MUHAMMAD:

3rd-6th YR OF HIJRAH

Muhammad (pbuh)

55-58 years old

A FEW MONTHS AFTER BADR

      Tension began to surface between the Jewish tribes in Medina and the Muslims.  The tension grew progressively, finally breaking out in the open.

      The Jewish tribes, despite a treaty of mutual defense with the Muslims, had taken a new path.  Unilaterally, they disregarded that treaty, breaking it without even a previous notice to the Muslims.  They probably saw their influence eroding, since the power of Islam was rising.  Some Jewish members began writing insulting poems about the Muslims.  They intensified their attacks, using offensive if not vulgar lan­guage aimed at the person of the Prophet, his children, and his family!  They tried their best to defame the Prophet, and to hurt the Muslims.  Their campaign was to halt the rise of Islam by any means at their disposal.

      That campaign left a bitter taste in the mouths of Muslims, it produced a bitter feeling of betrayal.  The emotions became highly inflamed.  The Jewish tribes mobilized every means at their hands, their campaign was vicious and hurtful, and it brought to memory the Meccans' campaign of yesteryear.

      Finally, it was a special incident that brought matters to the boiling point.  It was an incident that touched the honor and decency of a Muslim woman.  When that happened, and as grave as it was, it led to some killing, which upset the Muslims to no end.

      At last, the Muslims had to put a stop to the mess.  Under the leadership of the Prophet (pbuh), the Muslims over­whelmed this particular Jewish tribe whose name was Benu Qainuqaa' to get rid of the trouble once and for all.  As a result, a new agreement was reached, in which this Jewish tribe (Benu Qainuqaa') was to leave Medina.  Accordingly, the whole tribe left Medina, leaving their arms and belongings behind them.  Up north, toward Syria, they went, and no trouble ever came from them anymore.

ALARMING NEWS WAS COMING FROM MECCA 

      News was filtering from Mecca slowly but steadily, and the Muslims were getting more and more alarmed each day.  The news was that the disbelievers of Mecca were busy making treaties.  The treaties were not only with some tribes in the surrounding areas of Mecca, but also with the Jews near Medina.  Such news was very unsettling to the Muslims, especially when the enemy's prepara­tions for a big war were obvious, and it was to be a war of ugly revenge.  The Muslims knew well that the disbelievers wanted to take revenge, to avenge their crushing defeat at Badr by the Muslims.  The disbeliev­ers were involving numerous others, be it tribes around Mecca and Medina, or Jewish tribes of Medina.

      The Muslims had to do something in return, some action had to be taken.  The Muslims tried to consolidate their position, and make themselves stronger.  They busily prepared for the big battle to come.  They were anxious for the day, the day in which they would either die as martyrs, thus gaining eternity in Paradise, or win the battle, thus saving Islam.  The Muslims were getting ready in an atmosphere of suspense; the youth and the old alike were very anxious to join the rest.  They knew that much depended on them and the stakes were high.

THE BATTLE OF OHOD 

      A year had passed since the battle of Badr, and it was an eventful year.  The disbelievers of Mecca were fully prepared for the confrontation to come.  They, along with many tribes, gathered a large force.  It was an army of three thousand fighters, well trained, well armed, be it with shields, mail amour, or other weapons of the day.  Such a force stood excitedly, ready for the battle of revenge.  They had a total of two hundred horses and about three hundred camels.  Nothing was to be spared, everything needed was to be supplied, such a battle was to be a decisive one, it was to regain their honor, to crush the Muslims and kill the Prophet (pbuh).  Even the women went along, to give comfort, entertainment, and help.  The im­minent invasion was under way, their spirit was high but in a jumpy nervous fashion.  (As a vehement enemy to Islam at the time, Abu Sufyan and his family had schemed and carefully laid out plans to annihilate the Muslims ever since the Battle of Badr a year earlier.)

AL ABBAS INFORMS 

      Al Abbas, an uncle of the Prophet (pbuh) though not a Muslim by then, sent full information to Muhammad (pbuh), repeatedly and in secret.  "That so many soldiers, so much arms, and so much preparation, have taken place.  All were heading toward you," the letter read.

      Alarm, fear, and anxiety immediately showed on everyone's face.  The Muslims could never suspect that such a huge force would ever gather to attack them.  It was too big, way too big.  What to do?  "Can we help ourselves?  Can we defend the town?  Shall we surprise them with a preemptive attack?  If so, where?" the Muslims asked themselves repeatedly.  The time was short, too short, and the Muslims were to face a huge force, with topnotch armament, and in full armor, and they had to do something, but what?

THE PROPHET HOLDS A COUNCIL 

    The big army of disbelievers had already marched to within a few miles of Medina.  The fear and anxiety in Medina had reached a new high.  They could hardly sleep at night.  Muhammad the Prophet (pbuh) wanted to know about the opinions of the others, so he held a council.  Most of the elderly, including the Prophet himself, were of the opinion that they should fortify the town and fight inside.  It was a good conservative approach.

