claimed  the lives of a small number of fighters, six Muslims and ten polytheists, one or two killed by sword.
During the process of fighting, Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh was shot by an arrow that pierced his artery.
Perceiving  his end approaching, he invoked Allâh saying: “Oh, Allâh, you know nothing is closer to my heart than  striving in Your way against those people (disbelievers) who belied Your Messenger and banished him  from his town. Oh, Allâh, I deeply believe that You have decreed that we should fight them, so if there  is still more fighting to go with them, let me stay alive in order to strive more against them. If it has  settled down, I beseech you to ignite it again so that I breathe my last in its context.”He concluded his  supplication beseeching Allâh not to let him die until he had had full revenge on Banu Quraiza. In the  midst of these difficult circumstances, plottery and intrigues were in fervent action against the
Muslims.
The chief criminal of Bani Nadir, Huyai, headed for the habitations of Banu Quraiza to incite their chief
Ka‘b bin Asad Al-Qurazi, who had drawn a pact with the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) to  run  to his aid in times of war. Ka‘b, in the beginning resisted all Huyai’s temptation, but Huyai was clever  enough to manipulate him, speaking of Quraish and their notables in Al-Asyal, as well as Ghatfan and  their chieftains entrenched in Uhud, all in one mind, determined to exterminate Muhammad (Peace be  upon him) and his followers. He, moreover, promised to stay in Ka‘b’s fort exposing himself to any  potential danger in case Quraish and Ghatfan recanted. The wicked man went on in this manner until  he later managed to win Ka‘b to his side and persuade him to break his covenant with the Muslims.
Banu Quraiza then started to launch war operations against the Muslims especially the secluded  garrisons that housed the women and children of the Muslims. On the authority of Ibn Ishaq, Safiyah
(May Allah be pleased with her) daughter of ‘Abdul Muttalib happened to be in a garrison with Hassan  bin Thabit as well as some women and children. Safiyah said: “A Jew was spotted lurking around our  site, which was vulnerable to any enemy attacks because there were no men to defend it. I informed
Hassan that I was suspicious of that man’s presence near us. He might take us by surprise now that  the
Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) and the Muslims are too busy to come to our aid, why don’t  you get down and kill him? Hassan answered that he would not do it, so I took a bar of wood, went  down and struck the Jew to death. I returned and asked Hassan to loot him but again Hassan refused  to do that. This event had a far reaching effect and discouraged the Jews from conducting further  attacks thinking that those sites were fortified and protected by Muslim fighters. They, however, went  on providing the idolaters with supplies in token of their support against the Muslims.
On hearing this bad news, the Messenger (Peace be upon him) despatched four Muslim prominent  leaders Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh, Sa‘d bin ‘Ubada, ‘Abdullah bin Rawaha and Khawat bin Jubair for  investigation  but warning against any sort of spreading panic amongst the Muslims and advising that they should  declare in public that the rumours are groundless if they happen to be so. Unfortunately the four men  discovered that the news was true and that the Jews announced openly that no pact of alliance existed  any longer with Muhammad (Peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) was  briefed on this situation, and the Muslims understood their critical position with the horrible danger  implied therein. Their back was vulnerable to the attacks of Banu Quraiza, and a huge army with no  way to connive at in front, while their women and children unprotected standing in between. In this  regard, Allâh says:
“And when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harbouring  doubts about Allâh. There, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking.”
33:10, 11
Now that the Muslims were shut in within the Trench on the defensive, the hypocrites taunted them  with having indulged in delusive hopes of defeating Kisra, emperor of Persia, and Caesar, emperor of  the Romans. They began to sow the seeds of defeatism, and pretended to withdraw for the defence of  their homes, though these were in no way exposed to danger. Here, Allâh says:
“And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubts)  said, ‘Allâh and His
Messenger (Peace be upon him) promised us nothing but delusions!’ And when a party of them  said: ‘O people of Yathrib (Al-Madinah), there is no stand (possible) for you (against the enemy  attack!) therefore go back!’ And a band of them asked for permission of the Prophet (Peace be  upon him) saying: ‘Truly, our homes lie open (to the enemy).’ And they lay not open. They but  wished to flee.” 33:12, 13
The Messenger of Allâh, (Peace be upon him) wrapped himself in his robe and began to meditate on