On the eve of Uhud, Abdullah bin Jahsh (Radhiyallaho Anho) said to Saad bin Abi Waqqaas (Radhiyallaho Anho), "Oh Saad, come let us pray together. Let each pray to Allah for the grant of his sole desire, and the other would say Ameen to it. This way, the prayers are more likely to be answered by Allah."

Saad (Radhiyallaho Anho) agreed, and they both went to a corner to pray.

Saad (Radhiyallaho Anho) was first to pray saying, "Oh Allah, when the battle rages tomorrow, let me face a very strong and fierce enemy. Let him attack me with might and main, and let me repulse him with all my strength. Then oh Allah, let me be triumphant by killing him for your sake, and allow me to have his possessions as booty."

Abdullah (Radhiyallaho Anho) said, "Ameen."

Then Abdullah (Radhiyallaho Anho) started his prayer, saying, "Oh Allah, let me face one of the toughest fighters among the enemy tomorrow. Let him attack me with full fury and let me attack him with my full strength. Then let him have the upper hand and kill me. He may cut my nose and ears from my body. And when I appear before You on the day of Judgment, You may ask me, 'How did you lose your nose and ears, Oh Abdullah?' To which I may reply, 'These were lost in the way of Allah and His Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam).' Then You will say, 'Yes! surely these were lost in My way.' "

Saad (Radhiyallaho Anho) said, "Ameen."

In the battle field next day, both of the Sahabah saw their prayers answered exactly as they had asked.

Saad (Radhiyallaho Anho) says, "Abdullah's prayer was better than mine. In the evening I noticed his ears and nose strung in a thread."

This story on the one hand depicts great chivalry and valor on the part of Sahabah, in as much as they were anxious to face the brave and the strong amongst the enemy, and on the other hand it shows their devotion and love for Allah. Abdullah (Radhiyallaho Anho) wishes Allah to confirm on the Day of Judgment that his sacrifice was really for Allah's cause. What an excellent wish.

Neglect of the Prophet's orders changed the victory at Uhud into defeat, the details of which we have already seen in Chapter 2. It was a very hard time for the Muslims. They were simply caught between the two groups of the enemy, and many were killed. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) was surrounded by the enemy, who spread the rumor that he had died. Most of the Sahabah lost their balance of mind at this rumor, and that was the main cause of their confusion.

Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallaho Anho) says:

We were surrounded by the enemy, and I could not see the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam). I first searched for him among the living and then among the killed, but I could not find him.

I said to myself, "It is impossible for him to fly from the battle-field. It seems that Allah is angry with us due to our sins, and He has lifted him up to the heavens. There is no way left for me except to jump into the enemy lines and fight till I am killed."

I therefore attacked the enemy, clearing them with my sword till I caught sight of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam). I was very happy and was sure that Allah had been protecting him through His angels. I approached him and stood by his side.

Meanwhile an enemy contingent advanced to attack the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam). He said to me, "Ali go and check them."

I fought and repulsed them single-handed, killing quite a few of them. After this, yet another group came to attack him. He again called out, "Ali go and check them."

I fought with that group again single-handed and put them to their heels.

It was on this occasion that Hadhrat Jibrail (Alaihe Salaam) came and praised Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallaho Anho) for his valor and his devotion to the Prophet. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) said:

"Ali belongs to me and I belong to him."

At this, Hadhrat Jibrail (Alaihis Salaam) remarked:

"I belong to you both."

Look at the valor of Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallaho Anho). He jumps into the enemy lines single-handed, when he is unable to find the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam). This also shows his extreme love and devotion to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam).

When the battle of Uhud started, Hadhrat Hanzalah (Radhiyallaho Anho) had just been wedded and therefore did not join the battle from the beginning. It is said that he had just left the bed of his wife and had hardly started taking his bath, when he heard somebody breaking the news about the defeat. He postponed the bath and, with sword in hand, rushed towards the battlefield. He jumped into the enemy concentration, fighting and penetrating till he was killed.

The body of a person killed in the path of Allah is not washed, unless a bath has been incumbent on him before his passing away. Not knowing his failure to take the bath incumbent on him, the Sahabah buried him without a wash.

Just before his burial, the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihe Wasallam) said, "I see the angels washing Hanzalah's body."

Hadhrat Abu Saeed Saadi (Radhiyallaho Anho) says, "On hearing this from the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam), I went to have a look at Hanzalah's face and I noticed drops of water trickling down his hair."

When the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) returned to Madinah, he made queries and the facts of Hadhrat Hanzalah's (Radhiyallaho Anho) postponing his bath came to light.

