After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V^(aba) stated:

In relation to the chaos that ensued within the Muslim army during the Battle of Hunain due to the archers of the enemy, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^(ra) has detailed this incident in his commentary under verse 64 of Surah an-Nur, explaining how one should obey a prophet. The verse is as follows:

الرَّسُوۡلِ بَیۡنَکُمۡ کَدُعَآءِ بَعۡضِکُمۡ بَعۡضًا ؕ قَدۡ یَعۡلَمُ اللّٰہُالَّذِیۡنَ یَتَسَلَّلُوۡنَ مِنۡکُمۡ لِوَاذًاۚ فَلۡیَحۡذَرِ الَّذِیۡنَ یُخَالِفُوۡنَ عَنۡ اَمۡرِہٖۤ اَنۡتُصِیۡبَہُمۡ فِتۡنَۃٌ اَوۡ یُصِیۡبَہُمۡ عَذَابٌ اَلِیۡمٌ

The translation is as follows: “Treat not the calling of the Messenger among you like the calling of one of you to another. Allah does know those of you who steal away covertly. So let those who go against His command beware lest a trial afflict them or a grievous punishment overtake them.” [The Holy Quran, 24:64]

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^(ra) states: “In the presence of the command of the Imam [leader], the voice of the common people has no value. It is your duty that whenever you hear the call of the Messenger of Allah the Almighty, you should immediately hearken to his call and hasten towards implementing it, as in this lies the secret to your progress. In fact, even if a person is engaged in formal prayer, even then it is his duty to stop the prayer and answer the call of the Messenger of God Almighty. In any case, immediately obeying the call of a prophet is an essential matter. In fact, it is a major sign of [one’s] faith. Admonishing the believers, Allah the Almighty says, ‘O believers! If, at any point, the Messenger of Allah calls you, do not treat his call like the call of others. Rather, immediately hearken to his call.’

“In other words, He said that the Holy Prophet^(sa) had two separate statuses: one as a worldly leader and the other as a prophet. It is important to obey his commands even as a worldly leader. However, obeying him as a religious leader should be prioritised even more.”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^(ra) has detailed and elaborated on the battle of Hunain here and he says: “From history we find that on the occasion of the Battle of Hunain, the disbelievers of Mecca joined the Muslim army by saying that, “Today, we will demonstrate the spirit of our bravery.” However, not being able to withstand the attack of the Banu Thaqif, they fled the battlefield, and a time came when only 12 Companions of the Holy Prophet^(sa) remained around him. The Muslim army was 10,000 men strong, but they dispersed. The army of the disbelievers consisted of 3,000 archers. They were positioned on mountains towards the right and left of the Holy Prophet^(sa) and were shooting arrows at him. However, even at that time, the Holy Prophet^(sa) did not wish to retreat, but wanted to advance further. Hazrat Abu Bakr^(ra) became worried and took hold of the reins of the horse of the Holy Prophet^(sa) and said: ‘O Prophet of Allah^(sa)! May my life be sacrificed for your sake. This is not the time to advance. Let the Muslim army assemble, and then we will advance.’ However, the Holy Prophet^(sa) very passionately replied: ‘Let go of the reins of my horse!’ He then urged his horse to advance and continuously repeated:

أنَا النَّبِيُّ لَا كَذِبْ أَنَا ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِب

Meaning, “I am the Promised Prophet, whose protection is an eternal promise. I am not a liar, and because of this, whether you are three thousand or thirty thousand archers, I do not fear you at all. And, ‘O idolaters, do not think of me as God because of my bravery, I am just a man, the son of your chief, Abdul Muttalib, (meaning, his grandson).’”

The voice of his uncle, Hazrat Abbas^(ra), was very loud. The Holy Prophet^(sa) looked towards him and said, “Abbas, come forward and proclaim with a loud voice: ‘O Companions of Surah al-Baqarah (i.e., those Companions who had memorised the entire Surah) and O Companions of the day of Hudaibiyah who took the pledge of allegiance under the tree, the Messenger^(sa) of Allah is calling you.’”

