Table of Contents
The Gathering Storm Around Madinah
When the Muslims settled in Madinah, the Quraysh of Makkah were not the only ones who opposed them. As Islam grew stronger after Badr and despite the setback at Uhud, many hostile groups began to see the Muslim community as a serious political and religious threat. The chapter of the Battle of the Trench, or Al Khandaq, cannot be understood without first seeing how these scattered enemies came together into one powerful coalition against Madinah.
This coalition was not a random gathering. It was the result of careful planning, shared fear, old hatred, and new political calculations. The Qur’an refers directly to this episode and calls those forces “the confederates”, in Arabic “Al Ahzab”:
إِذْ جَاءُوكُم مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ
“When they came at you from above you and from below you.”
[Surat Al Ahzab 33:10]
These few words describe the feeling in Madinah. Enemies were gathering from every direction around the city.
The Role of Banu Nadir in Forming the Alliance
The most active planners behind the coalition were not from Makkah, but from among the expelled Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir. They had lived in Madinah and had a formal agreement with the Prophet ﷺ, but they had broken it and betrayed the Muslims. As a result, they were expelled from Madinah, an event discussed in another chapter. Many of their leaders, full of anger and a desire for revenge, settled in Khaybar and other northern areas.
From there, they began to work politically against the Muslims. Two famous men from Banu Nadir were especially important in building the coalition, Huyayy ibn Akhtab and Salam ibn Abi Al Huqayq. They travelled from tribe to tribe, using money, relationships, and clever speech to persuade Arab tribes to unite with Quraysh against the Prophet ﷺ.
The Qur’an alludes to this pattern of opposition, where those given knowledge before keep resisting the truth even after clear signs:
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيبًا مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْجِبْتِ وَالطَّاغُوتِ
“Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, [yet] they believe in superstition and false objects of worship...?”
[Surat An Nisa 4:51]
In this context, some early scholars of Tafsir mention that certain people of the Book chose to support pagan tribes against the Prophet ﷺ. This was a deep moral fall. They preferred political revenge and worldly interest over the truth they knew from their own scriptures.
Huyayy and his companions visited Makkah and spoke to the leaders of Quraysh. They confirmed Quraysh in their war, encouraged their hatred, and promised them help from northern tribes. Their message was simple, “If you all strike Madinah together, you can crush Muhammad and his followers once and for all.”
A key feature of the coalition of enemies was that it united groups that were very different in belief and background, but completely agreed in their hostility to Islam and their desire to destroy the Muslim community in Madinah.
Quraysh: The Central Enemy and Their Motives
At the heart of the coalition stood the Quraysh. They had already fought the Muslims at Badr and Uhud. They had lost many of their noblemen at Badr and still carried grief and anger. Even after partial revenge at Uhud, they were not satisfied. The existence of a strong Muslim city in Madinah, on the main trade route, was too much for them to tolerate.
Abu Sufyan ibn Harb was now the chief political and military leader of Quraysh. Under his leadership, Quraysh hosted the envoys of Banu Nadir and listened carefully to their proposal. The idea of a grand alliance appealed to Quraysh for several reasons.
First, they realized that defeating Madinah alone would be very difficult after their experience in previous battles. Second, they feared that Islam was attracting followers from different tribes and could soon completely surround Makkah politically. Third, they wanted to send a strong message to all Arabia that anyone who joined Muhammad ﷺ would be in danger.
It is reported that when leaders from Banu Nadir visited Quraysh, they were asked about the religion of Muhammad ﷺ compared to the religion of Quraysh. In their hatred, some of them even preferred the idolatry of Quraysh over the pure Tawhid preached by the Prophet ﷺ. Such statements show how enmity can blind a person to truth.
Although this specific conversation is known by narrations of varying strength, the Qur’an describes the attitude of such people in powerful words:
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُوا بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا نُؤْمِنُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَيَكْفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَاءَهُ
“And when it is said to them, ‘Believe in what Allah has revealed,’ they say, ‘We believe [only] in what was revealed to us,’ and they disbelieve in what came after it...”
[Surat Al Baqarah 2:91]
Thus, Quraysh, driven by pride, loss, and fear of losing their religious and political authority, became ready to act as the core of the confederate armies.
Ghatfan and Other Powerful Bedouin Tribes
The coalition could not be truly dangerous unless it included the mighty tribes of central and northern Arabia. Banu Nadir and Quraysh therefore reached out to the large tribal confederation known as Ghatafan, which included sub tribes such as Banu Fazarah and Banu Murrah. These tribes were known for their strong warriors and their influence in the Najd region.
Their main motive was not religious, but political and economic. They feared losing their influence if Islam and Madinah continued to grow, and they were also tempted by the promise of future spoils. The Prophet ﷺ mentioned about such alliances in a general way, showing that some people fight only for worldly gain:
عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قِيلَ لَهُ: الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ شَجَاعَةً، وَيُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً، وَيُقَاتِلُ رِيَاءً، أَيُّ ذَلِكَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ؟ فَقَالَ:
«مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ»
Abu Musa رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, “A man fights for bravery, another fights for tribal pride, and another fights to be seen. Which of that is in the path of Allah?” He ﷺ said,
“Whoever fights so that the word of Allah is the highest, then he is in the path of Allah.”
[Al Bukhari, Muslim]
The tribes of Ghatafan were not fighting for the truth. They were driven by tribal loyalty and interest. However, in the political language of the time, these were powerful reasons, and so they decided to join the coalition.
Other tribes were also involved, such as Banu Asad and Banu Sulaim, each with its own local motives. Some saw a chance to weaken Madinah and gain influence. Others simply followed the lead of larger allies, as alliances often worked in tribal Arabia.
The Religious and Moral Nature of the Alliance
One unique feature of this coalition was that it joined groups that should have been morally and religiously opposed to each other. People of the Book, who knew about pure monotheism, ended up reinforcing idolatrous tribes. Nomadic tribes, who normally fought among themselves, united for a single campaign. Old rivalries were set aside for a new common goal, to destroy the Prophet ﷺ and the community of believers.
Allah describes the nature of such coalitions in very general but accurate terms:
الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِّنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
“Those to whom We gave the Scripture recognize him as they recognize their own sons, but indeed, a group among them conceal the truth while they know [it].”
[Surat Al Baqarah 2:146]
Among those who formed and encouraged the coalition were people who recognized the signs of prophethood in Muhammad ﷺ, but the fear of losing status, land, or influence drove them into open opposition.
Furthermore, the Qur’an reminds us that hatred for faith can bring together hearts that are normally divided:
تَحْسَبُهُمْ جَمِيعًا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ شَتَّى
“You think them together, but their hearts are divided.”
[Surat Al Hashr 59:14]
This verse was revealed in the context of some of the same groups, and it captures exactly what the coalition was. On the outside it looked like a united front, but in reality it was full of different agendas and inner weakness.
The coalition of enemies around Madinah was not based on shared faith or justice, but on shared hostility to Islam, love of power, and fear of losing worldly interests. Such an alliance is strong in numbers but weak in sincerity and principle.
The Scale and Direction of the Confederate Forces
Although early sources differ slightly in detail, they agree that the combined armies that marched toward Madinah were the largest the Arabian Peninsula had seen up to that time. Many reports mention a number around ten thousand fighters. For Arabia of that era, this was an enormous army.
The forces came from different directions. The Qur’an paints a vivid picture of this situation:
إِذْ جَاءُوكُم مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ الْأَبْصَارُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَا
“When they came at you from above you and from below you, and when eyes were turned away [in fear] and hearts reached the throats, and you were thinking about Allah [various] thoughts.”
[Surat Al Ahzab 33:10]
“From above you” refers to tribes approaching from higher ground and from the north and east regions, such as Ghatafan and their allies. “From below you” refers to Quraysh and their confederates coming from the direction of Makkah, from the south. Madinah stood like a small island surrounded by a rising tide of enemies.
The goal of the confederates was not just to raid or punish. It was to besiege Madinah, break its defense, and end the new Muslim state. This scale and intention make the coalition of enemies around the Battle of the Trench different from any earlier conflict in the Seerah.
The Psychological Pressure on the Muslims
News of the coalition did not arrive suddenly. Information came in stages as envoys traveled and agreements were made. The Muslims knew that tribes were being contacted and that something large was being prepared. The anxiety grew as reports confirmed that Quraysh, Ghatafan, and others had all agreed on one plan.
Allah describes the emotional state of many believers when they saw the confederate armies:
وَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْأَحْزَابَ قَالُوا هَٰذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَصَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ۚ وَمَا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا إِيمَانًا وَتَسْلِيمًا
“And when the believers saw the confederates, they said, ‘This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth.’ And it did not increase them except in faith and submission.”
[Surat Al Ahzab 33:22]
At the same time, the Qur’an tells us that there were also hypocrites in Madinah who reacted very differently:
وَإِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ مَّا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا
“And [remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease were saying, ‘Allah and His Messenger did not promise us except delusion.’”
[Surat Al Ahzab 33:12]
These verses show that the coalition of enemies was not just a military challenge. It was also a test that revealed the inner state of people's hearts in Madinah. True faith became stronger when faced with large numbers of enemies, while hidden hypocrisy became visible.
A New Phase in the Struggle
The formation of this coalition marked a turning point in the Seerah. Before this, the conflict was mostly between Quraysh and the Muslims, with some local Jewish tribes and nearby groups involved through treaties or smaller actions. With the arrival of the confederate armies, the entire map of Arabia seemed to be turning against Madinah.
The Prophet ﷺ described this type of gathering in general when he foretold that enemies would one day gather around the Muslim community like people around a dish:
يُوشِكُ أَنْ تَدَاعَى عَلَيْكُمُ الْأُمَمُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُفُقٍ، كَمَا تَدَاعَى الْأَكَلَةُ إِلَى قَصْعَتِهَا
“The nations will soon summon one another against you, from every direction, just as diners are called to their dish.”
[Abu Dawud, graded hasan by some scholars]
Although this hadith refers to a later time in the Ummah, it shows that such coalitions are a recurring pattern in history.
In the specific historical moment of Al Khandaq, the gathering of Quraysh, Ghatafan, and others around Madinah signaled the beginning of a decisive test. It forced the Muslims to think in new ways, both militarily and politically. From this point, the struggle was no longer with one tribe at a time, but with a wide confederation that brought together many different forces.
The detailed strategy of defense used by the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions in response to this coalition, including the digging of the trench and managing internal risks, forms the subject of the next chapters. Here it is enough to understand that the coalition of enemies around Madinah was a carefully planned, large scale alliance, built on shared hostility and fear, and that its appearance marked a crucial turning point in the life of the Muslim community.