THE DEATH OF HAMZAH
Ibn Ishaq related that Ja‘far Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Umayyah Ad-Damri narrated: I went out with ‘Ubaidullah Ibn ‘Adiyy Ibn Al-Khiyar from Banu Nawfal Ibn ‘Abd Manaf during the reign of Mu’awiyah. We passed by Hims where Wahshi, the freed slave of Jubair, had settled. When we reached there, ‘Ubaidullah Ibn ‘Adiyy suggested: “Do you mind that we approach so that we may ask him how he killed Hamzah?” I said to him: “If you wish.”
So we proceeded till we got to him. We sat in his presence and said: “We have come so that you may narrate to us how you killed Hamzah?” He said: “I shall narrate to you exactly as I had narrated to Allah’s Messenger when he asked me concerning that. I was a slave boy of Jubair Ibn Mut‘im whose uncle was Tu‘aimah Ibn ‘Adiyy who was killed in the Battle of Badr. When the Quraish marched to the Battle of Uhud, Jubair said to me: ‘If you succeed in killing Hamzah, Muhammad’s uncle, in retaliation for the killing of my uncle you will be manumitted.’ So I departed with the rest of the army and I am an Abyssinian who is as proficient in spear-throwing as any Abyssinian and when I throw, I do not miss my target.
When the two forces clashed, I began to look for Hamzah on the battlefield. Then I saw him in the midst of people like a camel cutting his enemy with devastating blows from his sword. Nothing could withstand his valor. I would recoil to hide behind a tree or rock waiting for him to move closer but just before I could throw it, Siba’ Ibn ‘Abdul ‘Uzza cut in to challenge Hamzah. When he saw him, Hamzah said: “Come on, you son of clitoris-cutter.” Hamzah struck him with a single and swift blow which severed his head. I shook the spear in my hand until I had a firm grip on it. I hurled it at Hamzah piercing him just below the navel and it came out between his legs. He made an attempt to reach me but had extreme difficulty in moving and then he fell to the ground. I left him with the spear still embedded in him till he died.
“After he had become still, I came close to his corpse, removed the spear from his body and headed for the camp of the Quraish and I remained there for the duration of the battle for I had no other business than that. I killed him solely to obtain my freedom.
“When we returned to Makkah, I was freed. I remained in Makkah until Allah’s Messenger conquered it and I fled to Ta’if where I settled. When the delegates of Ta’if went to the Messenger of Allah to declare their acceptance of Islam, I began to contemplate on where to flee to again. I said to myself: ‘I will go to Sham or Yemen or some other land.’ I was still in my distressful state when a man told me: ‘Woe be to you, by Allah, he does not kill anyone who enters his religion and utters the declaration of truth.’ When I was informed of that, I set out till I stood in the presence of the Messenger of Allah in Madinah and then I uttered the shahadah. When he saw me he said: ‘Is it you, Wahshi?’ I said, ‘Yes, Messenger of Allah.’ He said, ‘Sit down, narrate to me, how did you kill Hamzah?’ I told him, and when I finished, he said to me, ‘Woe to you! Get out of my sight and let me not see your face again.’ From that time, I always avoided wherever the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, went lest he should see me, till he died.
Afterward, when the Muslims went out to fight Musaylimah, the Liar, I went with them. I took with me the same spear with which I had killed Hamzah. When the armies met, I saw Musailimah standing with his sword in his hand. By Allah, I did not recognize him. Just then one Ansari targeted him from another angle. Both of us were prepared for him. When he fell in my full range, I shook my spear till I had full control over it, threw it, and it went into his body. Then the Ansari swooped on him and lacerated him with his sword. Allah knows best which one of us killed him. If I was the one who killed him, then I had killed the best of people after the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, (Hamzah) and now I have killed the worst of people (Musaylimah).”
