The Excellent Exemplar - Muhammad — Page 43
THE EXCELLENT EXEMPLAR — MUHAMMAD 43 his men in battle array and gave them instructions, but he repeatedly went back to prayer under a hastily improvised shelter. When the fighting began, the Prophet was prostrate before his Lord in an agony of supplication. Abu Bakr approached him and put a gentle hand upon his shoulder, saying: “Messenger of God, thou hast prayed enough. ” The Prophet raised himself and announced to the people that God had given him to understand that the time had arrived for the fulfillment of the Prophecy revealed several years earlier at Mecca: “Do they say, `We are a victorious host?’ The hosts shall soon be routed and will turn their backs in flight. Aye, the Hour is their appointed time; and the Hour will be most calamitous and most bitter” (54:45 - 47). The issue did not remain long in doubt. The flower of toe Qureish was left upon the field, dead and dying (Isa. 21: I6 - I7). Abu Jahl, the bitterest enemy of the Prophet and the commander of the Meccan forces, was mortally wounded at the commencement of the battle. As he lay dying, he lamented his fate, not so much that he was about to die, but that his death should have been compassed by two striplings, twelve and thirteen years old, of the non - warrior tribes of Medina. Several prisoners were taken, among t hem the Prophet’s uncle, Abbas, who had been coerced into joining the Meccan forces, and one of his sons - in - law. The Prophet, while giving thanks to God for the great deliverance which He had vouchsafed, was grieved that so many of the Meccans had perished in pursuit of their vain purpose. On beholding the prisoners bound and held fast, tears coursed down his cheeks. When Umar inquired why, in the midst of victory, he felt so grieved, the Prophet pointed to the prisoners and said: