In Shawwal [Tareekh-e-Islam 1/122] (in the last of May or in the beginning of June 619 A.D.), ten years after receiving his mission from his Lord, the Prophet [pbuh] set out towards At-Ta�if, about 60 kilometres from Makkah, in the company of his freed slave Zaid bin Haritha inviting people to Islam. But contrary to his expectations, the general atmosphere was terribly hostile. He approached the family of �Umair, who were reckoned amongst the nobility of the town. But, to his disappointment, all of them turned deaf ear to his message and used abusive language as regards the noble cause he had been striving for. Three brothers from the chieftains of Thaqeef ��Abd Yaleel, Mas�ud and Habeeb � sons of �Amr bin �Umair Ath-Thaqafy met the Prophet [pbuh], who invited them to embrace Islam and worship All�h, but they impudently jeered at him and refused his invitation. "He is tearing the cloths of Al-Ka�bah; is it true that All�h has sent you as a Messenger?" said one of them. "Has not All�h found someone else to entrust him with His Message?" said the second. "I swear by All�h that I will never have any contact with you. If you are really the Messenger of All�h, then you are too serious to retort back; and if you are belying All�h, then I feel it is imperative not to speak to." said the third. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh], finding that they were hopeless cases, stood up and left them saying: "Should you indulge in these practices of yours, never divulge them to me."

For ten days he stayed there delivering his message to several people, one after another, but all to no purpose. Stirred up to hasten the departure of the unwelcome visitor, the people hooted him through the alley-ways, pelted him with stones and obliged him to flee from the city pursued by a relentless rabble. Blood flowed down both his legs; and Zaid, endeavouring to shield him, was wounded in the head. The mob did not desist until they had chased him two or three miles across the sandy plains to the foot of the surrounding hills. There, wearied and exhausted, he took refuge in one of the numerous orchards, and rested against the wall of a vineyard. At a time when the whole world seemed to have turned against him, Muhammad [pbuh] turned to his Lord and betook himself to prayer and the following touching words are still preserved as those through which his oppressed soul gave vent to its distress. He was weary and wounded but confident of the help of his Lord:

"O All�h! To You alone I make complaint of my helplessness, the paucity of my resources and my insignificance before mankind. You are the most Merciful of the mercifuls. You are the Lord of the helpless and the weak, O Lord of mine! Into whose hands would You abandon me: into the hands of an unsympathetic distant relative who would sullenly frown at me, or to the enemy who has been given control over my affairs? But if Your wrath does not fall on me, there is nothing for me to worry about."

"I seek protection in the light of Your Countenance, which illuminates the heavens and dispels darkness, and which controls all affairs in this world as well as in the Hereafter. May it never be that I should incur Your wrath, or that You should be wrathful to me. And there is no power nor resource, but Yours alone."

Seeing him in this helpless situation, Rabi�a�s two sons, wealthy Makkans, were moved on grounds of kinship and compassion, and sent to him one of their Christian servants with a tray of grapes. The Prophet [pbuh] accepted the fruit with pious invocation: "In the Name of the All�h." The Christian servant �Addas was greatly impressed by these words and said: "These are words which people in this land do not generally use." The Prophet [pbuh] inquired of him whence he came and what religion he professed. �Addas replied: "I am a Christian by faith and come from Nineveh." The Prophet [pbuh] then said: "You belong to the city of the righteous Jonah, son of Matta." �Addas asked him anxiously if he knew anything about Jonah. The Prophet [pbuh] significantly remarked: "He is my brother. He was a Prophet and so am I." Thereupon �Addas paid homage to Muhammad [pbuh] and kissed his hands. His masters admonished him at this act but he replied: "None on the earth is better than he is. He has revealed to me a truth which only a Prophet can do." They again reprimanded him and said: "We forewarn you against the consequences of abandoning the faith of your forefathers. The religion which you profess is far better than the one you feel inclined to."

Heart-broken and depressed, Muhammad [pbuh] set out on the way back to Makkah. When he reached Qarn Al-Manazil, All�h, the Almighty sent him Gabriel together with the angel of mountains. The latter asked the Prophet [pbuh] for permission to bury Makkah between Al�Akhshabain �Abu Qubais and Qu�ayqa�an mountains. Full narration of this event was given by �Aishah [R] (the Prophet�s spouse). She said: "I asked the Prophet [pbuh] if he had ever experienced a worse day than Uhud. He answered that he had suffered a lot from those people (the idolaters) but the most painful was on the day of �Aqabah. I went seeking support from Ibn �Abd Yalil bin �Abd Kalal, but he spurned me. I set out wearied and grieved heedless of anything around me until I suddenly realized I was in Qarn Ath-Tha�alib, called Qarn Al-Manazil. There, I looked up and saw a cloud casting its shade on me, and Gabriel addressing me: All�h has heard your people�s words and sent you the angel of mountains to your aid. The latter called and gave me his greetings and asked for my permission to bury Makkah between Al-Akhshabain, the two mountains flanking Makkah. I said in reply that I would rather have someone from their loins who will worship All�h, the All�Mighty with no associate." A concise meaningful answer fully indicative of the Prophet�s matchless character and the fathomless magnanimous manners. [Bukhari 1/458; Muslim 2/109]

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] then came back to wakefulness and his heart was set at rest in the light of that invisible Divinely provided aid. He proceeded to Wadi Nakhlah where he stayed for a few days.

During his stay there, All�h sent him a company of jinns who listened to him reciting the Noble Qur��n:

"And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad [pbuh]) Nafran (three to ten persons) of the jinns, (quietly) listening to the Qur��n, when they stood in the presence thereof, they said: �Listen in silence!� And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners. They said: �O our people! Verily! We have heard a Book (this Qur��n) sent down after Moses, confirming what came before it, it guides to the Truth and to a Straight Path (i.e. Islam). O our people! Respond (with obedience) to All�h�s Caller (i.e. All�h�s Messenger Muhammad [pbuh]), and believe in him (i.e. believe in that which Muhammad [pbuh] has brought from All�h and follow him). He (All�h) will forgive you of your sins, and will save you from a painful torment (i.e. Hell-fire).�" [Al-Qur'an 46:29-31]

The same incident is referred to in S�rah Al-Jinn:

"Say (O Muhammad [pbuh]): "It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinns listened (to this Qur��n). They said: �Verily! We have heard a wonderful Recital (this Qur��n)! It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything with our Lord (All�h).�" [Al-Qur'an 72:1,2] � Till the end of the 15th verse.

From the context of these verses and their relevant interpretation, we can safely establish it that the Prophet [pbuh] was not aware of the presence of that group of jinns. It was only when All�h revealed those verses that he came to know of it. The verses also confirm that it was the first time they came. However, the context of the different versions suggests that the jinns repeated their visits later on. The presence of that company of jinns comes in the context of the Divine support given to His Messenger, and constitutes a propitious sign of ultimate victory and success for the Call of Islam. It provides an unshakable proof that no power however mighty could alter what is wrought by All�h:

"And whosoever does not respond to All�h�s Caller, he cannot escape on earth, and there will be no Auliy� (protectors) from him besides All�h (from All�h�s punishment). Those are in manifest error." [Al-Qur'an 46:32]

"And we think that we cannot escape (from the punishment of) All� h in the earth, nor can we escape (from the punishment) by flight." [Al-Qur'an 72:12]

Given this support and auspicious start, depression, dismay and sadness that used to beset him since he was driven out of At-Ta�if, he turned his face towards Makkah with fresh determination to resume his earlier plan to expose people to Islam and communicate his Message in a great spirit of zeal and matchless enthusiasm.

Zaid bin Harithah, his companion, addressing the Prophet [pbuh] said, "How dare you step into Makkah after they (Quraish) have expatriated you?" The Prophet [pbuh] answered: "Hearken Zaid, All�h will surely provide relief and He will verily support His religion and Prophet."

When he was a short distance from Makkah, he retired to Hira� Cave. Whence he despatched a man from Khuza�ah tribe to Al-Akhnas bin Shuraiq seeking his protection. The latter answered that he was Quraish�s ally and in no position to offer protection. He despatched the messenger to Suhail bin �Amr, but to no avail, either. Al-Mut�im bin �Adi, a notable in Makkah, however, volunteered to respond to the Prophet�s appeal for shelter. He asked his people to prepare themselves fully armed and then asked Muhammad [pbuh] to enter into the town and directly into the Holy Sanctuary. The Prophet [pbuh] observed a two-Rak�a prayer and left for his house guarded by the heavily-armed vigilant �Adi�s.

It has been reported that later Abu Jahl, the archenemy of Islam, asked Mut�im if his behaviour suggested protection or conversion, the latter replied it was merely protection. Abu Jahl was relieved and said that he would give Muhammad protection for his sake.

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] never forgot Mut�im�s favour. At the conclusion of the battle of Badr, he declared publicly that if Mut�im had been still alive and asked for the release of the Quraishite captives, he would not deny him his request. [Ibn Hisham 1/419-422; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/46; Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.14; Rahmat-al-lil'alameen 1/71-74; Tareekh-e-Islam 1/123]

In Dhul Qa�dah, the tenth year of Prophethood, i.e. July 619, the Prophet [pbuh], returned to Makkah to resume his activities. The time for pilgrimage to Makkah was approaching so he hastened to introduce people both tribes and individuals to Islam and call upon them to embrace it, just as it was his practice since the fourth year of his Prophethood.

On the authority of Az-Zuhri, of the tribes that Islam was introduced to, we could speak of Banu �Amir bin Sa�sa�ah, Muharib bin Khasfa, Fazarah, Ghassan, Murrah, Haneefah, Saleem, �Abs, Banu Nasr, Banu Al-Buka�, Kindah, Kalb, Al-Harith bin Ka�b, Udhrah and people of Hadrmout. Islam was not introduced to them in one single year but rather repeatedly from the fourth year till the last pre-migration season of pilgrimage. They however, remained obdurate and none of them responded positively. [At-Tirmidhi; Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.149; Tareekh-e-Islam 1/125]

The following is a resume of aspects relating to the Prophet�s appeals as regards the new faith he was preaching:

1. He visited a sept of Banu Kalb known as Banu �Abdullah. He called them to All�h�s Message and entreated them to accept it for the sake of All�h Who had chosen a beautiful name for their father, but without avail.
   
2. He called on Bani Haneefah in their habitation, but received very repugnant treatment.
   
3. He addressed Bani �Amir bin Sa�sa�ah in their encampment, calling them to abandon idolatry and join him. One of them called Buhairah bin Firras, answered him back: "Should we give you allegiance and All�h give you power over your opponents, will you give us right to inheritance and succeed you in power?" The Prophet replied: "The whole affair lies in All�h�s Hands. He gives the power to whomever He desires." The man commented: "Do you expect us to incur the wrath and vengeance of the Arabs without the least hope of leadership? We can in fact readily dispense with your offers."

When Banu �Amir returned to their habitations, they narrated the story to an elderly man who had lingered behind because he was too old. They told him, "A young man of Quraish of Bani �Abdul Muttalib, claiming that he is a Prophet, contacted us, asked for support and invited us to embrace his religion." The old sheikh was struck by the news, and wondered if there was no way of making amends for the loss of that opportunity and swore, "He is really Ishmaelite (he descends from Ishmael). He is the Truth (he is a real Prophet). How did it happen that you misjudged his words?"

The Prophet [pbuh] was not dismayed at all. He persisted in his mission for the fulfillment of which he had been commissioned to strive despite all odds. He did not confine his efforts to the tribes but also conducted contacts with individuals from some of whom he was able to receive a favourable response. Moreover, later in the same season, some of them did believe in his Prophethood and entered the fold of Islam. The following list included some of those early converts:

1. Swaid bin Samit. He was an intelligent discreet poet from Yathrib (Madinah). During his stay in Makkah for pilgrimage (or lesser pilgrimage), he encountered the Prophet [pbuh] who invited him to embrace Islam. At this invitation, Swaid imparted to the Prophet some sound words from Luqman�s wisdom. The Prophet approved of that wisdom but told the man that he had something far better. He recited some verses from the Qur��n, the man listened meditatively and the words appealed to his originally pure nature and accepted Islam as his faith at once. He was killed in the battle of Bu�ath. That was in the eleventh year of the Prophethood. [Ibn Hisham 1/425; Rahmat-al-lil'alameen 1/74]
   
2. Eyas bin Mu�adh. He was still a youth from Aws tribe. He came as a member of delegation seeking alliance with Quraish against another rival tribe dwelling in Madinah, Al-Khazraj. The Prophet [pbuh] met them and advised them to follow a better course than that they had in mind. He introduced himself and Islam to them, apprised them of his mission and narrated some verses from the Noble Qur��n. Eyas�s heart immediately absorbed the Divine Message and agreed with the Prophet [pbuh]. Abul Haisar Anas bin Rafi�, a member of the delegation disapproved of the boy�s behaviour and silenced him by hurling some dust into his face. The people then left Madinah after having failed in establishing alliance with Quraish. Shortly after arrival in Madinah, the boy breathed his last acclaiming All�h�s Name and celebrating His Glory.[Ibn Hisham 1/424; Tareekh-e-Islam 1/126]
   
3. Abu Dhar Al-Ghifari. He used to live in the suburbs of Yathrib. News of the Islamization of Swaid bin Samit and Eyas bin Mu�adh reached him and constituted a turning point in his life per se. He sent his brother to Makkah for more details about the Prophet�s intentions. The man came back and reported to Abu Dhar that the �said man� enjoined good and forbade evil. Abu Dhar was not satisfied and decided that he himself should go out and probe the real situation. After some attempts to identify the person of the Prophet [pbuh], he managed to meet him though not without some difficulties due to the antagonistic atmosphere within which the proponents of the new faith were trying to work their way. No sooner than Abu Dhar was exposed to the real nature of Islam, he embraced it. Despite the Prophet�s earnest plea not to divulge his new move, Abu Dhar went directly to the Holy Sanctuary where he publicly declared that he had testified to the Oneness of All�h and Prophethood of Muhammad. The heathens all around hurried and began beating him. He almost died when Al-�Abbas intervened warning against killing someone whose tribe was in full command of the strategic commercial caravan routes leading to Makkah. The event recurred in the following morning with the same man to come to the scene and rescue him.[Bukhari 1/449-544]
   
4. Tufail bin �Amr Ad-Dausi. He was an honest poet and chief of Ad-Daus tribe inhabiting an area close to Yemen in South Arabia. He arrived in Makkah in the eleventh year of Prophethood. Great reception ceremonies were accorded to him on his advent. The Makkans soon started to inculcate in his ears all sorts of antipathy against the Prophet [pbuh]. They even alleged that he had caused the most horrible societal schism, dividing all sorts of social life even the family ties were subject to his schemes and plans of dissension. They even warned him against speaking or even listening to him. The man overpowered by these pleas, complied by their requests. He even stuffed his ears with a piece of cotton in order not to hear any word of his. However, when this tribesman entered the mosque, he saw Muhammad [pbuh] observing his prayer and out of curiosity, he approached him for it was a Divine Will to hear the Prophet�s sound and appealing words. The temptation to hear more was irresistible so he followed the Prophet [pbuh] into his house, briefed him on his advent and all the story of the people of Quraish. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] recited some verses of the Noble Qur��n and the man managed to taste something exceptionally beautiful and discern the truth latent within. He embraced Islam and testified that there was no god but All�h and that Muhammad was His Messenger. He then said that he was an influential man among his people and that he would call them to profess Islam, yet he wanted the Prophet [pbuh] to equip him with a supportive sign that would ease his future task. It was in fact a Divinely bestowed light in his whip. He called his father and wife to embrace Islam and they did respond. His people lagged a little but he exhorted them fervently and was fully successful. He and seventy or eighty of his followers emigrated to Madinah after the Trench Battle. He was a perfect fighter in the cause of All�h and was martyred in Al-Yamama events.[Ibn Hisham 1/385; Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.144]
   
5. Dhumad Al-Azdi. He came from Azd Shanu�a in Yemen, specialist in incantation. He arrived in Makkah to hear the fools there say that Muhammad [pbuh] was out of his mind. He decided to practise his craft on the Prophet [pbuh], who on seeing him said: "Praise is to All�h, we entertain His praise and seek His help. Whomsoever All�h guides, none will lead astray, and whomsoever All�h leads astray, none will guide. I testify there is no god but All�h and Muhammad is His servant and Messenger." Dhumad heard the words and requested the Prophet [pbuh] to echo them again, and he was granted his wish thrice. Here he said: "I have heard the soothsayers, sorcerers and poets, but never have I experienced the sweetness of your words." He then gave a pledge of a sincere convert. [Mishkat Al-Masabeeh 2/525]

It was during the pilgrimage season, in the eleventh year of Prophethood, that the Islamic Call found the righteous seeds through which it would grow up to constitute tall trees whose leaves would foster the new faith and shelter the new vulnerable converts from the blows of injustices and high-handness of Quraish. It was the Prophet�s wise practice to meet the delegates of the Arabian tribes by night so that the hostile Makkans would not debar him from achieving his objectives.[Tareekh-e-Islam p.129] In the company of his two truthful Companions �Ali and Abu Bakr, he had an interesting talk regarding Islamization with Bani Dhuhal, but the latter suspended their conversion.[Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.150] In pursuit of the same objective, the Prophet and his Companions passed by �Aqabat Mina where they heard people talking. They went at their heels until they encountered six men from Yathrib, all of whom from Khazraj tribe: As�ad bin Zurarah, �Awf bin Harith, Rafi� bin Malik, Qutbah bin �Amir, �Uqbah bin �Amir and Jabir bin �Abdullah. The last two being from Aws and the former four from Khazraj.

The Madinese always heard the Jews say that a Prophet was about to rise, for the time for a new dispensation had arrived. Him they would follow and then smite their enemies as the children of �Ad and Iram had been smitten. [Rahmat-al-lil'alameen 1/84; Ibn Hisham 1/429; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/50]

"Of what tribe are you?" asked the Prophet. "Of the tribe of Khazraj," they replied. "Are you the allies of the Jews?" The Prophet enquired. They said: "Yes." "Then why not sit down for a little and I will speak to you." The offer was readily accepted for the fame of Muhammad [pbuh] had spread to Madinah and the strangers were curious to see more of the man who had created a stir in the whole area. The Prophet [pbuh] presented to them an expose of Islam, explained its implications, and the responsibilities that fell upon the men who accepted it. When the Prophet [pbuh] concluded his talk, they exchanged among themselves ideas to the following effect: "Know surely, this is the Prophet with whom the Jews are ever threatening us; wherefore let us make haste and be the first to join him."

They, therefore, embraced Islam, and said to the Prophet, "We have left our community for no tribe is so divided by hatred and rancour as they are. All�h may cement our ties through you. So let us go and invite them to this religion of yours; and if All�h unites them in it, no man will be dearer than you."

The handful of Madinese converts remained steady to the cause and they preached the Islam with full zeal and devotion with the result that they succeeded in winning adherents for Islam from amongst their fellow citizens and hardly was there a house in Madinah not talking curiously and enthusiastically about the Messenger of All�h [pbuh]. [Ibn Hisham 1/428-430]

In Shawwal of the same year, the Prophet [pbuh] concluded a marriage contract with �Aishah [R], �the truth verifier�, when she was six of age and consummated his marriage with her in Shawwal, the year 1 A.H. in Madinah when she was nine. [Bukhari 1/551; Talqeeh Fuhoom Ahl-al-Athar, p.10]

We have already spoken about six Madinese who embraced Islam in the pilgrimage season in the eleventh year of Prophethood. They promised to communicate the Message of Islam to their townsfolk.

The following year, on the occasion of the pilgrimage, there came a group of twelve disciples ready to acknowledge Muhammad as their Prophet. The group of men comprised five of the six who had met the Prophet [pbuh] the year before, the sixth who stayed away was Jabir bin �Abdullah bin Reyab, the other seven were:

1. Mu�adh bin Al-Harith, Ibn �Afra, from Khazraj.
2. Dhakwan bin �Abd Al-Qais, from Khazraj.
3. �Ubadah bin As-Samit, from Khazraj.
4. Yazeed bin Tha�labah, from Khazraj.
5. �Al-�Abbas bin �Ubadah bin Nadalah, from Khazraj.
6. Abul Haitham bin At-Taihan, from Aws.
7. �Uwaim bin Sa�idah, from Aws.

They avowed their faith in Muhammad [pbuh] as a Prophet and swore: "We will not worship any one but one Allah; we will not steal; neither will we commit adultery, nor kill our children; we will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood and we will not disobey you in any just matter." When they had taken the pledge, Muhammad [pbuh] said: "He who carries it out, All�h will reward him; and who neglects anything and is afflicted in this world, it may prove redemption for him in the Hereafter; and if the sin remains hidden from the eyes of the men and no grief comes to him, then his affair is with All�h. He may forgive him or He may not." [Bukhari 1/550; 2/727; 2/1003]

After the Pledge (in the form of an oath had been taken) the Prophet [pbuh] sent to Yathrib (Madinah) Mus�ab bin �Umair Al-�Abdari [R], the first Muslim �ambassador� to teach the people there the doctrines of Islam, give them practical guidance and make attempts at propagating the Islam among those who still professed polytheism. As�ad bin Zurarah hosted him in Madinah. So prepared was the ground, and so zealous the propagation that the Islam spread rapidly from house to house and from tribe to tribe. There were various cheerful and promising aspects of success that characterized Mus�ab�s task. One day Mus�ab and As�ad were on their way to the habitations of Bani �Abd Al-Ashhal and Bani Zafar, when they went into the premises of the latter clan. There they sat near a well conversing with some new converts. Sa�d bin Mu�adh and Usaid bin Hudair, chiefs of the two clans heard of this meeting, so Usaid approached the Muslims armed with his lance while the other Sa�d excused himself on grounds that As�ad was his maternal cousin. Usaid came closer cursing and swearing and accused the two men of befooling people weak of heart, and ordered that they stop it altogether. Mus�ab calmly invited him to sit saying, "If you are pleased with our talk, you can accept it; should you hold it in abhorrence, you could freely immunize yourself against what you hate." "That�s fair," said Usaid, pierced his lance in the sand, listened to Mus�ab and then heard some verses of the Noble Qur��n. His face bespoke satisfaction and pleasure before uttering any words of approval. He asked the two men about the procedures pertinent to embracing Islam. They asked him to observe washing, purge his garment, bear witness to the Truth and then perform two Rak�a. He responded and did exactly what he was asked to do, and then said there was a man (Sa�d bin Mu�adh) whose people would never hang back if he followed the Islam. He then left to see Sa�d and his people. Sa�d could immediately understand that Usaid had changed. To a question posed by Sa�d, Usaid said that two men were ready to comply with whatever orders they received. He then managed a certain situation that provided the two men with a chance to talk with Sa�d privately. The previous scene with Usaid recurred and Sa�d embraced Islam, and directly turned to his people swearing that he would never talk with them until they had believed in All�h, and in His Messenger. Hardly did the evening of that day arrive when all the men and women of that sept of Arabians embraced Islam with the exception of one, Al-Usairim, who hung back until the Day of Uhud. On that day he embraced Islam and fought the polytheists but was eventually killed before observing any prostration in the way of prayer. The Prophet [pbuh] commented saying: "He has done a little but his reward is great."

Mus�ab stayed in Madinah carrying out his mission diligently and successfully until all the houses of Al-Ansar (the future Helpers) had Muslims elements, men and women. One family only stood obdurate to the Islamic Da�wah (Call). They were under the influence of the poet Qais bin Al-Aslat, who managed to hold them at bay and screen off the Call of Islam from their ears until the year 5 A.H.

Shortly before the approach of the following pilgrimage season, i.e. the thirteenth year of Prophethood, Mus�ab bin �Umair returned to Makkah carrying to the Prophet [pbuh] glad tidings about the new fertile soil of Islam in Madinah, and its environment rich in the prospects of good, and the power and immunity that that city was bound to provide to the cause of Islam. [Ibn Hisham 1/435; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/51]

The Madinese era could be divided into three phases:

1. The first phase was characterized by too much trouble and discord, and too many obstacles from within coupled by a hostile wave from without aiming at total extermination of the rising faith. It ended with Al-Hudaibiyah Peace Treaty in Dhul Qa�da 6 A.H.
   
2. The second phase featured a truce with the pagan leadership and ended in the conquest of Makkah in Ramadan 8 A.H. It also witnessed the Prophet [pbuh] inviting kings beyond Arabia to enter the fold of Islam.
   
3. In the third phase, people came to embrace Islam in hosts. Tribes and other folks arrived in Madinah to pay homage to the Prophet [pbuh]. It ended at the death of the Prophet [pbuh] in Rabi� Al-Awwal 11 A.H.

Emigration to Madinah could never be attributable to attempts to escape from jeers and oppression only, but it also constituted a sort of cooperation with the aim of erecting the pillars of a new society in a secure place. Hence it was incumbent upon every capable Muslim to contribute to building this new homeland, immunizing it and holding up its prop. As a leader and spiritual guide, there was no doubt the Noble Messenger [pbuh], in whose hands exclusively all affairs would be resolved.

