Tafsir

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 ﷺ had expelled from Al-Madinah to Khaybar, including Sallam bin Abu Al-Huqayq, Sallam bin Mishkam and Kinanah bin Ar-Rabi`, went to Makkah where they met with the leaders of Quraysh and incited them to make war against the Prophet . 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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 جَآءُوكُمْ مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ(When they came upon you from above you and from below you,) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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 ﷺ.

The crisis deepened and things got worse, as Allah says:هُنَالِكَ ابْتُلِىَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُواْ زِلْزَالاً شَدِيداً(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 ﷺ 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:يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَآءَتْكُمْ جُنُودٌ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحاً وَجُنُوداً(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.)وَجُنُوداً لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا(and forces that you saw 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ during (the campaign) against the Confederates on a very cold and windy night, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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,«ائْتِنِي 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 saw 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ . After my returning I began to feel very cold. I told the Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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 ﷺ said,«قُمْ يَانَوْمَان»(Get up, O sleepy one!)"'إِذْ جَآءُوكُمْ 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 زَاغَتِ الاٌّبْصَـرُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ(and when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats,) means, from intense fear and terror.وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَاْ(and you were harboring doubts about Allah.) Ibn Jarir said: "Some of those who were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, 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 زَاغَتِ الاٌّبْصَـرُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَاْ(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 ﷺ 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 الظُّنُونَاْ(and you were harboring doubts about Allah.) "There were different kinds of thoughts; the hypocrites thought that Muhammad ﷺ 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 وَآمِنْ 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.

Commentary

Identified in the previous verses was the great station of the Holy Prophet ﷺ along with the instruction to Muslims that they should follow and obey him totally and perfectly. Congruent to this, these two full sections of the Qur'an have been revealed about the event of the battle of al-Ahzab. Mentioned therein is the simultaneous attack of the combined forces of many groups of disbelievers and polytheists, their threatening encirclement, the subsequent blessings bestowed on Muslims by Allah Ta’ ala and the several miracles that issued forth at the hands of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Then, very much as a corollary to this, there are many instructions and injunctions relating to different departments of life. It is because of these very priceless instructions that great commentators have written about the details of the event of Ahzab with considered details at this place, particularly al-Qurtubi, Mazhari and others. Therefore, some details of the event of Ahzab along with the instructions are being written here. Most of it has been taken from al-Qurtubi and Mazhari.

That which has been taken from some other book carries the necessary reference.

The event of the battle of al-Ahzab

The word: (al-ahzab) is the plural form of: حِزب (hizb) which means party or group. In this battle, the combined forces of different groups of disbelievers had, under a pact to eliminate Muslims, mounted an attack on Madinah. Therefore, this battle has been named as the battle of al-Ahzab. And since, in this battle, a trench was also dug under the orders of the Holy Prophet ﷺ across the line of enemy attack, therefore, this battle is also called the battle of the Trench (Khandaq). The battle of Banu Quraizah too - which took place immediately after the battle of al-Ahzab and finds mention in the cited verses as well - that too, was actually a part of the battle of al-Ahzab, as it would appear through the details of this event.

In the year only next to the year the Holy Prophet ﷺ graced Madinah after migrating from Makkah al-Mukarramah, the event of the battle of Badr came to pass. In the third year, came the battle of Uhud. In the fourth year, it was this battle of al-Ahzab. Some narrations say that this event came to pass in the fifth year. Nevertheless, the attacks of the disbelievers against Muslims had been continuing since the hijrah up to this time without any break. The attack on the occasion of the battle of al-Ahzab was made with full power, determination and mutual pledge. Therefore, this battle was the severest on the Holy Prophet t and the noble Sahabah as compared with other battles - because, the count of the attacking confederate forces of the disbelievers has been given as twelve to fifteen thousand. On the other side, there were Muslims, three thousand in all, and those too very ill-equipped. Then, the time was hard winter.

