Shamshir e Be Neyam

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By 'Inayatullah Altamash Download

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Historical Novel – Hazrat Khalid bin Walid’s tale of chivalry Shamshire Be Neyam (The Sheathless Sword) is the story of that legendary commander of Islamic history on whose body not even an inch remained without a wound or blow. This is Hazrat Khalid bin Walid whom non-Muslim historians and military analysts too have acknowledged as one of the greatest military generals in the history of mankind.

Contents

Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Foreword ......................................................................................................................................... 3 1. Allah’s help versus Quraish army ............................................................................................... 6 On the Road to Madinah ............................................................................................................. 6 Prophet’s Migration .................................................................................................................... 7 Prophet’s First Public Call towards Islam .................................................................................. 8 'Umarah bin Al Walid ............................................................................................................... 10 Rukanah meets Sabt .................................................................................................................. 11 Prophet Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬duel with Rukanah ............................................................................ 12 The historic Battle of Badr ........................................................................................................ 13 The meeting for revenge ........................................................................................................... 15 The smiling prisoner ................................................................................................................. 16 Wahshi promises to kill Hamzah ‫للاهَ َع ْن َه ه‬ َ َ‫ي‬ َ​َ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ َر‬............................................................................. 18 Betrayal of the Hypocrites ........................................................................................................ 20 Abu 'Amir Fasiq ........................................................................................................................ 21 The Commander-in-Chief comes to duel .................................................................................. 23 Hamzah ‫للاهَ َع ْن َهه‬ َ َ‫ي‬ َ​َ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ َر‬martyred..................................................................................................... 25 Quraish flees from the Uhud battle-field .................................................................................. 26 2. When the Prophet’s blessed face got wounded......................................................................... 28 The thirty martyrdom-seekers ................................................................................................... 29 By my deities! I will kill you .................................................................................................... 30

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Foreword The first volume of Shamshire Be Neyam is in your hands. The second volume completes this Iman-inspiring tale.

Khalid bin Walid was that sword of Islam which always remained sheathless against Disbelief.

Allah’s Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him!) had awarded him the title of Saifullah.

Hazrat Khalid was one of those earliest commanders of Islam who had extended the reach of Islam to lands far away from Madinah. Not only the Islamic history but also the history of international wars consider him one of the greatest generals who ever lived. Even to this day, the experts and analysts of the Art of War refer to his battle tactics, his superb military leadership and unsurpassed understanding of battle maneuvers.

In every battle led by him, the Muslims were fewer in number. The number of Disbelievers would be twice, sometimes thrice, and in the battlefield of Yarmuk, around forty thousand Muslims had to contend with the 160,000-strong mighty army of the Roman Caesar and his allies. The frontline of the enemy army was 12 mile long without a gap in between. Seeing the expanse of the enemy line, Muslims too had spread over 11 miles but with huge gaps in between.

The depth of the enemy line was also manifold. Several squadrons stood, one behind the other like lines of rocks. Compared to that, there was almost no depth in the Muslim line.

History is amazed, and military analysts are left clueless trying to explain how Muslims were able to defeat the Romans in the Battle of Yarmuk. And it was a decisive defeat for the Romans.

After this, Baitul Maqdis (Al Quds or Jerusalem) fell into the Muslim hands like a ripe fruit.

This was but the accomplishment of intelligent military tactics. The maneuvers Hazrat Khalid had implemented in the Battle of Yarmuk are now a part of the training courses of developed countries’ armies.

Khalid never accepted that if the enemy were more in number and had superior weapons, and the Muslims were fewer, then confronting them would be dangerous. There were even occasions when he ignored the directions of the Caliph and attacked the enemy and vanquished it. This was a miracle of firm faith and resolute determination. This was the outcome of his love for Allah and His Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.

Look at the greatness of Khalid’s character! He did not feel let down when the Caliph of Islam, Hazrat 'Umar bin Al Khattab (May Allah be pleased with both!) at first relieved him from the command of the Muslim army. He continued fighting like other soldiers. After the Battle of Yarmuk, Hazrat 'Umar recalled him to Madinah because of a complaint. He was interrogated in a manner which though in accordance with the then Arab tradition was quite insulting for a commander. But Khalid’s reaction was such that Hazrat 'Umar wasn’t displeased at all. He accepted the punishment.

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Khalid bin Al Walid felt highly upset at his dismissal from the duty, yet he never attempted to dethrone the Muslim Caliph, nor did he make a political party or front of his own. If he had taken such a step, the entire army would have lined behind him. He was popular and highly revered in the eyes of the people. He had shattered the two biggest military powers of the day into pieces and vanquished them – the Persian fire-worshippers and the Roman Christians. Through incessant victories over the enemies, he had wrested Iraq and Syria from them and made them a part of the Muslim Caliphate. In spite of all this, he did not speak a single word against the Islamic Caliphate. He honored the status of the Muslim Caliph ignoring his own esteem.

Who was Khalid, what were his contributions to Islam, and what was the heritage he left for the Muslims of today? – you will be reading these in the two volumes of this epic story, Shamshire Be Neyam (The Sheathless Sword).

Gross injustices have been committed against Islamic history. Different reporters and later historians have confused certain incidents. A single event has been at times reported in several conflicting ways. The unfairness has gone to the extent that several events have been deliberately presented in a wrong light due to prejudice and communalism. Don’t think that this prejudice has been displayed only by non-Muslim historians. Even some so-called Muslim historians are guilty of this.

I have gone through and researched numerous books in order to present every event in the correct perspective. After due research only, I have written about the events. There were occasions when it became difficult for me to separate the fact from fiction. Still, I kept investigating till I was able to decide the fact.

Nevertheless, I am aware that there will be disagreements with me. But they will be limited to minor and non-significant events alone.

Due to the style I have adopted in writing this tale of chivalry, it is termed historical novel. Yet, it is not among those historical novels which are filled up with the fictional – in fact, film-like – colors. It is more of history and very little of novel.

I have presented Hazrat Khalid bin Al Walid and all his contemporaries as normal humans. I have not depicted them as green-clad super-humans descended from the heavens, nor did I make him do miracles where he cried out a slogan and the entire enemy fled away in terror.

It need not be mentioned that this book is a must-have for every family and home. This story is a compilation of our heritage. At a time when immoral stories which are read and viewed under the pretext of entertainment have put our Muslim offspring off the track, I present this book “Shamshire Be Neyam” in the hope that you will make your children read this. It contains all the fascinations of a story, and in addition, it is our history. It is our tradition – the true picture of the military spirit of Islam.

'Inayatullah

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Editor Hikayat Monthly Lahore

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1. Allah’s help versus Quraish army On the Road to Madinah The traveler was riding on alone in the Arabian desert.

Around 629 Christian Era or CE (8 AH or After Hijrah), the Arab region around Makkah and Madinah used to be terrifying, burning and scorching wilderness. On one hand, the desert had its inherent difficulties and on the other, there was constant danger of bandits. So, the travelers used to journey in caravans. But this traveler was going alone. He was mounted on a warhorse of high breed, his armour tucked to the horse's saddle. A sword was hanging from his waist while a spear lay in his hand.

In those days, men used to be tall, broad-chested and of sturdy physique. This solitary traveler too was one of them. Yet the way he sat on the horse's back indicated that he was a seasoned horseman, not any common Arab. His face didn't show the slightest fear of bandits who could rob him, seize this warhorse of such a high breed, and force him to travel on foot. But his countenance was not normal. He was pondering over something. He was pandering his heart with some memories and trying at the same time to bury some others.

A little later came a plateau. The horse kept climbing. After a considerable ascent, the ground levelled. The rider stopped the horse, turned it around, stood up on his stirrups and looked back.

He could not see Makkah which had disappeared below the horizon.

“Abu Sulaiman!” He felt a voice calling him. “Don't look back now. Let Makkah recede away from your mind. Being a warrior, don’t let yourself be cut into two. Be steadfast in your decision. Your destination is Madinah now.”

He turned his eyes away from the direction of Makkah, turned his horse once again towards Madinah and gave a slight jerk to his horse. The horse was well-aware of its rider’s gestures. It recommenced its well-balanced pace. The rider was 43, but he looked quite young. Sulaiman was his son’s name, his father’s was Al Walid. However, the rider liked to be called Abu Sulaiman1 more than he liked the name Khalid bin Al Walid. He didn’t know that history would remember him as Khalid bin Al Walid, and that this name would become an eponym for Islam’s military traditions and valiant spirit. However, when Khalid was traveling towards Madinah at the age of 43, he was not a Muslim. In addition to minor skirmishes, he had fought with the Muslims in two great battles – Battle of Uhud and Battle of Khandaq.

When the first revelation came to the holy Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) on a Monday of 610 AH, Khalid was 24 years old. By then he had become the commander of the military power of his tribe, Banu Makhzum – a highly respected sub-tribe in the larger tribe of Quraish. Banu Makhzum was in charge of Quraish’s military affairs. Quraish used to obey the

1

Abu Sulaiman: literal meaning, Sulaiman’s father

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judgments and decisions of his father, Al Walid. At the age of 24, Khalid too had got this status.

But now, rejecting this noble status, Khalid Abu Sulaiman was now migrating to Madinah.

At times he would feel like some power within him was trying to pull him back. Whenever he felt the effect of this power, his neck would turn back, but then a voice within him would rise: “Look ahead, Khalid. No doubt your are Al Walid’s son, but he is dead. Now you are Sulaiman’s father, Abu Sulaiman who is still alive.”

Two names had stuck to his mind. One was Allah’s Prophet Muhammad’s who had brought a new religion and way of life, and the other being Al Walid’s, his father and one of the staunchest enemies of Prophet Muhammad and his religion. The father had left this world transferring this enmity to Khalid in heritage.

At the smell of water, Khalid’s horse had changed its direction by itself. Khalid looked up to find some date palms and desert shrubs in a rough circle. The horse was heading there.

Once in the oasis, Khalid jumped down the horse’s back. He pulled down his turban, sat at the bank of water-pond with his knees on the ground. He took water in his palm-cups and poured it over his head. He splashed the water over his face a few times. His horse was drinking the water.

Khalid drank from that spring which was meant only for the use of humans. It was a small forest.

Khalid took down the horse’s saddle, opened up a small carpet tied to the saddle, spread it under the bushy trees and then he lay down. ۞۞۞

Prophet’s Migration He was tired now. He wanted to sleep for a short while, but the caravan of memories that had started in his mind wouldn’t let him sleep. He was taken to a day seven years back, when his friends and tribesmen had schemed to assassinate the holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. His father Al Walid had a leading role in this scheme.

It was a night of September 622 CE. Quraish had planned to kill Allah’s Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬while asleep and the men they had selected to commit this heinous task were brutal savages in human form.

37-year-old Khalid, being a youth of one of the honorable families of Quraish tribe, also had a part in this conspiracy. However, he was not among the men selected to actually commit this crime. The seven-year-old night was as fresh in his memory as the previous night. He was pleased over this assassination scheme, but sometimes, also felt a twinge of regret.

A man from his own tribe had refuted their religion of idolatry and had declared himself Allah’s prophet. Being pleased over the killing of such an enemy was quite natural. His displeasure arose from the fact that he was a votary of challenging the enemy and then dueling with him. Killing a sleeping enemy had never crossed his mind. Despite this, he did not oppose the conspiracy.

When the assassins entered the holy Prophet’s house at the appointed time on the all-important night, they were astonished to find the house vacant. Even the household chattels had been taken out. They could neither find his horse nor his she-camel. Quraish had gone to sleep in the hope 7 of 43

that the next morning will dawn with the long-awaited good news that the man who had refuted their religion and had been inviting the people to his own was at last killed. But when the morning came they found themselves looking at each other in frustration. In whispers, they started asking one another: “Where did Muhammad go?”

Long before the planned time of his assassination, the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had got information about the conspiracy, and therefore had migrated to Yasrib (Madinah). By morning, he had traveled far away2.

Today, after seven years, Khalid was also traveling to Madinah and his mind was enthralled with Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬name – the man whom he had tried his best to kill in the Battle of Uhud, three years later, but had failed. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had gone away from the place in an injured state.

Prophet’s First Public Call towards Islam Memories kept flashing in Khalid’s mind. His mind continued to travel back till it halted at an evening sixteen years back. In that evening of 613 CE, the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had invited several prominent men of Quraish to his house for dinner. After the meal was over, the holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬ addressed his guests: “Sons of 'Abdul Muttalib! The gift I am now going to present to you is something no 'Arab can offer you. Allah has particularly selected me for this. I have been commanded by Allah to call you towards a Din which will ensure success and bliss for you in this world as well as the hereafter.”