In Madinah, the Prophet [pbuh] had to deal with three distinctively different categories of people with different respective problems:

1. His Companions, the noble and All�h fearing elite [R]
   
2. Polytheists still detached from the Islam and were purely Madinese tribes.
   
3. The Jews.

1. As for his Companions, the conditions of life in Madinah were totally different from those they experienced in Makkah. There, in Makkah, they used to strive for one corporate target, but physically, they were scattered, overpowered and forsaken. They were helpless in terms of pursuing their new course of orientation. Their means, socially and materially, fell short of establishing a new Muslim community. In parallel lines, the Makkan Chapters of the Noble Qur��n were confined to delineating the Islamic precepts, enacting legislations pertaining to the believers individually and enjoining good and piety and forbidding evils and vices.

   In Madinah , things were otherwise; here all the affairs of their life rested in their hands. Now, they were at ease and could quite confidently handle the challenges of civilization, construction, means of living, economics, politics, government administration, war and peace, codification of the questions of the allowed and prohibited, worship, ethics and all the relevant issues. In a nutshell, they were in Madinah at full liberty to erect the pillars of a new Muslim community not only utterly different from that pre-Islamic code of life, but also distinctive in its features in the world at large. It was a society that could stand for the Islamic Call for whose sake the Muslims had been put to unspeakable tortures for 10 years. No doubt, the construction of a society that runs in line with this type of ethics cannot be accomplished overnight, within a month or a year. It requires a long time to build during which legislation and legalization will run gradually in a complementary process with mind cultivation, training and education. All�h, the All-Knowing, of course undertook legislation and His Prophet Muhammad [pbuh], implementation and orientation:

   "He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger (Muhammad [pbuh]) from among themselves, reciting to them His Verses, purifying them (from the filth of disbelief and polytheism), and teaching them the Book (this Qur��n, Islamic laws and Islamic Jurisprudence) and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunna: legal ways, orders, acts of worship, etc. of the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh].)." [Al-Qur'an 62:2]

   The Prophet�s Companions [R] , rushed enthusiastically to assimilate these Qur��nic rules and fill their hearts joyfully with them:

   "And when His Verses (this Qur��n) are recited unto them, they (i.e. the Verses) increase their Faith." [Al-Qur'an 8:2]

   With respect to the Muslims, this task constituted the greatest challenge for the Messenger of All�h [pbuh]. In fact, this very purpose lay at the heart of the Islamic Call and the Muhammadan mission; it was never an incidental issue though there were the matters that required urgent addressing.

   The Muslims in Madinah consisted virtually of two parties: The first one already settled down in their abode, land and wealth, fully at ease, but seeds of discord amongst them were deeply seated and chronic enmity continually evoked; they were Al-Ansar (the Helpers). The second party were Al-Muhajirun (the Emigrants), homeless, jobless and penniless. Their number was not small, on the contrary, it was increasing day by day after the Prophet [pbuh] had given them the green light to leave for Madinah whose economic structure, originally not that prosperous one, began to show signs of imbalance aggravated by the economic boycott that the anti-Islamic groups imposed and consequently imports diminished and living conditions worsened.

2. The purely Madinese polytheists constituted the second sector with whom the Prophet [pbuh] had to deal. Those people had no control at all over the Muslim. Some of them nursed no grudge against the Muslims, but were rather skeptical of their ancestors� religious practices, and developed tentative inclination towards Islam and before long they embraced the new faith and were truly devoted to All�h. However, some others harboured evil intentions against the Prophet [pbuh] and his followers but were too cowardly to resist them publicly, they were rather, under those Islamically favourable conditions, obliged to fake amicability and friendliness. �Abdullah bin Ubai, who had almost been given presidency over Al-Khazraj and Al-Aws tribes in the wake of Bu�ath War between the two tribes, came at the head of that group of hypocrites. The Prophet�s advent and the vigorous rise of the new spirit of Islam foiled that orientation and the idea soon went into oblivion. He, seeing another one, Muhammad [pbuh], coming to deprive him and his agents of the prospective temporal privileges, could not be pleased, and for overriding reasons he showed pretension to Islam but with horrible disbelief deeply-rooted in his heart. He also used to exploit some events and weak-hearted new converts in scheming malevolently against the true believers.
   
3. The Jews (the Hebrews), who had migrated to Al-Hijaz from Syria following the Byzantine and Assyrian persecution campaigns, were the third category existent on the demographic scene in Madinah. In their new abode they assumed the Arabian stamp in dress, language and manner of life and there were instances of intermarriage with the local Arabs, however they retained their ethnic particularism and detached themselves from amalgamation with the immediate environment. They even used to pride in their Jewish-Israeli origin, and spurn the Arabs around designating them as illiterate meaning brutal, na�ve and backward. They desired the wealth of their neighbours to be made lawful to them and they could thus appropriate it the way they liked.
   

   "� because they say: "There is no blame on us to betray and take the properties of the illiterates (Arabs)" [Al-Qur'an 3:75]

Religiously, they showed no zeal; their most obvious religious commodity was fortunetelling, witchcraft and the secret arts (blowing on knots), for which they used to attach to themselves advantages of science and spiritual precedence.

They excelled at the arts of earning money and trading. They in fact monopolized trading in cereals, dates, wine, clothes, export and import. For the services they offered to the Arabs, the latter paid heavily. Usury was a common practice amongst them, lending the Arab notables great sums to be squandered on mercenary poets, and in vanity avenues, and in return seizing their fertile land given as surety.

They were very good at corrupting and scheming. They used to sow seeds of discord between adjacent tribes and entice each one to hatch plots against the other with the natural corollary of continual exhaustive bloody fighting. Whenever they felt that fire of hatred was about to subside, they would nourish it with new means of perpetuity so that they could always have the upper hand, and at the same time gain heavy interest rates on loans spent on inter-tribal warfare.

Three famous tribes of Jews constituted the demographic presence in Yathrib (now Madinah): Banu Qainuqua�, allies of Al-Khazraj tribe, Banu An-Nadir and Banu Quraizah who allied Al-Aws and inhabited the suburbs of Madinah.

Naturally they held the new changes with abhorrence and were terribly hateful to them, simply because the Messenger of All�h was of a different race, and this point was in itself too repugnant for them to reconcile with. Second, Islam came to bring about a spirit of rapport, to terminate the state of enmity and hatred, and to establish a social regime based on denunciation of the prohibited and promotion of the allowed. Adherence to these canons of life implied paving the way for an Arab unity that could work to the prejudice of the Jews and their interests at both the social and economic levels; the Arab tribes would then try to restore their wealth and land misappropriated by the Jews through usurious practices.

The Jews of course deeply considered all these things ever since they had known that the Islamic Call would try to settle in Yathrib, and it was no surprise to discover that they harboured the most enmity and hatred to Islam and the Messenger [pbuh] even though they did not have the courage to uncover their feelings in the beginning.

The following incident could attest clearly to that abominable antipathy that the Jews harboured towards the new political and religious changes that came to stamp the life of Madinah. Ibn Ishaq, on the authority of the Mother of believers Safiyah [R]� narrated: Safiyah, daughter of Huyayi bin Akhtab said: I was the closest child to my father and my uncle Abi Yasir�s heart. Whenever they saw me with a child of theirs, they should pamper me so tenderly to the exclusion of anyone else. However, with the advent of the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] and setting in Quba� with Bani �Amr bin �Awf, my father, Huyayi bin Akhtab and my uncle Abu Yasir bin Akhtab went to see him and did not return until sunset when they came back walking lazily and fully dejected. I, as usually, hurried to meet them smiling, but they would not turn to me for the grief that caught them. I heard my uncle Abu Yasir say to Ubai and Huyayi: "Is it really he (i.e. Muhammad [pbuh])?" The former said: "It is he, I swear by All�h!" "Did you really recognize him?" they asked. He answered: "Yes, and my heart is burning with enmity towards him"[Ibn Hisham 1/518, 519]

An interesting story that took place on the first day, the Prophet [pbuh] stepped in Madinah, could be quoted to illustrate the mental disturbance and deep anxiety that beset the Jews. �Abdullah bin Salam, the most learned rabbi among the Jews came to see the Prophet [pbuh] when he arrived, and asked him certain questions to ascertain his real Prophethood. No sooner did he hear the Prophet�s answers than he embraced Islam, but added that if his people knew of his Islamization they would advance false arguments against me. The Prophet [pbuh] sent for some Jews and asked them about �Abdullah bin Salam, they testified to his scholarly aptitude and virtuous standing. Here it was divulged to them that he had embraced Islam and on the spot, they imparted categorically opposite testimonies and described him as the most evil of all evils. In another narration �Abdullah bin Salam said, "O Jews! Be All�h fearing. By All�h, the only One, you know that he is the Messenger of All�h sent to people with the Truth." They replied, "You are lying." ... That was the Prophet�s first experience with the Jews.[Bukhari 1/459]

That was the demo-political picture within Madinah. Five hundred kilometres away in Makkah, there still lay another source of detrimental threat, the archenemy of Islam, Quraish. For ten years, while at the mercy of Quraish, the Muslims were subjected to all sorts of terrorism, boycott, harassment and starvation coupled by a large scale painstaking psychological war and aggressive organized propaganda. When they had emigrated to Madinah, their land, wealth and property were seized, wives detained and the socially humble in rank brutally tortured. Quraish also schemed and made attempts on the life of the first figure of the Call, Muhammad [pbuh] . Due to their acknowledged temporal leadership and religious supremacy among the pagan Arabs, given the custodianship of the Sacred Sanctuary, the Quraishites spared no effort in enticing the Arabians against Madinah and boycotting the Madinese socially and economically. To quote Muhammad Al-Ghazali: "A state of war virtually existed between the Makkan tyrants and the Muslims in their abode. It is foolish to blame the Muslims for the horrible consequences that were bound to ensue in the light of that long-standing feud."[Fiqh As-Seerah p.162]

The Muslims in Madinah were completely eligible then to confiscate the wealth of those tyrants, mete out for them exemplary punishment and bring twofold retaliation on them in order to deter them from committing any folly against the Muslims and their sanctities.

That was a resume of the major problems that the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] had to face, and the complicated issues he was supposed to resolve.

In full acknowledgment, we could safely say that he quite honestly shouldered the responsibilities of Messengership, and cleverly discharged the liabilities of both temporal and religious leadership in Madinah. He accorded to everyone his due portion whether of mercy or punishment, with the former usually seasoning the latter in the overall process of establishing Islam on firm grounds among its faithful adherents.

We have already mentioned that the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] arrived in Madinah on Friday, 12th Rabi� Al-Awwal 1 A.H., i.e. September 27th. 622 A.D. and took the downstairs of Abi Ayyub�s house as a temporary residence.

The first task to which the Prophet[pbuh] attended on his arrival in Madinah was the construction of a Mosque, in the very site where his camel knelt down. The land, which belonged to two orphans, was purchased. The Prophet [pbuh] himself contributed to building the Mosque by carrying adobe bricks and stones while reciting verses:

"O All�h! no bliss is there but that of the Hereafter, I beseech you to forgive the Emigrants and Helpers."

The ground was cleared, of weeds and shrubs, palm trees and rubbish, the graves of the polytheists dug up and then levelled and the trees planted around. The Qiblah (the direction in which the Muslims turn their faces in prayer) was constructed to face Jerusalem; two beams were also erected to hold the ceiling up. It was square in form, each side measuring approximately 100 yards, facing towards the north and having three gates on each of the remaining sides. Nearby, rooms reserved for the Prophet�s household were built of stones and adobe bricks with ceilings of palm leaves. [Bukhari 1/71,555,560; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/56] To the north of the Mosque a place was reserved for the Muslims who had neither family nor home. The Adh�n (summoning the Muslims to the Mosque by the Call for prayer) was initiated at this early stage of post-migration era. The Mosque was not merely a locus to perform prayers, but rather an Islamic league where the Muslim�s were instructed in Islam and its doctrines. It served as an assembly place where the conflicting pre-Islamic trends used to come to terms; it was the headquarter wherein all the affairs of the Muslims were administered, and consultative and executive councils held.

The Mosque being thus constructed, the Prophet [pbuh] next turned his attention to cementing the ties of mutual brotherhood amongst the Muslims of Madinah, Al-Ansar (the Helpers) and Al-Muhajirun (the Emigrants). It was indeed unique in the history of the world. A gathering of 90 men, half of whom Emigrants and the others Helpers assembled in the house of Anas bin Malik where the Prophet [pbuh] gave the spirit of brotherhood his official blessing. When either of the two persons who had been paired as brothers, passed away, his property was inherited by his brother-in-faith. This practice continued till the following verse was revealed at the time of the battle of Badr, and the regular rule of inheritance was allowed to take its usual course:

"But kindred by blood are nearer to one another regarding inheritance [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/56]." [Al-Qur'an 8:75]

"Brotherhood-in-faith" to quote Muhammad Al-Ghazali again, "was holding subordinate every distinction of race and kindred and supporting the Islamic precept: none is superior to the other except on the basis of piety and God-fearing. [Fiqh As-Seerah p140,141]"

The Prophet [pbuh] attached to that brotherhood a valid contract; it was not just meaningless words but rather a valid practice relating to blood and wealth rather than a passing whim taking the form of accidental greeting.

The atmosphere of brotherhood and fellow-feeling created a spirit of selflessness infused deeply in the hearts of his followers, and produced very healthy results. For example, Sa�d bin Ar-Rabi�, a Helper, said to his fellow brother �Abdur Rahman bin �Awf, "I am the richest man amongst the Helpers. I am glad to share my property half and half with you. I have two wives, I am ready to divorce one and after the expiry of her �Iddah, (the prescribed period for a woman divorcee to stay within her house unmarried) you may marry her." But �Abdur Rahman bin �Awf was not prepared to accept anything: neither property nor home. So he blessed his brother and said: "Kindly direct me to the market so that I may make my fortune with my own hands." And he did prosper and got married very shortly by his own labour. [Bukhari 1/553]

The Helpers were extremely generous to their brethren-in-faith. Abu Hurairah reported that they once approached the Prophet [pbuh] with the request that their orchards of palm trees should be distributed equally between the Muslims of Madinah and their brethren from Makkah. But the Prophet [pbuh] was reluctant to put this heavy burden upon them. It was, however, decided that the Emigrants would work in the orchards alongwith the Helpers and the yield would be divided equally amongst them. [Bukhari 1/312]

Such examples point directly to the spirit of sacrifice, altruism and cordiality on the part of the Helpers, and also to the feeling of appreciation, gratitude and self-respect that the Emigrants held dear to their hearts. They took only what helped them eke a reasonable living. In short, this policy of mutual brotherhood was so wise and timely that many obstinate problems were resolved wonderfully and reasonably.

Just as the Prophet [pbuh] had established a code of brotherhood amongst the believers, so too he was keen on establishing friendly relations between the Muslims and non-Muslim tribes of Arabia. He established a sort of treaty aiming at ruling out all pre-Islamic rancour and inter-tribal feuds. He was so meticulous not to leave any area in the charter that would allow pre-Islamic traditions to sneak in or violate the new environment he wanted to establish. Herein, we look over some of its provisions.

In the Name of All�h, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. This is a document from Muhammad, the Messenger of All�h, concerning Emigrants and Helpers and those who followed and strove with them.

1. They are one nation to the exclusion of other people.
   
2. The Emigrants of Quraish unite together and shall pay blood money among themselves, and shall ransom honourably their prisoners. Every tribe of the Helpers unite together, as they were at first, and every section among them will pay a ransom for acquitting its relative prisoners.
   
3. Believers shall not leave anyone destitute among them by not paying his redemption money or blood money in kind.
   
4. Whoever is rebellious or whoever seeks to spread enmity and sedition, the hand of every God-fearing Muslim shall be against him, even if he be his son.
   
5. A believer shall not kill another believer, nor shall support a disbeliever against a believer.
   
6. The protection of All�h is one (and is equally) extended to the humblest of the believers.
   
7. The believers are supported by each other.
   
8. Whosoever of the Jews follows us shall have aid and succour; they shall not be injured, nor any enemy be aided against them.
   
9. The peace of the believers is indivisible. No separate peace shall be made when believers are fighting in the way of All�h. Conditions must be fair and equitable to all.
   
10. It shall not be lawful for a believer, who holds by what is in this document and believes in All�h and the Day of Judgement, to help a criminal nor give him refuge. Those who give him refuge and render him help shall have the curse and anger of All�h on the Day of Resurrection. Their indemnity is not accepted.
    
11. Whenever you differ about a matter, it must be referred to All�h and to Muhammad.[Ibn Hisham 1/502,503]
    
12. Killing a believer deliberately with no good reason entails killing the killer unless the sponsor deems it otherwise.

It was solely by his wisdom and dexterity, that the Prophet [pbuh] erected the pillars of the new society. This phenomenon no doubt left its mark on the virtuous Muslims. He used to bring them up in the light of the Islamic education, he sanctified their selves, enjoined them to observe righteousness and praiseworthy manners and was keen on infusing into them the ethics of amity, glory, honour, worship and first and foremost obedience to All�h and His Messenger.

The following is a cluster of the virtues he used to inculcate in the minds of his followers:

A man asked the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] which of the merits is superior in Islam. He (the Prophet [pbuh]) remarked:

"That you provide food and extend greetings to one whom you know or do not know."[Bukhari 1/6,9]

�Abdullah bin Sal�m said: When the Prophet [pbuh] arrived in Madinah, I went to see him and I immediately recognized through his features that he would never be a liar. The first things he (the Prophet [pbuh]) said was:

"Extend peace greetings amongst yourselves, provide food to the needy, maintain uterine relations, observe prayer at night while people are asleep, then you will peacefully enter the Garden (Paradise)."[Narrated by At-Tirmidhi; Mishkat Al-Masabih 1/168]

And he said:

"The Muslim is that one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe.[Bukhari 1/6]"

And said:

"None amongst you believes (truly) till one likes for his brother that which he loves for himself.[ibid 1/6]"

And said:

"He will not enter Paradise, he whose neighbour is not secure from his wrongful conduct.[Narrated by Muslim; Mishkat Al-Masabih 2/422]"

And said:

"A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim; he neither oppresses him nor does he fail him. Whosoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, All�h will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Judgement. Whosoever shields a Muslim, All�h will shield him on the Day of Resurrection.[Mishkat Al-Masabih 2/422; Sahih Al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim]"

And said:

"Abusing a Muslim is an outrage and fighting against him is disbelief.[Bukhari 2/893]"

And said:

"To remove something harmful from the road, is charity.[Mishkat Al-Masabih 1/12]"

And said:

"Charity erases sins just as water extinguishes fire.[ibid 1/14]"

And said:

"He is not a perfect believer, who goes to bed full and knows that his neighbour is hungry.[ibid 2/424]"

And said:

"Show mercy to people on earth so that All�h will have mercy on you in heaven.[Sunan Abu Da'ud 2/235]"

And said:

"Try to avert fire even by half a date (in charity) if not by tendering a good word. [Bukhari 2/190]"

And said:

"Clothing an under-clad Muslim, entitles you to a garment from the Paradise; feeding a hungry Muslim will make you eligible (by All�h�s Will) for the fruit of the Paradise, and if you provide water to a thirsty Muslim, All�h will provide you with a drink from �the Sealed Nectar�.[Mishkat Al-Masabih 1/169]"

He used as well to exhort the believers to spend in charity reminding them of relevant virtues for which the hearts yearn.

He said:

"The believers in their mutual love, are like the human body where when the eye is in agony, the entire body feels the pain; when the head aches, all the body will suffer. [Narrated by Muslim]"

And said:

"The bonds of brotherhood between two Muslims are like parts of a house, one part strengthens and holds the other.[Bukhari 2/890]"

And said:

"Do not have malice against a Muslim; do not be envious of other Muslims; do not go against a Muslim and forsake him. O the slaves of All�h! Be like brothers with each other. It is not violable for a Muslim to desert his brother for over three days.[Bukhari 2/896]"

The Prophet [pbuh] used as well to promote that habit of abstention from asking the others for help unless one is totally helpless. He used to talk to his companions a lot about the merits, virtues and Divine reward implied in observing the prescribed worships and rituals. He would always bring forth corroborated proofs in order to link them physically and spiritually to the Revelation sent to him, hence he would apprise them of their duties and responsibilities in terms of the consequences of the Call of Islam, and at the same time emphasize the exigencies of comprehension and contemplation.

That was his practice of maximizing their morale and imbuing them with the noble values and ideals so that they could become models of virtue to be copied by subsequent generations.

�Abdullah bin Mas�ud [R] once said: If you are willing to follow a good example, then you can have a recourse in the tradition of the deceased, because the living are likely to fall an easy victim to oppression (so they might waver in faith). Follow the steps of Muhammad�s Companions. They were the best in this nation, the most pious, the most learned and the least pretentious. All�h chose them to accompany the Prophet [pbuh] and establish His religion. Therefore, it is imperative to get to know their grace, follow their righteous way and adhere as much as you can to their manners and assimilate their biography. They were always on the orthodox path. There is then the great Messenger of All�h [pbuh] whose moral visible attributes, aspects of perfection, talents, virtues, noble manners and praiseworthy deeds, entitle him to occupy the innermost cells of our hearts, and become the dearest target that the self yearns for. Hardly did he utter a word when his Companions would race to assimilate it and work in its light.[Mishkat Al-Masabih 1/32]

Those were the attributes and qualities on whose basis the Prophet [pbuh] wanted to build a new society, the most wonderful and the most honourable society ever known in history. On these grounds, he strove to resolve the longstanding problems, and later gave mankind the chance to breathe a sigh of relief after a long wearying journey in dark and gloomy avenues. Such lofty morale lay at the very basis of creating a new society with integrated components immune to all fluctuations of time, and powerful enough to change the whole course of humanity.

1. The Prophet [pbuh] advised his companions to preserve the lives of Banu Hashim who had gone out to Badr with the polytheists unwillingly because they had feared the censure of their people. Among them, he named Al-�Abbas bin �Abdul Muttalib and Abu Bukhtari bin Hisham. He ordered the Muslims to capture, but not to kill them. Abu Hudhaifah bin �Utbah showed great surprise and commented saying: "We kill our fathers, children, brothers and members of our clan, and then come to spare Al-�Abbas? By All�h! If I see him I will surely strike him with my sword." On hearing these words, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh], addressing �Umar bin Al-Khattab, said "Is it fair that the face of the Messenger�s uncle be struck with sword?" �Umar got indignant and threatened to kill Abu Hudhaifah; the latter later said that extreme fear had taken firm grip of him and felt that nothing except martyrdom could expiate for his mistake. He was actually killed later on during Al-Yamamah events.
   
2. Abu Al-Bukhtari bin Hisham had already done his best to restrain his people, the Makkans, from committing any act of folly against the Prophet [pbuh] while the latter was still in Makkah. He also neither hurt nor was reported to have uttered anything repugnant with regard to the Prophet [pbuh]. He had as well been among the people who tried to invalidate the boycott alliance taken against Banu Hashim and Banu �Abdul Muttalib.

   Here, however, in the battle of Badr he insisted on fighting unless his compatriot was spared. Al-Mujdhir bin Ziyad Al-Balwi, with whom he was engaged in combat, replied that the other was not included in the Prophet [pbuh]�s recommendation. The combat went on to end in Al-Bukhtari�s death.

3. �Abdur-Rahman bin �Awf and Omaiyah bin Khalaf had been close friends during the pre-Islamic era. When the battle of Badr ended, �Abdur-Rahman saw Omaiyah and his son among the captives. He threw away the armour he had as spoils, and walked with them both. Bilal, the Prophet [pbuh]�s caller for prayer, saw Omaiyah and soon all the torture he had been put to at the hand of this man dawned upon him, and swore he would have revenge on Omaiyah. �Abdur-Rahman tried to ease the tension and address embarrassing situation amicably but with no success. The Muslims gathered around and struck Omaiyah�s son with swords. At this point, �Abdur-Rahman called upon his old friend to run for his life but he was put to swords from different people and lay down dead. �Abdur-Rahman, completely helpless and resigned said: May All�h have mercy on Bilal, for he deprived me of the spoils, and I have been stricken by the death of my two captives.
   
4. On the moral level, the battle of Badr was an inescapable conflict between the forces of good and those of evil. In this context, �Umar bin Al-Khattab did not spare the life of any polytheist even his uncle on the maternal side Al-�As bin Hisham bin Al-Mugheerah.
   
5. Abu Bakr shouted at his son �Abdur-Rahman, still a polytheist and fighting with them, "Where is my wealth, you wicked boy?" The son answered that it was gone with the wind.
   
6. When the battle ended, the Muslims began to hold some polytheists in captivity. The Prophet [pbuh] looked into the face of Sa�d bin Mu�adh, the Head of the Prophet [pbuh]�s guards, and understood that he was hateful to taking the enemy elements as prisoners. Sa�d agreed to what the Prophet [pbuh] said and added that it was the first victory for the Muslims over the forces of polytheism, and he had more liking for slaying them than sparing their lives.
   
7. On the day of Badr, the sword of �Ukashah bin Mihsan Al-Asdi broke down so the Prophet [pbuh] gave him a log of wood which he shook and it immediately turned into a long strong white sword. �Ukashah went on using that same sword in most of the Islamic conquests until he died in the process of the apostasy wars.
   
