THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME WITH PROPHET MUHAMMAD THE PROPHET OF ALLAH 038 THE ENCOUNTER AT UHUD by Khadeijah A. Stephens Copyright © 1984-2012 by Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com Khadeijah A. Stephens Bismillah Ir Rahman Ir Raheem The Encounter at Uhud It was now Saturday, 7th Shawwal, 3H.The sun had now risen and the Prophet's army had been detected, so Abu Sufyan gave the order to advance. Instead of the customary beat of the drum that proceeded hostilities, the Koraysh womenfolk, led by Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan, burst into impassioned songs as they beat their tambourines. The themes of many of their songs were in praise of those killed at Badr and cried out for their men-folk not to forget, but to remember and revenge themselves so that the honor of their tribe might be restored. Calls for Desertion The armies were but a short distance from each other when Abu Sufyan halted his men and called upon the Ansar to desert the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). He had not anticipated either the strength of their belief or the courage Allah had given the Ansar, nor yet the undivided loyalty and love they had for His Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), and so Abu Sufyan had not long before, assured his men that they could count upon the Ansar to turn and desert. The unexpected Ansar's reply came quickly as they hurled stones and invoked curses upon him; he had indeed miscalculated their response. A former resident of Medina, Abu Aamir, whose son Hanzalah had married Jamilah the day before had unknown to Hanzalah joined with the Koraysh against the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). Abu Aamir claimed for many years that he followed the ways of Prophet Abraham and in light of his claim, one might have supposed he would have embraced Islam, for both prophets preached the same message that Allah is One and that it is He alone who is to be worshipped. However, stubborn pride stood in his way and he chose to side with the pagan idolaters, which was totally against the teachings of Prophet Abraham. If, as he claimed, he followed Prophet Abraham he would have recognized not only the truth in all the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) but also seen these teachings implemented in his exemplary day-to-day life, as well as that of his son Hanzalah, and the Companions of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). Before Islam, Abu Aamir had been highly thought of by the people of Medina and regarded as being a pious person. He too thought the Ansar would listen to him if he called upon them to lay down their arms and desert the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). His pride was soon shattered after he called out, "Do you remember me, I am Abu Aamir!" "Yes, you evil-doer," came the reply, "we recognize you, may Allah frustrate your wickedness!" The combat was about to begin when Talha, son of Abi Talha Al-Abdari, the standard bearer, known to be the bravest man of the Koraysh and as such had been earned the title “The Ram of Battalion” came riding arrogantly on his camel and challenged the Muslims to a person to person combat. Az-Zubair, without a second thought, immediately took up the challenge and did not give Talha the chance to fight as he jumped upon him like a lion as he rode his camel. Talha fell to the ground and as he did As-Zubair seized Talha’s sword and put an end to him. The Messenger of Allah had been watching this great act of bravery and exclaimed, “Allahu Akbar! The glorification was taken up by the Muslims as they too exclaimed “Allahu Akbar! The Prophet said, “Every prophet has a disciple and Az-Zubair is a disciple of mine.” Othman, one of Talha's two brothers, was the next to take the standard whilst the Koraysh womenfolk goaded him into taking revenge, chanting, "It is the duty of the standard bearer to dip his spear in blood or to break it on the enemy!" This time Hamza stepped out to meet Othman wielding his double edge sword saying: "I am the son of Saki Hajaj!" which referred to the honored position his father had held to provide water for the pilgrims. With that he struck Othman on his shoulder with such force that his sword slit him right down to his waist. One by one the six designated Koraysh standard bearers fell and none of the standard bearers from the tribe of Abd Ad-Dharr remained. Sawab, one of their slaves, grasped hold of the banner and was struck with such a sever blow that both his hands were severed. Sawad fell to the ground but managed to prevent the banner from touching the ground as he held it tightly to his chest and with his last breath he exclaimed, “I have done my duty!” During the course of the hostilities the sword of Abdullah, Jahsh's son, was smote from his hand, and no matter how hard he searched for it, it could not be found. He returned to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to ask for a replacement. However, there were none to be had, so, as at the Encounter of Badr, the Prophet picked up a palm branch then gave it to him, and it was transformed into a sword and Abdullah rejoined the hostilities. The Bravery of Hamza, Ali and Abu Dujanah By now the Koraysh womenfolk had retreated to a safe distance, where they continued to incite their men to fight. Hamza, Ali, and Abu Dujanah who had been entrusted with the sword of the Prophet, were foremost in leading the Muslim attack and plunged deep into the ranks of the enemy. Their gallantry succeeded in disrupting the lines of the enemy and as they advanced, they killed or injured anyone in their path. As Abu Dujanah turned to engage his next combatant, his sword touched the hand of Hind whereupon he quickly withdrew it as he knew it would be unworthy for the sword of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to kill a woman. Among the Koraysh was a man who took it upon himself to kill any Muslim who lay wounded on the battlefield. Abu Dujanah had