Al-Bukhari also related the story of Hamzah’s death from Ja‘afar Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Umayyah Ad-Damri who said: I went out with ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Adiyy Ibn Al-Khiyar. And he narrated the story as related above and he mentioned that ‘Ubaidullah Ibn ‘Adiyy was wearing his turban and Wahshi could not see except his eyes and feet and he related how he still was able to recognize him as related previously.
Ibn Hisham related: Maslamah Ibn Alqamah Al-Mazini narrated to me that when the fighting intensified on the day of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, sat under the standard of the Ansar and he sent word to ‘Ali to go before the standard; he did so while chanting: “I am a father of astuteness.” Then Abu Sa‘d Ibn Abi Talhah, the standard-bearer of the polytheists, called out to him: “Do you care for a duel, O father of astuteness?” and ‘Ali responded in the affirmation. They exchanged two strokes of sword between the two lines of the opposing armies and soon ‘Ali struck him mortally and then withdrew without pouncing on him to finish him off. When his friends asked him why he did not finish him off, he said: “He exposed his nakedness to me (as a sign of abject surrender) and the feeling of compassion for blood tie overtook me but I knew that Allah had already killed him.”
Ibn Ishaq related: Hanzalah (who was called: “the washed one,” because the angels washed him at his death as shall be explained later) and Abu Sufyan Sakhr Ibn Harb met at the battle. When Hanzalah had overpowered Abu Sufyan, Shaddad Ibn Al-Aswad who was the same person referred to as Ibn Sha‘oob, double-crossed him and struck him a mortal blow. After Hanzalah had died, the Messenger of Allah said: “Your Companion is being washed by the angels, ask his wife if there was something that happened to him.” So they asked his wife whose name, according to Al-Waqidi, was Jameelah Bint Ubayy Ibn Salool. At the time, she was newly wedded to him, as they married on the same day of the battle. She said: “He hurried into the battlefield when he heard the war cry while he was still in a state of sexual defilement.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “It is for this reason that the angels washed him.”
Ibn Ishaq added that afterwards Allah sent down his help to the Muslims and fulfilled His promise. They uprooted their enemies with their swords and dragged them from their camp. It was an obvious defeat. Yahya Ibn ‘Abbad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair narrated to me from his father ‘Ubad from ‘Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair who said: “By Allah, I saw the anklets of Hind Bint ‘Utbah and her cohorts as they folded their dress while fleeing. Nothing prevented anyone from capturing them when the archers turned to the camp as the enemy had been thrown out of it. Thus, we were attacked from behind by the Calvary. Someone yelled: ‘Alas! Muhammad has been killed.’ We returned and the enemy pursued us after we had killed the standard-bearers in succession in such a way that none of them dared to hoist it. Some of the men of knowledge informed me that the standard remained fallen until Amrah Bint Al-qamah Al-Harithiyyah took it and hoisted it so that they might gather the Quraish around it. The standard had been borne by a slave boy of Banu Abi Talhah Habashi and he was the last person of them to hoist the flag. He fought with it till his hands were severed. Then he stooped to pick the flag which he held with his chest and neck and he held it till he was killed.
Ibn Ishaq added: The Muslims became vulnerable and they were pelted by the enemies. It was a day of trial and test in which Allah ennobled many of them with martyrdom. The enemies were unrelenting until they had access to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who was hurt with stones so much so that he fell on his side, one of his teeth was broken. His face was gashed and his lip was injured. It was ‘Utbah Ibn Abi Waqqas who injured him. Humaid At-Taweel narrated to me from Anas Ibn Malik who said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, had his front teeth damaged on the day of the Battle of Uhud, and sustained a wound on his head. He was wiping the blood streaming from his face and was saying: “How will the people attain salvation who have wounded their Prophet in the face while he was merely calling them towards Allah?” Then Allah revealed: Not for you (O Muhammad, but for Allah) is the decision; whether He turns in mercy to (pardons) them or punishes them; verily, they are the Zalimoon (polytheists, disobedients, and wrong-doers, etc.). (Soorah Al ‘Imran 3:128)
Then Ubayy Ibn Khalaf Al-Jumahi who had sworn to kill the Prophet approached him. Meanwhile, the Prophet had also said: “I will be the one to kill him.” Thinking that this was the opportunity to fulfill his oath, Ubayy accosted the Prophet saying: “You liar, where are you fleeing to?!” He pounced on the Prophet but the Prophet stabbed him slightly through an opening in his armor and he fell down moaning like a bull. He was carried away and they said to him: “You have only been slightly injured, so why are you worried?” He said: Didn’t he say “I shall surely kill you?” (since he said that) even if Rabi’ah and Mudar were gathered, he would kill them. He lived for only a day or two, then he died from that wound.
The rumor spread on the battlefield that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had been killed. Some of those who had taken to the rocky mountain said: “Would that we can send a messenger to ‘Abdullah Ibn Ubayy to obtain a peace deal on our behalf from Abu Sufyan. O people! Muhammad has been killed, return to your people before they come to you and slaughter you.” However, Anas Ibn An-Nadr said: “Even if Muhammad has been killed, certainly the Lord of Muhammad has not been killed. Fight on for the cause upon which Muhammad was killed. O Allah, I apologize to You for what these people are saying and I free myself from what these people have wrought.” Then he advanced with his sword and fought till he was killed. The Messenger of Allah continued calling the people till he climbed the mountain where some of the Muslims had scattered. When they saw him, one of them put his arrow in the bow and aimed it at the Prophet. He called out to them: “I am the Messenger of Allah!” and they became elated that he is still alive and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was also happy to find himself in the midst of his Companions again who would protect him. When they had gathered around the Messenger of Allah, their anxiety dissipated and they advanced again recalling the victory that was now slipping from their hands. They also recalled their compatriots who had fallen. Then Allah revealed concerning their statement that Muhammad had been killed so return to your people: Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him.(Soorah Al ‘Imran 3:144)
I say: At the outset of the battle, the Muslims were having the upper hand over the disbelievers as Allah says: And Allah did indeed fulfill His Promise to you when you were killing them (your enemy) with His Permission; until (the moment) you lost your courage and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed after He showed you (of the booty) which you love. Among you are some that desire this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then He made you flee from them (your enemy), that He might test you. But surely, He forgave you, and Allah is Most Gracious to the believers. (And remember) when you ran away (dreadfully) without even casting a side glance at anyone, and the Messenger (Muhammad) was in your rear calling you back. There Allah gives you one distress after another. (Soorah Al ‘Imran 3:152,153)
Al-Bukhari related that Al-Bara’ narrated: We confronted the polytheists on that day (i.e. of the Battle of Uhud) and the Prophet placed a batch of archers (at a special place) and appointed ‘Abdullah Ibn Jubair as their commander saying, “Do not leave this place; and if you see us conquering the enemy, do not leave this place, if you see them conquering us, do not (come to) help us.” So, when we faced the enemy, they took to their heels till I saw their women running toward the mountain, lifting up their clothes from their legs, revealing their leg-bangles. The Muslims started saying, “The booty, the booty!” ‘Abdullah Ibn Jubair said, “The Prophet has taken a firm promise from me not to leave this place.” But his companions refused (to stay). So when they refused (to stay there), (Allah) confused them so that they could not know where to go, and they suffered seventy casualties. Abu Sufyan ascended a high place and said, “Is Muhammad present among the people?” The Prophet said, “Do not answer him.” Abu Sufyan said, “Is the son of Abu Quhafah present among the people?” The Prophet said, “Do not answer him.” Abu Sufyan said, “Is the son of Al-Khattab among the people?” He then added, “All these people have been killed, for, were they alive, they would have replied.” On that, ‘Umar could not help saying, “You are a liar, O enemy of Allah! Allah has kept what will make you unhappy.” Abu Safyaan said, “Superior may be Hubal!” On that the Prophet said (to his Companions), “Reply to him.” They asked, “What may we say?” He said, “Say: Allah is More Elevated and More Majestic!” Abu Sufyan said, “We have (the idol) Al‘Uzza, whereas you have no ‘Uzza!” The Prophet said (to his Companions), “Reply to him.” They said, “What may we say?” The Prophet said, “Say: Allah is our Helper and you have no helper.” Abu Sufyan said, “(This) day compensates for our loss at Badr and (in) the battle (the victory) is always undecided and shared in turns by the belligerents. You will see some of your dead men mutilated, but neither did I urge this action, nor am I sorry for it.” This is one of the Ahadeeth narrated by Bukhari to the exclusion of Muslim.