8. When the war activities had been concluded, Mus�ab bin �Umair Al-�Abdari saw his brother, still a polytheist, being handcuffed by a Ansari. Mus�ab recommended that the Helper tighten the knot for the prisoner�s mother was wealthy enough to ransom her son. �Abu �Aziz, Mus�ab�s brother, tried to appeal to his brother through the family ties, but the latter firmly replied that the Helper was more eligible for brotherhood than him.
   
9. When the Prophet [pbuh] ordered that the corpses of the polytheists be dropped into an empty well, Abu Hudhaifah bin �Utbah looked sadly at his dead father, who fought on the side of the polytheists. The Prophet [pbuh] noticed that and asked him about it. Hudhaifah said that he had never held the least doubt that his father met his fate deservedly, but added that he wished he had been guided to the path of Islam, and that is why he felt sad. The Prophet [pbuh] whispered in his ears some comforting words.

The outcome of the battle was as aforementioned an ignominious rout for the polytheists and a manifest victory for the Muslims. Fourteen Muslims were killed, of whom six were from the Emigrants and eight from the Helpers. The polytheists sustained heavy casualties, seventy were killed and a like number taken prisoners. Many of the principal men of Makkah, and some of Muhammad [pbuh]�s bitterest opponents, were among the slain. Chief of these was Abu Jahl.

On the third day, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] went out to look at the slain polytheists, and said:

"What an evil tribe you were as regards your Prophet, you belied me but the others have believed; you let me down while the others have supported me; you expelled me, whereas the others have sheltered me."

He stood over the bodies of twenty-four leaders of Quraish who had been thrown into one of the wells, and started to call them by name and by the names of their fathers, saying: "Would it not have been much better for you if you had obeyed All�h and His Messenger? Behold, we have found that our Lord�s promise do come true; did you (also) find that the promises of your Lord came true?" Thereupon, �Umar bin Al-Khattab said: "O Messenger of All�h! Why you speak to bodies that have no souls in them?" The Prophet [pbuh] answered: "By Him in Whose hand is Muhammad [pbuh]�s soul! You do not hear better what I am saying than they do."

The polytheists having received a large dose of disciplining and heavy defeat, fled away in great disorder in the vales and hillocks heading for Makkah panicked and too ashamed to see their people.

Ibn Ishaq related that the first herald of bad tidings was Al-Haisaman bin �Abdullah Al-Khuza�i. He narrated to them how their notables were killed. People there did not believe him at first and thought that he had gone mad, but soon the news was confirmed and a state of incredible bewilderment overwhelmed the whole Makkan scene. Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith gave Abu Lahab a full account of the massacre and the disgraceful rout they sustained, with emphasis on the role that the angels played in bringing about their tragic end. Abu Lahab could not contain himself and gave vent to his feelings of resentment in beating, abusing and slapping Abu Rafi�, a Muslim, but reticent on his conversion, for reiterating the role of the angels. Umm Al-Fadl, another Muslim woman, greatly exasperated by Abu Lahab�s thoughtless behaviour, struck him with a log and cracked his head. Seven days later, he died of an ominous ulcer and was left for three days unburied. His sons, however, for fear of shameful rumours, drove him to a pit and keeping their distance, hurled stones and dust at him.

The defeat was a matter of great shame and grief for the Makkans. In almost every house there were silent tears for the dead and the captives. They were burning with humiliation and were thirsting for revenge. Wailing, lamenting and crying however were decreed strictly forbidden lest the Muslims should rejoice at their affliction.

Two heralds, �Abdullah bin Rawahah and Zaid bin Harithah were despatched to Madinah, to convey the glad tidings of victory to the Muslims there.

The multi-ethnic and ideological structure of Madinah featured different respective reactions. Rumour-mongers amongst the Jews and hypocrites spread news to the effect that the Prophet [pbuh] had been killed, and tried to impress their false assumption on the fact that Zaid bin Harithah was riding Al-Qasw�, the Prophet [pbuh]�s she-camel. Having reached, the two messengers imparted to the Muslims the happy news of victory, and furnished accurate information about the course of events in order to establish the sense of reassurance deep in the hearts of the anxious, but now, joyous Muslims. They immediately started acclaiming All�h�s Name and entertaining His praise at the top of their voices. Their chiefs went out of the city to wait and receive the Prophet [pbuh] on the road leading to Badr.

Usamah bin Zaid related that they received the news of the manifest victory shortly after Ruqaiyah, the Prophet [pbuh]�s daughter, and the wife of �Uthman bin �Affan had been committed to earth. She had been terminally ill and the Prophet [pbuh] had asked �Uthman to stay in Madinah and look after her.

Before leaving the scene of the battle, dispute concerning the spoils of war arose among the Muslim warriors, as the rule relating to their distribution had not yet been legislated. When the difference grew wider, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] suspended any solution whereof until the Revelation was sent down.

�Ubadah bin As-Samit said: "We went out with the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] and I witnessed Badr with him. The battle started and All�h, the Exalted, defeated the enemy. Some of the Muslims sought and pursued the enemy, some were intent on collecting the spoils from the enemy camp, and others were guarding the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] and were on the alert for any emergency or surprise attack. When night came and the Muslims gathered together, those who had collected the booty said: "We collected it, so no one else has any right to it." Those who had pursued the enemy said: "You do not have more right to it than we do; we held the enemy at bay and then defeated them." As for the men who had been guarding the Prophet [pbuh], they also made similar claims to the spoils.

At that very time, a Qur��nic verse was revealed saying:

"They ask you (O Muhammad [pbuh]) about the spoils of war. Say: �The spoils are for All�h and the Messenger.� So fear All�h and adjust all matters of difference among you, and obey All�h and His Messenger (Muhammad [pbuh]), if you are believers." [Al-Qur'an 8:1]

On their way back to Madinah, at a large sand hill, the Prophet [pbuh] divided the spoils equally among the fighters after he had taken Al-Khums (one-fifth). When they reached As-Safra�, he ordered that two of the prisoners should be killed. They were An-Nadr bin Al-Harith and �Uqbah bin Abi Muait, because they had persecuted the Muslims in Makkah, and harboured deep hatred towards All�h and His Messenger [pbuh]. In a nutshell, they were criminals of war in modern terminology, and their execution was an awesome lesson to oppressors. �Uqbah forgot his pride and cried out, "Who will look after my children O Messenger of All�h?" The Prophet [pbuh] answered, "The fire (of Hell).[Sunan Abu Da'ud with 'Aun-ul-Ma'bood 3/12]" Did �Uqbah not remember the day when he had thrown the entrails of a sheep onto the head of the Prophet [pbuh] while he was prostrating himself in prayer, and Fatimah had come and washed it off him? He had also strangled the Prophet [pbuh] with his cloak if it had not been for Abu Bakr to intervene and release the Prophet [pbuh]. The heads of both criminals were struck off by �Ali bin Abi Talib.

At Ar-Rawh�, a suburb of Madinah, the Muslim army was received by the joyous Madinese who had come to congratulate the Prophet [pbuh] on the manifest victory that All�h had granted him. Usaid bin Hudair, acting as a mouthpiece of the other true believers, after entertaining All�h�s praise, he excused himself for not having joined them on grounds that the Prophet [pbuh]�s intention was presumably, an errand aiming to intercept a caravan of camels only, he added that if it had occurred to him that it would be real war, he would have never tarried. The Prophet [pbuh] assured Usaid that he had believed him.

The Prophet [pbuh] now entered Madinah as a man to be counted for in a new dimension � the military field. In consequence, a large number of the people of Madinah embraced Islam, which added a lot to the strength, power and moral standing of the true religion.

The Prophet [pbuh] exhorted the Muslims to treat the prisoners so well to such an extent that the captors used to give the captives their bread (the more valued part of the meal) and keep the dates for themselves.

Prisoners of war constituted a problem awaiting resolution because it was a new phenomenon in the history of Islam. The Prophet [pbuh] consulted Abu Bakr and �Umar bin Al-Khattab as to what he should do with the prisoners. Abu Bakr suggested that he should ransom them, explaining this by saying: "They are after all our relatives, and this money would give us strength against the disbelievers, moreover, All�h could guide them to Islam." �Umar advised killing them, saying, "They are the leaders of Kufr (disbelief)." The Prophet [pbuh] preferred Abu Bakr�s suggestion to that of �Umar�s. The following day, �Umar called on the Prophet [pbuh] and Abu Bakr to see them weeping. He showed extreme astonishment and inquired about the situation so that he might weep if it was worth weeping for, or else he would feign weeping.

The Prophet [pbuh] said that a Qur��nic verse had been revealed rebuking them for taking ransom from the captives rather than slaying them:

"It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but All�h desires (for you) the Hereafter. And All�h is All-Mighty, All-Wise. Were it not a previous ordainment from All�h, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took." [Al-Qur'an 8:67,68]

The previous Divine ordainment went as follows,

"Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom) or ransom." [Al-Qur'an 47:4]

Which included an area providing permission to take ransom, that is why no penalty was imposed. They were rebuked only for taking prisoners before subduing all the land of disbelief. Apart from this, the polytheists taken to Madinah were not only prisoners of war but rather archcriminals of war whom modern war penal law brings to justice to receive their due sentence of death or prison for life.

The ransom for the prisoners ranged between 4000 and 1000 Dirhams in accordance with the captive�s financial situation. Another form of ransom assumed an educational dimension; most of the Makkans, unlike the Madinese, were literate and so each prisoner who could not afford the ransom was entrusted with ten children to teach them the art of writing and reading. Once the child had been proficient enough, the instructor would be set free. Another clan of prisoners were released unransomed on grounds of being hard up. Zainab, the daughter of the Prophet [pbuh], paid the ransom of her husband Abul-�As with a necklace. The Muslims released her prisoner and returned the necklace in deference to the Prophet [pbuh] but on condition that Abul-�As allow Zainab to migrate to Madinah, which he actually did.

In captivity, there was also an eloquent orator called Suhail bin �Amr. �Umar suggested that they pull out his front teeth to disable him from speaking, but the Prophet [pbuh] turned down his suggestion for fear Quraish should retaliate in the same manner on one hand, and on the other for fear of All�h�s wrath on the Day of Resurrection.

Sa�d bin An-Nu�man, a lesser pilgrim detained in Makkah, was released in return for setting Abu Sufyan�s son, a captive, free.

The Chapter of Al-Anfal (spoils of war) was revealed on the occasion of the battle of Badr, Ramadan 17th 2 A.H. It constituted a unique Divine commentary on this battle.

All�h, the All-High, in the context of this Chapter draws on major issues relating to the whole process of Islamization. All�h, here draws the attention of the Muslims to the still lingering moral shortcomings in their character. He wants them to build an integrated, purified society. He speaks about the invisible assistance he sent down to His obedient servants to enable them to accomplish their noble objectives. He wants the Muslims to rid themselves of any trait of haughtiness or arrogance that might sneak in. He wants them to turn to Him for help, obey Him and His Messenger [pbuh].

After that He delineated the noble objectives for which the Messenger [pbuh] launched that bloody battle, and directed them to the merits and qualities that brought about the great victory.

The polytheists, hypocrites, the Jews and prisoners of war were also mentioned, being admonished to surrender to the Truth and adhere to it only.

The question of the spoils of war was resolved and the principles and basics relevant to this issue were clearly defined.

The laws and rules pertinent to war and peace were legalized and codified, especially at this advanced stage of the Islamic action. All�h wanted the Muslims to follow war ethics dissimilar to those of pre-Islamic practices. The Muslims are deemed to outdo the others in ethics, values and fine ideals. He wants to impress on the world that Islam is not merely a theoretical code of life, it is rather mind cultivation-orientated practical principles. In this context, He established inter and intra-state relations.

The fast of Ramadan was established as an obligatory observance in the year 2 A.H., appended by the duty imposed upon Muslims of paying Zakat (alms tax, poor-due) in order to alleviate the burden of the needy Emigrants.

A wonderful and striking coincidence was the establishment of Shawwal �Eid (the Festival of the Fast-Breaking) directly after the manifest victory of Badr. It was actually the finest spectacle ever witnessed of Muslims leaving their houses praying, acclaiming All�h�s Name and entertaining His praise at the top of their voices in recognition of His favour and grace, and last but not least, the support He rendered them and through which the forces of the Truth overpowered those of evil.

"And remember when you were few and were reckoned weak in the land, and were afraid that men might kidnap you, but He provided a safe place for you, strengthened you with His help, and provided you with good things so that you might be grateful." [Al-Qur'an 8:26]

The battle of Badr was the first armed encounter between the Muslims and Quraish. It was in fact a decisive battle that gained the Muslims a historic victory acknowledged by all the Arabs, and dealt a heavy blow to the religious and economic interests of the polytheists. There were also the Jews who also used to regard each Islamic victory as a heavy blow to their religioeconomic entity. Both parties were burning with rage and fury since the Muslims had achieved that great victory:

"Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers (Muslims) the Jews and Al-Mushrik�n (polytheists, pagans, idolators and disbelievers, etc.)." [Al-Qur'an 5:82]

Both resentful parties had their much more indignant suite in the form of hypocrites who faked Islam just to save their faces; at the head of whom came �Abdullah bin Ubai and his retinue. The desert bedouins living in tents pitched in the vicinity of Madinah, who depended on plundering and looting as a means of living, were totally indifferent to this axial question of belief and disbelief. Their worry derived from fear of losing their perverted avenues of subsistence in case a powerful nascent Muslim state should rise up and put an end to such ill-practices, hence the grudge they nursed against Islam and the Muslims, in general, and the person of Muhammad [pbuh], in particular.

The whole cause of Faith was thus at stake with four furious parties laying ambushes against the new religion, each in its style: Pretension to Islam embedded with conspiracy plots and provocative deeds within Madinah, explicitly uncovered animosity pregnant with indignation and fire of rage on the part of the Jews, and there in Makkah open and persistent calls for vengeance coupled with open intentions to mobilize all potential resources available to silence the voice of Islam once and for all. This was later translated into military action, Uhud Invasion, which left a very bad impression on the good name and esteem that the Muslims were painstakingly working to merit and preserve.

The Muslims were always obliged to be on the lookout for any hostile movements, and it was imperative on them to launch pre-emptive strikes in all directions in order to enjoy a reasonable degree of security in this great instability-provoking ocean of unrest. The following is a list of military activities conducted in the post-Badr era:

The scouting body of Madinah reported that Banu Saleem of Ghatafan were engaged in mustering troops to invade the Muslims. The Prophet [pbuh] took the initiative himself and mounted a surprise attack on them in their own homeland at a watering place called Al-Kudr. Banu Saleem, on receiving the news, had fled before he arrived. He stayed there for three days, took their 500 camels as booty and distributed them to the fighters after he had set aside the usual one-fifth; each one gained two camels.

This invasion took place in Shawwal in the year 2 A.H., seven days after the event of Badr.[Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/90; Ibn Hisham 2/43,44; Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.236]

The impact of defeat at Badr was so great that the Makkans began to burn with indignation and resentment over their horrible losses. To resolve this situation two polytheists volunteered to quench their thirst and muffle the source of that humiliation i.e. the Prophet [pbuh].

�Umair bin Wahab Al-Jumahi, a terrible polytheist, and an archenemy Safwan bin Omaiyah sat together privately lamenting their loss and remembering their dead and captives. �Umair expressed a fervent desire to kill the Prophet [pbuh] and release his captured son in Madinah, if it was not for the yoke of debts he was under and the large family he had to support. Safwan, also had his good reasons to see the Prophet [pbuh] killed, so he offered to discharge �Umair�s debts and support his family if he went on with his plan.

�Umair agreed and asked Safwan to be reticent on the whole scheme. He left for Madinah, having with him a sword to which he applied some kind of lethal poison. �Umar bin Al-Khattab saw him at the door of the Mosque and understood that he had come with evil intentions. He immediately went into the Mosque and informed the Prophet [pbuh]. He was let in looped by the sling of his sword and in greeting he said "good morning", to which the Prophet [pbuh] replied that All�h had been Gracious and taught them the greeting of the dwellers of the Paradise: "peace be upon you!" To a question raised by the Prophet [pbuh], about his object, �Umair said that he had come to see that his captured son was well treated. As for the sword, which the Prophet [pbuh] asked him about, he cursed it and said that it gained them nothing. On exhorting him to tell his real goal, he remained obdurate and did not divulge the secret meeting with Safwan. Here the Prophet [pbuh] got impatient and he himself revealed to �Umair his secret mission. �Umair was taken by surprise, and incredible astonishment seized him, and immediately bore witness to the Messengership of Muhammad [pbuh]. He then began to entertain All�h�s praise for having been guided to the �Straight Path�. The Prophet [pbuh] was pleased and asked his Companions to teach �Umair the principles of Islam, recite to him the Noble Qur��n and release his son from captivity.

Safwan, meanwhile, was still entertaining false illusions as to the approaching redemption of honour, and burying the memory of Badr into oblivion. He was impatiently awaiting �Umair�s news but to his great surprise, he was told that the man had embraced Islam and changed into a devoted believer. �Umair later came back to Makkah where he started to call people unto Islam and he did actually manage to convert a lot of Makkans into Islam.[Ibn Hisham 1/661-663]

Two-pronged hostile activities were being independently conducted against the Prophet [pbuh]; plots and intrigues being hatched by Safwan bin Omaiyah, the hypocrites and Jews on the one hand, going on and on parallel lines with military hostilities being prepared by Abu Sufyan aiming at saving the face of his people and impressing on the other Arabs that Quraish was still a military power to be counted for. In the aftermath of Badr, Abu Sufyan was burning for revenge and took a solemn vow he would never bathe off impurity unless he had avenged himself on Muhammad [pbuh] and his followers. He set out at the head of 200 men towards Madinah but was not brave enough to attack it in broad daylight. He, instead resorted to acts of piracy that are performed in the dark. He infiltrated into the Prophet [pbuh]�s town and went to see an old ally Huyai bin Akhtab, who was too cowardly to let him in, so he left for Salam bin Mashkam, chief of Bani Nadeer, a tribe of Jews. The Jew entertained and gave him a full account of the situation therein. Late at night he despatched a group of his men to raid Al-�Uraid, a suburb of Madinah. There, the men felled and burnt the palm trees, killed two Muslims and then took swiftly to their heels.

On hearing the news, the Prophet [pbuh] gathered his men and set out at their heels, but could not catch them. The Muslims brought back the provisions (Sawiq, a kind of barley porridge) which the polytheists had thrown aside in order to lighten their loads and hasten their escape; hence this campaign was called As-Sawiq Invasion. It took place in Dhul-Hijjah 2 A.H., two months after the event of Badr.[Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/90,91; Ibn Hisham 2/44,45]

The Prophet [pbuh]�s intelligence personnel reported that Banu Tha�labah and Banu Muh�rib were mustering troops with the aim of raiding the outskirts of Madinah. The Prophet [pbuh] at the head of 450 horsemen and footmen set out to handle this new situation. �Uthman bin �Affan was asked to dispose the affairs of the Muslims in Madinah. On their way, they captured a man who embraced Islam and acted as a guide for the army. When the enemies heard of the approach of the Muslims, they hurriedly dispersed in the mountains and disappeared. The Muslims encamped at a watering place called "Dhi Amr" for the whole of Safar 3 A.H. The Prophet [pbuh] aimed to impress upon the desert bedouins in the area, that the Muslims were then powerful enough to cast fear and awe into the hearts of their enemies.[Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/91; Ibn Hisham 2/46]

Ka�b bin Al-Ashraf was the most resentful Jew at Islam and the Muslims, the keenest on inflicting harm on the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] and the most zealous advocate of waging war against him. He belonged to Tai� tribe but his mother to Banu Nadeer. He was a wealthy man known for his handsomeness, and a poet living in luxury in his fort south east of Madinah at the rear of Banu Nadeer�s habitations.

On hearing the news of Badr, he got terribly exasperated and swore that he would prefer death to life if the news was true. When this was confirmed he wrote poems satirizing Muhammad [pbuh], eulogizing Quraish and enticing them against the Prophet [pbuh]. He then rode to Makkah where he started to trigger the fire of war, and kindle rancour against the Muslims in Madinah. When Abu Sufyan asked him which religion he was more inclined to, the religion of the Makkans or that of Muhammad [pbuh] and his companions, he replied that the pagans were better guided. With respect to this situation, All�h revealed His Words:

"Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They believe in Jibt and Tagh�t, and say to the disbelievers that they are better guided as regards the way than the believers (Muslims)." [Al-Qur'an 4:51]

He then returned to Madinah to start a fresh campaign of slanderous propaganda that took the form of obscene songs and amatory sonnets with a view to defaming the Muslim women.

At this stage, the situation became unbearable and could no longer be put up with. The Prophet [pbuh] gathered his men and said: "Who will kill Ka�b bin Al-Ashraf? He had maligned All�h, and His Messenger." Thereupon, Muhammad bin Maslamah, �Abbad bin Bishr, Al-Harith bin Aws, Abu �Abs bin Hibr and Salkan bin Salamah, Ka�b�s foster brother, volunteered to do the job.

Muhammad bin Maslamah said: "O Messenger of All�h, do you wish that I should kill him?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Permit me to talk (to him in the way I deem fit)." He said: "Talk (as you like)." So, Muhammad bin Maslamah came to Ka�b and talked to him, saying: "This man (i.e. the Prophet [pbuh]) has made up his mind to collect charity (from us) and this has put us to a great hardship." When he heard this, Ka�b said: "By All�h you will be put to more trouble by him." Muhammad bin Maslamah answered: "No doubt, now we have become his followers and we do not like to forsake him until we see what turn his affairs will take. I want that you should give me a loan." He said: "What will you mortgage?" Muhammad answered: "What do you want?" The immoral and heartless Jew demanded women and children as articles of security against the debt. Muhammad said: "Should we pledge our women whereas you are the most handsome of the Arabs; and the son of one of us may be abused by saying that he was pledged for two wasq (measurement unit of weight) of dates but we can pledge you (our) weapons." Ka�b agreed. Salkan bin Salamah, Abu Na�ilah, at another time, went to see Ka�b for the same purpose and there were more or less the same subjects, only that Abu Na�ilah would bring him some companions. The plan was successful and provided for the presence of both men and weapons. On Rabi� Al-Awwal 14th, at night, the year 3 A.H. the people said good bye to the Prophet [pbuh] and set out in the Name of All�h to implement the carefully drawn plan. The Prophet [pbuh] stayed back praying for them and supplicating All�h to render them success. The men went and called upon him at night. He came down although his wife warned him not to meet them alleging that: "I hear a voice which sounds like the voice of murder." He said: "It is only Muhammad bin Maslamah and my foster brother Abu Na�ilah. When a gentleman is called at night even if he be pierced with a spear, he should respond to the call." Abu Na�ilah said to his companions: "As he comes down, I will extend my hand towards his head to smell and when I hold him fast, you should do your job." So when he came down, they talked together for about an hour. They then invited him to go out and spend a nice time in the moonlight. On the way out, Abu Na�ilah remarked: "I smell the nicest perfume from you." Ka�b said: "Yes, I have with me a mistress who is the most scented of the women of Arabia." Abu Na�ilah again said: "Allow me to smell (the scent on your head)". He said: "Yes, you may smell." So he caught it and smelt. Then he said: "Allow me to do so(once again)." He then held his head fast and said to his companions: "Do your job." And they killed him. The group of men came back after fulfilling their mission. One of them Al-Harith bin Aws was wounded by mistake with the swords of his men, and was bleeding badly. When they reached Baqee� Al-Gharqad, they shouted, "All�h is Great". The Prophet [pbuh] heard them and realized that they had killed the enemy of All�h. As they saw him, he said: "Cheerful faces are yours." In reply, they said: "And yours O Messenger of All�h." They handed the head of the tyrant over to him. He entertained All�h�s praise for their success. He then applied his saliva to Al-Harith�s wound and it healed on the spot.[Ibn Hisham 1/51-57; Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/341, 425, 2/577; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/91' and Sunan Abu Da'ud with 'Aun-ul-Ma'bood 2/42,43]

When the Jews learned about the death of their tyrant, Ka�b bin Al-Ashraf, they were scared and even their stonelike hearts were in the grip of inexpressible panic. They realized that the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] would thenceforth never hesitate to use force when good words and admonition failed. They remained silent and resigned, and faked adherence to covenants.

Now the Prophet [pbuh] was free to collect his thoughts and give himself up to resolving foreign affairs, and facing dangers that could be carried with hostile wind blowing again from Makkah.

In Rabi� Ath-Thani, the year 3 A.H. the Prophet [pbuh] led a campaign comprising 300 warriors to Buhran in the area of Al-Furu�. He stayed there till Jumada Al-Ula, 3 A.H. No fighting took place in the process of this patrolling invasion.[Ibn Hisham 2/50,51; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/91]

This was the most successful campaign prior to Uhud Battle. It took place in Jumada Ath-Thaniyah, the year 3 A.H.

Summer approached and it was high time for the Makkan trade caravans to leave for Syria. The people of Quraish whose lives depended mainly on a mercantile economy consisting of summer caravans to Syria and winter caravans to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), were now at a loss as to what route they would have to follow in order to avoid the backbreaking military strikes that the Muslims successfully inflicted on the polytheists.

