Ekspedisi-ekspedisi tersebut, bersama dengan tindakan disiplin yang dijatuhkan oleh Rasulullah ﷺ setelah Perang Uhud, memberikan pengaruh besar dalam memulihkan kembali kehormatan kaum Muslimin dan menegaskan kembali wibawa Negara Islam.

The raids, taken together with the disciplinary action meted out by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) in the wake of the battle of Uhud, had a great effect in restoring the high standing of the Muslims and in reasserting the authority of the Islamic State.

Wilayah pengaruh kaum Muslimin semakin luas dan kekuasaan mereka meningkat pesat, mencapai puncak yang baru. Seluruh Semenanjung Arab menjadi waspada terhadap kekuatan yang dimiliki kaum Muslimin. Setiap kali orang-orang Arab mendengar kabar tentang serbuan yang akan dilancarkan terhadap mereka oleh Rasulullah ﷺ, mereka tidak melawannya, melainkan melarikan diri. Hal ini terjadi di Ghatafan dan Dumat al-Jandal. Quraisy pun tidak lagi sebanding dengan kaum Muslimin, dan mereka tidak lagi berani menghadapi mereka seorang diri. Misalnya, dalam serbuan terakhir di Badar, Quraisy mundur dan bahkan tidak datang. Hal ini membantu kaum Muslimin menikmati sejumlah kestabilan dan memberi mereka sedikit waktu istirahat, sehingga mereka dapat memusatkan perhatian pada kehidupan di Madinah. Mereka mampu menyesuaikan cara hidup mereka dengan perubahan-perubahan yang baru saja terjadi. Kini, kaum Muhajirin telah memperoleh harta rampasan dari Bani Nadhir berupa tanah, pohon kurma, rumah, dan perabotan, yang dibagikan di antara mereka, sehingga nasib mereka berubah secara signifikan. Namun, hal ini tidak mengalihkan mereka dari prioritas utama mereka, yaitu jihad, sebagaimana jelas terlihat, karena jihad telah ditetapkan hingga Hari Kiamat. Meski demikian, taraf hidup mereka menjadi lebih baik dan lebih stabil dibandingkan sebelumnya.

The Muslims’ sphere of influence widened and their authority increased dramatically, reaching new heights. The whole of the Arabian Peninsula became cautioned of the might exercised by the Muslims. Whenever the Arabs got wind of a raid that was about to be launched against them by Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) they would not contest it but rather run away. This happened in Ghatafan and Dumat al-Jandal. The Quraysh were no longer a match for the Muslims and they could no longer dare to confront them on their own. For example, in the last raid at Badr, the Quraysh backed down and did not even turn up. This helped the Muslims to enjoy some stability and gave them some respite, allowing them to concentrate on life in Madinah. They were able to adopt their living in lieu of the recent changes that had taken place. Now that the Muhajireen had gained the booties of Banu Nadir such as their lands, palm trees (date palms), houses and furniture, which had been distributed among them, a considerable change in their fortunes had occurred. However, this did not distract them from pursuing their top priority, which was evidently Jihad, for Jihad has been decreed till the Day of Reckoning. Nevertheless, their living standards had become better and more stable than before.

Meskipun Madinah tenang, Rasulullah ﷺ senantiasa waspada karena khawatir akan pengkhianatan musuh. Beliau selalu berusaha keras mengumpulkan berita tentang setiap orang dan setiap perkembangan yang terjadi di Semenanjung Arab. Beliau ﷺ mengirim orang-orang untuk misi pengintaian dan pengumpulan berita ke seluruh penjuru negeri dan bahkan melampauinya. Beliau ﷺ sangat ingin mengetahui segala hal tentang pergerakan bangsa Arab agar siap menghadapi permusuhan apa pun. Hal ini terutama terjadi pada saat itu, ketika musuh-musuh kaum Muslimin di Semenanjung sudah sangat banyak, sebagai reaksi atas dibangunnya sebuah pasukan dan negara yang patut diperhitungkan. Keadaan ini semakin nyata setelah diusirnya orang-orang Yahudi Bani Qainuqa' dan Bani Nadir, serta setelah beliau ﷺ memberikan pukulan telak kepada suku-suku seperti Ghathafan, Hudzail, dan banyak lainnya.

Despite the serenity in Madinah, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) always remained on the alert fearing the treachery of the enemy. He was forever keen to gather news about everyone and every development taking place in the Arabian Peninsula. He (pbuh) would send people on exploratory and news gathering missions all over the land and beyond. He (pbuh) was anxious to learn everything about the movements of the Arabs in order to be ready to deal with any hostilities. This was especially the case at this point, now that the enemies of the Muslims in the Peninsula numbered many, which was reactionary to the building of an army and a State to be reckoned with. This was particularly the case after the expulsion of the Jews of Banu Qaynuqa’ and Banu Nadir, as well as after having dealt the tribes such as Ghatafan, Hadhayl and many others a crushing blow.

