Life-of-Muhammad

Life of Muhammad sa 85events in the battle amply proved. No other side suitedthe enemy from which to attack the town.From the side of the ditch, therefore, the huge armyof Arabian tribesmen began to approach Medina. Assoon as the Prophet sa got to know of this, he came out todefend it with twelve hundred men, having posted othermen to defend other parts of the town.Historians estimate differently the number whichdefended the ditch. Some put it at three thousand,others at twelve to thirteen hundred, still others atseven hundred. These estimates are very difficult andapparently difficult to reconcile. But, after weighing theevidence, we have come to the conclusion that all thethree estimates of the Muslim numbers engaged indefending the ditch are correct. They relate to differentstages of the battle.FIGHT AGAINST HEAVY ODDSWe have already agreed that, after the withdrawal ofthe hypocrites at Uhud, the number of Muslims left inthe field was seven hundred. The Battle of the Ditchtook place only two years after the Battle of Uhud.During these two years, no large accessions to Islam arerecorded in history. An increase during this time in thenumber of combatant Muslims from seven hundred tothree thousand is not to be expected. At the same time,it does not stand to reason that between Uhud and theDitch there was no rise in the number of combatantMuslims. Islam continued to add to its numbers and weshould expect some increase between the Battle of Uhudand the Battle of the Ditch. From these twoconsiderations, it seems to follow that the estimatewhich puts the number of Muslim combatants in theBattle of the Ditch at one thousand two hundred iscorrect. The only question to be answered is, why someauthorities put the number at three thousand and someat seven hundred. Our answer to this question is that