The Majestic Quran

33. Al-Ahzab The Confederates This chapter was revealed in the year 626 ce. After the indecisive Battle of Uhud, the Makkans wanted to defeat the Muslims, so in collaboration with the expelled Jews of Banu Nadhir, living in Khyber, they planned to attack Madinah. They gathered an army of 10,000 strong, consisting of many tribes, the confederates. Background of The Battle of the Trench When the Prophet r heard about the Makkan plan, he called a meeting of the disciples to discuss the impending danger. Various ideas were presented and the proposal of Salman the Persian was preferred: to dig a trench between the long stretches of fortress-like houses on the outskirts of the city, whilst in the Northwest there were high rocks that were difficult to cross. So, a trench five metres wide, five metres deep, and seven kilometres long must be dug in three weeks. When the army of the confederates reached the outskirts of Madinah and saw the trench they were baffled. So they camped outside the city near Uhud, and lay siege on Madinah. The only way to enter the city was if the Jews of Banu Nadhir were to attack from inside. So, the Quraysh and the Jews of Banu Qurayda put together a strategy to win over Banu Nadhir and eventually a pact was agreed; Banu Nadhir would help. The plan went horribly wrong, and the confederates received no help from them. The siege was difficult to maintain, the winter nights were long and bitterly cold, and the horsemen tried several times to cross the trench, but failed miserably. A violent sandstorm blew the tents; the camels