The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page cciii
GENERAL INTRODUCTION depressed mood. Then a miracle happened, help coming from heaven to the Muslims. A keen wind began to blow. Tent walls were swept away. Cooking pots toppled over fires. Some fires were extinguished. The pagans believed in keeping alive a fire throughout the night. A blazing camp-fire was a good omen, an extinguished one a bad omen. When a fire in front of a tent became extinguished, the occupants thinking it a bad augury, would withdraw from the battle for the day, and join again. The pagan leaders were already stricken with doubts. When some campers packed away, others thought that the Muslims had made a night attack. The suggestion became contagious. They all started packing and withdrawing from the field. It is said that Abū Sufyān was asleep in his tent. News of the sudden withdrawal of the pagan divisions reached his ears. He got up agitated and, in excitement, mounted a tethered camel. He spurred the animal, but the animal would not move. His friends pointed to what he was doing, untied the animal, and Abū Sufyān with his friends was able to leave the field. Two-thirds of the night had passed. The battle-field had cleared already. An army of between twenty and twenty-five thousand soldiers and followers disappeared, leaving a complete wilderness behind. Just at that time the Prophet had a revelation that the enemy had fled as the result of an act of God. To find out what had happened the Prophet wanted to send one of his followers to scan the battlefield and make a report. The weather was icy cold. Little wonder, the ill-clad Muslims were freezing. Some heard the Prophet's voice when he called out in the night. They wanted to reply, but could not. The cold was forbidding. Only Ḥudhaifah was able to say aloud, "Yes, Prophet of God, what do you want us to do?" The Prophet called out again. Again nobody could answer because of the cold. Only Hudhaifah answered again. The Prophet asked Ḥudhaifah to go and survey the battle-field, for God had informed him that the enemy had fled. Hudhaifah went near the ditch, and from there saw that the enemy had vacated the field. There were no soldiers and no men. Hudhaifah returned to the Prophet, recited the Kalimah and said the enemy had fled. On the morrow Muslims also unpegged their tents and started packing for the city. A severe trial lasting for about twenty days had ended. Banu Quraizah Punished Muslims were able to breathe again in peace. But they still had the Banū Quraizah to settle with. The Banu Quraizah had dishonoured their pact with the Muslims and this could not be passed over. The Prophet collected his exhausted force and told them that there was no rest for them yet. Before the sun went down, they must fall upon the Banu Quraizah in their fortifications. Then he sent ‘Alī to the Banu Quraizah to ask them why they had gone back clxxvii