The Qureshites came out from the Battle of Badr with an astonishing
result which they did not expect. They were confident of their
capability to annihilate the Muslims easily. Because of they were more
numerous and witha bigger reserve and more logistics. Yet, they
suddenly found themselves losing seventyof their warriors and leaders,
along with seventy captives, in a one-day battle. And above all, the
resoundingdefeat which they received was at the hand of a group whom
they used to be little.
The Qureshites were unwilling to admit a finaldefeat. They lost a
battle, but they believed that they would never lose the war. All they
needed was to mobilize forces to which the Muslims wouldnot be able to
stand. The burning hatred in the hearts of Qureshites and their desire
to wash away the shame of the defeat at Badr and their eagerness to
avenge their lost leaders added to their physical superiority a
tremendouspsychological strength.
The Qureshites mobilized for the battle of avenge three thousand
fighters compared to nine hundred and fifty fighters at the Battle of
Badr. This army was financed and its logistics were secured through
the gross income of the commercial caravan which was allotted to
thebattle of avenge. Thus, the community of Quraish, one year after
the Battle of Badr, marched towards Medinato annihilate the
Muslims,their religion, and their Prophet. The Meccan army arrived at
the area of Uhud which is five miles away from Medina. There, the
expected battle took place.
The Uhud region
The big and lengthy valley which joined the trade route of Syria with
Yemen is called Wadiul Qura. Different Arab tribes and the Jews took
up their abode at a spot where necessities of life were available. A
numberof villages, therefore, came into existence and their sides were
fences by stones. Yathrib (which was later named Madinatur Rasul i.e.,
city of Prophet) was consider to be center of these villages.
Whoever came from Makkah to Madina was obliged to enter there from the
southern side. However, as this region was stony and it was difficult
for an army to move into it, the army of Quraysh bent its route and
established itself in the north of Madina in the valley named 'Aqiq',
situated at the foot of Mt.Uhud. This area was fit for all sorts of
military operations as there was no palm-grove in it and the land was
also even. Madina was more vulnerable from this side because there
were very few natural obstacles in this part.
The Holy Prophet goes out of Madina
The prophet offered Friday prayers and then left Madina for Uhud
withan army consisting of one thousand men. He did not take with him
persons like Usamah bin Zayd Harith and Abdullah bin Umar on account
of their tender age, but twoyoung men named Samurah and Rafe, who were
not more than fifteen years of age, participated in the
battle,because, in spite of their being young, they were good archers.
The Prophet (S.A.W.) reached Uhud in the morning of Saturday, the 7th
of Shawwal, 3 AH (January or February 625 AD).
Array of the two armies
The Islamic forces arrayed themselves opposite the invading and
aggressive forces of Quraysh (Khalid bin Walidon right, Ikrimah bin
AbuJahl on left, Abu Sufyan inmiddle). The Muslim armyselected as
their campingplace a point which had a natural barrier and protection
at the back of it in the shape of Mt. Uhud. There was, however a
particular gapin the middle of the mountain and it was probable that
the enemy forces might turn round the mountain and appearat the back
of the Muslim army through that gap and might attack them from behind.
In order to obviate this danger the prophet posted two groups of
archers on a mount and addressed their Commander Abdullah Jabir in
these words:"You should drive away the enemies (which wereled by
Khalid bin Walid) by shooting arrows. Don't allow them to enterthe
battlefield from behind and take us by surprise. Whether we
arevictorious or defeated, you should not vacate this point.
The elements of the Islamic defence
In this second battle of destiny for the Muslims, the Islamic defense
consisted of the same three important elementswhich played their roles
at the battle of Badr:
1. The ideal leadership of the Messenger and his firmness.
2. The members of the house of the Holy Prophet and their heroism.
3. An Islamic army consisting of seven hundred companions, the hearts
of many of them were filled with faith and readiness for sacrifice.
The start of the Battle of Uhud followed the method of the beginningor
the Battle of Badr. Talhah Ibn Abu Talhah (from Banu Abdul-Dar clan),
the bearer of the banner or the pagans, challenged the Muslims,
saying: "Are there any duelers?" The respondentto his call was the
same respondent of the Battle of Badr. Ali came to him and when they
faced each other between the two hosts, Ali swiftly dealt him a blow
by his sword through which his head was split. The Holy Prophet was
pleased. He exclaimed: Allahu Akbar (God Is Great), and so did the
Muslims, for the biggest hero of the pagan army had died. It is a
noteworthy incident that Talha the first standard bearer of the
Meccans lost one of his legs by a stroke of Ali's sword, fell down and
his lower garment being loosened, he became naked. Ali, instead of
finishing him, turned his face from him and hit him no more. When
Prophet asked Ali why hehad spared the man, he said the man was nude
and entreated for the sake of Allah to spare his life.
