14 Preface وَلَو دُخِلَت عَلَيهِم مِن أَقطارِها ثُمَّ سُئِلُوا الفِتنَةَ لَآتَوها وَما تَلَبَّثوا بِها إِلّا يَسيرًاYusuf AliAnd if an entry had been effected to them1 from the sides of the (City), and they had been incited to sedition, they would certainly have brought it to pass, with none but a brief delay!The brunt of all the fighting was on the north side, but the whole Trench was guarded. At one or two points enemy warriors did break within the circuit of the Trench, but they were soon disposed of. Ḥadhrat ʿAlī particularly distinguished himself in many fights, wearing the Prophet’s own sword and armour. If any of the enemy had been able to penetrate into the City, the disaffected element, which was only sitting on the fence, would have risen against the Muslims at once—with no delay except what might have been necessary to put on their armour and arms.