Uhud Battle, a Divine Exam

It was the year 3 AH. The enemies of Islam, who were excessively upset with the defeat in the battle of Badr, would not permit the survivors of the battle to cry for the dead just in a bid to intensify their sentiment of vengeance against the Prophet and Muslims.

The trade route of the people of Mecca was also blocked to Medina and Iraq. Meanwhile, people like Ka'b ibn Ashraf, whose mother was a Jew, would arouse Quraysh against Muslims with oration and poems. The Quraysh chieftains knew that fighting Muslims was a very tough task as they had seen their valour in the battle of Badr. Thus, they decided to build up an orderly army with renowned fighters of Arab tribes to encounter the Prophet and Muslims.

Quraysh, equipped with a 4000-srong troop left Mecca for Medina and set up encampment at the foot of Uhud mountain. Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) consulted with the officers and soldiers. Then he decided to exit Medina to encounter the enemy outside the city. Muslims marched toward Uhud mountain and confronted the aggressors at Uhud. The forces of Islam were arrayed with their backs to the mountain. In the middle of the mountain there was a split which would likely be used by the enemy to turn round the mountain and get to Muslims from behind. To remove this stake, God's Messenger deployed a group of archers on top of a hill and told their commander, "Repel the enemy with arrows and do not let them penetrate the front from behind and take us in surprise. Do not leave this spot no matter if we are victorious or defeated."

The war broke out. Muslim forces demonstrated unique scenes of bravery and sacrifice so that they were victorious. The troops of Quraysh left their arms and ammunitions on the ground and fled to save their life. A few Muslims chased the enemies while most of them put down arms and started collecting spoils. What worsened the situation was that the soldiers deployed to guard the mountain split, forgot the Prophet's command and said to themselves,

 "There is no use in our staying here. We also should collect spoils.

Their commander told them, "God's Messenger has commanded us not to leave here no matter if Muslims are victorious or not."

Most of the archers opposed the commander and said, "The Prophet meant that we should guard this valley while in combat but the combat is over."

Thus, the guards descended the mountain, except 10 of them, to collect spoils.

Muslims, due to disobedience of the Prophet, paid a heavy cost. The battle, which was on the verge of final triumph, found a different fate. Khalid ibn Walid, one of the enemy officers, had tried several times to infiltrate the split in the mountain and attack Muslims from behind. But every time he had to retreat due to resistance of the guards. When the number of soldiers decreased because of material gains, Khalid reached Muslim ranks from behind and the resistance of the 10 guards staying on the split was of no use as all of them were martyred. The Quraysh troops, were emboldened again and, taking their arms, they returned to the battlefield and turned their defeat into victory.

The battle of Uhud was over and 70 of Muslims were martyred among them the Prophet's valorous uncle, Hamza. After the battle, the hypocrites, pretending to sympathize with and advise Muslims, tried to sow the seeds of pessimism among Muslims towards Islam. They would say, "The war with Quraysh was a mistake from the beginning and it is not expedient to fight the polytheists anymore."

Ayah 149 of surah Al-e Imran reads, "O you who have faith! If you obey the faithless, they will turn you back on your heels, and you will become losers."

Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) said, "Difference and quarrel is the outcome of inability and meanness."

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