Abu Saad Ibn Abu Talhah (brother of Talhah) carried the banner and
challenged the Muslims, saying Companions of Mohammad, you allege that
your dead go to Paradise and our dead go to Hell. By "Al Lat", youlie.
If you were so confident, some of you could have faced me. Let one of
you come to fight me.
Ali came to him and Abu Saad was not luckier than his brother Talhah.
The men of Abdul-Dar continued replacing the bearers of their banner
with their men, and the Muslims continued annihilating them. Ali
destroyed Artat Ibn Sharhabeel, Shureih Ibn Qaridh and their servant,
Sawab.
Ali and the banner bearers
However, Ibn Al-Atheer reported that Ali, alone, destroyed all the
standard bearers at the Battle of Uhud and said that Abu Rafi reported
that. And so did Al-Tabari.
The death of the bearers of the banner heightened the morale ofthe
Muslims and shook the hearts of the pagans. Following the death of the
banner bearers, the Muslims undertook a general offensive led by Ali,
Al-Hamzah, Abu Dujanh, and others. The Islamic offensive terrifiedthe
pagan army, but the Muslims lost during this operation a giant hero
Al-Hamzah, Lion of God, and uncle of the Messenger of God. Wahshi bin
Harb, an Abyssinian (Ethiopian slave of Mut'am), transfixed him with
his dart while he was fighting. However, the pagans were forced to
flee and leave their camps. The Muslims entered the pagan campsand
went on collecting what they found of equipment and material without
meeting any resistance from the pagans.
Who were fighting for the sake of lust?
It is learnt from the verses, which Hind and other women were reciting
with tambourines to instigate the warriors of Quraysh and to incite
them to blood-shed and revenge, that these people were not fighting
for the sake of spirituality, purity, freedom and moral virtues. On
the contrary they were prompted by sexual and material consideration.
The song which the women sang with tambourine and a particular tune
amongst the rows of the army was: "We are the daughters of Tariq. We
walk on costly carpets. If you face the enemy we shall sleep with you,
but if you show your back to the enemy and flee, we shall disengage
ourselvesfrom you".
Defeat after victory
We may mention here as to why the warriors of Islam were victorious.
It was due to the fact that till the last moment of their victory they
had no motive except that of jihad in the path of Allah,acquisition of
His pleasure, conveying the message of Allah and the removal of every
impediment in its path.
Why were they defeated thereafter? It was because, after achieving
victory, the aim and intention of most of the Muslims underwent a
change. Attention towards the booty, whichthe army of Quraysh had
themselves thrown in thebattlefield and had fled, affected the
sincerity of alarge group and they ignored the orders given by the
Prophet.
Here are the details of the event: While explaining the geographical
conditions of Uhud we had mentioned that there was a particular gap in
the middle of Mt. Uhud and the Prophet had entrusted fifty archers
under the command of Abdullah Jibir to guard the valley behind the
battle front and had given these orders to the commander of the
group:"Prevent the enemy from passing through the gap in the mountain
by shooting arrows and don't vacate this point at any cost whether we
are defeated or victorious".
The fire of warfare blazed up on both the sides. Every time the
enemies wished to cross this valley they were repulsed by the archers.
When the army of Quraysh threw away their weapons and property on the
ground and ignored everything else to save their lives, a few brave
officers of Islam whose oath of allegiance was perfectly sincere
pursued the enemy outside the battle-field. But the majority ignored
the pursuit and placing their weapons onthe ground began collecting
the booty and imagined that the battle had come to an end.
The persons guarding thevalley behind the battle front also decided to
avail of the opportunity and said to themselves:"It is useless for us
to stayhere and it is profitable that we too should collect the
booty". Their commander, however, reminded that the Prophet had
ordered thatwhether the Muslim armygained victory or was defeated they
should not move from their post. Majority of the archers, who were
guarding the passage, opposed their commander and said:"0ur staying
here is useless and the Prophet meant only that we should guard this
passage when the battle was in progress, but nowthe fighting has
ended".
On the basis of this false presumption forty men came down from the
vigilance post and only ten persons remained there. Khalid bin Walid,
who was a brave and experienced warrior and knew from the very start
that the mouth of the passage was the key to victory and had attempted
many times to reach at the back of the war-front through it, but had
to face the archers, took advantage of the small number of the guards
this time. He led his soldiers towards the backside of the Muslim army
and making a surprise attack reached at the party of the Muslims. The
resistance by the small group whichwas stationed above the mount could
not prove effective till all the ten persons after putting up a tough
fight were killed at the hands of the troops of Khalid bin Walid and
Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl. Soon after that the unarmed and neglectful
Muslims were subjected to a severe attack of the enemy frombehind.