Berdasarkan uraian di atas, Rasulullah ﷺ memandang pengumpulan intelijen sebagai hal yang sangat penting. Bahkan melalui sarana inilah beliau menerima peringatan dini tentang kaum Quraisy yang bersekutu dengan beberapa suku lain untuk menyerbu Madinah. Dengan demikian, beliau ﷺ mampu melakukan persiapan lebih awal untuk menghadapi ancaman baru tersebut.

In light of the above, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) considered intelligence gathering to be vital. In fact it was through this medium that he received early warnings of the Quraysh, combining together with several other tribes to raid Madinah. He (pbuh) was therefore able to make advanced preparations to meet the new threat.

Kaum Yahudi dari Bani Nadhir-lah yang berusaha menghasut orang-orang Arab untuk memerangi Rasulullah ﷺ, demi membalas dendam karena mereka diusir dari Madinah. Sejumlah dari mereka membentuk kelompok menentang Rasulullah ﷺ, di antaranya Huyayy bin Akhthab, Sallam bin Abi al-Huqayq dan Kinanah bin Abi al-Huqayq, serta dari Bani Wa’il ada Haudhah bin Qays dan Abu ‘Ammar. Kelompok inilah yang mendatangi kaum Quraisy di Makkah. Kaum Quraisy bertanya kepada Huyayy tentang kaumnya, dan ia menjawab, “Aku meninggalkan mereka di antara Khaibar dan Madinah dalam keraguan, menunggu kalian untuk berbaris bersama mereka memerangi Muhammad ﷺ dan para sahabatnya.” Mereka juga menanyakan tentang Bani Quraizhah, dan ia menjawab, “Mereka tetap tinggal di Madinah untuk menipu Muhammad ﷺ. Mereka menunggu kalian menyerang Madinah untuk membantu kalian dari dalam.” Pada tahap itu kaum Quraisy masih ragu, tidak tahu apakah harus menyerang Madinah atau tidak. Mereka menganggap tidak ada perselisihan antara mereka dan Muhammad ﷺ selain seruan beliau kepada Allah ﷻ dan Islam. Karena itu, mereka bertanya-tanya apakah Muhammad ﷺ berada di pihak yang benar? Untuk menghilangkan keraguan mereka, kaum Quraisy bertanya kepada orang-orang Yahudi, “Wahai Yahudi, kalian adalah kaum pertama yang menerima kitab suci dan mengetahui hakikat perselisihan kami dengan Muhammad. Apakah agama kami yang lebih baik, ataukah agamanya?” Orang-orang Yahudi menjawab, “Tentu agama kalian lebih baik daripada agamanya, dan kalianlah yang lebih berhak berada di pihak yang benar!”

It was the Jews of Banu Nadir who endeavored to incite the Arabs against the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) in order to exact their revenge for being expelled from Madinah. A number of them had formed a party against the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), among whom were Huyayy ibn Akhtab, Salam ibn Abi al-Huqayq and Kinanah ibn Abi al-Huqayq, and from Banu Wa’il were Haudhah ibn Qays and Abu ‘Ammar, and it was this party which approached the Quraysh in Makkah. The Quraysh asked Huyayy about his people and he said, “I left them between Khaybar and Madinah hesitating and waiting for you to march with them against Muhammad and his Companions.” They also asked him about Banu Quraydah and he said, “They remained in Madinah to deceive Muhammad. They are waiting for you to raid Madinah to help you from within.” At that stage the Quraysh were hesitant, not knowing whether to attack Madinah or not. They considered that there was no dispute between them and Muhammad (pbuh) except his (pbuh) call to Allah (swt) and Islam. They, therefore, wondered whether Muhammad (pbuh) was in the right? To lessen their doubts the Quraysh asked the Jews, “You, O Jews, are the first people to receive scripture and know the nature of our dispute with Muhammad. Is our Deen the best or is his ?” The Jews replied, “Certainly your Deen is better than his and you have a better claim to be in the right!”.

Orang-orang Yahudi bertauhid dan mereka sangat tahu bahwa agama Muhammad ﷺ adalah agama yang benar, tetapi hasrat membara mereka untuk menghasut bangsa Arab melawan beliau ﷺ menjerumuskan mereka ke dalam kekeliruan yang hina ini. Menyatakan bahwa penyembahan berhala lebih baik daripada tauhid adalah aib dan kehinaan mereka yang abadi, namun orang-orang Yahudi telah melakukannya dan siap melakukannya lagi dan lagi.

