The Battle Of Uhud


The Quraish were very upset at their defeat in the battle of Badr and wanted to avenge their dead. They gathered a large force to attack the Muslims. The tribes of Tihama and Kinana joined them. Their united forces numbered three thousand well-equipped soldiers under the command of Abu Sufyan. This army marched towards Medina and occupied a vantage position near the hills of Uhud at a short distance of 3 miles from Medina. The Prophet marched out with a thousand men. On the way, Abdullah Ibn Ubayy with three hundred of his followers deserted and the Prophet was left with only seven hundred men.



The Prophet took up his position below the hill. The army was arrayed in fighting formations and fifty archers were posted, under Abdullah bin Jubair, at a pass between the hills to guard the army from any attack from the rear. They had strict order not to leave their post, whatever the outcome of the battle. The standard was in the hands of Mus'ab ibn Umair; Zubair was in command of the other section and Hamza in command of the rest. On the side of the Meccans, Talha held the standard and the various regiments were under the charge of Khalid bin Walid, lkrema bin Abu Jahl, Safwan bin Umayya and Abdullah bin Umayya.

Talha challenged the Muslims to individual combat. The challenge was accepted by Ali bin Abi Talib and very soon Talha's dead body lay on the ground. The standard was taken by his brother Usman who was killed by Hamza. A general engagement then started. Ali, Hamza and Abu Dujana gave heroic accounts of their valour.

Hind, wife of Abu Sufyan had engaged an Abyssinian slave, Wahshi, to kill either Muhammad (s. a. w.). Ali or Hamza (in order to avenge the death of her father, Atbah, and brother, Walid at Badr at their hands). He singled Hamza out and threw a spear at him, which pierced his abdomen and killed him.

On the Meccans side, one standard bearer after another met his end. The Meccans were losing heart till one of their women, Umra, daughter of Algawa, took up the standard. The Meccans after paying a heavy toll fell back in disorder and the Muslims started gathering the booty. Thinking that the fight was over, majority of the archers guarding the passage in the hill left their posts to gather the spoils even against the orders of their leader Abdullah bin Jubair.

When Khalid bin Walid, who was fleeing, so such an opportunity, he gathered a group and launched a furious attack from the rear. The Muslims were taken so much by surprise that they did not know what to do. In the general melee their ranks got disorganised. The retreating Meccans forces rallied again and launched a fresh onslaught from the front. The Muslim standard bearer, Musa'ab bin Umair, who bore a great facial resemblance to the Prophet, was killed. Up went the cry that the Prophet had been killed. This threw the Muslims into further confusion and utter dismay. The companions fled away concerned only with their own safety.

On the other hand, many valiant soldiers entered the thick of the Meccan ranks, determined to fight to their last breath. This went on until Ka'ab bin Malik saw the Prophet and shouted at the top of his voice that the Prophet was still alive. The spirit of the Muslims revived but the Prophet now became the chief target of the Meccan forces. Abdullah bin Qame-a who was known for his valour among the Quraish, advanced towards the Prophet and struck a sword on his head. His two upper teeth were cut out by sword of another infidel. He had fallen in a pit where Ali bin Abi Talib found him and protected him against the continuous furious onslaught of the Meccans.

When Ali's sword broke down, the Holy Prophet gave him his sword "Dhul-Fiquar".

The Meecan forces had turned the tables but they were too exhausted to take advantage of either attacking Medina or by driving the Muslims from the heights of the hill.

With victory almost within their grasp, the Muslims had suffered a heavy blow. They were shaken in body and spirit.

The Meccans were determined to destroy the Muslims. This aim they could not achieve. Their infantry had suffered such losses that they could not even press home the advantage they gained in the last stages of the battle. It is not surprising, therefore, that they marched back to Mecca frustrated and dispirited.

The defeat of Uhud did create serious difficulties for the Muslims for it emboldened the nomadic tribes on the one hand to make forays upon Medina and encouraged the Jews of Medina, on the other, to foment further trouble.

The Battle Of Ahzab


When the Jews of Bani Qaynqaa were expelled from Madina because of their trouble making, their sister tribe, the Bani Nuzayr, were very angry. They became deadly enemies of Islam and waited for an opportunity to do the Muslims harm.