The Qur'an describes the horrible severity of this event by saying things like: زَاغَتِ الاَبصَارُ (the eyes were distracted - 33:10), بَلَغَتِ القُلُوبُ الحَنَاجِرَ (and hearts reached the throats - 33:10) and وَ زُلزِلُوا زِلزَالاً شَدِیداً (they were shaken with a violent convulsion - 33:11).

But, the way this time was the hardest on Muslims, they were also compensated at its best by Allah Ta’ ala. It was with His help and support that the matter ended in favour of Muslims in the form of such a great success and victory that broke the back of all hostile groups of Mushriks, Jews and Hypocrites leaving them just about incapable of even thinking of some attack against Muslims in the future. From that angle, this battle was the last armed confrontation between kufr and Islam. - fought on the plains of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah in the fourth or fifth year of hijrah.

The event began when about twenty men from the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir and the tribe of Abu Wa'il who were morbidly hostile to the Holy Prophet and Muslims at large reached Makkah al-Mukarramah. They met with Quraish chiefs and roused them to start a war against Muslims. The Quraish chiefs were under the impression that the way Muslims took their idol-worship to be kufr (disbelief, infidelity) and for which reason they regarded their religion as ill-founded, the Jews too would be no different and their thinking would be similar to it. If so, how could they hope for a common ground of unity from them? Therefore, these chiefs asked the Jews, "You people know that there is difference of religion and creed between us and Muhammad t. And you are the people of the Book and the people of learning. First of all, you tell us as to which religion is better in your sight, ours or theirs?"A lie is no novelty in the arena of politics!

The reply given by these Jews was totally contrary to their knowledge and conscience. To them, they said, "Your religion is better than the religion of Muhammad." Thereupon, the infidels of Makkah were somewhat satisfied. Still, the matter was taken to a future demonstration of intent. It was decided that these twenty visitors joined by fifty men from among the Quraish chiefs would go to al-Masjid al-Haram, cling to the walls of the Baytullah by their chests and make a solemn pledge before Allah that they would continue fighting against Muhammad t to their last man.

A marvel of the forbearance and magnanimity of Allah Ta'ala!

Here are the enemies of Allah in the House of Allah clinging to the walls of the Ka'abah of Allah making a compact to fight a war against His Rasul - and then return satisfied with a new passion for war! This is unique manifestation of the forbearance and magnanimity of Allah Ta’ ala. Then, the ultimate end of this compact is not too far to find. It will appear towards the end of the narrative in that all of them bolted from this battle.

These Jews, after having made a pact with the Quraish of Makkah, reached the tribe of Ghitfan, a great warring tribe of Arabia. They told them that they and the Quraish of Makkah were in full agreement with the plan to eliminate the spreaders of this new religion (Islam) once for all with their combined power. They asked them too to join hands with them in that pact. Then, they also offered them a bribe. They promised to give them the total produce of dates in one year in Khaibar - according to some narrations, they promised the half of it to the tribe of Ghitfan. ` Uyaiynah Ibn Hisn, the chief of the tribe of Ghitfan, approved of his participation in the pact under this condition. Thus, they too became a part of the war effort.

Then, in accordance with the mutual pact, the Quraish armed force of four thousand men, three hundred horses and war supplies laden on one thousand camels came out of Makkah under the command of Abu Sufyan and stopped at Marr az-Zahran. Here, all tribes of Aslam, Ashja', Banu Murrah, Banu Kinanah, Fazarah and Ghitfan joined them. Their total number has been reported in some narrations as ten thousand, as twelve thousand in some others and as fifteen thousand in still other.

The most lethal attack on Madinah

The armed force that fought against Muslims in the battle of Badr was that of one thousand men. Then, the army that attacked in the battle of Uhud had three thousand men. This time, the numerical strength of the attacking forces was greater than it was any time before that - the equipment and the combined power of the Arab and Jewish tribes were also to be counted as additional factors.