▪   In the same council, however, numerous voices arose from the youth.  They were calling for confrontation, face to face fighting.  It became the voice of the majority, who were the young, enthusiastic Muslims, who wanted to have their finger in the pie, the pie of martyrdom. 

▪   Either death or victory was their cry.  As a result, the Prophet (pbuh) followed the opinion of the majority, and in so doing, he showed the best example of respecting the right of people to decide their own affairs.

▪   The Muslims could muster only one thousand fighters, out of which a total of three hundred fighters were headed by Abdullah Ibn Sallool, which became known as the group of hypo­crites later on.  Ibn Sallool and his three hundred fighters saw to it that they defect the next morning, just at the very time when they were urgently needed.

▪   Because of the defection, the Muslim force was reduced to only seven hundred fighters, no more.  The remaining Jewish tribes in Medina offered their military help, but the Prophet did not accept.  He preferred to depend on Muslims, the Muslims with firm belief and solid faith.

▪   Despite all odds, the Muslims marched forward, with enthusiasm, reliance on Allah, and tremendous determination.  Ohod was their destination.  Seven hundred fighters were under the command of the Prophet (pbuh), with spirits high, eager to gain in the battle to come, or to earn Paradise in case they were killed.

OHOD, THE BATTLE 

      The battle of Ohod took place during the month of January, during a fairly cold day, and it took place one year after the battle of Badr.  Ohod was a fairly high mountain, a few miles outside Medina, with a fairly rough ground exten­ding beyond.  Muhammad (pbuh) arranged the Muslim force in such a way as to have the moun­tainous terrain behind them.

▪   Muhammad (pbuh) selected fifty archers, fighters with bows and arrows, to protect a very important pass in the mountain terrain.  The pass was behind the Muslim's force, thus it was a weak point.  The Prophet (pbuh) foresaw the potentially weak point, so he gave specific orders for the archers to keep guarding the pass, no matter what happens, and never, ever to leave the area at anytime, whether the Muslims win or lose.  He made his orders well understood, his orders were strict.

▪   Quraish along with others of Mecca, ar­ranged their fighters in big groups.  Some lanes were left open, so that the women could go through and sing.  Some people were beating on drums, others were carrying their gods, the idols, to give them strength and raise their spirits.  They had feeling of confidence, seeing their numerical superiority, but they were also apprehensive and tense, the Muslims were not to be taken lightly.

▪   On the other hand, the Muslims' intentions were different, and so was their goal.  The Muslims were calling loudly for either victory or martyrdom in the cause of Allah.  They called for Allah's help and His help only.  Their hearts were solidly enriched with the Islamic faith, they were united, enthusiastic, and dedicated.  Their aim was to defend Islam, to the last ounce of their power, and to defend Muhammad (pbuh), themselves, and their families.  (Surah  3  :  Ayahs  166-168.  Also Surah  3  :  Ayah  122.)

THE FIGHTING BREAKS OUT 

    As the two sides came face to face, the fighting broke out.  Hamza was brilliant, he played havoc with the enemy.  Abu‑Dajana was carrying the very sword of the Prophet, and he too was doing extremely well.  The two sides became heavily engaged, and the fighting was rough and tough, the Muslims though outnumbered more than four to one, once more proved to be of the greatest zeal, most outstanding.

▪   The battle was deafening, noisy—the clanks of the swords, the screams of Allaahu‑Akbar, the whining of the wounded, and the noise of the scared horses were fearsome.  The standard‑bearers carrying the flag of the disbelievers were swiftly killed, one after another.  No less than twelve of them met their end, to the surprise of all!  Ali, the one with the unmatched skill and courage, swiftly killed eight out of those twelve, and did it alone!  Ali, therefore, broke the psychology of the enemy, he broke their aggressive mood.

▪   With such an unexpected onslaught by having to face such fearless fighters, the disbelievers got the jolt of their lives.  Their ranks becoming weakened, fighters now scared and confused, they became demoralized.  They began to run for their lives.  As they retreated in a confused condition, their women screamed in their faces.  The women themselves were frightened, they wanted to force back the fleeing fighters to the battle.  But the Muslims were pushing, pushing very hard, with Allaahu‑Akbar filling the air, which gave them tremendous strength, and at the same time created fear in the heart of the enemy, the disbelievers.

▪   The enemy ran in confusion, this way or that, not heeding the women trying to stop them.  They became splintered, disorderly, each running for his life.  Revenge had evaporated from their minds.

▪   Rushing after the defeated enemy, the Muslims entered the enemy's camp, scattering them here and there, collecting the booty and the enemy's supplies.  Most of the Muslims were busy in that camp, collecting the booty, when something serious happened.

AT A CRITICAL POINT, A GRAVE MISTAKE 

      You remember the fifty Muslim archers guarding the important pass?  And you remember how specific Muhammad (pbuh) was in giving strict orders not to leave the pass no matter what?

The archers who disobeyed

      Unfortunately, when the archers saw that the outcome of the battle was in favor of the Muslims, and that the Muslims were chasing the defeated Meccans, they thought that guarding the pass was not needed anymore.  They had an irresistible urge, an urge to join the fighting Muslims.  They couldn't resist that urge anymore, except for a few.  The majority speeded, joining the army of the Muslims, chasing pagan Quraish and collecting the spoils of the battle.  Only about 10 of the archers continued to guard the pass, but this small group was not enough to give protection to the Muslim force from behind.

