Yazid narrated to us that Muhammad bin Umar narrated to us from his father, and he from his grandfather Alqamah bin Waqas. He said that Lady Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated to me that on the day of the Trench (Khandaq), I set out following the footprints of the people. I heard the sound of someone walking on the ground behind me. When I turned around, it was Sayyiduna Sa’d bin Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him), and with him was his nephew Sayyiduna Harith bin Aws (may Allah be pleased with him), carrying a shield. Umm al-Mu’minin (may Allah be pleased with her) says: Seeing them, I sat down on the ground. When Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by, I saw that he was wearing an iron coat of mail. His arms and legs were exposed outside the armor. I feared for those parts of Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) that the enemy might attack them. Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) was taller than all the people. As he passed by, he was reciting this rajaz (poetry):“Would that the camel could show some of its strength and bravery in battle. How beautiful is death when its time comes—it must come.”… 1 (Would that the camel could display some of its strength and bravery in battle; how good is death when its time comes—it is bound to come.) Umm al-Mu’minin (may Allah be pleased with her) says: After he passed by, I got up and went to a garden. There were some Muslims present there, among them Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). There was a man there who had a helmet of iron on his head! (For research on the words and explanation of the poem, see Musnad Ahmad, Muhaqqiq, vol. 42, p. 27.)

He was also wearing protective iron gear that covered his neck and the front part of his armor. When Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw me, he said,“Why have you come? By my life! By Allah! You are very brave. Did you not fear that some trouble might occur, or a severe battle might break out, or the enemy might capture you?”Sayyida (may Allah be pleased with her) says that he kept reproaching me until I wished that the earth would split open for me right then and I would go into it. The armed man removed the gear from his face, and it was Talha bin Ubaidullah (may Allah be pleased with him). He said,“Umar! It is a matter of great regret. Today you have been very harsh. Where is the battle, and to whom can one flee except Allah?”Sayyida (may Allah be pleased with her) says: While he was saying this, a polytheist from the Quraysh, whose name was Ibn al-‘Arqah, took aim and shot an arrow at him, saying,“I am Ibn al-‘Arqah, take this arrow from me.”The arrow struck him on the Akhil vein of his arm and severed it. Sayyiduna Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) immediately prayed to Allah, saying,“O Allah, do not let me die until You cool my eyes regarding Banu Qurayza.”Sayyida (may Allah be pleased with her) says: Banu Qurayza were their allies and companions in the time of ignorance, i.e., before Islam. Sayyida Umm al-Mu’minin (may Allah be pleased with her) says: Blood started to flow from his wound. Allah sent a fierce wind upon the polytheists, and it sufficed the believers in the battle. Allah is Most Powerful and Dominant over all. Abu Sufyan and his companions went towards Tihamah, and Uyainah bin Badr and his companions went towards Najd, and Banu Qurayza returned and locked themselves in their forts. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) returned to Madinah, put down his weapons, and ordered a leather tent to be set up for Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) in the mosque. Umm al-Mu’minin (may Allah be pleased with her) says: During this time, Jibreel (peace be upon him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and there were still traces of dust on his teeth. He said,“(O Messenger of Allah) Have you put down your weapons? By Allah! The angels have not yet put down their weapons. Set out towards Banu Qurayza and fight them.”Umm al-Mu’minin (may Allah be pleased with her) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) put on his weapons and ordered the people to set out (towards Banu Qurayza). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set out and passed by Banu Ghanm, who were neighbors of the mosque. He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked,“Who has just passed by you?”They said,“Dihyah Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him) has just passed by us.”Dihyah Kalbi’s beard, teeth, and face resembled Jibreel (peace be upon him). Umm al-Mu’minin (may Allah be pleased with her) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went towards Banu Qurayza and besieged them for twenty-five (25) nights. When the siege became severe and their hardship increased, it was said to them,“Be content with the decision of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).”They consulted Abu Lubabah bin Abd al-Mundhir (may Allah be pleased with him), and he indicated to them by gesture that he (the Prophet) would slaughter and kill you. Banu Qurayza said,“We are content with the decision of Sa’d bin Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him).”So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,“Accept his decision.”They also agreed to this. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a message to Sa’d bin Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) and called him. He was brought riding on a donkey with a saddle made of palm leaves. He was made to ride the donkey, and his people were around him. They said,“O Abu Amr! They are your allies and friends, and they have broken their covenant. Their intention was that you should decide carefully.”You are well aware of all their circumstances. He listened to their words in silence and did not reply to any of them, nor did he look towards them. When he reached near the houses of Banu Qurayza, he turned to his people and said,“Now such a time has come upon me that I do not care about the blame of any blamer for the sake of Allah.”Abu Sa’id (the narrator) says: When Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) reached the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) said,“Stand up and go to your chief and help him down from the donkey.”Upon hearing this, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said,“Our chief (master, lord) is Allah.”The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,“Help him down, help him down.”The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him,“You decide about them.”Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) said,“I decide that those among them who fought against the Muslims should be killed, their women and children should be taken captive, and their wealth should be distributed among the Muslims as spoils of war.”Upon hearing his decision, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,“You have given a decision about them that is exactly in accordance with the decision and will of Allah and His Messenger.”Umm al-Mu’minin (may Allah be pleased with her) says: Then Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed,“O Allah! If there is any battle left between Your Prophet and the Quraysh, then keep me alive to participate in that battle, and if there is no battle left between Your Prophet and the Quraysh, then take me to Yourself.”His wound burst open, although it had almost healed and only a wound the size of an earring remained. After making this decision, Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) returned to the tent that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had set up for him. Umm al-Mu’minin (may Allah be pleased with her) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) went to him. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, I could distinguish the voices of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) crying separately in my room. The love among these Companions was as Allah Almighty has said: {رُحَمَآئُ بَیْنَہُمْ} that these Companions are extremely compassionate and merciful to one another. Alqamah says: I asked,“Mother! What would the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) do on such occasions?”She replied,“His eyes would not shed tears at anyone’s death, but when he was grieved, he would hold his blessed beard in his hand.”

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who says: On the occasion of the Battle of Ahzab, Sayyiduna Sa’d bin Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) was struck by an arrow and the enemy cut the Akhil vein of his arm. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cauterized it with fire to stop the bleeding, but his arm swelled up. When it was cauterized again, it swelled up again. When it was cauterized a third time, it still swelled up and a lot of blood began to flow from it. When Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) saw this condition, he prayed: O Allah, do not let me die until my eyes are cooled regarding Banu Qurayza. Thus, the bleeding from his vein stopped and not a single drop of blood came out until those people agreed to the decision of Sayyiduna Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a message to them and called them, and he gave the verdict that their men should be killed and their women and children should be spared so that the Muslims could benefit from their help. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: You have given the decision regarding them according to Allah’s will. The number of Banu Qurayza was four hundred. When the killing was completed, the vein of Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) burst and as a result, he passed away.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: On the occasion of the Battle of the Trench, I and Sayyiduna Umar bin Abi Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) were in one of the forts of Hassan, where the pure wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) were. He would lift me up and I would lift him up, and we would look at the scenes outside. When he lifted me up, I recognized my father; he was going towards Banu Qurayza and on the day of the Trench he was fighting alongside the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Who is there who will go towards Banu Qurayza and fight them? When he returned, I said: Father, by Allah! When you were going towards Banu Qurayza, I had recognized you. He said: Son! By Allah! The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was giving me encouragement and praying for me, saying: May my parents be sacrificed for you.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that on the day of the Battle of the Trench, the situation became severe and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Is there anyone who will bring news of Banu Qurayza? Sayyiduna Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) went and brought their news. Then, when the situation became severe, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the same again, and thus it happened three times. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Every prophet has a special companion, and Zubair is my special companion.