GOD'S GREAT TEST IN THE BATTLE OF MOAT

      This is the prelude of the composition of the evil confederates that besieged Medina, in order to destroy Islam and Moslems in 5 A.H..

      The above three verses, plus 14 other to follow, are about one of the great tests of God that was applied to the believers, non-believers, and hypocrites, as well as the Jews. This trial was the incident of the Battle of Moat, which raised the tide to the benefit of Moslems. They obtained a victory which was a key to the other victories yet to be obtained.

      The first spark of the battle was thrown up by the Jews of BANI-NAZIR, who went to Mecca and encouraged the Pagans and the tribe of GHORAISH to rise up against our prophet and his followers. They also urged the tribe of Ghatfän, Bani-Asad and Bani-Salim, to join the confederates that were composed and united against Mohammad (SA).

      They eventually came with a force of more than eleven thousands well equipped warriors. They surrounded Medina to wage a war against the inhabitants of the town of the prophet which was named the Battle of Moat.

      It was a very cold winter in Medina, and there came a piercing cold wind, so harsh that the enemies tent were torn up and their fires extinguished, and their faces were sand-blasted, so much so that they were disheartened and terrified, and left the Battle-field in a panic and confusion.

THE BATTLE OF MOAT

      When the Jews of Bani Nazir made sure of their strong alliance with Ghoraish, and prepared them to wage a war of destiny against Mohammad, they went to the other important tribes to rise them up and incite them to join a grand alliance against Moslems who had despised and rejected their idols. An army of more than ten thousand forces, well armed with three hundred horses and several thousands of camels, was organized and formed into three separate corps. The confederates set out for the raid and approached Medina. They stationed their camp on the lower slopes of Ohud mountains and at the foot of Salaa.

      As soon as the prophet heard of the grand alliance that was formed against him, he held a council of war.

      In their council of war, the prophet and his eminent companions disussed the hard situation to which they were confronted. The final decision of the meeting was taken on the basis of the proposal of a Persian faithful convert, whose name was SALMÄN FARSI. He proposed to dig a MOAT wherever Medina laid open to cavalry attack. This form of defence was hither to unknown to Arabs. Medina was surrounded by mountains and high hills, and it was only on the northern part of the town that the moat could be useful and preventive.

      The work was set afoot as soon as the confederates set out from Mecca and made for Medina, a distance of some fifteen days for them to travel. Almost all the Moslems as well as the prophet himself worked hard at the trench which was finished in six days. It was indeed a hard work to be done. There were hard rocks and firm stones that were not easily penetrated in order to be splashed with their primary tools.

      SALMÄN FARSI, in his part of the trench was confronted with a very big and hard stone, an obstruction that could not be removed or by-passed. The prophet was informed and asked how that stone could be dealt with. The prophet took an axe. He murmured a prayer to Allah.

      When he hit the stone with his axe, he exclaimed:-

      In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, and gave a hard blow to the stone. His stroke caused a very bright spark that lighted all about the stone. Seeing the light the prophet exclaimed; ALLAHOAKBAR=ALLAH IS GREATER. There was a second blow and again the stone emitted another brilliant spark. A third bright light followed the prophet's third blow, and LO! The stone broke up into pieces. In answer to Salmän and other believers who were in that point of the trench, the prophet said:-

      ``The first spark was the key to the conquest of Yemen that God gave it to Me and to my follower. (OMMAT) The second light was the key to the conquest of the Eastern world and Persian Kingdom, and the third light was the key to the conquest of Western world and the Roman Empire that was given to my OMMAT.''

      When the hypocrites and Jews heard of that, they mocked at the prophet, and said:- ``Look at this apostle! How does he make a fool, and a fun, of his followers?'' He is hiding his poor follower in the trench for fear of life, and yet he promises them the conquest of Persian Kingdom and Roman Empire! It was no later than a couple of decade that the Apostle's prediction came to pass with shame on the hypocrites and other enemies.

      Any how, the moat was completed in six days, having eight well guarded passages. Then there came the confederates in big groups and stationed at the foot of a mountain named SALAA, and on the plants of MOJTAME-AL-ASYÄL; therefrom surrounding Medina.

