Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 9

9-1 In these verses, there is some detail of the Battle of Ahzab, which took place in the 5th year of Hijrah. It is called Ahzab because, on this occasion, all the groups hostile to Islam gathered together and attacked the center of the Muslims, 'Madinah.' Ahzab is the plural of Hizb (group). It is also called the Battle of Khandaq because the Muslims, for their defense, dug a trench around Madinah so that the enemy could not enter Madinah. Its brief detail is as follows: The Jewish tribe Banu Nadir, whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had exiled from Madinah due to their continuous breaches of agreement, settled in Khaybar. This tribe persuaded the disbelievers of Makkah to attack the Muslims, and similarly, by assuring support to the tribes of Najd such as Ghatafan, they incited them to fight. Thus, these Jews succeeded in gathering all the enemies of Islam and the Muslims to attack Madinah. The leadership of the polytheists of Makkah was with Abu Sufyan; they camped around Uhud and almost besieged Madinah. Their total number was 10,000, while the Muslims were three thousand. Besides this, on the southern side, the third Jewish tribe, Banu Qurayzah, was settled, with whom the Muslims still had a treaty, and they were bound to help the Muslims. But the Jewish chief of Banu Nadir, Huyayy ibn Akhtab, also incited them and joined them in delivering a severe blow to the Muslims. Thus, the Muslims were surrounded by the enemy from all sides. On this occasion, on the advice of Salman al-Farsi, a trench was dug, due to which the enemy's army could not enter Madinah and remained encamped outside Madinah. However, the Muslims were extremely frightened by this siege and the united assault of the enemy; the siege lasted for about a month, and the Muslims were in a state of severe fear and anxiety. Eventually, Allah Almighty helped the Muslims from the unseen. In these verses, those panic-stricken conditions and the unseen help are mentioned. First, by جُنُودًا is meant the armies of the disbelievers who had gathered together. By the strong and fierce wind is meant the wind that came in the form of a severe storm and gale, which uprooted their tents, animals broke their ropes and ran away, pots were overturned, and all were forced to flee. This is the same wind about which it is mentioned in the hadith, (بِجُنُوْدٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا) 9. At-Tawbah: 40) refers to the angels who came to help the Muslims; they cast such fear and terror into the hearts of the enemy that they considered it safer to flee from there quickly.