They set out and reached the Quraysh in Mecca, inviting them to wage war against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and saying, “We shall stand with you against him until we have utterly destroyed him.”
The Quraysh replied, “O community of Jews, you are the People of the earlier Scripture and possess knowledge of the matters over which we and Muhammad differ. Which is better—our religion or his?”
They answered, “Your religion is better than his, and you are closer to the truth than he is.”
Concerning them Allah revealed:
“Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Book, yet they believe in sorcery and false deities and say to the disbelievers, ‘These are better guided on the way than the believers’? Those are the ones Allah has cursed; and whomever Allah curses, you will never find for him a helper.” (al-Nisāʾ 4:51–52)
When they said this to Quraysh, the latter were delighted and grew more eager for the war to which they had been invited against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They assembled for it and fixed a rendezvous. The Jewish delegation then proceeded to Ghatafān of Qays ʿAylān, inviting them to fight the Prophet ﷺ and informing them that they would support them, and that Quraysh had already concurred and joined forces with them.
Thus Quraysh marched out under the leadership of Abū Sufyān, and Ghatafān marched out under the leadership of ʿUyaynah ibn Ḥiṣn ibn Ḥudhāfah ibn Badr with the clan of Fazārah; al-Ḥārith ibn ʿAwf ibn Abī Ḥārithah al-Murri with the clan of Murrah; and Misʿar ibn Rukhaylah ibn Nuwairah ibn Ṭarīf ibn Suḥmah ibn ʿAbd-Allāh ibn Hilāl ibn Khilāwah ibn Ashjaʿ ibn Rayth ibn Ghatafān, accompanied by those of his people from Ashjaʿ who followed him.
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard of their approach and of the pact they had concluded, he ordered a trench to be dug around Madinah.
Ibn Hishām (1) said: It is reported that the suggestion came from Salmān.
Al-Ṭabarī and al-Suhaylī (2) said: The first person ever to dig trenches was Manūshahr ibn Īraj ibn Afrīdūn, who lived in the time of Moses—peace be upon him.
Ibn Isḥāq (3) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ worked on the trench himself to encourage the Muslims to seek reward, and the Muslims worked with him, while a group of hypocrites stayed behind, pleading weakness; some of them would slip away stealthily without his permission or knowledge—may Allah expose them.
Concerning this, Allah the Exalted revealed:
“True believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and who, when they are with him on a matter of common concern, do not depart until they have asked his permission. Indeed, those who ask your permission are the ones who believe in Allah and His Messenger. So when they ask your permission regarding some of their affairs, grant leave to whom you wish among them and ask Allah to forgive them; surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Do not treat the call of the Messenger among yourselves like the call of one of you to another. Allah knows those of you who slip away under cover; so let those who oppose his command beware lest a trial befall them or a painful punishment.
Surely to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. He knows your condition, and on the Day they are returned to Him, He will inform them of what they used to do, and Allah has full knowledge of all things.” (al-Nūr 24:62–64)