The Earnest Supplication of the Prophet and the Attainment of Victory
The Messenger was constantly imploring Allah The Almighty, supplicating to Him and seeking relief from Him, especially in his battles. The Muslims, who were in great distress, asked him for something to say in supplication, so he advised them to say: “Allahum astur ‘awraatina wa aamin raw‘aatina [O Allah, conceal all that we wish to be concealed, and make us safe from fear].” [Musnad Ahmad] It is narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullaah bin Abi Awfa, may Allah be pleased with him, that, “The Messenger supplicated for Divine Wrath upon the Ahzaab, saying: ‘O Allah, the Revealer of the Book, and the One who is swift in reckoning, defeat the confederates - defeat them and convulse them.’”[Al-Bukhari]
Allah The Almighty answered his supplications and the signs of relief started to show. With His Might and Power, Allah The Almighty caused them to leave after He had shaken them in heart and body and scattered them through dispute. Then He sent a strong cold wind upon them, cast terror into their hearts, and blessed the Muslims with Divine soldiers. In this regard, Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allah upon you when armies came to [attack] you and We sent upon them a wind and armies [of angels] you did not see. And ever is Allah, of what you do, Seeing.} [Quran 33:9]
Commenting on this verse, Al-Qurtubi said
The wind was a miracle that occurred for the Prophet as he, along with the Muslims, were very close to the polytheists - just separated from them by the trench. But they were not affected by the wind and even had no news of it. The wind, divinely reinforced by angels, plucked out the pegs of the [camps of the] enemies and severed their ropes; it blew out the polytheists’ fire and turned their pots upside down; their horses froze in confusion and terror was cast upon the polytheists. The angels’ chants of Takbeer [saying Allahu Akbar] grew in the corners of the polytheists’ camp until the leaders of tents called upon their tribe members and fled for their lives because of the terror that Allah The Almighty had sent upon them.
The Messenger was keen on confirming to the Companions and to all the Muslims on earth that the multitudes of confederates, which exceeded ten thousand fighters, were defeated neither by Muslims, regardless of their sacrifices, nor by intelligent encounter. Rather, they were defeated by Allah The Almighty alone who Says (what means): {O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allah upon you when armies came to [attack] you and We sent upon them a wind and armies [of angels] you did not see. And ever is Allah, of what you do, Seeing.} [Quran 33:9]
It is narrated that the Messenger said: “There is none worthy of worship except Allah, who honored his soldiers, helped His servant, and routed the confederates alone - and there is none beyond Him.” [Al-Bukhari]
The Prophetic supplications and reliance on Allah The Almighty alone should not contradict utilizing the human means of gaining victory. To that effect, the Messenger did his best to disperse the Confederates and end the siege, and other things that we previously mentioned.
In this regard, the Messenger taught us the Sunnah of utilizing the available means and the necessity of resorting to Allah The Almighty and sincerely dedicating worship to Him, as all aspects of power are futile unless there is earnest imploring to Allah The Almighty and constant turning to Him with supplication and seeking relief from Him, something that was continual throughout the entire life of the Messenger .