Part 51

Khalid bin Waleed was the enemy commander as he had not yet converted to Islam; taking this opportunity he led his men by way of the mountain pass to launch a sudden atiack on the Muslims. This was such a powerful attack that the Muslims were barely able to hold their own. As a result the Mujahideen suffered a heavy loss of life. Seventy Mujahideen were martyred and the Prophet % was injured. He lost his teeth and the chains of his armour pierced his face.

Two Companions, Yaman bin Jabir and Thabit bin Wagas Wwe 4! -, who had become too old to fight in the Jiidd, were put in charge of the tents of the women and children. But when they saw their Muslim brothers attaining martyrdom they also were inspired to fight. They picked up their swords and entered the battlefield. Thabit 4 gained his goal of martyrdom. Yaman bin Jabir 4 got caught up in a circle of Mujahideen who did not know his identity and thought that he was one of the enemy. In the tumult and confusion of the battle he was wounded fatally. When Huthaifah bin Yaman + saw him he realised what had happened and called out, “Brothers this is my father! Stop!” But in all the noise of the battle no one heard him. When he saw his father’s dead body he called out in choking tones.

“My brothers, what have you done? May Allah % forgive you. Your swords have been tainted with the blood of my great father.”

All the Companions were perturbed when they saw what had happened. Suddenly everything seemed to change; though victory belonged to neither, the Muslims suffered a heavy loss of life due to

the fact that they were encircled by the enemy. After reaching AlMadinah, the Prophet 3 wished to give blood money to Huthaifah bin Yaman . But he was magnanimous even in his grief and gave the amount for the Mujahideen and said,

“O Prophet of Allah $ my father yearned to be a martyr and he achieved his desire. O Allah %, bear witness that I have dedicated this amount of the blood money for the Muslims.”

This gesture of his raised his status in the eyes of the Prophet #.

The Prophet # left Al-Madinah with an army of one thousand soldiers under him for Mount Uhud. Even before reaching his destination he had to face the treachery of the hypocrite, ‘Abdullah bin Ubbi, who left taking three hundred of his men with him. There were only seven hundred Mujahideen left under him now. Abu Sufydn was facing him with an army of three thousand armed men. Having learnt their lesson from the Battle of Badr, they had organised their ranks very well. In spite of the huge difference in numbers they launched sucha daring and powerful attack that the enemy was shaken and could not face them. The ranks of the Qureish were thrown into confusion. If only the fifty men under ‘Abdullah bin Jubair 4% had not deserted their posts, this would have been a forerunner of a decisive victory for the Muslims. But what was an error from the point of view of military strategy changed the situation in favour of the enemy. The sudden attack and the turn of events disconcerted and distressed the Muslims and they started fighting wildly and killing their own people in the ensuing confusion. The disbelievers took this to mean that it was a victory for them and they turned to go back. The Muslims returned to Al-Madinah disappointed; the Prophet 3, however, reorganised them the very next day and set out in pursuit of the enemy.

Abu Sufyan realised too late that they should have followed the Muslims to Al-Madinah and plundered and killed them in their own homes. He regretted that a great opportunity to fulfil his desire to destroy the Muslims had been lost, and felt that they should never have returned empty-handed. When he consulted with his men regarding this slip of his, they were also of the opinion that they should turn back and attack Al-Madinah. But even before they set out one of the leaders of the Banu Khaza‘ah tribe who happened to be passing that way said:

“What are you thinking about? For your information the Muslims have already organised themselves and are coming in pursuit of you people. You will see them appear any moment.”

When they realised what was happening Abu Sufyan and his disbelievers changed their dastardly plans and took off for Makkah. The fact that in spite of the numerical minority of the Muslims and the loss of lives suffered by them, the disbelievers did not dare to face them speaks volumes for the awe that they inspired.

On an examination of the Battle of Uhud it becomes clear that the factors the Prophet 3 gave weight to in his strategy - for example the defence of Mount Uhud - were crucial to winning the battle. The moment a vacuum was created on the mountain they suffered heavy losses. And it was an innovative move that was made in military history when they followed the policy of regrouping themselves the very next day to pursue the enemy. Even in modern day warfare this tactic of chasing the enemy to keep him away from their capital, is considered to be a sign of triumph. By chasing the enemy, the Prophet 3 infused the Battle of Uhud with an aura of victory.

In the Battle of the Trenches the disbelievers had trapped the Muslims resident in Al-Madinah in a lengthy siege. It was avery hard and difficult time, and the Qurasih and their allies too were not having an easy time of it. Suddenly a dust storm with swift winds broke out; the

tents of the Quraish were uprooted and torn apart, the huge tureens with cooked food were tossed upside down and lights were extinguished. There was dust everywhere - in people’s eyes, noses and throats. In seconds the might and power of the enemy was destroyed and their nefarious designs turned to dust.

From the military point of view victory is deemed to belong to the side which displays fortitude and courage at such critical moments. It is the side which starts to mourn and panic which is considered the loser.

At this moment in time the Prophet # needed the expertise and experience of Huthaifah bin Yaman 4%. He sent him to find out the actual state of affairs of the enemy. Huthaifah bin Yaman 4 disguised himself and risked his life to enter the ranks of the enemy. Of course he did not talk about this ride into the jaws of death to anyone. It is worth reading about it in his own words. He says,

“One night we were sitting in rows; the tents of Abu Sufyan were in the northern part of Af-Madinah, and the people of the Jewish tribe of Banu Quraidhah were in the south. I felt that the danger was greater from them and that they might harm our women and children. We had not seen a darker night and could not even see our own hands. Neither had we experienced a more dreadful storm. The sound and fury of the thunder and the flashes of lightening were terrifying.”

The hypocrites from the very beginning had started making excuses and asking permission to leave. They told the Prophet % that since their houses were not locked, the enemy could not only enter them and cause irreparable damage, but also harm their wives and children. But there was no such danger, and they were lying. That night the Prophet % was going around checking on each of his Mujahid to see how they were doing. When he reached where I was he could not recognise me in the darkness. Tired, cold and hungry, I was huddled in a small sheet and crouched low with my head between my knees. He asked who it was. | answered that it was his servant, Huthaifah 4.

He said, ‘Huthaifah, why are you sitting here? ‘ I answered that | was feeling exhausted with cold and hunger. He whispered to me softly,

“The enemy are in a perilous situation, go and mingle with their men and study their real position. Then come and tell me what their intentions are.”

I immediately got up on hearing his command, bat I was in fear of the enemy and was trembling from head to foot. When he saw my condition he offered the following supplication to Allah %, ‘O Lord Protect Huthaifah from the front and back, from the right and the left, from above and below.’ I swear by Allah Almighty that the moment he finished his words of prayer, I stopped feeling cold and fear of the enemy left my heart. When I left on this mission the Prophet # advised me to find out only the hidden plans of the enemy and not to take any other action under any circumstances. I moved around the enemy ranks in the darkness in sucha manner that no one could guess who I reaily was. Some time later Abu Sufyan addressed his troops and said,

‘O people of the Quraish! Today I wish to say something to you, but I fear that this may reach the ears of Muhammad %. Every individual should check who is seated on either side of him.’ As soon as I heard these words, I turned to the man seated next to me and holding his hand asked him who he was and what was his name. Thus he did not get a chance to ask me anything and my ruse worked.”

Abu Sufyan then said,

“O people of the tribe of Quraish! You will not find any peace here. The storm has killed our animals, our tents have been blown away and_ the people of the Banu Quraidhah have been separated from us. In my opinion it is better to quit this place; I myself am leaving.’ Saying this, he got on to his camel and left.”