ALI THE MIRACLE OF MOHAMMAD(S)
BY
YAQUB HASAN RIZVI
THE BATTLE OF OHAD.
An army of three thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry was recruited. The
tribes of Bani Thiama and Kinan promised to support them. The flag was given to
Talha ibne Talha the bravest of all. Carrying the idol of Hubal, Abu Sufian
marched his army towards Madina in the month of Shawwal. His wife Hinda
accompanied the army with her band of young ladies, entertaining, luring,
insisting and encouraging the soldiers.
The Prophet (S.A.W) who was earlier informed by his uncle Abbas from Mecca
about the unpending attack (Abbas had not migrated till then), collected all
his men to defend Madina. Though they were only seven hundred, but the Prophet
(S.A.W) took them at the foot of Mount Ohad. And keeping the hill behind them
he divided these men into three groups having one leader each. Then he made
three flags and gave one flag to each of the two clans of the Mohajirs. Aseer
bin Hazeer received the flag on behalf of Aws clan, and Habab bin Manzar got
the flag on behalf of Khazraj clan. Ali (A.S.) as usual was the chief flag
bearer of the entire army, and Hamza was made the commander of the armoured
division.
Abu Sufian too divided his army into three divisions and appointed Khalid ibn
Waleed, Akrama ibn Abi Jahal and Amr ibn Aas as their commanders. The three
divisions of Abu Sufian moved in the form of a semi circle towards the Muslims.
Talha bin Talha coming out of his army challenged the Prophet (S.A.W) and said,
"O Mohammad you say that who ever dies at your hands goes to Hell and who ever
dies at our hands goes to Heaven. Now send those who want to go to Heaven." Ali
(A.S.) rushed out of his army and gave him such a blow that he reeled and fell.
Finding Talha helpless Ali (A.S.) walked away. His friends pleaded not to leave
his bitterest enemy alive. Ali (A.S.) replied, "Enemy or no enemy, now he
cannot defend himself, and I do not strike a man who cannot defend himself."
But Talha succumbed to injuries Ali (A.S.) had inflicted. Talha’s death brought
his four sons and grandsons before Ali (A.S.), but whosoever came forward with
the flag of the
infidels was killed by Ali (A.S.). When nine flag bearers of the same clan
were slain and there was not male left to carry the flag, a woman came forward
and took the flag away. (Talha ibn Talha was the traditional flag bearer of
Quraish).
A general encounter then took place in which Ali (A.S.) and Hamza carried the
day and the Muslims became victorious. But the eagerness to collect the spoils
of the war threw them into disorder. Ali (A.S.) however tried to stop them, but
they did not listen. Khalid bin Waleed seeing the Muslims in disarray attacked
them from behind, catching them unawares. The fleeing Meccans encouraged by
Khalid’s success and Muslim’s confusion turned back and started attacking them
from front. This double attack of the Meccans confused the Muslims so much that
they could not differentiate between their friends and foes that they began to
attack their own people. Seeing danger to their own lives many famous
companions of the Prophet (S.A.W) like Abu Bakr, Umar bin Khattab, Usman bin
Affan, Aqba, Saad bin Abi Waqas left the Prophet (S.A.W) alone surrounded by
the enemies and ran for their lives. [Tabari, Suyooti, Imam Fakhruddin Razi]
Usman, Aqba and Saad bin Abi
Waqqas fled to Awas and returned after three days, and some went back to
Madina. Umar describing his flight from the battlefield said, "I ran for my
life and climbed the hill. My condition at that time was such that I was
skipping and hopping like a hill-goat." [Allama Balaazari] Only ten people were
left with the Prophet (S.A.W) in the battle field. They were Ali (A.S.), Hamza,
Abu Rajana, Zakwan, Talha, Zubair, Haris bin Samah, Habab bin Manzar, Aasim bin
Saabit and Salil bin Hanif. These ten people jointly pledged to the Prophet
(S.A.W), that they will not leave him till their death. [Tafseer-e-Kabeer, Vol.
3, Page 108]
It was during this period when each one of these brave soldiers were facing
hundred of people that the negro slave whom Hinda, the wife of Abu Sufian had
hired to kill Hamza attacked him from far killing him instantly. On hearing the
news of Hamza being killed Hinda rushed to the battlefield and getting Hamza’s
body, cut remove his liver and started chewing it. She also got a garland
prepared from the limbs of Hamza and wore round her neck then got his body
trampled and mutilated by horses. She was happy that the killer of her father
had been killed.
Khalid bin Walid who was attacking and pushing the Muslims reached the place
where the Prophet (S.A.W) was fighting. He attacked the Prophet (S.A.W) with a
javelin and Otba threw a stone cutting the Prophet (S.A.W)’s lips and breaking
his two teeth. An arrow was also thrown at him which brought him down from the
horse in one of the ditches the enemies had dug. As the Prophet (S.A.W) fell,
Khalid bin Walid cried, "The lying Prophet is slain, the lying Prophet is
slain." On hearing this cry Ali (A.S.) rushed to search the Prophet (S.A.W). He
saw him lying in the ditch bleeding and Khalid’s men trying to kill him. Ali
(A.S.) fought and chased the attackers away. Then carrying the Prophet (S.A.W)
on his back and keeping the attackers at bay with his sword he brought the
Prophet (S.A.W) to a safe place near a hillock. Perspiring with rage the
Prophet (S.A.W) asked, Ali (A.S.) as to why did he not flee with the others.