observed the man and as soon as he had the opportunity he engaged him in combat. Just two strikes of the sword were exchanged and the unbeliever’s sword struck and penetrated the leather shield of Abu Dujanah and could not be withdrawn whereupon Abu Dujanah smote him just once and the unbeliever drew his last breath. In the meantime, the Muslim archers from their vantage point on the foot hill of Uhud directed their shots at Khalid and his cavalry, and many Koraysh fell. The Martyrdom of Hamza Wahshi was the Abyssinian slave of Jubair, Mut’im’s son and was known to be an excellent spear thrower. Jubair’s uncle Tu’aimah, son of Adi had been killed during Badr and a number of his relatives had also been slain. As the Koraysh were about to march out to Uhud, Jubair took Wahshi to one side and had said, “If you kill Hamza in revenge for my uncle, I will set you free." When the army aligned itself in readiness for the fight, Siba from the Koraysh came out and said, "Is there any Muslim who will accept my challenge in a duel?" Hamza, Abdul Muttalib's son came forward and said, 'O Siba, O son of Umm Anmar, the one who circumcises ladies. Do you challenge Allah and His Messenger (salla Allahu alihi was sallam)?" Then Hamza engaged him and killed him. Meanwhile, Wahshi had hidden himself behind a rock and when Hamza came near him, he threw his spear forcefully at him. The spear penetrated Hamza’s navel then came out through his buttocks causing him to fall and become a martyr. Wahshi cared nothing for the fighting going on around him and made his way to Hamza's martyred body, retrieved his spear and returned to the camp saying, "I have achieved my aim. I killed him only for the sake of gaining my freedom." The Martyrdom of Hanzalah Hanzalah had thrown himself into the hostilities and was now at its center engaging Abu Sufyan in fierce combat. He was at the point of dispatching him when Shaddad, Al-Aswad’s son came to Abu Sufyan's aid and thrust his spear into Hanzalah. Hanzalah fell and Shaddad made a further thrust and the vision of Hanzalah’s bride, Jamilah, was fulfilled. As Hanzalah was being martyred, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was made aware of his circumstances by the angels and turned gently to his Companions saying, "The angels are washing your Companion." Later, when the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) spoke to Jamilah, he comforted her telling her that he had witnessed the angels taking her husband's body and washing it between the heavens and earth with water collected from the clouds in silver vessels. Jamilah told the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) of her vision and that when she had told Hanzalah what she had seen, he had been so anxious to join him that he left before taking a major shower. The Disobeyed Order Despite their overwhelming numbers, the Koraysh army had been beaten back and forced to retreat. Victory now lay insight for the Prophet's army and the opportunity to seize the spoils of war presented itself to those on the battlefield, whilst the archers entrusted to hold a strategic position on the foot hill slope looked down and saw their Companions helping themselves to the spoils of war. Many of the archers thought the hostilities were over and were eager to claim their share of the spoils and so forty of them disobeyed the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and decided to abandon their position despite his instruction. Their commander, Abdullah, Jubair's son, entreated them not to abandon their posts but the temptation was too great and all but nine obeyed the Prophet's instruction and remained loyal at their posts. Khalid, Waleed's son, noticed that many of the archers had left their posts. Hastily, he regrouped his men and seized the opportunity to launch an attack on the Muslims from the rear and this was exactly the danger the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, had warned his archers about. With the weakened position of the archers, the assault was successful and Abdullah, along with the nine who remained faithful to the instruction of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) were martyred defending their posts. The way was now open for Khalid as he led an attack upon the unsuspecting Muslims who were busy dividing the spoils of war. Ikrimah observed Khalid's actions and rallied his men to come to Khalid's assistance and joined him on the battlefield. In the meantime Umra, the daughter of Alqama Al-Harithiyah saw the banner laying on the ground and rushed to pick it up and raised it high and the Koraysh rallied around her. Chaos reigned as the unbelievers charged forward on their horses against the Muslims shouting the names of their gods in defiance. Lady Ayesha tells us that satan called out to the believers on the battlefield saying, ‘O worshipers of Allah, beware look behind you’ whereupon the Muslims who were in front turned around and mistakenly started fighting Muslims behind whom they thought were unbelievers. When some of the Muslims saw the onslaught, they became filled with fear and fled. Some fled as far as Medina, whilst others fled to the safety of the mountain despite the Prophet's order to return and help their ailing companions to fight. Abu Bakr and his Son Abdul Ka’bah As the Koraysh drew closer, a challenge rang throughout the air, "I am the son of Atik, who will come out against me!" The challenger referred to his ancestor and was none other than Lady Ayesha's brother Abdul Ka’bah, the son of Abu Bakr -- the only male member of his family not to enter Islam. Immediately, Abu Bakr threw down his bow and drew his sword prepared to engage his son in combat. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) saw what Abu Bakr had done, he told him compassionately to return his sword to its hilt and go back to his place and give him his company instead. Ziyad, Son of Sukain and the Ansar Shortly after this, the Koraysh cavalry penetrated the Muslim line of defense and Abu Bakr's son retreated. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) now asked his Companions, "Who will sell themselves for us?" No sooner had the request been made than Ziyad, Sukain's son together with either five or seven Ansar -- their number is uncertain -- with swords in hand plunged themselves into the enemy. All were martyred except Ziyad, who fell to the ground after sustaining a life-threatening wound. It was thought that Ziyad had been martyred along with his companions when the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) noticed Ziyad doing his best to crawl back towards them. Immediately, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) sent two of his Companions to bring Ziyad to him. Gently, the Companions picked Ziyad up, brought him to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and laid him down with his head resting on the Prophet's foot whilst the Angel of Death took away his martyred soul. The Stone Due to the increased deterioration of their situation, Ali, Talha, Abu Dujanah, and Zubair, who had fought at the front line of the encounter since its beginning, started to fear for the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and decided to fight their way back to him. When they reached the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), they found that several unbelievers had managed to come within close range to the him and Utbah, Abi Waqqas’ son, was hurling sharp stones at him and that one of his stones had struck the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) on his lower lip and chipped a tooth. Now, Abdullah, Shehab Az-Zuhri advanced and struck the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) on his forehead, then, Abdullah, son of Qami’a struck the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) violently with his sword on his shoulder and dealt a heavy blow to his cheek which was so powerful that the iron rings of his helmet became embedded in his cheek. As Abdullah struck the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) he cried out, “Take this from me, I am the son of Qam’ia”. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) wiped away the blood and was heard to say, “I wonder how people who injury the face of their Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) break his teeth can thrive or be successful and he fell stunned to the ground as Abdullah made a quick retreat. But before Abdullah got away Umm Umara managed to strike him, whereupon he struck back and she sustained a major injury to her shoulder. However, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) remained relatively unharmed as he wore a double suit of armor. Nusaybah also fought alongside Umm Umara but remained unscathed. The Injury of the Prophet The fighting around the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) intensified. Abu Dujanah now protected the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) using his back as a shield and was hit by many arrows. The reputation of Talha son of Ubaydah Allah, as an excellent archer had been well tried that morning; he had fired so many arrows that three bows lay broken on the ground and he no longer had arrows to fire. Now, with his shield he did his very best to protect the Prophet's face from further injury and in doing so had either his fingers severed or his hands had become paralyzed. When Abu Bakr and Abu Ubaydah, son of Al Jarrah who had been repelling the enemy reached the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) they found Talha had sustained multiple injuries and had fainted at the feet of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) on account of his loss of blood. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) said to them, “Look at your brother, his deeds have entitled him to a home in Paradise.” Talha survived despite his multiple wounds and in the years to come he spoke of the time when the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) requested an ignorant Bedouin to ask the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) about what a person was like who had fulfilled his vow. The Companions were shy to ask themselves on account of the reverence they had for him. The Bedouin asked the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) but he did not answer immediately. When Talha arrived he looked at him and recited the verse: “Among the believers there are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah. Some have fulfilled their vow dying, and others await, unyielding to change.” Koran 33:23. Talha became a martyr some years later after the death of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). When the Companions saw the extent of the Prophet’s (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) injuries they became very distraught and exclaimed, "If only you would supplicate for a curse against them!" But the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) turned to them and said in his every caring and gentle manner, "I was not sent to curse, rather I was sent to invite and as a mercy." Such was the Prophet’s mercy and forbearance toward them that he supplicated for those who opposed him saying, "O Allah, guide my tribesmen because they do not know." When Omar heard the Prophet's reply, he remarked, "O Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), may my mother and father be your ransom! Noah supplicated against his people when he said, ‘My Lord, do not leave a single unbeliever upon the earth.’ If you had supplicated for a curse like that, all of us would have been destroyed. Your back has been trodden upon, your face bloodied and your tooth broken, and yet you decline to say anything other than good." Once again we are given a glimpse into our beloved Prophet's excellent character. He could have remained silent and done nothing but he chose otherwise. He pardoned the unbelievers, then supplicated for their guidance and pleaded for them because they were yet to understand. And so another part of the Prophet's vision had been fulfilled -- the dent in his sword -- which he explained would be a wound against his person. Shammas from the tribe of Makhzum now stood in front of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and fought with outstanding bravery against a fresh onslaught until he fell, whereupon another Companion took his place. Mus'ab, Umair's son, the standard bearer of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) bore a resemblance to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). Mus’ab was martyred by Abdullah, Qamia’s son who, in the chaos of the fighting, thought that Mus’ab was the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and cried out, “Muhammad has been killed” and proceeded to exalt their gods. The cry had a devastating affect upon the Muslims and many despaired. Confusion Some of the Companions lost sight of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and the false cry now filled the air, “Muhammad has been killed” they were at a loss to know what to do or where to go and their hearts were engulfed with despair and devastated by the misinformation. Some ceased to fight and cast down their weapons whereas others inclined to seek the help of the hypocrite Abdullah, Ubayy’s son and ask him to be a go-between between themselves and Abu Sufyan. Anas, An-Nadir’s son saw the weapons lying on the ground and cried out, “What are you waiting for?” They replied, “The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) has been killed!” Anas spurred them on saying, “What do you live for after Muhammad. Rouse yourself and die for what the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) has died for!” Then he supplicated saying, “O Allah, I apologize for what these people have done.” Anas left them and Sa’ad, Muadh’s son asked him where he was going. Anas replied, “Ah, how fine the aroma of Paradise is, I smell it here in Uhud” and plunged into combat with the idolater and was martyred. When his body was recovered they found he had sustained over eight wounds before being martyred. Ali continued to fight courageously and put many to the sword, but as he fought he looked constantly for the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) as he did not believe the rumor. Thabit, Ad-Dahda’s son took up the cry, “O kinsmen of the Ansar, if Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) has been killed, then Allah is the Everlasting and never dies. Fight in defense of your Faith. Allah will help you and you will be victorious.” Upon hearing this stirring plea some of the Ansars rallied around him and plunged in the battle attacking the cavalry of Khalid. Thabit and his companions continued to fight until all lay martyred on the battlefield of Uhud. A Muhajirin came across an Ansar covered in blood and asked, “My brother, have you heard if Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) is dead?” The Ansar replied, “If he has been killed, then he must have completed the delivery of the Message, so go fight in defense of your religion.” Those who had fallen into a state of despair recovered their spirit and abandoned their idea to surrender to Abdullah, Ubayy’s son. They too took up arms once again, and fought bravely and discovered much to their great happiness that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was still with them. The Retreat Despite their bravery, many believers lay martyred on the field of Uhud; as for the survivors, their ammunition was almost spent. Now, the believers were in retreat and as they made their way higher up the slopes of Uhud the hostilities started to subside as the Koraysh deemed the day to be theirs. The Koraysh army had sustained only a minimal loss of life, but had been weakened because hardly any of their men or horses had been left unscathed and a great number of men sustained very severe wounds. Yaman and Thabit When news of the Muslim's distressful circumstances reached the fortresses of Medina, Yaman and Thabit, who had been left behind to protect the women and children, armed themselves and sped with all haste to Uhud. Such was the confusion on the battlefield that when Yaman arrived he was mistaken for a Koraysh ally and set upon by Muslims. When Hudhayfah saw his father, Yaman, being attacked he called out to his assailants that he was one of them but his voice was drowned under the clamor of the fighting and his father fell to friendly swords. It was indeed a very sad event but Hudhayfah was not the sort of person to bear malice against his father's unintentional assailants, rather he would mercifully say, "Muslims, may Allah forgive this sin of yours." Later, when the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) heard of the sad occurrence, he offered to pay blood-money on behalf of the Muslims, however Hudhayfah waived his right. From that time onward, Hudhayfah was blessed with wealth, however, he did not keep it for himself, he spent all in charity. The Valley Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had only been incapacitated for a brief moment. Now, in the light of the present situation he deemed it best that he and his Companions should reposition themselves at the entrance of the valley overlooking the Koraysh camp so that they would be in a better position to monitor their movements. As the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) led his Companions along the track, the pain caused by the chain links embedded in his cheeks became apparent upon his noble face. The small band of Companions stopped for a moment and Abu Ubaydah examined the injury and concluded that the only effective way to remove the links would be by extracting them with his teeth. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was agreeable and as he pulled the links out the wounds started to bleed. In an effort to cleanse the wounds, Malik, Sinan's son from the tribe of Khazraj sucked away the blood and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked him to spit it out, but he swallowed it. Thereafter Malik returned to the battle and was martyred. Meanwhile, Abu Sufyan observed the Companions making their way along the mountain and attempted to pursue them. However Omar, who had rejoined the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) together with some more Companions hurled rocks at him that forced Abu Sufyan to retreat. Jubilation The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and his Companions continued on their way to the entrance of the valley and as they did Ka'b, Malik's son, who had recently retreated with some other Muslims to the safety of the mountain, spotted them. At first he thought his eyes deceived him, he had heard and taken the rumor of the Prophet's death to be true, yet there in front of him was a figure, walking slowly, that he felt sure he recognized. As Ka'b drew nearer his heart beat faster with joy, his eyes had not deceived him and in great jubilation he cried out to the others who were following behind, "Muslims, great news, it is the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam)!" The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) gestured to Ka'b not to raise his voice and so the news that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was indeed alive spread amongst the Muslims quietly and there was great rejoicing in their hearts as they raced to join him. The Prophet's Encounter with Ubayy Ubayy, Khalaf's son had not as yet returned to the Koraysh camp and overheard the jubilant cry of Ka'b. Ubayy had sworn revenge that he would kill the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and galloped swiftly towards him with the intent of fulfilling his oath. As he approached with sword drawn, he cried out, "Muhammad, if you escape from me, may I not escape from you!" As the Companions grouped themselves around the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to protect him, ready to attack Ubayy, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told them to step back and before Ubayy had a chance to strike, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) took hold of Harith, Simma's son's spear and slightly scratched Ubayy's neck with it. Ubayy screamed out in excruciating pain and fell from his horse then remounted and galloped back to his camp. Upon reaching the camp he was met by his nephew Safwan and other members of his tribe and croaked, "Muhammad has killed me!" However, his nephew and the others paid little attention to him as they viewed his scratch as being very minor. Instinctively, Ubayy knew that his time was running out and told them, "By Allah if he spat on me with his spittle, I would die." The Koraysh were not inclined to pay much attention to Ubayy's scratch, nor did they incline to take the news that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was alive seriously, however the seed of doubt had been sown. Ubayy's fear proved to be right. Death was soon to overtake him on their return journey to Mecca at a place called Sarif. The Relief of Lady Fatima When the misinformation reached Medina that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had been killed, Lady Fatima made haste to Uhud and caught up with the Prophet's party as it was about to reach the entrance of the valley. Lady Fatima was greatly relieved to find her father alive and only wounded, and thanked Allah for his safety. Meanwhile, Ali went in search of water and came across a small pool of water in the crevices of the rocks. Using his shield as a container, he scooped up some water and brought it back to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to quench his thirst. However, the water was stale and odorous, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) declined to drink from it, whereupon Lady Fatima used it to wash away the blood from his face. The wounds continued to bleed and so in attempt to stop the bleeding, a piece of matting was scorched and placed over the wounds whereupon the bleeding ceased. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), was very anxious for the safety of his Companions and felt they were too exposed to take their rest at the entrance of the valley, so he ordered his Companions to climb to higher ground. There was no easy way up the mountain slope, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) started to raise himself up to one of its ledges. Despite Talha’s multiple wounds, when he saw what the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was doing, he bent down and lifted him up so that he might more easily reach the ledge, whereupon the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) announced, “Whosoever wishes to look upon a martyr walking upon the earth should look at Talha, the son of Ubaydi-Allah.” Healing Miracles Amongst the many miraculous healings at Uhud were those of Qatadah, Kulthum, and Abdullah. During the encounter Qatadah engaged An-Numan in combat. As they fought, Qatadah was struck so severely that his eye-ball came out of its socket and hung down up his cheek. When the fighting died down Qatadah made his way back to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) whereupon the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) took pity on him and supplicated as he placed his eye-ball back into its socket. From that time onward Qatadah would be heard telling his companions that the eye restored by the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had the strongest vision. An arrow aimed at Kulthum, the son of Al Husain severely pierced his throat. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) saw what had happened he supplicated then puffed some of his saliva upon the wound and his throat healed instantly. Abdullah, Anies' son sustained a severe wound to his head. Once again the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) supplicated and puffed some of his saliva upon the wound and it healed. When Abdullah told his companions about the miraculous healing, he would add, "It never turned septic!" The Koraysh Camp As the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and his Companions took their rest, many of the Koraysh picked their way through the dead on the battlefield searching for the Prophet's body whilst others either buried their dead or tended to the wounded. They had lost only twenty-two of their men however their casualties, both human and animal, were substantial. Wahshi now went to Hind to tell her he had succeeded in his mission and referred her to where Hamza’s body lay, whereupon Hind went to his body, ripped open his belly and gouged out his liver. To fulfill her oath and hatred towards Hamza, she bit a piece of his liver, chewed, swallowed some and spat out the remainder. Then she cut off his nose and ears. From that day onwards she was referred during that period to as 'Jigar Khwar' - the liver eater. Other Koraysh women delighted in similar barbaric activities and all but one of the bodies were savagely mutilated. The body that escaped further mutilation was that of Hanzalah. His father, who had fought alongside the Koraysh, pleaded with them to leave his body alone and so his body was left where it lay. Hanzalah lay near the mutilated bodies of his relatives, Hamza and Abdullah, Jahsh's son. When it was time for their burial the Companions remarked upon the serenity that radiated from his face and commented that his hair remained wet from the washing of the angels. The Reaction of the Koraysh Allies On account of the Koraysh not being able to find the body of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) many began to believe Ubayy. However, they had not discounted the matter of his death completely as there remained the possibility that his body lay somewhere on the slopes of Mount Uhud itself. The Search for Hamza’s Body Later that day, Harith, As-Simmah's son was sent by the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to search for Hamza's body. When he came across it he was so shaken by his condition that he just stood there transfixed, staring over him for a long time unable to comprehend how anyone could have acted in such a barbaric manner. When Harith did not return, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) sent Ali to look for him and together they returned to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked Harith and Ali to lead him to Hamza's body. As the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) gazed down at Hamza, his heart overflowed with great sorrow and anger as he wept considerably, and said, "I have never felt more anger than that which I feel now. Next time when Allah gives me victory over the Koraysh, I shall mutilate seventy of their dead." Shortly after a Revelation was sent down saying: "If you punish, let your punishment be proportionate to the punishment you received. But if you are patient, it is better for the patient. Be patient; yet your patience is only by the help of Allah. Do not grieve for them (the unbelievers), nor distress yourself because of their devising. Allah is with the cautious and those who do good.” Koran 16:126-128 After receiving these verses the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) withdrew his intention and forbade mutilation. The Believing Ladies Whilst the Koraysh womenfolk were engrossed in their barbaric revenge, Ladies Fatima, Umm Sulaym, and Umm Salit tended to the wounds of the believers and brought them water. By now several ladies had set out from Medina to nurse the wounded, amongst whom was Safiah, the sister of Hamza. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) learned of her arrival he told her son, Zubair not to let her see her brother's body. However, Safiah went to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and told him that she knew of her brother's martyrdom and that his sacrifice was not very great, for she remembered well the promise of Allah and His Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to those martyred in His Name. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) saw the depth of her faith, he permitted her to see her brother's corpse. When she came across the remains of his poor body the only words she uttered were those from the Koran: "We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.” Koran 2:156 and supplicated for his soul. The Love of an Ansar Lady When the news reached an Ansar lady that not only had her father been martyred, but also her husband and son, she became patient. However, when she heard the misinformation that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had been taken from them, it consumed her every thought and she put aside her own personal loss and made straight for Uhud. When she saw the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and realized the report was false, she was so overwhelmed with joy that she exclaimed, "With you amongst us, our personal loss is insignificant." Such was the deep love and devotion of the early Companions for Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) that their own welfare and matters were always a distant second to their concern for his. The Koraysh Search for the Prophet As the Koraysh prepared to break camp, they loaded the meager spoils of war they had gained during the encounter onto the camels in readiness for their return to Mecca. Whilst the Koraysh busied themselves with their final preparations, Abu Sufyan, who was anxious to learn whether or nor the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was dead or alive, rode out alone on his horse toward the mountain. Upon reaching the mountain he drew his ride to a halt and, looking up in the direction where the Muslims had last been seen, called out, "Exaltations to Hubal, may your religion prevail!" When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) heard this he instructed Omar to reply, "Allah is the Greatest, Exalted in Majesty. We are not equal. Our martyred are in Paradise -- your dead are in the Fire." Obediently, Omar arose, went to the ledge of the mountain, and called out with the words