujukan Muhammad ﷺ, kepada pengikut-pengikutnya yang bodoh mau diatur hidung saja.
“Dan seketika berkata satu golongan dari mereka."
(pangkal ayat 13)
Yaitu dari orang-orang yang munafik dan yang dalam hatinya ada penyakit itu.
Sebab sikap dan cara yang ditempuh untuk mengelakkan tanggung jawab, karena kelemahan jiwa yang diderita atau disebabkan oleh penyakit dalam hati itu menimbulkan berbagai dalih untuk mengelakkan diri. “Wahai ahli Yastrib! Tidak ada tempat bagi kamu! Pulang sajalah!"
Yatsrib adalah nama asal kota Madinah. Di ambil dari nama seorang nenek moyang bangsa Arab keturunan Saam bin Nuh. Karena dia yang membuka negeri itu dahulu. Setelah Rasulullah ﷺ dan umat Islam di Madinah berhijrah ke sana, dengan serta-merta nama negeri itu ditukar menjadi Madinatun Nabi,
Kota Nabi. Karena sesampai beliau di sana telah tegak kekuasaan beliau dan dialah yang menjadi negeri Islam dan pusat kota Islam yang pertama. Maka setengah kaum munafik tadi mulailah berbisik-bisik kepada teman-temannya yang dianggapnya dapat dibujuk, agar mereka tinggalkan saja tempat bertahan Rasulullah ﷺ, itu. Karena beliau tidaklah akan dapat bertahan bilamana musuh-musuh yang besar itu menyerbu kelak. “Wahai ahli Yatsrib! Tidak ada tempat bagi kamu. Pulang sajalah!" Lebih baik lekas tinggalkan tempat ini agar kalian selamat apabila musuh telah dapat menyerbu kelak.
Dalam seruan mereka “Wahai ahli Yatsrib! “, telah mereka tunjukkan bahwa Masa Madinah sudah mau tamat ditutup, dan akan dikembalikan lagi masa yang lama, yaitu Yatsrib. Tegasnya mereka tidak senang akan masa kejayaan Islam itu dan mereka ingin kembali ke dalam zaman Yatsrib yang lama, yang di waktu itu mereka kelak akan mendapat kedudukan lebih baik, sebab dapat menyesuaikan diri. Bukankah orang semacam ini di segala zaman dapat saja menyesuaikan diri?
“Dan meminta izin sebagian dari mereka kepada Nabi. Mereka berkata, “Sesungguhnya rumah-rumah kami telanjang." Artinya rumah-rumah kami tidak ada yang menjaga, anak-anak dan istri tidak ada yang menunggui mereka, takut kalau-kalau dirampok atau didatangi orang yang tidak disenangi. Hanya kami sajalah yang akan dapat memelihara dan menjaga keamanan rumah tangga kami itu.
Alasan yang mereka kemukakan itu hanyalah dicari-cari belaka. Ujung ayat telah membuka rahasia yang sebenarnya, “Dan bukanlah rumah-rumah itu telanjang." Rumah tangga itu aman dan sentosa. Tidak ada orang dalam kota Madinah yang akan sampai sejahat itu, mengganggu rumah tangga seseorang yang tengah turut mempertahankan kota mereka dari serbuan musuh.
“Tidak ada kehendak mereka selain dari tani."
(ujung ayat 13)
Mereka ingin lari dari perjuangan karena iman lemah atau tidak ada sama sekali.
“Dan kalau dimasuki atas mereka itu dari penyuru-penjurunya."
(pangkal ayat 14)
Artinya ialah jika kiranya musuh-musuh yang banyak itu masuk ke dalam kota Madinah, menyerbu dari segala penjuru, yang terpikir dalam hati mereka bukanlah mempertahankan kota mereka dan harta benda mereka dengan gagah berani, melainkan sebaliknya, “Kemudian diminta kepada mereka supaya berbuat fitnah, niscaya akan mereka lakukan." Yaitu misalnya jika musuh-musuh itu berhasil menyerbu ke dalam kota dari segala penjuru, mereka yang munafik itu tidaklah akan mempertahankan kotanya dengan gagah berani, bahkan mereka akan turut mengalu-alukan kedatangan musuhnya. Mereka akan segera mengambil muka, menyesuaikan diri, bahkan jika dituntut berbuat fitnah, akan segera mereka lakukan. Jika ditanyakan misalnya di mana Muhammad ﷺ atau para pengikutnya bersembunyi, mereka akan bersedia menunjukkan tempat persembunyian itu. Jika disuruh tunjukkan di mana tempat simpanan senjata atau perbekalan, mereka akan segera mengantarkan ke tempat itu. Bahkan jika mereka disuruh menyatakan diri kembali jadi kafir, sebentar itu juga mereka akan menyatakan sedia jadi kafir.
“Dan tidaklah mereka akan bertangguh untuk itu, melainkan segera."
(ujung ayat 14)
Artinya, jika musuh yang menang itu menyuruh mereka murtad kembali, di saat itu juga mereka akan murtad. Mereka tidak akan bertangguh dan tidak akan berpikir-pikir lagi. Karena yang ingin mereka selamatkan bukanlah aqidah untuk inti sejati dari hidup.
Yang ingin mereka pertahankan hanya semata-mata keselamatan diri sendiri, supaya bisa hidup terus. Meskipun hidup dalam kehinaan di bawah pengaruh musuh.
“Dan sesungguhnya mereka telah berbuat janji dengan Allah dari sebelum itu, agar tidak mereka memalingkan punggung."
(pangkal ayat 15)
Sejak semula mereka telah mengikat janji dengan Allah ﷻ akan mempertahankan aqi-dah dan memperjuangkannya. Berjanji tidak akan lari atau mundur barang setapak pun jika tiba masanya berhadapan dengan musuh, tidak akan lari dari medan pertempuran, namun segala janji itu telah mereka mungkiri sendiri karena takut, karena pengecut dan karena tidak ada pendirian.
“Dan janji Allah adalah akan dipertanggungjawabkan."
(ujung ayat 15)
Tentang teguh memegang janji ini, sebagai perlengkapan dari keteguhan iman, dan bahwa iman tidaklah ada artinya kalau janji sudah dimungkiri, telah berkali-kali dinyatakan Allah ﷻ pada kesempatan-kesempatan yang lain.
“Katakanlah! “(Hai Rasul Allah), “Sekali-kali tidaklah akan bermanfaat kepada kamu lari itu, Jika kamu lari dan maut dan terbunuh."
(pangkal ayat 16)
Artinya meskipun ke mana kamu akan lari mengelak dari maut karena takut menghadapinya, tidaklah akan ada manfaatnya. Demikian juga tidaklah kamu akan dapat mengelak dari mati terbunuh, kalau kamu sudah mesti menempuh itu.
“Dan kalau begitu," — yaitu kalau kamu lari juga mengelakkan mati; ‘Tidaklah kamu akan mengecap kesenangan, melainkan sedikit."
(ujung ayat 16)
Dalam hal ini telah dibayangkan dengan tegas, bahwa Islam itu mesti menang juga, ke mana pun kamu akan lari. Di sini telah terbayang, bahwa Madinah tidak akan dapat diserbu oleh musuh.
The Covenant of the Prophets
Allah tells us about the five Mighty Messengers with strong resolve and the other Prophets, how He took a covenant from them to establish the religion of Allah and convey His Message, and to cooperate and support one another, as Allah says:
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَـقَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ لَمَأ ءَاتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَـبٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَأءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُوْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُ قَالَ ءَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَى ذلِكُمْ إِصْرِى قَالُواْ أَقْرَرْنَا قَالَ فَاشْهَدُواْ وَأَنَاْ مَعَكُمْ مِّنَ الشَّـهِدِينَ
And when Allah took the covenant of the Prophets, saying:
Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah, and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him.
Allah said:Do you agree, and will you take up My covenant!
They said:We agree.
He said:Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses. (3:81)
This covenant was taken from them after their missions started.
Elsewhere in the Qur'an, Allah mentions five by name, and these are the Mighty Messengers with strong resolve. They are also mentioned by name in this Ayah and in the Ayah:
شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ الِدِينِ مَا وَصَّى بِهِ نُوحاً وَالَّذِى أَوْحَيْنَأ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى أَنْ أَقِيمُواْ الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُواْ فِيهِ
He (Allah) has ordained for you the same religion which He ordained for Nuh, and that which We have revealed to you, and that which We ordained for Ibrahim, Musa and `Isa saying you should establish religion and make no divisions in it. (42:13)
This is the covenant which Allah took from them, as He says:
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِيثَاقَهُمْ وَمِنكَ وَمِن نُّوحٍ وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ
And when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you, and from Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, and `Isa son of Maryam.
This Ayah begins with the last Prophet, as a token of respect, may the blessings of Allah be upon him, then the names of the other Prophets are given in order, may the blessings of Allah be upon them.
وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُم مِّيثَاقًا غَلِيظًا
We took from them a strong covenant.
Ibn Abbas said:
The strong covenant is Al-`Ahd (the covenant)
لِيَسْأَلَ الصَّادِقِينَ عَن صِدْقِهِمْ
That He may ask the truthful about their truth.
Mujahid said:
This refers to, those who convey the Message from the Messengers.
وَأَعَدَّ لِلْكَافِرِينَ
And He has prepared for the disbelievers. i.e., among their nations,
عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا
a painful torment.
i.e., agonizing.
We bear witness that the Messengers did indeed convey the Message of their Lord and advised their nations, and that they clearly showed them the truth in which there is no confusion, doubt or ambiguity, even though they were rejected by the ignorant, stubborn and rebellious wrongdoers. What the Messengers brought is the truth, and whoever opposes them is misguided. As the people of Paradise will say:
لَقَدْ جَأءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ
Indeed, the Messengers of our Lord did come with the truth. (7:43
The Campaign of the Confederates (Al-Ahzab)
Allah tells us of the blessings and favors He bestowed upon His believing servants when He diverted their enemies and defeated them in the year when they gathered together and plotted. That was the year of Al-Khandaq, in Shawwal of the year 5 AH according to the well-known correct view.
Musa bin Uqbah and others said that it was in the year 4 AH.
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 Khyber, 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.
They promised that they would give them help and support, and Quraysh agreed to that. Then they went to the Ghatafan tribe with the same call, and they responded too. The Quraysh came out with their company of men from various tribes and their followers, under the leadership of Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb. The Ghatafan were led by Uyaynah bin Hisn bin Badr. In all they numbered nearly ten thousand.
When the Messenger of Allah heard that they had set out, he commanded the Muslims to dig a ditch (Khandaq) around Al-Madinah from the east. This was on the advice of Salman Al-Farisi, may Allah be pleased with him.
So the Muslims did this, working hard, and the Messenger of Allah worked with them, carrying earth away and digging, in the process of which there occurred many miracles and clear signs.
The idolators came and made camp to the north of Al-Madinah, near Uhud, and some of them camped on the high ground overlooking Al-Madinah, as Allah says:
إِذْ جَاوُوكُم مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ
(When they came upon you from above you and from below you),
The Messenger of Allah came out with the believers, who numbered nearly three thousand, or it was said that they numbered seven hundred. They had their backs towards (the mountain of) Sal` and were facing the enemy, and the ditch, in which there was no water, was between the two groups, preventing the cavalry and infantry from reaching them. The women and children were in the strongholds of Al-Madinah.
Banu Qurayzah, who were a group among the Jews, had a fortress in the south-east of Al-Madinah, and they had made a treaty with the Prophet and were under his protection. They numbered nearly eight hundred fighters. Huyay bin Akhtab An-Nadari went to them and kept trying to persuade them until they broke the treaty and went over to the side of the Confederates against the Messenger of Allah. The crisis deepened and things got worse, as Allah says:
هُنَالِكَ ابْتُلِيَ الْمُوْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُوا زِلْزَالاً شَدِيدًا
(There, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking). (33:11)
They besieged the Prophet and his Companions for almost a month, but they did not reach them and there was no fighting between them, except for when `Amr bin Abd Wadd Al-Amiri, who was one of the most famous and bravest horsemen of the Jahiliyyah, came with some other horsemen, and crossed the ditch to the Muslim side.
The Messenger of Allah called for the Muslim cavalry, and it was said that no one came forward. Then he called Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, who came forward and they fought in single combat until Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, killed him, and this was a sign of imminent victory.
Then Allah sent an intensely cold wind with strong gusts against the Confederates, and they were left with no tents or anything else; they could not light any fires or do anything, and so they departed, disappointed and defeated, as Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَاءتْكُمْ جُنُودٌ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا وَجُنُودًا
O you who believe! Remember Allah's favor to you, when there came against you hosts, and We sent against them a wind and forces.
Mujahid said:This was the easterly wind.
This view is supported by another Hadith:
نُصِرْتُ بِالصَّبَا وَأُهْلِكَتْ عَادٌ بِالدَّبُور
I was given victory by the easterly wind, and `Ad were destroyed by the westerly wind.
وَجُنُودًا
لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا
and forces that you ﷺ not.
This refers to the angels who shook them and cast fear and terror into their hearts.
The chief of each tribe said, O Banu so-and-so, to me! So they gathered around him, and he said, Let us save ourselves, when Allah cast fear and terror into their hearts.
In his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Ibrahim At-Taymi said that his father said:
We were with Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him, and a man said to him:`If I had met the Messenger of Allah I would have fought alongside him and I would have striven my utmost.'
Hudhayfah said to him:`Would you really have done that?
I was present with the Messenger of Allah during (the campaign) against the Confederates on a very cold and windy night, and the Messenger of Allah said:
أَلَا رَجُلٌ يَأْتِي بِخَبَرِ الْقَوْمِ يَكُونُ مَعِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة
(Is there any man who will bring me news of the people; He will be with me on the Day of Resurrection).
None of us answered him, and he repeated it a second and a third time. Then he said:
يَاحُذَيْفَةُ قُمْ فَأْتِنَا بِخَبَرٍ مِنَ الْقَوْم
(O Hudhayfah, get up and bring us news of the people).
When he called me by name, I had no choice but to get up. He said,
ايْتِنِي بِخَبَرِ الْقَوْمِ وَلَاتَذْعَرْهُمْ عَلَي
(Bring us news of the people, but do not alarm them).
So I went, walking as if I were walking among pigeons, until I came to them. I ﷺ Abu Sufyan warming his back by the fire, and I put an arrow in my bow, wanting to shoot it at him, then I remembered what the Messenger of Allah said,
وَلَاتَذْعَرْهُمْ عَلَي
(Do not alarm them).
If I shot the arrow, I would have hit him. So I came back, again walking as if I were walking among pigeons, and I came to the Messenger of Allah. After my returning I began to feel very cold. I told the Messenger of Allah and he gave me to wear a spare cloak of his which he used to pray in. I slept until morning came, and when morning came, the Messenger of Allah said,
قُمْ يَانَوْمَان
(Get up, O sleepy one!)'
And Allah says,
وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا
And Allah is Ever All-Seer of what you do.
Then Allah says
إِذْ جَاوُوكُم مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ
When they came upon you from above you,
refers to the Confederates,
وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ
and from below you.
We have already noted the report from Abu Hudhayfah that these were Banu Qurayzah.
وَإِذْ زَاغَتْ الاْإَبْصَارُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ
and when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats,
means, from intense fear and terror.
وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَا
and you were harboring doubts about Allah.
Ibn Jarir said:
Some of those who were with the Messenger of Allah, had doubts and thought that the outcome would be against the believers, and that Allah would allow that to happen.
Muhammad bin Ishaq said concerning the Ayah:
وَإِذْ زَاغَتْ الاْإَبْصَارُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَا
(when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harboring doubts about Allah),
The believers had all kinds of doubts, and hypocrisy emerged to such an extent that Mu`attib bin Qushayr, the brother of Banu `Amr bin `Awf said:`Muhammad was promising us that we would win the treasure of Chosroes and Caesar, but one of us cannot even go and relieve himself.'
Al-Hasan said concerning the Ayah:
وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَا
(and you were harboring doubts about Allah),
There were different kinds of thoughts; the hypocrites thought that Muhammad and his Companions would be eliminated, while the believers were certain that what Allah and His Messenger promised was true, and that He would cause the religion to prevail even if the idolators hated it.