This is the author of this novel 'Inayatullah Altamash’s view of the event. The writer whose Islamic spirit is highly commendable seems to be among those who feel unsure about the miracles. The widely-accepted account is different. Hazrat Maulana Idris Khandhlavi writes in his authoritative work, Siratul Mustafa: “Ibn Abbas reports that angel Jibril, the trustworthy, visited the holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and informed him of the Quraish’s meeting (where they conspired to kill the noble Prophet in the night). Jibril advised him not to spend the night in his home. (Baihaqi) When the night fell and the darkness spread, Quraish in accordance with the resolution of the meeting, encircled the Prophet’s house. They intended to attack him after he fell asleep. The Prophet asked Hazrat 'Ali to wrap himself in his green cloak and lie on his bed. He told him not to fear and that no harm would come his way. Though Quraish were Prophet’s enemies, they considered him the most truthful and trustworthy, and many of them kept their trustmoney and valuables with him. The Prophet gave all the trusts to Hazrat 'Ali so that he could return them to their owners on the next day.

Outside, Abu Jahl, the accursed, was saying to his companions amidst loud guffaws, “Muhammad claims that if you follow him, you will become the kings of 'Arabs and non-'Arabs in this world and in the hereafter, you will enter the highest Paradise. And if you do not believe in him, you will die at the hands of his followers in this world and in the hereafter, you will burn in the Hell-fire.”

The noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬came out of his home holding a handful of earth and said, “Yes, I do say this. And you are among the ones who will be killed in this world by my companions, and in the hereafter you will burn in the Hellَ ُ ‫َ ْ َ ْه‬ َ ‫ِص ْو‬ ُ ‫ٰن ْم َف ُه ْم َ​َل يُ ْب‬ fire.” The Prophet then recited the starting verses of the Quranic chapter of Yasin up to ‫ن‬ ‫فاغشي‬ ‫ر‬ 2

(We have enveloped them, so they do not see. – Quran 36:9) over the earth in his hand. He threw the earth upon their heads. Allah cast a veil over their eyes, and the Prophet went past them without anyone of them seeing him.

(Siratul Mustafa 1/348-349)

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In this way, the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬invited his close relations to embrace Islam three years after the first revelation. Khalid was not present in the assembly. His father was there. He narrated to Khalid in a mocking tone that 'Abdul Muttalib’s grandson Muhammad had announced that he was Allah’s chosen prophet.

“We agree that 'Abdul Muttalib was a chief of Quraish,” commented Al Walid to his son. “No doubt, Muhammad’s family enjoys a high status, but why on earth should a member of that family claim prophethood? By Allah, by the idols of Hubal and 'Uzza! Our family is in no way inferior to others. Can any of the families supersede us just by claiming prophethood?”

“What did you reply to him?” Khalid asked politely.

“First we were silent, then we started laughing,” Al Walid said. “However, Muhammad’s cousin 'Ali bin Abu Talib has declared faith in Muhammad’s prophethood.”

Khalid had not forgotten his father’s jeer as he reported this.

As Khalid lay on his back in an oasis on the way from Makkah to Madinah, the memory kept him riveted. Though the chiefs of Quraish had not accepted Allah’s Prophet’s prophethood, other people were embracing it. Most of them were youths. Some poor people too had embraced it.

This had put a new life in the resolve of the holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. He accelerated the pace of invitations towards Islam. He was opposed to idolatry and he and his Muslim followers used to make fun of the 360 powerless idols kept inside and outside the holy Ka'bah.

Before the dawn of Islam, the 'Arabs believed One God to be the Almighty, All-Knowing, yet they worshipped those idols. They called them deities and considered them sons and daughters of Allah. They were prone to swear by Allah for every major and minor issue.

When Quraish observed that Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬Din which they had mocked at was growing popular day by day, they made a front against his preaching activities. They made the life difficult for Muslims. Khalid remembered that he had seen Allah’s Prophet gathering people in lanes and markets, to invite them towards Islam. He would say that the idols can neither benefit nor harm them and that only Allah is worthy of worship, Who is One, without a partner.

The front opposing Allah’s Prophet was led by four prominent Quraish chiefs. One of them was Khalid’s father Al Walid, the second was the noble Prophet’s own uncle Abu Lahab, the third was Abu Sufyan, and the fourth Abul Hakam, who was also a cousin of Khalid. This fourth man had carried out the most inhuman cruelties and oppressions of the Muslims. His malice and hostility towards Islam reached the level of ignorant savages. Because of this, Muslims used to call him Abu Jahl, the father of ignorance. This epithet became so popular that the people almost forgot his original name. History too has remembered this short-height, squinted and iron-like sturdy man as Abu Jahl. ۞۞۞

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'Umarah bin Al Walid These thoughts were now disturbing Khalid, perhaps embarrassing him too. Many a time, Quraish-men had thrown garbage into Allah’s Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬house. If ever a Muslim was found preaching Islam, Quraish-men would gather around to create nuisance. Uncouth, vulgar men had been assigned the job of vexing and insulting Allah’s Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.

Amidst all this, Khalid felt sort of relieved that his father had never committed any of such unworthy acts. He had instead confronted Allah’s Prophet’s uncle Abu Talib and demanded of him to put a brake to his nephew. Visiting him in the company of a few Quraish chiefs, Al Walid had warned him that if he did not stop his nephew from insulting the idols and claiming prophethood, the dear nephew may get killed by somebody. On each of the occasions, Abu Talib had refrained from any commitment.

A great sacrifice of his father flashed before Khalid. His brother 'Umarah was a very handsome youth, smart, intelligent and full of high spirits. Khalid’s father had offered this charismatic youth to two chiefs, asking them to take him to Abu Talib and exchange him for his nephew Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬. At this decision of his father, Khalid had felt a tremor in his heart. And when the two chiefs had gone away with his brother, he had in fact cried in solitude.

“Abu Talib!” said one of the chiefs gravely, bringing 'Umarah in front of him. “You are wellfamiliar with him. He is 'Umarah bin Al Walid. You also know that your clan Banu Hashim3 hasn’t produced a youth like him in charm and intellect. We gift him to you forever. If you keep him as your son, he will be obedient to you all your life. If you keep him as a slave, then by Allah, he will even sacrifice his life for you!”

“But why are you giving him to me?” enquired Abu Talib suspiciously. “Have the mothers of Banu Makhzum started auctioning their sons… Ok, well. Then say, what price you want for him.”

“In return, we ask you your nephew,” replied one of the chiefs in an unbelievably calm voice.

This nephew of yours has been a stain for you, a cause of dishonour for your clan. He has refuted your forefathers’ religion and come up with one of his own invention. Don’t you see how he has divided the tribe and turned mutually loving men into enemies for life?”

“What will you do with my nephew?” There was a note of scare in Abu Talib’s voice.

“We will kill Muhammad. And mind you, it won’t be unjust! As you see, we are offering our son in return for your nephew.”

“In fact, it will be grave injustice,” retorted Abu Talib. “You kill my nephew and in return I should take care of your son, spend my money upon him and provide him with the comforts of life. What convoluted justice you have brought to me! With due respect, I would rather say farewell to you.”

3

Banu Hashim was a sub-tribe of Quraish. The holy Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬uncle, Abu Talib was its chief at the time.

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Khalid’s heart had leapt with delight when he saw his brother returning with the chiefs and then heard from them that Abu Talib had rejected the barter. ۞۞۞

Rukanah meets Sabt “Have you ever been capable of inflicting any harm upon Muhammad, Abu Sulaiman?” The enquiring voice had risen from his inside. In his imagination, he shook his head and in his heart, he said, “Never. … No doubt, Muhammad has a strong physique. But mere physique won’t be enough to lift up a wrestler like Rukanah into the air and then throw him down upon the ground.”

Khalid silently wondered.

Rukanah bin 'Abd Yazid was a distant uncle of the holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬who had not yet embraced Islam. He was a highly-acclaimed wrestler of 'Arab. Well-known wrestlers challenged him and he fell them to the ground in a single move, leaving them incapable of rising up ever again. He looked quite barbaric as if he knew only fighting.

The moments of past seemed to come close to Khalid as he remembered the three-four men who had persuaded Rukanah for a get-together. One day, they hosted a feast for Rukanah in which they provided sumptuous meal and delicious drinks for him. Then they said to him, “Your nephew Muhammad listens to nobody and continues his preaching without fear of anyone. And people are flocking to him as if charmed by his magic. Can’t you put his mind straight?”

“Do you wish to have his bones broken by my hands?” Rukanah had bellowed in an arrogant voice in the manner of a mighty frenzied buffalo. “Bring him in front of me… But, no. The moment he hears of my challenge, he will flee from Makkah. No, no, I consider wrestling with him an insult to my name.”

He was not persuaded by the inciters. He had never considered any wrestler an equal. The enemies of Muslims went away quietly but kept scheming to get Allah’s Prophet pinned to the ground by Rukanah to make a mockery of him.

The Jews of Makkah were even more hostile towards the noble Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, but they never came out in the open to challenge him. They were celebrating the recent turn of events in which the Quraish tribe had got divided and become mutual enemies. They somehow got the information that some men of Quraish had tried to urge Rukanah to wrestle with Allah’s Prophet but he had not agreed.

One night, Rukanah was passing through a Makkah lane when a charming young girl passed by him. In the moonlit night, the girl recognized Rukanah. Smile spread on her flower-like lips.

Rukanah, barbaric in his temper, stopped at this and came before the girl obstructing her way.

“Do you know when a woman looks at a man and smiles, what it means?” Rukanah asked.

“Anyway, who are you?”

“It means that the woman loves the man,” replied the young girl. “As for me, I am Sabt bint Arman.”

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“Oh… daughter of the Jew Arman!” exclaimed Rukanah. Then, placing his hand on her shoulders, he brought her closer and asked softly, “Are you really captivated by my body and has my muscular power …?”

“Your power has in fact disappointed me,” whispered Sabt moving back a little. “You are afraid of your nephew.”

“Says who?” anger oozed from Rukanah’s roar.

“Everybody says,” replied Sabt in a teasing voice. “First throw down Muhammad to the ground, and I will present myself to you as prize.”

“By Allah’s sons and daughters! I will do as you say and then visit you again,” said Rukanah in a decisive manner. “But what you have heard is wrong. I do not fear Muhammad. The truth is I consider wrestling with a weak person an insult. Nevertheless, I will fulfill your wish.” ۞۞۞

Prophet Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬duel with Rukanah Noted historian Ibn Hisham writes that the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬himself had challenged the wrestler Rukanah. But the evidence provided by another historian Ibnul Athir seems more reliable according to which Rukanah challenged Allah’s Prophet, saying: “My nephew! No doubt you are a man of big heart and daring. I also know that you hate telling a lie. Yet the real test for a man’s courage and truthfulness is in the arena. So, come, and face me in arena. If you vanquish me, I will accept you as Allah’s Messenger. By Allah, I will then accept your religion.”

“But it won’t be a match between an uncle and his nephew,” said the holy Prophet accepting his challenge. It will be a battle between an idolater and a Prophet of the true religion. And if you lose the match, then don’t forget your promise.”

Like a sandstorm, the news spread in Makkah that the wrestler Rukanah and Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬will face each other and that whoever loses will embrace the religion of the victor. Almost each and every child, man and woman of Quraish, and the Jews thronged the venue. Muslims were few in number, but they had come armed with swords and spears as they feared that Quraish might assassinate the holy Prophet on the pretext of this wrestling match.

The strongest and most fearsome wrestler of 'Arab, Rukanah bin 'Abd Yazid came face to face with the noble Prophet in the arena. He cast a contemptuous glance at the holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and made a snide remark. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬remained calm and confident maintaining the eye contact lest Rukanah should take him unawares with a trick. Rukanah circled around him like a lion walking around its prey, about to launch itself on the victim. The crowd was taunting the holy Prophet. Muslims were silent. Deep in their hearts, they were praying to Allah. They had their hands ready on the handles of their swords.

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Then, no one knew what happened. What was the move made by the Prophet, no one saw. Ibnul Athir writes that the holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬lifted up Rukanah into the air and threw him down on the ground. Like a wounded lion, Rukanah got up and attacked him with a terrifying roar. The holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬again made the same move and threw him down upon the ground. When he got up the third time, again the result was the same. The heavy gigantic body having been thrown down to the ground thrice in a row, did not remain capable of continuing the wrestling match. With his head lowered in shame, Rukanah got out of the arena.

A sudden silence fell over the crowd. Now, the Muslims were waving and tossing sheathless swords and spears in the air and chanting slogans.

“Uncle Rukanah!” that was a challenge from the Prophet, not for a new round of wrestling, but as reminder for the promise. “Be true to your word and announce here itself that you are a Muslim now.”

Rukanah categorically rejected embracing Islam. ۞۞۞

The historic Battle of Badr "This strength was not merely physical," Khalid told himself lying on the earth in the oasis. “Let alone throwing him down to the earth, none before had even succeeded in defeating him.”

The figure of the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was now quite distinct in Khalid’s imagination. Though he had known him well, he now felt that the Muhammad he knew from childhood was someone else.

The new form he had taken recently was unrecognizable to Khalid. After declaration of prophethood, even normal conversation between Khalid and him had stopped. He now wished to have a duel with the Prophet, but he was not a wrestler like Rukanah. He was a warrior adept at fighting and commanding the fighters in a battlefield, but the Muslims at that time were not in a position to fight like an army.

When the Muslims had finally become capable of fighting as an army and had engaged in their first major battle with Quraish, Khalid’s special circumstances did not let him join the battle.

Since then, he had severely regretted it. This was the historic Battle of Badr in which 313 Muslim Mujahids defeated 1000 soldiers of Quraish. Khalid was left ruing the missed opportunity. But as he lay there in the oasis he wondered how 313 were able to defeat 1000.

Khalid had asked the defeated Quraish men upon their return home what it was in the Muslims that had made them victorious.

Khalid sat upright and began sketching with his finger on sand the battlefield of Badr, the relative positions of the two armies and their moves. His father had made him an expert in the art of warfare. He taught him horse-riding in his childhood and by his teenage he was able to rein the most stubborn and recalcitrant horses. In his youth he was already a master horse-rider. He was also adept at camel-riding. His father himself was his teacher who had made him not a mere soldier but a dependable commander in his own right. Khalid grew so fond of warfare that he

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started spending his free time thinking of ways and methods of fighting and commanding. In short, he was quite capable of commanding an army by the time he entered his youth.

He regretted being unable to participate in the Battle of Badr and from then on, he had been contemplating how to get back at the Muslims. But now the flow of his thoughts had turned to some other direction. Since a few days before departing Makkah, he had been pondering that if the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was able to throw the wrestler Rukanah off to the ground thrice in a row and if he was able to defeat 1000 men with just 313 Mujahids, he must be having some “other” power. He could not consider these things in the aftermath of the Battle of Badr as it had ignited in his heart the flames of revenge against the Muslims.

In the Battle of Badr, the Muslims had imprisoned dozens of Quraish men. For the chiefs of Quraish, it obviously was a shock, but even Khalid’s morale was severely hit. He remembered that no news regarding the developments was reaching Makkah when the battle was going on.

The people of Makkah kept looking longingly towards the direction of Badr in the false hope that some rider will come galloping and report the news of victory.

At last, a camel-rider came into view. People rushed towards him. In accordance with the 'Arab custom, the rider had torn apart his shirt and was wailing. This used to be the manner of messengers with bad news. When he came into the midst of the people, he told them with tearful interruptions that Quraish had suffered a disastrous defeat. Those whose relations and loved ones had participated in the battle were now jostling past others to enquire about their state, whether they were alive, wounded or dead. The defeated Quraish army was following the messenger at some distance.

Among those killed, 17 belonged to Khalid’s Makhzum clan, and Khalid was very closely related to each of them. Abu Jahl had also been killed and Khalid’s brother Walid bin Al Walid was a battle-prisoner.

Hind – the wife of Abu Sufyan who, after this battle, became the chief of the chieftains of Quraish – was present in the throng of people surrounding the messenger. “Tell me something about my father and uncle, O messenger!” enquired Hind.

“Your father 'Utbah has been killed by 'Ali and Hamzah,” the messenger informed. “And your uncle Shaibah has been killed by Hamzah singlehandedly. Your son Hanzalah has been killed by 'Ali.” Losing control of herself, Hind started swearing loudly at 'Ali and Hamzah. Then she said in a resolute tone, “By Allah! I will avenge the bloods of my father, uncle and son.”

Silence seemed to have overwhelmed Abu Sufyan. Khalid’s blood was boiling. 70 men of Quraish had been killed and a similar number imprisoned. ۞۞۞

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The meeting for revenge Khalid got up. He dusted the carpet, rolled it up and tied it to the horse’s saddle. Then, he rode up the horse towards Madinah. He wished to empty his mind of memories but again and again his mind would reach Madinah where Allah’s Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was present and which was now the center for preaching of Islam. His mind would then travel further behind showing him the scenes whose cause was the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. He remembered the words of Hind which she had said to her husband Abu Sufyan.

“I can forget my father and uncle,” Hind had said. “Should I forget even the piece of my own heart and blood, my son Hanzalah? How on earth can a mother ever forget her son? By Allah! I will never forgive Muhammad my son’s blood. This battle has been started by Muhammad. I will also never forgive Hamzah and 'Ali. They are the killers of my father, my uncle and my son.”

“The killing of my son is heating up my blood,” Abu Sufyan had said. “It is now obligatory for me to avenge my son’s blood. The first thing I will do is to prepare a mighty army against Muhammad that will render him incapable of ever fighting again.”

Widely-known historian and chronicler Waqdi writes that the very next day, Abu Sufyan called a meeting of all the chiefs. Most of them were the ones who could not participate in the Battle of Badr due to some reason and who had lost one or more of close relations in the battle. Everyone attended the meeting with a resolve for revenge.

“Do I need to say much?” Abu Sufyan said. “My own young son has been killed. If I do not take revenge, I have no right to live.”

Everyone started to speak at the same time. They were unanimous that revenge must be taken from the Muslims for Badr.

“But this time none of you should lie behind in your houses,” spoke Khalid. “We were humiliated at Badr only because our chiefs stayed in their homes and sent those people to fight who did not have enough appreciation for the honor and glory of Quraish.”

“Was even my father unaware of the glory of Quraish?” Khalid’s cousin 'Ikrimah, son of Abu Jahl, glowered at him. “Was Safwan bin Umayyah’s father also oblivious of Quraish’s glory?

Why don’t you speak of yourself, Ibnul Walid? Where were you at the time?”

“We have not congregated here to fight among ourselves.” Abu Sufyan tried to put an end to the altercation. “Khalid! You shouldn’t say anything that would sound insulting to others.”

“Insulting? Is there any ‘honor’ still left with us?” There was irony in Khalid’s voice. “And we shall remain insulted and honourless until we exterminate Muhammad and his henchmen. I swear by the hoofs of my horse, the heat in my blood has singed my eyes! Only the blood of Muslims can heal it. I repeat that in this battle, the chiefs will be in the front. And as for myself, I know where I will be, yet I will remain obedient to whoever is the commander of our army. Still,

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if I feel that the commander has given me an order that may prove harmful to us, I will not obey.”

Everyone unanimously elected Abu Sufyan as the chief.

Some days before this, a trade caravan of Makkah had returned from Palestine. The people of Makkah, in particular those of Quraish, had placed huge sums in the trade caravan that comprised 1000 camels, give or take a few, and the aggregate of the wealth that had gone with it was 50,000 dinar. The chief of the caravan was Abu Sufyan himself who had earned a profit of 50,000 upon 50,000 for the Makkans.

The return route of the caravan passed close to Madinah. The Muslims got information. They decided to arrest the entire caravan, and at a particular place the Muslims had encircled the caravan too. But the terrain was such that Abu Sufyan was able to take advantage of it. He succeeded in smuggling away the men and the camels one by one hiding behind the highs and lows of the rough ground. ۞۞۞

The smiling prisoner Khalid’s horse was marching ahead with a steady gait towards Madinah, yet his mind kept traveling behind. He was able to hear each and every word said by anybody when the Quraish were scheming to take revenge.

“If you have made me your chief, obeying my command is mandatory upon you,” said Abu Sufyan resolutely. “And my first decision is that I will not distribute among you the yetundistributed 50,000 dinars of profit. It will be used in the decisive battle against Muslims.”

“I and my clan agree with the decision.” Khalid was the first to announce.

“We agree … Go on … Do it …” The cries of approval rose from every direction.

“My second decision: …” Abu Sufyan went on. “The kins of our men who were killed in Badr are mourning publicly. I have seen men lamenting and women wailing over them. By Allah! when the tears dry up, the flames of revenge cool down. Now onwards, nobody shall lament over the deceased of Badr. … My third command: We will make no attempt to free our men imprisoned by Muslims in Badr. You are aware that the Muslims have divided the prisoners into categories and fixed ransom money for them accordingly, ranging from one thousand dirham to four. We shall not give a single dirham to Muslims. This money will be used against ourselves.”

As those moments flashed in Khalid’s memory while he sat on his horse riding towards Madinah, he found his fists clenched. A wave of fury engulfed him. Even though the time was left far behind, it enraged his entire self. The object of his fury was the fact that though it had been categorically decided in the meeting that no man of Makkah would visit Madinah for release of his imprisoned relations, yet one of them stealthily left for Madinah. He paid the ransom and returned with his freed father. After this, one or the other Quraish-man would

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stealthily go to Madinah and return with his freed kin. Abu Sufyan, eventually, revoked his decision.

One of Khalid’s own brother, Al Walid was a battle-prisoner with the Muslims. If the Quraish had not got many of their prisoners released by that time, Khalid would have never thought of going for Al Walid’s release. His own brothers had compelled him to go and get his brother released. Khalid remembered that he was not willing to let go of his ego, but then a thought occurred to him. The thought was that the noble Prophet was also from his tribe of Quraish and his city of Makkah and so were his followers who had become Mulims. None of them had come down from the heavens. They were not so brave and daring as to trounce an army of 1000 with the meagre strength of 313. From where had they got this new power that they were able to humiliate us and fix ransoms for our men.

“I will have a look at him,” thought Khalid. “I will observe him carefully.”

And he left for Madinah in the company of his brother Hisham. He tied a pouch containing 4000 dirhams. He was sure that the ransom for the son of Banu Makhzum’s chief, Al Walid would not be less.

It was as he expected. When he named his brother before a Muslim who handled the affairs of prisoners and ransoms, he demanded the payment of four thousand dirhams.

“We want some discount in the ransom,” Khalid’s brother Hisham entreated the Muslim. “You too are from us. Have some consideration for our old ties and relationship.”

“Now we are not from you,” the Muslim declared. “We are committed to obeying Allah and his Prophet’s commands alone.”

“Can we talk to your Prophet,” asked Hisham.

“Hisham!” raged Khalid unable to hold himself any further. “I had decided to sacrifice my brother for the sake of my honor but you brought me here. Now give them whatever they ask for.

I am not going to Muhammad to beg for mercy.”

He threw the dirham-filled pouch at the Muslim and said, “Count it and return our brother to us.”

When the money had been counted, Walid was presented to Khalid. The three brothers started for Makkah there and then. On the way, the brothers asked Walid what was the cause of their drubbing. They had hoped that Walid being a youth of a warrior family would tell them the effectiveness of the Muslims’ military moves and their own defects in the light of his understanding of military tactics and awareness of the art of warfare. But surprisingly, Walid seemed to be in an altogether different world with an out-of-place smile on his lips, as if he had been possessed by some magic.

“Walid! say something,” Khalid urged him again. “We have to take revenge for our defeat. All the chiefs of Quraish are participating in the upcoming battle. We are also seeking the alliance of surrounding tribes. They have even started gathering in Makkah.”

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“Bring together the entire 'Arab world, Khalid!” Walid stated, “and yet you will be unable to defeat the Muslims. I can’t say whether Muhammad has some magic in his hands or whether his message is the truth. But there must be something, that I haven’t disliked them even while being their prisoner.”

“Then you are a traitor to your tribe,” Hisham berated him. “Either you are a traitor or you have been enchanted by their magic. That Jew priest was correct when he said that Muhammad does not have a new belief-system or religion. He has only acquired some new magic.”

“It was magic only, otherwise Quraish wouldn’t have lost at Badr,” said Khalid.

It appeared as if Walid was not listening. There was an inexplicable smile on his lips and he was time and again turning his neck to look towards Madinah. There used to be a place called Zul Hulaifah at some distance from Madinah. When the three brothers reached there, the night had grown dark, so they halted there to pass the night.

When they opened their eyes in the morning, Walid was nowhere nor was his horse. After considerable thought, they concluded that Walid had returned to Madinah. They had observed that Walid seemed to be under some enchantment. This enchantment could be the Muslims’ only. The two brothers returned Makkah empty-handed. After a few days, they received a verbal message from Walid that he has acknowledged Muhammad as Allah’s true prophet ‫ﷺ‬, and that he has been so moved by the Prophet’s personality and his words that he has embraced Islam.

Historians say that Walid remained in high esteem with the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and he earned platitudes for his piety as well as his bravery in battles against Disbelievers. ۞۞۞

Wahshi promises to kill Hamzah ُ‫ع ْنه‬ َ ُ‫ي هللا‬ َ ‫َر ِض‬ Khalid had felt a pang of extreme fury on the occasion. On one hand his brother had gone and on the other he had lost 4000 dirhams. As bloody hostility had broken out between Quraish and Muslims, the latter did not return the money. There was another reason as well for non-return of the ransom money. Walid had informed the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬that Quraish were preparing in full swing for a decisive battle against Muslims. And for this purpose, they had already collected innumerable dinars and dirhams.

Khalid was trotting on towards Madinah. A raised hump appeared at the horizon. Khalid knew what it was. It was Mount Uhud lying 4 miles north of Madinah. At that time, Khalid was traveling on a very long and a little high sand-hill.

“Uhud … Uhud” – a whisper originated from Khalid’s lips and he was now hearing his own battle-cries. “I am Abu Sulaiman … I am Abu Sulaiman” – and with this he found the cries of a bloody battle, the hoof-sounds of warhorses, and the clanking of clashing swords piercing his ears. Khalid had been eager to fight this battle and he had fought it at last.

Khalid’s memory kept backtracking.

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It had happened a mere four years back. In March 625 (Shawwal 3 AH), the army that Quraish had summoned to attack Madinah was gathered in Makkah. Its strength was 3000: 700 were armored, 200 were horse-riders and provisions and battle-supplies were laden on 3000 camels.

The army was ready to march.

Like a day old incident, Khalid remembered how delighted he had been on seeing the mighty troop. The time for quenching the fire of revenge had come. The commander-in-chief of this army was Abu Sufyan, and Khalid commanded a wing of this army. His sister was also going with this troop. In addition, 14 other women were ready to travel with the army, the most prominent of whom was Abu Sufyan’s wife, Hind. 'Amr bin Al 'As’s and 'Ikrimah bin Abu Jahl’s wives were also there. The others were singer and musician women. There was poignance in each one’s voice when they sang playing drums and tambourines. The job of these women was to rouse the morale of the soldiers by singing passionate and emotional songs. They were to keep reminding the warriors of those killed in the Battle of Badr.

An Ethiopian named Wahshi appeared in Khalid’s memories. He was the slave of a Quraish chieftain Jubair bin Mut'im. He was tall, dark-skinned and sturdy of build. He was reputed in the skill of lance-throwing. He had a made-in-Africa spear. His original African name was something else. Jubair had named him Wahshi (meaning wild) after observing his fighting prowess.

“Ibn Harb!” a short while before the march, Jubair bin Mut'im talked to him, “I have to avenge the blood of my uncle. Maybe, I do not get a chance. My uncle was killed by Muhammad’s uncle Hamzah in the Battle of Badr. So, if you succeed in killing Hamzah, I will free you.”

“Hamzah will die by my lance, master,” Wahshi bin Harb said with confidence.

This Ethiopian slave strolled towards the place where the women accompanying the army had just ridden their camels.

“Abu Dusmah!” a woman called him.

It was Wahshi’s another name. He stopped. Abu Sufyan’s wife Hind was calling him. He went close to her.

“Abu Dusmah!” said Hind, “Don’t be surprised. I have called you. My breast is burning with the flames of revenge. Cool my breast.”

“At your service, lady,” the slave replied obediently, “I will sacrifice my life at the order of our commander’s wife.”

“In the Battle of Badr, Hamzah killed my father,” Hind said in a sad voice, “You can recognize him well, can’t you? Look, all the gold jewels I am wearing will be yours if you kill Hamzah.”

There was smile on his face as he looked at Hind’s ornaments. And in an undertone filled with resolve, he said, “I alone will kill Hamzah.”

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Khalid remembered the setting off of his army. The army had traveled to Madinah through this very route. He had climbed a high point to have a look at his army. His chest had swelled with pride. He felt a tinge of pity for the Muslims of Madinah. But this pity too had cheered him. It was an enmity of blood. It was a question of his honour. Crushing the Muslims was now his determination. ۞۞۞

Betrayal of the Hypocrites Many days after the Battle of Uhud, Khalid came to know that when Quraish was summoning the army at Makkah, the information had reached the holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. And when the army was on its way to Madinah, the holy Prophet had the latest news about its march-speed, halts and distance from Madinah. The news of the troop’s departure from Madinah had been sent to the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬by Hazrat Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him).

This army of Quraish had camped at a place near Madinah which had greenery as well as water.

Khalid was unaware that two Muslim spies had observed the entire strength of the army and had informed Allah’s Prophet of every detail.

On 21 March 625, the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬ordered his troop to march. The troop camped at the foot of a hill named Shaikhain. It was a 1000-strong infantry in which only a hundred had helmets on their heads. There were only two horses with the Mujahids, one of which was with the noble Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.

It was the first occasion when the hypocrisy of some pseudo-Muslims came to the fore, leaving the Muslims in great danger. This was equivalent to treachery. They were some people of Madinah who had embraced Islam as public posture, but their hearts were not Muslims. The celebrated Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had named them Hypocrites. It was very difficult to tell a true Muslim from a Hypocrite in those days. When the Muslim Mujahids started marching from Madinah towards the Shaikhain hill, 'Abdullah bin Ubai, an influential leader of Madinah, entered into a discussion with Allah’s prophet. He averred that the Quraish army was threefold in strength, and therefore, going out of Madinah to fight them in the open would be disastrous.

When the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬sought opinions from other chiefs of Mujahids, the majority preferred going out of Madinah and challenging the enemy in the open. The Prophet’s opinion was same as that of 'Abdullah bin Ubai, but he decided on the basis of the majority view and ordered the army to march. 'Abdullah bin Ubai refused to go out for battle. No sooner had he turned his back than 300 men from the Mujahid troop separated from the army. It then came to light that all of them were Hypocrites and 'Abdullah bin Ubai was their chief.

Now there were only 700 Mujahids against 3000 men of Quraish. But Allah’s Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬did not lose heart and marched off with the remaining 700. He arranged the Mujahids in battle-array at the foot of Shaikhain hill in the Uhud mountain range. Khalid climbed a high hill to view the Muslim line-up, then he informed his commander Abu Sufyan and fixed the position of his division in consultation with him.

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The holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬spread the Mujahids in a length of about 1000 yards. Behind them lay a valley, on one side was a range of hills, but on the other side, there was no defense. The holy Prophet stationed 50 archers at a nearby hillock on this side under the command of 'Abdullah bin Jubair ‫ض َيَللاهَ َع ْن َهه‬ ِ ‫ َر‬.

“Understand your responsibility, 'Abdullah!” Allah’s Prophet had instructed him, keep watch on the back. The enemy may make a move in our back which will be highly dangerous for us. The enemy’s cavalry is quite strong. They may use them to attack from our back. So, keep your archers focused on the enemy horsemen. I have no fear from the footsoldiers.”

Nearly all authoritative historians, in particular, Ibn Hisham and Waqdi, write that the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had clearly stated to 'Abdullah bin Jubair, “Our back will be safe only by your watchfulness and readiness. A little slip on your part may cause us humiliating defeat.

Remember 'Abdullah, even if you see the enemy fleeing and us being victorious, don’t leave your position. If you see that the enemy is pressing us from all sides and that you must come to help us, even then don’t leave your position. This hillock should never go under the enemy control. This hillock is yours. You are the ruler of all the underlying surroundings in the reach of your archers’ arrows.”

Khalid observed the Muslim line-up and told Abu Sufyan that Muslims would not fight the battle of open-field. Proud of his strong army, Abu Sufyan wanted the battle to take place in the open, with unbounded fronts. This would enable him to crush the Mujahids with the large number of his cavaliers and footmen.

Khalid’s father had started training him in battle-maneuvers from childhood itself. This included taking the enemy unawares by suddenly attacking them from a side or back, moving round the enemy and then carrying out a surprise raid, dividing the army and keeping complete control over the divisions, and so on. So, when Khalid saw the line-up of Mujahids with the eye of an experienced tactician, he felt that Muslims may display their skill in the art of warfare.

Abu Sufyan ordered his army to march to the Muslims. He sent the cavaliers to attack the sides of the Muslim army. One side was assigned to Khalid’s division, and the other to 'Ikrimah’s.

Each of them had a hundred horsemen under his command. The commander of the entire cavalry was 'Amr bin Al 'As. Abu Sufyan placed a hundred archers in front of the infantry. The flag of Quraish was in Talhah bin Abu Talhah’s hands. In the battles of those days, the flag had the status of the heart. If the flag fell, the soldiers would lose heart and chaos would follow in the army. ۞۞۞

Abu 'Amir Fasiq Starting the battle from the Quraish’s side, a soldier Abu 'Amir Fasiq came out of their row and reached close to the Mujahids. Behind him there were some slaves. He was an inhabitant of Madinah, and one of the chieftains of the Aus tribe. When the noble Prophet migrated from Makkah to Madinah, Abu 'Amir Fasiq took a vow that he would not rest till he expelled Allah’s

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Prophet and all the Muslims from Madinah. He was enchanted by a very pretty Jew girl as also by their wealth. The anti-Islam activities of the Jews used to be underground in those days.

Publicly, they had entered into an agreement of friendship and loyalty with the Muslims. Abu 'Amir was like a puppet in their hands, whom they had decided to ally with the Quraish.

So, when the Mujahids marched out of Madinah to fight the Quraish, Abu 'Amir switched over to the Quraish side. Many men of his Aus tribe had embraced Islam sincerely at the hands of the holy Prophet, and they were lined up against the Quraish. Abu 'Amir came forward and addressed the Mujahids in a loud voice. The noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had nicknamed him Fasiq (habitual sinner).

“Chivalrous bravehearts of the Aus tribe!” Abu 'Amir called out, “You certainly know me, who I am. Listen carefully to what I say and …”

Abu 'Amir hadn’t completed his address when a Mujahid of the Aus tribe roared from the Muslim rows, “O Fasiq, O sinner, O pervert, we cast our spit on your name.”

The scene was playing in Khalid’s mind. A torrent of stones started falling on Abu 'Amir and the slaves behind him. Historians say that the stone-throwers were Mujahids of Aus. Abu Amir and the slaves who were in the range of the stones fled back after getting hurt by a few stones.

The Jews were sitting at Madinah eagerly waiting for the news of the battle. The Jew girl who had captivated Abu 'Amir was keenly waiting for the news of her success. She did not know at the time that Muslims had stoned away the enchantment of her gorgeous youth. (In the coming chapters, you will be told in detail of the underground activities of Jew and Quraish women.)

Before this incident involving Abu 'Amir Fasiq, the women with the Quraish army were standing in the midst of the troop and singing melodious songs. They reminded the listeners of the Quraish men killed in the Battle of Badr in such words and tone that made the listeners’ bloods boil and caused their hairs to stand up. A few of these women had also heated the bloods of the soldiers with fiery speeches.

When the women were ordered to go back, Abu Sufyan’s wife Hind rode a horse and started singing a song. Her voice was loud and emotional. Historians have been unable to preserve all the verses of her song. They have written that the song was obscene depicting the behind-theveils relationship of husband and wife. The verses which are there in the history books are as follows. The 'Abdud Dar mentioned in these verses refers to the clan of Banu 'Abdud Dar which was a branch of Banu Umayyah, a sub-tribe of Quraish. Banu 'Abdud Dar was a highly esteemed clan of Quraish.

Worthy sons of 'Abdud Dar! Watchmen of our houses and hearths!

We are the daughters of night and dark.

We play between pillows and cushions

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Which arouses joys and jubilations.

If you march upon the enemy, we’ll pull you to our hearts, But if you flee, we will from you keep apart. ۞۞۞

The Commander-in-Chief comes to duel After this, there was stone-throwing by the Mujahids upon Abu 'Amir Fasiq. Immediately following this, Quraish started shooting arrows at the Mujahids. Mujahids too rained arrows in reply. Khalid made a swift move with his 100 horsemen to attack the Muslim side close to him.

He did not know that archers were lying in hiding on a hillock waiting for them. Kahlid’s horsemen were galloping forward unhesitatingly on a slightly narrow path which made them break their formation.

After much thought, Khalid had brought his division to this area. Based on his father’s training, he was confidently hopeful that his sudden attack would force the Muslims to either flee or fight with broken lineup, in which case, they would be crushed under the feet of Quraish’s horses. But when his horsemen were still at some distance from the Muslim army side, a torrent of arrows fell upon his cavaliers from above. His frontline horsemen were now neither in a position to march ahead nor to turn back. One by one, the horsemen fell after sustaining several arrows. The horses injured by the arrows wreaked havoc upon Khalid’s horsemen. The cavaliers at the back turned around their horses and fled.

On the other side, the women of Quraish started singing the same song in tune with the beats of drums and tambourines which Hind had earlier sung alone. “Worthy sons of 'Abdud Dar! We are the daughters of night and dark. We play between pillows …”

Historian Waqdi reports that in accordance with the battle-traditions of those days, the time came for one-to-one duel. First of all, the flag-bearer of Quraish, Talhah bin Abu Talhah marched ahead and challenged the Mujahids of Islam to send someone to duel with him.

“Come forward, O enemy of my religion!” Like a wave of swift breeze, Hazrat 'Ali rushed forward and replied to the challenger, “I’m here to duel with you.”

Bearing his tribe’s flag and waving his sword, Talhah came forward fiercely, but his swordattack did nothing but tear away at the air. He was regaining his balance, when Hazrat 'Ali’s sword inflicted upon him a wound so severe that first, his flag fell and then he himself followed.

A man of Quraish ran forward, lifted up the flag and went back with it. Hazrat 'Ali could have felled him too, but this was against the duel-tradition.

When they had taken Talhah out of the battle-front, another man from his clan came forward.

“I’m duty-bound to avenge,” he came to the front challenging, “Come, 'Ali! See the slash of my sword.”

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Hazrat 'Ali confronted him silently. Both moved in one round circle maintaining their eyecontact, then their swords and shields clashed. After that, everybody saw that blood was dripping off Hazrat 'Ali’s sword and his challenger was shuddering on the ground.

Many soldiers of Quraish came forward with the challenge one after another, and continued getting killed.

The commander-in-chief of Quraish, Abu Sufyan was beside himself in anger when he saw his men dying in continuum. According to the battle traditions, he being the commander should not have come forward for duel. His death would have led to chaos in his army. But he could not hold himself back. He was riding a horse. He spurred his horse and came to the front challenging the Muslims.

When his wife Hind saw him going forward, she rode her camel, came to the front and started singing in a loud voice the song which also included the verse: “… if you flee, we will from you keep apart.”

Abu Sufyan was riding a horse but the Muslim who came forward in response to his challenge was on foot. History remembers him as Hanzalah bin Abu 'Amir ‫للاهَ َع ْن َه ه‬ َ َ‫ي‬ ِ ‫ َر‬. Abu Sufyan had a َ ‫ض‬ spear in his hand. Nobody expected the sword-wielding foot-soldier to escape alive from the spear-brandishing horseman. Abu Sufyan’s horse rushed towards Hanzalah. Abu Sufyan positioned his spear, aimed at Hanzalah and then struck him. But Hanzalah showed agility and moved to a side.

This was repeated thrice. On the last occasion, when Abu Sufyan’s horse rushed ahead, Hanzalah chased after it. The horse halted and turned back but Hanzalah had reached it by that time. Abu Sufyan did not see him. Hanzalah struck the horse’s forelegs so hard that it fell down. Abu Sufyan fell on the other side. Hanzalah came forward to attack him, but Abu Sufyan kept running round the horse to save himself. And he called out to Quraish for help.

A foot-soldier of Quraish came running. Muslims were in the false belief that this man had come to take away Abu Sufyan, but he violated the battle-law. He attacked Hanzalah from behind and martyred him. Abu Sufyan fled towards his army line-up.

For the last round of duel, Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr came from the Quraish side. Historian Waqdi reports that on hearing Abdur Rahman’s challenge, his father Abu Bakr who was one of the first to embrace Islam and was in the company of Allah’s Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, pulled out his sword and came forward to duel with his young son.

“Come forward, O Disbeliever son of Muslim father!” Abu Bakr ‫ض َيَللاهَ َع ْن َه ه‬ ِ ‫ َر‬responded to his challenge.

When the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬saw the father and son face-to-face, he ran forward and stopped Abu Bakr. “Put back your sword in the sheath, Abu Bakr,” the noble Prophet said and took him back. ۞۞۞

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Hamzah ‫ه‬ ‫َن‬ ‫ِيَ هللاُ ع‬ ‫َض‬ ‫ ر‬martyred ُْ Even now Khalid could hear the shouts and cries of the battle. His eyes had preserved the scenes beneath their lids. As soon as the duels ended, Quraish charged against the Muslims. The noble Prophet had the Uhud mountains behind him, so Muslims had no fear of attack from behind. The head-to-head confrontation was ferocious. Though the strength of the Muslims was quite less, they compensated it with their zeal and skilful swordsmanship. If the Quraish army did not have overwhelming numbers, they would not have stood their ground fighting the Muslims. They were fighting merely on strength of their numbers.

Khalid’s watchful eyes lay in wait for the noble Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, who was on a side. This was the side upon which Khalid had to attack. This time, Khalid ordered his horsemen to charge their horses and pass ahead of the narrow path, then attack the side of the Muslim army. But 'Abdullah bin Jubair’s 50 archers forced them to flee which they did leaving behind some horses and horsemen groaning in wounds.

The battle was at its peak. There was only one man who was not fighting. Wielding his lance, he was moving about in the battle-field as if searching for someone. He was Wahshi bin Harb. He was looking for Hamzah ‫ض َيَللاهَ َع ْن َهه‬ ِ ‫ َر‬. He had been promised two prizes for killing Hamzah: one, his master would free him, and two, he would get all the ornaments of Abu Sufyan’s wife Hind which she was wearing at the time.

He caught sight of Hamzah ‫ض َيَللاهَ َع ْن َه ه‬ ِ ‫ َر‬. He was charging towards a Quraish man, Siba' bin 'Abdul 'Uzza. It was a tradition in 'Arab that women circumcised the children. According to historian Ibn Hisham, the tradition of circumcision was prevalent among the 'Arabs even before the advent of Islam. The mother of Siba' whom Hamzah had challenged used to circumcise children.

“O son of circumcising woman!” challenged Hamzah, “Come here and look at me for the last time.”

Siba' bin 'Abdul 'Uzza rushed towards Hamzah. His face was red in anger. He was an expert in the battle of sword and shield. Hamzah too was in no way inferior. Both came close to each other and started attacking. The shields of both were obstructing the attack. They were changing their positions and attacking but shields would come in the way of the swords.

At that time, Wahshi bin Harb with his head leaning down, was approaching Hamzah slowly. He was out of sight because of the landscape and the bushes. Hamzah was gazing in the eyes of his enemy, unable to see anyone other than Siba'.

Wahshi came close to him. He was skilled in throwing lance at an aim. He came so close that his lance could not miss the goal. He straightened himself, balanced the lance in his hand and brought it in a position to strike. Hamzah struck Siba' twice or thrice in succession. The last strike was such that Hamzah’s sword pierced into Siba'’s stomach. When Hamzah pulled out his sword, his stomach opened up further. He fell down at Hamzah’s feet.

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Hamzah had merely regained his balance when Wahshi threw his lance at him with full force.

The distance was very small. The lance pierced into Hamzah’s stomach so deep that its blade came out of his back. Hamzah did not fall.

He looked around and found out Wahshi. With the lance in his body, Hamzah moved towards Wahshi. Wahshi remained where he was. But Hamzah fell after staggering for four to five steps.

Wahshi watched his body shaking. When the body’s motion had stopped, he came near. Hamzah was martyred. Wahshi pulled out the lance from his body and went away. Now he was searching for Hind and his master Jubair bin Mut'im. ۞۞۞

Quraish flees from the Uhud battlefield The battle kept flashing in Khalid’s mind and a kind of weight seemed to bear down his heart.

His horse was trotting ahead. He was passing on a low-lying path, so the peak of Uhud disappeared from his view. He remembered the women of his tribe who were rousing Quraish and the allied tribes. Khalid remembered that he had climbed a hillock to view the battle. He saw Muslim women too. They took charge of the wounded fighters whom Muslim men brought behind from the front. They would apply bandage and balm and give them water to drink. There were 14 women with Muslims. Hazrat Fatimah ‫ض َيَللاهَ َع ْن َ​َها‬ ِ ‫ َر‬was one of them.

Then astonishingly, the few-in-number Muslims had defeated the outnumbering Quraish. The flag-bearer of Quraish fell down. Someone else lifted it up. He too fell. The flag fell several times. In the end, a slave hoisted it up. But when he too got killed, the Muslims did not let Quraish hoist the flag again. Quraish had lost spirit.

Khalid saw their flight. He also saw that Muslims were chasing after them. Quraish did not even halt at their camps. They left their goods and belongings and fled in chaos. From here the postbattle phase started. In the delight of victory and with the purpose of revenge, Muslims started taking into their possession the Quraish’s camps and their contents. They were crying out slogans of victory and triumph. Quraish had fled in such fear that they had forgotten their women too. They were fleeing on foot, but the Muslims did not even let their gazes fall upon them.

One of the divisions of the Quraish cavalry was commanded by 'Ikrimah, and the other by Khalid. They had to attack the sides of the Muslim army. But the dice of battle had turned irreparably for the worst. 'Ikrimah and Khalid, however, kept their horsemen where they had been stationed during the battle. Even in this condition, Khalid hoped that he would be able to turn the defeat into victory. But the path which he had to pass through was protected by Muslim archers in battle-readiness.

These Muslim archers saw from their vantage position that Quraish had fled and their Muslim friends were capturing the belongings left behind by Quraish. They too started leaving their positions to gather the battle-spoils. Their commander 'Abdullah bin Jubair warned them not to

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disobey the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. He reminded them that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had told them that nobody should leave his position here without his permission.

“The battle is over,” shouting this, the archers started descending from their hillock. “Battlespoils, battle-spoils … We are victorious.”

Only nine archers were left with the commander 'Abdullah bin Jubair.

To Khalid this scene seemed like a dream. This was what he wished for. He kept looking at the archers. When they had reached the Quraish camps, Khalid attacked the hillock ('Ainain) where 'Abdullah bin Jubair was left with his nine steadfast archers. Khalid could have overlooked them, but he wanted to take revenge from them. His horsemen were steadily climbing up the hillock.

From top, the archers were swiftly shooting arrows.

When 'Ikrimah saw Khalid charging towards 'Ainain, he too brought his division here. His horsemen began to climb from every side. The horsemen also had bows and arrows and they were shooting up. It was not possible for 'Abdullah bin Jubair and his men to stop the cavaliers in such large numbers. The horsemen reached the top. The archers then engaged in hand-to-hand fight, but all of them got wounded and fell. Khalid threw the wounded down the hillock.

'Abdullah bin Jubair too was among the martyrs.

From there Khalid and 'Ikrimah brought down their cavaliers and reached the place from where the Muslims had started the battle. On Khalid’s command, both of them at once attacked the Muslims. The Muslims were not in a position to fight. However, the noble Prophet had a small division of Mujahids with him. These Mujahids stood their grounds against the cavaliers.

The women who had come with Quraish had fled. But one of them, 'Amrah, had hidden somewhere in the vicinity. When she saw Quraish horsemen attacking the Muslims, she discovered the Quraish flag lying on the ground. She raised the flag and hoisted it.

Abu Sufyan had regained control of his fleeing foot-soldiers. When he looked around, he found the Quraish flag waving up in the air. He shouted out the slogans of “Long live Hubal!” and “Long live 'Uzza!” He then brought the foot-soldiers back and encircled the Muslims.

The battle-scenes flashed in Khalid’s mind. He was searching for the noble Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, – and today, four years later he was going to Madinah, his heart and mind overcome by the holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.

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2. When the Prophet’s blessed face got wounded The Uhud mountains were growing more prominent on the horizon as Khalid’s horse kept trotting. Khalid’s mental state was such that it appeared he was in no hurry to go ahead. But at times, he would pull back the reins so fast as if he could not lose any more time. The destination towards which he was heading was, however, somewhat blurred in his mind. Occasionally, he felt a magnetic power pulling him on and on. But at other times, he felt a power rising within him trying to push him back.

“Khalid!” he heard a voice which in fact had risen from inside him, but he mistook it for real. He pulled up the horse-rein and looked front and back, but could not see anything other than sand.

The voice continued, “Khalid! Is it true what I have heard?” Khalid recognized the voice. It was his friend 'Ikrimah’s. Just a day back,'Ikrimah was reasoning with him, “If you think that Muhammad is a Prophet chosen by Allah, then throw away this thought from your heart.

Muhammad is nothing but a killer of scores of our relations. Do not forget your tribe, Khalid, which has vowed to kill Muhammad before the sun sets.”

Khalid gave a slight jerk to the rein and the horse recommenced its trot. His mind once again raced back to the Battle of Uhud where he had been searching the noble Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. He was keen on fulfilling the resolution of Quraish to assassinate Allah’s Prophet before sunset. The scene reappeared before Khalid when the Muslim archers had left their position at the 'Ainain hill, taking advantage of which he had led a swift attack against them. He had slaughtered 'Abdullah bin Jubair and his nine archer companions who had stayed behind at their position in deference to Allah’s Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬command. The Quraish who had run away after the successful Muslim charge were now returning and reorganizing.