Three ingredients of Muslim war effort

When the information about this aggressive united front reached the Holy Prophet t, the very first verbal reaction came out from him in the words:Allah is all-sufficient for us, and the best One to trust in - 3:173.

After that, he assembled opinion leaders from among the Emigrants and Helpers together and went into consultation with them. Although, the blessed recipient of Wahy (revelation) really needs no consultation for he acts directly with the permission of Allah Ta’ ala. But, there were two advantages in having such consultation: (1) To initiate and establish the Sunnah (practice) of consultation in the Muslim community and (2) to revive mutual liaison and unity in the hearts of the believers and to persuade them to the need of helping and supporting each other. After that, they talked about matters of defence and the physical resources needed in fighting a war. Present among the group of consultants. there was Sayyidna Salman al-Farisi ؓ who had recently freed himself from the artificially imposed slavery of a Jew and had devoted himself to the service of Islam. He advised that in his country, the Persian kings have used trenches they arranged to be dug across the enemy line of attack. This had always helped stop the enemy.

Accepting his advice, the Holy Prophet ﷺ ordered that trenches be dug - and he himself participated with others doing that.

The digging of trenches

It was decided to dig this trench on the entire passage way behind the mount of Sal' which could be used by the enemy to come into Madinah from the north. The ground marking of the length and width of this trench was personally drawn by the Holy Prophet t. Beginning from Shaikhayn, this trench came as far as the western corner of the mount of Sal' and later it was extended to the intersection of the valleys of Buthan and Rana. The total length of this trench was approximately three and a half miles. The precise measurement of the width and depth could not be ascertained from any narration. But, it is obvious that the width and depth would have also been special, of the kind the enemy would have not found easy to cross.

It has appeared in the narration of the event relating to Sayyidna Salman digging the trench that he used to dig his allotted portion of the trench which, at the end of the day, came to be five yards long and five yards deep (Mazhari). From this, it can be said that the depth of the trench was five yards.

The size of the Islamic 'army'At that time, Muslims were a total of three thousand in number along with a total of thirty six horses.

Participant age of maturity was set at fifteen years

Some non-pubert children had also come out with the Islamic 'army' with the desire to defend their faith. The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked children below the age of fifteen years to leave. Those fifteen year old were accepted - included therein were Sayyidna ` Abduliah Ibn ` Umar, Zayd Ibn Thabit, Abu Said al-Khudri and Bara' Ibn ` Azib ؓ When this Islamic force was ready to march for battle, the hypocrites who normally kept a face and remained intermingled among Muslims, started backing out. Some bolted away incognito. Others came up with false excuses and tried to get the permission of the Holy Prophet ﷺ to go back. This was a new trouble that rose from within. Some of the cited verses have been revealed about these very hypocrites. (Qurtubi)Islamic nationality and Islamic unity do not contradict administrative and social division

For this Jihad, the Holy Prophet ﷺ appointed Sayyidna Zayd Ibn Harithah ؓ as the standard bearer of the Muhajirin and Sayyidna Sa'd Ibn ` Ubadah ؓ as the standard bearer of the Ansar. At that time, the mutual brotherhood among the Muhajirin and the Ansar stood established on very firm foundations. All of them were brothers to each other. But, it was in view of administrative convenience that the leadership of the Muhajirin was separated from the leadership of the Ansar: From this, we learn that Islamic nationality and Islamic unity are not contradictory to administrative and social division. In fact, by placing the burden of responsibility an each group helped strengthen the bond of mutual confidence and cooperation. And in the very first assignment, that is, in the digging of trenches before this battle, this mutual cooperation became all too evident as described below:The job of digging the trenches was spread over the whole army

The Holy Prophet ﷺ divided the whole army of the Muhajirin and the Ansar in groups of ten men each and made every group of ten men responsible for digging forty yards of the trench. Since Sayyidna Salman al-Farisi ؓ was the one who had advised the digging of the trench, knew the job, was strong and was neither one of the Ansar nor one of the Muhajirin, it created a sort of competition among the Ansar and Muhajirin for each of the two wanted to have him with them. The matter reached to the extent that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had to intervene in order to avoid any dispute. He gave his verdict by saying: سَلمَانُ مِنَّا اَھلُ البَیتِ (Salman is part of our family).