Imam Ahmad related from Anas Ibn Malik that on the day of Uhud the Prophet was left with alone seven of the Ansar and two of the Muhajiroon, and when the polytheists attacked him, he said: “Who will repulse them from us for the reward of Paradise?” An Ansari advanced and fought till he was killed. Then they attacked him again and he said once again: “Who will repulse them from us for the reward of Paradise?” till all the seven people were killed and Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Our Companions were not fair to us.” Related by Muslim.
Al-Bukhari related from Qais Ibn Abi Hazim who said: “I saw Talhah’s paralyzed hand with which he had protected the Prophet (from an arrow) in the Battle of Uhud.”
It is recorded in the Saheehain from the Hadith of Moosa Ibn Ismael from Mu‘tamir Ibn Sulaiman from his father from Abu ‘Uthman An-Nahdi who said: “During one of the Ghazawat in which Allah’s Messenger was fighting, none remained with the Prophet but Talhah and Sa‘d.”
Sa‘d Ibn Abi Waqqas narrated that the Prophet took out his quiver (of arrows) for me on the day of Uhud and said, “Throw (the arrows); let my father and mother be sacrificed for you.” It is related by Bukhari.
It is also recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhari that ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib narrated: I have never heard the Prophet mentioning his father and mother for anybody other than Sa‘d Ibn Malik. I heard him saying on the day of Uhud, “O Sa‘d throw (arrows)! Let my father and mother be sacrificed for you!”
It is also recorded in the Saheehain from Sa‘d Ibn Abi Waqqas who narrated: “I saw Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, on the day of the Battle of Uhud accompanied by two men fighting on his behalf. They were dressed in white and were fighting as bravely as possible. I had never seen them before, nor did I see them later on.” i.e. Jibreel and Mikael, peace be upon them.
It is also related in the Saheehain from Anas who said: “On the day of the Battle of Uhud, the people ran away, leaving the Prophet, but Abu Talhah was defending the Prophet from the front with his shield. Abu Talhah was a strong, experienced archer who used to keep his arrow bow strong and well-stretched. On that day he broke two or three arrow bows. If any man passed by carrying a quiver full of arrows, the Prophet would say to him, “Empty it in front of Abu Talhah.” When the Prophet started looking at the enemy by raising his head, Abu Talhah said, “O Allah’s Prophet! Let my parents be sacrificed for your sake! Please don’t raise your head and make it visible, lest an arrow of the enemy should hit you. Let my neck and chest be wounded instead of yours.” (On that day) I saw ‘A’ishah, the daughter of Abu Bakr and Umm Sulaim both lifting their dresses up so that I was able to see the ornaments of their legs, and they were carrying the water skins on their arms to pour the water into the mouths of the thirsty people and then go back and fill them and come to pour the water into the mouths of the people again. (On that day) Abu Talhah’s sword fell from his hand twice or thrice.”
