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said: “Let me see him.” They pointed at him. Seeing him she said: “All misfortunes are nothing so
long as you are safe.”
Umm Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh came running to see the Prophet (Peace be upon him). At that time her son
was holding the rein of his mare. Seeing his mother, he said to the Prophet (Peace be upon him): “O
Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him). This is my mother.” The Prophet (Peace be upon him)
said: “She is welcome”; and he stopped and waited for her. When she drew near, he consoled her,
for her killed son ‘Amr bin Mu‘adh. But she said: “So long as I see you are safe, my misfortune will
certainly go into oblivion.” Then the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) supplicated Allâh for
the relatives of those who were killed at Uhud and said: “Cheer up! Umm Sa‘d and bear good tidings
to their kindred that all their people killed in the battle are comrades in Paradise and they are
intercessors for all their kinsfolk.” She replied, “O Messenger of Allâh, we are satisfied. Who would
cry on them after this cheerful news?” Then she resumed saying: “O Messenger of Allâh, invoke
Allâh (for those who stayed behind)” He said: “O Allâh keep sorrow off their hearts! And console
them with their misfortunes. Compensate those who stayed behind with goodness and welfare.”
In the evening of that day — i.e. Saturday, the seventh of Shawwal, 3rd year A.H. — the Messenger
arrived in Madinah. As soon as he reached his house, he handed his sword to his daughter Fatimah
and said: “O daughter, wash the blood off this sword. By Allâh it has been helpful to me today.” ‘Ali
bin Abi Talib handed her his sword and said: “And wash the blood of this sword too. By Allâh, it has
been helpful to me today.” So the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) said: “Sahl bin Haneef
and Abu Dujana have been as courageous as you are in the fight.”
Most of the narrations confirmed that seventy Muslims were killed and most of them, sixty-five,
Helpers; forty-one of whom were from Khazraj and twenty-four from Aws. This, besides one Jew
and four Emigrants.
As for the polytheists, twenty-two of them were killed, but some versions speak of thirty-seven;
after all, Allâh knows best.
On Saturday night, the eighth of Shawwal, and after their return from Uhud, the Muslims spent that
night in an emergency case — though they were dead-beat, extremely exhausted. They stayed on
the alert, and spent that night guarding the outlets and inlets of Madinah. They were specially busy
guarding their general leader, the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) for fear that some
suspects could commit an unexpected folly.
HAMRA' AL-ASAD INVASION:
The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) on his part, spent the night pondering over the
situation. He feared that the idolaters might think — while they were still on their way to Makkah—
of reversing their way a nd diverting to Madinah after they had realized that they had availed nothing
of that victory. They might regret and decide to invade Madinah as a compensation. Therefore the
Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) was determined to go out in pursuit of the Makkan army.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) called out unto people and ordered them to march to encounter
the enemy of Islam. That was on Sunday morning— next day to Uhud— the eighth of Shawwal. He
said: “Nobody will march to the fight except those who have already participated in Uhud fight.”
‘Abdullah bin Ubai said: “I will march out with you.” “No,” said the Prophet (Peace be upon him).
Whilst the Muslims were suffering a lot from painful pains and deep anxiety, they responded to his
call positively. Jabir bin ‘Abdullah implored the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to allow him join them
in that fresh invasion on account that he always had a liking to witness all the battles that the
Prophet (Peace be upon him) was involved in. He had not participated in Uhud because his father
asked him to stay in Madinah with his sisters . And he was granted his wish.
The Muslims marched out until they reached a place called Hamra’ Al-Asad — about eight miles from
Madinah. He encamped there. In that place Ma‘bad bin Abi Ma‘bad came to the Messenger of Allâh
(Peace be upon him) and professed Islam. Some people said that he remained an idolater; he
simply desired to give the Messenger some advice out of abidance by a covenant between Khuza‘ah
(his tribe) and Bani Hashim. He said “O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)! By Allâh, we feel great
sorrow for what had happened to you and to your Companions. We really hope you will not suffer
again.” So, the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) suggested that he overtake Abu Sufyan and
discourage him from pursuing his evil intentions.
The Messenger’s fears of a possible return of the idolaters proved to be absolutely true. For no
sooner had the idolaters dismounted and encamped at Ar-Rawhâ’ — a place thirty-six miles from
Madinah, than they started reproaching one another. A group of them said to another one: “You did
nothing. You broke down their force but you left them. There are still some distinguished men
among them who will probably gather people up to fight you again. So let us g o back and annihilate
them and crush down their forces.”
It was in fact a hasty decision taken by shallow-minded people who misjudged the potential power
and morale on both parties, that is why an eminent leader of Quraish, Safwan bin Omaiyah, tried to
dissuade his people from pursuing that venture, saying: “O people. Do not do such a thing! For I
fear that he will gather up those who had stayed behind and did not share in Uhud. Go back home
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