The discrimination of local and foreign in functional expertise

The universal wont in our time is that people do not like to treat those non-resident and non-local at par with them. But, this was a place where every group felt proud of having the competent one on their side and with them. It was for this reason that the Holy Prophet ﷺ included him in his family on his own and thus put an end to the dispute. Then, he practically picked up some Muhajirin and some Ansar to form a group of ten which included Sayyidna ` Amr Ibn ` Awf, Sayyidna Hudhaifah and others who were from among the Muhajirin.

A great miracle

By chance, in the section of the trench entrusted with Sayyidna Salman and others with him, a huge, hard and glossy rock showed up. Sayyidna Salman's colleague, Sayyidna ` Amr Ibn ` Awf ؓ says, "This rock broke our implements and we failed to cut it apart. Then I suggested to Salman that though it is possible to dig the trench bypassing the huge rock and join it up with the main trench with a minor crookedness in it, but we should not deviate from the line drawn by the Holy Prophet ﷺ as based on our opinion. So, you go, tell the Holy Prophet t about the position here and get an order from him about what we should do now."Divine reminders

It is strange that in this three and a half mile stretch of land no one from among the diggers of the trench faced any impediment which would render him helpless. The only one who did face it was Sayyidna Salman ؓ who had given the advice of digging a trench and the whole project had started on his advice. To him Allah Ta’ ala showed that there was no way out even after digging and making a perfect trench - except turning to Allah Ta’ ala for help in the face of the failure of all implements and instruments. Here, these blessed souls were being taugh اِنَّ بُيُوْتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ that assembling material means to the measure of capacity and ability was obligatory, but to place trust in these was not correct. The trust of a believer - even after having assembled all possible material means - should be in Allah Ta’ ala alone.

Sayyidna Salman ؓ presented himself before the Holy Prophet ﷺ and told him about what had happened. At that time, the Holy Prophet ﷺ was himself working in his part of the trench. He was busy hauling the dugout earth from the trench. Sayyidna Bara' Ibn ` Azib ؓ says, "I saw him. Dust had covered his blessed body in a manner that the skin on his front and back was not visible." Rather than give Sayyidna Salman ؓ any advice or order, he accompanied him in person to the problem spot. With the ten Sahabah busy digging the trench with Sayyidna Salman ؓ ، he too went down into the trench and joined the diggers. He took the pickaxe in his blessed hands, struck at the rock and recited the verse: تَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا (tammat kalimatu rabbika sidqa: And the Word of your Lord is perfect in truth... - al-An` am, 6:115). With this one single stroke from it, one third portion of the rock was cut off and released from this rock was a streak of light.

After that, he struck at the rock once again and recited the said verse upto the end, that is: تَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَّعَدْلًا is (tammat kalimatu rabbika sidqan wa 'adla : And the Word of your Lord is perfect in truth and justice - al-An` am, 6:115). Cut off with this second stroke was an additional one third portion of the rock which released a streak of light as before. The third time, he recited the same verse in full and executed the third stroke. With it, the rock was all finished. The Holy Prophet t came out of the trench, picked up the sheet wrap he had left at the edge of the trench and sat down on one side of it.

At that time, Sayyidna Salman al-Farisi ؓ said, "Y Rasulallah, every time struck at the rock, every time I saw a light coming out of the rock." The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked Sayyidna Salmn ؓ ، "Have you really seen this light?" He said, "Y Rasulallah, I have seen it with my own eyes."The Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "In the light that was released after the first strike, I saw the palaces of the cities of Yaman and those of Cyrus and Angel Jibra'il told me: 'your Ummah will conquer these cities.' And when I struck at the rock the second time, I was shown the red palaces of the Byzantines and Angel Jibra'il gave the good news, 'your Ummah will conquer these cities as well.' " After having heard this, all Muslims felt at peace and became assured of their great successes in the future.

