Role of Umar in the battle of Ahzab( The Ditch)

The Battle of Ahzab ("The Ditch"); Shawwal A.H. 5 (A.C. 627). 

This was the last concerted attempt by the Makkans to crush the new religion, and it was an enormous one too. All the Jews of Arabia made common cause with them, and even those who had made treaties of peace with the Prophet (P) joined the invading hordes. It was thus a huge army ten thousand strong that advanced on Medina. The majority of the Muslims were seized with terror and lost heart; their faith in God and the Prophet (P) was shaken. Their picture has been vividly drawn in the Qur'an. It would have been an injustice if the Qur'an had ignored those who remained firm and unshaken in their belief in God and the Prophet (P) in this hour of severe trial; it therefore describes their feelings too, and applauds the firmness of their faith and the strength of their conviction. (371 a)

 (371a) Sura XXXIII., 9-20, 22-24

At the suggestion of Salman the Persian, a ditch was dug round Medina wherever it was not protected by the hills, and fronting where the invading armies had encamped.

At a time when terror, anxiety and doubts had unnerved the Muslim army, Amr ibn Abd Wudd, with a detachment of one thousand men, crossed the ditch, and coming towards the Muslim army, began to challenge them to send their champion to fight him. He was considered to be on his own equal in prowess to one thousand soldiers. (371 b)

(371 b) Hablb-as-Sayyar , Vol. J. Part 3, p. 46.

Akhond Mir Shah: "Rawdat-as-Safa'", Vol. 2, p- 352.

Abd AI-Haq: "Madarij-an-Mubuwwa". Vol. 2, pp. 233, 234.

Sh. Sulaiman Al-Balkhl: "Yanabival-Mawadda". pp. 64,127,137.

 The Muslims were dumbstruck with awe, and their fear was greatly heightened when 'Umar related to them his own personal experience of how once this Amr, when surprised by brigands while traveling in a caravan, picked up a young camel, and using it as a shield attacked and dispersed the whole gang singlehandedly. The Muslims were therefore in great awe of this man who, emboldened by this attitude of theirs, repeated his challenge, adding biting taunts. When none in the army dared accept it, Imam Ali stood up and requested the Prophet (P) to permit him to go and meet him. The Prophet (P) asked him to wait, and turned to the older and more experienced men to accept the challenge of Amr. Not one of them responded to the Prophet (P). Amr again threw out his challenge, and Imam Ali again got up and repeated his request to the Prophet, who again asked him to wait. The Prophet (P) once again turned to his companions and asked them to save the honour of the Muslim army; again he was met with sullen silence. Now Amr repeated his challenge with the sarcastic remark, "You Muslims believe that anyone among you who falls fighting in the holy war goes straight to paradise. Is none among you prepared to enter the abode of everlasting bliss?" Imam Ali could restrain himself no longer, and asked the Prophet to permit him to fight the infidel, as he could bear that taunt no longer. The Prophet (P) again asked him to wait, adding "You know that it is Amr ibn abd Wudd." Imam Ali replied, "Yes, I know that, and with that knowledge I beg you to permit me". The Prophet (P) looked round, but no-one else was courageous enough to defend the honour of Islam.

At last the Prophet (P) gave the required permission, but not until he had shown the world who, out of Imam Ali and his rivals, was more passionately and sincerely devoted to Islam, and whose sword won this kingdom which everyone strove to lead after the death of the Prophet (P). Was the Prophet (P) indulging in nepotism when he selected this Imam Ali to succeed him? Was not this an act justice and of appreciation of services?