After having gained possession of the sensitive point Khalid sought
the collaboration of the defeated army of Quraysh, which was in a
state of flight, and strengthened the spirit ofresistance and
perseverance of Quraysh with repeated shoutings and cries. On account
of disruption and confusion, which prevailed in the ranks of the
Muslims, the army of Quraysh soon surroundedthe Muslim warriors and
fighting commenced between them once again.
This defeat was due to the negligence of those persons who vacated the
passage for their material gains and unintentionally cleared the way
for the enemy in such a manner that the mounted soldiers under orders
of Khalid bin Walid entered the field from behind.
The attack by Khalid was supported by an attack by Ikrimah bin Abi
Jahl and unprecedented and surprising disorder prevailed in the forces
of Islam. The Muslims had no alternative but to defend themselves as a
scattered group. However, as liaison with the command had also been
disrupted they did not succeed in defendingthemselves and suffered
heavy casualties, so muchso that some Muslim soldiers were
inadvertently killed by other Muslims.
The attacks by Khalid andIkrimah strengthened themorale of the army of
Quraysh. Their retreating forces re-entered the field and lent them
support. They encircled the Muslims from all sidesand killed a number
of them.
The rumor about the Prophet being killed spreads
A brave warrior of Quraysh named Laythi attacked Mus'ab bin Umayr, the
daring standard-bearer of Islam,and after exchange of a number of
blows between them the standard-bearer of Islam was killed. As the
Muslim warriors had hidden their faces Laythi thoughtthat the person
killed was the Prophet of Islam.He, therefore, shouted and informed
the chiefs of the army that Muhammad had been killed.
This rumor spread from man to man in the army of Quraysh. Their chiefs
were so happy that their voices were ringing in the battlefield and
all of them were saying: "O people! Muhammad has been killed! O
people! Muhammad has been killed!"
Publicity of this false news encouraged the enemy and the army of
Quraysh came into motion. Every one of them was keen to participate in
cutting the limbs of Muhammad so that he might secure a high status in
the world of polytheism.
This news weakened the morale of the warriors ofIslam much more than
it gave strength to the morale of the army of theenemy, so much so
that a considerable majority of Muslims abandoned fighting and took
refuge in the mountains and none of them, except a few, who could be
counted on fingers, remained in the field.
Is it possible to deny the flight of some persons?
It is not possible to deny that some companions fled the field and the
factthat they were companions of the Prophet or that later
theyacquired status and honor amongst the Muslims should not prevent
us from accepting this bitter reality.
Ibn Hisham, the famous historian, writes thus:"Anas bin Nazr, the
uncle of Anas bin Malik says:"When the army of Islam came under
pressure andthe news of the death of the Prophet was afloat, most of
the Muslims thought of their own lives and every person took refuge in
one corner or the other". He adds: "I saw a group of Muhajirs and
Ansar, including Umar bin Khattab and Talhah bin Ubaydullah Taymi, who
were sitting in a corner and were anxious for themselves. I said to
themwith a tone of protest:"Why are you sitting here?" They replied,
"TheProphet has been killed and it is, therefore, no use fighting". I
said to them: "If the Prophet has been killed it is no use living. Get
up and meet martyrdom in the same path in which he has been killed".
According to many historians, Anas said: "If Muhammad has been killed
his Lord is alive". And then he added: "I saw that my words had no
effect on them. I put my hand to my arms and began to fight with
determination". Ibn Hisham says that Anas sustained seventy wounds in
this battle andnone could identify his dead body except his sister.
A group of Muslims were so much depressed that in order to ensure
their safety they planned to approach Abdullah Ubayyso that he might
obtain security for them from Abu Sufyan.
Al-Hakim reported that Abu Bakr said: "When people left the
Messengerof God on the day of Uhud I was the first one to come back to
the Messenger of God ... then he mentioned in the hadith that Abu
Obeidah lbn Al-Jarrah followed him."
The holy Qur'an reveals some facts
The verses of the Holy Qur'an tear the veils of fanaticism and
ignoranceand make it abundantly clear that some companions thought
thatthe promise given by the Prophet about victory and success was
baseless and the Almighty Allah says thus about this group: Then after
sorrowHe sent down security upon you, a calm coming upon a party (a
group of companions) of you, and (there was) another party whom their
own souls had rendered anxious; they entertainedabout Allah thoughts
of ignorance quite unjustly, saying: We have no hand in the affair.