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Sa`id, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
On the day of Al-Khandaq, we said:`O Messenger of Allah, is there anything we should say, for our hearts have reached our throats.'
He said:
نَعَمْ قُولُوا
اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِنَا وَامِنْ رَوْعَاتِنَا
Yes, say:
O Allah, cover our weak points and calm our fears.
Then (Allah) struck the faces of the enemy with the wind, and defeated them with the wind.
This was also recorded by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal from Abu `Amir Al-`Aqadi
How the Believers were tested, and the Position of the Hypocrites during the Battle of Al-Khandaq
Allah tells,
هُنَالِكَ ابْتُلِيَ الْمُوْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُوا زِلْزَالاً شَدِيدًا
There, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking.
Allah tells us what happened when the Confederates surrounded Al-Madinah and the Muslims were besieged and found themselves in straitened circumstances, with the Messenger of Allah in their midst. They were tried and tested, and were shaken with a mighty shaking. At this time hypocrisy emerged, and those in whose hearts was a disease spoke about what they really felt.
وَإِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ مَّا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلاَّ غُرُورًا
And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease said:Allah and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion!
Their hypocrisy became apparent, while the one in whose heart was doubt became weak, and he expressed the ideas that were in his heart because of the weakness of his faith and the difficulty of the situation. And other people said, as Allah tells us
وَإِذْ قَالَت طَّايِفَةٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَا أَهْلَ يَثْرِبَ
And when a party of them said:O people of Yathrib...
meaning Al-Madinah, as it was reported in the Sahih:
أُرِيتُ فِي الْمَنَامِ دَارَ هِجْرَتِكُمْ أَرْضٌ بَيْنَ حَرَّتَيْنِ فَذَهَبَ وَهَلِي أَنَّهَا هَجَرُ فَإِذَا هِيَ يَثْرِب
I was shown in a dream the place to which you will migrate, a land between two lava fields. At first I thought it was Hajar, but it turned out to be Yathrib.
According to another narration:
الْمَدِينَة
(Al-Madinah).
It was said that the origin of its name Yathrib was that a man settled there from (the people of) Al-Amaliq whose name was Yathrib bin Ubayd bin Mahlayil bin `Aws bin Amlaq bin Lawudh bin Iram bin Sam bin Nuh.
This was the view of As-Suhayli.
He said:
And it was narrated from some of them that he said, `It is given eleven names in the Tawrah:Al-Madinah, Tabah, Tayyibah, Al-Miskinah, Al-Jabirah, Al-Muhibbah, Al-Mahbubah, Al-Qasimah, Al-Majburah, Al-`Adhra' and Al-Marhumah.'
لَاا مُقَامَ لَكُمْ
There is no position for you.
means, `here, with the Prophet , you cannot stand guard,'
فَارْجِعُوا
Therefore go back,
means, `to your houses and dwellings'.
وَيَسْتَأْذِنُ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمُ النَّبِيَّ
And a band of them ask for permission of the Prophet,
Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him said,
These were Banu Harithah, who said, `We fear for our homes, that they may be robbed.'
This was also stated by others.
Ibn Ishaq mentioned that the one who said this was `Aws bin Qayzi.
يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ
saying:Truly, our homes lie open.
They were using as an excuse to go back to their houses the claim that they were lying open and had nothing to protect them from the enemy, so they were afraid for their homes. But Allah said:
وَمَا هِيَ بِعَوْرَةٍ
And they lay not open.
meaning, it is not as they claim.
إِن يُرِيدُونَ إِلاَّ فِرَارًا
They but wished to flee.
means, they wanted to run away from the battlefield
Allah tells us about those who said:
وَلَوْ دُخِلَتْ عَلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَقْطَارِهَا ثُمَّ سُيِلُوا الْفِتْنَةَ لَاتَوْهَا وَمَا تَلَبَّثُوا بِهَا إِلاَّ يَسِيرًا
وَلَقَدْ كَانُوا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ لَا يُوَلُّونَ الاَْدْبَارَ
And if the enemy had entered from all sides, and they had been exhorted to Al-Fitnah, they would surely have committed it and would have hesitated thereupon but little.
And indeed they had already made a covenant with Allah not to turn their backs,
Allah tells us about those who said:
يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ وَمَا هِيَ بِعَوْرَةٍ إِن يُرِيدُونَ إِلاَّ فِرَارًا
(Truly, our homes lie open. And they lay not open. They but wished to flee).
If the enemy had entered upon them from every side of Al-Madinah and from every direction, then demanded that they become disbelievers, they would have promptly done so. They would not have adhered to their faith or remained steadfast in it if they were faced with the slightest fear.
This is how it was interpreted by Qatadah, Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd and Ibn Jarir.
This is a condemnation of them in the clearest terms. Then Allah reminds them of the promise they had made to Him before this fear struck them, that they would not turn their backs or flee from the battlefield.
وَكَانَ عَهْدُ اللَّهِ مَسْوُولاً
and a covenant with Allah must be answered for.
means, Allah will inevitably ask them about that covenant
قُل لَّن يَنفَعَكُمُ الْفِرَارُ إِن فَرَرْتُم مِّنَ الْمَوْتِ أَوِ الْقَتْلِ
Say:Flight will not avail you if you flee from death or killing,
Then Allah tells them that fleeing from battle will not delay their appointed demise or make their lives any longer; on the contrary, it may be the cause of their being taken sooner, and in a sudden manner.
Allah says:
وَإِذًا لاَّ تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلًإ
and then you will enjoy no more than a little while!
meaning, `after you run away and flee from battle.'
قُلْ مَتَـعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ اتَّقَى
Say:Short is the enjoyment of this world. The Hereafter is better for him who have Taqwa! (4:77)
Then Allah says:
قُلْ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَعْصِمُكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ سُوءًا أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ رَحْمَةً وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا
Say:
Who is he who can protect you from Allah if He intends to harm you, or intends mercy on you!
And they will not find, besides Allah, for themselves any protector or any helper.
meaning, they have no one else except Allah to respond to their cries
Allah tells,
قَدْ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُعَوِّقِينَ مِنكُمْ وَالْقَايِلِينَ لاِِخْوَانِهِمْ
Allah already knows those among you who keep back (men) from fighting (in Allah's cause), and those who say to their brethren,
Allah tells us that His knowledge encompasses those who sought to tell others not to go out and who said to their brethren, meaning their companions, friend and acquaintances,
...
هَلُمَّ إِلَيْنَا
Come here towards us,
meaning, come to where we are in the shade and enjoying fruits. But in spite of that,
...
وَلَا يَأْتُونَ الْبَأْسَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً
أَشِحَّةً عَلَيْكُمْ
they come not to the battle except a little, being miserly towards you.
i.e., `they are mean and have no love or mercy towards you.'
As-Suddi said:
أَشِحَّةً عَلَيْكُمْ
(Being miserly towards you). means, with the booty.
فَإِذَا جَاء الْخَوْفُ رَأَيْتَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ تَدُورُ أَعْيُنُهُمْ كَالَّذِي يُغْشَى عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ
Then when fear comes, you will see them looking to you, their eyes revolving like one over whom hovers death;
means, because of the intensity of their fear and terror; this is how afraid these cowards are of fighting.
فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ الْخَوْفُ سَلَقُوكُم بِأَلْسِنَةٍ حِدَادٍ
but when the fear departs, they will smite you with sharp tongues,
means, when security is restored, they will speak eloquently and nicely, claiming that they were the bravest and most chivalrous of men, but they are lying.
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
سَلَقُوكُم
(they will smite you) means,
they will start to talk about you.
Qatadah said:
But when it comes to the booty, the most miserly of people and the worst to have to share the booty with are those who say, `Give us, give us, we were there with you,' but during battle they were the most cowardly and the most likely to fail to support the truth.
أَشِحَّةً عَلَى الْخَيْرِ
are miserly towards good,
meaning that there is no goodness in them, for they have combined cowardice with lies and little good.
