Seerah / Madinah
The Trench (al-Khandaq)
- Date
- 5 AH · established
- Location
- Madinah
- People
- Jabir ibn 'Abdullah (RA)
Anas and Jabir (RA) narrate in Sahih al-Bukhari how the Muhajirun and Ansar dug the trench in the cold, hungry, while the Prophet ﷺ worked with them — a stone tied to his belly — and broke a rock no one else could. The Qur'an describes the fear of those days in 33:9–11.
As it was narrated
The story, in the words of those who were there
Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسًا ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى الْخَنْدَقِ فَإِذَا الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَالأَنْصَارُ يَحْفِرُونَ فِي غَدَاةٍ بَارِدَةٍ، فَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ عَبِيدٌ يَعْمَلُونَ ذَلِكَ لَهُمْ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى مَا بِهِمْ مِنَ النَّصَبِ وَالْجُوعِ قَالَ الل…
Narrated Anas:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went towards the Khandaq (i.e. Trench) and saw the Emigrants and the Ansar digging in a very cold morning as they did not have slaves to do that for them. When he noticed their fatigue and hunger he said, "O Allah! The real life is that of the Here-after, (so please) forgive the Ansar and the Emigrants." In its reply the Emigrants and the Ansar said, "We are those who have given a pledge of allegiance to Muhammad that we will carry on Jihad as long as we live
حَدَّثَنَا خَلاَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ أَيْمَنَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ جَابِرًا ـ رضى الله عنه ـ فَقَالَ إِنَّا يَوْمَ الْخَنْدَقِ نَحْفِرُ فَعَرَضَتْ كُدْيَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ، فَجَاءُوا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالُوا هَذِهِ كُدْيَةٌ عَرَضَتْ فِي الْخَنْدَقِ، فَقَالَ " أَنَا نَازِلٌ ". ثُمَّ قَامَ وَبَطْنُهُ مَعْصُوبٌ بِحَجَرٍ، وَلَبِثْنَا ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ لاَ نَذُوقُ ذَ…
Narrated Jabir:We were digging (the trench) on the day of (Al-Khandaq ( i.e. Trench )) and we came across a big solid rock. We went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "Here is a rock appearing across the trench." He said, "I am coming down." Then he got up, and a stone was tied to his belly for we had not eaten anything for three days. So the Prophet (ﷺ) took the spade and struck the big solid rock and it became like sand. I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Allow me to go home." (When the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed me) I said to my wife, "I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) in a state that I cannot treat lightly. Have you got something (for him to eat?" She replied, "I have barley and a she goat." So I slaughtered the …
What Allah revealed
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ جَآءَتۡكُمۡ جُنُودٞ فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ رِيحٗا وَجُنُودٗا لَّمۡ تَرَوۡهَاۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا
O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allah upon you when armies came to [attack] you and We sent upon them a wind and armies [of angels] you did not see. And ever is Allah, of what you do, Seeing
إِذۡ جَآءُوكُم مِّن فَوۡقِكُمۡ وَمِنۡ أَسۡفَلَ مِنكُمۡ وَإِذۡ زَاغَتِ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ وَبَلَغَتِ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ ٱلۡحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلظُّنُونَا۠
[Remember] when they came at you from above you and from below you, and when eyes shifted [in fear], and hearts reached the throats and you assumed about Allah [various] assumptions
هُنَالِكَ ٱبۡتُلِيَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَزُلۡزِلُواْ زِلۡزَالٗا شَدِيدٗا
There the believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking
Lessons
- The leader shared the hunger and the labour.
- Hardship shared together is lighter.
Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.
Pause for a moment
Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.
Send salawat ﷺBibliography
- Sahih al-Bukhari 2834 (Anas), 4101 (Jabir) · primary source
- Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah (further reading)
- Ibn Kathir, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah (further reading)
- Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)