Chapter 46 : The Battle of Uhud V - From Victory To Defeat Flashcards
Key Events At The Battle of Uhud
Abu Dujanah
- As soon as The Two Armies meet, Abu Dujanah begins wreaking havoc on The Battlefield with the sword given to him by The Prophet
- He strikes down every man in his path and just stops short of killing Hind when he realizes that she is a woman
Hamza Ibn Abdul Muttalib
- Amid the clamor, Wahshi gets a clear shot at Hamza and fatally pierces him with his Javelin
Handala Ibn Abi A’mir
- Just as Jamilah Bint Abdullah saw in her dream, her newlywed husband Handala was Martyred at The Foot of Mount Uhud
Overpowering The Quraysh
- After a period of intense fighting, The Prophet’s Forces finally break enemy line
- Due to Loss of Morale, The Quraysh are quickly chased off The Battlefield
- Al Bara Ibn Azib [ One of The Companions of The Prophet ] says :-
” When we fought them at Uhud, they turned and fled until i saw with my own eyes the legs of women as they lifted their skirts running up the mountains and I could see their ankle bracelets. “
- Ibn Hisham adds :-
” I remember clearly seeing Hind and her Female Companions all running away up the Mountain. “
- From this, we can see how devastating the initial assault of The Muslim Army was
The Archers Abandon Post
- While witnessing The Turmoil in The Quraysh Army, Some of The Companions of Abdullah Ibn Jubayr said :-
” Let us go and collect The Spoils of War. Our comrades have been victorious so what are you waiting for ? “
- Abdullah Ibn Jubayr said :-
” Have you forgotten the instructions given to us by The Prophet ? “
- Those who wished to leave their position replied :-
” By God, We too will go to our Companions and Partake in The Spoils of War. They are taking The Loot so we shall take it too. “
- Most of Abdullah Ibn Jubayr’s Archers abandon their post to collect The Spoils of War [ Only 12 Remain ]
- Khalid Ibn Al Walid seizes the opportunity to Kill The Remaining Archers, Circle Behind The Muslims and Attack from The Rear when their guard is down
- Soon enough, Abdullah Ibn Jubayr along with The 12 Remaining Archers are Martyred and The Rear Flanks of The Muslim Forces begin to Flee up The Mountainside
- The Quran sharply criticizes The Muslims who disobeyed The Prophet :-
” And certainly Allah made good to you His Promise when you were extirpating [ Eradicate / Destroy ] them by His Permission until when you became weak willed and disputed about the affair and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you loved, of you were some who desired this world and of you were some who desired The Hereafter. Then, he turned you away from them that He might try you and He has certainly pardoned you and Allah is Gracious to The Believers. When you ran off precipitately and did not turn towards any one and The Messenger was calling you from your rear so He gave you another sorrow instead of [ Your ] sorrow so that you might not grieve at what had escaped you nor [ At ] what befell you and Allah is aware of what you do. “
Al Quran [ 3 : 152 - 153 ]
The Muslim Army Abandons The Prophet
- There is such confusion in The Ranks of The Muslims that they scatter
- Some climb The Mountain while others run home to Madinah
- The Prophet is left with only Imam Ali, Abu Dujanah and Sahl Ibn Hunayf to defend him
- Imam Ali fights until his sword breaks
- Then The Prophet gives him Dhul Al Faqar [ Zulfaqar ]
- It is then that a voice [ An Angel - Probably Gabriel ] was heard crying out :-
” There is No Sword Like Dhu Al Faqar [ Zulfiqar ] And There is No Warrior Like Ali. “
Nusaybah Bint Ka’b Al Maziniyyah [ Umm Ammarah ]
- Al Qummi [ Shia Scholar ] reports that Nusaybah also remained with The Prophet
- She was one of 2 - 3 Women at The 2nd Pledge of Aqabah
- She used to join The Prophet’s Military Campaigns as a Nurse to The Wounded Muslims
- She was at The Battle of Uhud with her son
- Her son wished to flee so she asked him whether he really intended to flee from God and His Messenger
- Her son returned and defended The Prophet until he was killed
- Then, she took up his sword and fought and killed one soldier while sustaining many wounds
The Prophet Being Struck During The Battle
- 2 People managed to strike The Prophet during The Battle :-
1) Abdullah Ibn Qami’ah Al Harithi - He struck him with a rock breaking The Prophet’s Front Teeth and Busting His Lip. He declared that he Killed The Prophet
2) Mughira Ibn Al As - He did not have any money to buy weapons so he bore three stones that he intended to use to kill The Prophet. He managed to hit The Prophet’s hand with one and knock The Prophet’s sword from his other hand. With his last stone, he managed to hit The Prophet on the forehead. He also declared that he Killed The Prophet
Why Imam Ali Did Not Run Away After Hearing The News That The Prophet Had Passed Away
- There is Narration attributed to Imam Ali [ Long after the death of The Prophet ] where a companion asks Imam Ali :-
” Why did you continue fighting after hearing the news that Muhammad had passed away while others fled. “
- Imam Ali replied as follows :-
” Ask those who ran away for their answer and then come back to me. “
- So the companion asked a couple of people who fled during The Battle of Uhud who replied :-
” We thought that The Prophet had been killed and thought that what is the point of fighting if Muhammad had been killed and so we ran away. “
