Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

15
Islam, its Meaning and Message, London, 1993, P.67.
THE BATTLE OF UHUD
(625 A.D./3 A,H.)
CAUSES OF THE BATTLE
The causes of this important battle were the fcllowings:

1. In the battle of Badr the leading tribal chieftains of Makkah like Abu Jahl and Utbah had been killed. The cry of revenge had ever since resounded in the streets of Makkah. Shame and burning desire for revenge drove the Quraysh to make grand military preparations. They further despatched emissaries throughout the Bedouin tribes, inviting them to join the enterprise against the Muslims of Medina. As soon as the preparations of the Quraysh n^ared completion, they decided to march upon Medina.

The rapid spread of the faith in Medina proved an eye-sore to the Makkhans who saw in the rise of Medina a menace to their own commercial and political supremacy. The political leadership of the Quraysh passed into the hands of the Umayyf ds. To them the rise of Banu Hashim under the Holy Prop.tst was intolerable. Hence the two leading tribes were bound to come into conflict with each other. Abu Sufyan was chosen by the Makkhans as their military leader. At length the Quraysh commenced their march, three thousand in number; seven hundred were mailed warriors, and two hundred well-mounted cavalry. The defeat at Badr was an ignominy which the Qurayshite pride could not leave unavenged. Revenge was, therefore, the catch-
2.
3.
4.

116 Political and Cultural History of Islam
word all over Makkan. Moreover, the Makkhans had also realized that their prosperity d upended to a great extent on their prestige and in order to maintain il they must in no uncertain measure receive what they had lost at Badr. From the Makknans, therefore, the Holy Prophet could expeci ”othing but an intensification of the struggle, for in the hearts of the Makknans religious hostility had now mingled with personal rancour and thus all burnt cor revenge. They were determined to crush the commonwealth of Islam once for all. Emissaries were sent to all the tribes to make common cause against the rising faith which was threatening to sweep away the idolatry and the corrupt practices which were comiion not only in the land of Arabia but in the whole of the then known world. As a consequence of this they managed to enlist the support of two well-known tribes Kinanah and Tihamah. It was also decided by the Makkhans that the profits of the escaped caravan headed by Abu Sufyan should be devoted to providing equipment to the army.1
According to Or. Majid Ali Khan, ”The Makkhans never dreamed of what happened at Badr. The battle also produced a marvelous effect on the Jews and the Badouins (countryside, Arabs). For the first time they felt the strength of the Muslims. Now the fire of revenge was quietly burning in the hearts of the Makkhans for that crushing defeat. They, thus determined to wipe out this blot and began big preparations for a second attack on the Muslims. They put at stake all the profits accruing from trade and commerce during the year in the preparation of the expedition. The Makkhans poets ’incited the people by means of their poetry to make necessary contributions to the war to be waged against the Muslims. Women were also playing an effective role in ensuring the zeal and firmness of the fights. Hind, wife of Abu Sufyan, prepared a slave named Wahshi, with the promise of freedom, to kill Hamzah (the uncle of the Holy Prophet), who had slain her father Utbah in the battle of Badr. He was expert in the use of javelin during war.2
The Muslims of Medina did not know anything regarding the preparations of Quraysh and they were completely in dark. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) got the information, only two or three days before the arrival of Makkhans army near Uhud, through one of his uncles, Hazrat Abbas who had already accepted Islam, but till lived in
The Battle of Uhud 117
jvlakkah. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) despatched his intelligences, Anas, Munis and Hubab to collect more information -”bout the army. They confirmed the news of the army and told that they were near the Uhud about 3 miles from Medina. The next day i.e. on Friday the

13th Shawwal, 3 A.H.. the Holy Pioohet (PBUH) consulted his companions about the situation. A number of companion favoured the view to fortify Medina, and fight from within. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself wanted that way, but the youthful and hot-headed people (specially those who were absent in the Badr) wished to go outside and fight the enemy in the open-field. Seeing the urge of the majority, Holy Prophet (PBUH) yielded to their wishes and pB* on his armour. Aftei offering Friday Salat he marched at the head of one thousand strong to face three thousand fully equipped Quraysh who had encamped at the foot of the famous hill near Medina^the Uhu’d, and had devastated the crops and pastures of Muslims. The^hislims spent their night not far from the town and resumed the march next morning. On their way to Uhud, the leader of hypocrites, ’Abdullah bin Ubayy, deserted the Muslims, reducing thereby the number of the army to 700 only. The Muslims, leaving aside a few, were not skilled in warfare but were filled with the enthusiasm of ”Iman” (Faith) and wanted to defend the Truth at any cost.3

The Quraysh could not forget the crushing defeat inflicted on them in the battle of Badr. Some of their leaders like Abu Jahl and Utabah had been killed in the fight. Since the battle of Badr, the cry of revenge had resounded in the valley of Makkah. Abu Suf\an took a vow that he would not touch oil or women till the defeat wa» avenged. The Quraysh began to equip themselves for war against the Muslims. They even invited the Bedouin tribes to join them Against their enemy.
After the battle of Badr, Islam gained a firm footing at Medina and with it the importance of the city began to increase. The rise of Medina was an eye-sore to the Quraysh who saw in it a great Menace to their political and commercial interest. Over and above, the rise to Banu Hashim under the leadership of the Holy Prophet ^as intolerable to the Umayyads. Hence the conflict between the two Branches of the Quraysh -- the Hashimiics and the Umayyads became inevitable.
1 Abdul Hameed Siddiqui, The Life of Prophet (PBUH). P, 188.
• Ibid.
Or
Ali Khan. MuhammaJ (PBUH) The Final Messenger. P

118 Political and Cultural History of Islam

EVENTS
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) reached Uhud on Saturday, the

15th Shawwal (30th March, 625 A.D.) early in the morning, with an army of 700 believers. He took up the position within the rocks of Uhud to protect the rear. On one side there was a gap through the rock, and there was the danger of an attack from the back. Therefore, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) appointed fifty archers under the command of Abdullah bin Jubair, with strict instructions not to leave the place at any cost. The Quraysh’s army was fully equipped with arms and consisted of 700 mailed warriors and 100 cavalry men among 3000 skilled soldiers. There were 15 women, who were reciting provocative dirges in the memory of Makkhans warriors who were slain at Badr. Following couplets, sang by Quraysh women while beating their timbrels loudly, are given in many books of histories:

”We are the daughters of the morning star,
On carpet we step delicately;
Boldly advance, we shall embrace you
Turn back, and we will shun you,
Snun you with disgust!”
Hearing that, the non-believers were furious and flamed up to attack the Muslims. Abu Sufyan was the commander-in-chief of the Makkhan army. He divided it into detachments, each under a separate command, and himself took the central position. The war started with rounds of duels before the general attack. The great warrior, of Islam, Hazrat ’Ali and Hamza, killed a number of eminent of Qurayshites, including their flag bearer, Talha. Then the general battle started. Muslims fought desperately and killed a number of non-believers. Nobody was able to face the Hazrat Hamzah, the famous warrior of Arabia. Wahshi the slave trained by Hind (wife of Abu Sufyan) lay in ambush to kill Hazrat Hamzah. As soon as Hazrat Hamzah came within his range, he hurled his javelin that pierced his stomach and he fell down. He then killed the great warrior of Islam. Hind took out Hazrat Hamzah’s liver and chewed it to fulfill her vow. The believers, however, remained undeterred and demonstrated a spirit of bravery. Soon the non-believers took to their heels and started to flee.4