Allah says:
أُوْلَيِكَ لَمْ يُوْمِنُوا فَأَحْبَطَ اللَّهُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرًا
Such have not believed. Therefore Allah makes their deeds fruitless and that is ever easy for Allah
Another aspect of their abhorrent attribute of cowardice and fear:
Allah tells;
يَحْسَبُونَ الاَْحْزَابَ لَمْ يَذْهَبُوا
They think that the Confederates have not yet withdrawn;
and that they are still close by and will return.
وَإِن يَأْتِ الاْإَحْزَابُ يَوَدُّوا لَوْ أَنَّهُم بَادُونَ فِي الاْإَعْرَابِ يَسْأَلُونَ عَنْ أَنبَايِكُمْ
and if the Confederates should come, they would wish they were in the deserts among the Bedouins, seeking news about you;
means, `if the Confederates should come back, they hope that they will not be present with you in Al-Madinah, but that they will be in the desert, asking about news of you and what happened to you with your enemy.'
وَلَوْ كَانُوا فِيكُم مَّا قَاتَلُوا إِلاَّ قَلِيلً
and if they were to be among you, they would not fight but little. means,
`if they are among you, they will not fight alongside you very much,' because they are so cowardly and weak, and have so little faith, but Allah knows best about them
The Command to follow the Messenger
This Ayah is an important principle, to follow the Messenger of Allah in all his words, and deeds, etc. Hence Allah commanded the people to take the Prophet as an example on the day of Al-Ahzab, with regard to patience, guarding, striving and waiting for Allah to provide the way out; may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him forever, until the Day of Judgement.
Allah says to those who were anxious and impatient and were shaken by feelings of panic on the day of Al-Ahzab:
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ
Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow,
meaning, `why do you not take him as an example and follow his lead'
Allah says:
لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الاْخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا
for him who hopes in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.
The Attitude of the Believers towards the Confederates
Then Allah tells us about His believing servants who believed Allah's promise to them and how He will make the consequences good for them in this world and in the Hereafter.
He says
وَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُوْمِنُونَ الاَْحْزَابَ قَالُوا هَذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَصَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
And when the believers ﷺ the Confederates, they said:This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us; and Allah and His Messenger had spoken the truth.
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and Qatadah said:
They mean what Allah said in Surah Al-Baqarah:
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَأءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ
Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you!
They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, When (will come) the help of Allah!
Yes! Certainly, the help of Allah is near! (2:214)
meaning, `this is the trial and test that Allah and His Messenger promised us would be followed by the help and victory of Allah that is near.'
Allah says:
وَصَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
(and Allah and His Messenger had spoken the truth).
وَمَا زَادَهُمْ إِلاَّ إِيمَانًا وَتَسْلِيمًا
And it only added to their faith and to their submissiveness.
This indicates that faith can increase and strengthen in accordance with people's circumstances, as the majority of scholars stated:faith can increase and decrease.
We have stated this at the beginning of our commentary on Al-Bukhari, praise be to Allah.
وَمَا زَادَهُمْ
(And it only added) means, at that time of stress and difficulty.
إِلاَّ إِيمَانًا
(to their faith) in Allah,
وَتَسْلِيمًا
(and to their submissiveness). means their submission to His commands and their obedience to His Messenger.
And, mention, when the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is sickness, namely, weakness of conviction, were saying, 'What God and His Messenger promised us, of assistance [to victory], was [nothing] but delusion', falsehood.
Hypocrites throw taunts at Muslims for believing in their Prophet's promises
At that time, the hypocrites who were part of the digging operations of the trench, started asking other Muslims, 'It is strange that you people are not surprised at what Muhammad is telling you. Is it not that he is making all those baseless promises to you in the depth of this trench being dug in Yathrib where he is claiming to be seeing the palaces of Hirah (in the South) and Mada'in (in the North)? And on top of it all, he is telling you that it is you people who are going to conquer them! Just look at yourself. Here you are, digging and digging, forgetful of all your needs. Frankly, you do not even have the time to take care of your human compulsions. Still, is it you who are going to conquer the countries of Cyrus and others?' Thereupon, it was about this very event that, in the twelfth verse cited above, it was revealed:
وَاِذْ يَقُوْلُ الْمُنٰفِقُوْنَ وَالَّذِيْنَ فِيْ قُلُوْبِهِمْ مَّرَضٌ مَّا وَعَدَنَا اللّٰهُ وَرَسُوْلُهٗٓ اِلَّا غُرُوْرًا
(And (remember) when the hypocrites and those having malady in their hearts were saying, "Allah and His messenger did not promise us but deceitfully; - 12). Here, in this verse, by saying: الَّذِيْنَ فِيْ قُلُوْبِهِمْ مَّرَضٌ
those having malady in their hearts), reference is being made to the state of the same hypocrites hidden in whose hearts there was that disease of hypocrisy.
Just imagine the kind of time it was, a severe trial indeed. At stake was the very faith of Muslims for they had to believe in the word of the Holy Prophet ﷺ with the full backing of their mind and heart despite being threatened by disbelievers from all sides. They had no servants to dig their trench for them. They were doing this hard work with their own hands braving the lashing winter. The unfriendly weather, the approaching enemy factor, theirs was a general climate of fear all around. In a situation like that, it was not easy to be sure of even one's defence and survival within whatever means were available. How could they go on from here and start believing in the good news of the conquests of the great kingdoms of Byzantine and Persia? But, the value of 'Iman (faith) is the highest of all deeds for the reason that they, even when facing totally contrary causes and conditions, did not have the least doubt or qualm of conscience about what the Holy Prophet t had told them.
Seniors must share every trial with their juniors - Great guidance for Muslims
Who does not know that the Sahabah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ were such selfless servants of the Holy Prophet t that they never wanted to have him do the hard labor of digging the trench with them, but it was the personal initiative of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that he chose to share this hard labor with his noble companions to mollify their hearts and teach them their essential lesson to put mutual brotherhood to practice. Of course, the noble companions staked their lives for the Holy Prophet ﷺ on the basis of his most perfect attributes as prophet and messenger of Allah, but of the many outward causes for this attachment, there was this major cause that he would be with them on all occasions facing all sorts of trials and pains like everybody else. When he did that, nobody ever thought of what we know as a class difference. There was no ruler and there was no one being ruled. There was no king around and there was no subject paying homage. Who was the man in power and who was the man from the masses? This kind of difference was unimaginable at that time. Unfortunately, from the time the Muslim wielders of power abandoned this Sunnah (the blessed practice of the Holy Prophet ﷺ) that, was the time these differences gushed forth bringing all sorts of tests and trials in their wake.
The master prescription of achieving success against something hard to accomplish
In the event mentioned above, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has recited the verse of the Qur'an: وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَّعَدْلًا ۭلَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمٰتِهٖ (And the Word of your Lord is perfect in truth and justice. None is there to change His Words - al-An` am, 6:115) while striking at this invincible rock. This tells us that the recitation of this verse is a tested prescription for the resolution of something difficult.
The selfless mutual cooperation of the noble Sahabah
We already know that there were ten men appointed for the digging of the trench at every ten yards. But, it is obvious that some people are stronger and can finish their job sooner than others. The same was true here. The noble Sahabah who finished their allotted portion of digging would never go on to sit doing nothing and thinking that their duty was over. In fact, they would help out other Sahabah whose portion of digging was still incomplete. (Qurtubi, Mazhari)
Three and a half mile long trench was completed in six days
The outcome of the hard work put in by the noble Sahabah, may Allah be pleased with them all, was before everybody in six days in that such a long, wide and deep trench stood all completed within that short period of time. (Mazhari)
An open miracle in the feast hosted by Sayyidna Jabir
It was during the digging of this very trench that the well known event came to pass. On one of those days, when Sayyidna Jabir ؓ looked at the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، he felt deep down in his heart that he was really affected by hunger. He went to his wife and told her, "If you have something with you, cook it. I simply cannot bear by seeing this effect of hunger on his blessed person." His wife said, "We have about a sa` of barley grains in our home. I am going to grind them and make some flour." One sa` is equal to about three and a half kilograms in terms of our weights. So, his wife got busy with the grinding of barley, making flour, preparing dough and baking bread. There was a goat kid in the house. Sayyidna Jabir ؓ slaughtered it, cooked the meat and was ready to go out and invite the Holy Prophet ﷺ in when his wife called out to him saying, "Look, there is a crowd of the Sahabah with the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Do something and somehow invite only the Holy Prophet alone. Please, do not put me to disgrace by causing such a big crowd of the noble Sahabah come in with the Holy Prophet ﷺ ." Sayyidna Jabir ؓ ، acting realistically, made the actual situation fully clear before the Holy Prophet ﷺ telling him that they had only that much of food in the house. But, as for the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، he made a public announcement before the entire work force asking everyone to come to the feast at Sayyidna Jabir's ؓ home. Sayyidna Jabir ؓ was struck with wonder. When he reached home, his wife was extremely disturbed. She asked, "Did you tell the Holy Prophet ﷺ about the actual situation at home and the amount of food available?" Sayyidna Jabir ؓ said, "Yes, that I have told him." This put his wife at peace and she said, "Then we have nothing to worry about. The Holy Prophet ﷺ is our master. Let him have it the way he wishes."