      By leaving the pass, the archers had unintentionally disobeyed the strict orders of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  Their mistake proved to be a disaster, and what a mistake it was!  It all happened so fast.  The ten archers left guarding the pass were attacked suddenly, and merci­lessly.  They were taken by a surprise attack, by about 100 of the enemy's horsemen, under the leadership of Khalid ibnil Waleed.  Khalid saw the unique opportunity, and immediately took advantage of it.  He attacked the Muslim archers, those left, from behind the hill.  The horsemen overwhelmed the Muslim archers, and darted with a thunderous uproar, attacking the main Muslim force from behind.

The enemy's surprise attack from behind

The Muslim force, as you know, was in the enemy's camp, busily collecting booty, and having a wonderful feeling the battle was over.  Never did they suspect an attack from behind, nor were they ready for it at the moment.

THE ENEMY'S COUNTERATTACKS 

      The Muslim force was now attacked, not only from behind by Khalid's force, but also from left, right, and front, in a counterattack, by the enemy.  Thus, suddenly, the Muslim army was besieged, so to speak, and the situation became critical.  The Muslims were cornered from every­where.

      The Muslim fighters, startled by such a surprise attack, found themselves in chaos.  There was confusion, it was horrible, and there was nothing left but disorder, noise, shouts, attacks, and fast movements.  It looked like a near defeat.

      Taken by such a surprise, some Muslims became so confused that they could not even recognize a friend from an enemy, that some of them even killed brother Muslims!

      A good many Muslims ran helter skelter, in disorder and confusion, but, thankfully, a handful of others stood steadfast, notably Ali.  This handful of Muslims carried on the fight bravely and fearlessly, thus gaining for the Muslim force precious time to collect itself.  The ever outstanding Ali along with a few others, did a magnificent job, most admirably.

THE PROPHET WAS IN GRAVE DANGER 

      Mus'ab was the man who was sent by the Prophet (pbuh) to teach Islam in Medina, a few years back.  He was killed in this battle of Ohod.  The killer, a disbeliever, seeing Mus'ab looking like Muhammad, thought that he had killed the Prophet (pbuh).  He rushed to the top of a hill, shouting that Muhammad was killed.  This brought the attention of the enemy toward where the Prophet (pbuh) was, and the enemy rushed in an ugly mood, each wanting to share in hitting the Prophet (pbuh).

      The Prophet became wounded on the cheek, and as his blood gushed, it covered his face and his clothes.  His foot slipped in a pit, and he was helped by Ali and others around.  Even at that critical moment, a moment of life or death, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was collected enough to say, "How can a people succeed who cover the face of their Prophet with blood, while he is calling them to Allah?"

      Only a few heroes, such as Ali, Abu Dajana, and others stayed with the Prophet.  They resisted the enemy's relentless attacks, repelling them magnificently, one after the other.  It was a stand of raw courage, a stand of dedication to the cause of Islam, and love for the Messenger of Allah.  It was at this moment and at such a critical time, that a Muslim saw the Prophet (pbuh) alive, so he shouted "Oh Muslims be happy, the Prophet is alive and whole."  This brought renewed attacks from the enemy, a good many of them.  But by now, a human wall had formed around the Prophet to protect him, and the scattered Muslims hurried to the area, and the Muslims' strength and spirit began to escalate.

From behind the mountain they attack

      Some came around the Prophet to form a protective human umbrella to become the receivers of the blows of the pagans, rather than let the Prophet be even touched!  Even a woman lost her hand in her attempt to protect him!

A GOOD EXAMPLE 

      At the bleak moment, when the fighters heard that Muhammad (pbuh) was killed, a feeling of despair went through some of the Muslims.  Two notable examples were Omar and Abu Bakr.  They left the fight, and sat aside on an elevation of a mountain, with heavy hearts and gloomy looks.

      A Muslim soldier by the name of Nadhr saw them in that state; he asked, "Why are you sitting down?"  They answered in an unhappy manner, "The Prophet has been killed."  He answered back "What will you do with life after him?  Come on and die fighting as he had died."

      Abul Nadhr rushed back to the enemy, fighting most bravely, inflicting heavy losses, before he was killed.  He fell of his wounds, as many as about seventy, just imagine!  No one could even recognize him, for the number of the wounds was so large.  He was recognized by his sister, because of certain signs he had on his finger.

EVEN AT THAT MOMENT, HE IS SUPERB 

      Exhausted and bleeding, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave the orders to go to the hill nearby.  The hill, being an elevation, was a strategic area and good focus where the Muslims could gather securely.  They could fight from there at an advantage.  Khalid Ibnil Waleed tried to engage the Muslims on the rugged hill, but Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ordered Omar and a group of Muslims to stop him.  In a short time, Omar succeeded in repelling Khalid, thus clearing the way.