Al-Bukhari also related that Anas narrated from Abu Talhah that: I was among those whom slumber overtook during the Battle of Uhud while we were in the frontlines. My sword would fall from my hand and I would pick it up, and again it would fall down and I would pick it up again.” This is how Bukhari has mentioned it in Mu‘allaq form and with words indicative of absolute certainty. He adduced the following statement of Allah in corroboration: Then after the distress, He sent down security for you. Slumber overtook a party of you, while another party was thinking about themselves (as how to save their own selves, ignoring the others and the Prophet) and thought wrongly of Allah – the thought of ignorance. They said, “Have we any part in the affair?” Say you (O Muhammad): “Indeed the affair belongs wholly to Allah.” They hide within themselves what they dare not reveal to you, saying: “If we had anything to do with the affair, none of us would have been killed here.” Say: “Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death,” but that Allah might test what is in your breasts; and to Mahhis that which was in your hearts (sins), and Allah is All-Knower of what is in (your) breasts. Those of you who turned back on the day the two hosts met (i.e. the Battle of Uhud), it was Shaitan (Satan) who caused them to backslide (run away from the battlefield) because of some (sins) they had earned. But Allah, indeed, has forgiven them. Surely, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing. (Soorah Al ‘Imran 3: 154,155)
Al-Bukhari related that ‘Uthman Ibn Mawhab narrated: A man came to perform the Hajj to (Allah’s) House. Seeing some people sitting, he said, “Who are these sitting people?” Somebody said, “They are the people of Quraish.” He said, “Who is the old man?” They said, “Ibn ‘Umar.” He went to him and said, “I want to ask you about something; will you tell me about it? I ask you with the respect due to the sanctity of this (Sacred) House, do you know that ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan fled on the day of Uhud.” Ibn ‘Umar said, “Yes.” He said, “Do you know that he (i.e. ‘Uthman) was absent from the Badr (battle) and did not join it?” Ibn ‘Umar said, “Yes.” He said, “Do you know that he failed to be present at the Ridwan Pledge of allegiance (i.e. Pledge of allegiance at Hudaibiyyah) and did not witness it?” Ibn ‘Umar replied, “Yes,” He then said, “Allahu-Akbar!” Ibn ‘Umar said, “Come along; I will inform you and explain to you what you have asked. As for the flight (of ‘Uthman) on the day of Uhud, I testify that Allah forgave him. As regards his absence from the Badr (battle), he was married to the daughter of Allah’s Messenger and she was ill, so the Prophet said to him, ‘You will have the same reward as a man who has fought in Badr, and you will also have the same share from the booty.’ As for his absence from the Ridwan Pledge of allegiance, if there had been anybody more respected by the Makkans than ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan, the Prophet would surely have sent that man instead of ‘Uthman. So the Prophet sent him (i.e. ‘Uthman to Makkah) and the Ridwan Pledge of allegiance took place after ‘Uthman had gone to Makkah. The Prophet raised his right hand saying. ‘This is the hand of ‘Uthman,’ and clapped it over his other hand and said, “This is for ‘Uthman.’ ” Ibn ‘Umar then said (to the man), “Go now, after taking this information.”
The bottom line is that many of the events that occurred in Badr also occurred in Uhud from them are: the slumber which occurred at the time of the clash. This is evidence of the tranquility of the heart by the help of Allah and His strengthening. We have commented on the statement of Allah in our discussion on the Battle of Badr: (Remember) when He covered you with a slumber as a security from Him… (Soorah Al-Anfal 8:11) and here too Allah says: Then after the distress, He sent down security for you. Slumber overtook a party of you… (Soorah Al ‘Imran 3:154)
Ibn Ma‘sood said: “Slumber during battle is from Eeman and slumber during the course of Salat is from Nifaq (hypocrisy).” This is why he said thereafter: …another party was thinking about themselves (as how to save their own selves, ignoring the others and the Prophet)… (Soorah Aal ‘Imran 3:154)
Similarly, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sought victory on the day of Uhud just like in Badr with his words: “O Allah! If You wish (to destroy the believers) You will never be worshipped after today” as related by Imam Ahmad from Anas Ibn Malik who narrated that Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him, used to say on the Day of Uhud: “O Allah! If You wish (to destroy the believers) You will never be worshipped after today”
Al-Bukhari related that Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah narrated: On the day of the Battle of Uhud, a man came to the Prophet and said, “Can you tell me where I will be if I should get martyred?” The Prophet replied, “In Paradise.” The man threw away some dates he was carrying in his hand, and fought till he was martyred.
By: Ibn Katheer
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