Life-of-Muhammad

96Life of Muhammad sapoints, while they themselves attacked the Muslimsfrom the rear. After his talks with the Jews he went tothe pagan leaders. He asked them what they would do ifthe Jews went back on their compact; if, to conciliatethe Muslims they asked for pagan hostages and thenhanded them over to the Muslims. Was it not importantfor them to test the honesty of the Jews and ask them toparticipate in the common attack at once? The paganchiefs were impressed by this advice. Acting upon it,they sent word to the Jews asking them whether theywould not attack the town from the rear now that they(the confederates) were ready for the planned attack.The Jews replied that the following day was theirsabbath and they could not fight on that day. Secondly,they said, they belonged to Medina, and the Arabconfederates were all outsiders. Should the Arabs fleefrom the battle, what were the Jews going to do? TheArabs should, therefore, give seventy men as hostages.The Jews would then be ready to carry out their part ofthe attack. Suspicion was already at work. The Arabsrefused to entertain the Jewish request. If the Jews werehonest in their compact with the Arabs, there was nomeaning in the sort of proposal which they had made.Suspicion being subversive of courage, the Arab armieslost their zeal, and when night came, went to sleepburdened with doubts and difficulties. Both officers andmen repaired to their tents in depressed mood. Then amiracle happened, help coming from heaven to theMuslims. A keen wind began to blow. Tent walls wereswept away. Cooking pots toppled over fires. Some fireswere extinguished. The pagans believed in keeping alivea fire throughout the night. A blazing camp-fire was agood omen, an extinguished one a bad omen. When afire in front of a tent became extinguished, theoccupants thinking it a bad augury, would withdrawfrom the battle for the day, and join again. The paganleaders were already stricken with doubts. When somecampers packed away, others thought that the Muslimshad made a night attack. The suggestion became