The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 146
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 146 it. Hence, they drank of its water in peace and returned to their army. 1 To deal so justly and benevolently with the enemy was unheard of in the moral code of Arabia. It is a distinction of Islām that whilst taking into consideration the rules of self-defence, it has still ordered the good treatment of enemies as well. Now the armies had lined up before one another. However, at this time, a strange spectacle of Divine power manifested itself. The standing arrangement of both armies was such that the Muslim army appeared to be more than, rather, double its actual number in the eyes of the Quraish. 2 Due to this, the disbelievers were struck with awe. On the other hand, the army of the Quraish appeared lesser than their actual number in the eyes of the Muslims. 3 Due to this, the Muslims were fortified with great confidence. The Quraish attempted to discern the correct figure of the Muslim army, so that they could console such hearts which had begun to sink. For this purpose, the chieftains of the Quraish dispatched ‘Umair bin Wahb to ride his horse around the Muslim army, so as to gather its actual number, and whether it was supported by any hidden reinforcements. Hence, ‘Umair mounted his horse and circled the Muslims, but he witnessed such awe, determination and fearlessness in the face of death on the countenances of these Muslims, that he returned immensely awe-stricken and addressed the Quraish saying: َ مَا رَاٴَیْت ُ شَیْٴًا وَلٰكِنِّی قَد ْ رَاٴَیْت ُ یَا مَعْشَر َ قُرَیْش ٍ الْبَلَایَا تَحْمِل ُ الْمَنَایَا نَوَاضِح ُ یَثْرِب َ تَحْمِل ُ الْمَوْت َ النَّاقِع “I have not been able to spot any hidden reinforcements, but O company of the Quraish! I have witnessed that in the Muslim army, it is not men who ride upon the saddles of these she-camels, rather, death is seated upon them. Destruction 1 * Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 3, p. 29, Thumma Dakhalatis-Sanatuth-Thāniyatu Minal-Hijrah / Dhikru Waq‘ati Badril- Kubrā, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 424, Dhikru Ru’yā ‘Ātikata binti ‘Abdil-Muṭṭalib / Islāmubni Ḥizām , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) 2 Āl-e-‘Imran (3:14) 3 Al-Anfāl (8:45)