      The prophet had kept the women and children in the strongholds and fortified places, and he and his three thousands of ill armed forces stationed behind the Moat, having put their trusts in Allah the only One God.

      The most prominent of the warrior commanders among the confederates was, ``AMR-IBN-ABDUWOD'', who was the greatest hero of Arab in the battle-fields. When he came to the front and saw the Moat, he was astonished and said:-

      ``This must be the artifice of Persians!'' The Arabs hither to, knew not that sort of defensive obstacles, and how to deal with it. So they failed to cross the Moat which was firmly and constantly guarded.

 

THE JEW'S BREACH

      Only one more Jewish clan named, ``BANIGHORAIZA'' lived in Medina who were at first impartial, but when they saw the powerful confederates surrounding their town they felt the end of Mohammadism, and were seduced by other Jewish leaders who had taken part in the allied forces. So far they had lived under the protection and refuge of Islam, and no one dared to disturb or bother their happiness. They were free to perform their religious rites, and live with their own Jewish rules and regulations, as any other Moslem citizen could.

      HAI-IBN-AKHTAB, one of the chiefs of the exiled clan of Bani Nazir could deceive KAAB-IBN-ASAD, the chief of BANIGHORAIZAH, and eventually brought ruin and misfortune upon the remainders of Jewish clans in Medina.

      That incident of breach was a glorious victory for the confederates, and a loss of courage and fighting spirit for the surrounded Moslems.

      When the prophet was informed of that important betrayal, he took the bad news with a wonderful cold blood, and indifference, and after a pause he addressed his companions and said:-

      ``O, Moslems! I want to give you the good news and glad tiding that in this battle too, the victory shall be yours.''

 

FEAR AND DREAD!

      The unhallowed confederates who had come to give an end to Islam and Moslem, had the town in a critical condition. Their onrush was indeed tremendous! The Moat was between the defending and the huge rushing forces. The believers were shut in within the trench defensive. The hypocrites among them taunted them for having indulged in delusive hopes.

      The psychology of the combatants is described with a matchless vigour in the above mentioned verses:-

      ``O, you who believe! Remember the favour of Allah on you, when hosts came against you. Then We sent upon them a hurricane, and also hosts that you saw them not, and Allah was seeing what you were doing.''

      When they came to you from above you, and from below you, (besieging Medina), and the eyes swerved, and the hearts reached the throats, and you surmised concerning Allah (various unbecoming) surmises.''

      In that condition the believers were tried, and were shaken a violent shake.

 

ALI'S STROKE IN THE BATTLE OF MOAT WORTH THE WORSHIP OF ALL JINNS & MEN.

      In the Battle of Moat the question was:- ``TO BE, OR NOT TO BE''. The greatest army never precedented in number, and equipment in Arabia, had surrounded the newly born community of Moslems. They had but one object, and that was to annihilate Islam and to get rid of its founder. Had they reached their goal no one on earth would obtain the chance, to worship God as He, Himself wanted to.

      AMR, the general commander of the confederates who was the greatest Arabian hero, made his horse to jump over the moat, and came near, in accompany with two of his senior officers. One of them was AKRAMEH the son of ABUJAHL, who was killed before in the battle of Badr.

      AMR-IBN-ABDOWOD asked Moslems for a combatant, as it was customary in those times, but no one dared to answer him or attend! The prophet cast an expecting look on this and that, but no one from among his host moved on!

      AMR, furiously shouted upon the Moslems and said:- ``You cowards that you believe your deads are in Paradise! Is there no one among you who may want me to send him to the Gardens of Bliss!?'' Indeed he had no rival in war and fight-throughout the Arabian Peninsula.

      ALI-IBN-ABUTALIB the lion of God must have been in his late teenages in the Battle of Moat, but full of faith, earnest in belief, and as brave as himself. He came forth and asked the prophet for permission to compete with that Giant. Ali was the prophet's brother, cousin, son-in-law, vicegerent, and as Qurän says; his Self and Soul! So the prophet seemed reluctant to send him to the altar.

      One of the companions said to HAZRAT ALI (AS):-

      ``Know you not that he is AMR-IBN-ABDOWOD!?'' HAZRAT IMAM ALI said:- ``Yes I do know who he is; but I too, am ALI-IBN-ABUTALIB.''