Once the Holy Prophet (S), together with a few companions, went to the fort of the Bani Nuzayr. While he waited outside the fort, the Jews sent one of their men to climb out from inside and kill him by throwing a huge rock on his head. The Holy Prophet (S) came to know of this treacherous scheme just in time and immediately left the place. Since the Bani Nuzayr had broken the treaty which they had signed, the Holy Prophet (S) gave them ten days to leave Madina. After some resistance, they left Madina, demolishing their houses so that the Muslims could not occupy them. They were allowed to take away all the possessions that they could carry, except for weapons of war. Some of them went to Syria and others settled with the Jews of Khayber.

On settling down at Khayber, the Banu Nuzayr became determined to take revenge on the Muslims. They contacted the Quraish in Makka and 20 leaders from the Jews and 50 from Quraish signed an agreement in the Holy Ka'ba that so long as they lived, they would fight the Holy Prophet (S). Thereafter, the Jews and Quraish contacted their allies and sent agents to a number of tribes for help. In this way, 10,000 soldiers gathered. They then marched upon Madina under the command of Abu Sufyan.

When the news of these preparations reached Madina, the Holy Prophet (S) consulted his companions. Salman Farsi advised to dig a deep and wide ditch on the unprotected side of Madina. This plan was accepted and the Muslims were divided into parties of 10, and each party allotted 10 yards to dig.

The Holy Prophet himself participated in this task. The ditch or moat (Khandaq) was completed in time, just three days before the forces of the enemy reached Madina. The Muslims could gather only 3,000 men to oppose this huge army. They camped a few miles outside Madina.

Meanwhile, the leader of Bani Nuzayr met secretly with some Jews who still lived in Madina. He convinced them to violate the treaty which they had concluded with the Muslims. Thus, the Muslims were exposed to danger within Madina, and the Jews began terrorising the women and children. When the Holy Prophet (S) learnt about what was happening he sent back 500 men to patrol the city.

The enemy was astonished to see the moat because it was a new thing for Arabs. They tried day and night to cross over, but each time they were repelled by the Muslim soldiers. The enemy began to shower arrows and stones at the Muslims in their frustration.

Finally, some of the Quraish's warriors - including the famous Amr bin Abdiwad - succeeded in crossing the moat at a point where it was not very wide. Amr was one of the best warriors in all of Arabia. In battle he was considered equal to 1,000 warriors. He began to challenge the Muslims to fight, but his reputation made them hesitate. Three times the Holy Prophet (S) urged the Muslims to fight Amr. Each time only Imam Ali (A) stood up. Finally, the Holy Prophet (S) allowed him to go, giving him his own sword and tying a special turban on his head. As Imam Ali (A) went to the battle field, the Holy Prophet (S) exclaimed, "The whole Faith is going to fight the whole Infidelity".

When Amr learnt who Imam's (A) identity, he refused to fight him, saying that Abu Talib had been his friend and he did not want to kill his friend's son. Imam Ali (A) told him not to be concerned about his death because if he died he would be blessed with a place in Heaven while Amr would end up in Hell.

He then reminded Amr that he had once said that if any opponent made three requests, Amr would always grant one of them. Amr agreed to this. Imam Ali (A) then invited Amr to accept Islam or to return to Makka or to come down from his horse as Imam (A) had no horse and was on foot.

Amr agreed to the last request and came down from his horse. A fierce battle followed.

For a time, so much dust covered both warriors that nobody knew what was happening. Amr sent a murderous blow to the head of Imam Ali (A).

Although Imam Ali (A) blocked it with his shield, Amr's sword broke through and inflicted a serious cut on his head. Imam Ali (A) then struck a blow to Amr's feet which brought Amr down. Suddenly the shout of "Allahu Akbar" was heard from Imam Ali (A) as he chopped off Amr's head. The killing of Amr shocked the other warriors who had crossed the moat, and they fled away.

The battle was brought to an end because of three factors:

The Holy Prophet (S) signed an agreement of peace with some of the tribes who had gathered to fight the Muslims.
The enemy was demoralised at the death of Amr ibn Abdiwad.
The severe winter caused the enemies' horses to perish and their food was almost finished.
Finally, the Holy Prophet (S) went to the place where the Mosque of Victory (Masjid-ul-Fath) now stands, and prayed to Allah for help. A fierce storm raged which uprooted the tents of the enemies, sending their belongings flying on all sides, and causing terror in their ranks. The Makkans and Jews fled away from the battle field. This battle is known as Ahzab (Battle of the Tribes) or Khandaq (Battle of the Moat) and the Muslims emerged victorious in spite of their fewer numbers.

