Madinan PeriodBattle
The Battle of the Trench (al-Khandaq)
A defensive trench repels the confederate siege of Madinah.
When (CE)
627 CE
Hijri
5 AH
Where
Madinah
A coalition of tribes laid siege to Madinah. On the advice of Salmān al-Fārisī, the Muslims dug a trench around the exposed parts of the city — a novel strategy in Arabia.
After a tense siege, a bitter wind and internal discord scattered the confederates, and the threat lifted without a pitched battle.
Key figures
Salmān al-Fārisī (ra)
In the Qur'an
Reflections
- Consultation (shūrā) and ingenuity; relief comes from Allah.
Source & authenticity · Compiled from standard Seerah works, principally Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar) by S. al-Mubarakpuri. Editorial summaries in our own words; dates per traditional sources. Long-form detail is expanded from vetted sources and under scholarly review.