(Surah Al-e-Imran, 3:154)
You can learn the hidden facts about this battle by studying the
verses of Surah Al-e-Imran. These verses fully bear out the facts in
which we believe. We believe that all the companions were not
self-sacrificing or lovers of Islam, and some persons with weak faith
were hypocrites who were amongst them. And at the same time there were
among the companions a large number of true believers and pious and
sincere persons. Nowadays a group of writers attempt to draw a curtain
on many of these unworthy acts of the companions (their specimens have
been seen by you in connection with the events of this battle). They
protect the position of all of them by offering unrealistic
explanations, which only show their fanaticism and cannot hide the
real facts of history.
Who can deny the substance of this verse which says clearly:
(Believers, remember) When you ran off precipitately and did not wait
for any one, and theMessenger was calling you from your rear, (Surah
Al-e-Imran, 3:153)
This verse is about the same persons, who were seen by Anas bin Nazr
with his own eyes when they were sitting in a corner and were anxious
about their future.
The following verse is more clear than that quoted above: (As for)
those of you who turned back on the day when the two armies met, only
the Shaitan sought to cause them to make a slipon account of some
deeds they had done, and certainly Allah has pardoned them; surely
Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing. (Surah Al-e-Imran, 3:155)
Allah reprimands in the following verse those persons who made the
news about the Prophet'sassassination an excuse for abandoning fight
andwere thinking of approaching Abu Sufyan through Abdullah bin Ubayy
to guarantee their safety:
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 turnsback upon his heels, he will by
no means does harm to Allah in the least and Allah will reward the
grateful. (Surah Al-e-Imran, 3:144)
Five persons conspire to kill the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)
At the time when the army of Islam was faced with disorder and chaos,
the Prophet was being attacked from all sides. Five notorious men of
Quraysh determined to put an end to his life at any cost. They were:
1. Abdullah bin Shahib who wounded the forehead of the Prophet.
2. Utbah Abi Waqqas who, by flinging four stones, broke his ruba'iyat
(Ruba'iyat are the teeth (four in number) which are between the front
teeth and the canine teeth) teeth of the right side.
3. Ibn Qumi'ah Laythi who inflicted a wound on the face of the
Prophet. The wound was so severe that the rings of the Prophet's
helmet penetrated into his cheeks. These rings were extracted by Abu
Ubaydah Jarrah with his teeth and he lost four of his own teeth in
doing so.
4. Abdullah Hamid, who was killed, at the time of attack, at the hands
of the hero of Islam, Abu Dujanah.
5. Abi Khalf. He was one of those persons who fell at the hands of the
Prophet himself. He facedthe Prophet at the time when He (the Prophet)
had managed to reach in the valley and some of his companions had come
round him, on having identified him. Abi Khalf advanced towards the
Prophet. TheProphet took a spear from Hasis bin Simmah and thrust it
in the neck of Abi Khalf as a consequence of which hefell down from
his horse.
Although the wound sustained by Abi Khalf was minor, he had become so
much terrifiedthat when his friends consoled him he could not compose
himself and said: "I said to Muhammad in Makkah that I would kill him
and he said in reply that he would kill me, and he never tells a lie".
All was over with him on accountof the wound and fear, and after some
time he breathed his last on his way back to Makkah.
Defense associated with success and renewed victory
It will not be inappropriate if we give the name of 'renewed victory'
to this part of thehistory of Islam. What is meant by this victory is
that contrary to the expectations of the enemies, the Muslims
succeeded in saving the Prophet from death. And this was the renewed
victory, which fell to the lot of the army of Islam.
If we are associating this victory with the entire army of Islam we
are doing so as a mark of respect to the warriors ofIslam. In fact,
however, the heavy burden of this victory fell on the shoulders of a
few persons who could be counted on fingers. These were the persons
who protected the Prophet by risking their own lives and in fact it
was due to the self-sacrifice of this minority that the State ofIslam
remained in tact and this luminous candle did not extinguish.
Here is a brief role of self-sacrificing Ali (A.S.) inthis battle
Ibn Athir says: "The Prophet become the object of the attack of
various units of the army of Quraysh from all sides. Ali attacked, in
compliance with the Prophet's orders, every unit that made an attack
upon him (the Prophet) and dispersed them or killed some of them, and
this thing took place a number of times in Uhud.In the meantime the
Archangel Jibreel came and praised the devotionof Ali before the
Prophet and said: 'It is the height of sacrifice which this officer is
displaying'. The Prophet confirmed the remark of Jibreel and said: 'I
am from Ali and Aliis from me'. Then a voice was heard in the
battlefield saying: La FataIlla Ali, La Saifa Illa Zulfiqar [There is
no brave man except Ali and there is no sward which renders service
except Zulfiqar (which was in the hands of Ali)].
Nasiba the hero of Uhud battle The prayer that was granted
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And Allah Knows the Best!
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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA
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