They held a meeting to discuss the chances of escaping the economic blockade and decided to go along a trade route across Najd to Iraq. Furat bin Haiyan was appointed as a guide for the caravan. Safwan bin Omaiyah led the caravan along the new route. News of the meeting leaked out through Na�im bin Mas�ud Al-Ashja�i under the effect of wine, and it flew fast to Madinah by Sulit bin An-Nu�man. The Prophet [pbuh] immediately mustered 100 horsemen under the leadership of Zaid bin Harithah Al-Kalbi and despatched them to intercept and capture the caravan. They caught up with the camels at a place called Al-Qardah. They took the polytheists by surprise and arrested their guide and two other men. Safwan and his guards fled away without showing the least resistance. The caravan was carrying silver and wares whose value amounted to 100 thousand dirhams. The booty was distributed among the Muslim warriors after one-fifth had been set aside for the Prophet [pbuh]. Furat bin Haiyan embraced Islam out of his own sweet free will.[Ibn Hisham 1/50,51; Fiqh As-Seerah p.190; Rahmat-ul-lil'alameen 2/219]

As a result of this episode, the Muslims foiled Quraish�s plans to find a new trade route. The economic siege laid to Makkah was thus consolidated and had a great impact on the mercantile economy of Makkah. The Makkans were terribly anxious and worried about their prospects of life now at stake with no hope whatsoever for any possible rehabilitation of commercial life or redemption of former prestige at the socio-political level except through two avenues categorically contrasting: Relinquishing all symbols of arrogance and all attitudes of haughtiness through reconciliation with the new status quo, and peaceableness with the Muslims; or launching a decisive overwhelming war with the aim of crushing down the military forces of Madinah. It was apparent through the process of events that Quraish had opted for the second alternative. Loud cries were being heard everywhere in Makkah demanding immediate vengeance and quick retaliatory action. These movements on all levels constituted the direct preliminaries to the battle of Uhud.

The defeat at Badr was an ignominy which the Quraishites pride could not leave unavenged. Revenge was, therefore, the catchword all over Makkah. The Makkans even forbade lamenting over their murdered people, or ransoming their captives at Badr Battle lest the Muslims should realize the grave degree of sadness and feeling of tragedy they were experiencing.

In the wake of Badr event, Quraish was in common consent and started fresh preparations to launch an overall war against the Muslims in order to restore their blemished prestige and wounded pride. The most enthusiastic polytheists desiring to go into a new battle were �Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl, Safwan bin Omaiyah, Abu Sufyan bin Harb, and �Abdullah bin Abi Rabi�a. They were determined to crush the commonwealth of Islam once and for all. Emissaries were sent to all the tribes to make common cause against the rising Faith. As a consequence of this, they managed to enlist the support of two well-known tribes Kinana and Tihamah besides some desert bedouins Ahabish. It was also decided that the profits of the escaped caravan headed by Abu Sufyan, which amounted to 1000 camels and 50 thousand Dinars, should be devoted for providing equipment to the army. The Noble Qur��n has alluded to this decision of theirs in the following words:

"Verily, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder (men) from the path of All�h, and so will they continue to spend it; but in the end it will become an anguish for them. Then they will be overcomed." [Al-Qur'an 8:36]

They also devised other ways of recruitment including hiring poets to entice the tribes into fighting the Muslims. Safwan bin Omaiyah allured Abu �Azza, the poet to work in this context in return for riches after the war or supporting his daughters if killed. Incidentally, this poet was prisoner of war (in the context of the Badr events) in the hands of the Muslims and the Prophet [pbuh] was gracious enough to release him unransomed provided he would not engage in fight against him.

Abu Sufyan nursed the most grudge against Muslims because he had lost most of his supplies in As-Sawiq invasion, let alone the heavy economic losses that Quraish had sustained in the aftermath of the events that featured the platoon of Zaid bin Harithah.

In the light of these successive failures, Quraish precipitated and accelerated their preparations for a decisive battle with the Muslims. At the turn of the year everything was ready for the move. The Makkans also decided to take their women along with them for they might arouse them to fight manfully. Thus a contingent of three thousand pitched warriors, of whom seven hundred were mailed soldiers and two hundred well-mounted[Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/92; Fath Al-Bari 7/346] cavalry with three thousand camels and fifteen women marched towards Madinah. The general leader was Abu Sufyan bin Harb, the cavalry under the leadership of Khalid bin Al-Waleed assisted by �Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl, and Bani �Abd Ad-Dar were entrusted with the flag.

Old deep-seated feelings of hatred, with heart-based grudge enveloped the whole process foreshadowing bitter, bloody revenge-instigated fighting between the two parties.

Meanwhile Al-�Abbas bin �Abdul Muttalib, was closely watching the military movements and preparations for war, and these were all included in an urgent message sent by him to Prophet [pbuh] who received it while he was in Qub� Mosque. Ubai bin Ka�b read the letter to the Prophet [pbuh], who asked him to be reticent with respect to its serious contents. He hurried back to Madinah, convened a meeting with the Helpers and Emigrants and conducted with them serious consultations as regards the measures to be taken.

The whole of Madinah was put on the alert and all men were heavily armed even during prayer in anticipation of any emergency. A group of Helpers volunteered to guard the Prophet [pbuh] and kept watchful eye all night at his door, amongst whom there were Sa�d bin Mu�adh, Usaid bin Hudair and Sa�d bin �Ubadah. Lest they should be taken by surprise, armed groups of the Madinese began to police the entrances and roads leading to the city. To reconnoitre the movements of the polytheists, Muslim platoons began to patrol the routes for any probable enemy raids.

The Makkan army, on the other hand, continued the march along the usual western road. On reaching Al-Abw�, Hind bint �Utbah, Abu Sufyan�s wife, suggested that they dig up the grave of the Prophet [pbuh]�s mother, but the leaders of the army refused to do so for fear of the consequent results. The army then followed Wadi Al-�Aqeeq and turned right to encamp themselves at a place called �Ainain near Uhud Mountain. That was on Friday, 6th Shawwal, 3 A.H.

The scouting party of Madinah conveyed the news of the Makkan army step by step. Then the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] held a head military consultation assembly to exchange views about the situation. He told them about a dream he had. He said: "By All�h, I have dreamt of � I implore All�h to be a dream of bounty � cows slaughtered and that there was a groove at the pointed top of my sword, and that I had inserted my hand into an immune armour."

The interpretation of �the cows� was that some of his men were killed, and �the groove at the pointed top of his sword� was that a member of his House would be hurt. As for �the armour� it was Madinah. Then he offered a suggestion that his Companions should not go out of Madinah and that they should encamp themselves within the city. He was of the opinion that the enemies should be left in the open to exhaust themselves and thus the Muslims would not risk a battle. But if they thought of attacking Madinah, Muslim men would be ready to fight them at the mouths of lanes; whereas Muslim-women would help from over the house roofs." �Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul � the head of the hypocrites; who attended the meeting as a chief of Al-Khazraj � supported the Prophet [pbuh]�s plan.

As a matter of fact his agreement was not based on the righteousness of the plan but rather on personal benefit. He did not want to fight. On the contrary he secretly aimed at being far away from fight. However it was All�h�s Will that he should be disclosed and disgraced in public � for the first time. It was His Will that the curtain which concealed their disbelief behind should be uncovered and pulled down. All�h�s Will enabled the Muslims to recognize the reality of those snakes that were creeping within their garments and inside the sleeves of their clothes. Thanks to All�h they recognized them in one of the most critical times of their lives.

Some of the best honourable Companions, who had missed Al-Jih�d in Badr invasion, suggested that the Prophet [pbuh] should go out of Madinah and urged him to accept their point of view. One of them said: "O, Messenger of All�h [pbuh], for long time we have been looking forward to this day; and we have implored All�h to make such a day draw near. Thanks to All�h it is time to fight. So let us go out and fight our enemies lest they should think that we have lost heart and do not dare to fight them." Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib the paternal uncle of the Prophet [pbuh], who had already covered the ornaments of his sword with idolaters� blood in Badr Battle, was ahead of those enthusiastics who urged him to go out and meet the disbelievers. He said to the Prophet [pbuh]: "By All�h, Who has sent the Book down unto you, I will not taste food till I fight them with my sword outside Madinah."[As-Seerah Al-Halabiyah 2/14]

After weighing carefull the pros and cons of the issue, it was decided that the enemy should be resisted outside the city at Uhud.

Ascending the pulpit at the Friday congregational prayer, the Prophet [pbuh] urged the people in his sermon to fight courageously. "If you remain steadfast," he said "you will be helped by the Power of the All- Mighty." Then he commanded his men to make ready for the battle. Most of them rejoiced greatly.

He led the afternoon prayer with crowds of people. Then he entered his house accompanied by his two friends Abu Bakr and �Umar. They helped him dress and wear his headcloth. He armed himself and wore two armours one over the other. He wore his sword and went out to meet people.

People were waiting for him impatiently. Sa�d bin Mu�adh and Usaid bin Hudair blamed people for pressing on the Prophet [pbuh]. They said: "You have forced the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] to fight the enemy outside Madinah." Therefore they were determined to leave the whole matter to the Prophet [pbuh], and blamed themselves for what they had already done. When the Prophet [pbuh] came out, they said: "O Messenger of All�h, we should have not disagreed with you. So, you are free to do what you desire. If you prefer to stay inside Madinah we will stay with you. Upon this the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] remarked: "It does not become a Prophet that once he had put on armour, he should take it off, until All�h has decided between him and the enemy." [Quoted by Ahmad, Nasa'i, Hakim and Ibn Ishaq]

The Prophet [pbuh] divided his army into three battalions:

1. Al-Muhajireen battalion, under the command of Mus�ab bin �Umair Al-�Abdari.
2. Al-Ansari-Aws battalion was commanded by Usaid bin Hudair.
3. Al-Ansari-Khazraj battalion with Al-Hubab bin Al-Mundhir to lead it.

The army consisted of a thousand fighters; a hundred of them armoured; another fifty horsemen. [Al-Huda 2,92] He appointed Ibn Umm Maktum to lead the people in prayer in Madinah. Departure was announced and the army moved northwards with the two Sa�ds, who were armoured, running in front of the army.

Upon passing along Al-Wada� mountain trail he saw a well-armed battalion, which were detached from the main body of the army. The Prophet [pbuh] inquired who they were and he was told that they were Jews and were allies of Al-Khazraj. They told him that they wanted to contribute to the fight against the idolaters. "Have they embraced Islam?" The Prophet [pbuh] asked. "No," they said. So he refused admitting them and said that he would not seek the assistance of disbelievers against the idolaters.

As soon as he reached a location called Ash-Shaikhan, he paraded his army. He dismissed those whom he considered to be disabled or too young to stand the fight. Among them were �Abdullah bin �Umar bin Al-Khattab. Usama bin Zaid; Usaid bin Zaheer, Zaid bin Thabit, Zaid bin Arqam. �Araba bin Aws, �Amr bin Hazm, Abu Sa�eed Al-Khudri, Zaid bin Haritha Al-Ansari, Sa�d bin Habba and Al-Bar� bin �Azib, Sahih Al-Bukhari pointed out that he had shared in the fight that day.

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] allowed both Rafi� bin Khadaij and Samura bin Jundub to join the army � though they were too young. The former proved to be skillful at shooting arrows; the latter wrestled the former and beat him. The admission of Rafi� made Samura say: "I am stronger than him, I can overcome him." When the Prophet [pbuh] heard this saying he ordered them to wrestle. They did. Samura won so he was also admitted.

As night fell upon them there, they performed both the sunset and the evening prayers and spent the night there as well. Fifty people were chosen to guard the camp and go round it. Muhammad bin Maslama Al-Ansari, the hero of the brigade of Ka�b bin Al-Ashraf, was in charge of the guards. Whereas Dhakwan bin �Abd Qais undertook the responsibility of guarding the Prophet [pbuh], in particular.

At the end of the night and just before it was daybreak, the Prophet [pbuh] moved and when he got to Ash-Shawt he observed the dawn prayer. There he was close enough to the enemy that they could see one another. It was there that �Abdullah bin Ubai � the hypocrite � rebelled against the Muslims. One-third of the army withdrew with him � that is to say three hundred fighters. He said, "We do not know why we shall kill ourselves." He claimed that his withdrawal was no more than showing protest against the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] who had already refused his opinion and accepted that of the others.

Undoubtedly that was not the real cause of his detachment. If it had been the refusal of his opinion � as the hypocrite claimed � there would have no sense whatsoever for his joining the Prophetic army. If it had been so, he would have refused to go out with the army from the very beginning of the march. As a matter of fact the real purpose of this rebellion, withdrawal and detachment � at this delicate and awkward position and time � was to produce bewilderment, confusion of mind, and disorder in the Muslims army who were within the sight and hear range of the enemy who were also looking forward to seeing more and more dissension on the side of the Muslims, like themselves. They also aimed at breaking the high morale of the believers. That would accelerate � in their opinion � the breakdown and consequently the death of Muhammad, his faithful Companions and Islam as a whole. The way would then be clear for the reclaim of presidency, which that hypocrite had lost on the advent of Islam into Madinah.

Short of All�h�s Care, the hypocrite�s plot would have been successful. Banu Haritha of Al-Aws and Banu Salama of Al-Khazraj were partially impressed by the hypocrite�s behaviour. Both of them were overwhelmed by confusion and they had almost started to withdraw, but All�h�s Care saved them from that disgrace. About their incident All�h says:

"When two parties from among you were about to lose their heart, but All�h was their Wali (Supporter and Protector). And in All�h should the believers put their trust." [Al-Qur'an 3:122]

�Abdullah bin Haram � the father of Jabir bin �Abdullah � attempted to stop their withdrawal. He reminded the hypocrites of their duty at this delicate and awkward condition, but in vain. He followed them, reproached them and urged them to go back saying: "Come and fight in the way of All�h or at least be defenders." They said: "If we had known that you would really fight we would have not gone back." Having despaired of them, he addressed them saying: "May All�h cast you away, you enemies of All�h. All�h will certainly suffice His Prophet." All�h says about those hypocrites:

"And that He might test the hypocrites, it was said to them: �Come, fight in the way of All�h or (at least) defend yourselves.� They said: �Had we known that fighting will take place, we would certainly have followed you.� They were that day, nearer to disbelief than to Faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And All�h has full knowledge of what they conceal." [Al-Qur'an 3:167]

 

With the remainder of fighters, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] moved towards the enemy. After the rebellion and withdrawal of the hypocrites, the number of soldiers was reduced to seven hundred only.

The camp of idolaters was situated in such a place that the many roads leading to Uhud were almost blocked by them. So the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said to his men: "Which man of you can lead us to where the people (i.e. the idolaters) are, along a short track that does not pass by them?" Abu Khaithama said: "O Messenger of All�h [pbuh], I am the man you need." Then he chose a short track that led to Uhud passing by Harrah Bani Harithah and their farms, leaving the idolaters� army westwards.

On their way they passed by Ha�it (i.e. the field) of Marba� bin Qaizi, who was a blind hypocrite. When Marba� felt and realized that they were the Prophetic army, he started throwing earth at their faces, so they rushed to kill him, but the Prophet [pbuh] said:

"Do not kill him. He is blind in heart and eyes."

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] went along till climbed down the hillock of Uhud at the slope of the valley. He camped there with his army facing Madinah while their backs were to the hills of Uhud mountain. So the army of the enemy stood a barrier between the Muslims and Madinah.

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] mobilized his army. He arranged them into two rows to prepare them for fight. He selected fifty skillful archers that formed a squad and made them under the command of �Abdullah bin Jubair bin An-Nu�man Al-Ansari Al-Awsi Al-Badri. He issued his orders to them to stay where they were � on a mountain(side) at the south bank of Qanat Al-Wadi (i.e. a canal of the valley), south east of Muslims camp at about one hundred and fifty metres from the Islamic army. Later on this mountain was called the Mountain of Archers.

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] clarified the mission of this squad in words he directed to them. He said to their leader: "Drive off the horses from us by means of arrows, lest they should attack us from behind (the rear). Whether we win the battle or lose it, stand steadily in your position and mind that we are not attacked from your side."[Ibn Hisham 2/65,66]

He added:

"Defend our backs! If you see us slain. Do not come to assist us; and if you see gaining grounds, do not share us."[Fath Al-Bari 7/350]

In a version by Al-Bukh�ri the Prophet [pbuh] said:

"If you see us snatched into pieces by birds, do not leave this position of yours till I send for you. And if you see that we have defeated the enemy and trodden on them do not desert your position till I send for you."[Sahih Al-Bukhari, the Book of Jihad 1/426]

With the assignment of this squad and locating it on the mountainside and the issuance of those strict military orders, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] blocked the only groove that might lead the idolaters stealthily to the rear of Muslim ranks and might even enable them to encircle them in an encompassment procedure.

The assignments of posts and responsibilities for the rest of the army were performed by the Prophet [pbuh] as follows: On the right wing, he appointed Al-Mundhir bin �Amr. On the left he appointed Az-Zubair bin Al-�Awwam, and made Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad his assistant and supporter. Az-Zubair�s function was to standfast in the face of Khalid bin Al-Waleed�s horsemen. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] selected the top and the most courageous group to be in the vanguard of the army. They were notable for their readiness, alertness and bravery and estimated to be equal to thousands of men.

It was a wise and carefully-laid plan which revealed the genius of military leadership that the Prophet [pbuh] possessed. No other leader could have drawn a more accurate or wise plan. Although he approached the site later than the enemy, he managed to occupy better positions. He made the rocky mountainside to function as shield for the army�s rear and right flank. He was able, by blocking the only vulnerable gap on the side, to provide additional maximum protection for the rear as well as the left wing. For fear of possible defeat, and to deter the Muslims from fleeing, in which case they would fall easy prisoners in the hands of the enemy, he chose a high place for encampment. Moreover a strategic site of this sort would surely inflict heavy losses on the polytheists if they thought of approaching or occupying his positions. In a further step, he reduced the enemy to a narrow scope of choice when they were cornered for encampment in geographically low positions that would avail them nothing of the benefits of any possible victory; at the same time they would not be able to escape the pursuit of the Muslims in case victory sided with the latter. To make up for the quantitative shortage in fighting personnel, he chose a picked body of fighters to stand at the front.

The army of the Prophet [pbuh] was thus fully mobilized on Shawwal 7th, 3 A.H.

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] forbade the Muslims to start the fight without having an order from him. He, then, wore two armours � a front armour and a back one. He urged his Companions to fight and spurred them to show stamina and steadfastness at fight. He started to implant the spirit of boldness and bravery in them. To wage and inflame his Companions and in order to standfast in the fight, he took a sharp sword, held it in his hand and called out unto his Companions and said: "Who is ready to take this sword and give it its proper due?" Many a man set out to take it. Some of them were �Ali bin Abi Talib, Az-Zubair bin Al-�Awwam and �Umar bin Al-Khattab. But it was granted to none. Abu Dujana Sammak bin Kharsha inquired: "O Messenger of All�h, what is its price?" The Prophet [pbuh] said: "It is to strike the enemy�s faces with it till it was bent." So Abu Dujana said: "O Messenger of All�h I will take it for that price." and he was given the sword.

Abu Dujana was a man of courage who used to swagger at war. He had a red band which he wore round his head. Whenever he was head-banded everybody knew that he was determined to fight to death. Therefore as soon as Abu Dujana took the Prophet [pbuh]�s sword, he banded his head and started strutting amongst the fighters.

Watching him doing that, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said: "This is a sort of walking that All�h detests except in such a situation."

The idolaters applied the rows system in the mobilization of their army. The general leadership of the army was entrusted to Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb, who would be in the centre-position of the army. Khalid bin Al-Waleed was on the right wing; whereas �Ikrima, the son of Abu Jahl was on the left. Safwan bin Omaiya was in charge of infantry men. The archers were under the command of �Abdullah bin Abi Rabi�a.

As for the standard, a squad of Bani �Abd Ad-Dar were in charge to bear it. Thus was the distribution of the posts of the army ever since �Abd Munaf had already assigned them. This assignment had been inherited from Qusai bin Kilab � as we have previously alluded to in an early phase of this book. No one had the right to compete them with it. It was consistent with their traditions that they had inherited from their ancestors.

Abu Sufyan, the general leader, reminded his men � the standard bearers � of what had happened to Quraish on Badr Day (i.e. battle) when their standard bearer, An-Nadr bin Al-Harith, was captured. In an attempt to wage their anger and enmity to the Muslims he said: "O Bani �Abd Ad-Dar! You have been assigned bearers of our standard and you know that the standard is the first thing that the enemy attacks. Should it fall, we fall down too. Therefore, I say either you guarantee its safety or leave it for us, and we will certainly suffice you that task."

Abu Sufyan�s attempt seemed to be fruitful. For his speech made Bani �Abd Ad-Dar so extremely angry that they threatened him and almost attacked him for that. Addressing him, they said: "You want us to deliver you the custodianship of the standard? Tomorrow when we fight them, you will witness our deeds." As a matter of fact, they fought bravely and stoodfast in defence of the standard till they were all killed.

A little time before the break out of the battle, Quraish made some endeavours to sow the seeds of discord and dispute among the Muslims. First, Abu Sufyan sent to the Helpers a message saying: "Leave us alone to fight our cousins and do not interfere. If you stand aside, we will not fight you; for fighting you is not a target of ours." But that attempt proved to be fruitless. What could such a wicked scheme do to those whose Faith was as solid and firm as mountains?! The Helpers reply was undoubtedly disappointing and contrary to Abu Sufyan�s expectations.

The zero-hour was due. The two parties drew nearer. Undespaired by the first failure, Quraish made another attempt, for the same purport but now with the assistance of a traitor called Abu �Amir Al-Fasiq, whose name was �Abd �Amr bin Saifi. He was called a monk, but the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] nicknamed him Al-F�siq (i.e. perverted transgressor; dissolute). As he was the head of Aws in Al-Jahiliya, he could not tolerate Islam when it came. He announced his enmity to the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] in public. He left Madinah for the Quraishites in Makkah to rally them against the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] and to urge them to start the fight against him. He claimed that he was obeyed and esteemed by his people and that as soon as they saw him come they would join him immediately.

So he was the first one among the mob and slaves of Quraish to show resistance. He called out unto his people, recognized them and said: "O kinfolk of Aws! I am Abu �Amir." Their reply was "No eyes of anybody shall be consoled by viewing you, O F�siq." Hearing them say so, he said: "My people must have been afflicted by an evil after my departure." Therefore when the fight broke out, he fought them fiercely and pelted his people with stones, as well.

That was how the second attempt of Quraish to sow the seeds of discord among people of Faith. This, however, revealed the great terror of the Quraishites cast in their hearts in spite of their supremacy in number and equipment.

Quraishi-women participated in the battle led by the wife of Abu Sufyan, Hind bint �Utbah. They wandered among the rows of the idolaters, tapped on tambourines, encouraged men to fight, inflamed the emotions of heroes, lancers, swordsmen and brave fighters. At one time they addressed the standard-bearers:

"O Bani �Abd Ad-Dar!
O home defenders,
Strike with your sharp swords �"

And at another time they would wage people�s zeal by singing:

"If you fight (bravely), we will embrace
and unfold mats to welcome you.
But if you flee from the battlefield, we leave you,
Desert you and no more love you."

The two parties approached and grew very close to each another. The phases of fight started. The first combatant was the standard-bearer, Talha bin Abi Talha Al-�Abdari, who was the most distinguished idolater. He was one of the bravest men of Quraish fighters. Muslims nicknamed him �the ram of the battalion.� He came forth riding a camel and challenged the Muslims to a single combat. People refrained from fighting him due to his bravery; but Az-Zubair bin Al-�Awwam advanced for the fight. He did not give the �Ram� any chance to fight but fell on him like a lion on his camel�s back, pulled him down to the ground and slaughtered him with his sword.

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] who was watching that wonderful incident exclaimed: All�hu Akbar that is �All�h is the Greatest� and the Muslims exclaimed All�hu Akbar too. He praised Az-Zubair when he said:

"Every Prophet has a disciple and Az-Zubair is a disciple of mine."[As-Seerah Al-Halaiyah 2/18]

Soon the general engagement ensued and the fight of the two parties grew fierce everywhere on the battlefield. The strain of the fight was centred round the carriers of the standard. After the death of their leader Talha bin Abi Talha, Banu �Abd Ad-Dar alternated the mission successively. Talha�s brother, �Uthman, ran forward and seized the standard which lay by the lifeless body of his brother, chanting: "The standard-bearer has the right to dye its shaft in blood, till it be beaten in his hand." Hamzah bin �Abdul Muttalib attacked and dealt him a blow that cut his arm and shoulder and went down to his navel to uncover his lung.

The standard was raised up again by Abu Sa�d bin Abi Talha; but Sa�d bin Abi Waqqas shot him with a deadly arrow that hit him at his throat and made his tongue hang out breathing his last.

In another version it was narrated that Abu Sa�d lifted the standard up and challenged the Muslims to fight him. �Ali bin Abi Talib went forth. They exchanged two blows. Then �Ali gave him a terminal blow that finished him off.