كما قال الله تعالى : ( إذ جاءوكم من فوقكم ومن أسفل منكم ) ، وخرج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، ومن معه من المسلمين ، وهم نحو ثلاثة آلاف ، وقيل : سبعمائة ، وأسندوا ظهورهم إلى سلع ووجوههم إلى نحو العدو ، والخندق حفير ليس فيه ماء بينهم وبينهم يحجب الرجالة والخيالة أن تصل إليهم ، وجعل النساء والذراري في آطام المدينة ، وكانت بنو قريظة - وهم طائفة من اليهود - لهم حصن شرقي المدينة ، ولهم عهد من النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وذمة ، وهم قريب من ثمانمائة مقاتل فذهب إليهم حيي بن أخطب النضري [ اليهودي ] ، فلم يزل بهم حتى نقضوا العهد ، ومالئوا الأحزاب على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فعظم الخطب واشتد الأمر ، وضاق الحال ، كما قال الله تعالى : ( هنالك ابتلي المؤمنون وزلزلوا زلزالا شديدا ) .ومكثوا محاصرين للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وأصحابه قريبا من شهر ، إلا أنهم لا يصلون إليهم ، ولم يقع بينهم قتال ، إلا أن عمرو بن عبد ود العامري - وكان من الفرسان الشجعان المشهورين في الجاهلية - ركب ومعه فوارس فاقتحموا الخندق ، وخلصوا إلى ناحية المسلمين ، فندب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خيل المسلمين إليه ، فلم يبرز إليه أحد ، فأمر عليا فخرج إليه ، فتجاولا ساعة ، ثم قتله علي ، رضي الله عنه ، فكان علامة على النصر .ثم أرسل الله عز وجل على الأحزاب ريحا شديدة الهبوب قوية ، حتى لم تبق لهم خيمة ولا شيء ولا توقد لهم نار ، ولا يقر لهم قرار حتى ارتحلوا خائبين خاسرين ، كما قال الله تعالى : ( يا أيها الذين آمنوا اذكروا نعمة الله عليكم إذ جاءتكم جنود فأرسلنا عليهم ريحا ) .قال مجاهد : وهي الصبا ، ويؤيده الحديث الآخر : " نصرت بالصبا ، وأهلكت عاد بالدبور " .وقال ابن جرير : حدثني محمد بن المثنى ، حدثنا عبد الأعلى ، حدثنا داود ، عن عكرمة قال : قالت الجنوب للشمال ليلة الأحزاب : انطلقي ننصر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقالت الشمال : إن الحرة لا تسري بالليل .

قال : فكانت الريح التي أرسلت عليهم الصبا .ورواه ابن أبي حاتم ، عن أبي سعيد الأشج ، عن حفص بن غياث ، عن داود ، عن عكرمة ، عن ابن عباس ، فذكره .وقال ابن جرير أيضا : حدثنا يونس ، حدثنا ابن وهب ، حدثني عبيد الله بن عمر ، عن نافع ، عن عبد الله بن عمر قال : أرسلني خالي عثمان بن مظعون ليلة الخندق في برد شديد وريح إلى المدينة ، فقال : ائتنا بطعام ولحاف . قال : فاستأذنت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فأذن لي ، وقال : " من أتيت من أصحابي فمرهم يرجعوا " . قال : فذهبت والريح تسفي كل شيء ، فجعلت لا ألقى أحدا إلا أمرته بالرجوع إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، قال : فما يلوي أحد منهم عنقه . قال : وكان معي ترس لي ، فكانت الريح تضربه علي ، وكان فيه حديد ، قال : فضربته الريح حتى وقع بعض ذلك الحديد على كفي ، فأنفدها إلى الأرض .وقوله : ( وجنودا لم تروها ) وهم الملائكة ، زلزلتهم وألقت في قلوبهم الرعب والخوف ، فكان رئيس كل قبيلة يقول : يا بني فلان إلي . فيجتمعون إليه فيقول : النجاء ، النجاء . لما ألقى الله تعالى في قلوبهم من الرعب .وقال محمد بن إسحاق ، عن يزيد بن زياد ، عن محمد بن كعب القرظي قال : قال فتى من أهل الكوفة لحذيفة بن اليمان : يا أبا عبد الله ، رأيتم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وصحبتموه ؟