of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). Abu Sufyan recognized Omar's voice and called up to him, "Omar, in the Name of Allah, I entreat you, is Muhammad dead?" Whereupon Omar replied, "By Allah, no! Even now he hears what you are saying!" Strange as it may seem, Abu Sufyan replied, "I believe you, your word is truer than that of Abdullah, Qami'a's son." ”You will find some of your men mutilated. I did not encourage my men to do so, but I do not feel sorry for their action!" Then he cried out, "May Badr be our meeting place next year!" When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) heard this he sent another of his Companions to the ledge with the message, "That is a confirmed agreement between us." When Abu Sufyan returned to his army he found them assembled on the far side of the valley awaiting his order to march. They set out in a southerly direction and it was feared they might now march on Medina. With this in mind the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked for a volunteer to follow the army and bring back word of their movements. Seventy Muslims volunteered, including Abu Bakr and Zubair, however it was Sa’ad from the tribe of Zuhrah who was chosen. Before he departed the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) wisely informed him, "If they are leading their horses and riding their camels they are destined for Mecca, however, if they are riding their horses and leading their camels they are destined for Medina. By Him in whose Hand is my soul, if that is their aim, I will overtake and fight them." Sa’ad wasted no time and climbed down the mountain slope, mounted the Prophet's horse, and set out upon his mission. The Martyr Who Never Offered an Obligatory Prayer Among the mortally wounded on the battlefield was Usayrim, a man from Medina. When the Ansar came across him they were indeed very surprised to find him there. Many were the times they had spoken to him about Islam, but he had always been hesitant to embrace it, saying, "If only I could be sure it was true, I would not hesitate." Gently, the Ansar inquired what had brought him to Uhud and asked on which side he had fought. Usayrim, who was by now very weak, told them that he had fought along with them and when they asked why he had done so he replied that it was for Islam because in his heart he believed in the Oneness of Allah and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). As his frail voice weakened, Usayrim told his companions that earlier that morning he had armed himself with is sword and set off for Uhud to join the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and had fought until he fell. Shortly after this the Angel of Death took away his soul as his companions stood at his side. When the Companions told the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) about Usayrim, he informed them that Usayrim was among those who entered Paradise and in the years that followed Usayrim became known as the believer who entered Paradise without offering even one of the obligatory prayers. Sa’ad, the Son of Rabi The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) sent Zayd, Thabit’s son down onto the battlefield to search for Sa’ad, Ar-Rabi’s son and told him, “When you see him convey to him my greetings of peace, and tell him that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) is asking about you.” Zayd searched among the bodies on the battlefield until he came across Sa’ad who was at the point of death. Sa’ad had been mortally wounded and sustained no less than seventy wounds and lay with a spear and an arrow protruding from his body. Gently Zayd told him that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) sent him the greetings of peace and had asked about him. Sa’ad in a weakened voice replied, “May the peace be upon the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). Tell him I smell the aroma of Paradise, and tell my people, the Ansar, that they will not be excused before Allah if the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) is hurt while they live.” Shortly thereafter the angels took away the soul of Sa’ad. The Man Who Fought for Other Than the Sake of Allah During the search for the wounded on the battlefield the Companions came across Qazman who had fought heroically and slain no less than seven unbelievers. Qazman was mortally wounded and so the Companions decided to carry him back to the home of the Bani Zufr to be nursed. As the Companions laid him down the Muslims spoke gently to him and gave him the glad tidings of Paradise. Much to their surprise Qazman replied, “By Allah, I fought for the pride of my people, had it not been for that I would never have fought.” Qazman’s condition continued to deteriorate and he could no longer bear the pain of his wounds so he committed suicide. Prior to his death, the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had told his Companions that Qazman would be an inhabitant of the Fire. The Supplication of the Prophet After the unbelievers had left the Messenger (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told his Companions, “Line up in order that I praise my Lord, the Mighty, the Glorified.” So they lined up behind him. He said, ‘O Allah, all Praise is for You. O Allah there is no one who can contract what you expand or anyone expand what you contract, and there is no guide for those who You have caused to err and no one can lead to error those whom You have guided. No one can give what You have prevented. No one can give what You withhold and no one can withhold what You give. No one brings close what You make distant. No one can make distant what You bring close. O Allah, spread over us from Your blessings, mercy, virtue and provision. O Allah, I ask You for the sustained favors which neither diminish nor end. O Allah, I ask Your help on the Day when we need a lot of help, and safety on the day of fear. O Allah, I seek refuge from the evil of what You have given us, and the evil of what You prevented from us. O Allah, make