One Companion narrates: “Due to the weakness displayed by the newly converted Muslims, the front ranks of the army began to retreat. As a result, our mounts also started to pull back. No matter how much we tried to restrain them, the horses only forced themselves backwards even more. This continued until the voice of Abbas^(ra) resounded across the battlefield: ‘O Companions of Surah al-Baqarah!’ (Surah al-Baqarah was mentioned specifically because it was the first chapter revealed in Medina and contains verses showing how, by God’s command, a small group can triumph over a much larger one. It also emphasises the importance of fulfilling covenants and pledges.) Abbas^(ra) continued: ‘O Companions of the day of Hudaibiyah who took the pledge under the tree, the Messenger^(sa) of Allah is calling you.’”

The narration continues: “When I heard this voice, I felt as though I was no longer alive, but dead. As if the trumpet of Israfil had blared in the sky. I pulled my camel’s reins so hard that its head nearly touched its back, but it was so frightened that the moment I loosened the reins, it ran backwards again. Many others and I drew our swords. Some abandoned their camels, while others cut their camels’ necks and then rushed towards the Holy Prophet^(sa). Within moments, the ten thousand Companions who had been fleeing uncontrollably towards Mecca had now gathered around the Holy Prophet^(sa). Soon after, they climbed the hills and defeated the enemy army, turning what seemed like a certain defeat into a great victory.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 8, Surah An-Nur, verse 64, pp. 624-626; Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, p. 155, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut)

In the same way, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^(ra) also mentioned this incident in a speech named Uswah-e-Hasanah [The Blessed Example of the Holy Prophet^(sa)]. This was after the Victory of Mecca, when the Holy Prophet^(sa) went forth to confront certain Arab tribes in the Battle of Hunain.

Since many people in Mecca had newly accepted Islam, they joined the Holy Prophet^(sa). And those who had not yet accepted Islam also joined the Muslim army – not out of faith, but merely to display grandeur and due to national fervour. They began boasting of their numbers and strength, saying: “We are so many today that no one can defeat us.”

In order to punish them for such arrogance, Allah the Almighty created circumstances such that when the Muslim army advanced, the enemy lay in ambush. Their skilled archers were hidden – some on the right flank and some on the left. When the Muslim army passed through that spot, with thousands of archers concealed on both sides, they suddenly showered volleys of arrows upon the Muslims.

Seeing this, those hadith al-ahad – meaning the inexperienced youths and the new Muslims in whom weakness still remained – along with the disbelievers of Mecca who had only joined the Muslim army out of tribal fervour, fled recklessly from the battlefield.

In such a situation, when the front lines retreat, it inevitably causes the horses of those behind to panic as well, and they too begin to flee. Thus, in this battle, the same occurred: when those inexperienced Muslims and the disbelievers could not withstand the rain of arrows and turned back, even the horses and camels of the Companions bolted, and the entire Muslim army became scattered.

The calamity reached the extent that only twelve men remained around the Holy Prophet^(sa), while the rest had deserted the field. Witnessing this, Hazrat Abbas^(ra) took hold of the reins of the Holy Prophet’s^(sa) horse and said: “Now is not the time to advance – turn your horse back, so that the Muslim army may be regrouped and then launch a counterattack.”

But the Holy Prophet^(sa) replied: “A prophet of God does not turn his back in battle.” Saying this, he lifted the reins of his horse, spurred it forward, and advanced even further, declaring:

أنَا النَّبِيُّ لَا كَذِبْ أَنَا ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِب

“I am the Prophet of God – I am no liar. And though today I do not fear these archers, and despite being surrounded by four thousand archers, I continue to advance – do not, upon witnessing this sight, fall into the thought that I am God or that divine attributes exist within me. Remember well, I am not God – I am only the son of Abdul Muttalib. But such people are God-reflecting (i.e., Prophets, Messengers, and friends of Allah are God-reflecting in the sense that God manifests through them).”

When this situation arose and the enemy rejoiced, thinking they had defeated the Muslims, the Holy Prophet^(sa) turned to Hazrat Abbas^(ra) and said: “O Abbas, call out: ‘O Ansar, the Messenger of God summons you!’”

When Hazrat Abbas^(ra) loudly proclaimed these words of the Holy Prophet^(sa): “O Ansar, the Messenger of God summons you!” – one of the Ansar later recounted: “Our state was such that our horses and camels had slipped from our control, and it seemed they would not halt until they had run beyond both Mecca and Medina. So terrified had we become on account of the thousands fleeing from Mecca, that we could in no way turn back. We pulled at the reins of our mounts with such force that their heads would touch their tails, yet instead of turning back, they continued to run backwards. This was our condition when suddenly the resounding voice of Hazrat Abbas^(ra) rang in our ears: “O Ansar, the Messenger of God calls you!”