Musafi� bin Talha bin Abi Talha then hoisted the standard, but was soon shot with an arrow by �Asim bin Thabit bin Abi Al-Aqlah. His brother Kilab bin Talha bin Abi Talha followed him picked the banner and lifted it up; but Az-Zubair bin Al-�Awwam attacked him and managed to kill him. Their brother Al-Jallas bin Talha bin Abi Talha lifted the banner up but Talha bin �Ubaidu-All�h stabbed him to death. They also said that it was �Asim bin Thabit who managed to deal a terminal blow to him.

All those six people killed round and in defence of the standard, belonged to one house, the house of Abi Talha �Abdullah bin �Uthman bin �Abd Ad-Dar. Another man from Bani �Abd Ad-Dar, called Artat bin Sharhabeel carried the standard but he also was killed by �Ali bin Abi Talib. Others said it was Hamzah who killed him not �Ali.

Then it was Shuraih bin Qariz who was killed by Quzman � he was a hypocrite who fought for prestige only, not in defence of Islam. Abu Zaid �Amr bin �Abd Munaf Al-�Abdari lifted the standard up but he was killed by Quzman too. A son of Sharhabeel bin Hashim Al-�Abdari hoisted it again and was also killed by Quzman.

So we see that ten fighters of Bani �Abd Ad-Dar � the standard-bearers � were annihilated. Seeing that none of �Abd Ad-Dars survived to carry the standard, a slave of theirs � called Sawab � came to raise it. The slave showed more admirable sorts of bravery and steadfastness than his former masters. Sawab, the slave went on fighting till his hand was cut off. So he knelt down and embraced the banner, leant it against his chest and neck lest it should fall down to the ground. He remained fighting steadily and steadfastly till he was killed. In the meanwhile he did not stop saying: "O All�h, have I been excused?" After the death of the slave Sawab, the standard fell down to the ground, and remained there as there was no one to carry it.

Whilst the brunt of the battle centred around the standard, bitter fighting was going on everywhere on the battlefield. The spirit of Faith overwhelmed the Muslims� ranks; so they rushed among the idolaters as if they had been an outbreak of a destructive flood that overflowed and knocked down all dams and barriers standing in its way "I seek death, I seek death." That was their announced motto on Uhud Day.

Abu Dujana, recognized by the red band worn round his head, came forth, fighting with the sword of the Messenger of All�h [pbuh]. He was determined to pay its price at all costs. He killed all the idolaters that stood on his way splitting and dispersing their ranks. Az-Zubair bin Al-�Awwam said:

"I felt angry and discouraged when the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] refused to give me the sword but gave it to Abu Dujana. I said to myself: �I am his paternal cousin � the cousin of his aunt Safiya � a Quraishite, besides, I was the first who demanded it and yet he favoured him to me. By All�h, I will watch how he will use it.� So I followed him, I saw him take out his red band and wear it round his head. Seeing him like that, the Helpers said, �Abu Dujana had worn the band of death.� Then he set out saying loudly:

�I am the one whom my intimate friend made covenant with, when we were under the palm-trees on the mountain side.
The covenant that we made was that I should not fight at the rear.
But fight at the front heroically with the sword of All�h and His Messenger.�

No one stood the way of Abu Dujana but was killed. There was a man among the idolaters whose only target was to finish off the wounded Muslims. During the fight Abu Dujana drew near that man; so I implored All�h that they might engage in combat. They in fact did and exchanged two sword-strokes. The idolater struck Abu Dujana, but he escaped it and it pierced into his leather shield. The idolater�s sword now stuck to it, Abu Dujana struck him with the sword and killed him. Ibn Hisham 2/68,69] Into the thick of the battle, he rushed to kill a person who was inciting the enemy to fight the Muslims. Upon this the person shrieked and lo! it was a woman. Abu Dujana spared her saying: �I respect the Prophet [pbuh]�s sword too much to use it on a woman.� The woman was Hind bint �Utbah."

Describing the same incident, Az-Zubair bin Al-�Awwam said: "I saw Abu Dujana raising a sword over the parting part of Hind bint �Utba�s head then he moved it off. I said to myself: �All�h and His Messenger know best.� (i.e. know why he acted like that). [bn Hisham 2/69]"

Hamzah bin �Abdul Muttalib displayed wonderful feats of gallantry against the overwhelming odds which stood unparalled and created consternation and confusion in the disbelieving hosts. Heroes dispersed off his way as if they had been tree-leaves blown away by strong wind. In addition to his effective contribution to the annihilation of the idolaters who stood in defence of the standard, he was even of much greater effect at fighting against men of bravery and distinguished horsemen. It was All�h�s Will that he be murdered when he was at the top. He was not killed in a face-to-face fight on the battlefield � in the normal way by which heroes die � but rather assassinated in the dead-dark as was the custom of killing generous and noble men that were impossible to kill in an honourable fight.

Hamzah�s assassin, Wahshi bin Harb, described how he killed Hamzah. He said:

"I was a slave working to Jubair bin Mut�im, whose paternal uncle Tu�aimah bin �Adi was injured at Badr Battle. So when Quraish marched to Uhud, Jubair said to me: �If you kill Hamzah, the uncle of Muhammad, stealthily you shall be manumitted.� "

"So I marched with the people to Uhud." He used to describe himself as, "I am a picaro good at spearing." "So when the two parties fought, I set out seeking Hamzah. I saw him amidst people fighting. He was like a white and black striped camel, striking severely with his sword and no one could stand on his way. By All�h! When I was getting ready and trying to seize the fit opportunity to spear him, hiding sometimes behind a tree or a rock hoping that he might draw nearer and be within range � at that moment I caught sight of Siba� bin �Abd Al-�Uzza going closer towards him. When Hamzah observed him, he said: �Come on! O son of the �clitoris-cutter.� � for his mother used to be a circumciser. Then he struck one strong stroke that could hardly miss his head."

Wahshi said: "Then I balanced my spear and shook it till I was content with it, then I speared him and it went down into his stomach and issued out between his legs. He attempted moving towards me but he was overcome by his wound. I left him there with the spear in his entrails till he died. Then I came to him, pulled out my spear and returned to the encampment place. I stayed there and did not go out, for he was the only one I sought. I only killed him to free myself. So as soon as I got back to Makkah, I became a free man." [Ibn Hisham 2/69-72; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/583]

Although the death of Asad (Lion) of All�h and His Messenger � Hamzah bin �Abdul Muttalib � was a great loss, the Muslims maintained full control over the whole situation on the battlefield. On that day, Abu Bakr, �Umar bin Al-Khattab, �Ali bin Abi Talib, Az-Zubair bin Al-�Awwam, Mus�ab bin �Umair, Talha bin �Ubaidull�h, �Abdullah bin Jahsh, Sa�d bin Ar-Rab� and Anas bin An-Nadr and others � all of them fought so fiercely, effectively and efficiently that they broke the strong will of the idolaters and scattered them.

One of the brave adventurers of that day was Hanzala Al-Ghaseel � He was Hanzala bin Abu �Amir. Abu �Amir was the very monk that was nicknamed �Al-F�siq� (i.e. the dissolute, evildoer). He is the very one that we have recently mentioned. Hanzala, who was newly married, left his wife�s bed for Al-Jih�d (Fight in the cause of All�h). He set out the moment he heard of the call to Al-Jih�d. When he faced the idolaters on the battlefield, he made his way through their ranks till he reached their leader Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb and had almost killed him, if he had not been ordained to be a martyr. For at that moment he was seen by Shaddad bin Al-Aswad who struck him to death.

The archers squad whom the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] located on the Archers Mountain, had the upper hand in administering the war activities to go in favour of the Muslim army. The Makkan horsemen � commanded by Khalid bin Al-Waleed, supported by Abu �Amir Al-F�siq � had for three times attacked the left wing of the Muslim army with the aim of crushing it and then infiltrating into the rear to create a sort of confusion and disorder in the ranks of the Muslims and subsequently inflict heavy defeat on them. But thanks to the dexterity and great efforts of the archers, the three assaults were thwarted.[Fath Al-Bari 7/346]

War activities went on and on fierecly with the Muslims in full command of the whole military developments until the idolaters finally staggered and retreated, leaving all motives of alleged pride, and affected dignity in oblivion, and their standard trodden by the feet of the fighters with none ever courageous enough to approach it. It seemed as if the three thousand idolaters had been fighting thirty thousand Muslims and not merely several hundreds.

Ibn Ishaq said: "Then All�h sent down His Help unto the Muslims and verified His Promise to them. They chased the idolaters and evacuated them from their camp. No doubt it was a certain defeat." In a version by �Abdullah bin Az-Zubair that his father had said: "By All�h, I was watching the servants of Hind bint �Utbah and her women friends fleeing with their garments gathered up. No one was there to prevent us from capturing them."[Ibn Hisham 2/77]

In another version by Al-Bar� bin �Azib � mentioned in Sahih Al-Bukh�ri � he said: "When we fought them, they fled, and their women could be seen fleeing in the mountains with their anklets and legs revealed."[Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/579] The Muslims pursued the enemies putting them to sword and collecting the spoils.

While the small army of Islam were recording the second absolute and clear victory over the Makkans � which was no less in splendour and glory than the first one at Badr � the majority of the archers on the mountainside committed a fatal mistake that turned the whole situation upside down, and constituted a source of heavy losses amongst the Muslims. It has almost brought about the murder of the Prophet [pbuh], and left a very bad impression on the fame and dignity they deservedly earned at Badr Battle.

We have already spoken about the positive orders given to the archers to hold on to their position whatever the course of the main engagement. In spite of those strict orders, and their leader�s � �Abdullah bin Jubair � warning, forty archers deserted their posts, enticed by the too soon roar of victory as well as worldly avarice for the spoils of war.[Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/426] The others, however, nine in number and �Abdullah, their leader, decided to abide by the Prophet [pbuh]�s order and stay where they were until they were given leave or killed to the last. Consequently the cleft was left inadequately defended .

The shrewd Khalid bin Al-Waleed seized this golden opportunity to turn swiftly round to the rear of the Muslim army and encompass them. Exterminating Ibn Jubair and his group, they fell promptly upon the rear of the Muslims and his horsemen uttered a shout that signalled the new military developments. The polytheists returned once again to counterattack the Muslims. An idolist woman � called �Umra bint �Alqama Al-Harithiyah � rushed to the lying-on-earth standard, picked it up and hoisted it. The idolaters gathered together around the standard and called out unto one another till they encircled the Muslims and stoodfast to fight again.

The Muslims consequently got entrapped between two millstones.

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] was then among a small group of fighters � nine in number at the rear of the army[Sahih Muslim 2/107], watching the engagement and braving the Muslim fighters. Khalid and his men took him by utter surprise, and obliged him to follow either of two options:

1. To flee for his life and abandon his army to its doomed end, or
   
2. To take action at the risk of his life, rally the ranks of the Muslims again and work their way through the hills of Uhud towards the encompassed army.

The genius of the Messenger of All�h [pbuh], his peerless and matchless courage made him opt for the second course. He raised his voice calling out unto his Companions: "Slaves of All�h." He did that though he knew that his loud voice would be heard by the idolaters before it was heard by the Muslims. He called out unto them risking his life in this delicate situation.

The idolaters, indeed, recognized him and reached his position even before the other Muslims could do so.

The encompassment of the Muslims revealed three categories of people: The first group were those who were only interested in themselves and they went so mad that they fled. They left the battlefield and did not know what happened to the others. Some of this group fled as far as Madinah. Some others went up the mountain.

The second Muslim group were those who returned to the battle, but mixed with the idolaters in such a way that they could not recognize one another. Consequently some of them were killed by mistake. On the authority of Al-Bukhari, he states that �Aishah [R] said: "When it was Uhud Battle, the idolaters were utterly defeated. Satan then called out: �O slaves of All�h. Beware the rear (i.e. the enemy is approaching from behind)�. So those who were at the front turned back and fought the ones who were behind."

Then Hudhaifah caught sight of his father �Al-Yaman� about to be killed by other Muslims. So he said: "O servants of All�h! Beware! This is my father. This is my father." �Aishah [R] said: "But they did not part with him till he was killed." Hudhaifah then said: "May All�h forgive you." And �Urwa said: "By All�h, from that time on Hudhaifah has always been blessed and wealthy till he died."[Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/539, 2/581; Fath Al-Bari 7/351, 362, 363] That was because he forgave them and refused to take any blood-money for his father�s murder but recommended that it be spent in charity.

This Muslim group suffered from great bewilderment, and disorder prevailed among them. A lot of them got lost and did not know where to go. At this awkward time they heard someone calling: "Muhammad is killed." This news made them even more bewildered and almost out of sense. Their morale broke down, or almost did in a great number of individuals. Some of them stopped fighting, slackened, and cast down their weapons. Others thought of getting in touch with �Abdullah bin Ubai � the head of the hypocrites � and seeking his assistance to fetch them a security pledge from Abu Sufyan.

Anas bin An-Nadr passed by those people who were shuddering of fear and panic, and inquired: "What are you waiting for?" They said: "The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] has been killed." "What do you live for after Muhammad [pbuh]? Come on and die for what the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] has died for." Then he said: "O All�h I apologize for what these people (i.e. the Muslims) have done; and I swear disavowal of what the idolaters have perpetrated." Then he moved on till he was encountered by Sa�d bin Mu�adh who asked him: "Where to, Abu �Umar?" Anas replied: "Ah, how fine the scent of the Paradise is! I smell it here in Uhud." He went on and fought against the idolaters till he was killed. Nobody but his sister could recognize his dead body. It had been cut and stabbed by over eighty swords, arrows or spears. It was by the tip of his finger that she � after the battle � recognized him.[Za'd Al Ma'ad 2/93, 96; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/579]

Thabit bin Ad-Dahdah called unto his people saying:

"O kinfolk of Helpers, if Muhammad [pbuh] were killed, All�h is Everlasting and He never dies. Fight in defence of your Faith. All�h will help you and so you will be victorious." A group of Helpers joined him and all set out and attacked a battalion of Khalid�s horsemen. He kept on fighting till he and his friends were killed.[Ibn Hisham 2/81]

An Emigrant passed by a Helper who was besmeared by blood. He said: "O fellow! Have you heard of Muhammad [pbuh]�s murder?" The Helper answered: "If Muhammad [pbuh] were killed, then he must have completed the delivery of the Message. So fight in defence of your religion!"[Za'd Al Ma'ad 2/96]

With such boldness and encouragement, the Muslims soon recovered their spirits, came round to senses and desisted the idea of surrender or contacting the hypocrite �Abdullah bin Ubai. They took up arms and resumed the fight attempting to make way to the headquarters, particularly after the news of the Prophet [pbuh]�s death had been falsified. The glad tidings nerved them, and helped them to manage quite successfully the break of the military blockade, and concentrate their forces in an immune place to resume a relentless and fierce fight against the polytheists.

The third group of Muslims were those who cared for nothing except the Prophet [pbuh]. At the head of them were notable Companions like Abu Bakr, �Umar bin Al-Khattab, �Ali bin Abi Talib and others ��� ���� ����, who hastened to protect the Prophet [pbuh] through unrivalled devotion.

As those groups of Muslims were receiving the blows of the idolaters and resisting instantly, the fight flared up around the Messenger of All�h [pbuh], who had only nine people around him. We have already mentioned that when the idolaters started their encompassment there were only nine persons around the Messenger of All�h [pbuh]; and that as soon as he called out unto the Muslims: "Come on! I am the Messenger of All�h [pbuh]," the idolaters heard his voice and recognized him. So they turned back and attacked him with all their power before any of his Companions ran to his aid.

A violent raging struggle broke out between the nine Muslims and the idolaters during which peerless sort of love, self-sacrifice, bravery and heroism were revealed.

Muslim, on the authority of Anas bin Malik narrated that the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] along with seven Helpers and two Emigrants, was confined to a trap when the idolaters attacked him. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] then said: " He who pushes back those idolaters, will be housed in Paradise." or "He will be my Companion in Paradise." One of the Helpers stepped forward and fought the idolaters in defence of the Prophet [pbuh] till he was killed. Then they attacked the Messenger [pbuh] again. The same process was repeated again and again till all the seven Helpers were killed. Then the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said to his two Quraishite Companions: "We have not done justice to our Companions."[Sahih Muslim 2/107]

The last of those seven Helpers was �Amara bin Yazeed bin As-Sakan, who kept on fighting till his wounds neutralized him and he fell dead.[Ibn Hisham 2/81]

After the fall of Ibn Sakan, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] remained alone with only those two Quraishites. In a version by Abu �Uthman � authorized in As-Sahihain� he said: "At that time, there were none with the Prophet [pbuh] except Talha bin �Ubaidull�h and Sa�d bin Abi Waqqas.[Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/527, 2/581] That was the most awkward and dangerous hour for the Prophet [pbuh], but it was a golden opportunity for the idolaters who promptly took advantage of it. They concentrated their attack on the Prophet [pbuh] and looked forward to killing him.

�Utbah bin Abi Waqqas pelted him with stones. One of the stones fell on his face. His lower right incisor Ruba�iya (i.e. the tooth that is between a canine and a front tooth) was injured. His lower lip was wounded. He was also attacked by �Abdullah bin Shihab Az-Zuhri who cleaved his forehead. �Abdullah bin Qami�a (Qami�a means �a humiliated woman�), who was an obstinate strong horseman, struck him violently on his shoulder with his sword; and that stroke hurt the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] for over a month � though it was not strong enough to break his two armours. He dealt a heavy blow on his cheek. It was so strong that two rings of his iron-ringed helmet penetrated into his holy cheek. "Take this stroke from me, I am Ibn Qami�a." He said while striking the Messenger with his sword. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] replied � while he was wiping the blood flowing on his face: "I implore All�h to humiliate you."[Fath Al-Bari 7/373, 366] (i.e. Aqma�aka All�h). In Al-Bukh�ri it is stated his incisor broke, his head was cleaved, and that he started wiping the blood off it and saying: "(I wonder) how can people who cut the face of their Prophet [pbuh] and break the incisor of his � he who calls them to worship All�h. How can such people thrive or be successful?" About that incident, All�h, Glory is to Him, sent down a Qur��nic verse saying:

"Not for you (O Muhammad [pbuh] but for All�h) is the decision; whether He turns in mercy to (pardons) them or punishes them; verily, they are the Z�lim�n (polytheists, disobedients, and wrong-doers)." [Al-Qur'an 3:128] [Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/582; Sahih Muslim 2/108]

At-Tabarani states that the Prophet [pbuh] said: "All�h�s Wrath is great on those who besmear the face of His Messenger," observed silence for a short while and then resumed saying:

"O All�h, forgive my people for they have no knowledge." [Fath Al-Bari 7/373]

In Sahih Muslim it is stated that the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said:

"My Lord, forgive my people for they have no knowledge." [Sahih Muslim 2/108]

In Ash-Shifa � a book by �Ayad Al-Qadi � it is related that the Prophet [pbuh] said:

"O All�h, guide my people for they have no knowledge." [Ash-Shifa 1/81]

It is quite certain that killing the Prophet [pbuh] was their primary aim, but the two Quraishites � Sa�d bin Abi Waqqas and Talha bin �Ubaidull�h, who showed great and rare courage and fought so fiercely and boldly that � though they were only two � were able to stop the idolaters short of realizing their aim. They were of the best skillful Arab archers and kept on militating in defence of the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] till the whole squad of idolaters was driven off him [pbuh].

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] emptied his quiver of arrows and said to Sa�d bin Abi Waqqas: "Shoot, an arrow Sa�d. May my father and mother be sacrified for you.[Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/407, 2/580, 581]" The Prophet [pbuh] had never gathered his parents except in the case of Sa�d � a privilege granted to him for his efficiency.[ibid 1/407, 2/580,581]

In a version by Jabir � authorized by An-Nasa�i � concerning the attitude of Talha bin �Ubaidull�h towards the gathering of idolaters around the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] � when there were only some Helpers with him � Jabir said: "When the idolaters reached him, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said: �Who will suffice us their evils (i.e. fight them back)?� Talha said: �I will.�" Then Jabir mentioned the advance of the Helpers to fight and how they were killed one after the other in a similar way to Muslim�s narration � "When all the Helpers were killed, Talha proceeded forward to fight as much as the other eleven ones did till his hand was hurt and his fingers were cut off. So he said: �Be they cut off!� The Prophet [pbuh] said: �If you had said: In the Name of All�h, the angels would have raised you up before the people�s very eyes.�" Then he said: "All�h drove the idolaters off them."[Fath-al-Bari 7/361; An-Nasa'i 2/52,53] In Al-Ikleel � a book by Hakim � it is stated that Talha had sustained thirty-nine or thirty-five wounds, and his fingers (i.e. the forefinger and the one next to it � got paralyzed.[ibid 7/361]

In a version by Qais bin Abi H�zim � authorized by Al-Bukhari, he said: "I saw the hand of Talha paralyzed. That was because he protected the Prophet [pbuh] with it in Uhud Battle."[Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/527, 2/581]

At-Tirmidhi stated that the Prophet [pbuh] then said about Talha: "He who desires to see a martyr walking on the ground, let him look at Talha bin �Ubaidull�h."[Mishkat 2/566; Ibn Hisham 2/86]

Abu Da��d At-Tayalisi on the authority of �Aishah [R], said: "Whenever Uhud Day (i.e. battle) was mentioned, Abu Bakr used to say: �That was Talha�s day (i.e. battle)�.[Fath Al-Bari 7/361] Abu Bakr recited a verse of poetry about him: �O Talha bin �Ubaidull�h! Paradise is due to you as water-springs are due to deer to drink out of.� [Mukhtasar Tareekh Damishq, 7/82] At the awkward and most delicate circumstances, All�h, Glory is to Him, sent down His invisible Help. In a version by Sa�d � cleared and authorized in Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim � he said: "I saw the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] on Uhud Day with two men � dressed in white defending him fiercely � I have never seen similar to them neither before Uhud nor after it." In another version: "He means to say that they were Gabriel and Michael".[Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/580]

All those events happened in no time. If the Prophet [pbuh]�s elite Companions had realized the grave situation immediately, they would have rushed on the spot and would not have left him sustain these wounds. Unfortunately, they got there after the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] had been wounded and six of the Helpers killed, the seventh was staggering under the brunt of wounds and desperately militating in defence of the Prophet [pbuh]. However as soon as they arrived they encircled the Messenger with their bodies and weapons and were alert enough to prevent the enemies from reaching him. The first one who returned to give help, was his cavemate Abu Bakr As-Siddiq [R].

In a version by �Aishah [R] recorded in Ibn Hibban�s Sahih, she narrated that Abu Bakr had said:

"When it was Uhud Day and at the time that the Prophet [pbuh] was left behind, I was the first to go back and see him. Before him I saw a man fighting to shield him from the enemies. I said to myself: �I wish he were Talha. Let my father and mother be sacrificed for you. (O All�h) Let him be Talha! Let my parents be sacrificed for you!� On the way, I was overtaken by Abu �Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah, who was then moving as swiftly as a bird. We both rushed to dress the Prophet [pbuh]�s wounds. There we found Talha suffering from serious wounds before the Messenger of All�h [pbuh]. The Prophet [pbuh] said: �See to your brother. His deed entitled him for an abode in Paradise.� I noticed that two rings of the iron-ringed helmet had penetrated his cheek. So I set out to take them out; but Abu �Ubaidah demanded: �By All�h, O Abu Bakr � I beseech you, let me do it myself.� Fearing to hurt the Prophet [pbuh] he started pulling one of the two rings out very slowly and carefully with his mouth. Then he pulled the arrow out by his mouth, too. Consequently, his front tooth fell. Then I proceeded to pull the second out; but Abu �Ubaidah besought me to leave it: �O, Abu Bakr, I adjure you by All�h to let me do it.� He pulled the second ring very slowly and carefully with his mouth � till it came out. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said: �See to your brother. He has proved to be worthy of being housed in Paradise.� We approached Talha to cure him but found out that he had had some ten sword-strokes in his body. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/95] (This showed how efficiently Talha had fought and struggled on that day)."

At those awkward moments of that day, a group of Muslim heroes gathered around the Prophet [pbuh] forming a shield to protect him from the idolaters. Some of them were Abu Dujana, Mus�ab bin �Umair, �Ali bin Abi Talib, Sahl bin Haneef, Malik bin � Sinan the father of Abu Sa��d Al-Khudri, Umm�Amara, Nusaiba bint Ka�b Al-M�ziniya, Qatada bin An-Nu�man, �Umar bin Al-Khattab, Hatib bin Abi Balta�a and Abu Talha.

