Makkan Avenge Loss in Badr – Battle of Uhud
The next battle between the Quraish and the Muslims was the battle of Uhud, a hill about four
miles to the north of Medina. The idolaters, to revenge their loss at Badr, made tremendous
preparations for a new attack upon the Muslims.
They collected an army of three thousand strong men, of whom seven hundred were armed with coats of mail, and two hundred horses. These forces advanced under the conduct of Abu Sufyan and encamped at a village six miles from Medina, where they gave themselves up to spoiling the fields and flocks of the Medinites.
The Prophet, being much inferior to his enemies in number, at first determined to keep himself within
the town and to receive them there; but afterwards, the advice of some of his companions prevailing he marched out against them at the head of one thousand men, of whom one hundred were armed with coats of mail; but he had no more than one horse, besides his own, in his whole army.
With these forces he halted at Mount Uhud. He was soon abandoned by Abdullah Ibn Ubai,
the leader of the Hypocrites, with three hundred of his followers. Thus, the small force of the
Prophet was reduced to seven hundred.
At Mount Uhud the Muslim troops passed the night, and in the morning, after offering their
prayers, they advanced into the plain.
The Prophet contrived to have the hill at his back, and, the better to secure his men from being surrounded, he placed fifty archers on the height in the rear, behind the troops, and gave them strict orders not to leave their posts whatever might happen.
When they came to engage, the Prophet had superiority at first. But afterward, his archers left
their position for the sake of plunder, thus allowing the enemy to attack the Muslims in the fear
and surround them.
The Prophet lost the day and very nearly lost his life. He was struck down by a shower of stones and wounded in the face by two arrows, and one of his front teeth was broken.
Of the Muslims, seventy men were killed, among whom was the Prophet’s uncle Hamza. Of the
infidels, twenty-two men were lost.
Exhausted Quraish leave Madina victorious
The Quraish were too exhausted to follow up their advantage, either by attacking Medina or by
driving the Muslims from the heights of Uhud. They retreated from the Medinite territories after
barbarously mutilating the corpses of their dead enemies.
Almighty Allah said:
“So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory)
if you are indeed (true) believers. If a wound (and killing ) has touched you, be sure a similar
wound (and killing) has touched the others. And so are the days (good and not so good), We give
to men by turns, that Allah may test those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from
among you. And Allah likes not the Zalimeen (polytheists and wrongdoers).
And that Allah may test (or purify) the believers (from sins) and destroy the disbelievers. Do you
think that you will enter Paradise before Allah tests those of you who fought (in His Cause) and
(also) tests those who are patient? You did indeed wish for death (Ash-shahadah- martyrdom)
before you met it. Now you have seen it openly with your own eyes.” (Ch 3:139-143 Quran)
Allah the Exalted also said:
“We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they joined others in
worship with Allah for which He has sent no authority; their abode will be the Fire and how evil
is the abode of the Zalimeen (polytheists and wrong-doers). And Allah did indeed fulfil His
Promise to you when you were killing them (your enemy) with His Permission; until (the
moment) you lost your courage and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed after He
showed you (of the booty) which you love. Among you are some that desire this world and some
that desire the Hereafter. Then He made you flee from them (your enemy), and He might test
you. But surely, He forgave you, and Allah is most Gracious to the believers.
And remember when you ran away (dreadfully) without even a casting a side-glance at anyone,
and the Messenger (Muhammad) was in your rear calling you back. There did Allah give you
one distress after another by way of requital to teach you not to grieve for that which had
escaped you, nor that which had befallen you. And Allah is Well Aware of all that you do.
Then after the distress, He sent down security for you. Slumber overtook a party of you, while
another party was thinking about themselves (as how to save their ownselves, ignoring the others
and the Prophet) and thought wrongly of Allah – the thought of ignorance. They said, “Have we
any part in the affair?” Say you (O Muhammad): “Indeed the affair belongs wholly to Allah.”
They hide within themselves what they dare not reveal to you, saying: “If we had anything to do
with the affair, none of us would have been killed here.” Say: “Even if you had remained in your
homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their
death,” but that Allah might test what is in your breasts; and to Mahis (to test, to purify, to get
rid of) that which was in your hearts (sins), and Allah is All Knower of what is in (your) breasts.”
(Ch 3:151-154 Quran).
Narrated Al-Baraa’ Ibn Azib: “The Prophet appointed Abdullah Ibn Jubair as the commander of
the infantry men (archers) who were fifty on the day (of the battle) of Uhud.
He instructed them:
‘Stick to your place, and don’t leave it even if you see birds snatching us, till I send for you; and if
you see that we have defeated the infidels and made them flee, even then you should not leave
your place till I send for you.’
Then the infidels were defeated. By Allah I saw the women fleeing lifting up their clothes revealing their leg bangles and their legs.
So, the companions of Abdullah Ibn Jubair said: “The booty! O people, the booty! Your companions have become victorious, what are you waiting for now?”
Abdullah Ibn Jubair said: “Have you forgotten what Allah’s Messenger said to you?”
They replied: “By Allah! We will go to the people (the enemy) and collect our share from the war booty.”
But when they went to them, they were forced to turn back defeated.
At that time Allah’s Messenger in their rear was calling them back. Only twelve men remained with the Prophet, and the infidels martyred seventy men from us.
“The Prophet and his companions caused the Pagans to lose one hundred and forty men, seventy
of whom were captured and seventy were killed.
Then Abu Sufyan asked three times: ‘Is Muhammad present among these people?’
The Prophet ordered his companions not to answer him.
Then he asked three times: ‘Is Ibn Abu Quhafa present amongst these people?’
He asked again three times: ‘Is Ibn Al Khattab present among these people?’
He then returned to his companions and said: ‘As for these (men), they have been killed.’
‘Umar could not control himself and said to Abu Sufyan: ‘ You told a lie, by Allah! O enemy of Allah! All those you have mentioned are alive, and the thing which will make you unhappy is still there.’
Abu Sufyan said:
‘Our victory today compensates for yours in the Battle of Badr, and in war (the victory) is always
undecided and is shared in turns by the belligerents. You will find some of your killed men mutilated, but I did not urge my men to do so, yet I do not feel sorry for their deed.’
After that he started reciting cheerfully: ‘O Hubal, be superior!’
On that the Prophet said (to his companions): ‘Why don’t you answer him back?’
They said: ‘O Allah’s Messenger! What shall we say?’
He said: ‘Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime.’
Then Abu Sufyan said: ‘We have the idol of Al-Uzza, and you have no ‘Uzza.’
The Prophet said (to his companions): ‘Why don’t you answer him back?’
They asked: ‘O Allah’s Messenger! What shall we say?’
He said: ‘Say Allah is our Helper and you have no helper.'”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The moral effect of this disastrous battle was such as to encourage some neighboring nomad
tribes to make forays upon the Medinte territories, but most of these were repelled.
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