He says, “The moment we heard this voice, it no longer seemed as though a man was calling us – it was as though it were the Day of Resurrection and the trumpet of Israfil was being blown to awaken dead souls. At that moment, we became utterly heedless of the world and all that is in it, and only one sound echoed in our ears – the voice of Abbas. At once, all our weakness disappeared. Either we felt that we could not restrain our horses and camels, or else we exerted one final, desperate effort and turned them with all our might. Those who managed to turn did so; those who did not, we drew our swords and cut their necks, and then we ran on foot to the Holy Prophet^(sa). These were the people who benefited from the faith of Muhammad^(sa), the Messenger of Allah.

“Thus, just as the glory of Muhammad^(sa), the Messenger of Allah, was that no matter how grave the danger, God never disappeared from before his eyes – so too, under his training, this very quality developed in his Companions according to their station.” (Uswa-e-Hasanah, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 17, p. 93)

Who remained resolute alongside the Holy Prophet^(sa)? It is narrated by Hazrat Ibn Mas’ud^(ra), “I was with the Holy Prophet^(sa) on the occasion of Hunain. The Muslims fled, and with him remained only 80 men from among the Emigrants (Muhajirin) and Helpers (Ansar). We remained steadfast and did not turn our backs to flee, and it was upon these people that Allah the Almighty sent down tranquillity. The Messenger^(sa) of Allah was on his mule and did not retreat even a single step. When his mule bent low, he leaned down from the saddle. I said, ‘O Messenger^(sa) of Allah, please remain above; may Allah elevate you.’ The Holy Prophet^(sa) said, ‘Give me a handful of dust.’ So, I gave him a handful of dust, which he took and threw towards the faces of the enemies, and lo, their eyes were filled with dust. Then he said, ‘Where are the Muhajirin and the Ansar?’ I said, ‘They are here.’ He said, ‘Call them.’ So I called them, and they came forward holding their swords in their right hands, and the idolaters turned their backs and fled.”

In another narration, it is mentioned that when the people fled, meaning when chaos spread in the Muslim army, about 100 men remained with the Holy Prophet^(sa). At that time, he prayed:

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ وَالَيْكَ الْمُشْتَكَى وَأَنْتَ الْمُسْتَعَانُ

“O Allah, all praise belongs to Thee, unto Thee do we complain, and it is Thee alone Whom we call upon for help.”

Then Gabriel said, “The same words were revealed upon you that were taught to Hazrat Musa^(as) on the day the sea was parted. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 325-327)

Hazrat Harith bin Nu’man^(ra) narrates that when the people turned back, I estimated that only 100 remained with the Prophet^(sa).

Hazrat Anas^(ra) narrates that on that very day, meaning Hunain, Abu Bakr^(ra), Umar^(ra), Uthman^(ra) and Ali^(ra) were with the Holy Prophet^(sa). Each one struck more than ten blows. Hazrat Ibn Mas’ud^(ra) was also among them, and from among the Ansar were Hazrat Abu Dharr^(ra), Dujanah^(ra), Harithah bin Nu’man^(ra), Sa’d bin Ubadah^(ra), Abu Bashir^(ra), Usaid bin Hudair^(ra), and from among the people of Mecca, Shaibah bin Uthman^(ra); all of them remained steadfast.

Among the women were Hazrat Umm Sulaim bint Milhan^(ra), Umm Ammarah^(ra), Nasibah bint Ka’b^(ra), Umm Harith^(ra), and Umm Sulaim bint Ubaid^(ra). They were present on the battlefield as well. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 329-330)

Regarding the steadfastness of the female Companions, it is narrated from Abdullah bin Abi Bakr that the Holy Prophet^(sa) saw Hazrat Umm Sulaim bint Milhan^(ra). She was with her husband, Hazrat Abu Talhah^(ra) and she was pregnant. She feared that her camel might throw her down, so she had placed her hand through the nose-rope and reins, keeping the camel’s head close to herself. The Holy Prophet^(sa) said, “Is it Umm Sulaim?” She replied, “Yes, O Messenger^(sa) of Allah, may my parents be sacrificed for you.” She possessed a dagger. So, Hazrat Abu Talhah^(ra) said, “O Messenger^(sa) of Allah, this is Umm Sulaim; she has a dagger with her.” The Holy Prophet^(sa) asked her, “What is this dagger for?” Hazrat Umm Sulaim^(ra) replied, “I have taken this so that if any of the idolaters comes near me, I will cut open his abdomen.” Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophet^(sa) smiled.