The number of idolaters was steadily increasing; and their attacks, naturally, got severer. Their press had increased to an extent that the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] fell into one of the holes dug and designed by Abu �Amir Al-Fasiq to be used as traps. His knee scratched and �Ali helped him by grasping his hand up. Talha bin �Ubaidull�h took him in his lap till he could stand upright. Nafi� bin Jubair said: I heard an Emigrant say: "I have witnessed Uhud Battle and watched how arrows had been hurled from all directions at the Prophet [pbuh]. None of them however hit him. �Abdullah, bin Shihab Az-Zuhri said: �Guide me to Muhammad [pbuh]! By All�h, If I didn�t kill him, I would not hope to live.� Although the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] was next to him, alone � but he did not observe him. Safwan, a co-polytheist of his, blamed him (for not translating his words into deeds), but �Abdullah swore that he did not see him (the Prophet [pbuh]) and added that he might be immune to our attempts on his life. He also said that four of them pledged to make a fresh attempt and kill him, but also to no avail. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/97]

The Muslims showed unprecedented rare heroism and marvellous sacrifices. Abu Talha � for instance � shielded the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] by his body and used his chest to protect him against the enemy arrows. Anas related that on Uhud Day when people dispersed off the Prophet [pbuh], Abu Talhah was a skillful sort of archer who would pull arrows so much that he broke two or three bows that day. When a man passed along with a quiver full of arrows, the Prophet [pbuh] would say: "Spread the arrows to Abu Talhah!" Then when the Prophet [pbuh] watched people shooting, Abu Talhah would say: "I sacrifice my father and mother for your safety. Do not go too close lest an arrow of theirs should hit you. I would rather die than see you hurt."[Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/581]

Abu Dujana stood before the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] and used to protect him from the arrows by his back. Hatib bin Balta�a followed �Utbah bin Abi Waqqas � who broke the honourable incisor (of the Prophet [pbuh]) � struck him with the sword, cracked his head and took his mare and sword. Sa�d bin Abi Waqqas was so keen to kill his brother �Utbah, but he could not; however, Hatib could.

Sahl bin Haneef � a hero archer � who had pledged to die in the cause of All�h, also played a prominent part in Uhud hostilities.

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] himself was involved in shooting arrows. In a version by Qatadah bin An-Nu�man that the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] shot so many arrows that the two ends of his bow were flattened. So Qatadah bin An-Nu�man took it to remain with him for good. On that day his eye was so hurt that it fell down onto his cheek; but the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] reput it in its socket with his hand and it became the better and the more sharp-sighted of the two.

On that day �Abdur Rahman bin �Awf kept on fighting till his mouth was hurt and got broken. He sustained over twenty wounds, some in his leg, and that lamed him.

Malik bin Sinan, the father of Abi Sa�eed Al-Khudri sucked the blood out of the Prophet [pbuh]�s cheek till he cleaned it. The Prophet [pbuh] said: "Spit it!". But Malik said: "By All�h, I will never spit it". Then he set out to fight. The Prophet [pbuh] then said: "He who wants to see a man of the people of Paradise, let him look at this one." No sooner had he resumed fighting than he was martyred in the thick of the battle.

Umm �Amarah participated in the fight too. She encountered Ibn Qami�a in combat, and sustained a slight wound on her shoulder, but she herself also struck him with her sword several times but he survived because he was wearing two armours. She, however, went on striking until her wounds counted twelve.

Mus�ab bin �Umair, in his turn, fought fiercely and violently defending the Prophet [pbuh] against the attacks of Ibn Qami�a and his fellows. He was carrying the standard with his right hand. In the process of fighting, it was cut off, so he grabbed the standard in his left hand till this was also amputated so he knelt down and shielded it with his chest and neck. Ibn Qami�a then killed him, mistaking him for the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] on account of resemblance in appearance. Only then did Ibn Qami�a shout �Muhammad [pbuh] has been killed.�[Ibn Hisham 2/73; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/97]

No sooner had Ibn Qami�a uttered that ominous sentence than consternation spread among Muhammad [pbuh]�s followers, and their morale was drastically reduced. Consequently, confusion and a miserable state of disorder prevailed amongst them. Whilst the rumours managed to adversely act amongst the Muslims, it alleviated the sharp impact of the assaults of the polytheists who came to believe that they did really achieve their final objective and so they turned towards mutilating the dead bodies.

When Mus�ab was killed, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] delivered the standard to �Ali bin Abi Talib. �Ali, in conjunction with the other Companions, went on fighting bravely and set marvellous examples of heroism, courage and endurance in both defence and attack.

Then the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] made his way to his encircled army. Ka�b bin Malik, who was the first one to recognize the approaching Prophet [pbuh], shouted as loudly as he could: "O folks of Muslims, be cherished! The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] is here." But the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] signed to him to stop lest his position should be located by the idolaters. Upon hearing the shout, the Muslims immediately raced towards the source of the shout which brought about thirty Companions to gather around the Prophet [pbuh]. With this assembled number of his Companions, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] started drawing a planned withdrawal to the hillocks nearby.

Hostilities of the enemy grew fiercer than ever with the aim of foiling the plan of withdrawal of the Muslims. Their attempts however proved to be fruitless due to the heroic steadfastness of the lions of Islam.

�Uthman bin �Abdullah bin Al-Mugheerah � one of the enemy horsemen � progressed towards the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] while saying: "Either I kill him (i.e. Muhammad [pbuh]) or I will be killed." The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] moved to encounter him but his mare tripped into some holes. So Al-Harith bin As-Simma combated with the enemy, and struck him on his leg so he went lame, then he finished him off, took his arm and overtook the Messenger of All�h [pbuh].

But later on another Makkan horseman, called �Abdullah bin Jabir, attacked Al-Harith bin As-Simma, and struck him on the shoulder with his sword and he was carried to the camp of the Muslims suffering from serious wounds. Anyway that very idolater did not escape death, for Abu Dujana � the red head-banded hero and adventurer � struck him heavily and cut his head off.

During this bitter fight, a desire to sleep overwhelmed the Muslims � that was a security and tranquillity to help His slave Muslims as the Qur��n spoke in this context. Abu Talhah said: "I was one of those who were possessed by a desire to sleep on Uhud Day. On that day my sword fell off my hand several times. Again and again it fell down and again and again I picked it up."[Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/582]

In a regular withdrawal and with great bravery and boldness, the Muslims finally retreated to the cover of Mountain Uhud. Then, the rest of the army followed them to that safe position. In this manner, the genius of Muhammad [pbuh] foiled that of Khalid bin Al-Waleed.

Ibn Ishaq related that: "When the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] was going up the hillock, he was followed by Ubai bin Khalaf who was saying: �Where is Muhammad [pbuh]? Either I kill him or I will be killed.� The Companions of Muhammad [pbuh] said: �O Messenger of All�h, do you mind if one of us combats with him?� But the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said: �Leave him!� So when he drew nearer, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] took the spear from Al-Harith bin As-Simma. He shivered violently in such a way that made all of them scatter in all directions violently and impulsively. Then he faced him, observed his clavicle through a gap between the wide opening of the armour and the part of his neck enclosed by. He speared him in that spot. The effect of the stroke was so strong that it made him roll off his horse over and over. When he returned to Quraish, they found that he had only had a small scratch in his neck. So when blood became congested he said: �By All�h, Muhammad has killed me.� Hearing him say so, they said: �By All�h you are afraid to death. By All�h, you are possessed by a devil.� He replied: �He had already told me when we were in Makkah: �I will kill you.� By All�h, had he spate on me, he would have killed me.� Eventually, the enemy of All�h breathed his last at a place called Sarif, while they were taking him back to Makkah."[Ibn Hisham 2/84; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/97] In a version by Abul-Aswad, on the authority of �Urwa: He was lowing like a bull and saying: "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if (the pain) I am suffering from now were distributed among the people of Al-Majaz, it would cause them to die."[Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.250]

During the withdrawal of the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] up to the cover of the mountain, a big rock blocked his way. The Prophet [pbuh] tried to mount it, but having worn a short heavy armour, and being seriously wounded � he could not ascend it. Readily enough Talha sat in a position that enabled the Prophet [pbuh] to stand on his back. Then he lifted him up till he stood on it. The Prophet [pbuh] then said: "Talha, after this job, is eligible for the Garden (Paradise)."[Ibn Hisham 2/86]

When the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] settled down in his head quarters in the hillock, the idolaters started their last attack upon the Muslims. Ibn Ishaq related that: "While the Prophet [pbuh] was on the way to the hillock, a group of Quraishite elite ascended the mountain. They were led by Khalid bin Al-Waleed and Abu Sufyan. So the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] implored his Lord saying: �O All�h, they (i.e. the idolaters) should not be higher (i.e. in position or in power) than us (i.e. the Muslims). Therefore �Umar bin Al-Khattab and some of the Emigrants fought the idolaters till they drove them down the mountain.[Ibn Hisham 2/86]

In Al-Maghazi � a book by Al-Umawi � it is stated that the idolaters went up the mountain. So the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said to Sa�d: "Drive them off." "How can I drive them off by myself (i.e. without anyone to assist)." But the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] repeated the phrase three times. Sa�d then took an arrow out of his quiver, shot it at one of them and killed him. He said: "Then I took another one I know (to be good) and I shot with it another man. Then I took a third I know and killed a third one. Consequently they climbed down the mountain. I said to myself, �this must be a blessed arrow.� I put it in my quiver." He kept it with him till he died. His children kept it with them ever after. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/95]

That was the last attack made by the idolaters against the Prophet [pbuh]. Being almost certain of his death, the idolaters returned to their camp and started preparations to go back to Makkah. Some of them involved themselves in mutilating the killed Muslims, and so did their women. Women and men cut off the ears, the noses, the genitals of the martyrs. They even cut open their bellies. Hind bin �Utbah � for instance � ripped open the liver of Hamzah and chewed it; but finding it unpleasant, she spat it out. She even made the ears and noses of Muslims into anklets and necklaces. [Ibn Hisham 2/90]

Two incidents occurred during the last hours of the fight. Which revealed for certain how far the Muslims were ready to fight and sacrifice in the way of All�h:

1. Ka�b bin Malik said: I was one of those Muslims who fought in Uhud and witnessed the polytheists� act of barbarity in mutilating the dead bodies, but I passed them because I couldn�t stand it. Then I saw an armed stout idolater pass through the Muslims and say: "Gather them up and combine them in the way that sheep are gathered and slaughtered." Similarly I saw an armed Muslim waiting for him. I walked towards them till I stood behind him. Comparing both of them, I found that the disbeliever was better than the other in arms and figure. I kept on watching them till they were engaged in single combat. The Muslim thrust at the disbeliever with his sword that went down his hip and split it into two. When the Muslim unveiled his face, he said: "What about that, Ka�b. I am Abu Dujana." [Al-Bidaya wan Nihaya 4/17]
   
2. Some Muslim women came to the battlefield when the fight was over. Anas said: I saw �Aishah bint Abu Bakr [R] with Umm Sulaim. Their garments were gathered up so I could see their anklets. They carried water bags on their shoulders and emptied them into the mouths of people. [Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/403, 2/581] Then they would go back to fill them and come back to do the same. �Umar said: "Umm Saleet used to carry water bags to us on Uhud Day." [ibid 1/401]

When Umm Aiman, who was one of those Muslim women who saw the defeated Muslim fighters entering Madinah, she started throwing dust at their faces rebukingly saying: "Here is a spinning wheel, take it! and give up carrying swords." Then she raced to the battlefield. There she watered the wounded. Hibban bin Al-�Arqa shot an arrow at her, she fell down and her clothes were lifted up. Seeing that, the enemy of All�h, burst into laughter. That sight upset the Messenger of All�h [pbuh], so he gave Sa�d bin Abi Waqqas an arrow lacking an arrow-head and said "Shoot it". Sa�d shot it, it pierced the idolater�s throat. He fell down and some parts of his body were revealed. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] then laughed so much that his molars could be seen. Sa�d avenged her and All�h responded to her supplication. [As-Seerat Al-Halabiyah 2/22]

As soon as the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] reached the defile, �Ali bin Abu Talib went out and filled his water container with water from Al-Mihras. �Al-Mihras� is said to be hollow (concaved) rock containing plenty of water. It was also said that it is a water spring in Uhud mountain. Anyway, �Ali brought that water to the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] to drink. Finding that it smelt bad he refused to drink it, but only washed the blood off his face and poured some of it over his head saying: All�h�s Wrath is great on those who besmeared His Messenger�s face with blood. [Ibn Hisham 2/85]

Sahl said: "By All�h, I know who washed the wound of the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] and who poured out water for him and what (substances) his wound was treated with: His daughter Fatimah washed it, whereas �Ali poured water out of the container. When Fatimah realized that water increased the flow of blood, she took a piece of straw mat, burnt it a little and stuck it to the wound so blood ceased flowing." [Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/584]

Muhammad bin Maslamah brought him fresh water to drink. The Prophet [pbuh] drank and supplicated All�h to provide him with good things. [As-Seerat Al-Halabiyah 2/30] Owing to the wounds and their bad effects on his body, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] led his followers in prayer in a sitting posture and so did the Muslims. [Ibn Hisham 2/87]

When the preparations of the idolaters for departure came to an end, Abu Sufyan went up the mountain and called out: "Is Muhammad [pbuh] among you?" They did not answer him. Then he asked "Is Ibn Abi Quhafah (i.e. Abu Bakr) among you?" They did not answer. He asked again: "Is �Umar bin Al-Khattab among you?" They did not answer him; for the Prophet [pbuh] forbade them answering him. He only asked about those three. That is because he and his people knew quite well that the call to Islam depended to a large degree on those men. Abu Sufyan then said: "As for those three, we have relieved you of." �Umar could not help but talking, so he said, "O enemy of All�h, those whom you have just mentioned, I tell you that they are still alive. All�h has maintained what you hate." Abu Sufyan answered: "The mutilation of your killed is something I did not order it; but it did not displease me." Then he shouted: "Hubal (an idol), let it be sublime!" The Prophet [pbuh] said: "Why do you not reply?" "What shall we say?" They asked him. "Say: All�h is more Sublime and Exalted and Mightier as well."

He said: "Al-�Uzza (i.e. an idol) is ours but you have no �Uzza." "Why do you not reply?" The Prophet [pbuh] said. "What shall we say?" They inquired. He said: "Say All�h is our Protector, but you have no protector."

Abu Sufyan said: "Well deeds! Today is a vengeance for Badr Day. This for that. War is attended with alternate success." �Umar�s reply was: "No. They are not the same. Our killed men are housed in Paradise; but yours are in Fire."

Then Abu Sufyan said: "Come on, �Umar!" The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said: "Go and see what the matter is." He went there. Abu Sufyan asked him: "I beseech you by All�h�s Name to tell me the truth: Have we killed Muhammad [pbuh]?" �Umar said: "O All�h, �No� and now he is listening to you words." He said: "For me, you are more truthful than Ibn Qami�a, and even more reliable." [Ibn Hisham 2/93,94; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/94; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/579]

Ibn Ishaq said: When Abu Sufyan and those who were with him were leaving he called out notifying: "We will meet again at Badr next year." The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said to one of his men: "Say: �Yes, it is an appointment for both of us.�" [Ibn Hisham 2/94]

Later on, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] dispatched �Ali bin Abi Talib to trace them out. He said to him: "Pursue them and see what they are going to do, and what they aim at. If they dismount horses and ride on camels� back, this means that they are heading for Makkah; but if they ride horses and lead camels unmounted, they are leaving for Madinah. By the One, in Whose Hand my soul is, if they attacked Madinah I would march to them there and I would fight them." �Ali said: "I went out and traced them to see what they were up to. I saw them mounting camels and leaving the horses unmounted. They were heading for Makkah." [Ibn Hisham 2/94]

After the departure of the Quraishites, people went out to check the identity of the killed and the wounded. Zaid bin Thabit said: "The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] sent me on Uhud Day to seek Sa�d bin Ar-Rab� and said: "When you see him, say: �peace be upon you from me.� and say to him �the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] says: How do you feel?�" Zaid said: "I started wandering about checking the killed till I came across Sa�d when he was dying � with about seventy strokes or stabs of a sword, a spear and an arrow in his body.So I said: "O Sa�d, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] sends you his greetings. and says �peace be upon you, tell me how do you feel?�" Sa�d said: "And let peace be upon the Messenger of All�h [pbuh], too. Tell him, I smell the scent of the Paradise. And tell the Helpers, my people, �you shall not be excused before All�h if the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] is hurt and your eyes are blinking� (i.e. you are still alive and not dead)." Then he died. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/96]

They came across Al-Usairim � �Amr bin Thabit, whom they had already urged to embrace Islam but refused. They saw him among the wounded on the verge of close death. "What has he come here for? We have parted with him and he was still too obdurate to accept Islam as his religion". They asked him: "What made you come here? Is it out of zeal to defend your people or is it because of an inclination to Islam?" He said: "It is (certainly) an inclination to Islam. I believe in All�h and in His Messenger. I have fought with the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] till I have got what you see," and then he immediately died. They told the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] about him. Hearing that, he said: "He is one of the inhabitants of Paradise." "Although he had not offered one single prayer," narrated Abu Hurairah. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/94; Ibn Hisham 2/90]

Qazman, who was found among the wounded, fought heroically, and killed seven or eight idolaters. He was weakened by the wounds he had sustained, they carried him to the habitation of Bani Zufr. The Muslims gave him glad tidings of the Paradise. But he said: "By All�h I have fought out of a zeal to my people. Had it not been for that I would have never fought." When his wounds worsened he committed suicide. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] had already said whenever he was mentioned to him: "He is an inhabitant of Fire." [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/97; Ibn Hisham 2/88] This is the end of those who fight for a national cause or in a way other than that of raising up the Word of All�h, though they fought under the banner of Islam or even in the army of the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] or of his Companions.

Contrary to Qazman there was a Jew of Bani Tha�labah among the killed. He said to his people, "O folk people of Jews! By All�h you have already known that it is imperative to support Muhammad [pbuh]." They said: "Today is Saturday." He said: "There is no Saturday for you." He took his sword and the war equipment and said: "If I were killed, my property should be put at Muhammad [pbuh]�s disposal". Then next morning he kept on fighting till he was killed. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said about him, "Mukhaireeq is the best Jew." [Ibn Hisham 2/88,89]

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] supervised the martyrs� burial and said: "I bear witness that anyone who is wounded in the way of All�h, All�h will resurrect him with his wound bleeding a liquid which is blood-like in colour but musk-like in scent." [Ibn Hisham 2/98]

Some of the Companions carried their men killed in the war to Madinah, but the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] ordered that they should be sent back in order to be buried where they were killed. He ordered that they should not be washed but buried as they were after stripping them off their armours and leather clothes. He used to bury every two or three martyrs together in one grave and even join two men in one garment while saying: "Who is the more learned of the Qur��n?" and he would commit him to earth first. He would say: "I bear witness to those on the Day of Resurrection." He buried both �Abdullah bin �Amr bin Haram and �Amr bin Al-Jamuh in one grave due to the affection they used to possess to each other. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/98; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/584]

They missed the coffin of Hanzalah, they sought it and found that it was on a spot nearby with water dripping off it. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] told his Companions that the angels were washing him and said: "Ask his wife". They asked her and she confirmed that he had been in a state of ceremonial impurity. That was why Hanzalah was called �Ghaseel Al-Mal�ikah� (i.e. the one washed by the angels). [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/94]

When the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] saw how his uncle and foster brother, Hamzah, was mutilated, he was extremely grieved. When his aunt Safiyah came to see her brother Hamzah, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] ordered her son Az-Zubair to dismiss her in order not to see what happened to her brother. She refused and said, "But why should I go away. I have been informed that they have mutilated him. But so long as it is in the way of All�h, whatever happens to him satisfies us. I say: All�h is Sufficient and I will be patient if All�h wills." She approached, looked at him and supplicated All�h for him and said: "To All�h we all belong and to Him we will verily return." and she implored All�h to forgive him. Then the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] ordered that he should be buried with �Abdullah bin Jahsh � who was his nephew as well as his foster brother.

Ibn Mas�ud said: We have never seen the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] weeping so much as he was for Hamzah bin �Abdul Muttalib. He directed him towards Al-Qiblah, then he stood at his funeral and sobbed his heart out. [Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.255]

The sight of the martyrs was extremely horrible and heart-breaking. Describing Hamzah�s funeral, Khabbab said: "No shroud long enough was available for Hamzah except a white-darkish garment. When they covered his head with it, it was too short to cover his feet. Similarly if they covered his feet his head would be revealed. Finally they covered his head with it and put some plant called �Al-Idhkhir� to cover his feet." [Mishkat 1/140]

Al-Imam Ahmad reported that when it was Uhud Day and the time that the idolaters returned, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said:

"Istawoo (i.e. form rows as for prayer) so that I offer thanks and praise to my Lord, the Great and the All-Mighty."

So they stood in rows behind him. Then he said:

"O All�h, no one can withhold what You permit or permit what You withhold. No one can guide whom You decree to go astray or make go astray the one whom You guide. No one can grant provisions you have withheld and no one can withhold what you grant. No one can near what You ordained to be distant, or detach what You decree to be close. O All�h, spread onto all of us Your Mercy, Your Grace, and Provisions."

"O All�h, I implore You to grant me permanent bliss that neither changes nor vanishes. O All�h, You Alone we seek for Help at hardships. You Alone we resort to for security on a day of terror. O All�h, to You Alone I resort to protect us from the evils of Your grants (i.e. the evils they may lead us to) and from the evils of Your deprivation. O All�h, make us love Faith and make it pleasant and beloved wholeheartedly by us! Make disbelief, ungodliness and disobedience detestable to us. Let us be among those who are rightly guided. O All�h, make us live as Muslims and cause us to die as Muslims; and make us join with the righteous but not with the disgraced and misled ones. O All�h, make Your enmity befall the disbelievers, who belie Your Messenger and divert from Your righteous way. O All�h, let Your wrath, Your chastisement and Your enmity befall the disbelievers, and those on whom You sent down the Book. Let them be afflicted with war decreed by You. O All�h, the Author of Truth." [Musnad Imam Ahmad 3/424]

After committing all the martyrs to earth, and after offering praise and supplication to All�h, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] went back to Madinah.

On his way back, matchless examples of love and devotion were revealed by the truthful women believers; in no way less great than the men�s heroic deeds in the fight.

Hamnah bint Jahsh met the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] on the way back, and he announced the death of her brother � �Abdullah bin Jahsh � to her. She said: "To All�h we belong and to Him we will verily return. I ask All�h�s forgiveness." Then he announced the death of her maternal uncle Hamzah bin �Abdul Muttalib. She said: "To All�h we belong and to Him we will verily return. I ask All�h�s forgiveness." But when he announced the death of her husband Mus�ab bin �Umair to her, she shouted and woed. Seeing her doing so, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said: "The woman�s husband is extremely dear to her." [Ibn Hisham 2/98]

He passed by a woman of Bani Dinar whose husband, father and brother were all killed at Uhud. When their death announced, she said: "How is the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] ?" They said: "Well indeed. O mother of so... Thanks for All�h; he is well and as good as you desire." She said: "Let me see him." They pointed at him. Seeing him she said: "All misfortunes are nothing so long as you are safe." [Ibn Hisham 2/99]

Umm Sa�d bin Mu�adh came running to see the Prophet [pbuh]. At that time her son was holding the rein of his mare. Seeing his mother, he said to the Prophet [pbuh]: "O Messenger of All�h [pbuh]. This is my mother." The Prophet [pbuh] said: "She is welcome"; and he stopped and waited for her. When she drew near, he consoled her, for her killed son �Amr bin Mu�adh. But she said: "So long as I see you are safe, my misfortune will certainly go into oblivion." Then the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] supplicated All�h for the relatives of those who were killed at Uhud and said: "Cheer up! Umm Sa�d and bear good tidings to their kindred that all their people killed in the battle are comrades in Paradise and they are intercessors for all their kinsfolk." She replied, "O Messenger of All�h, we are satisfied. Who would cry on them after this cheerful news?" Then she resumed saying: "O Messenger of All�h, invoke All�h (for those who stayed behind)" He said: "O All�h keep sorrow off their hearts! And console them with their misfortunes. Compensate those who stayed behind with goodness and welfare." [As-Seerat Al-Halabiyah 2/47]

In the evening of that day � i.e. Saturday, the seventh of Shawwal, 3rd year A.H. � the Messenger arrived in Madinah. As soon as he reached his house, he handed his sword to his daughter Fatimah and said: "O daughter, wash the blood off this sword. By All�h it has been helpful to me today." �Ali bin Abi Talib handed her his sword and said: "And wash the blood of this sword too. By All�h, it has been helpful to me today." So the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said: "Sahl bin Haneef and Abu Dujana have been as courageous as you are in the fight." [Ibn Hisham 2/100]

Most of the narrations confirmed that seventy Muslims were killed and most of them, sixty-five, Helpers; forty-one of whom were from Khazraj and twenty-four from Aws. This, besides one Jew and four Emigrants.

As for the polytheists, twenty-two of them were killed, but some versions speak of thirty-seven; after all, All�h knows best. [Ibn Hisham 2/122-129; Fath Al-Bari 7/351]

On Saturday night, the eighth of Shawwal, and after their return from Uhud, the Muslims spent that night in an emergency case � though they were dead-beat, extremely exhausted. They stayed on the alert, and spent that night guarding the outlets and inlets of Madinah. They were specially busy guarding their general leader, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] for fear that some suspects could commit an unexpected folly.

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] on his part, spent the night pondering over the situation. He feared that the idolaters might think � while they were still on their way to Makkah � of reversing their way and diverting to Madinah after they had realized that they had availed nothing of that victory. They might regret and decide to invade Madinah as a compensation. Therefore the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] was determined to go out in pursuit of the Makkan army.

