The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 643
PT. 21 AL-AḤZĀB CH. 33 إِذْ جَاء وَكُمْ مِنْ فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ When they came upon you. 11 from above you, and from مِنْكُمْ وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ الْأَبْصَارُ وَبَلَغَتِ below you, and when your eyes القُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللهِ الظُّنُونَا ,hearts reached to the throats became distracted, and your and you thought thoughts about Allah. 3083 diverse Ghatfān, the Ashja' and Murrah, the Farārah, the Sulaim and the Banū Sa'd and Banu Asad, the desert tribes of Central Arabia, aided and abetted by the perfidious Jews and treacherous "Hypocrites" of Medina formed themselves into a grand confederacy against the Holy Prophet. A mighty force numbering from ten to twenty thousand strong was pitched against 1200 (according to some writers 3000 Muslims, including women and children, were employed in digging the Ditch) ill- prepared and ill-provisioned Muslims. The siege of Medina lasted from fifteen days to four weeks, according to different versions after which the forces of darkness melted away without inflicting any serious loss the upon Muslims. Islam emerged stronger from this severe ordeal and the disbelieving Quraish were never again able to march against Muslims in force. The reference in the word (wind) is to the strong cold wind which blew upon the confederated hosts and uprooted their tents and extinguished their fires. Says William Muir: Forage was obtained with the utmost difficulty; provisions were running short, and the camels and horses dying daily in great 2557 numbers; wearied and damped in spirit, the night set in upon them, cold and tempestuous wind and rain beat mercilessly on the unprotected camp. The storm rose to a hurricane. Fires were extinguished, tents blown down, cooking vessels and other equipage overthrown ("The Life of Mahomet"). The words "and hosts that you saw not" refer to the forces of nature- wind, rain and cold which wearied the disbelievers and damped their spirits. It may also refer to the hosts of angels which cast fear in the hearts of disbelievers and heartened and encouraged the Muslims. a very the 3083. Commentary: The verse constitutes revealing commentary on mightiness of the forces of disbelief and the most desperate state in which Muslims were then placed. The disbelievers burst upon Medina from every direction. The words, "from above you and from below you" mean, from the heights of Medina as well as from the plains. The reference in the words "and you thought diverse thoughts about Allah," is to the hypocrites and the