Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 247
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 247 whom he pricked in the chest with the point of his spear. The injury was slight, but the man died subsequently of it. The enemy soon bore down upon him in strength and if a party of devoted followers (seven Ansar and seven Emigrants) had not rallied round the spot, he would have been in mortal peril. This small band performed unmatched feats of heroism inspired by their utter devotion to the Holy Prophet. Ali and Zubair, by their fierce attacks, repeatedly pushed back the enemy ranks that bore down upon the little group. Abu Talha Ansari broke three bows in shooting arrows at the enemy while he shielded the Holy Prophet against the arrows of the enemy. The Holy Prophet went on handing arrows to S’ad bin Waqqas and on one occasion encouraged him with the word s ‘Go on shooting your arrows, May my father and mother be your sacrifice. ’ Abu Dujana shielded the Holy Prophet with his own body, receiving all the arrows and stones aimed at his beloved master. His body was covered with multiple injuries, but he did not m ove an inch from his station lest any movement of his should expose some portion of the body of the Holy Prophet to the arrows of the enemy. Talha received so many arrows on his own body in his effort to shield the Holy Prophet that one of his hands was re ndered permanently useless. Nevertheless when the attack was pressed this devoted band was sometimes pushed aside and the Holy Prophet was exposed to the missiles of his assailants. On one such occasion a stone aimed at him by Urbah bin Abi Waqqas, brother of Sa’d, struck his face, broke one of his teeth and cut open his lip. At another time a stone cast by Abdullah bin Shahab wounded his forehead; and a third time a stone directed