The Jews were monotheistic and they knew very well that the Deen of Muhammad (pbuh) was the right one, but their burning desire to incite the Arabs against him (pbuh) landed them in this despicable blunder. To declare that the worshipping of idols was better than the Tawheed was their eternal disgrace and shame, but the Jews did it and are ready to do it over and over again.

Setelah mereka yakin bahwa orang-orang Quraisy telah meyakinkan diri dan bahwa mereka dengan senang hati akan menyambut seruan mereka, orang-orang Yahudi pergi menemui Ghatafan dari Qays Ghaylan, Banu Murrah, dan Banu Fazarah, Asyja'a, Salim, Banu Sa'd, Asad, serta siapa pun lain yang menyimpan dendam terhadap kaum Muslimin. Dalam waktu singkat, sejumlah kabilah Arab bersekutu dan berangkat bersama orang-orang Quraisy menuju Madinah.

Once they were assured that the Quraysh were convinced and that they would gladly respond to their call the Jews went to Ghatafan of Qays Ghaylan, to Banu Murrah and to Banu Fazarah, to Ashja’a, to Salim, to Banu Sa’d, to Asad and to anyone else who held a grudge against the Muslims. In time, a number of Arab tribes allied and went out with the Quraysh heading for Madinah.

Kaum Quraisy berbaris di bawah pimpinan Abu Sufyan. Jumlah mereka sekitar 4.000 prajurit, 300 penunggang kuda, dan 1.500 prajurit lain yang menunggang unta. Bani Fazarah berbaris di bawah pimpinan 'Uyayna bin Hisn bin Hudhayfah dengan jumlah prajurit yang besar dan 1.000 unta. Bani Asja'a berbaris di bawah pimpinan Mis'ar bin Rakhaylah, dan Bani Murrah berbaris di bawah pimpinan al-Harith bin 'Auf dengan 400 prajurit. Bani Sulaim dan orang-orang Bir Ma'unah berbaris dengan sekitar 700 prajurit. Ketika semuanya telah berkumpul, pasukan ini semakin diperkuat oleh Bani Sa'd dan Bani Asad. Seluruhnya, pasukan berjumlah sekitar 10.000 orang, dan pasukan koalisi ini berbaris di bawah pimpinan Abu Sufyan. Ketika kabar itu sampai kepada Rasulullah ﷺ, beliau memutuskan untuk bertahan di dalam Madinah. Salman al-Farisi menyarankan untuk menggali parit di sekeliling Madinah. Parit itu pun digali, dan Rasulullah ﷺ sendiri ikut bekerja di sana sambil menyemangati kaum Muslimin dengan harapan pahala di surga. Beliau ﷺ mendorong mereka untuk melipatgandakan usaha mereka, dan dengan cara ini parit itu selesai dalam enam hari. Selain itu, dinding rumah-rumah yang menghadap ke arah musuh diperkuat, rumah-rumah di luar parit dikosongkan, dan para wanita serta anak-anak ditempatkan di dalam rumah-rumah yang telah diperkuat di dalam Madinah. Rasulullah ﷺ berangkat bersama tiga ribu kaum Muslimin; beliau membelakangi lembah Sal' dengan parit yang memisahkan beliau dari musuh. Di sana beliau ﷺ mendirikan perkemahan, dan sebuah kemah merah didirikan untuk beliau.

The Quraysh marched under the leadership of Abu Sufyan. They numbered about 4,000 warriors, 300 cavalrymen and another 1,500 warriors riding on camels. Banu Fazarah marched under the leadership of ‘Uyayna ibn Hisn ibn Hudhayfah with a large number of warriors and 1,000 camels. Ashja’a marched under the leadership of Mis’ar ibn Rakhaylah, and Murrah marched under the leadership of al-Harith ibn ‘Auf with 400 warriors. Salim and Bir Ma’una’s people marched with about 700 warriors. When these had all gathered they were further reinforced by Banu Sa’d and Banu Asad. Altogether the army totaled about 10,000 men and the coalition force marched under the leadership of Abu Sufyan. When news reached the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), he decided to entrench himself inside Madinah. Salman al-Farsi recommended digging a trench around Madinah. The trench was dug and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) worked at it himself encouraging the Muslims on with the hope of reward in Heaven. He (pbuh) prodded them to double and redouble their efforts and in this way the trench was completed in six days. In addition, the walls of the houses facing the enemy were fortified, the houses beyond (outside) the trench were then evacuated, and the women and children placed inside the fortified houses within Madinah. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) set off with three thousand Muslims, he had his back to the valley of Sal’ and the trench dividing him from the enemy. There he (pbuh) encamped, and a red tent was pitched for him.