قال : نعم يا ابن أخي . قال : وكيف كنتم تصنعون ؟ قال : والله لقد كنا نجهد . قال الفتى : والله لو أدركناه ما تركناه يمشي على الأرض ولحملناه على أعناقنا . قال : قال حذيفة : يا ابن أخي ، والله لو رأيتنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بالخندق وصلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم هويا من الليل ، ثم التفت فقال : " من رجل يقوم فينظر لنا ما فعل القوم ؟ - يشرط له النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه يرجع - أدخله الله الجنة " . قال : فما قام رجل . ثم صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم هويا من الليل ثم التفت إلينا ، فقال مثله ، فما قام منا رجل . ثم صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم هويا من الليل ثم التفت إلينا فقال : " من رجل يقوم فينظر لنا ما فعل القوم ثم يرجع - يشترط له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الرجعة - أسأل الله أن يكون رفيقي في الجنة " . فما قام رجل من القوم; من شدة الخوف ، وشدة الجوع ، وشدة البرد . فلما لم يقم أحد ، دعاني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فلم يكن لي بد من القيام حين دعاني فقال : " يا حذيفة ، اذهب فادخل في القوم فانظر ما يفعلون ، ولا تحدثن شيئا حتى تأتينا " .

قال : فذهبت فدخلت [ في القوم ] ، والريح وجنود الله ، عز وجل ، تفعل بهم ما تفعل ، لا تقر لهم قدرا ولا نارا ولا بناء ، فقام أبو سفيان فقال : يا معشر قريش ، لينظر امرؤ من جليسه . قال حذيفة : فأخذت بيد الرجل الذي إلى جنبي ، فقلت : من أنت ؟ فقال : أنا فلان بن فلان ، ثم قال أبو سفيان : يا معشر قريش ، إنكم والله ما أصبحتم بدار مقام ، لقد هلك الكراع والخف ، وأخلفتنا بنو قريظة ، وبلغنا عنهم الذي نكره ، ولقينا من هذه الريح الذي ترون . والله ما تطمئن لنا قدر ، ولا تقوم لنا نار ، ولا يستمسك لنا بناء ، فارتحلوا ، فإني مرتحل ، ثم قام إلى جمله وهو معقول ، فجلس عليه ، ثم ضربه ، فوثب به على ثلاث ، فما أطلق عقاله إلا وهو قائم .

ولولا عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلي : " ألا تحدث شيئا حتى تأتيني " ثم شئت ، لقتلته بسهم .قال حذيفة : فرجعت إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو قائم يصلي في مرط لبعض نسائه مرحل ، فلما رآني أدخلني بين رجليه ، وطرح علي طرف المرط ، ثم ركع ، وسجد وإني لفيه ، فلما سلم أخبرته الخبر ، وسمعت غطفان بما فعلت قريش ، فانشمروا راجعين إلى بلادهم .وقد رواه مسلم في صحيحه من حديث الأعمش ، عن إبراهيم التيمي ، عن أبيه قال : كنا عند حذيفة بن اليمان ، رضي الله عنه ، فقال له رجل : لو أدركت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، قاتلت معه وأبليت . فقال له حذيفة : أنت كنت تفعل ذلك ؟ لقد رأيتنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ليلة الأحزاب في ليلة ذات ريح شديدة وقر ، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " ألا رجل يأتي بخبر القوم ، يكون معي يوم القيامة ؟ " . فلم يجبه منا أحد ، ثم الثانية ، ثم الثالثة مثله . ثم قال : " يا حذيفة ، قم فأتنا بخبر من القوم " . فلم أجد بدا إذ دعاني باسمي أن أقوم ، فقال : " ائتني بخبر القوم ، ولا تذعرهم علي " .