      By now the situation became reversed for a second time.  The Muslims were not scatter­ed anymore, nor were they receiving one blow after another.  Isn't it surprising to see that no one had ever thought of going up the hill except Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  Even at such a moment of deadly danger, the Prophet's superb power of thinking and good strategy were in sharp focus.

      Grouped together, supporting each other, and being on high grounds, once more the Muslims looked like a strong united body.  Quraish the foe, was itself exhausted, wounded, and with unfulfilled wishes, they had their own difficulties in gathering their strength.

THE BATTLE DRAWS TO A STANDSTILL 

      As said before, Quraish the foe, was exhausted and wounded, and though they had succeeded to some extent in the second part of the battle, they were too afraid to fight any longer.  They wanted to keep their gain, they did not want to take chances anymore, with circumstances being what they were.  They gradually withdrew, with more or less unsuccessful results and left the area.  The Muslims on the other hand waited until the enemy withdrew completely.

      What a battle it was!  The Muslims were so victorious at first, then near defeat afterwards, but in the last stage it was a draw.

WHAT THE ENEMY DID TO THE KILLED MUSLIMS 

      As the Muslims waited to keep an eye on the enemy, the disbelievers were busy mutilating the killed Muslims.  Their hearts so full of hate and spite, they wanted to destroy Muslims even after they were dead.

      Hamza, the magnificent, the brave, was a good example.  With his courage and bravery he played havoc with the enemy during the early stages of the battle.  Sometime during the battle he was stabbed by a javelin and killed according to a predetermined plan.  Hind (Hind was the wife of Abu Sufyan and mother of Mu'awiya) o was a veteran enemy of Islam, had paid a man by the name of Wahshi to do the stabbing.  When Hamza died of the Javelin wound, Hind fell on the body like a vulture, an ugly attempt to mutilate.  Shouting and wailing, and with a contorted look of revenge, she kept stabbing the fallen hero over and over again.  She even opened his stomach and pulled his liver out, and though bloody, she kept chewing at it!!  So blind was her hatred!  The taste of the liver and the heat of the occasion made her nauseated.  All this was because some of her near relatives were killed by Hamza at the previous battle of Badr.

      Other women were busy desecrating the Muslim's bodies too.  They even cut the ears, noses, and fingers of the killed Muslims to make necklaces out of them!  Hard to imagine!  They stabbed the dead, cut and mutilated the killed Muslims to such an extent that it was hard to recognize the bodies of some.

THE MUSLIMS BURY THE MARTYRS   

      Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the Muslims were aghast at the horror done by the enemy.  They couldn't believe their eyes.

      "How could they do this?  How could it be?  How cruel!" the Muslims thought, understan­dably with anger.  "Isn't there decency, conscience, or any humane feeling in them?"

      The Muslims buried the dead, with heavy broken hearts.  The Muslims came out from Ohod feeling very guilty since some were the very ones who disobeyed the strict orders of the Prophet, thus leading to near disaster.  In other words the Muslims were the cause of this disaster.

      By evening the Prophet was so exhausted he had to pray sitting, and so did the rest of the Muslims!  It was the pain of the body, as well as that of the mind and the heart, that hurt so much.  Also it was the loss of a near victory for the Muslims at first, and what a loss.

      The Muslim losses were heavy, as many as seventy were killed, and many more wounded.  That meant that one out of every ten of the Muslims' force had already lost his life, let alone the wounded.  The enemy lost eighteen leaders, and many more regular fighters, but the total killed was not as big as that at Badr.

Ohod proved to be a draw, with high casualties for the Muslims, and a painful lesson for them.

MEANING OF OHOD 

The Muslims learned a critical lesson:

1. Prophet Muhammad was unmatched in military strategic thinking, and disobeying him led to the near catastrophe at Ohod.

2. The love of Muslims was unbound for the Prophet (pbuh), and they did the impossible to save him from certain death.

3. Some Muslims displayed unshakable courage, valor, and self‑sacrifice, even at the most critical moment.  Notable examples were Ali and Abu Dajana.

4. Even at the loss of the victory that was close, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not nag, criticize, or condemn those who did not follow his orders.

5. Every Muslim was deeply pained, and that pain in itself was enough.

THE MORNING AFTER OHOD 

    It was only the morning after Ohod, and hardly having recuperated from Ohod and its aftermath, that the Prophet (pbuh) announced he was going to pursue Quraish!!  As if under a powder keg, the Muslims, wounded or not, rose like one united dynamic body, all following the Prophet's lead.  Everyone was ready to join him, be he wounded, tired, or exhausted.

▪   The Muslims hurried in their march, several miles south of Medina, the aim was to overtake the enemy.  They chose a good location, threat­ening Abu Sufyan, his family, and his large army.

▪   Learning about the return of the Muslims, Abu Sufyan's courage seemed to drain, and he, along with the rest of the enemy, were worried.  The enemy as it is had just lost eighteen leaders at Ohod, let alone other fighters, they were wounded, fatigued and tired of fighting.  Now they see themselves face to face once more with Muhammad and the Muslim force!