This again shows the valor of those people. A brave person cannot tolerate any delay and jumps into the jaws of death. Hadhrat Hanzalah (Radhiyallaho Anho) also could not wait to finish the bath incumbent on him.

Amr bin Jamooh (Radhiyallaho Anho) was lame. He had four sons, who often remained in the company of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) and took part in the campaigns. In Uhud, Amr (Radhiyallaho Anho) desired very much to join the battle.

People said to him, "You are excusable, as you are lame. You need not go to the battle."

He replied, "How sad that my sons go to Paradise, and I stay behind."

His wife also wanted him to fight and get martyred, so that she might have the honor of being the widow of a martyr. To exhort him, she said to him, "I do not believe that people have stopped you from going. It seems that you are yourself afraid to go to the battlefield."

Hearing this, Hadhrat Amr (Radhiyallaho Anho) equipped himself with arms and, facing Qiblah, prayed to Allah:

"Oh, Allah! Let me not come back to my family again."

He then went to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) and said, "I had always wished for martyrdom, but my people have always been stopping me from going into the battle. Oh, Prophet of Allah! I cannot resist my desire any more. Do permit me to join the battle. I hope to walk in Paradise with my lame foot."

The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) said to him, "You have an excuse. There is no harm if you stay behind."

But he still insisted, and at last the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) permitted him to fight.

Hadhrat Abu Talha (Radhiyallaho Anho) says, "I saw Amr (Radhiyallaho Anho) fighting. He walked proudly and said. 'By Allah! I am fond of Paradise.' One of his sons was following him at his heels. The father and the son fought till both of them were killed."

His wife on hearing of the passing away of her husband and son, came with a camel to fetch their bodies. It is said that when the bodies were loaded on the camel, it refused to stand up. When it was made to stand up after great beating, it would not go to Madinah and would turn towards Uhud, again and again.

When the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) was informed of this, he said, "The camel is charged to do that. Did Amr (Radhiyallaho Anho) say anything at the time of leaving his home?"

His wife informed the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) that he had prayed to Allah, facing Qiblah:

"Oh, Allah! Let me not come back to my family again."

The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) said, "This is why the camel is refusing to go toward his home."

Look at Hadhrat Amr's (Radhiyallaho Anho) desire to get killed in the path of Allah. It was their love and devotion for Allah and His Prophet that led the Sahabah to the height of such attainment. Even after passing away, Amr (Radhiyallaho Anho) wants to remain in the battlefield, and the camel refused to take his body back to Madinah.

Hadhrat Musab bin Umair (Radhiyallaho Anho) had been brought up with great love and affection by his well-to-do parents. Before embracing Islam, he lived in luxury and comfort. It is said that he was the most well-dressed youth of Mecca. In fact his parents would buy a dress worth two hundred dirhams for him. He embraced Islam in its early days, without the knowledge of his parents. When, however, they came to know of it, they tied him with a rope and compelled him to stay at home. He got an opportunity to escape and emigrated to Abyssinia. On return from Abyssinia he emigrated again to Madinah.

So a person like him, brought up in luxury and comfort, was now living a life of abstinence and austerity. Once the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) was sitting when Musab (Radhiyallaho Anho) passed in front of him. He had only one sheet of cloth to clothe his body, and this bore a number of patches, including one of leather. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) with tears in his eyes mentioned Musab's life of luxury before Islam.

In the battle of Uhud, Musab (Radhiyallaho Anho) held the flag of Islam. When the Muslims on meeting defeat were dispersing in confusion, he held the flag and stood at his post like a rock. An enemy came and cut his hand with a sword, so that the flag might fall and the defeat might be accomplished. He at once took the flag in the other hand. The enemy then cut the other hand also. He held the flag to his bosom with the help of his bleeding arms. The enemy at last pierced his body with an arrow. He fell and, with him fell the flag that he had not allowed to fall while he was alive. Another Muslim ran and took over the flag.

At the time of his burial, he had only one sheet to cover his body. This sheet was too short for his size. When it was drawn to cover the head, the feet would be exposed, and when it was drawn to cover the feet, the head would become uncovered.

The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe Wasallam) said, "Cover his head with the sheet, and his feet with Adhikhar leaves."

Such was the end of the youth who was brought up in luxury and comfort. The person who used to wear a dress worth two hundred dirhams does not have sufficient cloth to cover his body. Look with what valor he tried to keep the flag up, and did not allow it to fall till he was out. This is the miracle of Iman. Once Iman gets into a person, it makes him forget everything else, whether wealth, luxury or life itself.