قال : فمضيت كأنما أمشي في حمام حتى أتيتهم ، فإذا أبو سفيان يصلي ظهره بالنار ، فوضعت سهما في كبد قوسي ، وأردت أن أرميه ، ثم ذكرت قول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " لا تذعرهم علي " ، ولو رميته لأصبته . قال : فرجعت كأنما أمشي في حمام ، فأتيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، ثم أصابني البرد حين فرغت وقررت فأخبرت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، وألبسني من فضل عباءة كانت عليه يصلي فيها ، فلم أزل نائما حتى الصبح ، فلما أن أصبحت قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " قم يا نومان .ورواه يونس بن بكير ، عن هشام بن سعد ، عن زيد بن أسلم : أن رجلا قال لحذيفة ، رضي الله عنه : نشكو إلى الله صحبتكم لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم; إنكم أدركتموه ولم ندركه ، ورأيتموه ولم نره . فقال حذيفة : ونحن نشكو إلى الله إيمانكم به ولم تروه ، والله لا تدري يا ابن أخي لو أدركته كيف كنت تكون . لقد رأيتنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ليلة الخندق في ليلة باردة مطيرة . . .

ثم ذكر نحو ما تقدم مطولا .وروى بلال بن يحيى العبسي ، عن حذيفة نحو ذلك أيضا .وقد أخرج الحاكم والبيهقي في " الدلائل " ، من حديث عكرمة بن عمار ، عن محمد بن عبد الله الدؤلي ، عن عبد العزيز ابن أخي حذيفة قال : ذكر حذيفة مشاهدهم مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فقال جلساؤه : أما والله لو شهدنا ذلك لكنا فعلنا وفعلنا . فقال حذيفة : لا تمنوا ذلك . لقد رأيتنا ليلة الأحزاب ونحن صافون قعود ، وأبو سفيان ومن معه من الأحزاب فوقنا ، وقريظة اليهود أسفل منا نخافهم على ذرارينا ، وما أتت علينا قط أشد ظلمة ولا أشد ريحا في أصوات ريحها أمثال الصواعق ، وهي ظلمة ما يرى أحدنا إصبعه ، فجعل المنافقون يستأذنون النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، ويقولون : " إن بيوتنا عورة وما هي بعورة " . فما يستأذنه أحد منهم إلا أذن له ، ويأذن لهم فيتسللون ، ونحن ثلاثمائة ونحو ذلك ، إذ استقبلنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم رجلا رجلا حتى أتى علي وما علي جنة من العدو ولا من البرد إلا مرط لامرأتي ، ما يجاوز ركبتي . قال : فأتاني صلى الله عليه وسلم وأنا جاث على ركبتي فقال : " من هذا ؟ " فقلت : حذيفة . قال : " حذيفة " . فتقاصرت بالأرض فقلت : بلى يا رسول الله ، كراهية أن أقوم .

[ قال : قم ] ، فقمت ، فقال : " إنه كائن في القوم خبر فأتني بخبر القوم " - قال : وأنا من أشد [ الناس ] فزعا ، وأشدهم قرا - قال : فخرجت ، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " اللهم ، احفظه من بين يديه ومن خلفه ، وعن يمينه وعن شماله ، ومن فوقه ومن تحته " . قال : فوالله ما خلق الله فزعا ولا قرا في جوفي إلا خرج من جوفي ، فما أجد فيه شيئا . قال : فلما وليت قال : " يا حذيفة ، لا تحدثن في القوم شيئا حتى تأتيني " . قال : فخرجت حتى إذا دنوت من عسكر القوم نظرت في ضوء نار لهم توقد ، وإذا رجل أدهم ضخم يقول بيده على النار ، ويمسح خاصرته ، ويقول : الرحيل الرحيل ، ولم أكن أعرف أبا سفيان قبل ذلك ، فانتزعت سهما من كنانتي أبيض الريش ، فأضعه في كبد قوسي لأرميه به في ضوء النار ، فذكرت قول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " لا تحدثن فيهم شيئا حتى تأتيني " ، [ فأمسكت ] ورددت سهمي إلى كنانتي ، ثم إني شجعت نفسي حتى دخلت العسكر ، فإذا أدنى الناس مني بنو عامر يقولون : يا آل عامر ، الرحيل الرحيل ، لا مقام لكم .

