DITCH

Battle of the. Arabic G͟hazwatu ʾl-K͟handaq ( غزوة الخندق‎ ). The defence of al-Madīnah against the Banū Quraiz̤ah, A.H . 5, when a trench was dug by the advice of Salmān, and the army of al-Madīnah was posted within it. After a month’s siege, the enemy retired, and the almost bloodle victory is ascribed by Muḥammad in the Qurʾān to the interposition of Providence. Sūrah xxxiii. 9 : “Remember God’s favours to you when hosts came to you and we sent against them a wind and hosts (of angels), that ye could not see, but God knew what ye were doing.” (Muir’s Life of Mahomet , vol. iii. p. 258.)