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He made the rocky mountainside to function as shield for the army’s rear and right flank. He was
able, by blocking the only vulnerable gap on the side, to provide additional maximum protection for
the rear as well as the left wing. For fear of possible defeat, and to deter the Muslims from fleeing,
in which case they would fall easy prisoners in the hands of the enemy, he chose a high place for
encampment. Moreover a strategic site of this sort would surely inflict heavy losses on the
polytheists if they thought of approaching or occupying his positions. In a further step, he reduced
the enemy to a narrow scope of choice when they were cornered for encampment in geographically
low positions that would avail them nothing of the benefits of any possible victory; at the same time
they would not be able to escape the pursuit of the Muslims in case victory sided with the latter. To
make up for the quantitative shortage in fighting personnel, he chose a picked body of fighters to
stand at the front.
The army of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was thus fully mobilized on Shawwal 7th, 3 A.H.
THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH IMPLANTS THE SPIRIT OF BRAVERY AMONG HIS ARMED
FORCES:
The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) forbade the Muslims to start the fight without having
an order from him. He, then, wore two armours — a front armour and a back one. He urged his
Companions to fight and spurred them to show stamina and steadfastness at fight. He started to
implant the spirit of boldness and bravery in them. To wage and inflame his Companions and in
order to standfast in the fight, he took a sharp sword, held it in his hand and called out unto his
Companions and said: “Who is ready to take this sword and give it i ts proper due?” Many a man set
out to take it. Some of them were ‘Ali bin Abi Talib, Az-Zubair bin Al-‘Awwam and ‘Umar bin Al-
Khattab. But it was granted to none. Abu Dujana Sammak bin Kharsha inquired: “O Messenger of
Allâh, what is its price?” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “It is to strike the enemy’s faces
with it till it was bent.” So Abu Dujana said: “O Messenger of Allâh I will take it for that price.” and
he was given the sword.
Abu Dujana was a man of courage who used to swagger at war. He had a red band which he wore
round his head. Whenever he was head-banded everybody knew that he was determined to fight to
death. Therefore as soon as Abu Dujana took the Prophet ’s sword, he banded his head and started
strutting amongst the fighters.
Watching him doing that, the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) said: “This is a sort of walking
that Allâh detests except in such a situation.”
RECRUITMENT OF THE MAKKAN ARMY:
The idolaters applied the rows system in the mobilization of their army. The general leadership of
the army was entrusted to Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb, who would be in the centre-position of the
army. Khalid bin Al-Waleed was on the right wing; whereas ‘Ikrima, the son of Abu Jahl was on the
left. Safwan bin Omaiya was in charge of infantry men. The archers were under the command of
‘Abdullah bin Abi Rabi‘a.
As for the standard, a squad of Bani ‘Abd Ad-Dar were in charge to bear it. Thus was the distribution
of the posts of the army ever since ‘Abd Munaf had already assigned them. This assignment had
been inherited from Qusai bin Kilab — as we have previously alluded to in an early phase of this
book. No one had the right to compete them with it. It was consistent with their traditions that they
had inherited from their ancestors.
Abu Sufyan, the general leader, reminded his men— the standard bearers— of what had happened
to Quraish on Badr Day (i.e. battle) when their standard bearer, An-Nadr bin Al-Harith, was
captured. In an attempt to wage their anger and enmity to the Muslims he said: “O Bani ‘Abd Ad-
Dar! You have been assigned bearers of our standard and you know that the standard is the first
thing that the enemy attacks. Should it fall, we fall down too. Therefore, I say either you guarantee
its safety or leave it for us, and we will certainly suffice you that task.”
Abu Sufyan’s attempt seemed to be fruitful. For his speech made Bani ‘Abd Ad-Dar so extremely
angry that they threatened him and almost attacked him for that. Addressing him, they said: “You
want us to deliver you the custodianship of the standard? Tomorrow when we fight them, you will
witness our deeds.” As a matter of fact, they fought bravely and stoodfast in defence of the
standard till they were all killed.
POLITICAL MANOEUVERS OF QURAISH:
A little timebefore the break out of the battle, Quraish made some endeavours to sow the seeds of
discord and dispute among the Muslims. First, Abu Sufyan sent to the Helpers a message saying:
“Leave us alone to fight our cousins and do not interfere. If you stand aside, we will not fight you;
for fighting you is not a target of ours.” But that attempt proved to be fruitless. What could such a
wicked scheme do to those whose Faith was as solid and firm as mountains?! The Helpers reply was
undoubtedly disappointing and contrary to Abu Sufyan’s expectations.
The zero-hour was due. The two parties drew nearer. Undespaired by the first failure, Quraish made
another attempt, for the same purport but now with the assistance of a traitor called Abu ‘Amir Al-
Fasiq, whose name was ‘Abd ‘Amr bin Saifi. He was called a monk, but the Messenger of Allâh
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