The Battle Of Hunayn


The news of the fall of Makka created great surprise and disturbance among the surrounding tribes. Some of the tribes living around Makka decided to join up and fight the Holy Prophet (S) together.

Meanwhile, the Holy Prophet (S) left Makka after having stayed there for fifteen days. He appointed a guide to educate and instruct the people and entrusted the government and administration of the city, as well as the duty of leading prayers in the mosque, to a pious Muslim from Madina.

The tribes who had gathered to fight the Muslims waited for them in the hills of Hunayn. The Holy Prophet (S), learning of their intentions, marched towards them riding at the head of a huge force of 12,000 Muslims.

The commander of the enemy army sent three spies into the Muslim army to find out their strength. The spies returned with their hearts full of fear at the power of the Muslims. On hearing their bad news, the enemy became demoralised. Their commander knew he was hopelessly outnumbered, so he decided to fight the Muslims by making a surprise attack when they crossed the mountain pass leading into Hunayn. This battle took place in 8 A.H.

When the Muslim army arrived at the narrow pass, they were forced to march in small groups. Moreover, they were overconfident because of their huge numbers, and this made them careless.

As soon as the Muslims entered the pass, the enemy attacked them from above with stones and arrows. Thereafter, a special group of skilled soldiers came down the mountain side and attacked the Muslims with their swords. The sudden attack broke up the Muslim ranks and they lost their courage. Many of them began to run away from the battle, despite the command of the Holy Prophet (S) to stay and fight.

The enemy made the Holy Prophet (S) their chief target, hoping to kill him and finish the war there and then. When Imam Ali (A) realised their intention, he stood next to the Holy Prophet (S) and the enemy could not overcome his skill at combat.

A famous warrior by the name of Abu Jundal came out to fight from the enemy side but unfortunately for him, he came up against Imam Ali (A) and soon lay dead. At this time Imam Ali (A) began to actively attack the enemy and struck terror into their hearts. By the time he stopped fighting, 40 enemy soldiers had been killed by him. The Muslims gained courage from this and returned to the battle.

The enemy could no longer contain the Muslims, who fell upon them from all sides. By the end of the war a further 30 enemy soldiers were killed.

On leaving the battlefield of Hunayn, some unbelievers gathered at Ootas to regroup and fight again. The Holy Prophet (S) sent a large force to deal with them. Eventually the Muslims won this battle, but not before their commander had been killed. They also took a large number of prisoners and war booty. The prisoners included the daughter of the foster mother of the Holy Prophet (S), Halimah Sa'dia. The Holy Prophet (S) received her with great honour and sent her back to her tribe under his own arrangements.

In the battles of Hunayn and Ootas, a large number of Muslims were killed in the initial confusion. Overall, it was a victory for the Muslims, because the enemy fled leaving behind 6,000 captives, 24,000 camels, 40,000 sheep and 4,000 Waqih of silver. (One Waqih equals 213 grams approximately.)

Allah has referred to this battle in the Holy Qur'an in the following words:

"Allah has helped you on many occasions including the day of Hunayn; when you were happy with the number of your men who proved to be of no help to you and the whole vast earth seemed to have no place to hide you (from your enemies), and you turned back in retreat." Surah at-Tawbah, 9:25
The Holy Prophet (S) ordered that the entire war booty be transferred to a place called Ja'rana until he returned from Ta'if.

The Battle Of Moota


By 8 A.H. there was security in most of Arabia and the call of Islam had extended to many parts. The Jews in the north and the Quraish in the south had been subdued by the victories of the Muslims in battle and they did not pose a threat any longer.

The Holy Prophet (S) sent envoys to neighbouring countries and invited their rulers to embrace Islam. Some of these envoys were well received, while others were mistreated and even killed. One such envoy, Harith bin Umayr Azdi was sent with a letter to the ruler of Syria. Before he could reach his destination, he was captured at Moota by Shurahbil, the governor of the ruler of Syria in the border towns. Disregarding the universal law about the safety of envoys, Shurahbil killed Harith. In a separate incident, 15 missionaries sent to the Syrians were also killed.

When the Holy Prophet (S) received the sad news, he was deeply grieved and decided to punish Shurahbil and those who obstructed the spread of Islam. He gave orders for Jihad and 3,000 men assembled at Jurf, the military station of Madina. He instructed the army to march towards Moota and first invite the people to become Muslims. If they accepted Islam, the murder of the envoy would not be avenged but if they resisted, the Muslims should fight against them in the Name of Allah .

Ja'far bin Abu Talib was appointed as the commander of the army and the Holy Prophet (S) said that if Ja'far was killed then Zayd bin Harith would lead them, and if he was killed then Abdullah bin Rawaahid would assume command. If he too was killed, then the Muslim army should select their commander from amongst themselves. Before dispatching the expedition, the Holy Prophet (S) instructed them to observe the following rules:

Not to interfere with the monks and nuns who were worshipping in their monasteries.
Not to lift their hand against any women, children or old people.
Not to cut down trees or destroy buildings.
These instructions were an example of the Holy Prophet's (S) vision and the efforts he was making to bring about changes and reforms in all walks of life, in a period in Arabia when no scruples were exercised, particularly in war. In response to the news of the march of the Muslim army, Hercules of Rome and the Syrian Ruler sent their best troops to the borders and Shurahbil gathered an army of 100,000 soldiers.

In addition to being hopelessly outnumbered, the Muslims were also facing a professional army. Due to their constant wars with Iran, the Romans had become experts in war strategy and tactics. They were also equipped with better weapons and transport. Also, the Romans had the advantage that they were fighting at home while the Muslims were in a foreign land.

Despite being in a weaker position, the Muslim forces gave a heroic account of their valour. Ja'far divided his men into 3 divisions and the armies met at Sharaf near Moota. The battle began with single combats but soon turned into a full scale war. The Muslims fought courageously but soon the differences in number proved too great. Ja'far was surrounded and lost one arm and then the other. Eventually, he was killed with a blow to the head and after him Zayd and then Abdullah were also martyred.

By the end of the first day the Muslim army was in disarray and their numbers were severely reduced. As their new commander, the Muslims chose Khalid bin Walid.

During the night, Khalid ordered the remaining wings of the Muslim army to change sides with each other, and the sound of the movements of a large number of men convinced the enemy that reinforcements had arrived.

On the next day Khalid arranged the Muslim army in such a way as to give an impression that new troops had joined them. These tactics made the enemy hesitate and Khalid took the opportunity to withdraw the Muslim army and return to Madina.

The retreat of the Muslims was not well received by some in Madina who said that they should have fought on till the very end. However, given the circumstances, Khalid was right in bringing them back because it would have been pointless to sacrifice the lives of more Muslims.

The Holy Prophet (S) was much grieved at the loss of Muslim lives and especially that of his cousin Ja'far. He saw in his dream that Ja'far had been given 2 wings like angels in heaven and since then Ja'far in known as Tayyaar - the one who flies.

Just before his death, the Holy Prophet (S) prepared a strong force under Usama bin Zayd, to return to Moota. However, this expedition never got off the ground because of his illness. Although Usama was ready to march, some Muslims, especially Abu Bakr and Umar, were worried that they would be absent from Madina when the Holy Prophet (S) passed away.

They wanted to be present to put a stop to the successorship of Imam Ali (A) and put their own plans into action. However, two years later, a powerful Muslim army returned to Syria and conquered the Romans in the battle of Yermuk, bringing a large part of Syria under Islam.

The Battle Of Tabuk

The expanding power of the Muslims across Arabia worried the neighbouring non-Muslim rulers. One such ruler was the Kaiser of Rome, King of Byzantine. When he saw that the government of Makka had fallen and the chiefs of the Quraish had become Muslims, he felt that his own empire was under threat. Therefore, in 9 A.H., he decided to launch a surprise attack on the Muslims.

Syria was one of the colonies of the Roman Empire and its capital was Constantinople. The people were Christians and took orders directly from the Kaiser. On the road leading from Hijr to Damascus there was a strong fort called Tabuk. The Kaiser sent out an army of 4,000 mounted soldiers equipped with the latest armour and weapons to fight the Muslims. The Roman army decided to camp at the fort and await further orders.

