The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page ccxli
GENERAL INTRODUCTION superior numbers of the enemy. But Khālid bin Walīd, accepting the suggestion of a friend, took the standard and went on fighting until evening came. The following day Khālid took the field again with his crippled and tired force but employed a stratagem. He changed the positions of his men- those in front changed with those in the rear and those on the right flank changed with those on the left. They also raised some slogans. The enemy thought Muslims had received reinforcements overnight and withdrew in fear. Khālid saved his remnants and returned. The Prophet had been informed of these events through a revelation. He collected the Muslims in the mosque. As he rose to address them his eyes were wet with tears. He said: I wish to tell you about the army which left here for the Syrian border. It stood against the enemy and fought. First Zaid, then Ja'far and then ‘Abdullāh bin Rawāḥah held the standard. All three fell, one after the other, fighting bravely. Pray for them all. After them the standard was held by Khalid bin Walīd. He appointed himself. He is a sword among the swords of God. So he saved the Muslim army and returned (Zādul- Ma'ad, Vol. 1, and Zurqānī). The Prophet's description of Khalid became popular. Khālid came to be known as "the Sword of God". Being one of the later converts, Khālid was often taunted by other Muslims. Once he and ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Auf quarrelled over something. 'Abdur-Raḥmān bin 'Auf reported against Khālid to the Prophet. The Prophet chid Khalid and said, "Khālid, you annoy one who has been serving Islam from the time of Badr. I say to you that even if you give away gold of the weight of Uhud in the service of Islam, you will not become as deserving of divine reward as 'Abdur-Raḥmān. " "But they taunt me," said Khālid, "and I have to reply. " Upon this the Prophet turned to others and said, "You must not taunt Khālid. He is a sword among the swords of God which remains drawn against disbelievers. " The Prophet's description came to literal fulfilment a few years later. On Khālid's return with the Muslim army, some Muslims of Medina described the returning soldiers as defeatist and lacking in spirit. The general criticism was that they should all have died fighting. The Prophet chid the critics. Khālid and his soldiers were not defeatist or lacking in spirit, he said. They were soldiers who returned again and again to attack. The words meant more than appeared on the surface. They foretold battles which Muslims were to fight with Syria. CCXV