Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 305
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 305 wounded his forehead. Ali attacked him with such effect on his shoulder that his sword cut through his body and felled him down and he breathed his last within a minute or two. However, this temporary success brought no relief to the Muslims who were progressively becoming weaker as the siege progressed. Their faith and devotion were unshaken, but their bodies were exhausted. The Holy Prophet, who himself fared no better, was dee ply affected by the sufferings of the Muslims and took counsel with S’ad bin Muaz and S’ad bin Ubadah, chiefs of Ansar, on how the situation could be relieved. He suggested to them that one way might be to detach Ghatafan from Quraish by offering them a po rtion of the revenue of Medina. They inquired whether his suggestion was under divine direction. The Holy Prophet told them that he was asking their advice on what they considered was most expedient, and that no divine direction was involved, upon which th ey submitted that their counsel was that as they had not yielded anything of the kind to an enemy before they became Muslims, they should offer nothing to the enemy on this occasion except the sword. The Holy Prophet was much reassured by their steadfastne ss and did not press his suggestion. The situation continued unrelieved and the Holy Prophet and the Muslims continued firm and steadfast, but under severe sufferings. Another factor in the situation which added to the anxieties of the Holy Prophet and his followers was the question of the se curity of women and children, particularly on such occasions when the enemy pressed hard to force the trench and all the Muslims were needed to withstand their onslaught and to repel them, and the only persons left to safeguard the women and