When the trade caravans returned to Arabia from Syria, they informed the Holy Prophet (S) that the Romans were gathering an army at the borders of Syria. The Holy Prophet (S) realised that the threat to the Muslim state would have to be stopped, so he sent messages to Makka and around Madina asking the Muslims to come to fight in the path of Allah. He also asked the rich people to provide for the expense of war by paying their Zakaat.

At the call of the Holy Prophet (S), 30,000 Muslims gathered near Madina, ready to participate in battle. 10,000 of these men were mounted soldiers, while the rest were infantry men. At that time it was extremely hot in Madina. A hypocrite leader called Abdullah bin Ubayy started weakening the spirit of some Muslims by warning them of the great strength of the enemy and the difficulty of marching the long distance to Tabuk in the terrible heat. With his words this hypocrite managed to change the minds of some members of his own tribe, the Khazraj.

The following verse of the Holy Qur'an was revealed at this time.

"They did not wish to strive in Allah's way with their wealth and their selves; and they said (to the others), "Do not go in the heat". Say (O Muhammad), "The fire of Hell is fiercer in heat"; if only they could understand.". Surah at-Tawbah, 9:81
The day of departure of the Muslim army arrived, and the Holy Prophet (S) addressed the soldiers to strengthen their morale. Then the army marched out of Madina towards Tabuk.

The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (A), had always been in the front of every Islamic battle. However, in the Battle of Tabuk, he stayed back in Madina on the orders of the Holy Prophet (S) himself. The Holy Prophet (S) knew that Tabuk was the farthest place that he had travelled for battle, and that there was a strong chance that anti-Islamic groups might create disturbance in Madina in his absence.

Although he had appointed Muhammad bin Maslamah to act as his representative, he also left Imam Ali (A) in Madina to discourage any mischief makers.

The people who had decided to cause trouble in the absence of the Holy Prophet (S), were dismayed at the presence of Imam Ali (A), who was constantly alert. To get Imam Ali (A) out of Madina, they started a rumour that the Holy Prophet (S) was not happy with him and that was why he had left him behind.

In order to clarify the position Imam Ali (A) followed the Holy Prophet (S) and met him at a place called Jaraf. When the Holy Prophet (S) heard what the hypocrites were saying in Madina, he uttered a very famous statement that is clear proof of the right of Caliphate of Imam Ali (A).

He said, "O my brother! Return to Madina, because no one is more suited to preserve the dignity and position of Madina than myself and you. Don't you feel happy when I say that your relationship with me is similar to the one between Haroon (A) and Musa (A), except that no Prophet will come after me? Just as Prophet Haroon (A) was the immediate successor of Prophet Musa (A), you are my successor and Caliph after me."

The journey of the Muslim army was filled with difficulties and the weather was extremely hot. At one point they ran out of water but there was a heavy shower of rain that brought relief to the advancing army. Finally, the Muslims reached Tabuk but the Romans had already retreated when they received news of the size and strength of the Muslim forces. The Holy Prophet (S) stayed in Tabuk for 20 days and when the enemy did not come back, he decided to return to Madina.

The journey to Tabuk was not wasted because the Holy Prophet (S) managed to get most of the surrounding chiefs to accept Islam while the others agreed to pay tax to the Muslim state in return for protection. Furthermore, the Romans changed their mind about ever disturbing Muslim territories after having seen the might of the Muslim army.

On the way back, the Holy Prophet (S) passed the valley of Uqba through a narrow hilly road with steep slopes on either side. Huzayfa bin Yamani and Ammar Yasir were helping the Holy Prophet (S) to ensure his safe passage, when suddenly there was some lightning. In the flash of light the Holy Prophet (S) and Huzayfa saw a group of people who were waiting to push the Holy Prophet (S) down the slope. When they were seen, the people ran away. Although their faces were masked, the Holy Prophet (S) told Huzayfa each and every one's identity and asked him never to reveal this knowledge.

The Holy Prophet (S) did not want revenge on these people in case he was accused of killing the people who had helped him to secure power. Since then, Huzayfa was always known as "Keeper of the Holy Prophet's (S) secret."

The Battle Of Ta'if


Ta'if is one of the fertile country towns of Arabia. It is situated to the south-east of Makka. On account of its fine weather, gardens and palm groves, the town of Ta'if was the centre of a group of people who led very comfortable lives.