Ali (A.S.) replied, "Should I become
an infidel after having embraced Islam? I am pledged to thy obedience I have
nothing to do with the fugitives." The rumour of Prophet (S.A.W)’s death was
carried to Madina by the fleeing Muslims and his daughter Fatema (S.A.) leaving
her one month old child Hasan (A.S.) in Madina rushed to the battlefield to
look after her father.
Leaving the Prophet (S.A.W) on the hillock, Ali (A.S.) returned to the
battlefield fighting and calling the Muslims to return and fight. He was also
declaring that the Prophet (S.A.W) is very much alive. Hearing the news of the
Prophet (S.A.W) still being alive many Muslims returned. Abu Bakr being one of
them. [Tareekhul Khulafa, Page 25] When they saw the Prophet (S.A.W) alive and
being nursed by his daughter Fatema (S.A.) they gained courage and organising
themselves once again under the command of Ali (A.S.) fought and chased the
enemies out of the battlefield. Seventy Muslims died in this battle and the
biggest sufferers were the Prophet (S.A.W) and Ali (A.S.). They not only lost
their uncle Hamza but many other brave sons of Bani Hashim. It is said that it
was in this war and this occassion that the cry "La Fata Illa Ali La Saif Illa
Zulfiqar" (There is no youth but Ali (A.S.) and no sword but Zulfiqar -the
sword of Ali (A.S.)) was heard. From that
day it has become a slogan of the Muslims which they pronounce at the time of
their struggle and fight. This slogan gives them determination and courage.
The Quraish before fleeing from the battlefield ran their horses on the dead
bodies of the Muslims. Abu Sufian thrusting his lance in the mouth of Hamza
said, "Now taste (the revenge of your father)."
The Prophet (S.A.W) standing on the graves of the martyrs declared, "Visit the
graves of the martyrs of Ohad and salute them so long as the earth and heaven
exist. They are the martyrs of whose faith I bear witness." Abu Bakr hearing
this declaration from the Prophet (S.A.W) asked, "Have we not participated in
the holy wars with you?" The Prophet (S.A.W) retorted, "But who knows how you
are going to behave after me" [Mawatta of Imam Malik Bin Anas page 174].
When the Prophet (S.A.W) reached Madina he heard the cries of the ladies of
Bani Mashal. They were weeping on the death of their dear ones who had lost
their lives in this war. This saddened the Prophet (S.A.W) more for there was
none to weep on the death of his uncle Hamza. Saad Bin Maaz rushed to the
ladies of Bani Mashal and told them the feelings of the Prophet (S.A.W). The
ladies stopped their cry and rushed to the house of the Prophet (S.A.W) to
mourn Hamza. From that day the ladies made a practice for weeping Hamza first
and then for their relatives.
The Prophet (S.A.W) had hardly felt relieved when the news of another impending
attack was received. To stop the invaders outside Madina the Prophet (S.A.W)
marched his soldiers to Ahmerul Asad. The flag was again given to Ali (A.S.).
But the invaders retreated and the war was averted.
In the same year Ali (A.S.) lost his mother Fatema (S.A.) Binte Asad. It was
she who had brought up Prophet (S.A.W) when he lost his mother at the age of
eight years. She was like a mother to him, when she died the Prophet (S.A.W)
covered her body with his own shroud (Kafan) and laid her to rest. He dictated
to her last words (talqeen).
After the Prophet (S.A.W) and his followers had settled in Madina the Prophet
(S.A.W) signed a peace treaty with the Jews of Madina and its surroundings to
enable both of them to live in peace. A code of conduct was prepared which was
binding on both the parties. But the Jews were now restive because of the
respect the Muslims had gained due to the teachings of the Prophet (S.A.W).
They wanted to get out of the agreement and break the contract. Their leader
Umro Bin Ummaiya killed two Muslims of Bani Aamir. The Prophet (S.A.W)
approached them for the compensation of the deceased persons as it was mutually
agreed. But Jews instead of paying the compensation to the Prophet (S.A.W)
planned to kill him. They hid a man with a big stone on their roof-top who
would throw it on the Prophet (S.A.W) when he entered their house to receive
the compensation. The Prophet (S.A.W) got the air of this plan and ordered the
Jews to leave Madina within ten days, as Madina
could not be a place for the traitors. The Jews at first agreed to leave
Madina but on the assurance and strength of Abdullah Bin Sulool refused. The
Prophet (S.A.W) himself took the task of ejecting them. The flag for this
mission was again given to Ali (A.S.). The Prophet (S.A.W) ordered his men to
pitch their tents opposite the houses of the Jews. In the night a famous archer
named Guzool shot an arrow on the tent of the Prophet (S.A.W). But the Prophet
(S.A.W) was not hurt. The Prophet (S.A.W) to avoid trouble ordered to shift the
tents to a safer place near a hill. Suddenly the Muslims found Ali (A.S.)
missing. They went to the Prophet (S.A.W) to find out where Ali (A.S.) was. He
told them that Ali (A.S.) must have gone for some work. After sometime Ali
(A.S.) came with the severed head of Guzool and put it near the feet of the
Prophet (S.A.W). When the Prophet (S.A.W) enquired Ali (A.S.) said, "I got
suspicious of their intentions and I quietly
walked up their houses to watch their activities. I saw this Guzool and nine
of his companions with open swords in their hands preparing to attack you. I
challenged them and succeeded in killing this man. The rest ran away. The Jews
then fled to Khaiber."
In the same year the Prophet (S.A.W) had to face some small skirmishes like the
battle of Zatur Raaqa and the second battle of Badr. Ali (A.S.) was the flag
bearer of all these battles. Husain (A.S.) the second son of Ali (A.S.) was
born in this year.
PLEASE RECITE SURAH FATEHA FOR ALL MARHUMEEN
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