In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) references the story of the people of the trench. The story was on of the great tragedies of the time just before the mission of Rasulullah (saw). When the ayat were revealed, the Prophet took it upon himself to share the story in absolute detail! When we hear such stories, we are horrified at the atrocities of the past, but we might also feel gratitude that such things no longer take place. But then why did, God and his Messenger both dedicate so much attention to this story? Is it merely a reminder that we do not make the same mistake? Is it possible that this story is not a tale from the past, but a description of the present?