This town was inhabited by the Bani Saqeef who were one of the most powerful and popular tribes of the Arabs. The Bani Saqeef were amongst the people who fought against Islam in the battle of Hunayn. After suffering a defeat in this battle, they took refuge in a strong fort in their own town.

In order to complete the victory after the battle, the Holy Prophet (S) sent some men to pursue the Bani Hawaazan in Ootas while he marched with the rest of the army to Ta'if.

The fort of Ta'if was situated at a great height and had very strong walls, and its watch towers fully controlled the outside area. The army of Islam proceeded to surround the fort, but it had not yet been completely encircled when the enemies attacked with a shower of arrows and killed some Muslims. Salman Farsi suggested to the Holy Prophet (S) that the fort of the enemy might be stoned by means of large catapults.

The Muslim soldiers erected a catapult and stoned the interior and towers of the fort for about 20 days. However, the enemies continued to shoot arrows and thereby inflicted injuries to the soldiers of Islam.

In order to make the enemy surrender, it was necessary to attack it from all sides. A military vehicle was made of wood and was covered with thick leather. Strong soldiers took their places inside it and pushed it towards the fort and began making holes in the wall under its cover.

However, the enemies threw melted iron on top of the vehicle and burnt the roof covering. The Muslim soldiers became exposed to enemy arrows and so this tactic had to be abandoned.

The Bani Saqeef were rich and possessed a large number of slaves. In order to get information about the state of affairs inside the fort and to assess the strength of the enemy, the Holy Prophet (S) announced that those slaves who came out of the fort and took refuge with the army of Islam, would become free. This message proved effective to some extent and about 20 slaves escaped from the fort very skilfully and joined the Muslims. From them, it was learnt that those within the fort were not prepared to surrender at any cost, and even if the siege continued for one year they would not be faced with any shortage of food and provisions.

The Holy Prophet (S) decided that the conquest of the fort would require further activity and patience, and he did not wish to prolong the war for several reasons. These were:

The siege of the fort had already resulted in the deaths of 13 Muslims. The Holy Prophet (S) did not want more Muslims to be killed.
The Muslim army was becoming restless at the lack of results and wanted to receive their share of booty from the battles of Hunayn and Ootas.
The month of Shawwal was coming to an end and the month of Zilqad was approaching. This is one of the four months during which war is forbidden.
The Haj season was near and the Holy Prophet (S) wanted to take advantage of it as it was the best occasion to spread Islam further.
Keeping all these matters in mind, the Holy Prophet (S) gave up the siege of Ta'if and proceeded along with his soldiers to distribute the war booty in Ja'rana.

In the distribution of the booty, the Holy Prophet (S) gave larger shares to the newly converted Muslims. From his own share, he gave big gifts to the chiefs of Quraish. Such people are known as Mu'allafatul Qulub (those whose hearts are encouraged towards Islam.) This gesture of the Holy Prophet (S) made the new converts come closer to Islam, but upset the older Muslims, especially the Ansar.

The Holy Prophet (S) came to learn of their disappointment and addressed them as follows, "O group of Ansar! Why have you been grieved because I have given some small property to the Quraish so that they may become steadfast in Islam, when I have given over Islam to you? Are you not satisfied that while others take away camels and sheep, you shall take away the Prophet with you? By Allah! If all other people go one way and the Ansar go the other way, I will choose the way of the Ansar." Then he called for Allah's blessing for the Ansar and their children. The words of the Holy Prophet (S) made the Ansar weep with shame and they said, "O Prophet of Allah! We are content with our share."

While he was still in Ja'rana, the Holy Prophet (S) was approached by the Bani Hawaazan who surrendered to the Muslims and requested the release of their relatives. The Holy Prophet (S) released all the prisoners who had fallen in his share and the share of the other members of Bani Hashim. When they heard of his action, all the Muslims did the same. In this way about 6,000 prisoners were released.

On the 18th of Zilqad 8 A.H., the Holy Prophet (S) performed Umrah and then left for Madina after appointing a deputy in Makka. On his way to back to Madina, he paid a visit to the grave of his mother in Abwa. The Holy Prophet (S) arrived back in Madina on the 1st of Zilhaj, having been away for three months.