▪   The sudden appearance of the Muslims gave the enemy a feeling that the Muslims weren't hurt during Ohod, that they came to confront them again.  The enemy had to choose, either to face the Muslims or get out of the area.  They decided to leave, to retreat.  The retreat made Abu Sufyan and the enemy feel small, as if they were escaping the scene.  It made them look too afraid to fight the Muslims again.  "Here they come again!" they thought, "so we better leave."

▪   As to the daring move on the part of Prophet (pbuh), it made the Muslims feel good.  It made them feel they chased the enemy out of the territory, and that they were the masters of the area.

HOW DID QURAISH FEEL AFTER OHOD? 

      The Meccans, the enemies of Islam at the time, broadcast their achievement exaggerating.  Therefore, their people were overjoyed since they wanted revenge and got it.  But their so-called victory was incomplete, it was a half and half measure, since there were no prisoners of war, nor any booty, and they could not enter Medina, neither did they dare to fight the Muslims when the Muslims con­fronted them the day after the battle.

      Those who knew better couldn't help but think of the worries ahead, of the many problems they were to face in the days to come.  They knew well that the Muslims, having become a power to be reckoned with, would never sit still, never.

WHAT WAS THE FEELING IN MEDINA AFTER OHOD? 

      The feeling in Medina was somber and gloomy to say the least.  Ohod saw a good many Muslims killed, many more wounded, and many families lost a husband, son or relative.

      Many tribes in the vicinity of Medina thought that the Muslim power was waning, therefore the Muslims became a target to take advantage of.  It was a target for them to attack and loot.  There is always someone who poses to take advantage of a situation, isn't it?

      For the Muslims, times were very hard, especially psychologically.  But the Muslims were to stand bravely, in the face of all this adversity, psychological or otherwise.

The most remarkable events took place during Ohod.  Al Hamza lost his life, killed Muslims were mutilated, the strategy of Muhammad (pbuh) was superb, and the Muslims were tested in times of near disaster.

THE PROPHET BECOMES A GRANDFATHER 

      It was a happy occasion.  Fatima, the Prophet's beloved daughter, was due to have her first baby.  It was a happy and a joyful occasion when Al‑Hasan was born, and the Prophet (pbuh) showered him with love and affection, just as much as he did his own children.  What a wonderful feeling to have an attractive, lovely baby at home, to fill it with noise, cheer and smiles.

      This was a timely occasion, because the Muslims, and Muhammad (pbuh) in particular, took the effects of Ohod extremely heavily.

      Ohod encouraged numerous would‑be trouble makers to create a lot of difficulty for the Muslims.

THE TRIBES AROUND TAKE ADVANTAGE 

      The pagan Arabs of those times were the victims of dark ignorance, they could well understand the language of power, victory versus defeat.  They could understand power far more easily than they could understand the more important principles of religion, and its teachings.

  The propaganda of Ohod was the biggest aftermath, it was very much exaggerated in the minds of so many, many tribes.  As a result, the pagans thought it ripe to take advantage of the Prophet (pbuh) and the Muslims.  They thought the Muslims had become very weak, that the battle of Ohod was the turning point, and that the Muslims had become an easy prey for anyone.

      No more than a few months passed before the Muslims began to hear that one of the tribes was going to attack them, and perhaps steal their belongings.

      Little did they know the power of Faith, the Muslim tenacity and cohesiveness.  Little did they know the genius of Muhammad (pbuh), or Allah's support.

      So, rather than wait for them to attack, the Muslims led one preemptive attack against them after another.  The Muslims startled their adversaries where the enemy never expected.  Thus, so taken by surprise, the tribes fled, and their attempts were foiled one after another.  This happened repeatedly, almost every three weeks on the average.

TREACHERY 

      Four years had passed since the Hijrah, when Muhammad (pbuh) left Mecca, and the four years had witnessed tremendous activity.  It saw the Muslims actively learning the Quran and Islam.  Numerous people were embracing Islam, and the new Muslims were to be taught about Islam.  That, of course, took time, especially for the knowledge to be digested well.  That was true not only in Medina, but also the people outside, who were becoming very interested in Islam.  The power of Islam and its reputation was seeping through, and Islam was spreading over an ever increasing area.

▪   One day, a group of men from a nearby tribe came to Medina, to ask the Prophet (pbuh) a favor.  They wanted some learned Muslims to be sent to their tribes to teach Islam.  They claimed that the tribe was ready for Islam and it was going to convert.  The Prophet received those people very well and he was delighted with what he heard—therefore, he supplied them with six learned Muslims.  The mission was to go to the tribe, to teach Islam and spread it.

▪   The group mounted camels and headed to its destiny, with high hopes of converting the people to Islam and teaching its directives.

▪   When the group reached its destiny, the six Muslims heard a great hustle and bustle, a mass of humanity darting toward them, with the intent to kill.  The Muslims, the teachers-to-be, were double‑crossed, they were taken by a terrible surprise attack.  The Muslims were attacked by two hundred tribesmen on horses, no less!  It was an awful thing to see, it was so treacherous!  The six Muslims defended themselves as well as they could, with bravery and courage.  The odds were heavily against them, three of them were killed, and the rest were taken prisoners.