Kaum Quraisy dan sekutu-sekutunya berangkat dengan harapan dapat berhadapan dengan Muhammad ﷺ di Uhud, namun hal itu tidak terwujud. Kemudian kaum Quraisy terus berbaris hingga tiba di Madinah, dan betapa terkejutnya mereka ketika mendapati jalan mereka dihalangi oleh parit. Jelaslah bahwa kaum Quraisy dan sekutunya tidak mengenal strategi pertahanan semacam ini, sehingga mereka terpaksa berkemah di luar Madinah, di seberang parit, untuk memikirkan langkah berikutnya. Abu Sufyan dan orang-orang yang bersamanya segera menyadari bahwa mereka harus bertahan lama di dekat parit karena tidak mampu menyerbunya. Keadaan yang tidak menentu ini menjadi masalah tersendiri, karena saat itu musim dingin, angin bertiup kencang dan udaranya sangat menusuk. Dalam kondisi seperti itu, orang-orang mulai putus asa dan berharap dapat pulang ke rumah. Huyayy bin Akhtab menyadari hal ini, lalu ia menyarankan agar Bani Quraizhah dibujuk untuk melanggar perjanjian damai yang telah mereka tandatangani dengan kaum Muslimin, dan bergabung dengan koalisi. Ia mengatakan kepada kaum Quraisy dan sekutu-sekutunya bahwa jika Quraizhah melakukan hal ini, kaum Muslimin akan kehilangan semua hubungan dengan dunia luar, dan jalan untuk menyerbu Madinah pun akan terbuka.

The Quraysh and their allies set off, hoping to encounter Muhammad (pbuh) at Uhud, but it was not to be. The Quraysh then marched on until they reached Madinah and to their surprise they found their way barred by the trench. Clearly the Quraysh and her allies were not familiar with this kind of defensive strategy, they were forced to encamp outside Madinah beyond the trench to consider their next move. Abu Sufyan and those with him soon realized that they were in for a long stay by the trench because they were not able to storm it. This inconclusive situation proved troublesome as it was winter, the winds were fierce and biting cold. Under these conditions the people began to feel demoralized, they wished that they could return home. Huyayy ibn Akhtab was aware of this and so he suggested that Banu Quraydah should be talked into violating the peace treaty, which they had signed with Muslims, and join the coalition. He told the Quraysh and their allies that if the Quraydah did this the Muslims would lose all links with the outside world and the way would be open to invade Madinah.

Quraisy dan Ghatafan senang dengan gagasan itu dan mengizinkan Huyayy untuk mendekati Ka'ab bin Asad, pemimpin Bani Quraizhah. Ketika Ka'ab mendengar Huyayy datang, ia menutup pintu benteng di depan wajahnya. Namun Huyayy tetap bersikeras hingga Ka'ab membuka pintu; ia berkata kepadanya, "Astaga, Ka'ab! Aku telah membawakanmu kemasyhuran abadi dan pasukan yang besar. Aku datang bersama Quraisy dengan para pemimpin dan pembesar mereka, serta Ghatafan dengan para pemimpin dan pembesar mereka. Mereka telah membuat perjanjian yang kokoh dan berjanji kepadaku bahwa mereka tidak akan pergi sebelum kita mengakhiri Muhammad ﷺ dan para pengikutnya." Ka'ab ragu-ragu dan ia teringat akan kesetiaan dan kejujuran Rasulullah ﷺ. Ia khawatir akan akibat dari apa yang hendak ia libatkan dirinya di dalamnya. Namun Huyayy terus membujuk Ka'ab, mengingatkannya bagaimana Muhammad ﷺ telah memperlakukan orang-orang Yahudi dan betapa kuatnya pasukan sekutu, hingga akhirnya Ka'ab menyerah dan menerima apa yang diminta Huyayy darinya.

The Quraysh and Ghatafan were pleased with the idea and sanctioned Huyayy to approach Ka’ab ibn Asad, the leader of Banu Quraydah. When Ka’ab heard Huyayy coming he shut the door of the fort in his face. However Huyayy persisted until Ka’ab opened the door; he said to him, “Good heavens Ka’ab! I have brought you immortal fame and a great army. I have come with Quraysh with their leaders and chiefs, and Ghatafan with their leaders and chiefs. They have made a firm agreement and promised me that they will not depart until we have made an end of Muhammad and his men.” Ka’ab was hesitant and he recalled the Messenger of Allah’s (pbuh) loyalty and faithfulness. He feared the consequences of what he was letting himself into. But Huyayy kept on wheedling Ka’ab, reminding him of how Muhammad (pbuh) had treated the Jews and how strong the Allies were, until at last Ka’ab gave way and accepted what Huyayy had asked of him.

