The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page clxxxiv
GENERAL INTRODUCTION killed. All this happened as it had been foretold in the Prophet's vision. Besides the fulfilment of the incidents told beforehand, this battle afforded many proofs of the sincerity and devotion of Muslims. So exemplary was their behaviour that history fails to provide a parallel to it. Some incidents in proof of this we have already narrated. One more seems worth narrating. It shows the certainty of conviction and devotion displayed by the Prophet's Companions. When the Prophet retired to the foot of the hill with a handful of Muslims, he sent out some of his Companions to look after the wounded lying on the field. A Companion after long search found a wounded Muslim of Medina. He was near death. The Companion bent over him and said, "Peace on you. " The wounded Muslim raised a trembling hand, and holding the visitor's hand in his own, said, "I was waiting for someone to come. " "You are in a critical state," said the visitor to the soldier. "Have you anything to communicate to your relations?" "Yes, yes," said the dying Muslim. "Say peace to my relations and tell them that while I die here, I leave behind a precious trust to be taken care of by them. That trust is the Prophet of God. I hope my relations will guard his person with their lives and remember this my only dying wish" (Muaṭā and Zurgānī). Dying persons have much to say to their relations, but these early Muslims, even in their dying moments, thought not of their relations, sons, daughters or wives, nor of their property, but only of the Prophet. They faced death in the certainty that the Prophet was the saviour of the world. If their children survived, they would achieve but little, whereas if they died guarding the Prophet's person, they would have served both God and man. They believed that in sacrificing their families they served mankind and they served their God. In inviting death for them they secured life everlasting for mankind at large. The Prophet collected the wounded and the dead. The wounded were given first aid and the dead were buried. The Prophet then learnt that the enemy had treated the Muslims most savagely, that they had mutilated the bodies of the dead Muslims and cut off a nose here and an ear there. One of the mutilated bodies was that of Hamzah, the Prophet's uncle. The Prophet was moved, and said, "The actions of disbelievers now justify the treatment which we so far thought was unjustified. " As he said this, he was commanded by God to let the disbelievers alone and to continue to show them compassion. clviii