battle trench battle trench arabic known battle arabic day long siege arab jewish tribes strength confederate armies estimated men horses defenders numbered battle coincided harsh winter weather january february largely outnumbered defenders mainly muslims led islamic prophet muhammad dug trench suggestion natural fortifications rendered confederate cavalry consisting horses useless locking sides stalemate hoping attacks persuaded muslim allied attack city south muhammad diplomacy negotiations broke confederacy organised defenders sinking confederate morale poor weather conditions caused siege end siege battle muslims overcame opponents suffering casualties efforts defeat muslims failed islam influential region consequence muslim army besieged area tribe leading surrender defeat caused lose trade prestige battle named trench dug muslims preparation battle word form persian word meaning dug persian advised muhammad dig trench city battle referred battle uses term denote confederacy non believers jews islam background expulsion muslims fought battle battle muslims won defeated battle military strength gradually growing april muhammad raised force men horses meet army second time fighting occurred coastal tribes impressed muslim power muhammad tried limited success break alliances muslim expansion unable prevent battles muslim army strategic methods opponents muslims surrounded wells opponents water ali want follow footsteps army battle muslims strategic use hills battle dug trench render enemy cavalry ineffective reason battle reason battle defend attack tribes formed alliance attack revenge invasion invasion muslim scholar states reason came group leaders messenger expelled including went met leaders war prophet early met leaders travelled swear allegiance ibn bulk confederate armies gathered led fielded foot soldiers horsemen men began enlisted paying half harvest contingent second largest added strength men horsemen led agreed join led secured men force likely larger leaders sympathetic islam pact muhammad refused join tribes included men led ibn men led ibn total strength confederate armies agreed scholars estimated included men horsemen january army led marched accordance plan armies began marching south coast east time horsemen left warn invading army muslim defence men reached muhammad days warning confederate armies arrive week muhammad gathered discuss best strategy overcoming enemy meeting enemy open led victory waiting inside city lesson learnt defeat suggested ultimately outnumbered muslims opted engage defensive battle digging deep trenches act barrier northern tactic defensive trench introduced persian capable muslim including muhammad contributed digging massive trench days ditch dug northern rest surrounded rocky mountains trees large armies especially cavalry digging ditch coincided near famine women children moved inner city harvested crops early confederate armies rely food reserves muhammad established military headquarters army position muslims advantage enemy crossed trench final army defend city invasion consisted men included inhabitants age supply muslims instruments digging trench siege siege began january lasted days uncommon arabian warfare arriving unprepared deal trenches dug muslims tried attack horsemen hopes forcing passage entrenched preventing crossing armies gathered trench spent weeks exchanging insults prose verse backed arrows fired comfortable distance according dead attackers defenders hand harvest gathered trouble finding food horses proved use attack veterans grew group led ibn thought equal thousand men fighting ibn attempted thrust trench managed effect crossing occupying area near challenged muslims duel response ali ibn accepted challenge sent muhammad fight fighters got lost dust duel intense finally soldiers heard scream hinted decisive blows unclear successful slogan god greatest dust confirmed ali victory forced withdraw state panic confusion lost men encounter failed accomplish important confederate army attempts cross trench night repeatedly failed deployed infantry length trench unwilling engage muslims close quarter regarded superior hand hand fighting muslim army dug embankment earth taken ditch prepared bombard attackers stones arrows attack cause great casualties attempted simultaneous attacks particular trying persuade attack muslims south ibn leader exiled tribe returned seeking support muslims far tried best remain neutral hesitant joining earlier pact muhammad approached leader refused allow entry eventually managed enter persuade muslims surely overwhelmed sight vast confederate armies land soldiers horses far eye swung opinion favour confederacy news supposed pact muhammad leaked promptly informed muhammad suspicions reinforced movement enemy troops strongholds muhammad anxious conduct realised grave potential danger posed pact bothered defensive preparations muslims border tribe possessed weaponry swords suits armour shields muhammad sent leading muslims bring details recent developments advised men openly declare findings find