ahzab

Aḥzāb, written in Arabic as أحزاب, is a term meaning “parties” or “confederates.” In Islamic usage, it refers to the coalition of tribes and groups that confronted the early Muslim community in Medina. The term is most closely associated with the Qur’an, where Al-Ahzab is the name of the 33rd chapter.

Etymology: The word comes from the root ḥ-z-b, meaning to group or to arrange in a party, with the definite plural form al-Aḥzāb meaning “the parties” or “the confederates.”

Historical context: The designation is chiefly linked to the Battle of the Trench (Ghazwat al-Khandaq) in 627 CE, when a coalition of Meccan Quraysh and other tribes besieged Medina. The Muslims defended the city by digging a trench; after weeks of siege and internal tensions, the confederates dispersed, a turning point in early Islamic history.

Qur’anic reference: The term occurs in the Qur’an in Surah Al-Ahzab (The Confederates), which discusses the siege and provides guidance on social conduct, ethics, and the Prophet’s household and marriages as part of the broader context. The chapter is often read as addressing political and military alliance as well as daily conduct.

Modern usage and significance: Beyond its Qur’anic linkage, Al-Ahzab appears in Islamic historical and theological literature to denote political coalitions and alliances, and it figures in discussions of the Prophet’s community in Medina. The term remains a standard reference in studies of early Islamic history and Qur’anic exegesis.