the faith beloved to us and beautified in our hearts, and make disbelief, immorality and disobedience hated to us and make us amongst the righteous. O Allah, make us die as Muslims and live as Muslims, and let us join the good, being neither disappointed nor tempted. O Allah, kill the unbelievers who belied Your Messengers, barring from Your Path and pour upon them Your punishment. O Allah, fight the unbelievers who have been given the Book, You are the God of the Truth.’” The Koraysh Return to Mecca Due to Sustaining Heavy Injuries Meanwhile, Sa’ad from the tribe Zuhrah had ridden as swiftly as he could and was now in sight of the Koraysh. It gladdened his heart when he saw the Koraysh leading their horses and riding their camels, and so he sped back to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to convey the good news. In the years that were to follow, Amr, who had fought with the Koraysh at Uhud but later converted to Islam said, "We heard of ibn Ubayy's return to Medina with one third of the Prophet's army, together with other men from the tribes of Khazraj and Aws. It was because of that we were unsure whether or not they would return and attack. Many of our men were wounded and most of our horses had been injured by arrows, that is why we decided to return to Mecca." The Burial of the Martyred The bodies of the martyred were laid to rest in graves dug near the place where Hamza had fallen. Some were buried alone, whereas others were buried together -- Hamza and Abdullah, Jubair's son whose body was also badly mutilated were among those buried together. Such had been their poverty that there was scarcely enough cloth to suffice as a complete shroud for any of the martyrs. If their head was covered, their feet remained uncovered, and if their feet were covered their head remained uncovered. In order that they should be covered, fragrant grasses were used to shroud the uncovered limbs. With compassion and tenderness, Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told his Companions that the bodies of the martyred were not to be washed in the customary Islamic manner before burial. Then he gave his Companions the good news that on the Day of Judgement the martyrs will be raised, without pain, with their wounds bleeding and that although the color will be that of blood there will be no odor of blood at all, as it will have been replaced with the delicate fragrance of musk. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told his Companions that the souls of those who were martyred are transported by the birds of Paradise in the Gardens of Paradise where they eat from its fruits and that they are like lamps of gold under the shade of the Throne. Under the guidance of the Prophet, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), the martyrs were interred and he would inquire which of the two knew the most of the Koran by heart, whereupon the most knowledgeable was placed in the grave first. Even in death the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was just and never one to show disrespect. And it was revealed: “Among the believers there are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah. Some have fulfilled their vow dying, and others await, unyielding to change, so that Allah will recompense the truthful for their truthfulness and punish the hypocrites if He will, or turn again to them. Surely, Allah is the Forgiver and the Most Merciful.” Koran 33:23-24 The Martyred Family of Hind, Wife of Amr During the burial preparations, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked his Companions to search for the bodies of Amr, Jamuh's son and Abdullah the father of Jabir so that they might be buried together. The two men had been very close to one another during their lifetime and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) thought it appropriate that they should rest together, however their bodies could not be found. Hind, Amr's wife lost not only her husband, but her son Khallad together with her brother Abdullah and wished to take them back to Medina for burial. As she made her way home to Medina with her martyred family, her mounts suddenly stopped and refused to go any further. She tried repeatedly to get them to walk, but when they still refused she turned them around, whereupon they started to walk back from where they came. When she reached the battlefield, she went to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and told him what had happened, whereupon he gently told her that it was the will of Allah that she return to bury them there and gave her the good news that they were all together in Paradise. When Hind heard this, her heart was content and she asked the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to supplicate that she might also join them. The Miraculous Meal It had been a very exhausting day and food was in extremely short supply, in fact there was only sufficient food to suffice one man. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked for what little food there was to be brought to him, then he supplicated and blessed it and all ate from the portion until they were replete. The Encounter at Uhud 038 Back Cover – Subtitles Calls for Desertion The Bravery of Hamza, Ali and Abu Dujanah The Martyrdom of Hamza The Martyrdom of Hanzalah The Disobeyed Order Abu Bakr and his Son Abdul Ka’bah Ziyad, Son of Sukain and the Ansar The Stone The Injury of the Prophet Confusion The Retreat Yaman and Thabit The Valley Jubilation The Prophet's Encounter with Ubayy The Relief of Lady Fatima Healing Miracles The Koraysh Camp The Reaction of the Koraysh Allies The Search for Hamza’s Body The Believing Ladies The Love of an Ansar Lady The Koraysh Search for the Prophet The Martyr Who Never Offered an Obligatory Prayer Sa’ad, the Son of Rabi The Man Who Fought for Other Than the Sake of Allah The Supplication of the Prophet The Koraysh Return to Mecca Due to Sustaining Heavy Injuries The Burial of the Martyred The Martyred Family of Hind, Wife of Amr The Miraculous Meal