Hazrat Umm Sulaim^(ra), who at such a critical time was with the Holy Prophet^(sa), felt so much grief, sorrow, and anger when she saw people abandoning the Holy Prophet^(sa) that, overwhelmed by her love for him, she said, “O Messenger of Allah^(sa), as for these tulaqa’ (meaning freed people) who joined us afterwards – by tulaqa’ are meant the people of Mecca whom the Holy Prophet^(sa) had pardoned with the words:

لَا تَثْرِيْبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ اِذْهَبُوْا أَنْتُمُ الطُّلَقَاءُ

“[No blame shall lie upon you this day. Go, you are all free.]”

2,000 of them had joined at Hunain, and they fled upon encountering the arrows of the enemy and even caused the push-back of the old Companions. It is about them that she spoke.

Nonetheless, she said, “Those who witnessed defeat despite being with you (meaning these tulaqa’), let them be killed.” The Messenger^(sa) of Allah said, “O Umm Sulaim, surely Allah the Almighty was sufficient against the enemy, and He bestowed His favour.”

Another account is narrated from a brave female Companion, Hazrat Ammarah^(ra), who relates:

“On the day of the Battle of Hunain, when the people had fled, we were four women. I had with me a sharp-edged sword, and Umm Sulaim carried a dagger, which she had fastened to her waist, despite being pregnant at the time. Alongside us were Hazrat Umm Salit and Umm Harith.”

According to one narration, Hazrat Umm Ammarah^(ra) called out in a loud voice, saying:

“O Ansar! What have you to do with flight?” She recounts: “I saw a man of the Hawazin carrying a banner, mounted on a wheat-coloured camel. He was charging after the Muslims. I confronted him and struck at the hamstrings of his camel, causing him to fall backwards onto the ground. I then attacked him and continued striking with my sword until I put him to death. Thereafter, I seized his sword. Meanwhile, the Holy Prophet^(sa) was standing on the battlefield, sword unsheathed. When I reached him, he was calling out: ‘O Companions of Surah al-Baqarah!’ At this, the Ansar turned back and advanced in attack. The people of the Hawazin stood their ground against the Companions only for the time it takes to milk a she-camel (that is, for but a short while). The enemy then fled in a state of defeat. I had never before witnessed such a humiliating rout of the enemy: they were fleeing in every direction, their faces turned away. My sons, Hubaib and Abdullah, returned to me, bringing with them prisoners of war.” (Sahih Muslim, Kitbah al-jihad was-siyar, Bab ghazwati n-nisa’ ma’a r-rijal, Hadith 3360, (Translated) Noor Foundation, Vol. 9, pp. 241-242; Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 330-331; Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 139; Kitab al-Maghazi (Translation), Vol. 2, Maktabah Rahmaniyyah, p. 316)

Hazrat Abu Bashir al-Ma’zani^(ra) relates: “On the day of Hunain, we performed the morning prayer, then proceeded to the place where the Holy Prophet^(sa) had positioned us. We had no knowledge [of what was to come]; the sun was just about to rise when suddenly we were attacked. The vanguard of our army turned back upon us, already routed. Our ranks were thrown into confusion, and along with the vanguard, we too were defeated. I turned around and advanced forward again – I was a young man at the time – and I realised that the Messenger^(sa) of Allah was still at the front of the army. So I began calling out: ‘O Ansar, may my parents be sacrificed for the Messenger^(sa) of Allah, where are you turning away to?’ (He called out to them). Thus, I was turning back those who were fleeing. My sole concern was to ensure the safety of the Messenger^(sa) of Allah.