      No one other than Imam Ali had volunteered to fight with that intrusive and boaster Giant, and he could no more stand his declamations against Islam and the prophet. He therefore insisted and asked the prophet, who had no other choice, to permit him to answer the rude hero; and fight with that powerful enemy of God. The prophet said O.K. and Hazrat Imam Ali (AS) the 19 years old lion of God, rushed forward eagerly. When he left, the prophet looked at him, in behind, and said:- ``Today the whole faith is confronted with the whole heathendom. O, My Lord! In the Battle of Ohud you took away Hamzeh, from me, and in the Battle of Badr you took away Obeideh from me, and now my brother and cousin Ali, is going to fight for your cause; do not take him, and do not leave me alone. If this small group of your servants perish then no one else on earth shall worship you with rightness and in accordance with your will.''

      We make it short here for our dear readers to read how Hazrat Ali overcame and killed the Giant enemy of God from the history books written by Shiites or Sonnies, which shows how belief can vanquish disbelief and evil.

      Ali came with the head of greatest Arab hero in his hand, and the prophet grasped and kissed him and said:-

      ``This stroke of Ali equals in the value to the worship of all Men and Jinns up to the Resurrection Day.''

 

THE CONFEDERATES SCATTER

      The Moat prevented the confederates to advance and their siege was of no use.

      NAEEM, a believer of sagacity and wisdom, and an expert diplomat, secretly and with the permission of the prophet, paid visits with the chiefs of various Jewish and heathenish tribes, and very skilfully sowed the seeds of doubt and suspicion and mental uneasiness in them, so much so that the confederates parties began to mistrust one another, and were discouraged and disheartened in what they were going to do.

      30 days had elapsed of the siege, and Moslems too were almost exhausted and starving. The siege had been added to two years of drought and famine in Medina, and people could find nothing in their houses to eat, and their women and children were starving in their houses with hunger and with fear, and insecurity. The fear for the attack of the Jews of Banighoraizah from inside was added to all their misfortunes. The winter was extraordinary cold and fuel or fire very scarce. It was in such a hard and distressful condition that once again the prophet went on that hill, upon which now there is a small mosque, named; ``AL-FATH'' i.e. the Mosque of Vicory. In that solitude he earnestly prayed to the Lord God saying:-

      ``O, my Lord! You are the saviour of the anguished. You are the one who answers the distressed. You are my Lord, and the only Lord of me and my forefathers. Do away with the anguish and troubles of these people with your power and through your Mercy.''

 

      When the prophet returned down, he seemed to have a blooming and happy countenance, contrary to that, when he had left for the hill. Tears of happiness were seen in his attractive eyes. Within a few minutes the signs of Allah's help appeared. A cold breeze gradually turned to a wind, that soon would become a hurricane or tornado. The darkness of the night was gradually spreading its wings over all. Then it was a dark clouded night. There was blown a piercing blast of the cold Eastern Wind, in a cold winter. It turned to a very violent and destructive windstorm. Everything changed by the cold furious wind, which was smashing the heathens. The tents of the camp were all torn off. Their fires extinguished, and their kitchen pots were all thrown upon their heads and on their animals. Their horses and camels, all stampeded and run away, neighing in a panic, and so was their morals sank, and their grand alliance split up and melted away! They all knew that the God whom Mohammad worshipped, was far more powerful than their idols and false gods.

      Abusofyan the quivering head and general commander of the grand army, was trying to make a speech but in vain! With some broken and intermittent word he said:-

      ``In this land there is no more room for us to live or stay. So many of our horses and camels have died of hunger. The Jews upon whom we relied with confidence have all betrayed us. Besides all, this cold violent wind, which is a rage of the skies, has left nothing for us to depend on. The best thing for us is to leave this cursed land as soon as we can.'' Abusofyan despaired of success, trembling with fear, issued the, ``TURN BACK ORDER'' and he himself rode his horse and run away. Then the Ghoraish left the field, and within a couple of hours, our prophet had none of his enemies left in the siege! And such was how our Lord God, the Only one true God, worked in the Battle of Moat.

A QUOTATION FROM THE BOOK

``MOHAMMAD THE MESSENGER OF GOD''

 

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE