The Sealed Nectar (37 page)

When Umm Aiman, who was one of those Muslim women who saw the defeated Muslim fighters entering Madinah, she started throwing dust at their faces rebukingly saying: "Here is a spinning wheel, take it! and give up carrying swords." Then she raced to the battlefield. There she watered the wounded. Hibban bin Al- ‘Arqa shot an arrow at her, she fell down and her clothes were lifted up. Seeing that, the enemy of Allâh, burst into laughter. That sight upset the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh], so he gave Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas an arrow lacking an arrow- head and said "Shoot it". Sa‘d shot it, it pierced the idolater’s throat. He fell down and some parts of his body were revealed. The Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] then laughed so much that his molars could be seen. Sa‘d avenged her and Allâh responded to her supplication. [As-Seerat Al-Halabiyah 2/22]

As soon as the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] reached the defile, ‘Ali bin Abu Talib went out and filled his water container with water from
Al- Mihras
. ‘
Al- Mihras
’ is said to be hollow (concaved) rock containing plenty of water. It was also said that it is a water spring in Uhud mountain. Anyway, ‘Ali brought that water to the Messenger of Allâh

[pbuh] to drink. Finding that it smelt bad he refused to drink it, but only washed the blood off his face and poured some of it over his head saying: Allâh’s Wrath is great on those who besmeared His Messenger’s face with blood. [Ibn Hisham 2/85]

Sahl said: "By Allâh, I know who washed the wound of the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh]

and who poured out water for him and what (substances) his wound was treated with: His daughter Fatimah washed it, whereas ‘Ali poured water out of the container. When Fatimah realized that water increased the flow of blood, she took a piece of straw mat, burnt it a little and stuck it to the wound so blood ceased flowing." [Sahih Al

-Bukhari 2/584]

Muhammad bin Maslamah brought him fresh water to drink. The Prophet [pbuh]

drank and supplicated Allâh to provide him with good things. [As-Seerat Al-Halabiyah 2/30]

Owing to the wounds and their bad effects on his body, the Messenger of Allâh

[pbuh] led his followers in prayer in a sitting posture and so did the Muslims. [Ibn Hisham 2/87]

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When the preparations of the idolaters for departure came to an end, Abu Sufyan went up the mountain and called out: "Is Muhammad [pbuh] among you?" They did not answer him. Then he asked "Is Ibn Abi Quhafah (i.e. Abu Bakr) among you?"

They did not answer. He asked again: "Is ‘Umar bin Al- Khattab among you?" They did not answer him; for the Prophet [pbuh] forbade them answering him. He only asked about those three. That is because he and his people knew quite well that the call to Islam depended to a large degree on those men. Abu Sufyan then said: "As for those three, we have relieved you of." ‘Umar could not help but talking, so he said, "O enemy of Allâh, those whom you have just mentioned, I tell you that they are still alive. Allâh has maintained what you hate." Abu Sufyan answered: "The mutilation of your killed is something I did not order it; but it did not displease me."

Then he shouted: "Hubal (an idol), let it be sublime!" The Prophet [pbuh] said: "Why do you not reply?" "What shall we say?" They asked him. "Say: Allâh is more Sublime and Exalted and Mightier as well."

He said: "Al- ‘Uzza (i.e. an idol) is ours but you have no ‘Uzza." "Why do you not reply?" The Prophet [pbuh] said. "What shall we say?" They inquired. He said: "Say Allâh is our Protector, but you have no protector."

Abu Sufyan said: "Well deeds! Today is a vengeance for Badr Day. This for that. War is attended with alternate success." ‘Umar’s reply was: "No. They are not the same.

Our killed men are housed in Paradise; but yours are in Fire."

Then Abu Sufyan said: "Come on, ‘Umar!" The Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] said: "Go and see what the matter is." He went there. Abu Sufyan asked him: "I beseech you by Allâh’s Name to tell me the truth: Have we killed Muhammad [pbuh]?" ‘Umar said: "O Allâh, ‘No’ and now he is listening to you words." He said: "For me, you are more truthful than Ibn Qami’a, and even more reliable." [Ibn Hisham 2/93,94; Za'd Al- Ma'ad 2/94; Sahih Al- Bukhari 2/579]

Ibn Ishaq said: When Abu Sufyan and those who were with him were leaving he called out notifying: "We will meet again at Badr next year." The Messenger of Allâh

[pbuh] said to one of his men: "Say: ‘Yes, it is an appointment for both of us.’" [Ibn Hisham 2/94]

Later on, the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] dispatched ‘Ali bin Abi Talib to trace them out. He said to him: "Pursue them and see what they are going to do, and what they aim at. If they dismount horses and ride on camels’ back, this means that they are heading for Makkah; but if they ride horses and lead camels unmounted, they are leaving for Madinah. By the One, in Whose Hand my soul is, if they attacked Madinah I would march to them there and I would fight them." ‘Ali said: "I went out and traced them to see what they were up to. I saw them mounting camels and leaving the horses unmounted. They were heading for Makkah." [Ibn Hisham 2/94]

After the departure of the Quraishites, people went out to check the identity of the killed and the wounded. Zaid bin Thabit said: "The Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] sent me on Uhud Day to seek Sa‘d bin Ar- Rabî‘ and said: "When you see him, say: ‘peace be upon you from me.’ and say to him ‘the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] says: How do you feel?’" Zaid said: "I started wandering about checking the killed till I came across Sa‘d when he was dying — with about seventy strokes or stabs of a sword, a spear and an arrow in his body.So I said: "O Sa‘d, the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] sends you his greetings. and says ‘peace be upon you, tell me how do you feel?’" Sa‘d said: 177

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"And let peace be upon the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh], too. Tell him, I smell the scent of the Paradise. And tell the Helpers, my people, ‘you shall not be excused before Allâh if the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] is hurt and your eyes are blinking’ (i.e.

you are still alive and not dead)." Then he died. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/96]

They came across Al- Usairim — ‘Amr bin Thabit, whom they had already urged to embrace Islam but refused. They saw him among the wounded on the verge of close death. "What has he come here for? We have parted with him and he was still too obdurate to accept Islam as his religion". They asked him: "What made you come here? Is it out of zeal to defend your people or is it because of an inclination to Islam?" He said: "It is (certainly) an inclination to Islam. I believe in Allâh and in His Messenger. I have fought with the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] till I have got what you see," and then he immediately died. They told the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] about him. Hearing that, he said: "He is one of the inhabitants of Paradise." "Although he had not offered one single prayer," narrated Abu Hurairah. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/94; Ibn Hisham 2/90]

Qazman, who was found among the wounded, fought heroically, and killed seven or eight idolaters. He was weakened by the wounds he had sustained, they carried him to the habitation of Bani Zufr. The Muslims gave him glad tidings of the Paradise. But he said: "By Allâh I have fought out of a zeal to my people. Had it not been for that I would have never fought." When his wounds worsened he committed suicide. The Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] had already said whenever he was mentioned to him: "He is an inhabitant of Fire." [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/97; Ibn Hisham 2/88] This is the end of those who fight for a national cause or in a way other than that of raising up the Word of Allâh, though they fought under the banner of Islam or even in the army of the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] or of his Companions.

Contrary to Qazman there was a Jew of Bani Tha‘labah among the killed. He said to his people, "O folk people of Jews! By Allâh you have already known that it is imperative to support Muhammad [pbuh]." They said: "Today is Saturday." He said:

"There is no Saturday for you." He took his sword and the war equipment and said:

"If I were killed, my property should be put at Muhammad [pbuh]’s disposal". Then next morning he kept on fighting till he was killed. The Messenger of Allâh [pbuh]

said about him, "Mukhaireeq is the best Jew." [Ibn Hisham 2/88,89]

Burial of the Martyrs

The Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] supervised the martyrs’ burial and said: "I bear witness that anyone who is wounded in the way of Allâh, Allâh will resurrect him with his wound bleeding a liquid which is blood- like in colour but musk- like in scent." [Ibn Hisham 2/98]

Some of the Companions carried their men killed in the war to Madinah, but the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] ordered that they should be sent back in order to be buried where they were killed. He ordered that they should not be washed but buried as they were after stripping them off their armours and leather clothes. He used to bury every two or three martyrs together in one grave and even join two men in one garment while saying: "Who is the more learned of the Qur’ân?" and he would commit him to earth first. He would say: "I bear witness to those on the Day of Resurrection." He buried both ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haram and ‘Amr bin Al- Jamuh in one grave due to the affection they used to possess to each other. [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/98; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/584]