“When I reached him, he was saying: ‘O Ansar! O Ansar!’ I drew near to his mount, and looking behind me, I saw the Ansar returning at once. The Messenger of Allah^(sa) stood upon his mount facing the enemy, and the Ansar engaged in fighting before him, remaining by his side. The Ansar repelled the enemy until we had driven them a farsakh – about three miles – away. They dispersed into the ravines after being thoroughly defeated by us. Thereafter, the Messenger of Allah^(sa) returned to his quarters and his tent, with captives bound around him. A group encircled his tent, and with him were his noble wives, Hazrat Umm Salamah^(ra) and Hazrat Zainab^(ra). According to another narration, Hazrat Umm Salamah^(ra) and Hazrat Maimunah^(ra) were present.

“Around them was a company appointed to guard the Messenger^(sa) of Allah, and they included Abbad bin Bishr^(ra), Abu Na’ilah^(ra), and Muhammad bin Maslamah^(ra).”

Ibn Uqbah narrates: “A man from among the Quraish passed by Safwan bin Umayyah, who at that time was still a disbeliever. He had accompanied the Muslims merely to observe the battle of Hunain. The man said to him: ‘Rejoice! Muhammad^(sa) and his Companions have been defeated.’” He was referring to the initial setback.

This idolater then added, “‘By Allah, they shall never again return to their former state – victory can never come to them now.’ Safwan said to him: ‘Do you bring me glad tidings of the Bedouins’ triumph? By Allah, for a Quraishi to be leader is dearer to me than for a Bedouin to be leader!’ Safwan was angered at his words (i.e., of the enemy). He sent a slave of his to ascertain whose voices were being raised in slogans, for at that time, they heard slogans from the battlefield. The slave returned and said: ‘I heard them calling out: “O Banu Abd al-Rahman! O Banu Ubaidillah! O Banu Abdillah!”’ Safwan said: ‘It is Muhammad^(sa) who has prevailed, for this is his battle cry.’”  Thus was Safwan reassured, and he said: ‘Muhammad^(sa) has achieved victory.’” (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, pp. 318-320; Da’irah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasulullah^(sa), Vol. 9, Bazm Iqbal Road, Lahore, p. 260)

There is also mention of the Holy Prophet^(sa) throwing pebbles towards the disbelievers and offering a prayer during this battle; as mentioned before, the Holy Prophet^(sa) asked for a handful of dirt so he could throw it. Further details of this incident have been mentioned as follows:

When the Companions returned [to the battlefield] and the battle had reached its peak, the Holy Prophet^(sa) lifted his gaze and surveyed the scene of combat. He was mounted upon his mule. The Holy Prophet^(sa) remarked, “The battle is at its height.”

The narrator relates that the Holy Prophet^(sa) then took a handful of pebbles and cast them in the direction of the disbelievers’ faces, and said: “By the Lord of Muhammad…” In another narration, it is stated that the Holy Prophet^(sa) declared: “By the Lord of the Ka‘bah, they have been defeated!”

Hazrat Abbas^(ra) relates: “I observed the battle, and at first, it appeared to continue in the same manner as before. But by Allah, as soon as the Holy Prophet^(sa) cast the pebbles, I witnessed that the force of the enemy’s attack began to wane. In other words, their condition drastically changed, eventually turning into defeat for the enemy. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-jihadi wa s-siyar, Bab fi ghazwati hunain, Hadith 1775)

Further details state that the Holy Prophet^(sa) placed his feet in both stirrups and stood upright while mounted upon his mule. He raised his blessed hands in earnest supplication, saying:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَنْشُدُكَ مَا وَعَدْتَنِي اللَّهُمَّ لَا يَنْبَغِي لَهُمْ أَنْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَيْنَا

“O Allah, I implore You for the fulfilment of what You have promised me. O Allah, it is not befitting that they should prevail over us and overcome us.”

Yazid bin Amir Suwa’i narrates that he was with the idolaters in Hunain and later accepted Islam. He says that on the occasion of Hunain, the Holy Prophet^(sa) took some dirt from the ground in his fist, turned towards the idolaters and threw the dirt towards their faces, saying, “Turn back, your faces have been blackened.” When they met one another, they would complain about pain in their eyes and would rub their eyes. In other words, the enemy’s eyes started to burn. At the time, the Holy Prophet^(sa) was riding his mule named ‘Duldul’. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 322 and 324; Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 154]

Shaibah bin Uthman was an esteemed chieftain of the Quraish. His father, Uthman bin Talhah, was killed in the Battle of Uhud. Shaibah joined the army, going from Mecca to Hunain. According to some, he became a Muslim during the Conquest of Mecca.

Shaibah himself relates, “I joined the army with the intention (meaning he was not yet Muslim) of taking advantage whenever I could to avenge my father’s death by killing the Holy Prophet^(sa) (God forbid) and thereby ease my heart.” His opposition towards Islam was such that he would say, “Even if all of Arabia and the rest of the world were to declare the creed of Muhammad^(sa), I would still not follow him.”

When Shaibah saw that the Muslims had fled from the battlefield and there were only a few people left around the Holy Prophet^(sa), he thought, and he describes, “I thought to myself that this is the perfect opportunity to (God forbid) kill him.” He says, “I approached from the right side to attack him, but I saw his uncle Abbas standing there. I thought that it would not be possible to attack Muhammad^(sa) in the presence of Abbas. So, I turned around and approached from the left to attack Muhammad^(sa), but I saw Abu Sufyan bin Harith standing there, and so I turned back from there as well. Then, I decided to attack Muhammad^(sa) from behind, but when I advanced to attack him, I covered my eyes with my hands and quickly turned around.”

Later, he would explain, “It was though I was seeing flames of a fire rising, and it seemed as though they would reduce me to ashes.” Meanwhile, the Holy Prophet^(sa) called out, “Shaibah, come near me.” The Holy Prophet^(sa) had become aware that Shaibah was standing behind him. Shaibah says, “I drew near the Holy Prophet^(sa). He smiled and passed his blessed hand across my chest and prayed:

اَللّٰھُمَّ اذْھَبْ عَنْہُ الشَّیْطَان

“‘O Allah, remove Satan from him.’”

Shaibah says, “By God, at that very moment, the Holy Prophet^(sa) became dearer to me than my ears, my eyes, even my life and my soul was completely cleansed.” The Holy Prophet^(sa) said to Shaibah, “O Shaibah, fight against the disbelievers.” Shaibah says, “At that moment, I took up the sword and advanced towards the enemy to defend Muhammad^(sa). Out of love for the Holy Prophet^(sa), I began fighting in such a manner that even if my father were to come before me in that moment, I would have killed him.” (Da’irah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasulullah^(sa), Vol. 9, Bazm Iqbal Road, Lahore, pp. 256-258; Alamah Ali Burhan Halabi, Ghazwat al-Nabi^(sa) (Translation), Maktabah Dar al-Isha’at, Karachi, p. 639; Al-Lu’lu al-Maknun Sirat Encyclopaedia, Vol. 9, Maktabah Dar al-Salam, p. 272)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^(ra) has also mentioned this incident in the following manner:

“A particular incident is recorded regarding the Holy Prophet^(sa) whereby an individual outwardly accepted Islam and took part in the Battle of Hunain, but his actual intention was that once the two armies met on the battlefield, he would seize the opportunity to assassinate the Holy Prophet^(sa).

“When the fighting intensified, this man drew his sword. At that time, the Holy Prophet^(sa) was alone, accompanied only by Hazrat Abbas^(ra). Seeing the moment as opportune, the man advanced to strike. However, Allah the Almighty, through divine revelation, informed the Holy Prophet^(sa) of the enmity hidden in the man’s heart.

“The man himself later narrated: ‘As I moved closer, I thought to myself that now my sword would sever his neck. But as I approached, the Holy Prophet^(sa) extended his blessed hand towards me, placed it upon my chest, and prayed: “O Allah, rid him of the evil thoughts of Satan and remove the rancour from his heart.”’

“The individual continued: ‘At that very moment, I felt as if there was nothing more beloved to me in the entire world than the person of the Holy Prophet^(sa).’

“After this, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said to him: ‘Advance and fight.’

“He continues: ‘I immediately drew my sword, and by Allah, had my own father been alive and stood before me at that moment, I would have struck him with my sword without any hesitation.’

“Such was the power of the Holy Prophet’s^(sa) love that it extinguished his enmity.” (Bhera Ki Sarzamin Main Aik Nihayat Iman Afroz Taqrir, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 22, p. 114)

In other words, the love of the Holy Prophet^(sa) completely erased his animosity.