Any more detail of the event is unnecessary at this place. It is enough to know the outcome that the Holy Prophet ﷺ took it upon himself to distribute the bread and curry to everybody with his own blessed hands and see that they are entertained and fed satisfactorily. As a result, the whole crowd ate to their fill. And Sayyidna Jabir ؓ says that "even after everybody having finished eating, our stock pot showed no dearth of meat, nor our kneaded flour any signs of decrease. All of us in the family ate to our heart's content and whatever remained we sent to the neighbours."
Thus, when the digging of the trench was finished within six days, the Confederate army arrived and the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his noble Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, went into battle formation with the Mount of Sal' thoughtfully kept towards their rear.
The Jews of the tribe of Bani Quraizah break their pledge and join the Confederate aggressors
That was a time when a group of three thousand ill-equipped people standing up to fight against an equipped army of some ten to twelve thousand men was something far too wild to believe. On top of all that, there came up a new factor. Out of the Confederate forces, Huyayy Ibn Akhtab, the chief of the tribe of Banu Nadir who had contributed most in rallying everyone against the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his Muslim followers, took another step. He reached Madinah and conspired to win over the Jewish tribe of Banu Quraizah over their side. The situation was that Banu Quraizah and the Holy Prophet ﷺ already had a peace treaty signed between them. This was a solemn undertaking and the two parties naturally had no apprehensions from each other. Ka` b Ibn Asad was the chief of the tribe of Banu Quraizah. Huyayy Ibn Akhtab went to see him. When Ka'b heard about his reported arrival, he had the gate of his castle closed, so that this man would not reach him. But, Huyayy Ibn Akhtab hanged out there, he called and called and insisted that the gate be opened. Ka'b told him from inside the gate, "We have already made a peace treaty with Muhammad ﷺ and we know of nothing from his side other than truth, honesty and strict adherence to the treaty right to this day, therefore, we are bound with this treaty and cannot join hands with you." For long, this dialogue between the two continued with Huyayy Ibn Akhtab insisting that the gate be opened and that Ka'b should talk to him and the later kept refusing to do that while staying inside the closed gate. But, consequently when Huyayy Ibn Akhtab challenged Ka'b's sense of shame in that he was treating a visitor in such a crude manner, the gate was opened. Once called in, Huyayy Ibn Akhtab painted such a rosy picture of his proposals that Ka` b ultimately fell into the trap laid out by him and gave his word that he would take part in the Confederate expedition. When Ka'b related what he had done before other chiefs of his tribe, they all said in one voice, "You did something terrible. You broke your pledge with Muslims for no reason whatsoever and that by going along with the other side you have exposed your own self to danger." Ka'b too was affected by their comments and even repented for what he had done. But, things had gone out of his control by that time and this very pledge-breaking finally went on to become the cause of the destruction of Banu Quraizah as it would be mentioned later.
At that particular time, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Sahabah got this information, they were shocked by this breach of trust from Banu Quraizah. What worried them most was the strange situation created for them. They had a trench dug across the line of the marching forces of the Confederates who were coming from outside Madinah. But, these Banu Quraizah people were right there inside Madinah. How were they going to defend against them? About this when the Qur'an says that the disbelieving forces of the Confederate army had overtaken you: مِّنْ فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ اَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ (from above you and from below you -10), Tafsir authorities say that the expression: فَوق (from above) means the Banu Quraizah and those who came from below them (اَسفَل) mean the rest of the Confederates.
To find out the reality of this breach of trust and to assess the correct situation in the whole matter, the Holy Prophet ﷺ sent a deputation comprising Sayyidna Sa'd Ibn Mu’ adh ؓ ، the chief of the Ansar tribe of Aws and Sayyidna Sa'd Ibn ` Ubadah, the chief of the tribe of Khazraj, to Ka` b in order to talk to him about the matter. The instruction given to them was that should the event of this breach of trust turn out to be incorrect, they were to tell the whole truth before all the Sahabah openly. And should it turn out to be true, they should, on their return, say something ambivalent which will be a message only we shall understand while the rest of the Sahabah will remain safe from facing any panic because of it.
When both these elders named Sa'd reached there, they ﷺ open proofs of the breach of pledge all over which even went to the extent of hot exchanges of words between them and Ka'b. On their return, following the instructions given to them earlier, they reported back their findings in unclear words and thus informed the Holy Prophet ﷺ that the event of the breaking of the pledge was true.
At the time when the Jewish tribe of Banu Quraizah, once an ally of Muslims, also joined the war against them, something else started happening. The hypocrisy of people who posed to be a part of the Muslim community lost its cover. Some of them became far too vocal and started saying things against the Holy Prophet ﷺ as was mentioned earlier in: وَاِذْ يَقُوْلُ الْمُنٰفِقُوْنَ (and when said the hypocrites - 12). Then, they were others who cooked up all sorts of excuses to run away from the battlefield and sought the permission of the Holy Prophet ﷺ to do that - which has been mentioned in verse 13: اِنَّ بُيُوْتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ (Our homes are vulnerable).
Now according to the present state of the battle front, the Confederate forces could not march in because of the trench with the Muslim army positioned on the other side. There was almost a continuous exchange of arrows between them all the time. This state of affairs dragged on for nearly a month. They could neither confront each other in some open or decisive battle, nor could they turn heedless towards the opponent for any extended period of time. Day and night, the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his noble Sahabah would stand guard by the trench. Although, the Holy Prophet ﷺ was personally involved in this hard task like everybody else, yet the thought that all his companions were suffering from extreme anxiety due to this impasse was very painful for him.
A strategic plan of the Holy Prophet ﷺ
It was already in the knowledge of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that the chief of the tribe of Ghitfan had joined hands with these Jews as tempted by the greed of having the fruits and dates of Khaibar. He sent an emissary to the two chiefs of the tribe of Ghitfan, ` Uyaynah 'Ibn Hisn and Abu al-Harith Ibn ` Amr, with the message: "If you leave the battlefield with your men, we shall give you one-third of the fruit of Madinah." This negotiation was still on. The two chief had agreed and a peace treaty was close to be signed. But, as was his wont and habit, the Holy Prophet ﷺ decided to consult the noble Sahabah in this matter. He called the two Sa'ds, the chiefs of the tribe of Aws and Khazraj, that is, Sayyidna Sa'd Ibn ` Ubadah and Sa'd Ibn Muadh, and sought their advice.
The Faith, the Sense of Shame and the Granite of a Determination shown by a Sahabi of the Rasul of Allah ﷺ
Both of them said, "Ya RasulAllah, if you have orders from Allah Ta’ ala to do this thing, then, we cannot dare say anything. We shall accept. If not, tell us: Is it your personal opinion or you have devised this as a measure to save us from all this hardship and suffering?"
The Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "Neither is there a Divine order for it, nor do I have any personal inclination to do so. In fact, I have come up with this via media in view of your pain and suffering because you are surrounded from all sides. So, I simply wished to shatter the power of the adversary in this manner without losing any time." Sayyidna Sa'd Ibn Mu` adh ؓ said, "Ya RasulAllah, when we worshipped idols, we did neither know Allah nor did we worship Him. At that time, these people could not dare look at a single fruit of our city with greedy eyes - except that they be our guests and we offer some of it to them by way of hospitality, or that they would buy it from us and take it away with them. Today, when Allah Ta’ ala has, in His infinite grace, given us the ability of knowing Him, and has bestowed upon us the honor of Islam, shall we, on this day, let these people have our fruits and our wealth and our properties? We need no peace and compromise from them. As for us, we are not going to give them anything but the cutting edge of our swords - to the extent that Allah Ta’ ala Himself gives the ultimate verdict between us and them."
When the Holy Prophet ﷺ heard Sayyidna Sa'd ؓ and ﷺ this high determination and this great enthusiasm in the matter of his 'Iman, he cast that thought of his aside and said, "You now have the right to do what you wish." Sayyidna Sa` d ؓ took the peace treaty document from his blessed hands and erased the writing on it because it was not signed yet. ` Uyaynah and Harith, the chiefs of the Ghitfan tribes who were present in the meeting ready to sign this treaty found themselves personally unnerved in their hearts at this demonstration of power and determination from the noble Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .
The wound received by Sayyidna Sa'd Ibn Mu'adh ؓ and his prayer
On the other side, the activity of throwing arrows and stones on each other continued unabated. Sayyidna Sa'd ؓ had gone into the fortress of Banu Harithah to see his mother where women had been housed under security. Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ says, "At that time, I too was in the same fortress and the injunctions of hijab for women were yet to be enforced. I ﷺ that Sa'd Ibn Mu'adh ؓ was wearing a small coat of mail from which his hands were protruding out rather awkwardly and his mother was telling him to make haste, go and join the men fighting with the Holy Prophet ﷺ . I said to his mother, "A larger coat of mail would have been better for him. I apprehend that his hands and feet showing out of his coat of mail may be exposed to danger." His mother said, "It does not matter. Whatever Allah has to do is what has to happen."
When Sayyidna Mu'adh ؓ reached the battlefield, he was hit by an arrow which cut through his medial arm vein. At that time, Sayyidna Mu'adh رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ made the following prayer:
"0 Allah, if there is yet another attack by the Quraish destined to come against the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، please keep me alive for that, because I have no worthwhile wish left in me but that I fight the people who have caused all sorts of pain to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، expelled him from his homeland and falsified his person and mission. And if, in Your ultimate knowledge, this process of war has come to an end, please bless me with the death of a martyr in the way of Allah - but, let not death come to me until such time that the treachery of Bani Quraizah is avenged as the parting delight of my eyes."
Allah Ta’ ala answered both these prayers from him. This event of al-Ahzab was made to be the last attack of the disbelievers. After that, began the period of Muslim victories. First came Khaibar, then Makkah al-Mukarramah and then other areas. As for the event relating to Banu Quraizah, it follows later as to how they were brought forth as captives and their case was entrusted with none else but Sayyidna Sa'd Ibn Mu` adh ؓ for the final verdict. It was in accordance with his verdict that their men were killed and their women and children were taken prisoners.
During this event of al-Ahzab, the noble Sahabah ؓ and the Holy Prophet ﷺ had to maintain an all-night vigilance throughout the trench area. The slightest relaxation at any time had to be broken at the faintest sound of commotion from any side. In fact, the Holy Prophet ﷺ would himself put his arms back on and come out in the battle area. Umm ul-Mu'minin Sayyidah Umm Salamah ؓ says, "Every single night, this would happen several times that he would come in for a little rest and then heard some sound and went out immediately. The same thing happened again. The moment he would put his back for rest, he would hear some sound and leave as usual."
Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah Umm Salamah ؓ ، also says, "I have been with the Holy Prophet ﷺ in many battles such as Muraisi', Khaibar, Hudaibiyah, the battles of the conquest of Makkah and Hunain. None of these caused more hardship on the Holy Prophet ﷺ as did the battle of Khandaq. Muslims also received a lot more wounds in this battle. Then, they were hit by the severity of the winter chill as well. Furthermore, their circumstances were extremely straightened in terms of food and water available to them. (Mazhari)
The Holy Prophet ﷺ had to miss four Salahs in this Jihad
One of those days, the confronting disbelievers decided to launch a joint and simultaneous attack and force their way ahead by somehow crossing the trench. Once they had resolved to do that, they threw themselves dauntlessly against the Muslims and their archers rained their arrows so incessantly that the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his noble Sahabah ؓ had to remain so engaged throughout the day that they did not find any respite to even make their Salah. As a result, four Salahs missed during the day had to be performed at the time of ` Isha'.
The prayers of the Holy Prophet ﷺ
When things became unbearably hard on Muslims, the Holy Prophet ﷺ prayed against the Confederate forces of the disbelievers, doing that for three days consecutively on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday inside Masjid al-Fath imploring Allah Ta’ ala to bring defeat on the Confederates and victory for Muslims. It was on the third day, on Wednesday between Zuhr and ` Asr that the prayer was answered. Pleased, the Holy Prophet ﷺ came to his noble Sahabah ؓ and gave them the glad tiding of victory. They say that after that time no Muslim faced any hardship any more. (Mazhari)
The unraveling of the causes of victory
In the combined forces of the enemy, the tribe of Ghitfan was a power to reckon with. It was the most perfect power of Allah Ta’ ala that put the light of faith in the heart of Nu'aim Ibn Masud who, as destiny would have it, was one of them. He presented himself before the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، confessed to his faith in Islam and told him that no one from among his people is aware of the fact that he has become a Muslim. Then, he wished that he be told as to how he could serve Islam. The Holy Prophet ﷺ told him, ` You being all alone here would not be able to do anything worthwhile. If you can go back to your people, be with them and still do something in defence of Islam, then, go ahead and do it.' Nu'aim Ibn Mas'ud was an intelligent man. He conceived of a plan of action in his heart and sought the permission of the Holy Prophet ﷺ to be given the choice of saying what is expedient when he reaches those people. He gave the permission.
From here, Nu'aim Ibn Masud ؓ went to see the tribe of Banu Quraizah with whom he had age-old relations since the time of Jahiliyyah. He said to them: '0 people of Banu Quraizah, you know that I am an old friend of yours.' They said, 'We have, no doubt about your friendship.' After that, Sayyidna Nu'aim Ibn Masud ؓ addressed the chiefs of Banu Quraizah as a well-wisher and asked them, 'You know that none of us be they the Quraish of Makkah or our tribe of Ghitfan or the several other Jewish tribes - have their homes here. If these people face defeat and run, they do not lose much. Your case is different from all of them. Madinah is your home. Your women and your properties are all here. Now, if you were to participate in the war effort with them and if, later, when these people taste defeat and run, what would happen to you? Would you be able to fight against the Muslims all by yourselves?
Therefore, as one who wishes the best for you, I advise you not to take part in the joint war effort with them until such time that they do not put with you a certain number of their selected chiefs as ransom and guarantee that they would not throw you all at the mercy of Muslims and run.' The people of Banu Quraizah found this advice good. They appreciated it and said so before him.
After that, Nu'aim Ibn Masud ؓ reached the Quraish chiefs and said to them, 'You know that I am your friend and that I have nothing to do with Muhammad t. I have a little bit of information with me. Being one who wishes well for you, it is necessary that I pass on that information to you - of course, on the condition that you will not disclose my name as its source. Here is that information: The Jews of the tribe of Banu Quraizah have now regretted their decision after they had concluded their pact with you. They have sent a message to Muhammad ﷺ about it telling him that they will be willing to go along with him subject to the condition that they would hand over some chiefs of the tribes of Quraish and Ghitfan and that he would then put them to the sword. Once that was done, they would join hands with him and fight against all of them. Muhammad ﷺ has accepted this proposal made by them. Now the Banu Quraizah were going to demand that you put some of your chiefs as ransom with them and it was upto them to figure out what they were going to do in their case.
