(C) The Battle of Khandaq (Ahzab)
In the fifth year of the hijra, a Jewish tribe formed an alliance with the Meccans; and together they raised an army of 10,000 soldiers. It is known as Khandaq (i.e., ditch) because the Muslims had dug a ditch around their campsite to prevent the enemy from entering the city.
The Allied forces of the non-Muslims besieged Medina for a month. Except for a few famous soldiers, they were unable to cross the ditch. The Allied forces finally retreated after ‘AlÄ«, in a one-to-one encounter, killed the most courageous of their fighters.