▪   One Muslim prisoner out of the three managed to escape.  However, he later on was caught, and was horribly stoned.  Blood poured and poured from his wounds, he became weak, then collapsed in shock and died.

▪   The two other Muslim prisoners were taken to Mecca, where they were killed in front of the very eyes of that wild crowd.

AND ONLY A FEW DAYS AFTERWARDS 

     Only a few days after that tragedy, a man from far away Najd (from Benu Aamir) came to Medina to meet with the Prophet (pbuh).  At first he suggested but then he pleaded, and persistently so, with the Prophet.  He requested the Prophet to send learned men in Islam to some tribes in Najd.  The Prophet (pbuh) hesitated, and understandably so, to agree.  The man however, kept assuring Prophet (pbuh) that it is not the same as what happened to the other six Muslims.  He solemnly promised that he would protect the lives of the Islamic teachers, and that they would be safe from any trouble.

      Accordingly, forty teachers, or learned Mus­lims, were dispatched, all were to go to the far away place to teach.  They were led by that man, the agent; their direction was Najd.  Trusting innocently, they followed him, but after traveling many miles, two pagan tribes attacked them in a predetermined surprise move.  The whole thing turned out be a premeditated plot, a plot to slay innocent Muslims!

      At the end of the massacre, a total of thir­ty‑nine of the forty learned Muslims were slain, and only one could escape.  Yes, the Muslims defended themselves as well as they could, but with hundreds of fierce disbelievers attacking, the forty men stood no chance, it was too much to take.  They hardly had a breather, or a chance to escape.

THE NEWS WAS SHOCKING 

      The news of the two horrible killings, the treachery, and the deceit, made the Muslim community mourn.  Muhammad (pbuh) and the Muslims kept special prayers, called Du'aa Qunoot, following morning Salats.  So many families had become orphaned, or hurt, the wounds were deep.  The wounds of the heart did not heal easily, do they—such hurts linger for many years. 

A JEWISH TRIBE TRIES TO KILL HIM 

      The Prophet (pbuh), at the head of a group of ten Muslims, went to visit a Jewish tribe called Benu Nadheer.  His aim was to negotiate with them regarding an indemnity, since the two sides had the treaty of mutual defense.

      Muhammad (pbuh), saw some Jews suspiciously whispering to each other, moving in a suspicious manner, and looking around.  Then they requested the Muslims to wait near a certain location, a high wall.

      Fortunately, the Prophet's distrust of them proved right.  He left the designated spot unnoticed.  It was moments afterwards that a very large rock was pushed from the top of that wall!  When it fell, it jolted everyone, shook the grounds, jarred the people, and they jumped in fear.  The rock, as large as it was, fell just at the very spot the Jews wanted Prophet (pbuh) to sit.

      It was a timely decision that Muhammad (pbuh) became suspicious of them.  If he weren't, he would have been killed immediately, all that he had to do was to sit where the Jewish Benu Nadheer wanted him to.

      The incident led to an uproar in Medina.  The emotions of the Muslims, the whole Ummah, became highly inflamed.

      The plot to kill the Prophet (pbuh) was only one try out of many whereby the Jewish tribe Benu Nadheer tried to destroy Islam.  Something had to be done, and soon.  Patience has its limits, but now the safety of the Muslim community was at stake.

      That in mind, Muhammad (pbuh) gave an ultimatum to Benu Nadheer.  The ultimatum was for them to leave the area within ten days.  This was not just because of the attempt on his life, but mainly because Jewish Benu Nadheer had tried deceit and duplicity, undermining the Muslim Ummah for the past two to three years.

BENU NADHEER BANISHED 

      Having received the ultimatum, Benu Nadheer decided to fortify itself and defy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  They wanted to  confront the Muslims, thinking the Muslims had become very weak after Ohod.  The Jewish tribe was also given a promise beforehand by Abdullah Ibn Sallool, the head of the hypocrites of Medina, that about 2000 fighters would come to their aid once they defy the Muslims.  The 2000 fighters were to be from the local disbelievers.  They were to come to defend them, thus make their defenses too strong for the Muslims to overtake or conquer.

      The Muslims besieged Benu Nadheer for some time.  Benu Nadheer was anxious to get the help from Ibn Sallool, they waited and waited, but the help never came.  They became desperate, the siege was very effective, and there was no let up in sight. When the siege was too long for them to take, and when they saw that Ibn Sallool had double-crossed them, they had to give up.  They had no choice.  Accordingly, they left the area and soon joined another Jewish community not too far away from Medina, in a place called Khaybar, while others left to Syria.

      During this siege, the emotions of the besieged were very high, the language they used was foul, and their threats to the Muslims were scary.  They fortified themsel­ves in their own houses, and threw rocks and bricks at the Muslims from the top of their houses.  They even tore their houses apart for the bricks and stones to throw at the Muslims.

      Benu Nadheer, who had a treaty for mutual defense, to help each other, and to live in peace, chose to break the treaty unilaterally and disregard it.  They chose, therefore, to repeatedly undermine the Muslims and give trouble to them.  Their acts of deceit were such as to make them very dangerous to the welfare of the Muslim Ummah.  The result could not be anything except their leaving the area!