Demikianlah Ka'ab melanggar janjinya dan memutuskan ikatan yang ada antara dia dan Rasulullah ﷺ. Maka Quraizhah bergabung dengan pasukan Sekutu tanpa sepengetahuan Rasulullah ﷺ. Kabar ini sampai kepada Rasulullah ﷺ dan para Sahabatnya, dan hal ini menimbulkan kekhawatiran yang besar bagi mereka. Mereka takut akan hal terburuk, maka Rasulullah ﷺ mengutus Sa'd bin Mu'adz, pemimpin suku 'Aus, dan Sa'd bin 'Ubadah, pemimpin Al-Khazraj, bersama 'Abdullah bin Rawahah dan Khawwat bin Jubair untuk pergi dan melihat apakah kabar itu benar atau tidak. Beliau ﷺ meminta mereka memberikan isyarat yang hanya beliau yang memahaminya, agar semangat orang-orang tidak melemah, dan jika Quraizhah masih setia pada perjanjian mereka, hendaklah mereka menyatakannya secara terbuka di hadapan orang banyak. Maka mereka pun berangkat dan mendapati keadaan yang lebih menyedihkan daripada yang mereka dengar sebelumnya. Ketika mereka berusaha membujuk Quraizhah agar tidak mengingkari perjanjian, Ka'ab menuntut agar mereka membolehkan saudara-saudara mereka, Bani Nadhir, kembali ke rumah-rumah mereka. Sa'd bin Mu'adz, yang kebetulan bersekutu dengan Quraizhah, berusaha membujuk mereka agar tetap berpegang pada perjanjian. Namun mereka berbicara dengan merendahkan Rasulullah ﷺ, dengan mengatakan, "Siapa Rasulullah itu? Kami tidak memiliki perjanjian atau ikatan apa pun dengan Muhammad ﷺ." Para utusan kembali dan melaporkan temuan mereka kepada Rasulullah ﷺ. Keadaan saat itu jelas sangat genting, dan rasa takut ada di mana-mana.

Thus Ka’ab broke his promise and cut loose from the bond that was between him and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). The Quraydah, therefore, joined the Allies without the knowledge of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh). The news reached the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and his Sahabah and this caused them a great deal of concern. They feared the worst, and thus, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) sent Sa’d ibn Mu’adh, chief of the ‘Aus, and Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah, chief of al-Khazraj, together with ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah and Khawwat ibn Jubayr to go and see whether the report was true or not. He (pbuh) asked them to give him a sign which only he could understand so as not to undermine the peoples’ morale and that if the Quraydah were still loyal to their agreement they were to speak out openly before the people. So they went forth and found the situation even more deplorable than they had at first heard. When they tried to persuade the Quraydah not to dishonor their agreement, Ka’ab demanded that they allow their brothers Banu Nadir to return back to their homes. Sa’d ibn Mu’adh, who happened to be an ally of the Quraydah, attempted to persuade them to stick to their agreement. They spoke disparagingly of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying, “Who is the Messenger of Allah? We have no agreement or undertaking with Muhammad.” The envoys returned and briefed Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) of their findings. The situation was obviously extremely serious and fear was everywhere.

Pasukan Sekutu bersiap untuk bertempur. Sementara itu, Bani Quraizhah meminta kepada Sekutu untuk memberi mereka waktu sepuluh hari guna mempersiapkan pertempuran, sementara selama waktu itu mereka, Sekutu, akan memerangi kaum Muslimin dengan sengit. Mereka membentuk tiga kelompok untuk memerangi Rasulullah ﷺ: kelompok Ibnu al-A'war al-Silmi mendekati Madinah dari lembah, kelompok 'Uyainah ibnu Hishn bergerak dari samping, dan Abu Sufyan datang hingga ke depan parit. Kaum Muslimin dicekam kepanikan dan menjadi ketakutan. Kekuatan Sekutu tampak nyata, dan semangat mereka sangat tinggi; mereka menuju parit dan beberapa dari mereka berhasil menyerbunya. Sejumlah penunggang kuda Quraisy, di antaranya 'Amr ibnu 'Abdi Wudd, 'Ikrimah ibnu Abi Jahl, dan Dhirar ibnul-Khaththab, menuju bagian parit yang sempit dan memacu kuda-kuda mereka sehingga kuda-kuda itu melompatinya dan membawa mereka ke tanah berlumpur antara parit dan Sal'.

The Allies prepared for combat. The Quraydah meanwhile asked the Allies to allow them ten days in order to prepare for battle while they, the Allies, would fight the Muslims fiercely during that time. They formed three divisions to fight the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), the division of Ibn al A’war al-Silmi closed in on Madinah from the valley, the division of ‘Uyayna ibn Hisn moved in from the side, and Abu Sufyan came before the trench. Panic gripped the Muslims and they became terrified. The Allies’ strength was apparent, and their morale very high, they went for the trench and a few of them managed to storm it. Some Qurayshi horsemen amongst whom were ‘Amr ibn ‘Abdu Wudd, ‘Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl and Dirar ibn al-Khattab made for a narrow part of the ditch and beat their horses so that they dashed through it and carried them into the swampy ground between the trench and Sal’.

