In the Field of Uhad

On the one hand the people of Makka were preparing them for a great battle against Muslims, on the other hand the people of Medina who were enemies of Islam, started campaigning against Muslims using their skills of condemning poetically.

Abu Sufyan after returning Medina reorganized his army and in the month of Shawal in 3rd AH started marching towards Medina with three thousand warriors. Sufwan was the vice Commander of Abu Sufyan. In other generals Akrama the son of Abu Jehal, burning with the fire hatred against Muslims, was prominent. Hinda wife of Ahu Sufyan, who had vowed to garland herself with the ears, noses and hands cut off from the bodies of those Muslims that would be killed in the battle.

Holy Prophet after having consultations of his companions decided to face the Makkan army out of Medina and he camped at Uhad. Abdullah Bin Abbi, the leader of charlatan Muslims refused to stay and fight Makkans. The holy Quran reports this incident in these words:

“And to know of the hypocrite amongst them they were told: Come and fight for the cause of Allah or, at the least defend the city. They said we would have done it if we knew to fight: on that day they were closer to infidelity than faith. They say what actually they don't mean and what they hide. God knows it well." (Sura: Al Imran).

Holy Prophet arranged the contingents at different places in the battlefield and instructed them to hold their places no matter what might happen.

Many renowned warriors of the infidel army were killed in the battle of Uhad. Their ranks were disarrayed.

Even the women chanting slogans to warm the hearts of their soldiers, seeing the obvious defeat and the retreat of their army, opted to flee. The flag of Makkans army had hit the ground and nobody was there to raise it again. This demoralized the Makkans army and the retreated leaving behind the dead bodies of their soldiers.

The Muslim contingent appointed on the hill of the pass of Uhad, seeing the enemy retreating, against the clear-cut instructions of the Holy Prophet left their places and joined the people gathering the booty. Khalid Bin Waled taking advantage of the situation attacked from behind the Muslim army. Few Muslims who had not left their posts could not stop that attack. Disobedience of the Holy Prophet's order proved a very costly mistake. A woman raised the flag of the Makkan Army in the air and the fleeing army of Makkans returned to attack. Muslims busy in gathering the booty came under siege. This created havoc for the Muslims. At this juncture someone shouted that the Holy Prophet has been martyred. This simply fueled the chaos even some Muslims were killed at the hands of Muslims in that confusion when the Muslim Army was completely disarrayed. Holy Prophet raised his voice aloud and called. "Come, I am the Prophet of God."

The infidels also heard this voice and they were quick to respond and they reached him before the Muslims at that time only nine Muslims were there near the Prophet. The infidels considering it their final chance to victory thrust the most powerful attack and martyred seven of the companions. They wanted to eliminate Holy Prophet once and for all but companions setting new examples of bravery and sacrifice offering their lives did not let the infidels reach the Holy Prophet.

One of the infidels Aaqba Bin Ahi Waqas hurled a heavy stone at holy Prophet. This not only caused him to fall down on his side but also broke his teeth and wounded his lower lip badly.

An infidel attacked him with sword and injured his forehead. Another hit the helmet which sank in and injured the cheekbone. Yet in another attack he was struck on his shoulder with a sword so heavily that its pain lasted for quite a long time.

At this occasion the companions of the Holy Prophet set some fine examples of devotion and commitment. When Holy Prophet had fallen on the ground Talha lied upon him to take all the lethal attacks of infidels on his body to save Holy Prophet. When Abu Dujana managed to reach the Holy Prophet he offered his back to shield against the arrows and took many of the arrows on his back so that his beloved Prophet could be saved.

At that difficult and precarious time God sent help for the Holy Prophet. One of the companions, Saud stated that on that occasion he saw two white clad men protecting Prophet him from incessant attacks of the infidels. The infidels had demoralized the Muslims by spreading the news of Holy Prophet's killing, Uns Bin Nasr saw that few Muslims were sitting upon the ground in utter dismay and hopelessness, he asked them that why they were not fighting. They replied. "What's the use to fight now? The one for who were fighting has been martyred so what is the use to fight." Uns warmed their heart saying if the Holy Prophet had really been martyred then what was the use to live, they should fight to join him in his martyrdom. After saving that he went to attack the enemy and embraced martyrdom. He received more than eighty wounds of sword, spear and arrows and on his body. He was so badly hurt that his body could not he recognized and his sister identified his body by his fingers, the only part of the body that was not disfigured.

One of the slaves of Quraish was a black skinned person named 'Wehshi'. He was tempted a reward for killing Hamza. He had participated the battle only to kill Hamza and win the reward.

Hamza was fighting so desperately that he couldn't dare to face him in an open attack so he decided to ambush him and attacked him using his spear from behind when he had the chance. He threw the spear with such power and might that it pierced the ribcage and Hamza breathed his last then and there. When Hinda heard that Hamza had been killed, she freed Wehshi then and there and awarded him her bracelet and the necklace. She cut Hamza's body with a knife and took out his liver and started chewing it. Then she slashed his nose and ears. When even this could not satiate her vengeance she removed the ears and noses of other dead bodies of Muslims and hung them around her neck after putting them in a string and danced in the battlefield.

Salafa Bint Saad another ruthless woman of Quraish scythed the head of that Muslim who had killed her son in the battle of Baddar, announcing loudly that she would drink water in that skull as long as she would live.

After the fight was over when Holy Prophet saw the lacerated body of his uncle Hamza in such a condition that his ears and nose was cut off and his liver had been thrown assay after masticating it, grief over powered him.

Later on when Wehshi deserted Abu Sufian's arms and came to Holy Prophet, he confessed that he had killed Hamza and begged forgiveness. Holy Prophet forgave him saying he would not like to see him again in future. After that day Wehshi never appeared before him but to recompense his misdeed, he slew Museelmah Kezab and few other enemies of the Holy Prophet.

The Jews of Medina exploited the damage sustained in Uhed in the form of propaganda against Islam and Holy Prophet. They opinioned that had Mohammad been the Prophet of' God he would not be defeated in a battle with mortals. On this occasion the following verse of Sura Aal - Imran, was revealed to the Holy Prophet.

"It is an old tradition for the Prophets to combat non-believers The Prophets of God have gone through hardships before but they have never suffered from dismay and disappointment, instead they were eventually successful due to perseverance and consistency. And God befriend such people of endurance.”