وإذا الريح في عسكرهم ما تجاوز عسكرهم شبرا ، فوالله إني لأسمع صوت الحجارة في رحالهم ، وفرستهم الريح تضربهم بها ، ثم خرجت نحو النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فلما انتصفت في الطريق أو نحوا من ذلك ، إذا أنا بنحو من عشرين فارسا أو نحو ذلك معتمين ، فقالوا : أخبر صاحبك أن الله تعالى كفاه القوم . فرجعت إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، وهو مشتمل في شملة يصلي ، فوالله ما عدا أن رجعت راجعني القر وجعلت أقرقف ، فأومأ إلي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم [ بيده ] وهو يصلي ، فدنوت منه ، فأسبل علي شملته .

وكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا حزبه أمر صلى ، فأخبرته خبر القوم ، وأخبرته أني تركتهم يترحلون ، وأنزل الله تعالى : ( يا أيها الذين آمنوا اذكروا نعمة الله عليكم إذ جاءتكم جنود فأرسلنا عليهم ريحا وجنودا لم تروها وكان الله بما تعملون بصيرا ) .وأخرج أبو داود في سننه منه : كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : إذا حزبه أمر ، من حديث عكرمة بن عمار ، به .وقوله : ( إذ جاءوكم من فوقكم ) أي : الأحزاب ( ومن أسفل منكم ) تقدم عن حذيفة أنهم بنو قريظة ، ( وإذ زاغت الأبصار وبلغت القلوب الحناجر ) أي : من شدة الخوف والفزع ، ( وتظنون بالله الظنون ) .قال ابن جرير : ظن بعض من كان مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن الدائرة على المؤمنين ، وأن الله سيفعل ذلك .وقال محمد بن إسحاق في قوله : ( وإذ زاغت الأبصار وبلغت القلوب الحناجر وتظنون بالله الظنونا ) : ظن المؤمنون كل ظن ، ونجم النفاق حتى قال معتب بن قشير - أخو بني عمرو بن عوف - : كان محمد يعدنا أن نأكل كنوز كسرى وقيصر ، وأحدنا لا يقدر على أن يذهب إلى الغائط .وقال الحسن في قوله : ( وتظنون بالله الظنون ) : ظنون مختلفة ، ظن المنافقون أن محمدا وأصحابه يستأصلون ، وأيقن المؤمنون أن ما وعد الله ورسوله حق ، وأنه سيظهره على الدين كله ولو كره المشركون .وقال ابن أبي حاتم : حدثنا أحمد بن عاصم الأنصاري ، حدثنا أبو عامر ( ح ) وحدثنا أبي ، حدثنا أبو عامر العقدي ، حدثنا الزبير - يعني : ابن عبد الله ، مولى عثمان بن عفان - عن رتيج بن عبد الرحمن بن أبي سعيد ، عن أبيه ، عن أبي سعيد قال : قلنا يوم الخندق : يا رسول الله ، هل من شيء نقول ، فقد بلغت القلوب الحناجر ؟

قال صلى الله عليه وسلم : " نعم ، قولوا : اللهم استر عوراتنا ، وآمن روعاتنا " . قال : فضرب وجوه أعدائه بالريح ، فهزمهم بالريح .وكذا رواه الإمام أحمد بن حنبل ، عن أبي عامر العقدي .