The Muslims had lost this battle as a result of disobeying their Prophet’s command. Khalid and Abu Jahl’s son 'Ikrimah were experts in the art of war. It was now quite easy for them to kill all the Muslims one by one. Now, other than Allah none could help them. Khalid observed that the Muslims were now divided into two groups. The larger group was on one side, away from and unaware of their commander, the noble Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. But some archers were standing steadfast with the noble Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. They were the heroic companions who had not even cast a look upon the battle-spoils. Abu Dujanah, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, 'Ali, 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Auf, Abu Bakr, Abu 'Ubaidah, Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah, Mus'ab bin 'Umair – May Allah be pleased with all of them – were prominent among the thirty of them. Out of the fourteen women who had come to look after the wounded mujahids, two were with Allah’s Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. One was Umme 'Umarah, the other Umme Aiman, an Ethiopian lady. Umme Aiman had been the Prophet’s wet-nurse in his childhood. The remaining twelve ladies were still busy lifting up the wounded, bringing them back and bandaging them.

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Khalid was searching for the Prophet but he did not have the freedom to look around much in the battlefield. He had a battalion of cavalrymen under his command which he had kept in his full control. He was not a votary of blind attack. He held the opinion that the first charge should come on that weak vein of the enemy which will force them to surrender without waiting before the second. ۞۞۞

The thirty martyrdom-seekers Now, after four years, as he traveled alone in the desert, he could picture the galloping horses in his mind. He could hear the zooming arrows. The slogans of Muslims were echoing in his mind.

He guessed that the Muslims were shouting slogans just to give the impression that they were not afraid of death. The smile filled with sarcasm and hatred reformed on his lips even now. He had made up his mind that he would kill as many Muslims as possible, imprisoning as few as possible. He was still unable to find where the holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was. He saw that Abu Sufyan who had come back along with the fleeing Quraish was attacking the larger portion of the Muslim army, and the Muslims were fighting back valiantly. Considering it to be the last battle in life, the Muslims demonstrated such fearlessness and gallantry that the vastly outnumbering Quraish were rattled.

Khalid felt a storm of rage rising through him when he saw this. He ordered his horsemen to attack the Muslims. He put back his sword in his sheath and held out the lance in his hand. He attacked the Muslims from the rear. With this lance, he began killing them one after the other.

Every time his spear entered the body of a Muslim, he would shout out: “I am Abu Sulaiman!!”

With every charge of his spear, the battle cry could be heard: “I am Abu Sulaiman!!”

Today, four years later, as he traveled towards the headquarters of Muslims, the city of Madinah, he could hear his own battle cry: “I am Abu Sulaiman!” He could not remember how many Muslims’ bodies his lance had pierced that day. He had even forgotten Allah’s Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. A little later, he had come to know that the Muslims were no more under their Prophet’s command, and that 'Ikrimah had gone towards the Muslims’ Prophet.

It was a fact that the Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬command had collapsed, and the situation on the field was so out of control that he could no more organize the Muslims. But he was also unwilling to leave the battle-field. He wanted to try saving the lives of his companions. As a matter of fact, the situation was so hopeless that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬should have left the battle front. But he kept trying to get to a better strategic position. He knew that the Quraish would be hunting for him and that there would soon be a fierce attack on his squad. The Prophet started walking towards a hill. His companions had him in a circle.

He had not walked long when 'Ikrimah charged with his horsemen. Somehow an infantry troop of Quraish got the news that 'Ikrimah was attacking the holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. They too joined the allout charge. There was now no question of escaping alive for the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬or for any of his companions. His thirty companions and the two ladies with his squad had formed a wall of flesh and blood around him.

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Khalid recalled that the holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was also renowned for his physical strength. The most well-known evidence was that he had lifted up and knocked down Rukanah, the acclaimed wrestler of 'Arab. Now, it was time for one more demonstration of his strength, in the battlefield this time. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬himself broke the wall of flesh and blood formed by his fidayin, the martyrdom-seeking companions. There was a bow in his hand and he also had arrows in his quiver. Khalid was at that time engaged with the larger portion of the Muslim army. When later he was told that Allah’s Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, his thirty companion men and two women had stood their ground against the horsemen and footmen of Quraish, he could not believe his ears. He had reiterated that this strength could not be merely physical. It was, no doubt, some ‘other’ power.

From then on, the question had been troubling him: “Can Faith become strength?” He could not get the answer from anybody in his tribe because at once he would be slandered that Muhammad’s magic had captivated him.

So, today with this question at the top of his mind, he was traveling towards Madinah. The Uhud mountains were rising above the horizon. The four-year old memories took him once again to the foot of Uhud where he could hear his own name: “Abu Sulaiman! Abu Sulaiman!!”

In his mind he tried to figure out how these thirty men and two women could have fought against these many horsemen and footmen of Quraish. The noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was showering arrows with his own hands. His companions would again and again come forward to keep him in their protective circle. According to a war-chronicler, the prophet would repeatedly break the circle around him and rain arrows in whichever direction the enemy approached from. His physical strength was more than that of a common man. He would pull the bowstring so forcefully that whenever an arrow shot by him struck a person, it would come out from the other side of his body. He shot so many arrows that once when he pulled the bowstring, the bow broke. He gave the remaining arrows in his quiver to Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas with whom none could compete in marksmanship. Even the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬commended his shooting skill.

On the one side, the Muslims were getting slaughtered at the hands of Abu Sufyan and Khalid, and were fighting till the last drop of blood flowed out from their bodies. On the other, the Prophet’s thirty martyrdom-seekers and two ladies were putting up such a valiant resistance as if their spirits, instead of their bodies, were fighting. Historian Tabari writes that each of the Muslims singlehandedly fought against four to five men of Quraish at the same time. Their style was such ferocious that either the Quraish-men would step back or the solitary Muslim fighter, weighed down by wounds, would fall down. ۞۞۞

By my deities! I will kill you When the Quraish observed this heroic fightback from the holy Prophet’s martyrdom-seekers, they stepped back and started shooting arrows as well as throwing stones at the Muslims. At that time, some Quraishi riders had been racing their horses to attack the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, but his companions’ arrows bored through their bodies forcing them to retreat. As a counter to this, the Quraishi soldiers shot a cloud of arrows and stones from all the four sides.

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'Ikrimah later informed Khalid that Abu Dujanah stood up in front of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬as humanshield with his back towards the attackers. Abu Dujanah was at once carrying out two tasks. He was giving his arrows to Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas who was shooting arrows quite vigorously. He was also trying to shield the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬from arrows. In the shower of arrows and stones, none could see what state Abu Dujanah was in. When Abu Dujanah ُ‫ض َي هللاُ َع ْنه‬ ِ ‫ َر‬at last fell over, people saw that so many arrows had pierced his back that it looked like the back of a porcupine.

Many of the Prophet’s companions sacrificed their lives to protect the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. Their unprecedented valour cast such terror in 'Ikrimah’s and his cavalrymen’s hearts that they pulled back. Quraish felt tired too. The noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬surveyed the condition of his companions and found blood everywhere, but there was no time for bringing back the injured and bandaging them. The enemy had stepped back only to charge once again.

“I am waiting for one more man of Quraish,” the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said, “who will come to kill me. He should have come by now.”

“But who is he?”

“Ubai bin Khalaf,” the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬replied.

Ubai bin Khalaf was one of the severest opponents of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. He was a resident of Madinah4. When he came to know that Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬had claimed prophethood for himself, he visited the Prophet one day and mocked him. The Prophet remained calm and tolerant, and invited him towards Islam.

“Do you think I am so weak that I will embrace this baseless belief of yours?” Ubai bin Khalaf had retorted insolently. “Listen carefully to what I say, Muhammad! Have a look at my horse some day. I am feeding and fattening it up for the time when you challenge Quraish for a battle in future. Stop dreaming about Badr. I will ride that very horse and you will find me in the battlefield in front of you. I vow by my deities that I will kill you by my own hands!”

According to the more reputable and widely followed book Fazaile A’mal, Ubai bin Khalaf was a resident of Makkah (Volume 1, Chapter 2, Hadith 6). The book reads: "Ubai bin Khalaf was one of the most active and severe enemies of Islam among the disbelievers of Makkah. Before the Hijrah, he used to announce to the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬most insolently, "I have reared a horse, which I feed very well; I will slay you one day riding on its back." Once the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬replied to him, "Insha Allah! You shall meet your end at my hands." In the battle of Uhud, he ran about in the field in search of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬saying, "If Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬is not slain today, then I stand no chance of surviving." He at last found the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and advanced to attack him. The companions decided to finish him off before he reached the Prophet, but the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬stopped them. When he came near, the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬took a spear from one of the companions and struck him with it, causing a little scratch on his neck. He staggered and fell down from his horse and then fled towards his camp crying, "By Allah, Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬has killed me!" His people tried to console him and told him that it was only a bruise and there was nothing to worry about, but he would say, "Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬had once announced to me in Makkah that he would kill me. By Allah, had he only spat at me, I would be no more." It is said that he cried like a bull. Abu Sufyan, who was very active on that day, put him to shame for crying in that manner over a slight wound, but he said, "Do you know who has inflicted this injury upon me? It was none other than Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬. By Lat and 'Uzza! if my agony be distributed over all the people of Hijaz, none of them would survive. Since the time he had declared that he would kill me, I was sure that I would meet my death at his hands. If he only spat at me after that declaration, I would be no more." So he died on his way back, at a day's journey from Makkah.”

4

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“Ubai!” Allah’s Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had replied with a smile on his lips, “Life and death are in control of Allah who has granted me prophethood and assigned me the duty of guiding the misguided.

Don’t utter a word from your mouth which none but Allah can fulfill. Isn’t it also possible that you come to kill me but instead get killed yourself by my hands?”

At these words of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, Ubai bin Khalaf gave a derisive sneer and went his way.

Now, in the battle of Uhud, Allah’s Prophet remembered Ubai. No sooner had he mentioned him than a rapidly advancing horse came into view at some distance. Everyone looked in that direction.

“My beloved friends!” the noble Prophet said to his companions, I have a feeling that this rider advancing towards us is none but Ubai. If he turns out to be Ubai, then don’t stop him. Let him come before me and close to me.”

Historians Waqidi, Mugazi and Ibn Hisham report that the rider was none other than Ubai himself. He roared his challenge, “Beware Muhammad! Ubai has arrived! Look! I am riding the same horse that I had shown you.”

“Allah’s Prophet!” three or four of Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬companions came forward and requested him, “Allow us to finish him off before he comes near you.”

“No,” Allah’s Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬forbade, “Let him approach. Let him come close. … Make way for him.”

The noble Prophet had a helmet with chains on his head. Its chains were hanging in front of his face and on his left and right temples. He had a lance in his hand, while his sword was inside the sheath. Ubai’s horse had come close.

“Come forward, Ubai!” Allah’s Prophet challenged him. “None but me will fight you now.”

Ubai bin Khalaf stopped his horse close to the Prophet and guffawed scornfully. Perhaps he was fully confident that he would be able to kill the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. His sword was also in the sheath. The Prophet went close to him. He was riding a very sturdy horse while the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was on foot.

Ubai had not even pulled out his sword when the Prophet sprang towards him and struck him with his lance. He leaned towards a side to escape the attack, but the charge did not go in vain.

The blade of the Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬lance struck him under his collarbone. He fell from his horse breaking his ribs.

Chroniclers write that the Prophet’s attack was not so lethal that a man of sturdy build like Ubai could not get up. Allah’s Prophet rushed to attack him again, but he had fallen on the other side of his horse. Probably, it was terror or because the Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬charge was sudden and unexpected, he lost courage. He got up and fled leaving behind his horse. He kept screaming, “Muhammad has killed me! O Quraishi people! Muhammad has slayed me!”

When some Quraishi me saw his injuries, they consoled him that none had killed him. It was only a minor bruise. But no one knows what had happened to him that he kept saying, “I will not survive! Muhammad had said that I will be killed by his hands!”

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Historian Ibn Hisham even writes that Ubai said these words too, “If Muhammad had just spat upon me, I could not have stayed alive.” When the Battle of Uhud ended, Ubai left for Makkah along with Quraish. When they made a halt on the way, Ubai died. ۞۞۞

The lips of the Mercy to Mankind ‫ﷺ‬ bleed Even now after four years, Khalid could vividly reminisce about the occasion. He was sure that the Quraishi army would exterminate the Muslims. But the way the Muslims were sacrificing their lives had clearly rattled Khalid. It looked as if the Quraishi horses too were scared of the Muslim infantrymen. Khalid spurred his horse to look for Abu Sufyan while the ferocious battle raged. At last he found him.

“Aren’t we capable of handing out a decisive defeat to Muslims?” Khalid had asked Abu Sufyan.

“Were the milks of Quraishi mothers defective that they are getting frightened by the handful of Muslims?”

“See Khalid!” Abu Sufyan explained to him, “As long as Muhammad remains with them, well and alive, these Muslims will not accept defeat until the last drop of blood has flown out from their bodies.”

“Why don’t you assign this duty to me?” Khalid inquired.