 I quote from "Tarikh-Al¬Khamis":

Amr ibn Abd Wudd was one of the greatest warriors of Arabia. He had received a wound in the battle of Badr, and therefore did not join 'Uhud. People used to regard him as equal to one thousand soldiers. He came out for the Battle of the Ditch with great pomp and show' and the intention to show the people his high degree of bravery. He crossed the ditch and began to challenge the Muslims to send a champion to fight him. The companions of the Prophet (P) were so terror-stricken that it looked as if a bird was sitting on their heads (meaning that they were motionless with terror), because they were aware of his bravery. Ibn Ishaq, the historian, writes that when Amr ibn Abd Wudd threw out the challenge, Imam Ali, who' was standing armed, requested the Prophet (P) to permit him to go out to fight Amr. (The writer here describes the repeated challenges of Amr, the stoney silence of the Companions, the repeated requests of Imam to get permission, the delaying of the permission by the Prophet (P), the taunts of Amr, and the emphatic request of Imam Ali).

 At last the Prophet gave the required permission, giving him his own sword, coat of iron and the turban, and dressed Imam Ali with his own hands .... Imam Ali came out reciting these couplets .... Imam Ali and Amr began to fight with each other, until finally Imam Ali killed Amr ibn Abd Wudd. His companions, who were on horseback, ran away and fell into the ditch. Imam Ali ran towards them and put them to flight (372).

(372) Hussain Diyar Bakrl: "Tarlkh-al-Khamis", Vol. 1, pp. 547, 548

The facts of this battle are similarly described by other writers (373).

(373) Ibn-al-Athlr: "Tiirikh AI•KamiI". Vol. 2, p. 68.
Hablb-as-Sayyar , Vol. I. Part 3, pp. 46,47. As-Slra Al-Halabiyya Vol. 3. pp. 339, 340.
Ad-Dumairi: "Hayat-al-Hayawan", Vol. I, p. 274, under word "Haidara'' .
Shah Wali Allah: •. Izalat-al-Khafa •. •• Part 3. pp. 2R5, 286. Suhaill: "Rawd-al-Anaf", Vol. 2, p. 191.
Shibli: "Slrat-an-Nabl", Vol. I. Part 1. p. 313.
Margoliouth: "Muhammad", p. 326. "A Kuraishite Champion, Arnr ibn Abd Wudd, was slain by the redoubtable Ali.

 Contrary to the usual practice of the Arabs, Imam Ali did not take away the dress and armour of Amr ibn Abd Wudd. Seeing his dead body fully clad, his sister said that had the slayer of her brother been other than the noble Imam Ali, who did not stop to rob him of his armour, she would have wept for him for the whole of her life. 'Umar was' greatly surprised at the conduct of Imam Ali, and asked him why he did not take Amr's armour, which was of very high value. Imarn Ali replied that he did not like to render him naked (374).

(374) As-Sira AI-Halabiyya, Vol. 3, p. 340.

This was one of those battles on the result of which hung the fate of Islam. The Prophet (P) fully recognized the importance of Imam Ali's victory when he rightly said that this one blow of Imam Ali on the day of the Ditch was of much greater value and virtue than the good deeds of the whole of the world up to the Day of Judgement.  (375)

(375) Abd AI-Haq: "Madarij-an-Nubuwwa", Vol. 2, pp. 233, 234.
Mulla Mu'In: •'Madarij.an-Nubuwwa", Rukn 4, Chptr 8, p. 108. Habib.as.Sayyar, Vol. 1, Part 3, p. 47.
As-Stra Al-Halabiyya, Vol. 2, p. 341.
Akhond Mir Shah: Rawdat-as-Safa'", Vol. 2, p. 352.
Sh. Sulaiman AI•Balkhi: "Yanabi'•al•Mawadda", pp. 64,127,137.

It is not irrelevant to note that when on the day of Hudaibiyya the Prophet wanted to obtain some information about Quraish and asked 'Umar to go to Makka, "Urnar flatly refused, saying that he was afraid of Quraish, who did not like him, suggesting that 'Uthman, whom Quraish liked, would be a more suitable person for the purpose  (376) .

 (376) Ibn Hisharn, Vol. 3, p. 363.

These are historical facts which proves beyond doubt that Umar was a coward and did not go to battlefield to defend Islam and Muslim.