‘Ali ibn Abi Talib bersama beberapa kaum Muslimin keluar untuk menjaga celah parit yang telah mereka tembus. Kemudian ‘Amr ibn Abdu Wudd maju ketika pasukannya berhenti, lalu menantang siapa pun untuk bertarung dengannya. ‘Ali menerima tantangan itu dan berkata kepadanya, “Aku meminta engkau untuk turun dari kudamu.” ‘Amr menjawab, “Wahai putra saudaraku, aku tidak ingin membunuhmu.” ‘Ali berkata, “Tetapi aku ingin membunuhmu.” Maka mereka pun bertarung, dan ‘Ali berhasil membunuhnya. Para penunggang kuda yang tersisa melarikan diri dengan tergesa-gesa melintasi parit. Namun peristiwa ini tidak melemahkan semangat pasukan sekutu; justru membuat mereka semakin murka dan semakin bertekad untuk menimbulkan teror di kalangan kaum Muslimin. Sementara itu, orang-orang fanatik dari Bani Quraizhah mulai meninggalkan benteng-benteng mereka dan masuk ke Madinah, dengan tujuan menebar teror di rumah-rumah sekitar. Penderitaan, kecemasan, dan ketakutan semakin memuncak di lingkungan kaum Muslimin, tetapi Rasulullah ﷺ selalu yakin bahwa Allah (SWT) akan memberinya kemenangan. Pertolongan datang melalui Nu‘aim ibn Mas‘ud. Ia telah memeluk Islam, meskipun kaumnya tidak mengetahuinya, lalu ia datang menemui Rasulullah ﷺ. Nu‘aim mengusulkan kepada Rasulullah ﷺ suatu cara yang dapat merusak koalisi musuh. Maka Nu‘aim pergi menemui Bani Quraizhah, yang dengannya ia pernah menjalin persahabatan erat di masa Jahiliyah, dan mengingatkan mereka akan kasih sayang serta ikatan khusus yang ada di antara mereka. Nu‘aim memberitahu Bani Quraizhah apa nasib mereka jika Ghatafan dan Quraisy meninggalkan mereka untuk menghadapi Muhammad ﷺ seorang diri. Ia menegaskan bahwa Quraisy dan Ghatafan mungkin tidak sanggup menunggu lama karena mereka bukan penduduk daerah itu. Ia mengatakan kepada mereka bahwa jika mereka dibiarkan menghadapi Muhammad ﷺ sendirian, mereka tidak akan mampu melakukannya.

‘Ali ibn Abi Talib with some Muslims came out to hold the gap through which they had forced a passage. Now ‘Amr ibn Abdu Wudd went forth when his contingent had come to a halt and challenged anyone to fight him. ‘Ali accepted the challenge and said to him, “I call on you to dismount.” ‘Amr replied, “O son of my brother, I do not want to kill you.” ‘Ali said, “But I want to kill you.” So they fought and ‘Ali killed him. The remaining horsemen fled bursting headlong in flight across the trench. This upset, however, did not affect the Allies’ morale it actually enraged them and made them all the more determined to terrorize the Muslims. In the meantime the zealots of Banu Quraydah began to leave their forts and enter Madinah, this was with the aim of terrorizing nearby houses. Torment, anxiety and terror intensified within the Muslims’ quarters, but the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was always confident that Allah (swt) would grant him victory. Relief came through Nu’aym ibn Mas’ud. He had already embraced Islam though his own people did not know it and he came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). Nu’aym proposed to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) a way in which he could jeopardize the coalition. So Nu’aym went to Banu Quraydah, with whom he had been a close friend in the days of Jahilliyah, and reminded them of his affection and the special ties that existed between them.” Nu’aym told Banu Quraydah what their fate would be if Ghatafan and the Quraysh were to leave them to face Muhammad (pbuh) alone. He emphasized that the Quraysh and Ghatafan might not bear waiting for a long time because they were not inhabitants of that area. He told them that if they were left to face Muhammad on their own they would not be able to do so.