“No!” Abu Sufyan said like a command, “You better go to your cavalrymen. Without your leadership, they may scatter. As for Muhammad and his companions, I am sending out foot soldiers to deal with them.”

Today, as he traveled towards Madinah, Khalid rued that Abu Sufyan had trampled upon his aspirations. For him, killing Allah’s Prophet was a duty. By slaying Muhammad, he wished to attain the pleasure of his grand deities, Hubal and 'Uzza. Nevertheless, he thought it imperative to follow his commander’s instruction and so, he went away towards his horsemen. He felt assured that there would only be a few of Muhammad’s companions left with him, and that killing him would not be a difficult task now. And after this, the Muslims would never again be able to rise. Khalid had clear memory of the situation of the battlefield. From a small hillock, he had observed that the earth had become red with blood over a large area at the foot of Mount Uhud. At some places, horses were wriggling while at others men bathed in blood were groaning. Nobody was in a fit state to take away the wounded.

He looked again. The foot soldiers of Quraish had advanced close to the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and had managed to break the circle of his companions around him. Three of the Quraishi men – 'Utbah bin Abi Waqqas, 'Abdullah bin Shihab and Ibn Qumaiyyah – started pelting stones at the holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. Amazingly, 'Utbah’s own brother Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas was fighting to protect the holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. The companions of the holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬were now almost nil in number, or they had scattered around fighting the enemy.

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The stones pelted by 'Utbah broke the Prophet’s two lower teeth, and his lower lip got injured.

'Abdullah’s stone made a deep wound on the Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬forehead. Ibn Qumaiyyah advanced close and threw a stone with such force that two of the rings of the hanging chains of the Prophet’s helmet broke off and sank into his cheek, severely fracturing his jawbone. The Prophet made his best effort to attack the enemy with his lance, but they were not coming close enough.

In the meantime, so much of his blood had spilled out that he fell down. At that moment, one of his companions, Talhah who was fighting other Quraishi men at some distance saw the Prophet and rushed towards him. Hearing his battle cry, his other companions too gathered around. The Quraishi men who had felled the Prophet with stones were about to attack him with sword when Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas launched an attack on his own brother 'Utbah. Seeing the ferocity of Sa'd’s charge, 'Utbah fled away.

Talhah supported the Prophet to enable him to rise up. He was completely conscious.

Meanwhile, the Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬companions had forced the Prophet’s attackers to flee. Historians say that it was becoming difficult to keep Sa'd in control. He was raging, “I would like to kill my brother and rip him to pieces who dared to attack my Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬in my presence.” He was trying to pounce upon the Quraish singlehanded. With great difficulty, the companions stopped him. In fact, had it not been Allah’s Prophet’s command, he could not have been stopped. ۞۞۞

Umme Aiman shot with arrow Probably, the Quraish were now exhausted to the hilt. They turned away from the battle. It was then that the Prophet’s companions paid attention towards his wounds. The women accompanying the Muslims gave him water to drink and cleaned his wounds with clothes. It was then seen that the broken rings of helmet-chains had penetrated his cheekbone. One of the companions, Abu 'Ubaidah, the son of a renowned surgeon of 'Arab, came forward to try to pull out the helmet rings. But he could not do it with his hands. At last, Abu 'Ubaidah succeeded in pulling out one of the rings with his teeth. When he tried to pull out the second ring, it came out but so did Abu 'Ubaidah’s two front-teeth. After this, he got the nickname of Al Athram, meaning the person without front-teeth. Later on, he got famous with this name.

Umme Aiman, who had been the Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬wet nurse in his childhood, was leaning above the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. By then, the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had regained some of his strength. Then, from nowhere, an arrow zoomed into Umme Aiman’s back and a loud guffaw was heard at some distance. When the companions turned in that direction, they saw a Quraishi, Hibban bin Al 'Ariqah laughing heartily at some distance. He had a bow in his hand. It was he who had shot this arrow. He turned back laughing continually. Allah’s Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬gave an arrow to Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas saying, “Let him not return without this arrow in his body.” Sa'd who was particularly renowned for archery throughout all the tribes, placed the arrow in his bow and shot at Hibban. The arrow landed in Hibban’s neck. Now, it was the turn of Sa'd’s companions to laugh. Hibban took some staggering steps and fell down.

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Today, as Khalid kept advancing towards Madinah, and the Uhud mountains kept rising high and above the horizon, he thought back of some of his friends. The differences in beliefs had made one brother enemy of the other, but Khalid wondered whether some people considered their faiths true merely because they have been following it. To correctly differentiate between truth and falsehood, a strong personality was required.

A question once again started irking him. Why am I going to Madinah? To force my faith upon them or to impose their belief on myself? He could hear Abu Sufyan’s voice, just a day old, “Is it true that you are going to Madinah? Has the blood of Walid frozen in your veins?”

Traveling in the deserts, these voices pursued him for some distance. Then he was lost in the memory of those of his friends against whom he had fought and whose blood had flowed in his presence. One of them was Mus'ab bin 'Umair.

The Quraishi men who had turned away from the battle had not gone far when Khalid spurred his horse and caught up with Abu Sufyan. He asked him where they were going leaving the battle incomplete, even though the Muslims had lost their spirits. Abu Sufyan too wished that the battled reached a decisive conclusion. So, some of the Quraish riders turned back towards the battle on the spot. Khalid had seen where the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was. But once again, Abu Sufyan sent Khalid in some other direction and ordered other men to attack the Prophet. But now, some more Muslims had gathered around the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. ۞۞۞

“I have killed Muhammad ‫”ﷺ‬ Once again Ibn Qumaiyyah attempted to break the protective circle of Muslims and reach the holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. At that time, Mus'ab bin 'Umair ‫ض َيَللاهَ َع ْن َهه‬ ِ ‫ َر‬was standing beside the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬ and Umme 'Umarah was giving drinking water to two or three wounded Muslims lying near her.

When she saw the Quraishi men charging once again, she left the injured mujahids, took the sword of one of them and stood up to face the oncoming Quraishis. She could not reach the first Quraishi rider who came with the onslaught, so she swiped her sword at his horse. The horse fell down and the rider toppled over on its other side. Umme 'Umarah leapt over the horse to strike him and was successful in wounding him. He got up and fled back.

Mus'ab bin 'Umair remarkably resembled the holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬in form and physique. Ibn Qumaiyyah mistook him for the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and made an assault on him. Mus'ab was prepared and he confronted Ibn Qumaiyyah. They continued their fencing match for some time but then Mus'ab suffered a lethal slash from Ibn Qumaiyyah and he fell down. He was martyred. Umme 'Umarah saw Mus'ab falling down. Filled with rage, she attacked Ibn Qumaiyyah with her sword but he was wearing armour and the attacker was a woman, so he did not suffer any wound. Ibn Qumaiyyah attacked her shoulder with full force wounding her severely and causing her to fall down.

Then the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬who was close by, charged towards Ibn Qumaiyyah, but he swiftly changed his stance and struck the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. The sword fell on the Prophet’s helmet, slipped 35 of 43

down and hit his shoulder. Right beneath him, there was a pit. Wounded, he stepped back and fell over into the pit. Ibn Qumaiyyah moved back and shouted at the top of his voice, “I have killed Muhammad!” He made a round of the battle-field with this slogan. His voice was heard by the Quraishis as well as the Muslims.

Quraish, as expected, celebrated the news. As for the Muslims, it had a disastrous effect on their morale. They lost heart and started towards the Uhud mountains, away from the enemy.

“Devotees of the Prophet!” Some of the fleeing Muslims heard the battle-cry. “If the Prophet is no more with us, then curse be upon us if we continue to live! What sort of devotees are you that the Prophet has been martyred and you are retreating, scared of death!”

The Muslims stopped. The battle-cry had done its work. They were furious. Though they were on foot, they pounced upon the Quraishi riders. They were the riders under and Khalid’s and 'Ikrimah’s commands.

Today, Khalid looked back at the countless number of Muslims whose bloods his hands had spilled. One of them was Rifa'ah bin Waqash. A pang of pain rose up in Khalid’s heart. There was a feeling in him that he had been spilling blood without purpose. But at that time, he believed the Muslims to be his worst enemies.

The Muslims’ resistance had crumbled. They had lost their drive. How long could the footsoldiers withstand the riders? Left with no option, they began retreating towards the hill. The noble Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, too, was going towards a narrow valley along with his companions. Just as the Muslims had left their position to collect the battle spoils and turned the tide of battle against themselves, so were the Quraishi men now flocking upon the Muslim corpses and wriggling wounded warriors to gather battle spoils. Some of the Quraishis went in pursuit of the noble Prophet. But his companions made such a valiant counter-attack that most of them were killed and the remaining few fled. The noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had now reached an elevation and was surveying the situation. Out of the thirty companions who had been standing close to him, fourteen had been martyred. Among the survivors, most were injured. He observed the battle field from the elevation but could not see any Muslim. The Muslims, thinking that the Prophet has been martyred, had scattered around in despair and gloom. Some had returned to Madinah, others had taken positions inside the mountains anticipating Quraish’s reprisal.

Here the Prophet got a chance to pay attention towards his wounds. His daughter Fatimah َ‫ض َي‬ ِ ‫َر‬ ‫ للاهَ َع ْن َها‬who had exhausted herself looking for the Prophet everywhere, suddenly found him and reached there. Nearby there was a spring. Hazrat 'Ali brought water from there in some vessel and gave to the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬to drink. Hazrat Fatimah started washing his wounds. She was sobbing inconsolably. ۞۞۞

“Celebrate! Our Prophet is alive!

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Khalid today remembered that the news of the noble Prophet’s death had given him a kind of spiritual comfort, but just then, a battle-cry had astonished him. The echo of this cry could be heard in the valley to a great distance. Someone was shouting with a roaring voice – “Celebrate, Muslims! Our Prophet is alive and safe!” This battle-cry had made Khalid smile while causing him grief at the same time. He had told himself that some Muslim had gone mad.

The story was that many Muslims had dispersed in ones and twos, and some of them had retreated to safe places. One such Muslim was Ka'b bin Malik who kept wandering till he reached that area of the mountain where the holy Prophet was taking rest. Overwhelmed with emotion as he saw the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, he had shouted out the cry: “Our Prophet is alive!” All the Muslims who had scattered alone or in small groups of two to four came running at this battle cry. Hazrat 'Umar too had reached Allah’s Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬on hearing this slogan.

Before this, Abu Sufyan had been examining each and every body lying in the battle field in the hope of finding the noble Prophet’s holy body. On meeting any Quraishi, he would ask, “Haven’t you seen Muhammad’s dead body?” During this search, Khalid appeared in front of him.

“Khalid!” Abu Sufyan enquired, “Haven’t you seen Muhammad’s body?”

“No,” Khalid replied and then leaned slightly towards Abu Sufyan to ask, “Are you sure Muhammad has been killed?”

“Of course,” Abu Sufyan responded, “there was no way he could escape from us. Do you doubt it?”

“Yes, Abu Sufyan!” said Khalid. “And I will remain in doubt till I see with my own eyes.

Muhammad is not someone to get killed so easily.”

“It looks as if Muhammad’s charm has possessed you,” commented Abu Sufyan haughtily.

“Wasn’t Muhammad one of us? Weren’t you familiar with him? The one responsible for so many of murders and destructions had to get killed himself some day. Muhammad has been killed. Go and search for him. Try to identify his body. We will cut off his head and take it to Makkah.”

Exactly at that time, the roar of Ka'b bin Malik’s slogan was heard, “Muslims! Celebrate, our Prophet is alive and safe.” Then like a blast of thunder, the voice kept banging and resounding throughout the battle-field and the valley of Uhud.

“Did you hear, Abu Sufyan?” said Khalid. “Now, I will tell you where Muhammad is? I am going to attack him but I can’t assure you I will be able to kill him.”

Some time back, Khalid had seen the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and his companions on their way to the insides of the mountains, but he was far away then. Khalid was not one of those who easily accept defeat or leave their ambitions unfulfilled. He gathered some of the riders under his command and started towards that part of the mountains where he had seen the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.

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Noted historian Ibn Hisham’s writings indicate that when the noble Prophet saw Khalid ascending with his horsemen to the hill where the Prophet was, he spontaneously prayed to Allah, “Allah, the Lord of Majesty! Stop them there and now!”

Khalid in the company of his horsemen kept ascending the hill. It was like a pass which went on narrowing. The horses had to form a single queue. The noble Prophet was wounded and exhausted. When Hazrat 'Umar saw Khalid and his horsemen’s ascent, he drew his sword and came down a little.

“Ibn Walid!” Hazrat 'Umar challenged him, “If you know how to fight, then just observe the narrowness of your mountain pass and the steep ascent facing you. Will you and your horsemen ever be able to escape from our hands?”

Khalid was well-versed with the art of battle-craft. He had seen that the place was not suitable for charging with horses from different directions around the enemy. In fact, it was perilous.

