Trench Warfare History
It was the last war between the Makkan polytheists and Muslims on February 23, 627. This name was given because the Muslims made a defensive war by digging trenches.
Causes of Trench Warfare
- After the Battle of Uhud, Muslims made expeditions to the east and north of Medina. After these expeditions, Mecca caravans closed their way to Syria, Egypt and Iraq,
- The inability of the polytheists to achieve a complete victory in the Battle of Uhud,
- The Jews’ desire to exterminate the Muslims in Medina,
- The Benu Nadir tribe, who was exiled from Medina after the Battle of Uhud, constantly denigrated Islam and took it with other tribes and partnered with the polytheists to fight.
Trench Warfare Brief Summary
The Qurayshi polytheists were successful in the Battle of Uhud, but they could not reduce the power of the Muslims. On the contrary, Muslims increased their unity and solidarity in Medina, became stronger militarily, Zatu’r-Rika and Dumetü’l-CendalThe expeditions to Syria resulted in a decisive victory, thus increasing the power and effectiveness of the Muslims. In addition, the Jewish problem, which is a constant problem in Medina, Benu Rare The peace environment was further increased by exiling the tribe. As a result of all these, the caravan routes of the Meccan polytheists in the directions of Iraq, Egypt and Syria were closed, and their trade suffered serious losses.
The increase in the power of the Muslims in the region also increased the participation in the religion of Islam. Of course, this strengthening attracted the attention of the enemies of Islam and they started to increase their hostile activities. Exiled from Medina at the head of these enemies of Islam Benu Rare He had a tribe. By making anti-Islamic propaganda, they brought other tribes and Meccan polytheists together by inciting and deceiving them.

Provocations of the Benu Rare Tribe
They first came to the Meccan polytheists and agreed to fight the Muslims, whom they considered a common enemy, and to destroy them forever.
Then they went to Nejd and persuaded the Gatafan tribe to fight against the Muslims in exchange for half of Khaybar’s one-year date. But later on, they went to other Arab tribes and said that Paganism was higher than Islam, but that if they did not fight, they would perish, and they recruited soldiers from the tribes of Tihame, Kinane, Beni Esd, Ehabiş, and Najd.
The Quraysh equipped an army of 4000 with 300 horses and 1500 camels. Add to this the Jews and other Arab tribes, and an army of about 10,000 men was formed.
When our Prophet (saas) learned of his allies’ preparations for war, he immediately convened a war council. Most of the Companions were unanimous in their opinion that Medina should be protected from the inside. His Excellency Salman-i Farisi;
– “When a city is besieged by superior forces in our country, a ditch is always dug around it and the city is defended in this way.” expressed an opinion. However, the Prophet saw this plan as appropriate and ordered the preparations to be like this.
Our Prophet (saas) wasted no time in exploring with his notable Companions. He identified the places where the trench should be dug. And then all the Muslims started digging trenches. With such a study, 2 weeks later, Medina was surrounded by ditches. With the soil coming out of the ditches, shelters were built in the interior. The depths of the ditches were set so that a man could not get out of it. It took a month for the trenches to be ready. Our Prophet followed these preparations from the tent set up there. later made here Zubab MosqueIt was built to commemorate this. They placed them in towers in the city to protect women and children.
The enemy who came to the battlefield were happy to see that the land was empty, and then they were surprised when they saw the trenches. Since there was no hot war environment, the war continued with arrow shots. The siege lasted for about a month, and because of the cold weather and the fact that they could not cross the Trench, the polytheists gave up on their goals.
Hz. Ali (as) overthrew Arm, the most powerful person of the time, in this war.
Trench War Results
- The war ended with the victory of the Muslims.
- 628 The Hubeydiye Peace Treaty, which appears to be the acquisition of privileges for the Meccans and Muslims, was signed..
Trench Warfare Features
- It is the last war between Meccan polytheists and Muslims.
- This war took its name from the ditches dug.
The Significance of Trench Warfare
- With this war, Muslims got out of their defensive position and accelerated the spread of Islam outside of Medina.
0 Yorum