Akhirnya, ia menyarankan kepada mereka agar tidak ikut berperang bersama Sekutu sampai mereka mengambil sandera dari para pemimpin mereka, yang akan tetap berada di tangan mereka sebagai jaminan, agar Ghatafan dan Quraisy tetap tinggal. Barulah setelah itu mereka boleh berperang bersama sekutu mereka melawan Muhammad ﷺ hingga mereka benar-benar mengakhiri hidupnya. Bani Quraizhah menganggap ini nasihat yang sangat baik. Nu'aim kemudian pergi kepada Quraisy dan memberitahu mereka bahwa orang-orang Yahudi Quraizhah telah menyesali tindakan mereka dalam menentang Muhammad ﷺ dan sedang berupaya memperbaiki kekurangan mereka. Ia menyatakan bahwa mereka siap menebus kesalahan itu kepada Quraisy dengan menyerahkan beberapa pemimpin dari dua suku, Quraisy dan Ghatafan, sehingga Yahudi dapat memenggal kepala mereka. Ia berkata kepada mereka, "Maka jika orang-orang Yahudi meminta sandera, jangan kirimkan seorang pun kepada mereka." Kemudian ia pergi kepada Ghatafan dan menceritakan kisah yang sama seperti yang ia ceritakan kepada Quraisy.

Finally, he suggested to them not to fight alongside the Allies until they had taken hostages from their chiefs who would remain in their hands as security in order to have Ghatafan and the Quraysh stay. Only then should they fight Muhammad (pbuh) with their allies until they made an end of him. The Quraydah thought that this was excellent advice. Nu’aym then went to Quraysh and told them that the Jews of Quraydah had regretted their action in opposing Muhammad (pbuh) and are working to overcome their shortcoming. He stated that they were prepared to make it up with him by handing over some chiefs of the two tribes, Quraysh and Ghatafan, so that he could cut their heads off. He said to them, “So if the Jews demand hostages, do not send them a single man.” Then he went to Ghatafan and told them the same story that he had told Quraysh.

Kecurigaan orang-orang Arab terhadap orang-orang Yahudi semakin besar, dan Abu Sufyan memanggil Ka'ab, memberitahukan bahwa mereka telah lama mengepung Muhammad ﷺ dan bahwa mereka harus bersiap untuk berperang keesokan harinya. Ka'ab menjawab bahwa besok adalah hari Sabat, hari ketika mereka tidak melakukan apa pun, tidak berperang dan tidak bekerja. Abu Sufyan menjadi murka dan ia mulai percaya pada apa yang telah dikatakan Nu'aym kepadanya. Ia mengirim utusan kembali kepada Quraydhah untuk menyampaikan agar mereka menjadikan hari lain sebagai pengganti hari Sabat itu, karena berperang melawan Muhammad ﷺ keesokan harinya sangatlah penting. Utusan itu juga menyampaikan kepada Quraydhah bahwa jika Quraisy dan Ghatafan keluar untuk berperang sendiri-sendiri, persekutuan mereka akan pecah sehingga mereka pada akhirnya akan berperang melawan Muhammad ﷺ seorang diri. Ketika Quraydhah mendengar ucapan Abu Sufyan, mereka tetap pada pendirian bahwa mereka tidak akan melanggar hari Sabat, dan mereka menyebutkan para sandera yang harus mereka tahan sebagai jaminan. Ketika Abu Sufyan mendengar hal ini, ia tidak lagi ragu terhadap apa yang telah dikatakan Nu'aym kepadanya. Ia mulai memikirkan strategi baru dan berunding dengan Ghatafan, hanya untuk mendapati bahwa mereka pun telah berpikir ulang untuk berperang melawan Muhammad ﷺ.

The Arabs’ suspicion of the Jews grew and Abu Sufyan sent for Ka’ab informing him that they had been besieging Muhammad (pbuh) for a long time and that they should make ready for battle the next day. Ka’ab replied that it was the Sabbath, a day on which they did nothing, no fighting and no work. Abu Sufyan was enraged and he came to believe what Nu’aym had told him. He sent an envoy back to the Quraydah to tell them to make another Sabbath instead of this one for it was essential to fight Muhammad the next day. The envoy also told the Quraydah that if Quraysh and Ghatafan went out to fight alone, their coalition would be broken so they would end up fighting Muhammad alone. When the Quraydah heard Abu Sufyan’s comments they asserted their stand that they would not violate the Sabbath, and mentioned the hostages whom they should hold as security. When Abu Sufyan heard this he had no doubt left concerning what Nu’aym had told him. He began to think of a new strategy and he conferred with Ghatafan only to find out that they too had second thoughts about fighting Muhammad (pbuh).

Pada malam itu, Allah (swt) mengirimkan angin yang dingin menusuk dan badai yang menggelegar, yang merobohkan kemah-kemah mereka dan menumpahkan periuk-periuk masak mereka. Mereka dicekam kepanikan dan mengira kaum Muslimin akan memanfaatkan kesempatan itu untuk mengarahkan serangan mereka kepada mereka. Maka Tulayha bangkit dan berteriak, “Muhammad ﷺ telah datang menyusul kalian, maka larilah demi nyawa kalian.” Abu Sufyan berkata, “Wahai kaum Quraisy! Pergilah, karena aku akan pergi.” Maka mereka bergegas mengambil apa saja yang bisa mereka bawa, lalu melarikan diri. Bani Ghatafan dan sisa pasukan Sekutu pun melakukan hal yang sama. Pada pagi hari, mereka semua sudah pergi.

That night, Allah (swt) sent a bitter wind and a thunderous storm which overthrew their tents and upset their cooking pots. They were stricken with panic and thought that the Muslims would seize the chance to direct their onslaught against them, so Tulayha arose and shouted, “Muhammad has come after you, so run for your lives”. Abu Sufyan said, “O Quraysh! Be off, for I am going.” So they grabbed hurriedly whatever they could carry and fled. Ghatafan and the rest of the Allies did the same. In the morning they were all gone.

Ketika Rasulullah ﷺ melihat hal ini, beliau dan kaum Muslimin meninggalkan parit dan kembali ke Madinah. Allah (SWT) telah menjaga kaum Muslimin dari peperangan. Setelah Rasulullah ﷺ terbebas dari kaum Quraisy, beliau memutuskan untuk menyelesaikan urusan Bani Quraizhah sekali dan untuk selamanya. Merekalah yang telah melanggar perjanjian dan bersekongkol dengan pasukan sekutu untuk memusnahkan kaum Muslimin. Oleh karena itu, Rasulullah ﷺ memerintahkan Mu'adzin (orang yang menyerukan azan shalat) untuk memberitahukan kepada orang-orang bahwa siapa pun yang taat tidak boleh melaksanakan shalat Ashar sampai ia tiba di tempat Bani Quraizhah. Rasulullah ﷺ mengutus 'Ali di depan dengan benderanya, dan kaum Muslimin bergegas menuju ke sana dengan penuh suka cita dan semangat, hingga mereka tiba di Bani Quraizhah, lalu mereka mengepung mereka selama dua puluh lima malam. Orang-orang Yahudi mengatakan kepada Rasulullah ﷺ bahwa mereka ingin berunding dengan beliau. Setelah banyak perundingan, mereka sepakat untuk menerima keputusan arbitrase Sa'd bin Mu'adz, dan ia memberikan keputusan bahwa, "Para laki-laki harus dibunuh, harta dibagi, dan para wanita serta anak-anak dijadikan Sabaya (tawanan)." Keputusan tersebut dilaksanakan, dan dengan demikian eksistensi suku tersebut lenyap dan Madinah terbebas dari mereka untuk selamanya.

When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saw this, he (pbuh) and the Muslims left the trench and returned to Madinah. Allah (swt) had spared the Muslims from fighting. Now that Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) had rid himself of the Quraysh he decided to deal with Banu Quraydah once and for all. It was they who had broken their agreement and had conspired with the allies to exterminate the Muslims, therefore Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) ordered the Mu’adhin (caller to the prayer) to inform to the people that whoever was obedient should not perform the afternoon prayer until he had reached the location where Banu Quraydah was. Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) sent ‘Ali forward with his banner and the Muslims hastened to it full of joy and zeal until they reached Banu Quraydah whereupon they besieged them for twenty-five nights. The Jews told the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) that they wanted to negotiate with him. After much negotiation they settled for the arbitration of Sa’d ibn Mu’adh and he gave judgment that, “The men should be killed, the property divided and the women and children taken as Sabaya (slaves).” The judgment was implemented, and thus the entity of the tribe ceased to exist and Madinah was rid of them once and for all.

Kekalahan pasukan Sekutu menandai berakhirnya setiap upaya serius kaum Quraisy untuk menghadapi Rasulullah ﷺ, dan pemusnahan Bani Quraizhah berarti bahwa ketiga suku Yahudi, yang semula tinggal di sekitar Madinah dan memiliki perjanjian dengan Rasulullah ﷺ (yang masing-masing mereka langgar secara bergantian), sudah tidak ada lagi. Hal ini berarti bahwa kekuasaan Rasulullah ﷺ dan kaum Muslimin atas Madinah menjadi mutlak, dan akibatnya, bangsa Arab tetap sama cemasnya terhadap kaum Muslimin seperti sebelumnya.

The defeat of the Allies marked the end of any serious attempt by the Quraysh to confront the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and the annihilation of Banu Quraydah meant that all three Jewish tribes, which had originally lived around Madinah and who had agreements with Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) (which each broke in turn), were not there any more. This meant that the supremacy of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) and the Muslims over Madinah was absolute and as a result, the Arabs were just as alarmed of the Muslims as ever.