A unique blend of asymmetric warfare, resilience and divine intervention
- The pivotal role of intelligence in the battle of Trench is equally undisputed as it helped the Muslims to anticipate the incoming threat, disunite the coalition and handle internal threats, thereby ensuring a decisive victory
Momina Khan
When 10,000 warriors of Quraysh and their allied army marched to attack Medina, they were completely caught off guard by the defense mechanism of trench warfare, as they were only accustomed to open field battles. History has shown, that by successfully utilizing this rather unconventional warfare tactic, a comparatively smaller Muslim army was able to inflict sustainable damage. The battle of Trench which is also known as the battle of Confederates that took place around 627 AD, radically altered the balance of power in the Arabian peninsula and officially dismantled the superiority of Meccans over the Muslims. Soon after the unsuccessful siege, the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) declared that “From now onwards we will attack them. They shall not be able to attack us.” These words of the prophet signaled a significant regional shift, paving way for Muslim dominance.
When news of the oncoming assault reached Medina, the prophet convened an urgent meeting, where he consulted his companions to work out a plan. An innovative tactic of a defensive trench which was proposed by Salman al Farsi was entertained, as it was not considered sensible to confront the enemy in an open battlefield. Although this unique concept of digging a trench as a defensive shield was an unfamiliar concept in Arabia, but it was a recognized defence tactic and was often used to neutralize superior cavalries by the Persians and Romans.
Muslim leadership embraced the challenge by adopting this rather unprecedented strategy and a trench was dug on the northern exposed side of the city of Medina.
Muslims from various tribes of Medina worked together tirelessly for approximately 20 days to dig this massive trench which was about 8 to 15 feet wide and 10 feet deep. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) not only actively participated alongside others in building the trench but also motivated them throughout the project, as they were encountering scarcity of resources. During this time of trial and tribulation, the prophet set a precedent of steadfastness and successfully manoeuvred the otherwise uncertain situation through effective communication and proactive action. Therefore, despite harsh conditions, the Muslims demonstrated remarkable physical and spiritual resilience. As the trench prevented the Quraysh to launch a direct assault, therefore they resorted to laying a siege.
This strategy of Trench warfare not only surprised the opponents but also threw them off balance, ultimately hampering their advancement. It acted as a defensive shield and a stalemate facilitator, thereby tilting the balance of power in favour of the Muslim army. The battle of Trench also qualifies as an example of the “porcupine strategy” which is an asymmetrical warfare doctrine and focuses on achieving deterrence by evading enemy’s strengths and eventually capitalizing on its vulnerabilities. As Muslims were greatly outnumbered by the Quraysh, the defending Muslim army avoided a head on collision in an open battlefield and rather opted for this defensive strategy. Furthermore, the trench around Medina acted as the quills of a porcupine which aided in constraining the combat strength of a superior aggressive force, thereby neutralizing its numerical advantage.
The pivotal role of intelligence in the battle of Trench is equally undisputed as it helped the Muslims to anticipate the incoming threat, disunite the coalition and handle internal threats, thereby ensuring a decisive victory. Early intelligence reports of the advancing allied army allowed the Muslims to prepare and subsequently surprise the enemy with an unfamiliar idea of the trench.
Besides this, intelligence agents were deployed to gather information about enemy numbers etc. At the same time in order to prevent internal threats, accurate internal reports which identified disloyal and enemy agents, facilitated precautionary measures. Meanwhile the secret conversion of Nuaym ibn Mas’ud who was a member of the Ghatafan tribe also played a pivotal role as he managed to strategically manoeuvre the shaky alliance between the Quraysh and its allied army. On one side he warned Banu Qurayzah that the Quraysh would eventually abandon them in case of defeat and hence they should demand hostages from Quraysh as a precautionary measure. While on the other side, he managed to convince the the Quraysh that Banu Qurayzah had changed their mind and were planning to demand some men from the Quraysh’s side as hostages. So, when the Quraysh urged Banu Qurayzah to participate in a joint attack against the Muslims, the latter in return demanded some high-profile hostages, which proved Nuaym’s statement. Consequently, Nuaym ibn Mas’ud successfully created disharmony amongst the ranks of Quraysh.
Although a full-scale combat did not take place apart from a few skirmishes, there was a notable clash between Amr ibn Abd al Wadd from the Quraysh’s side and Ali bin Abi Talib, who represented the Muslim army. The duel was won by Ali bin Abi Talib, and this additional blow left the Meccan army utterly ruined.
A final yet vital point is the powerful role of divine intervention in the battle of Trench which tends to be the demonstration of God’s deliverance and protection against all odds. The savage windstorm which is also mentioned in the Holy Quran that occurred during the battle of Trench acted as a divine tool which severely disrupted the enemy camp. These hurricane style winds tore the enemy’s tents, extinguished their fires, eventually leading to their chaotic retreat. Till date the battle of Trench stands out as a classic example of explicit divine intervention and the Holy Quran mentions the storm by stating that, “O you who believe, remember the favour of Allah upon you when armies came against you, and We sent against them a wind and forces you did not see. Allah is ever seeing of what you do.” Surah Al Ahzaab (33:9)
The strategic prowess exhibited by the Prophet and the adaptation of an unusual strategy of static warfare combined with crucial divine aid, ultimately enabled a glorious victory for Muslims.
Read: Not all eggs in one basket
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The writer is a freelance journalist focusing on politics, international relations and tourism.
