The Quraish worked day and night for the next year to avenge
their defeat at the Battle of Badr and determined to kill the Noble Messenger
(s.a.w.a.s.) and the Muslims. They
marched towards Madinah with a strong army of 3,000 fighters (on camels and
200 horses) and arrived at Uhad, about 5
miles from Madinah. The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s) solicited the opinions
of his companions; majority agreed to fight outside of the city of Madinah, but
the famous hypocrite Abdullah ibn Ubai favored to fight in side Madinah.
Muslims started with 1,000 fighters but 300 of them led by Ubai decided to quit
and returned to Madinah leaving the Noble Messenger with 700 men.
The Noble Messenger
(s.a.w.a.s.) deployed 50 men at the slope of the Mount of Uhad to protect the
Muslim army from rear attack and gave clear instructions not to leave the slope
at any cost. Quraish’s standard bearer and strong man Talha ibn Abu Talha
asked for a duel and the Commander of Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) came out to face
him and swiftly gave him a blow by his sword on his head which split. His
brother picked up the standard and he too was killed by Imam Ali and in this
manner all the 9 standard bearers were
killed by Imam Ali. Having lost all the standard bearers, the enemy was frightened,
and the Muslims led by Imam Ali, Hazrat Hamza and Abu Dujana and were forced to
flee leaving their camps. Muslims entered the camps and started collecting the
war spoils. Seeing this most of the marksmen
deployed at the slope of Mount Uhad
deserted their position defying their commander’s advice. Khalid bin Waleed saw
this opportunity and returned to the slope, killed a few fighters and started
to attack the Muslims who were busy collecting the spoils! This reckless
behavior turned the winning battle into a defeat. Muslims were fleeing refusing to look back while the Noble Messenger (seaways.)
was calling upon them to come back. They gathered safely on top of the nearby
mountain.
The blow to the Muslims was the tragic martyrdom of the
Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s)’s uncle Hazrat Hamza (a.s.). Abu Sufyan’s wife (Muawiya’s mother and Yazid’s grandmother), Hind also
travelled to Uhad as she was wildly angered by the death of her near ones in
the Battle of Badr. She had offered a good sum of money to an Abyssinian named
wahshi to kill one of the Hashemites, i.e. the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.),
Imam Ali (a.s.) or Hazrat Hamza (a.s.). Wahshi killed Hazrat Hamza and Hind
came to his dead body and asked him to cut open his belly and extricate his
liver. She chewed his liver and desecrated
his body by cutting body parts and wore them as garland!
Imam Ali was the only one left at the Noble Messenger (seaways.)
side, although some of them returned. According to al-Tabari who reported that
when a group of pagans was coming to him, he (s.a.w.a.s.) asked Imam Ali to
charge them and he would force them to retreat. This situation was repeated
many times and Imam Ali dispersed them. Amazed
by Imam Ali’s sacrifice, Gabriel said, “Messenger of God, what a redeemer Ali
is” The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) replied, “Because he is from me and I am
from him” Gabriel replied, “I am from both of you” At this time a voice was
heard saying, “La Fata Illah Ali la saif
Illah Zulfiqar” “There is no youth full of manhood but Ali, and no sword
comparable to Zulfiqar” The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) was hurt, lost few
teeth and Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.) came to the battlefield and gave medical
aid to her father.
After the battle, people returned to Madinah and the women
mourned the death of their loved ones. The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) passed
through these houses and tears rolled from his eyes and he said” …. but there
is no one to mourn the death of Hamza. Some companions asked their women to go
to Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.)’s house and condole the death of Hazrat Hamza.
Source:
Battle of Uhad by Shaykh Muhammad Jawad Chirri, Ziaraat com, Duas.org
Hayat-al-Qulub
by Allama Baqir Majlisi
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