Silently, Khalid turned back his horse and descended back with his horsemen. ۞۞۞

Desecration of Muslim corpses The battle of Uhud had ended. Quraish could claim superiority for causing more casualties to the Muslims, but nonetheless the battle had ended without win and loss.

“But it was our defeat,” Khalid felt like hearing his own words, “Muslims were 700 while we were 3000. We had two hundred horses. We would have achieved success only if we had killed Muhammad.”

Khalid felt a rattle in his body. A state of rage mingled with sorrow gripped his body and his teeth began to chatter. The last scenes of the battle started appearing before his eyes. He jerked his head to toss away the dreadful visions from his mind, but they kept humming round him like flies. He felt ashamed of himself. Warriors never do such things.

When Khalid was returning in response to Hazrat 'Umar’s ‫للاهَ َع ْن َه ه‬ َ َ‫ي‬ ِ ‫ َر‬battle-cry, he glanced upon َ ‫ض‬ the battle-field from his vantage position. The corpses lay there scattered. Perhaps there were unconscious wounded amongst them too. Neither the Muslims nor the Quraish had till now come forward to take away the bodies. Khalid saw Abu Sufyan’s wife, Hind. With a dagger in her hand, she was rushing towards the bodies. At her gesture, the Quraish women who had accompanied the army to the battle-ground followed her. Hind was examining each and every body. Tall, slightly plump and strongly built, she was gazing at every body. If a body lay facedown, she would hit it with her foot and invert it to check who it was. She asked the women with her too to look for Hamzah’s body.

Finally, she found Hamzah’s body. Like a hungry beast, she started tearing apart the body. She cut away some organs and threw them aside. Then she looked at the women standing close to her. “What are you looking at standing here?” she roared in a mad rage. “Look, what I have done

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to the body of the killer of my father, uncle and son. Go forth and do the same to every dead body of the Muslims. Cut off their noses and ears and bring here.”

When the women had gone to violate and tear apart the bodies of Muslims, Hind slashed Hamzah’s ‫ض َيَللاهَ َع ْن َهه‬ ِ ‫ َر‬abdomen with her dagger. She inserted her hand inside it. Her hand came out with Hazrat Hamzah’s liver which Hind severed off with her dagger. She didn’t stop at this.

She cut a piece of Hazrat Hamzah’s liver and put it inside her mouth chewing it like carnivores.

But a short while later she cast out the liver-chunk. It was clear that she had tried to swallow in the liver but it did not get down.

Khalid saw Abu Sufyan standing at a distance. This savage act of Hind had left a bad taste in Khalid. He was a warrior. He believed only in attacking from front in a duel. This violation of enemies’ dead bodies not only disgusted it, he in fact appeared outraged.

On seeing Abu Sufyan, Khalid spurred his horse, and rode in his direction stopping near him.

“Abu Sufyan!” Khalid’s voice was indignant and contemptuous. “Do you approve of this savagery of your wife and other women?”

Abu Sufyan did not answer but his eyes told him that he too disliked this savagery.

“Why are you silent? Abu Sufyan!”

“You can see for yourself, Khalid. Hind is in a mad rage now. If you or I try to stop here now, she might turn on us as well,” said Abu Sufyan disapprovingly.

Khalid did know something about Hind, so he did not carry on the argument. Abu Sufyan’s head was hung low in shame. Jerking his horse’s reins, Khalid turned back and rode in another direction. Khalid too could not stand the sight.

After chewing and casting out the liver of Hazrat Hamzah’s body, Hind looked back. Behind her stood Jubair bin Mut'im’s slave Wahshi bin Harb. In his hands shone the lance with which he had martyred Hazrat Hamzah ‫ض َيَللاهَ َع ْن َه ه‬ ِ ‫ َر‬.

“What are you doing here, Ibn Harb?” said Hind in a commanding voice. “Go and chop the Muslims’ bodies into pieces.”

Wahshi ibn Harb was a man of few words. He usually tried to make most of his communications through gestures. Here too he, instead of obeying Hind, spread his hands before her staring at the golden necklace hanging from her neck. Hind was reminded of her word to Wahshi at once. She had promised him that if he killed the killer of her father, uncle and son, he would get all the ornaments that were on her body in prize. Now Wahshi had come for the prize. Hind took all of her ornaments and placed them on Wahshi’s spread out palms. A smile appeared on Wahshi’s face as he turned to go back. Hind appeared to have been possessed by the ghost of victory and revenge at the time.

“Wait, Ibn Harb!” Hind called her in a frenzied voice. When he was back, Hind said, “I had promised you my jewelry if you cooled my heart by killing Hamzah. But you deserve more.”

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Gesturing towards the Quraish women, she said, “You know well which of them are slaves.

There are young and charming among them too. You may take with you whichever of the slave girls takes your fancy.”

By habit, Wahshi bin Harb silently stared at Hind’s face for a few moments, but his stare did not cross over to the slave girls. He shook his head and went his way.

A little later in the grim airs of the battle-field, Hind’s loud and melodious voice could be heard.

According to historian Ibn Hisham, these are some of the words of the song she sang melodiously: We have settled our account for the Battle of Badr, We have fought a bloody battle in return for a bloody battle.

My sorrow for 'Utbah was beyond my tolerance, 'Utbah was after all my father.

I was grieving over my uncle too, as also my son, But now my breast is cooled and comforted.

I have fulfilled my vow.

Wahshi has put a salve on my heart’s wound.

I shall remain forever obliged to Wahshi, Till the time my bones turn into earth inside the grave. ۞۞۞

Abu Sufyan and Hazrat 'Umar’s argument Abu Sufyan could not bear to see this horrible scene. He had already turned his face and went away. Now, he said to two of his companions that he could not believe that the noble Prophet ‫ﷺ‬ was still alive.

“Khalid might have seen someone else from the distance and believed him to be Muhammad,” said somebody to Abu Sufyan.

Saying that he would rather find it out himself, Abu Sufyan went towards the narrow valley from where Khalid had retreated with his riders. He stood at a high point from where he could easily see the Muslims huddled in groups.

“O followers of Muhammad!” shouted Abu Sufyan loudly. “Is Muhammad alive among you?”

The noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬heard this voice but he gestured the Muslims present close to him to remain quiet. Abu Sufyan repeated his question in an even louder voice. Even then he got no reply.

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“Is Abu Bakr alive and present among you?” asked Abu Sufyan loudly. Again he got no reply.

Even after asking the question thrice, there was silence on the Muslim side.

“Is 'Umar alive?” enquired Abu Sufyan. The Muslims stayed silent as before.

Abu Sufyan turned his horse around. He looked down. Many Quraish men were standing there eager to know the true news of the Prophet.

“O people of Quraish!” announced Abu Sufyan in a high voice, “Muhammad has died. Abu Bakr and 'Umar also are no more alive. Now the Muslims would be terrified by even your shadows.

Celebrate and dance!”

The Quraish started dancing and raising a ruckus but a roaring voice silenced them.

“O ALLAH'S ENEMY!” echoed Hazrat 'Umar’s voice from the peak of the hillock. “Don’t lie so brazenly. All the three people whom you are announcing dead by name, are alive. Don’t fool your tribesmen. We all are alive to punish you for your sins.”

Abu Sufyan roared with a sarcastic laughter and called out, “Ibn Khattab! May your God protect you from us! Are you still thinking of punishing us? Are you really sure that Muhammad is still alive?”

“By Allah! Our Prophet is alive,” roared Hazrat 'Umar in response, “and listening to each and every word of yours.”

It was a tradition in 'Arab that the chiefs or commanders of both the warring parties would shower arrows of ridicule and scorn over each other at the end of battle. Following this tradition, Abu Sufyan was engaged in a war of words with Hazrat 'Umar ‫ض َيَللاهَ َع ْن َه ه‬ ِ ‫ َر‬. “You are unaware of the grandeur of Hubal and 'Uzza,” said Abu Sufyan.

Hazrat 'Umar looked towards the holy Prophet for guidance. The Prophet did not have an extraordinarily high voice, so he told the Hazrat 'Umar what to reply.

“O worshipper of falsehood!” said Hazrat 'Umar loudly, “Be aware of Allah’s grandeur, who is the greatest and the mightiest.”

“We have a god like Hubal and a goddess like 'Uzza,” said Abu Sufyan. “Do you have a comparable god or goddess?”

“We have Allah,” the noble Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬asked Hazrat 'Umar to say. Hazrat 'Umar called out, “You have no Allah.”

“The battle has been finished,” said Abu Sufyan. “You were victorious in Badr, and we have got revenge at the foot of this mountain. Next year again, we shall challenge you for a battle in the field of Badr.”

“In Sha Allah!” Hazrat 'Umar repeated Allah’s Prophet’s words loudly. “Allah willing, our next meeting will be in the field of Badr only.”

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Abu Sufyan turned his horse around. The horse had hardly taken two steps when Abu Sufyan stopped it. “''Umar, Abu Bakr and Muhammad!” Abu Sufyan’s voice was grave this time. “When you take away your dead bodies from the battle-field, you will find some bodies, whose organs have been chopped off and they have been sliced and slashed. By Allah! It was not on my command and I have not in the least approved this disgusting treatment of your dead bodies. If you blame me for this, I will consider this an insult.” Abu Sufyan once again turned around his horse and spurred it on. ۞۞۞

Muslim spies killed treacherously As it rode on, Khalid’s horse turned its direction on its own accord. But Khalid did not stop it.

He understood that the horse has smelled water. A little distance later, the horse started descending down a slope. Khalid was reminded of this place. During their return after the Battle of Uhud, the Quraish had halted here for some time. Below there was sufficient store of water in a pool. The horse galloped rapidly towards water and stopped there. Khalid jumped down the horse, knelt down at the pool and started sprinkling his face with handfuls of water. After a little rest, he sat down resting his back upon a rough rock. He remembered the time when the Quraish were returning after the Battle of Uhud. They had halted at a short distance away from Madinah.

During that halt, the Quraish chiefs had started disputing. Some said that they should continue with their return to Makkah while the others held that they should go back and make one more charge at the Muslims.

Safwan ibn Umayyah said, “We haven’t got defeated. But still if you think that the Muslims are very weak now, then have a look at your own army. Even we have suffered. We should take the risk of a fresh encounter with the Muslims. It is possible that luck might not favor us.”

As the argument raged on, some Quraish men brought two arrested travels before their chiefs.

The chiefs were informed that these two who claim to be travelers were wandering around our camps. They even asked four or five of our men where they were headed to. The two stood by their story before Abu Sufyan and other chiefs too. They said they were travelers and named a place to which they were headed. When their shabby clothes were taken off by Abu Sufyan’s order, dagger and swords fell down from inside. They were asked why they had hidden these weapons. Khalid had a sharp eye. He suspected them to be Muslim spies. They were made to stand before the entire Quraish army who were then asked to identify the spies.

Two or three Quraish men said that they recognized the duo, that they were residents of Madinah.

“I know this one very well,” one of the Quraish men got up and said. “I had seen him fighting with me.”

“Just say with your own tongues that you are Muhammad’s spies,” Abu Sufyan said to the duo, “and we shall let you off. I will forgive your lives.”

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One of the duo admitted.

“Ok, then you may go,” said Abu Sufyan. “We forgive both of you.”

The two who were really Muslim spies and had come to find out Quraish’s plans, walked towards their camels in relief and joy. At Abu Sufyan’s gesture, several archers put arrows on their bows and shot them at the Muslims from behind. Both fell down having been struck with several arrows, and could not rise up again.

“Do you understand the meaning of this?” said Abu Sufyan to the chiefs standing near him.

“Sending spies shows that the Muslims have not yet accepted defeat. They plan to attack us now or a while later. So, immediately leave for Makkah and prepare for the next battle.”

Somebody informed the Prophet that the bodies of both our spies were lying at the place where the Quraish had halted the previous day, and that the Quraish have left for Makkah.

It was the first major battle that Khalid had fought, but he was convinced that he was unable to defeat the Muslims. Today, four years later, he was engrossed in the thought that the strength the Muslims possess is not that of common men. It is some mystery which he has not been able to solve yet. He was also reminded of some flaws in the Quraish. He had disapproved of some of their acts and behaviors. He also remembered two very charming Jew women who had mingled with the Quraish chiefs. He was aware that the Jews were trying to dominate over the Quraish using their feminine beauty to use them against the Muslims. He was not fond of this underhand tactic but when one of these two women met Khalid one day, he felt that what she was saying sprang from intellect and wisdom. The woman’s glamour and youth had a perceptible effect but Khalid too could not resist the charm in her words. For a while she kept him captivated. When his horse neighed, Khalid woke up from this daydream with a jolt. He got up quickly, rode the horse and continued on his road to Madinah.

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