After that, Nu'aim Ibn Mas` ud ؓ went to his own tribe, Ghitfan and to them, he passed on the same information. Concurrent to this, Abu Sufyan appointed ` Ikrimah Ibn Abi Jahl on behalf of the tribe of Quraish and Warqa' Ibn Ghitfan on behalf of the tribe of Ghitfan to the mission of going to Banu` Quraizah and telling them that their war supplies were diminishing and their men were getting tired of having to fight continuously. So, according to the provision of their pact, they were looking forward to their help and participation. The tribe of Banu Quraizah, acting in the light of 'their' (latest) understanding of the pact, told them that they will not take part in the war effort with them until such time that some chiefs from both of their tribes have been placed in their custody as ransom (guarantee, hostage). ` Ikrimah and Warqa', the two emissaries carried the message back to Abu Sufyan. As a result, the chiefs of Quraish and Ghitfan came to believe that the information given by Sayyidna Nu'aim Ibn Masud ؓ was correct. So they sent a return message to Banu Quraizah telling them that they were not going to let them have any of their men. Now it was up to them. If they wished they could join the war effort with them and if they did not, they were free not to. When Banu Quraizah ﷺ this state of affairs, their belief in what Nu` aim' Ibn Masud ؓ had said became all the more firm. It was in this manner that Allah Ta’ ala caused a rift in the ranks of the enemy through a person who came from their camp and soon after they lost their foothold on the battlefield.
Along with it there came another calamity upon them. Allah Ta’ ala caused a cold stormy wind overtake them which uprooted their tents and blew their cooking pots from their stoves. As for these, they were only outward causes generated by Allah Ta’ ala to make them desert the battlefield. More came in the form of His angels who were sent to put awe in their hearts inwardly too. These two things have been mentioned at the beginning of the verses cited above as follows: فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا وَجُنُودًا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا (and We sent upon them a wind, and the forces (of angels) you did not see - 9). As a consequence, they had no choice but to run.
The event of Sayyidna Hudhaifah ؓ going into enemy lines and reporting back about conditions prevailing there
On the other side, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ heard the report of what Nu'aim Ibn Masud ؓ had accomplished and how a rift was caused among the Confederate forces, he was strongly inclined towards the idea of someone from among the Muslims going into the enemy lines and returning with the much needed intelligence about the enemy formations and intentions. But, this severe and chilly wind storm that was sent upon the enemy, however, did affect the whole of Madinah and Muslims too were affected by it. The chill was bitter. The time was night. The noble Sahabah were, after the heavy grind of a long day, sitting all shattered because of the confrontation, huddled together feeling the pinch of bitter cold. Addressing the gathering, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "Is there someone who would stand up and go into the enemy lines and bring some news about them and may Allah Ta’ ala admit him into Jannah?" Of course, this was a gathering of Sahabah who would have normally staked their lives at his call. But, the objective conditions prevailing with them were such that no one could stand up. The Holy Prophet ﷺ got busy with Salah. After remaining busy with Salah for a while, he addressed the gathering again saying, "Is there someone here who would bring me some news from the enemy lines and receive Jannah in return for it?" This time too, silence prevailed over the entire gathering. No one rose. The Holy Prophet ﷺ got busy with Salah once again. After some time, it was the third time that he made the same appeal, "Whoever does it shall be in Jannah with me." But, everyone was so broken down from fatigue, hunger and chill and so utterly helpless that no one could still bring himself up to rise.
The narrator of the hadith, Sayyidna Hudhaifah Ibn Yaman ؓ ، says, 'at that time the Holy Prophet ﷺ called me by name and said, "Hudhaifah, you go." My condition was no different from the others. But, once I was ordered by name, I had no option but to obey. I stood up while my whole body was shivering with bitter cold. He passed his blessed hand over my head and my face and said, "Go into the enemy lines and just bring back some news and do nothing before you return to me." Then he prayed for my safety. I picked up my bow and arrows, tied up my own clothes on my body and took my way towards them.
When I started moving ahead from here, I noticed something strange. The shivering sensation that had me in its grips while I was in the tent was all gone. Actually, I was walking as if one was inside a hot bath all the way up to enemy camp. Once there, I ﷺ that the wind storm had uprooted their tents and upturned their cooking pots. Abu Sufyan was seated by the make-shift fire place relaxing before the heat. When I ﷺ this (a sitting target), I trained my bow and arrow over my shoulders and was about to shoot Abu Sufyan with my arrow, I remembered the order given by the Holy Prophet ﷺ : 'Do nothing before you return back to me.' Abu Sufyan was absolutely within the striking range of my arrow, but it was in consideration of this order of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that I disengaged my arrow from the bow.
Disturbed by the condition around him, Abu Sufyan wanted to announce the plan to withdraw. But, in order to do that, it was necessary that he should talk to responsible people from among the combined armed forces. The night was dark and the place was desolate. The danger of a snooping spy nearby who may overhear what they were talking about was very much present. Therefore, Abu Sufyan did something smart. Before starting to talk, he asked the whole gathering to recognize the person sitting next to everyone so that no one who is not one of them would be able to hear what they said.'
Sayyidna Hudhaifah ؓ says, "Now, I was scared. What if the person sitting next to me were to ask me: Who are you? If so, my cover will blow up.' It was with great presence of mind and courage that he himself took the initiative, and slapping the hand of the person sitting next to him, he himself asked: Who are you? The man said, 'Strange that you do not know me. I am so and so the son of so and so.' He was a member of the tribe of Hawazin. Thus, Sayyidna Hudhaifah ؓ was saved by Allah Ta'ala from being arrested on the spot.
When Abu Sufyan ensured it that the gathering was that of his own people and that there was no stranger present among them, he related the disturbing conditions around them, how the tribe of Banu Quraizah had committed a breach of pledge and the extent to which their war supplies had shrunk. After having recounted the situation, he said: In my opinion, all of us should now leave and go back and I too am going back. Immediately thereafter, a state of panic hit the Confederate army and everyone started going back.
Sayyidna Hudhaifah ؓ says, "As I started going back from there, I felt as if I had some sort of a hot bath around me that was shielding me from the bitter chill. When I reached the home base, I found the Holy Prophet ﷺ busy with Salah. When he turned for Salam, I reported the event. Pleased with this happy news, the Holy Prophet ﷺ started laughing - to the extent that, in the darkness of the night, his blessed teeth were seen shining. After that, the Holy Prophet ﷺ made room for me close to his feet and covered my body with a part of the sheet he had wrapped around him until I went to sleep in that condition. When morning came, he himself woke me up saying: قُم یا نَومَان ('Up 0 big sleeper! )
Good News after the ambition of the disbelievers is shattered
According to a narration of Sayyidna Sulayman Ibn Surad ؓ appearing in the Sahih of al-Bukhari, when the Confederate forces retreated, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:
الاٰن نغزُوھُم وَ لَا یَغزونَنَا نَحنُ نَسِرُ اِلَیھِم (بخاری)
Now, they shall not attack us, instead, we will attack them and run over their territory - )al-Bukhri as in Mazhari (.
After having said that, the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his noble Sahabah returned to the city of Madinah and it was only after a month that Muslims formally disarmed themselves.
A special note
This event pertaining Sayyidna Hudhaifah ؓ appears in the Sahih of Muslim. It is an example-setter of great class as well as a bearer of many elements of guidance and miracles of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Those who ponder over it would themselves find these out, therefore, any more details are not needed.
The Battle of Banu Quraizah
The Holy Prophet ﷺ had just about reached Madinah when suddenly came Sayyidna Jibra'il al-Amin (علیہ السلام) in the guise of the Sahabi, Sayyidna Dihyah Ibn Khalifah al-Kalbi ؓ and said, "Even though you people have disarmed yourselves but the angels have not. Allah Ta’ ala commands you to attack Banu Quraizah and I am going right there ahead of you."
To announce this in Madinah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ sent a proclaimer who proclaimed this order of the Holy Prophet ﷺ before the people making sure that it reaches everyone. The order was: لَا یُصَلِّینَ اَحَدُ العَصَر اِلَّا فِی بَنِی قُرَیظَۃَ (Let no man make his Salah of ` Asr until he reaches Banu Quraizah).