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They missed the coffin of Hanzalah, they sought it and found that it was on a spot nearby with water dripping off it. The Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] told his Companions that the angels were washing him and said: "Ask his wife". They asked her and she confirmed that he had been in a state of ceremonial impurity. That was why Hanzalah was called ‘
Ghaseel Al- Malâ’ikah
’ (i.e. the one washed by the angels). [Za'd Al-Ma'ad 2/94]

When the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] saw how his uncle and foster brother, Hamzah, was mutilated, he was extremely grieved. When his aunt Safiyah came to see her brother Hamzah, the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] ordered her son Az- Zubair to dismiss her in order not to see what happened to her brother. She refused and said, "But why should I go away. I have been informed that they have mutilated him. But so long as it is in the way of Allâh, whatever happens to him satisfies us. I say: Allâh is Sufficient and I will be patient if Allâh wills." She approached, looked at him and supplicated Allâh for him and said: "To Allâh we all belong and to Him we will verily return." and she implored Allâh to forgive him. Then the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh]

ordered that he should be buried with ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh — who was his nephew as well as his foster brother.

Ibn Mas‘ud said: We have never seen the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] weeping so much as he was for Hamzah bin ‘Abdul Muttalib. He directed him towards
Al- Qiblah
, then he stood at his funeral and sobbed his heart out. [Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.255]

The sight of the martyrs was extremely horrible and heart- breaking. Describing Hamzah’s funeral, Khabbab said: "No shroud long enough was available for Hamzah except a white- darkish garment. When they covered his head with it, it was too short to cover his feet. Similarly if they covered his feet his head would be revealed.

Finally they covered his head with it and put some plant called ‘
Al- Idhkhir
’ to cover his feet." [Mishkat 1/140]

Al- Imam Ahmad reported that when it was Uhud Day and the time that the idolaters returned, the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] said:

"
Istawoo
(i.e. form rows as for prayer) so that I offer thanks and praise to
my Lord, the Great and the All- Mighty."

So they stood in rows behind him. Then he said:

"O Allâh, no one can withhold what You permit or permit what You
withhold. No one can guide whom You decree to go astray or make go
astray the one whom You guide. No one can grant provisions you have
withheld and no one can withhold what you grant. No one can near what
You ordained to be distant, or detach what You decree to be close. O Allâh,
spread onto all of us Your Mercy, Your Grace, and Provisions."

"O Allâh, I implore You to grant me permanent bliss that neither changes
nor vanishes. O Allâh, You Alone we seek for Help at hardships. You Alone
we resort to for security on a day of terror. O Allâh, to You Alone I resort to
protect us from the evils of Your grants (i.e. the evils they may lead us to)
and from the evils of Your deprivation. O Allâh, make us love Faith and make
it pleasant and beloved wholeheartedly by us! Make disbelief, ungodliness
and disobedience detestable to us. Let us be among those who are rightly
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guided. O Allâh, make us live as Muslims and cause us to die as Muslims;
and make us join with the righteous but not with the disgraced and misled
ones. O Allâh, make Your enmity befall the disbelievers, who belie Your
Messenger and divert from Your righteous way. O Allâh, let Your wrath,
Your chastisement and Your enmity befall the disbelievers, and those on
whom You sent down the Book. Let them be afflicted with war decreed by
You. O Allâh, the Author of Truth."
[Musnad Imam Ahmad 3/424]

After committing all the martyrs to earth, and after offering praise and supplication to Allâh, the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] went back to Madinah.

On his way back, matchless examples of love and devotion were revealed by the truthful women believers; in no way less great than the men’s heroic deeds in the fight.

Hamnah bint Jahsh met the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] on the way back, and he announced the death of her brother — ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh — to her. She said: "To Allâh we belong and to Him we will verily return. I ask Allâh’s forgiveness." Then he announced the death of her maternal uncle Hamzah bin ‘Abdul Muttalib. She said:

"To Allâh we belong and to Him we will verily return. I ask Allâh’s forgiveness." But when he announced the death of her husband Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair to her, she shouted and woed. Seeing her doing so, the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] said: "The woman’s husband is extremely dear to her." [Ibn Hisham 2/98]