The Prophet [pbuh] called out unto people and ordered them to march to encounter the enemy of Islam. That was on Sunday morning � next day to Uhud � the eighth of Shawwal. He said: "Nobody will march to the fight except those who have already participated in Uhud fight." �Abdullah bin Ubai said: "I will march out with you." "No," said the Prophet [pbuh].

Whilst the Muslims were suffering a lot from painful pains and deep anxiety, they responded to his call positively. Jabir bin �Abdullah implored the Prophet [pbuh] to allow him join them in that fresh invasion on account that he always had a liking to witness all the battles that the Prophet [pbuh] was involved in. He had not participated in Uhud because his father asked him to stay in Madinah with his sisters . And he was granted his wish.

The Muslims marched out until they reached a place called Hamra� Al-Asad � about eight miles from Madinah. He encamped there. In that place Ma�bad bin Abi Ma�bad came to the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] and professed Islam. Some people said that he remained an idolater; he simply desired to give the Messenger some advice out of abidance by a covenant between Khuza�ah (his tribe) and Bani Hashim. He said "O Muhammad [pbuh]! By All�h, we feel great sorrow for what had happened to you and to your Companions. We really hope you will not suffer again." So, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] suggested that he overtake Abu Sufyan and discourage him from pursuing his evil intentions.

The Messenger�s fears of a possible return of the idolaters proved to be absolutely true. For no sooner had the idolaters dismounted and encamped at Ar-Rawh� � a place thirty-six miles from Madinah, than they started reproaching one another. A group of them said to another one: "You did nothing. You broke down their force but you left them. There are still some distinguished men among them who will probably gather people up to fight you again. So let us go back and annihilate them and crush down their forces."

It was in fact a hasty decision taken by shallow-minded people who misjudged the potential power and morale on both parties, that is why an eminent leader of Quraish, Safwan bin Omaiyah, tried to dissuade his people from pursuing that venture, saying: "O people. Do not do such a thing! For I fear that he will gather up those who had stayed behind and did not share in Uhud. Go back home as winners. For I am not sure of what turn will the consequences take if you get involved in such a fight. It might be to your prejudice in the final place." Notwithstanding that weighty argument, the majority of the polytheists were determined to embark on that risky undertaking.

Ma�bad bin Abu Ma�bad meanwhile arrived on the scene and tried to exaggerate the danger awaiting them in order to thwart their plan, he said: "Muhammad [pbuh] has marched to meet you with a large host of fighters, I have never seen something similar to it before. He has mustered all the troops who have tarried and did not share in Uhud. They surely regret what they have missed and want to compensate for it now. Their hearts are filled with hate and resentment." Abu Sufyan said: "Woe to you! What do you suggest?" He said: "By All�h, I see that you would not leave till he comes and you see the heads of their horses; or till the vanguard of his army turns up to you from behind that hill."

Abu Sufyan said: "By All�h, we have reached a common consent to crush down the Muslims and their power." The man, once more with an implied warning, advised him to stop it.

In the light of this news, the resolution and determination of the Makkan army failed and panic and terror took firm hold of them. They consequently deemed it safest to complete there withdrawal back to Makkah. They, however, as an alternative, started a hostile nerve propaganda aiming at dissuading the Muslims army from pursuing them. A caravan belonging to �Abd Qais happened to pass by towards Madinah. Abu Sufyan, in the context of his propaganda, asked them to communicate a message to Muhammad [pbuh] to the effect that the Makkans had rallied their ranks to annihilate the Messenger and his Companions, in return Abu Sufyan promised to give the people of the caravan loads of raisins at the forum of �Ukaz the following year.

The people of the caravan conveyed the message to the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] at Hamr� Al-Asad, but to no effect, on the contrary, Abu Sufyan�s words augmented them in Faith. All�h says:

"� And they said: �All�h (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us). So they turned with Grace and Bounty from All�h. No harm touched them; and they followed the good Pleasure of All�h. And All�h is the Owner of Great Bounty." [Al-Qur'an 3:173,174]

After the arrival of the caravan on Sunday, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] stayed at Hamr� Al-Asad for three days � Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday � 9-11 Shawwal, 3 A.H. and then returned to Madinah. Before his return, he took Abu �Azza Al-Jumahi as a prisoner of war. Incidentally, this man had also been captured at Badr but on account of his poverty, and the large family he supported, the Prophet [pbuh] had been gracious enough to release him on condition that he would not involve himself in war against the Muslims again. Abu �Azza did not keep his promise and took part in Uhud hostilities on the side of the polytheists. Here again he implored Muhammad [pbuh] for pardon but the latter told him that a believer wouldn�t be taken twice in the same snare. He then deservedly merited the sentence of death which was executed by Az-Zubair or, in another version, by �Asim bin Thabit.

A Makkan spy, called Mu�awiyah bin Al-Mugheerah bin Abi Al-�As, was sentenced to death too. This spy was the grandfather of �Abdul Malik bin Marwan on his mother side. When the idolaters went back after Uhud, Mu�awiyah came to his paternal cousin �Uthman bin �Affan ��� ���� ���. �Uthman gave him shelter � after securing the Prophet [pbuh]�s permission � on condition that if he was caught there after three days, he would be killed. But he did not comply with it, so when the Muslim army left Madinah, he stayed there for more than three days during which he was spying for Quraish. So when the army returned, Mu�awiyah fled out of Madinah. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh], on this account, ordered Zaid bin Harithah and �Ammar bin Yasir to pursue him and kill him. So he was killed. [Ibn Hisham 2/60-129; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/91-108; Fath Al-Bari 7/345-377; Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.242-275]

Undoubtedly, the invasion of Hamr� Al-Asad is not a separate invasion, but rather a part, or more specifically, a sequel to Uhud.

That was Uhud Invasion with all its stages and details. It has for long been discussed by scholars and men of research. Was it a defeat or not? Doubtlessly, the military superiority in the second phase of the battle was in favour of the polytheists who could successfully direct the steering mechanism of hostilities and inflict heavy losses in lives on the Muslims. Admittedly, a part of the believers were clearly defeated, but this could never be considered a Makkan victory.

The Makkan army failed to occupy the camp of the Muslims. The greater bulk of the Madinese army, chaos and confusion notwithstanding, did not take to escape, on the contrary they showed matchless and heroic resistance and managed to gather themselves again around their headquarters fighting bravely and courageously. They, moreover, did not allow the Makkans to run after them in pursuit. Neither Muslim captives were taken nor spoils were gained by the Makkans. The enemies of Islam were also too cowardly to conduct the third phase of war, and impress their superiority on the battlefield, on the contrary, they were in hot haste to evacuate the field even before the Muslims did. Madinah itself, the capital of the Muslims, was only a stone�s throw from the lines of the enemy, and vulnerably exposed, yet the polytheists were not bold enough to storm it to plunder its wealth or capture the Muslim women therein.

These suggestive details in fact support our argument that the event of Uhud was just a precious occasion on which the Makkans managed only to inflict heavy losses on the Muslims but failed to achieve their ultimate goals of annihilating the Muslim army in the process of their encompassment operation. After all, it is not unusual for conquerors to sustain such casualties and losses, but these could under no circumstances be regarded as victory for the hostile party.

The incident of Hamr� Al-Asad is interesting in this regard. It is a curious sight indeed of a victorious army in retreat for fear of disgrace and defeat, and the crestfallen and crippled group of Muslims in pursuit.

Uhud Battle in the final judgement was just one phase of military activities in the whole process of war between two hostile parties each of whom earned their legitimate portion of both success and failure and then desisted further engagement but without cowardly escape or resigned surrender. In this sense, this battle could be rightly regarded as an inseparable war.

In this context, All�h says:

"And don�t be weak in the pursuit of the enemy; if you are suffering (hardships) then surely, they (too) are suffering (hardships) as you are suffering, but you have a hope from All�h (for the reward, i.e. Paradise) that for which they hope not." [Al-Qur'an 4:104]

The verse explicitly identifies both attitudes as regards losses and hardships as identical. Both parties concluded the war operations and went back neither victorious nor vanquished.

Some Qur��nic verses were revealed to shed light on the most decisive phases of the battle successively, adduce quite clearly the cause that led to that heavy loss, and illustrate the vulnerable areas that were still persisting in the souls of some believers as regards their duties in forging a decisive attitude with respect to the noble objectives for which the Muslim Community, was created and was supposed to accomplish.

The Noble Qur��n also spoke about the attitude of the pretenders to Faith and made clear the hostility and hatred that they harboured against All�h and His Messenger. The Words of All�h managed as well to erase all traces of ambiguities and insinuations, raised by the hypocrites and their allies, the Jews � the authors of conspiracy and intrigue hatching � and which were still in active operation in the hearts of some weak-of-heart Muslims.

The laudable judgement and long-sought objectives that were attributable to the battle of Uhud, were also another topic for the Noble Qur��n to dwell on at length. Sixty verses relevant to the battle were revealed giving full account of the first phase of the battle:

"And (remember) when you (Muhammad [pbuh]) left your household in the morning to post the believers at their stations for the battle (of Uhud)." [Al-Qur'an 3:121]

And to end in a comprehensive commentary on its results and moralities:

"All�h will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will All�h disclose to you the secrets of the Ghaib (unseen), but All�h chooses of His Messengers whom He pleases. So believe in All�h and His Messengers. And if you believe and fear All�h, then for you there is a great reward." [Al-Qur'an 3:179]

Ibn Al-Qaiyim has made a pointed reference to the battle of Uhud and given full elucidation of the Divine benefits and moralities that resulted from it. Some Muslim scholars, on the authority of Ibn Hajar, said: The reverse in Uhud resulted from the neglect on the part of the archers of the explicit command of the Prophet [pbuh], and leaving the spot which they were ordered to safeguard to the end. In other words, the success of the Muslims depends upon their obedience to the Prophet [pbuh]. As long as they carry out his behests, All�h will help them in facing all kinds of odds. But when they will set aside his commands in their pursuit of worldly riches, they are bound to come to grief. Another relevant issue of great significance says that it is customary for Prophets to be tried with different adversities; nevertheless, the final outcome is positively in their favour. Should the Muslims be victorious all the time, great many pretenders to Faith will enter the fold of Islam, and consequently the clear line of demarcation between true believers and hypocrites will become blurred. Contrarily, if the Muslims were to be defeated all the time, the final objective of the ministry of Prophets will not be effected. It is wise then to combine both success and failure so that sifting between true Muslims and hypocrites could be realized.

In the aftermath of the battle of Uhud, the hypocrites disclosed their real intentions in words and in deeds, consequently, the Muslims got to realize the existence of those wicked elements working secretly in their own homeland; and of course there would be appropriate measures to be taken in due course of time.

A third point in this context refers to purposeful deferment of victory in some areas in order to check the pride of the soul and teach the believers how to observe full patience in times of adversity. Trials and tests are provided by All�h in order that the true believers could deservedly occupy their abode in the blessed Hereafter. Martyrdom, the highest ranks that the true friends of All�h could occupy, is provided by All�h to function as a passport, granted by the Lord, leading to Paradise. In brief, fight in the cause of All�h is a golden opportunity for the true believers to have their sins effaced, and a Divinely-devised event for the disbelievers and enemies of All�h to face destruction and annihilation in recompense for their disbelief, tyranny and transgression. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/99-108]

Uhud�s misfortune left a bad impact on both the credibility and military reputation of the Muslims. Their dignity and power in people�s eyes were impaired. Troubles and dangers spread everywhere in and out of Madinah. The Jews, hypocrites and bedouins declared publicly their enmity to the Muslims and each party was keen on degrading and, in the final place, exterminating their whole existence.

Two months had almost passed after this battle, when Banu Asad made preparations to raid Madinah, �Udal and Qarah tribes conspired against
the Muslims in the month of Safar, 4 A.H. and killed ten of the Prophet [pbuh]�s Companions. Similarly Banu �Amir plotted against them too, and seventy Companions were killed in the battle of Ma�una Well. During that period, Banu Nadeer kept on announcing their enmity and were involved in a plot to kill the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] in Rabi� Al-Awwal in 4 A.H. Banu Ghatfan were about to attack Madinah in Jumada Al-Ula in 4 A.H.

Thus we see that the Muslims turned into an attractive target of several potential dangers after they had lost their military credibility in the battle of Uhud. Muhammad [pbuh] most wisely managed to hold all those hostile currents at bay, and even redeem the lost dignity of the Muslims and gain them anew fresh glory and noble standing. The first initiative he took in this process was Hamra� Al-Asad pursuit operation, whereby he could retain the Muslim military reputation. He succeeded in recovering his followers� dignity and awe-inspiring position in such a manner that astonished or even astounded both the Jews and hypocrites, alike, then he proceeded to crown his successful attempts by despatching military errands and missions:

The first people to take up arms against the Muslims in the aftermath of Uhud reverse were Banu Asad bin Khuzaimah. "The Intelligence Corps" of Madinah reported that Talhah and Salamah, sons of Khuwailid have mustered some volunteers to fight the Messenger of All�h [pbuh]. The Prophet [pbuh] immediately despatched a 150-man-platoon of Helpers and Emigrants headed by Abu Salamah. The Muslim leader took Bani Asad bin Khuzaimah by surprise in their own homeland, neutralized their attempts, dispersed them and captured their cattle. On his return, Abu Salamah had an inflammation of a previous wound he sustained in Uhud, and caused him to die soon after. This expedition took place on Muharram 1st, 4 A.H.[Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/108]

On the fifth day of the same month Muharram, 4 A.H., it was reported that Khalid bin Sufyan Al-Hudhali was gathering some mob to raid the Muslim positions. �Abdullah bin Unais, at the behest of the Prophet ��� ���� ���� � ��� set out to destroy the enemies.

The Muslim military leader stayed away for eighteen days during which he successfully fulfilled his task, killed the head of the rebels and brought his head back to Madinah on Saturday, seven days before the end of Muharram. The Prophet [pbuh], as a reward, gave him a stick saying "This will function as a sign of recognition for you and me on the Day of Resurrection." On his death bed, �Abdullah requested that the log be with him in his shroud. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/109; Ibn Hisham 2/619, 620]

In Safar of the fourth year A.H., a delegation from the tribes of �Udal and Qarah came to Madinah and asked the Prophet [pbuh] to send a group of Companions to instruct them in religion, claiming the existence of some Muslims among them. He sent six of his Companions, in another version, ten headed by Murthid bin Abi Murthid Al-Ghanawi, or, according to Al-Bukhari, �Asim bin Thabit, the grandfather of �Asim bin �Umar bin Al-Khattab. When they reached a spot called Ar-Raji� between Rabigh and Jeddah, a hundred archers of Banu Lihyan clan surrounded the place and attacked them. The delegation of Muslims took shelter on some high ground, Fudfud, and the bedouins offered them a pledge that they would not be killed. �Asim refused to come down, instead he fought them until he and six of his companions were killed. Three men were left, Khubaib, Zaid bin Ad-Dathna and another one. Once again, the bedouins offered them a guarantee of safety and they accepted. When they descended, the bedouins treacherously bound them. The third man rebuked them for their insincerity and resisted them so they killed him. The other two men who had killed some notables of Quraish at Badr were taken and sold in Makkah. The first was Khubaib who was detained for some time and then it was unanimously decided to crucify him. He was taken from the Holy Sanctuary to At-Tan�im for crucifixion. He requested a respite to offer a two-Rak�a prayer. After the final greeting, he turned to his executioners, and said: "Had I not been afraid that you would think that I was afraid of death, I would have prayed for a long time." It was then that Khubaib first set the tradition of praying two Rak�a before being executed. He then said:

"O Lord! Count them one by one, exterminate them to the last one."

He then recited some verses of poetry which speak eloquently of the atrocities borne by him, and testify to his Faith in All�h at this hour of suffering:

The confederates have gathered their tribes around me,
And summoned all of them who could come.
They have gathered their women and children,
I am bound fastly to a lofty trunk.
To All�h alone I complain of my helplessness and sufferings,
And of the death, the confederates have prepared for me.
Lord of the Throne! Give me endurance against their design,
They have cut my flesh bit by bit, and I have been deprived of sustenance.
They let me choose infidelity but death is preferable,
Tears roll out of my eyes, though not of fear.
By All�h! I fear not if I die a Muslim,
On what side I fall for the sake of All�h.
I will not show subservience to the enemy,
If Lord so desires, He will bless my torn limbs and broken joints.

Abu Sufyan then addressed him saying: "I adjure you by All�h, don�t you wish that Muhammad [pbuh] were here in your place so that we might cut off his head, and that you were with your family?" Khubaib answered, "By All�h, I do not wish that Muhammad [pbuh] now were in the place I occupy or that a thorn could hurt him, and that I were sitting with my family." Quraish ordered �Uqbah bin Al-Harith, whose father had been killed by Khubaib himself, to crucify him. They also appointed someone to guard his corpse. �Amr bin Omaiyah Ad-Damari played a cunning trick and carried the corpse stealthily at night to bury it somewhere. It was later reported that shortly before his crucifixion, he was seen eating a bunch of grapes although there was not even one date available in Makkah at that time. [In fact, it was nothing but sustenance bestowed upon him by All�h.]

Safwan bin Omaiyah purchased the second man, Zaid bin Ad-Dathna, and killed him as an act of vengeance for his father�s murder.

Quraish, whom �Asim had killed one of their notables, sent someone to fetch a portion of his body, but to their disappointment, his corpse was inaccessible because a large swarm of hornets had been shielding him against any malicious tampering. �Asim had already given his Lord a pledge to remain immune against any polytheist tampering with respect to his body, and also stay detached from any contact with the enemies of All�h. �Umar bin Al-Khattab, when hearing this piece of news exclaimed, "All�h verily protects His believing slave after death just as He does during his lifespan." [Ibn Hisham 2/169-179; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/109; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/568,569,585]

Ma�una Well tragedy, which was even more horrible than that of Ar-Raji�, took place in the same month.

Abu Bara� � �Amir bin Malik � nicknamed �Spear Player� came to the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] in Madinah. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] called him to embrace Islam but he neither agreed nor refused. He said: "O Messenger of All�h, if you dispatch some of your Companions to the people of Najd to call them to Islam, I expect them to accept." "I am afraid the people of Najd will kill them." Said the Messenger. But he replied, "I will protect them." Ibn Ishaq confirms that forty men were sent to them; but As-Sahih states that they were seventy � Al-Mundhir bin �Amr, one of Bani Sa�ida, nicknamed �Freed to die� � commanded that group, who were the best and most learned in the Qur��n and jurisprudence.

On their way to Najd they used to gather firewood to buy food for the people of �Ahl As-Suffah� as charity by day and study, meditate on the meanings of the Qur��n by night. They kept on doing that till they arrived at Ma�una Well � which was a well in between Bani �Amir, Harrah and Bani Saleem. They stayed there and sent the Message of the Prophet [pbuh] with Haram bin Milhan, the brother of Umm Sulaim to the enemy of All�h �Amir bin At-Tufail. �Amir did not heed the Message but rather ordered a man to spear Haram in the back. When the spear penetrated Haram�s body, he saw the blood and said: "All�hu Akbar! (i.e. All�h is the Greatest) By Lord of Al-Ka�bah I have won!"

Then the enemy of All�h, promptly, called out Bani �Amir to fight the rest. Bani �Amir refused because they were under the protection of Abu Bara�. Therefore he turned to Bani Saleem for help. The people of �Usaiyah, Ri�al and Dhakwan, who were folks of Bani Saleem, responded to his call. The Companions of the Prophet [pbuh], who were encompassed by idolaters, kept on fighting till they were all killed. The only survivor was Ka�b bin Zaid bin An-Najjar who was carried wounded from among the dead. It was in Al-Khandaq (the trench) Battle that he was killed.

�Amr bin Omaiyah Ad-Damari and Al-Mundhir bin �Uqbah bin �Amir, who were entrusted with the Muslims� animals far from them, saw the birds circling in the air over the battleground. Al-Mundhir rushed to share in the fight till he was killed. But �Amr bin Omaiyah was captured. �Amir set him free when he knew that he was of Mudar tribe but that was after he had cut his hair. He did that to fulfil a pledge of his mother�s to set a slave free.

Returning to the Prophet [pbuh] �Amr bin Omaiyah conveyed the news of the painful disaster, which resulted in the murder of seventy of the best believers, and recalled the tragedy of Uhud but with the difference that those of Uhud were killed in a clear war but those of Ma�una were killed in a disgraceful treachery. On his way back to Qarqara, �Amr bin Omaiyah rested in the shade of a tree, and there two men of Bani Kilab joined him. When they slept, �Amr killed them both, thinking that by doing that he would avenge some of his killed companions. Then he found out that they had been given a pledge of protection by the Prophet [pbuh]. He told the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] what he had done. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] said to �Amr: "You have killed two people; their blood-money shall be a debt I have to discharge." He then engaged himself collecting their blood-money from the Muslims and their allies, the Jews [Ibn Hisham 2/183-188; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/109-110; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/584-586]. This very act was later to trigger the invasion of Bani An-Nadeer.

The Prophet [pbuh] was so deeply moved by this tragedy and that of Ar-Raji� that he used to invoke All�h�s wrath against those people and tribes who killed his Companions. Anas reported that for thirty days the Prophet [pbuh] supplicated All�h against those who killed his Companions at Ma�una Well. Every dawn prayer he would invoke All�h�s wrath against Ri�l, Dhakwan, Lihyan and �Usaiyah. He would say, " �Usaiyah disobeyed All�h and His Messenger." Therefore All�h �� ���, sent down unto His Messenger a Qur��nic verse that we kept on reciting till it was abrogated later on: �Inform our folk that we have encountered our Lord and He is satisfied with us and we are satisfied with Him.� So the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] stopped his invocation. [Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/586-588]

We have already spoken about the disgraceful behaviour of the Jews and how they were always thirsting to shed the blood of the Muslims and undermine the cause of Islam despite all the covenants and pledges they had given to the Prophet [pbuh]. Their behaviour fluctuated between resignation and slackness after the Banu Qainuqa� event and the murder of Ka�b bin Al-Ashraf, and rebellion coupled with treacherous clandestine contacts with Quraish and the hypocrites in order to establish an alliance against the Muslims after the battle of Uhud ['Aunul Ma'bood 3/116-117]. Being inexperienced in war tactics, they resorted to conspiracy and intrigue hatching. They first of all declared open hatred and enmity, and chose to play all sorts of tricks that might harm the Muslims, but were very careful not to initiate any sort of hostilities that might involve them in open war.

The Prophet [pbuh], on his part, exercised the highest degree of patience with them but they went too far in their provocative deeds, especially after Ar-Raji� and Ma�una Well events; they even made an attempt on his life.

Once the Prophet [pbuh] with some of his Companions set out to see Banu Nadeer and seek their help in raising the blood-money he had to pay to Bani Kalb for the two men that �Amr bin Omaiyah Ad-Damari had killed by mistake. All of that was in accordance with the clauses of the treaty that both parties had already signed. On hearing his story they said they would share in paying the blood-money and asked him and his Companions Abu Bakr, �Umar, �Ali and others to sit under a wall of their houses and wait. The Jews held a short private meeting and conspired to kill the Prophet [pbuh]. The most wicked among them, �Amr bin Jahsh, volunteered to climb up the wall and drop a large millstone on his head. One of them, Salam bin Mashkam, cautioned them against perpetrating such a crime, predicting that All�h would divulge their plot to him, and added that such an act would constitute a manifest violation of the pact concluded with the Muslims.

In fact, Gabriel did come down to reveal to the Prophet [pbuh] their wicked criminal intention, so he, with his Companions, hurried off back to Madinah. On their way, he told his Companions of the Divine Revelation.

Soon after, the Prophet [pbuh] delegated Muhammad bin Maslamah to communicate an ultimatum to Bani Nadeer to the effect that they should evacuate Madinah within ten days, otherwise, their heads would be cut off. The chief of the hypocrites, �Abdullah bin Ubai, urged the Jews not to pay heed to the Prophet [pbuh]�s words and to stay in their habitations, offering to run to their support with two thousands of his followers, and assuring them of help to come from Quraizah tribe and former allies Banu Ghatfan. In this regards, All�h says:

"If you are expelled, we (too) indeed will go out with you, and we shall never obey anyone against you, and if you are attacked (in fight), we shall indeed help you." [Al-Qur'an 59:11]

The Jews regained their confidence and were determined to fight. Their chief Huyai bin Akhtab relied hopefully on what the chief of the hypocrites said. So he sent to the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] saying: "We will not leave our houses. Do whatever you like to do."

Undoubtedly the situation was awkward for the Muslims. Launching a war against their opponents at this critical stage could entail terrible far reaching ramifications in the light of the unfavourable conditions they were passing through, besides the hostile environment growing in power and hatred around them, the harbinger of which assumed the form of killing the Muslim missions, as it has been already introduced.

The Jews of Bani Nadeer were also a power to count for, and the prospects of inflicting a military defeat on them was precarious; consequently forcing them into war engagement would be attended with unpredictable risks. On the other hand, the continual state of repeated assassinations and acts of treachery carried out against the Muslims individually and collectively brought about unbearable headache to Muhammad [pbuh]�s followers. Having judged all the prevalent status quo in this perspective, and in the light of the disgraceful attempt on the life of the Prophet [pbuh], the Muslims made the decisive decisions of taking up arms whatever turn the consequences could assume.

