The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 451
X - Siege of Madīnah and Delicate State of the Muslims, Failure of the Disbelievers and Reality of Miracles 451 Finally, after full preparation, these bloodthirsty beasts of the Arabian desert overflowed into Madīnah in the likeness of a grand flood with the intention of annihilating the Muslims. They resolved that until they had expunged the Muslims from the face of the earth, they would not return. This grand army of the disbelievers is estimated to have been from between 10,000 1 to 15,000 men; 2 rather, in light of certain narrations, 24,000 men. 3 Even if the estimate of 10,000 is taken as correct, at that time, this number was so great that perhaps prior to this, such a large number had never taken part in the tribal wars of Arabia. The arrangement was such that the overall leader or commander in chief of the entire army was Abū Sufyān bin Ḥarb, 4 who also lead the individual contingent of the Quraish as well. 5 The tribes of Ghaṭafān were collectively lead by ‘ Uyainah bin Ḥiṣn Fazārī, and under him, there was a separate commander for each tribe. The commander of the Banū Sulaim was ‘Abdi Sufyān Shams, while the Banū Asad were lead by Ṭulaiḥah bin Khuwailid. 6 Food and drink, as well as equipment of war was ample in all respects. This army began to march towards Madīnah in Shawwāl 5 A. H. , i. e. , February or March 627 A. D. 7 It was difficult for such a big army to keep its movements secret, and then, the intelligence system of the Holy Prophet sa was also very well organised. Hence, the army of the Quraish had only just left Makkah when the Holy Prophet sa received news, upon which he gathered the Companions 1 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 624, Ghazwatul- Khandaqi Fī Shawwālin Sanata Khamsin, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) * Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 2, p. 282, Ghazwatu Rasūlillāhi sa Al-Khandaqa Wa Hiyal-Aḥzābu, Dāru Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 2 Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 3, p. 23, Ghazwatul-Khandaqi Wa Hiyal-Aḥzābu, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 3 * Fatḥul-Bārī referenced by Sīratun-Nabī * Mir‘ātul-Mafātīḥ, By Abul-Ḥasan ‘Ubaidullah bin Muḥammad ‘Abdis-Salām, Volume 2, p. 71, Kitābuṣ-Ṣalāh, Bābu Faḍā’iliṣ-Ṣalāh, Al-Faṣlul-Awwal, Ḥadīth No. 634, Al-Maktabatul-Athriyyatu, Sangla Hill [Publishers] 4 Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 2, p. 282, Ghazwatu Rasūlillāhi sa Al-Khandaqa Wa Hiyal-Aḥzābu, Dāru Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 5 As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 622, Ghazwatul-Khandaqi Fī Shawwālin Sanata Khamsin, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) 6 Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 2, p. 282, Ghazwatu Rasūlillāhi sa Al-Khandaqa Wa Hiyal-Aḥzābu, Dāru Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 7 As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 621, Ghazwatul-Khandaqi Fī Shawwālin Sanata Khamsin, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)