loyal increase morale muslim fighters warned spreading news possible breach pact avoid panic muslim ranks leaders found pact renounced tried vain convince revert reminding fate hands muhammad findings leaders signalled muhammad metaphor people betrayed muslims killed moment believes metaphor means thought crisis muhammad attempted hide knowledge activities rumours soon spread massive assault city severely muslims found greater difficulties day food running short nights colder lack sleep matters worse tense situation time canonical daily prayers neglected muslim community night attacks stopped darkness resume regular worship according situation fear describes situation muslim response immediately hearing rumours muhammad sent men inner city protection later sent horsemen cavalry needed trench protect city loud voices troops prayed night created illusion large force crisis showed muhammad men reached limits endurance sent word trying pay offering date harvest withdrew demanded half eventually agreed negotiating muhammad terms muhammad began order drafting agreement consulted leaders sharply rejected terms agreement protesting sunk levels negotiations broken retreat compromised entering negotiations confederacy internal increased point muhammad received visit ibn arab leader respected entire confederacy unknown secretly converted islam muhammad asked end siege creating came efficient went warned intentions rest confederacy siege fails said confederacy afraid abandon jews leaving mercy muhammad demand confederate leaders hostages return cooperation advice touched fears went confederate leader warning defected muhammad stated tribe intended ask confederacy hostages ostensibly return cooperation hand muhammad confederacy single man hostage repeated message tribes confederacy worked consulting confederate leaders sent signalling united invasion demanded hostages guarantee confederacy desert confederacy considering hostage muhammad refused messages repeatedly sent forth parties held position summoned informing response taken branded traitor fearing life fled strongholds compromised muhammad negotiations taken expedition hopes particular prejudice islam lost hope chances success continuing siege confederate armies marked mutual distrust provisions confederate armies running horses dying hunger wounds days weather exceptionally cold wet violent winds blew camp fires taking away confederate army source heat muslim camp sheltered winds enemy tents torn fires extinguished sand rain beat faces terrified fallen night confederate armies withdrew morning ground cleared enemy forces aftermath siege demise following retreat confederate army besieged muslims revenge day siege neighbourhood surrendered tribe surrendered muslim army seized stronghold possessions request allied muhammad chose ibn judgment later die wounds battle decreed sentence according men shall killed women children enslaved says march attack city people offer peace accept open gates people shall subject forced labor shall work refuse peace engage battle lay siege city lord god delivers hand sword men women children livestock city use lord god gives enemies muhammad approved decision day sentence carried men numbering bound placed custody women children placed converted islam describes killing men follows accounts note muhammad companions particular clan charged killing group men according biography muhammad woman thrown siege killed muslim beheaded men writes history damascus clan arab clients killed battle including enslaved women children tribe divided muslims participated siege hitherto depended help muslims native share muhammad selected women took booty muhammad offered free marry according sources accepted proposal according rejected remained muhammad slave said later muslim scholars argue muhammad decided judgment surrender putting allegiance muslim community tribe reason cited punishment muhammad previous defeated foes contradiction arab jewish laws time seen sign weakness punishment response perceived act treason betrayed joint defence pact muhammad giving aid comfort enemies muslims implications failure siege marked beginning muhammad political city exerted strength muhammad defeat caused lose trade syria prestige point began conversion islam option islamic primary sources main contemporary source battle 33rd source reconstruction life historical muhammad muslim mentions translated incident book ibn commentary verse mentions reason event battle commentary follows event referenced collection mentions death ibn follows collection mentions battle muslims carry offensive attacks enemies event mentioned muslim collection follows biographical literature incident mentioned historical works writers fourth century muslim era include traditional muslim biographies muhammad quotes attributed literature provide information muhammad life earliest surviving written biographies muhammad quotes attributed life god messenger written years muhammad death original work lost portions survive early source history muhammad campaigns
Battle of the Trench