The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 342
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 342 thereafter. As soon as she arrived, she began to wash the wounds of the Holy Prophet sa , but the bleeding just would not stop. Finally, Ḥaḍrat Fāṭimah ra burnt a mat of straw and applied its burnt ashes to the wound of the Holy Prophet sa. It was only then that his blood was staunched. 1 On this occasion, other women tended to wounded Companions as well and consequently earned spiritual reward. While the Muslims were busy tending to the wounded, on the opposing end, in the battlefield below, the Quraish of Makkah were most ruthlessly mutilating the bodies of the Muslim martyrs. The savage custom of Muthlah was carried out with all its barbarity and the bloodthirsty beasts of Makkah did whatever their hearts desired with the bodies of the Muslim martyrs. The women of the Quraish severed the noses and ears of the Muslims and wore them as garlands. Hind, the wife of Abū Sufyān cut out the liver of Ḥaḍrat Ḥamzah ra and chewed it. 2 Hence, in the words of Sir William Muir, “Many acts of barbarous mutilation were committed on the slain. ” 3 The chieftains of Makkah searched long and hard for the body of the Holy Prophet sa in the field of battle, and their eyes eagerly craved to witness this sight, but that which was not to be found could not be found. When Abū Sufyān had lost hope in this search, he took a few of his followers and proceeded to the mountain pass, where the Muslims had gathered and standing next to it, called out, “O Muslims! Is Muḥammad [sa] among you?” The Holy Prophet sa forbade anyone from responding, and thus, the Companions remained silent. Then, he inquired about Abū Bakr ra and ‘Umar ra , but even at this, in accordance with the instruction of the Holy Prophet sa , no one responded. Upon this, in a most arrogant tone, he called out in a loud voice, “All of these people have been slain, for if they had been alive, they would have responded. ” At this, Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar ra was unable to restrain himself, and uncontrollably said, “O enemy of Allāh! You lie! We are all alive and Allāh shall disgrace you at our hands. ” 4 Upon recognizing the voice of Ḥaḍrat 1 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābu Mā Aṣāban-Nabiyya sa Minal-Jirāḥi Yauma Uḥud, Ḥadīth No. 4075 2 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 540, Sha’nu ‘Āṣimibni Thābit, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) * Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 3, p. 74, Thumma Dakhalatis-Sanatuth-Thālithatu Minal-Hijrah / Ghazwatu Uḥud, Dārul- Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) 3 The Life of Mahomet, By Sir William Muir, Chapter XIV (The Battle of Ohod), The Coreish Retire, Colloquy between Abu Sofiân and Omar, p. 272, Published by Smith, Elder & Co. London (1878) 4 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābu Ghazwati Uḥud, Ḥadīth No. 4043 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Jihād Was-Siyar, Bābu Mā Yukrahu Minat-Tanāzu‘, Ḥadīth No. 3039