- The companion went back to Imam Ali and told him of their answer to which Imam Ali replies :-
” The reason why I stayed was because in my mind, what is the point of living anymore if Muhammad had been killed. “
- The Quran also criticizes many of the companions who ran away :-
” And Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, The Messengers have already passed away before him. If then he dies or is killed, will you turn back upon your heels ? And whoever turns back upon his heels, he will by no means do harm to Allah in the least and Allah will reward the grateful. “
Al Quran [ 3 : 144 ]
The Prophet Regains Consciousness
- The Prophet is badly wounded and becomes unconscious for a few moments [ Some reports mentions this ]
- The Prophet regains consciousness and climbs to higher ground
- The Prophet removes a few rings of chainmail embedded in his cheeks and blood trickles down his face
- Seeing the blood, The Prophet remarks :-
” How can a people who cut the face of their Prophet and broke his teeth, He [ The Prophet ] who calls them to worship Allah, How can such people thrive or be successful. “
- Then after a brief pause, He [ The Prophet ] adds :-
” My Lord, Forgive my people for they have no knowledge. “
A Conversation Between Abu Sufyan And The Prophet
- Abu Sufyan was unsure of The Status of The Prophet [ Dead or Alive ] and upon noticing The Muslim Army Scattered [ Some of them were hiding behind The Mountains of Uhud, Abu Sufyan climbs on one of The Mountains of Uhud and declares victory :-
” Exalted is Hubal. “
- When The Prophet hears Abu Sufyan praising Hubal, The Prophet asks Imam Ali to tell Abu Sufyan :-
” Allah is Greater and More Exalted. “
- Abu Sufyan says to Imam Ali :-
” God has favoured us over you as we have defeated you. “
- Imam Ali responds :-
” Allah has bestowed favour upon us. “
- Abu Sufyan then says :-
” O Ali, I ask you in the name of Al Lat and Al Uzza, Is Muhammad dead ? “
- Imam Ali responds :-
” May Allah curse Al Lat and Al Uzza and May Allah curse you O Abu Sufyan. I swear by Allah that Muhammad has not been killed and he can hear you now. “
- Abu Sufyan responds :-
” You are right, I trust you O Ali more than I trust the man who claims to have killed Muhammad. “
Casualties in The Battle of Uhud
The Quraysh Army [ 3,000 Strong ]
1) 20 - 25 Killed [ Approximately ]
The Muslim Army [ 700 Strong ]
1) 70 Killed [ Approximately ]
After The Battle of Uhud
- The Quraysh bury their dead while Hind and a few other Makkan walk through the strewn Battlefield Mutilating the bodies of The Martyrs [ All Bodies of The Muslims were Mutilated Except that of Hanzala ]
- When Abu A’mir locates his son Hanzala’s body, he asks that it be spared from Mutilation
- Meanwhile, The Prophet sends Imam Ali on a Reconnaissance Mission to see whether The Quraysh are preparing to Invade Madinah or Return to Makkah
- The Quraysh ended up returning to Makkah
The Prophet Sees The Mutilation of The Muslim Martyrs
- When The Prophet finally descends to the Battlefield, he is angered at the sight of The Mutilated Bodies :-
- Some of The Companions on seeing this suggested that The Muslim’s should do the same to The Pagans [ Some suggested to return the favour by 10 fold ]
- The Prophet reminds The Muslims not to retaliate :-
” If you retaliate then let it be equivalent to what you have suffered. But if you patiently endure, it is certainly best for those who are patient. “
Al Quran [ 16 : 126 ]
Burying The Muslim Martyrs
- They found all The Muslims Mutilated in The Battlefield [ Except for Hanzala ]
- Hamza’s Belly was cut open, his Nose and Ears Severed
- The Prophet has all the bodies gathered together
- They pray The Funeral Prayer [ Salat Al Mayyit ] on all the bodies together
- Then The Prophet offers a special prayer for Hamza saying Takbir 70 Times [ In Normal Funeral Prayer, Only 5 Takbir’s Is Said ]
- When Lady Fatima sees The Prophet, she prays :-
” May God’s anger be upon those who bloodied The Face of The Messenger of God. “
The Funeral Prayer For Martyrs
- There are special rulings for The Funeral for those Martyred in The Battlefield :-
1) There is No Ghusl Mayyit for The Martyrs
2) There is No Taqfeen [ Shrouding Of The Body ] for The Martyrs [ They Are Buried In Their Clothes With Their Blood As Is ]
Notable Martyrs
1) Hamza Ibn Abdul Muttalib
2) Hanzala Ibn Abi A’mir
3) Mus’ab Ibn Umayr [ First Ambassador of Islam ]
- After lowering Mus’ab in his grave, The Prophet recited Surah 33 Verse 23 :-
” Among the faithful are men who fulfill what they have pledged to Allah. Of them are some who have fulfilled their pledge [ nahb ] and of them are some who still wait and they have not changed in the least. “
Al Quran [ 33 : 23 ]
The Families of The Deceased
- The Families of The Deceased find comfort in the recently revealed Verses of Surat Al Baqarah :-
” O you who believe ! Seek assistance through patience and prayer. Surely Allah is with the patient ones. And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah’s way as dead, Nay, [ They Are ] Alive but you do not perceive. And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits. And give good news to the patient ones who when a misfortune befalls them, say ‘ Surely we are Allah’s and to Him we shall surely return. ‘ Those are they on whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord and those are the followers of the right course. “
Al Quran [ 2 : 153 - 157 ]