All Companions got ready for this second Jihad immediately and marched towards Banu Quraizah. On their way came the time of ` Asr. Some of them, following the outward sense of the prophetic order, did not make their Salah of ` Asr en-route - instead, made it only after having reached the designated destination of Banu Quraizah. And there were others who thought that objective of the Holy Prophet ﷺ was to reach Banu Quraizah within the time for ` Asr. So, they thought, if they made their Salah en route and reached there within the time for ` Asr, then, it would not be contrary to the order of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Thus, they made their Salah of ` Asr as it became due while still en route.
In the difference of Mujtahids, no side is sinful or blameworthy
When the Holy Prophet ﷺ was informed about this difference in the practical compliance of his order on the part of the noble Sahabah, he put no blame on any of the two parties; in fact, he approved of both. From here, the religious scholars of the Muslim community have deduced the principle that none of the different sayings of Mujtahid ` Ulama' who are Mujtahids in the real sense of the term and have the required expertise and ability of Ijtihad (arriving at a Shari'ah-based religious solution of problems at the highest conceivable level) can be called 'sin' or 'blameworthy.' For both such differing sides, reward is recorded against their action as based on their respective Ijtihad.
At the time of marching out for Jihad against Banu Quraizah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ handed over the Muslim flag to Sayyidna ` Ali al-Murtada ؓ . Hearing about the coming of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and his noble Sahabah, the Banu Quraizah decided to shut themselves into their fort. The Islamic army laid a siege around it.
The Speech of Ka'b, the Chief of Banu Quraizah
Ka'b, the Chief of the tribe of Banu Quraizah who had broken the pledge given to the Holy Prophet ﷺ in favor of a compact with the Confederates, assembled his people together, told them about the delicate situation and presented three possible solutions of the problem:
"To begin with, the first option is that you all embrace Islam and follow Muhammad ﷺ because, and I tell you on oath, you already know that he is in the right and the prophecy of his coming is there in your Torah which you recite. If you were to do this, not only that you will find safety for your life, property and children in this mortal world but also that your Hereafter too will turn out to be good and correct.
The second option is that you start by first killing your women and children with your own hands and then go on to fight and kill them with all power at your command until such time that all of you are also killed in the process.
The third option is that you make a surprise attack on Muslims on the day of Sabbath - for Muslims know that fighting and killing on the day of Sabbath is unlawful in our religion. Therefore, they would not be expecting an attack from our side on that particular day. Now, if we were to launch a sudden attack, it is possible that we may succeed."
After having heard this address of their chief, Ka'b, his people replied that they will never accept the first option of embracing Islam, because they did not want to abandon the Torah and start believing in some other Book. As for the second option, what wrong had their women and children done that they go about killing them? As for the third option, it was by itself against the commandment of the Torah and their religion. They could not do that too.
After that, all of them reached an agreement that they would lay down their arms before the Holy Prophet ﷺ and be ready to accept whatever he decided about them. Present there were some Ansari Sahabah belonging to the tribe of Aws. They had an age-old pact with Banu Quraizah. So these Sahabah from the tribe of Aws requested the Holy Prophet ﷺ that these people may be handed over to them. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "Would you like me to entrust their case with one of your own chiefs?" When they agreed, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "He is your chief, Sa'd Ibn Mu` adh. I entrust this matter with him for a judgment." Everyone approved of it.
Sayyidna Sa'd Ibn Mu’ adh ؓ was fatally wounded during the battle of Khandaq (the Trench) by an arrow. The Holy Prophet ﷺ had housed him in a tent pegged within the compound of the Masjid so that he could be attended to. According to the order of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، the verdict on the prisoners from Banu Quraizah was left up to him. The verdict that he gave was that the warring young from them should be killed and women, children and the aged should be treated as prisoners of war which is well-recognized in Islam. This very verdict was enforced. Soon after this verdict, the wound of Sayyidna Sa'd Ibn Muadh ؓ started bleeding suddenly. Therefrom he died. Allah Ta’ ala answered both prayers made by him - that there would be no attack from the Quraish against the Holy Prophet ﷺ in the future, and that the Banu Quraizah would receive the punishment for their treachery which Allah caused to come upon them precisely through him.
Some of those earmarked for killing were set free because of having embraced Islam. ` Atiyyah al-Qurazi, well-known among the Sahabah, is one of them. Also among them, there was Zubayr Ibn Bata. His freedom was specially requested from the Holy Prophet ﷺ by the Sahabi, Sayyidna Thabit Ibn Qays Ibn Shammas ؓ . The reason was that Zubayr Ibn Bata had done a favour to him during the days of the Jahiliyyah when, in the battle of Bu` ath, Thabit Ibn Qays had fallen a prisoner in the hands of Zubayr Ibn Bata who had simply cut the locks of his hair on the head and let him go free. He had not killed him.
Return of favour and national pride: Two unique models
After having received the order for the release of Zubayr Ibn Bata, Sayyidna Thabit Ibn Qays went to him and said, "I have done it to return your favor you had done to me during the battle of Bu’ ath." Zubayr Ibn Bata said, "There is no doubt that one gentleman deals with another gentleman just like that. But, please tell me what for would a man whose entire family is no more there like to stay alive?" When Sayyidna Thabit Ibn Qays heard this, he presented himself before the Holy Prophet ﷺ and submitted that the life and honor of his family and children may also be spared. In his grace, he approved of it. When he informed Zubayr Ibn Bata about it, he took another step forward saying, "0 Thabit, now tell me how a man with a family would stay alive if he is left with nothing to support it?" Sayyidna Thabit Ibn Qays returned to the Holy Prophet ﷺ once again and arranged to have whatever wealth or property he had also given back to him. Up to this point, narrated here was the case of the gentleness and gratitude of a true Muslim as demonstrated by Sayyidna Thabit Ibn Qays.
Now, we can go to have a look at what happened on the other side. When Zubayr Ibn Bata was fully satisfied after having earned his freedom and the freedom of his family and children as well as his wealth and property, he asked Sayyidna Thabit Ibn Qays about the chiefs of the Jewish tribes: "What happened to Ibn Abi al-Huqaiq whose face was like a Chinese mirror?" He said that he was killed. Then, he asked, "What became of the Banu Quraizah chiefs, Ka` b Ibn Quraizah and ` Amr Ibn Quraizah?" He told him that they too were killed. Then he asked about another two groups. In response, he was informed that all of them were killed.
Hearing this, Zubayr Ibn Bata said to Sayyidna Thabit Ibn Qays, "You have returned the favor done to you and you have fulfilled your responsibility as due. But, I am not going to rehabilitate myself on my property after they are no more. Include me among them." He meant that he too should be killed. Sayyidna Thabit Ibn Qays refused to kill him. After that, it was on his insistence that some other Muslim killed him. (Qurtubi)
This was the national pride or sense of communal shame demonstrated by a disbeliever, a kafir who, even after having been given everything back, did not like to continue living without his companions. Here we have two models of conduct demonstrated by a believer and a disbeliever, a mu'min and a kafir. Both belong to significant historical record. This victory against Banu Quraizah had taken place in the fifth year of Hijrah towards the end of the month of Dhulqa'dah and the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah. (Qurtubi)
A special note of caution
That the battle of al-Ahzab and Banu Quraizah have been taken up here in a somewhat detailed manner is because of two factors. (1) First of all, the Qur'an has itself opted to describe it in details spread over two sections. (2) Then, there is another reason for it. These events carry many instructions about different departments of life and they also spell out many clear miracles and lessons. These have been highlighted in the text of the present commentary under bold headings. Once we come to know the whole event, the translation of the meanings of the verses given above under the Arabic text, along with the footnotes, would become easier to understand. There are a few things that should, however, be taken note of:
Firstly, mention has been made of extreme hardships faced by Muslims in this battle. One state of the anxiety of believers has been pointed to in the words: تَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّـهِ الظُّنُونَا ( and you were thinking about Allah all sorts of thoughts. - 10) These thoughts refer to scruples that emerge in one's heart beyond his control at the time of acute anxiety under which one may feel death as near with no hope of deliverance left, or at other occasions like that. Such non-voluntary apprehensions and scruples are neither contradictory of the perfection of 'Iman (faith) nor that of one's nearness to Allah (wilayah). Nevertheless, they do point out to the extent of the severity of distress and anxiety under which scruples had started creeping into the hearts of even the noble Sahabah who, otherwise, were virtual mountains of fortitude.