BIRTH OF AL-HUSAIN 

      Al-Hasan is one year old by now.  He is walking, laughing and filling the house with happiness.  Muhammad (pbuh) took delight in sharing in the care of his grandson.  Fatima, the luminous daughter of the Prophet (pbuh) and the wife of Ali (a.s.) was pregnant.  Her time was due to give birth to the second baby.

      It was a happy time of expectation, and when the baby was born, he was named by the Prophet Al-Husain.  The baby, as Al-Hasan before him, heard the Athan in his right ear and the Iqaama in his left.  He was loved very much by the grandfather and his parents.  The house became ever more lively and full of the spirit of the young children.

      When the Al-Husain was a few weeks old, and as the Prophet (pbuh) was holding him dearly, the Prophet cried.  People were surprised, wondering about the reason.  When asked, Muhammad (pbuh) answered, "Jubra'eel had just informed me that this baby will be killed in the land of Karbala, where the sand looks red, a far away place."  Karbala, then, was the spot to become the reality 57 years later, where their blood would be shed, the blood of Imam Husain (as) and others with him.  This was remembered by many, never forgotten by Al-Husain.

      Al-Hasan and Al-Husain were extremely close to the Prophet (pbuh) and vice versa.  They were raised in the very house of piety and goodness, under the tutelage of the Prophet himself.

BY THE FIFTH YEAR OF HIJRAH 

Several months had passed since Benu Nadheer, the distressing Jewish tribe, had left Medina, and it was five years since Muhammad (pbuh) had come to Medina.  A good many things had happened since.

▪   The Muslims had an ever enlarging community, and the warm soft ray of Islam was going farther and farther into Arabia.  The disbelievers of Quraish were still there, but at a distance.  The Muslims had suffered a big blow at Ohod, but they had Badr to feel very good about.  After Ohod, many nearby tribes had to be stopped from attacking the Muslims or looting their belongings, and the Muslims did a splendid job in defending themselves.  By this time too, two Jewish tribes had to leave Medina because of the constant trouble they gave the Muslims, and because they elected to break their treaties with the Muslims.

▪   Muhammad (pbuh) was the beloved Messenger of Allah, the beloved leader, and the beloved head of the Muslim Ummah (community), the virtuous, pious community.  He was the problem solver, who took care of the poor, the destitute, and the orphans.  He was the best teacher in Islam, who taught so many Muslims to become conscientious teachers of Islam.  Emphasis was on the new converts and the children, without forgetting the rest.  Islamic knowledge kept increasing and accumulating, and Islamic practices became more complete.

▪   Fasting during Ramadhan, the Zakat, Eid Salats and other practices had already been ordered by Allah some years back, and they were meticulously followed.

▪   At home, Prophet Muhammad was the ideal husband, the ideal father, the ideal friend and companion, the most perfect of men.

▪   In spite of all that however, Islam had not spread all over Arabia or the world, and Quraish, along with numerous pagan tribes, were still very much alive.  They were still hoping, waiting to crush the Muslims any moment possible.

▪   By then, Muhammad the Prophet, was 58 years old.  In spite of his age, he was still vigorous and dynamic, the lines in his face had become deeper, grey hairs showed up on his head, and the scars on his cheek and lip were the witness to Ohod.

▪   Al‑Hasan and Al‑Husain were the two charming grandsons of the Prophet (pbuh).  They were attractive, active and delightful.  The Prophet loved them very much, and they loved their grandfather very much.

THREE MORE ATTEMPTS AT RAIDS 

     During that year, the fifth year of Hijrah, there were three more attempts to raid Medina and kill the Muslims.  The attempts were by nearby tribes, tribes of the disbeliev­ers.  You see, Quraish of Mecca was only one foe bent on undoing Islam.  The enemies of Islam had become so numerous by now, because Islam had grown into a big, highly respectable, and dynamic power.  The bigger you are in a society, the more you are challenged, especially so in Arabia.

      The local Jewish tribes had done their best to undermine the Muslims, defaming them whenever possible, and fueling an awful propaganda against Islam.  They did their best to encourage the disbelievers of Quraish and other opposing tribes to crush the Muslims, and to blow out the torch of Islam.

      But being ever alert, the Prophet (pbuh) wouldn't wait for them to attack.  Instead, he succeeded brilliantly in foiling each and every raid, by preemptively attacking them, at an unexpected time or place.  By following such brilliant strategy, he made the enemy flee with little or no casualty.

      One of these skirmishes was very far from Medina, to a place called Al‑Jandal.  It was hundreds of miles away, somewhere between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.  See how far the reputation of Islam had gone!

      It is heartening to tell the story of an unusual but interesting encounter.  It was in one of those skirmishes in which the disbelievers met defeat.  The leader of the defeated tribe came to Medina only a short time after.  He wanted to become Muslim, so he declared his acceptance of Islam and so did his daughter.  All the prisoners of that tribe who were in the hands of the Muslims, were given amnesty and their belongings were given back to them.