After the battle had concluded, the Holy Prophet^(sa) was resting in his tent when Shaibah bin Uthman came to visit him. Upon his arrival, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said to him: “O Shaibah, that which Allah has now destined for you is far better than what you had once intended in your heart.”

The Holy Prophet^(sa) then proceeded to relate to him all the thoughts and intentions he had harboured during the battle. Upon hearing this, Shaibah sought forgiveness for his past conduct. The Holy Prophet^(sa) prayed for him, saying:

غفر الله لك

“May Allah forgive you.” (Da’irah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasulullah^(sa), Vol. 9, Bazm Iqbal Road, Lahore, p. 258)

Similarly, the ill intentions of Nudair bin Harith and his virtuous ending have been mentioned. Nudair bin Harith was among those individuals of Mecca who set out for Hunain alongside the [Muslim] army with ill intentions. He was among the chieftains of the Quraish, and his brother was killed in the Battle of Badr.

He narrates his own account, “I joined Hunain with some of my comrades with the intention that when the opportunity arises, I can join the attack on the side of the idolaters. When the Muslims [initially] dispersed, I went towards the Holy Prophet^(sa) with the intention to kill him. But as soon as I set out towards him with this intention, I saw some people surrounding the Holy Prophet^(sa), whose faces were white, and they said to me: ‘Move away from here’, and it was in such a terrifying voice that I became frightened and began to tremble. Only a short while had elapsed when the Muslims returned once again and began to attack the enemy.

In the meantime, I held back and hid amongst the trees. I remained hidden for many days because the awe and dread of what I had seen were not diminishing. This was the case even until I found out that the Holy Prophet^(sa) went to Ta’if, and from there he went to Ji’ranah. Once the battle finished, I thought to myself that Islam has now prevailed and everyone has accepted Islam, so I should also go to see the Holy Prophet^(sa). And so I went to Ji’ranah, remaining concealed, and joined the Muslims. The Holy Prophet^(sa) saw me and recognised me, saying, ‘Nudair, is that you?’ I replied, ‘Yes, Your Holiness, I am here.’ He then said, ‘This is better than what you intended to do during Hunain, and at the time, Allah placed a barrier between you and it,’ i.e., ‘came between you and your intention.’”

Nudair then says, “Upon hearing this, I quickly made my way towards the Holy Prophet^(sa) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! If there were any gods besides Allah, then they would have benefited me.’ After reciting the Muslim creed, I accepted Islam.” The Holy Prophet^(sa) supplicated for him:

اَللّٰھُمَّ زِدْہُ ثَبَاتًا

“O Allah! Increase him in steadfastness.”

Nudair said, “By Allah! Owing to this prayer, I became a rock with respect to steadfastness.” The Holy Prophet^(sa) said, “All praise belongs to Allah who bestowed him with guidance.” (Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, Vol. 7, Dar Hajr, Beirut, pp. 112-113; Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 321-322)

After the Battle of Hunain, whilst distributing the spoils, the Holy Prophet^(sa) gave some of the chieftains of the Quraish – who had recently converted to Islam – 100 camels each as a means of comforting their hearts. Nudair bin Harith was also among them. He displayed such a level of self-respect, which in truth was a result of the prayer of his being bestowed steadfastness by the Holy Prophet^(sa). A person came to inform him that the Holy Prophet^(sa) announced that he had given him 100 camels, and so he should take them. Upon this, Nudair said: “The Holy Prophet^(sa) is giving this in order to comfort the hearts [of the new converts]; therefore, I will not take them,” i.e., I am steadfast in Islam, and I do not need this wealth in order to comfort my heart. But soon after this, he thought to himself, “I did not ask the Holy Prophet^(sa) for this wealth, nor did I make any demands. This is a gift from the Holy Prophet^(sa) and therefore I should not refuse it.” Upon this, he gave ten camels to the person who brought the news and kept the remaining ones. (Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 307)

Later on, he was always grateful, saying: “All praise is due to Allah that we will not die upon polytheism like our forefathers.” He remained steadfast in Islam and adhered to it in an excellent manner. He migrated to Medina, and from there he went to Syria in order to perform Jihad. He was martyred in 15 AH, in the Battle of Yarmuk. The remaining accounts will be narrated in the future, insha-Allah.