The Banu Qurayzah clan committed a crime of betrayal and treachery of such magnitude that if successful, the entire Muslim community of Medina would have been completely annihilated. Two years after the Battle of Uhud, the Quraysh decided to launch a major offensive to crush the Prophet (p) and his Companions once and for all. They assembled a total of about 10,000 soldiers, three times larger than anything the Muslim army had ever seen – from various tribes, including the earlier expelled Banu Nadir, to launch a unified, decisive attack on Medina.
Initially in support of the Muslims, the Banu Qurayzah lent its excavating equipment to the Muslims to speed up the digging of trench around Medina. However, during the long siege of Medina that ensued, Banu Qurayzah, with the encouragement of Banu Nadir and the confidence that the Quraysh and their confederates would be able to conquer the Muslims, decided to break their treaty with the Muslims.
Through some very clever political tactics, a Meccan leader from the Ghatafan tribe, Nu’aym bin Mas’ud, who had secretly accepted Islam was able to break the trust and alliance between the Banu Qurayzah and the Quraysh. This mistrust made it impossible for the allied forces to co-operate with Banu Qurayzah in their plan to penetrate Medina from the southern border. In the frustration that ensued and the strong winds and sandstorm that followed which blew their tents away and made it difficult for them to sustain the siege of Medina, the Meccan army and their confederates were forced to disperse. Thus, the Muslims survive the attack with the help of Allah.
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