THEN A LULL BEFORE THE STORM 

      The fifth year of Hijrah had its smooth sailing, the Muslims were happy for a while that they were left alone.  It was a prosperous year, a good year.  But wait, this couldn't go on without a storm could it?  It was too good to be true, as they say.

THE ENEMY UNITES  

      All in secrecy the Jews (Benu Nadheer and others) were taking the lead.  They were trying to unite all the enemies of Islam and none was to be spared.  Those united were the following:

Pagan Quraish,

the Jewish tribes themselves, and

the tribes which had the intention to raid Medina, but had received a preemptive attack by the Muslims.

In other words, the new united force consisted of those who wished Islam ill, who wished to see Islam disintegrate and disappear.  It consisted of all who held grudges against Islam.

      Money kept pouring in to supply arms and supplies, the army was to be the largest ever.  It was going to be the battle of destiny.  Supplies kept pouring, preparations were advancing, and the fuel for the efforts was an obsession of hate, the purpose to destroy.

      All in all, they gathered the biggest army in Arabia, 10,000 strong.  They were well‑trained, well equipped, with 1500 heavily laden camels and 300 horsemen in full amour.  In those days even the mention of such an army would send shivers up one's spine!  It was to take the Muslims by surprise, to crush them and eradicate Islam.

THE NEWS WAS DEVASTATING 

      The huge army, of every enemy element, was speedily marching toward Medina, and it was within six more days to reach it and destroy everything.  When the Muslims heard about the huge army they became terrified.  Those enemies were a cruel lot, weren't they?  Wasn't it they who were so full of hate as shown by the behavior of their women on the battlefield, especially Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan and mother of Mu'awiya), who took out the liver of Al Hamza, the Prophet's uncle, to chew on?  Wasn't it they who cut up the bodies of the Muslims to pieces, out of spite?  Ohod was no more than two years back, and how could anyone forget the atrocities?!  Their savage behavior was still fresh in the mind.

      The disbelievers did not come for a friendly visit, they were coming to strangle the Muslims, enslave their wives and children, and confiscate all that they had, were they not?  The Muslims knew such people very well.  They knew that the enemy was ruthless, cruel, and vicious.

      But the Muslims also knew that they were such a small group, how could they stand in the face of and fight off all of Arabia, not only the many tribes, but pagan Quraish and the Jewish tribes combined!  It seemed that mission impossible was ahead, wasn't it!

QUESTIONS  

1. The disbelievers of Mecca were preparing for revenge the third year of Hijrah.  What was the name of the engagement to be?

2. How did Quraish prepare for the battle of Ohod?

3. How long after the battle of Badr did the battle of Ohod take place?

4. How did Quraish's force present itself at Ohod?

5. What did Muhammad (pbuh) do just before the Ohod encounter?

6. How many fighters did the force of the disbelievers consist of at Ohod?

7. How many fighters did the Muslim force consist of at Ohod?

8. Who withdrew from the Muslim force as they were preparing to face the pagans of Quraish?

9. Where is Ohod located?

10. What specific orders before Ohod did Muhammad (pbuh) give that later on  proved to be of immense importance?

11. What was the course of the battle of Ohod at first?

12. What was the course of the later part of the battle of Ohod?

13. Was the life of Muhammad (pbuh) endangered at Ohod as the tide of the battle of Ohod turned against the Muslims?

14. What happened to Al Hamza?

15. What was the role of Ali at first during the battle of Ohod?

16. Who stayed beside Muhammad (pbuh) when the Muslim force went in disarray at the latter part of Ohod?

17. How did Muhammad (pbuh) get injured during the battle of Ohod?

18. What was the role of Ali (a.s.) in the latter part of the battle of Ohod?

19. Did the Muslim force at Ohod counterattack a six times?

20. Was the battle of Ohod a draw or a defeat to either side?

21. What atrocities did Quraish do to the killed Muslims during the battle of Ohod?

22. How did the Muslims react when they discovered what was done to their martyred ones?

23. What was the meaning of Ohod?

24. How many of the Muslims lost their lives during the battle of Ohod?

25. How many Quraish fighters lost their lives during the battle of Ohod?

26. In what proportion were the Muslims outnumbered during the battle of Ohod?

27. Explain the feeling of the Muslims about the outcome of the battle of Ohod.

28. What was the feeling of the disbelievers of Quraish about the outcome of the battle of Ohod?

29. Did the outcome of the battle of Ohod encourage many pagan tribes to attack the Muslims later on?

30. How did the Jewish Benu Nadheer try to kill Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), though they had a treaty with him?

31. How did Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) escape the attempt on his life made by the Jewish Benu Nadheer?

32. The Jewish Benu Nadheer confronted the Muslims though they had a treaty with them, what was the outcome?

33. When the Jewish tribe of Benu Nadheer went to Khaybar, did they give trouble to the Muslims?

34. In the fifth year of Hijrah, pagan Quraish, the Jewish Benu Nadheer, along with other tribes, united to crush the Muslims.  What was the outcome?

35. Muhammad (pbuh) was informed by his uncle, Al Abbas, about the oncoming disbeliever's force.  What was the feeling of the Muslims at the time?