Part 43

One of the wives of the Mujahideen said:

“I have heard my father saying that if poison is cooked, then the effect of the poison is neutralised.”

She then picked some grains from the earthen pot and put them in one of their pans and put it on the fire. Then she pointed out that the husk was coming off from the grains, and white grains were appearing. Just to check out the taste we put them in bowl and gave them to the general. He told us to try them, taking the Name of Allah 3, and when he had tasted them he found them to be delicious. Later we learnt these grains were called rice and were the favourite food of Iranians.”

Ablah which ‘Utbah bin Ghazwan - had attacked with a small army was situated on the banks of the river Dajlah. It was a very secure city where the Iranians had built huge storehouses to safely stock their weapons. On the ramparts of the forts they had constructed towers to keep a watch on any approaching enemy. But none of these measures could impede the march of ‘Utbah bin Ghazwan 4 and his army.

‘Utbah bin Ghazwan covered the spears in a decorative manner with some flags and gave them in the hands of the women and ordered them to walk behind the army. And he told them that when they neared the city they should stir up a lot of dust; the hazy atmosphere would thus reduce visibility. When they neared the city the Iranian army was aghast to see such a huge army advancing towards them. Their numbers were few and they were terrified for their lives. In sheer panic they jumped into the boats moored for emergencies on the river Dajlahh, and fled. ‘Utbah bin Ghazwan 4s, without any hindrance or opposition entered Ablah triumphantly. A short time later he conquered quite easily the surrounding towns and settlements. Here the army of {slam gained immense spoils, the value of which was difficult to assess.

After their success when one of the Mujahid returned to Al-Madinah and was asked how the Muslims were doing there. He replied that they were fine and enjoying the comfortable life greatly. People in fact were keen to settle in Ablah permanently!

‘Utbah bin Ghazwan 4% thought that if the Muslims continued to stay for some time in the conquered cities and towns they would become lazy and begin to enjoy a soft life of idleness, ease and comfort. The culture, habits and customs of the conquered people would also influence them. Besides, their toughness and their resolve to do Jihad in the way of Islam would weaken. So he wrote a letter to Caliph ‘Umar Farooq -# requesting his permission to found a new city; he also pinpointed the site he had selected. ‘Umar Farooq % granted permission and the name proposed for the new city was Basra.

‘Utbah bin Ghazwan 4 drew up the plan for the new city. Firsta huge mosque was constructed. It became the centre for all the work

‘Utbah bin Ghazwan 4% was not only a successful General but also a simple and humble man who was knownas a reformer as well. He realised that the Muslims who had settled in Basra had begun to care too deeply for things of this world; this love of luxuries could make person neglect the life of the spirit and of the Hereafter. He saw that the people who did not know even the word rice had developed a taste for Iranian delicacies. When he realised that the spiritual values of Islam were being endangered by the life of this world he gathered the people in the mosque and addressed them thus:

“O People! The life of this world is going to end. You will be transferred from here to a house, which will be yours forever. You will take with you only your good deeds. People, I have had the distinction of being among the first to accept Islam. At that time we used to eat the leaves of trees to survive and sometimes our mouths used to be full of sores and wounds because of this. Our poverty was such that often we had difficulty finding clothes to cover our bodies. One day I found a sheet, which I cut up into two. One I used to cover myself and the other I gave to Sa’d_ bin Abu Wags to use as a loin cloth. Today all of us are governors of some province or the other. I ask for Allah protection from the condition where I may think myself to be very great now, but in the sight of Allah I shall be considered very low.”

he had placed him in the pre-eminent position of the caliphate and wanted to escape himself. He insisted that he should help him. He obeyed the command of Caliph ‘Umar Faroog very reluctantly and getting on to his camel he rode back to Basra. On the way out of AlMadinah he kept on praying earnestly, “O Allah please don’t take me back! O Allah please don’t take me back!”

Allah 3% accepted his supplications and he had just gone a little distance from of Al-Madinah, when his camel stumbled. ‘Utbah bin Ghazwan # fell died instantly and went on to meet his Creature.

“Come back to your Lord - well-pleased (yourself) and well pleasing (unto Him)!” (89:28)

All the Quraish set off for Mountain Uhud to fight against the Prophet #. Adults and children, young and old, rich and poor - everyone was there. Because of their complete rout at the Battle of Badr, their hearts were filled with fury and rage against the Muslims. They were eager to avenge the death of their near and dear ones, and the fire of revenge burnt bright as they wanted desperately to erase the Muslims from the face of the earth. They had taken their women along with them so that they could inspire the men and remind the youth of the great deeds of their forefathers and inspire them to perform heroic feats and not retreat. Among these women was the wife of Abu Sufyan, Hind bin ‘Utbah and Reetah the wife of ‘Amr bin ‘Aas. The wife of Talah, Salafah bint Sa’d had joined them with her three sons Musaffa’, Jalas and Kalab. Besides these there were many others who accompanied the army.

When fierce fighting broke out between the two armies in the Battle of Uhud, then Hind and the other women went and stood behind the line of the warriors; beating heir drums they started to sing:

If you advance we will embrace you, and prop up pillows for you. If you turn your backs and flee, we will spurn you. (poetry)

The emotional anthems inspired emotions of tribal pride and worked like magic on their husbands.

Then the battle seemed to cool down and the Quraish dominated over the Muslims. The women, intoxicated with the joy of victory, came out on the battlefield and started to dance and desecrate the dead bodies of the Mujahideen. In the passionate desire for revenge, they slit up

their bellies, gouged out their eyes and cut off their noses and ears. One woman, her appetite for revenge for the men of her family not satisfied with all this, strung the noses and ears she had cut off ona piece of string and wore it as a necklace! On another string she shaped an anklet and put it on her feet and started dancing joyfully amidst the dead bodies.

But Salafah bint Sa‘d was very different from her friends. She was anxiously expecting her family - her husband and three sons - to turn up any moment; once she saw them she would also join the dancers in the celebrations of victory, she thought. Finally she got tired, her long wait seemed wasted and she started looking for the faces of her dear ones among the dead. She finally found her husband's dead body soaked in blood. She turned around like an enraged tigress and started looking swiftly in every corner of the battlefield for her three sons. Some time later she found the three bodies scattered in the field under Mountain Uhud. Muséaffa’ and Kalab were dead and her third son, Jalas was breathing his last.

Stricken with grief she sat down beside him, took his head on her lap and started cleaning up his face and his forehead. She was trying her utmost to save his life; she was heartbroken but could not shed a tear. In deep sorrow she asked her son:

“My dear son, who has given you these grievous wounds?”

He wanted to reply, but could not as he was panting for life. Again and again she repeated her question. Finally, he gasped out:

“My father, brothers and | all killed by ‘Asim bin Thabit 4.”

Hearing this Salafah started to scream and swore by the false gods ‘Uzza and Lat that her rage could not die down until she had taken revenge on him, and drank wine from his skull.

Then she proclaimed that she would give any amount of wealth desired, to the person, who brought him alive or brought his head. The news of this announcement of hers spread like wildfire among the Quraish. All the young men started to wish that this wealth should be

theirs and they should be the lucky ones to succeed in killing ‘Asim bin Thabit &.

The Muslims returned to Al-Madinah after the Battle of Uhud and started discussing its outcome amongst them. They offered supplications to Allah for the Mujahideen and spoke respectfully of their courage and daring. They were surprised that ‘Asim bin Thabit .& had killed four members of the same family.

One of them said: