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