When the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] received the reply of Huyai bin Akhtab he said: "All�hu Akbar, All�hu Akbar." (All�h is the Greatest of all) and his Companions repeated after him. Then he set out to fight them after appointing Ibn Umm Maktum to dispose the affairs of Madinah during his absence. The standard was entrusted to �Ali bin Abi Talib. He laid siege to their forts for six nights � in another version, fifteen.

Banu Nadeer resorted to their castles, mounted them and started shooting arrows and pelting stones at the Muslims enjoying the strategic advantage that their thick fields of palm trees provided. The Muslims were therefore ordered to fell and burn those trees. In this respect, All�h, the All-Mighty, states in the Qur��n:

"What you (O Muslims) cut down of the palm-trees (of the enemy), or you left them standing on their stems, it was by leave of All�h." [Al-Qur'an 59:5]

Quraizah tribe remained neutral, and the hypocrite �Abdullah bin Ubai as well as Ghatfan failed to keep their promises of support. In this regard All�h says:

"(Their allies deceived them) like Satan, when he says to man: �Disbelieve in All�h.� But when (man) disbelieves in All�h, Satan says: �I am free of you.�" [Al-Qur'an 59:16]

The siege did not last long for All�h, the All-Mighty, cast horror into the hearts of the Jews, and they willingly offered to comply with the Prophet [pbuh]�s order and leave Madinah. The Prophet [pbuh] accepted their request and allowed them to carry as much luggage as their camels could lift, arms were excepted. Of course, they had no choice but to carry out the orders, so they took with them everything they could carry even the pegs and beams of ceilings. Their caravan counted 600 loaded camels including their chiefs, Huyai bin Akhtab and Salam bin Abi Al-Huqaiq, who left for Khaibar whereas another party shifted to Syria. Two of them embraced Islam, Yameen bin �Amr and Abu Sa�d bin Wahab, and so they retained their personal wealth.

The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] seized their weapons, land, houses, and wealth. Amongst the other booty he managed to capture, there were 50 armours, 50 helmets, and 340 swords.

This booty was exclusively the Prophet [pbuh]�s because no fighting was involved in capturing it. He divided the booty at his own discretion among the early Emigrants and two poor Helpers, Abu Dujana and Suhail bin Haneef. Anyway the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] spent a portion of this wealth on his family to sustain their living the year around. The rest was expended to provide the Muslim army with equipment for further wars in the way of All�h.

The invasion of Bani An-Nadeer took place in Rabi� Al-Awwal, 4 A.H. i.e. in August 625 A.D. Almost all the verses of S�rah Al-Hashr (Chapter 59 - The Gathering) describe the banishment of the Jews and reveal the disgraceful manners of the hypocrites. The verses manifest the rules relevant to the booty. In this Chapter, All�h, the All-Mighty, praises the Emigrants and Helpers. This Chapter also shows the legitimacy of cutting down and burning the enemy�s land and trees for military purposes. Such acts cannot be regarded as phenomena of corruption so long that they are in the way of All�h.

In this very Chapter, All�h recommends the believers to be pious and prepare themselves for the world to come and He ends it with a compliment upon Himself and a manifestation of His Holy Names and Attributes.

As this Chapter concentrates on Bani An-Nadeer and their banishment, Ibn �Abbas used to describe it as �An-Nadeer Chapter�. [Ibn Hisham 2/190-192; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/71; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/574-575]

With the peaceful victory that the Muslims achieved at Bani An-Nadeer invasion, their control over Madinah was undisputedly established, and the hypocrites receded to a state of silence and stopped their artful machinations publicly. Consequently the Prophet [pbuh] had ample time to direct all his energies and human resources towards suppressing the desert bedouins and curbing their harmful provocations and wicked malicious practices of killing his missionaries and even contemplating an invasion of Madinah itself. [Fiqh As-Seerah p.214] Meanwhile, the Muslim scouting groups reported building up of bedouin troops of Bani Muharib and Tha�labah of Ghatfan around Madinah. The Prophet [pbuh], with the Muslims, hurriedly set out to discipline those new outlaws, cast fear into their hearts and deter them from perpetrating further wicked practices. These deterring operations were carried out repeatedly and did produce effective results. The rebellious hard-hearted desert bedouins were terrorized into the mountains, and Madinah remained completely immune against their raids.

In the context of these invasions, it is interesting to draw some prominence to a significant one � Dhat Ar-Riqa� (rags) campaign � which some scholars claim, took place in Najd ( a large area of tableland in the Arabian Peninsula) in Rabi� Ath-Thani or Jumada Al-Ula, 4 A.H. They substantiate their claim by saying that it was strategically necessary to carry out this campaign in order to quell the rebellious bedouins in order to meet the exigencies of the agreed upon encounter with the polytheists, i.e. minor Badr Battle in Sha�ban, 4 A.H. The most authentic opinion, however, is that Dhat Ar-Riqa� campaign took place after the fall of Khaibar. This is supported by the fact that Abu Hurairah and Abu Musa Al-Ash�ari [R] witnessed the battle. Abu Hurairah embraced Islam only some days before Khaibar, and Abu Musa Al-Ash�ari came back from Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and joined the Prophet [pbuh] at Khaibar. The rules relating to the prayer of fear which the Prophet [pbuh] observed at Dhat Ar-Riqa� campaign, were revealed at �Asfan Invasion and this beyond a shadow of doubt took place after Al-Khandaq (the trench) Battle in late 5 A.H.

When the Muslims destroyed the power of the Arab-desert tribes and guarded themselves against their evils, they started preparations to encounter their great enemy. A year elapsed since they fought Quraish at Uhud. So it was due time to meet them and start war again in order to determine which of the two parties was worthy of survival. [Fiqh As-Seerah p.315]

In Sha�ban 4 A.H., January 626 A.D., the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] set out to Badr accompanied by one thousand and five hundred fighters and ten mounted horsemen, and with �Ali bin Abi Talib as standard bearer. �Abdullah bin Rawahah was given authority over Madinah during the Prophet [pbuh]�s absence. Reaching Badr, the Muslims stayed there waiting for the idolaters to come.

Abu Sufyan�s forces comprised two thousand footmen and fifty horsemen. They reached Mar Az-Zahran, some distance form Makkah, and camped at a water place called Mijannah. Being reluctant, discouraged and extremely terrified of the consequences of the approaching fight, Abu Sufyan turned to his people and began to introduce cowardice-based flimsy pretexts in order to dissuade his men from going to war, saying: "O tribe of Quraish! Nothing will improve the condition you are in but a fruitful year � a year during which your animals feed on plants and bushes and give you milk to drink. And I see that this is a rainless year, therefore I am returning now and I recommend you to return with me."

It seems that his army were also possessed of the same fears and apprehensions, for they readily obeyed him without the least hesitation.

The Muslims, who were then at Badr, stayed for eight days waiting for their enemy. They took advantage of their stay by selling goods and earning double as much the price out of it. When the idolaters declined to fight, the balance of powers shifted to rest in favour of the Muslims, who thus regained their military reputation, their dignity and managed to impose their awe-inspiring presence over the whole of Arabia. In brief, they mastered and controlled the whole situation.

This invasion had many a name. It is called �Badr the Appointment�, �Badr, the Second�, �Badr, the Latter�, and �Badr Minor�. [Ibn Hisham 2/209-210; Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/112]

With the Messenger [pbuh]�s return from Badr, peace and security prevailed the whole area; and the Islamic headquarters, Madinah, enjoyed full security. The Prophet [pbuh] then deemed it fit and appropriate to head for the most distant areas of Arabia in order to subdue all hostile elements in order to force undisputed recognition out of friend and enemy alike.

After a six-month lull of military activities, the Prophet [pbuh] was reported that some tribes, in the vicinity of Doumat Al-Jandal, on the borders of Syria, were involved in highway robbery and plundering, and were on their way to muster troops and raid Madinah itself. He immediately appointed Siba� bin �Arfatah Al-Ghifari to dispose the affairs of Madinah during his absence, and set out at the head of 1000 Muslims in late Rabi� Al-Awwal, 5 A.H. taking with him a man, named Madhkur, from Bani �Udhrah, as a guide.

On their way to Doumat Al-Jandal, they used to march by night and hide by day, so that they might take the enemy by surprise. When they drew near their destination, the Muslims discovered that the highway men had moved to another place, so they captured their cattle and shepherds. The inhabitants of Doumat Al-Jandal had also fled in all directions for their lives and evacuated their habitations. The Prophet [pbuh] stayed there for 5 days during which he despatched expeditionary forces to hunt for the enemy personnel but they detected none. He then returned to Madinah but en route he entered into a peace treaty with �Uyainah bin Hisn. Doumat Al-Jandal is located at about a distance of fifteen days march from Madinah and five from Damascus.

With this decisive and steady progress and wise strict plans, the Prophet [pbuh] managed to spread security, control the situation and make peace prevail the whole area. He also succeeded in shifting the course of events for the welfare of the Muslims by reducing the incessant internal and external troubles. The hypocrites were silenced, a tribe of the Jews evacuated while the other continued to fake good neighbourliness and seemingly faithful adherence to the covenants, the desert bedouins subdued and finally the archenemy Quraish no longer keen on attacking the Muslims. This secure strategic attitude created optimum circumstances for the Muslims to resume their logical course in propagating Islam and communicating the Messages of the Lord to all worlds.

Once again, peace and security enveloped the Arabian Peninsula and this turbulent area began to experience a period of lull after a whole year war. The Jews, however, whose treachery, intrigues and disloyalty made them taste all types of humiliation and disgrace, were not admonished. After they had been exiled to Khaibar, they remained waiting anxiously for the results of the skirmishes going on between the Muslims and the idolaters. Contrary to their hopes, the events of the war were in favour of the Muslims, therefore they started a new stage of conspiracy and prepared themselves to deal a deadly blow against the Muslims, but were too cowardly to manoeuvre directly against them, so they laid a dreadful plan in order to achieve their objectives. Twenty chiefs of the Jews with some celebrities of Bani Nadir went to Makkah to negotiate an unholy alliance with Quraish. They began to goad the people there to attack the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] promising them full support and backing. People of Quraish, who had been languid and proved too weak to challenge the Muslims at Badr, seized this opportunity to redeem their stained honour and blemished reputation. The same delegation set out for Ghatfan, called them to do the same, and they responded positively. The Jewish delegation then started a fresh effort and toured some parts of Arabia and managed to incite the confederates of disbelief against the Prophet [pbuh], his Message and the believers in All�h. Quraish, Kinanah and other allies from Tihama, in the south; rallied, ranked and recruited four thousand men under the leadership of Abu Sufyan. From the east there came tribes of Banu Saleem, Ghatfan, Bani Murrah, etc. They all headed for Madinah and gathered in its vicinity at a time already agreed upon. It was a great army of ten thousand fighters. They in fact outnumbered all the Muslims in Madinah, women, lads and elders included. To tell the truth, if they had launched a surprise attack against Madinah, they could have exterminated all the Muslims. However, the leadership inside the city was on the alert and the intelligence personnel managed to reconnoitre the area of the enemies, and reported their movement to the people in charge in Madinah. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] summoned a high advisory board and conducted a careful discussion of a plan to defend Madinah. After a lengthy talk between military leaders and people possessed of sound advice, it was agreed, on the proposal of an honourable Companion, Salman Al-Farisi, to dig trenches as defensive lines. The Muslims, with the Prophet [pbuh] at their head, encouraging, helping and reminding them of the reward in the Hereafter, most actively and diligently started to build a trench around Madinah. Severe hunger, bordering on starvation, could not dissuade or discourage them from achieving their desperately sought objective. Salman said: O Messenger of All�h! When siege was to laid to us in Persia, we used to dig trenches to defend ourselves. It was really an unprecedented wise plan. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] hurriedly gave orders to implement the plan. Forty yards was allocated to each group of ten to dig. Sahl bin Sa�d said: We were in the company of the Messenger of All�h [pbuh], the men used to dig and we evacuate the earth on our backs.

Some preternatural Prophetic signs appeared in the process of trenching. Jabir bin �Abdullah, seeing the Prophet [pbuh] starving, slaughtered a sheep, cooked some barley and requested the Prophet [pbuh] and some Companions to accept his invitation, but the Prophet [pbuh] gathered all the thousand people engaged in digging the trench and they started to eat until they were all completely full and yet the shoulder of mutton and dough that was being baked remained as they were undiminished. A certain woman brought a handful of dates and passed by the Prophet [pbuh], who took the dates, threw them over his cloak and invited his followers to eat. The dates began to increase in number until they dropped over the trim of his robe. Another illustrious preternatural example went to the effect that an obstinate rock stood out as an immune obstacle in the ditch. The Prophet [pbuh] took the spade and struck, and the rock immediately turned into a loose sand dune. In another version, Al-Bara� said: On Al-Khandaq (the trench) Day there stood out a rock too immune for our spades to break up. We therefore went to see the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] for advice. He took the spade, and struck the rock uttering "in the Name of All�h, All�h is Great, the keys of Ash-Sh�m (Geographical Syria) are mine, I swear by All�h, I can see its palaces at the moment;" on the second strike he said: "All�h is Great, Persia is mine, I swear by All�h, I can now see the white palace of Madain;" and for the third time he struck the rock, which turned into very small pieces, he said: "All�h is Great, I have been given the keys of Yemen, I swear by All�h, I can see the gates of San�a while I am in my place." The same version was narrated by Ishaq.[Ibn Hisham 3/330,331] The northern part of Madinah was the most vulnerable, all the other sides being surrounded by mountains and palm tree orchards, the Prophet [pbuh] as a skillful military expert, understood that the Confederates would march in that direction, so the trench was ordered to be on that side. The Muslims went on digging the trench for several days; they used to work on it during the day, and go back home in the evening until it had assumed its full dimensions militarily before the huge army of the idolaters;[ibid] which numbered, as many as ten thousand fighters, arrived and settled in the vicinity of Madinah in places called Al-Asyal and Uhud.

"And when the believers saw �Al-Ahzab� (the confederates), they said: �This is what All�h and His Messenger (Muhammad [pbuh]) had promised us, and All�h and His Messenger (Muhammad [pbuh]) had spoken the truth, and it only added to their Faith and to their submissiveness (to All�h)." [Al-Quran 33:22]

Three thousand Muslims, with Muhammad [pbuh] at their head, came out to encounter the idolaters, with All�h�s Promise of victory deeply established in their minds. They entrenched themselves in Sila� Mountain with the trench standing as a barrier between them and the disbelievers.

On attempting to attack the Muslims and break into Madinah, the idolaters were surprised to see a wide trench, a new stratagem unknown in Arabia before, standing as an obstinate obstruction. Consequently they decided to lay siege to Madinah and began to manoeuvre around the trench trying hard to find a vulnerable spot through which they could infiltrate into Madinah. To deter their enemies from approaching or bridging any gap in their defences, the Muslims hurled arrows, and engaged in skirmishes with them. The veteran fighters of Quraish were averse to this situation waiting in vain in anticipation of what the siege might reveal. Therefore they decided that a group of fighters led by �Amr bin �Abd-e-Wudd, �Ikrima bin Abi Jahl and Dirar bin Al-Khattab, should work its way through the trench. They, in fact, managed to do that and their horsemen captured a marshy area between the trench and Sila� Mountain. �Amr challenged the Muslims to a duel, and �Ali bin Abi Talib was deputed. After a short but fierce engagement, �Ali killed �Amr and obliged the others to evacuate in a state of panic and confusion. However, some days later, the polytheists conducted fresh desperate attempts but all of them failed due to Muslims� steadfastness and heroic confrontation.

In the context of the events of the Trench Battle, the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] failed to observe some prayers in their right time. Jabir [R] narrated: On the Day of Trench �Umar bin Al-Khattab [R] came, cursing the disbelievers of Quraish and said: "O All�h�s Messenger! I have not offered the afternoon prayer and the sun has set." The Prophet [pbuh] replied: "By All�h! I, too, have not offered the prayer yet." The Prophet [pbuh] then went to Buthan, performed ablution and observed the afternoon prayer after the sun had set and then offered the sunset prayer after it."[Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/590] He was so indignant for this failure that he invoked All�h�s wrath on his enemies and besought All�h to fill their houses and graves with fire because they distracted him from observing the afternoon prayer. It was narrated by Ahmed and Shafa�i that the events of that battle detained him from the noon, afternoon, evening and night prayers, but he observed them combined. The different narrations point to the fact that the situation lasted for a few days.[Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.287; Sahih Muslim 1/227]

It is clear that, and because of the trench standing between the two parties, no direct engagement took place, but rather there were military activities confined to arrow hurling, consequently the fight claimed the lives of a small number of fighters, six Muslims and ten polytheists, one or two killed by sword.

During the process of fighting, Sa�d bin Mu�adh was shot by an arrow that pierced his artery. Perceiving his end approaching, he invoked All�h saying: "Oh, All�h, you know nothing is closer to my heart than striving in Your way against those people (disbelievers) who belied Your Messenger and banished him from his town. Oh, All�h, I deeply believe that You have decreed that we should fight them, so if there is still more fighting to go with them, let me stay alive in order to strive more against them. If it has settled down, I beseech you to ignite it again so that I breathe my last in its context."[Sahih Al-Bukhari 3/591] He concluded his supplication beseeching All�h not to let him die until he had had full revenge on Banu Quraiza. In the midst of these difficult circumstances, plottery and intrigues were in fervent action against the Muslims. The chief criminal of Bani Nadir, Huyai, headed for the habitations of Banu Quraiza to incite their chief Ka�b bin Asad Al-Qurazi, who had drawn a pact with the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] to run to his aid in times of war. Ka�b, in the beginning resisted all Huyai�s temptation, but Huyai was clever enough to manipulate him, speaking of Quraish and their notables in Al-Asyal, as well as Ghatfan and their chieftains entrenched in Uhud, all in one mind, determined to exterminate Muhammad [pbuh] and his followers. He, moreover, promised to stay in Ka�b�s fort exposing himself to any potential danger in case Quraish and Ghatfan recanted. The wicked man went on in this manner until he later managed to win Ka�b to his side and persuade him to break his covenant with the Muslims. [Ibn Hisham 3/337] Banu Quraiza then started to launch war operations against the Muslims especially the secluded garrisons that housed the women and children of the Muslims. On the authority of Ibn Ishaq, Safiyah [R], daughter of �Abdul Muttalib happened to be in a garrison with Hassan bin Thabit as well as some women and children. Safiyah said: "A Jew was spotted lurking around our site, which was vulnerable to any enemy attacks because there were no men to defend it. I informed Hassan that I was suspicious of that man�s presence near us. He might take us by surprise now that the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] and the Muslims are too busy to come to our aid, why don�t you get down and kill him? Hassan answered that he would not do it, so I took a bar of wood, went down and struck the Jew to death. I returned and asked Hassan to loot him but again Hassan refused to do that.[ibid 2/228] This event had a far reaching effect and discouraged the Jews from conducting further attacks thinking that those sites were fortified and protected by Muslim fighters. They, however, went on providing the idolaters with supplies in token of their support against the Muslims.

On hearing this bad news, the Messenger [pbuh] despatched four Muslim prominent leaders Sa�d bin Mu�adh, Sa�d bin �Ubada, �Abdullah bin Rawaha and Khawat bin Jubair for investigation but warning against any sort of spreading panic amongst the Muslims and advising that they should declare in public that the rumours are groundless if they happen to be so. Unfortunately the four men discovered that the news was true and that the Jews announced openly that no pact of alliance existed any longer with Muhammad [pbuh]. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] was briefed on this situation, and the Muslims understood their critical position with the horrible danger implied therein. Their back was vulnerable to the attacks of Banu Quraiza, and a huge army with no way to connive at in front, while their women and children unprotected standing in between. In this regard, All�h says:

"And when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harbouring doubts about All�h. There, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking."
[Al-Qur'an 33:10, 11]

Now that the Muslims were shut in within the Trench on the defensive, the hypocrites taunted them with having indulged in delusive hopes of defeating Kisra, emperor of Persia, and Caesar, emperor of the Romans. They began to sow the seeds of defeatism, and pretended to withdraw for the defence of their homes, though these were in no way exposed to danger. Here, All�h says:

"And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubts) said, �All�h and His Messenger ([pbuh]) promised us nothing but delusions!� And when a party of them said: �O people of Yathrib (Al-Madinah), there is no stand (possible) for you (against the enemy attack!) therefore go back!� And a band of them asked for permission of the Prophet ([pbuh]) saying: �Truly, our homes lie open (to the enemy).� And they lay not open. They but wished to flee." [Al-Qur'an 33:12, 13]

The Messenger of All�h, [pbuh] wrapped himself in his robe and began to meditate on the perfidy of Banu Quraiza. The spirit of hopefulness prevailed over him and he rose to his feet saying:

"All�h is Great. Hearken you Muslims, to All�h�s good tidings of victory and support."

He then started to lay decisive plans aiming at protecting the women and children, and sent some fighters back to Madinah to guard them against any surprise assault by the enemy. The second step was to take action that could lead to undermining the ranks of the disbelieving confederates. There, he had in mind to conclude a sort of reconciliation with the chiefs of Ghatfan on the basis of donating them a third of Madinah�s fruit crops. He sought the advice of his chief Companions, namely, Sa�d bin Mu�adh and Sa�d bin �Ubadah, whose reply went as follows:

"O Messenger of All�h! If it is All�h�s injunction, then we have to obey, but if it is a new course you want to follow just to provide security for us then we don�t need it. We experienced those people in polytheism and idolatry and we can safely say that they don�t need the fruit of our orchards, they rather need to exterminate us completely. Now that All�h has honoured us with Islam, I believe the best recourse in this situation is to put them to the sword." Thereupon the Prophet [pbuh] corrected their Belief saying: "My new policy is being forged to provide your security after all the Arabs have united to annihilate you (Muslims)."

All�h, the Glorious, the Exalted, praise is to him, created something that led to the dissension of the enemies of Islam and later on to their full defeat. A man from the tribe of Ghatfan called Na�im bin Mas�ud asked to be admitted in the audience of the Prophet [pbuh]. He declared that he had embraced Islam secretly and asked the Prophet [pbuh] to order him do anything that might benefit the Muslims. The Prophet [pbuh] asked him to do anything that could help the Muslims in the present distress and use any strategem of avail. The man, in a shuttle movement, between the Jews, Quraish and Ghatfan managed to incite each party to let down the other. He went to see the chiefs of Banu Quraiza and whispered in their ears not to trust Quraish nor fight with them unless the latter pledged some hostages. He tried to lend support to his counsel by claiming that Quraish would forsake them if they perceived that victory over Muhammad [pbuh] was far fetched, and the Muslims then would have terrible revenge on them. Na�im, then headed for the camp of Quraish and managed to practise a similar strategem in its final result but different in content. He claimed that he felt that the Jews regretted breaching their covenant with Muhammad [pbuh] and his followers. He told them that the Jews maintained regular correspondence with the Muslims to the effect that Quraishite hostages be sent to the camp of the Muslims with full Jewish allegiance paid to them as already agreed upon. Na�im then exhorted Quraish not to send hostages to the Jews. On a third errand, he did the same with the people of Ghatfan.

On Saturday night, Shawwal 5 A.H., both Quraish and Ghatfan despatched envoys to the Jews exhorting them to go into war against Muhammad [pbuh]. The Jews sent back messages that they would not fight on Saturday. They added that they needed hostages from them to guarantee their consistency. On receiving the replies, Quraish and Ghatfan came to believe Na�im�s words fully. Therefore, they sent a message to the Jews again inviting them to war and asking them to preclude that condition of hostages. Na�im�s scheme proved successful, and a state of distrust and suspicion among the disbelieving allies prevailed and reduced their morale to deplorable degree.

Meanwhile, the Muslims were preoccupied supplicating their Lord to protect their homes and provide security for their families. The Messenger of All�h [pbuh] on his part invoked All�h�s wrath on the Confederates supplicating:

"Oh, All�h! You are quick in account, You are the sender of the Book, we beseech You to defeat the confederates." [Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/411,2/590]

All�h the Glorious, the Exalted, responded to the call of the Muslims on the spot. Coupled with the dissension and variance that found their way into the hearts of the disbelievers, forces of nature � wind, rain and cold wearied them, tents were blown down, cooking vessels and other equipage overthrown.

That very cold night the Messenger of All�h [pbuh] despatched Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman to hunt around for news about the enemy. He found out that they were preparing to leave frustrated for their inability to achieve their target. All�h did really fulfill His Promise, spared the Muslims fighting a formidable army, supported His slave (Muhammad [pbuh]) and inflicted a heavy blow on the Confederates.

The battle of the Trench took place in the fifth year Hijri. The siege of Madinah started in Shawwal and ended in Dhul Qa�dah, i.e. it lasted for over a month. It was in fact a battle of nerves rather than of losses. No bitter fighting was recorded; nevertheless, it was one of the most decisive battles in the early history of Islam and proved beyond a shadow of doubt that no forces, however huge, could ever exterminate the nascent Islamic power growing steadily in Madinah. When All�h obliged the Confederates to evacuate, His Messenger was in a position to confidently declare that thenceforth he would take the initiative in war and would not wait for the land of Islam to be invaded. [Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/590]