Chief of the Prophets

Chief of the Prophets — Page 135

Chapter Seven 135 turns by the parties. Next year let us fight again during the same days at Badr. A Companion replied on Muḥammad’s advice, “Very well! Be it so. ” Thereafter, Abū Sufyān descended from the mountain and left for Makkah with his army. Muslims also descended down the mountain and looked at the bodies of their martyrs and discovered that 70 Muslims were lying in pools of blood presenting a dreadful display of the barbaric tradition of mutilation and disfiguring of bodies known as Muthlah. Ḥamzah ra has been mentioned above; his body was also a victim of the same heinous act. When Muḥammad sa saw the condition of the bodies of the martyrs, he prohibited the tradition of mutilation ( Muthlah ) forever. Muḥammad sa instructed his companions to bury all the martyrs without bathing them and without the offering of funeral prayers. The Companions wrapped two martyrs in one shroud and buried them in one grave. After the burial, Muḥammad sa left for Madīnah. On the way to Madīnah, a few Companions ran into a woman from the Anṣār who was running towards Uḥud in great anxiety. She asked them about Muḥammad sa. The Companions told her that her father had been martyred. The woman said, “I did not ask you about my father. Tell me, how is Muḥammad sa ?” The Companions told her that her brother had also been martyred. ” She again said, “I did not ask you about my brother, tell me about Muḥammad sa. Is he okay?” Then the Companions told her that her husband had been martyred too. She said, “For God’s sake, tell me about the well- being of Muḥammad sa ?” The Companions finally told her that Muḥammad sa was doing well by the blessings of God. When she caught sight of Muḥammad sa , she spontaneously said: