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their hostility, a group of Jewish leaders stealthily headed for Makkah to instigate the Quraish against the

Prophet (PBUH). The Jews pledged to help the Quraish if they decided to raid Al- Madiinah. They made

an agreement with the disbelievers and even laid down the battle plan. Moreover, on their way home they

incited Bani Ghatfaan - one of the biggest Arab tribes - and made an agreement with its leaders to join

forces with the Quraish army.

The war plan was ready and everyone knew his role. The Quraish and Ghatfaan were to attack Al-

Madiinah with an enormous army, whereas the Jews were to sabotage Al-Madiinah simultaneously with

the attack.

When the Prophet (PBUH) found out the treacherous scheme, he resorted to counter plot. First, he

ordered his Companions to dig a trench around Al-Madiinah to hold back the attackers. Second, he sent

Sa'd lbn Mu'aadh and Sa`d lbn `Ubaadah to Ka'b lbn Asad, the leader of Bani Quraidhah, to learn exactly

where they stood concerning the imminent war. At that time, mutual agreements and treaties were

already signed between the Prophet (PBUH) and the Jews of Bani Quraidhah. The two messengers of the

Prophet met with the Jewish leader, yet to their surprise he denied the agreement by saying, "We did not

sign any agreement or treaty with Muhammad."

It was hard for the Prophet to expose the people of Al Madiinah to such a deadly invasion and

exhausting siege; therefore, the only answer was to neutralize Ghatfaan so that the attacking army would

lose half of its men and strength. He began to negotiate with the Ghatfaan leaders so that they would

forsake the Quraish in exchange for one third of Al-Madiinah's crops. The leaders of Ghatfaan accepted

this agreement, and both parties were to sign it shortly.

The Prophet (PBUH) could not go any further without consulting his Companions. He valued Sa'd

Ibn Mu`aadh and Sa'd Ibn `Ubaadah's opinion, for they were the leaders of Al- Madiinah and had the

right to have a say in any decision that affected it.

The Prophet (PBUH) told them about his negotiations and that he had resorted to this compensation

lest Al-Madiinah and its inhabitants be exposed to this dangerous attack and horrible siege. Both Sa'ds

asked the Prophet (PBUH), "Is it a matter of choice or is it an inspiration from Allah?" The Prophet

(PBUH) answered, "It is actually a matter that I chose for you. By Allah, I only do this because I can

clearly see that the Arabs joined forces to strike you as one man so I want to curb their strength." Sa'd lbn

Mu'aadh had the intuition that their fate as men and as believers was being subtly tested so he said, "O

Messenger of Allah, when we and those Jews were disbelievers and polytheists, they did not even dream

of eating a date from our land unless we gave it to them out of generosity, hospitality, or for trade

purposes. So how is it, after Allah has guided us to Islam and made us honored by it and by you, that we

give them our money? By Allah, we can do without this agreement, and we will give them nothing but

warfare until Allah settles our dispute." The Prophet (PBUH) at once changed his mind and notified

Ghatfaan's leaders that his Companions rejected the proposed agreement and that he approved and

supported their opinion.

A few days later Al-Madiinah witnessed a horrible siege. It was, in fact, a siege which it brought

upon itself rather than was forced upon it due to the trench that was dug as a protection and safely

procedure. The Muslims were prepared for war. Sa'd Ibn Mu`aadh marched around with his sword and

spear and recited lines of poetry that mean, `I waited anxiously for the battle to start. How beautiful death

seems when the time is the right time.''

In one of the rounds of war, Sa`ds arm was showered with the mows of one of the disbelievers, and

blood gushed severely from his wounds. He received first aid assistance to stop the bleeding, then the

Prophet (PBUH) ordered him carried to the mosque where a tent was put up so that he would be near the

Prophet while he was nursed. The Muslims carried their great hero into the Prophet's mosque and Sa`d

looked up to the sky and said, `O Allah our Lord, if the war against the Quraish is to last any longer,

please do let me live a little while longer to fight against them, for I like nothing better than fighting

those people who hurt Your Prophet, disbelieved him, and even drove him to emigrate. But if the war has