The Meccan enemies along with desert clans had set up an army of ten thousand soldiers and advanced towards Medina. The number of Muslim warriors was hardly three thousand. They decided to stay in the city and preferred a defensive war. A huge trench started to be dug around the city. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was working in the job of carrying the excavated soil to the outside of trenches. According to the narration of an eyewitness friend of Him, dust covered the skin of His bosom and stomach.

The most difficult part of trench digging that lasted for three days was the strong famine and drought. His friends tied stones on their stomachs in order not to faint because of hunger while working. At one moment, they stood in front of the apostle of Allah and demanded from him to witness their self-sacrifice… and they pulled their garments up and showed the stones. He only smiled. Then he pulled up his garment… Two stones were tied together on the stomach of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).