Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
Later, Abu Sufyan bin Harith bin Abdul Muttalib became a Muslim and was remorseful over his previous life, but Islam becomes an expiation for sins committed before it.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade responding to Abu Sufyan’s words so that the secret of his heart might be revealed—what purpose he was asking for. Furthermore, by remaining silent, it would outwardly please the enemy, but when it became known that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu), and Umar (radi Allahu anhu) were alive, he would be afflicted with even greater grief.
This too is a form of jihad.
➋
Umar (radi Allahu anhu) understood from the context that the Messenger of Allah’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) intent was that as long as Abu Sufyan kept speaking, no one should respond to him, but after he fell silent, there was no prohibition. Therefore, Umar’s (radi Allahu anhu) response was neither disobedience nor a violation of the command.
If it had been so, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would have reproached him for responding, but this did not happen.
➌
From this hadith, it is understood that in the eyes of disbelief, the noble personages of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu), and Umar (radi Allahu anhu) were as irksome as a thorn.
This is why Abu Sufyan inquired only about these three individuals.
➍
Even today, there are some people who harbor enmity towards Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) and Umar (radi Allahu anhu) and consider it permissible to revile them.
Whereas, in Islam, the status of these two noble companions is very lofty, and even the disbelief of the earliest days recognized this status and importance.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has also excellently highlighted the value and rank of these personages.
(Fath al-Bari: 7/440)

Hadith Commentary:
This incident pertains to the Battle of Uhud.
Due to the disobedience of those archers, all the Muslims suffered a great loss, as seventy Companions (radi Allahu anhum) were martyred.
Those archers acted on personal opinion and analogy in opposition to the explicit command, therefore, to follow personal opinion and analogy in the presence of the Qur'an and Hadith is to betray Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

Hadith Commentary:
In one narration, there is detail that the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) appointed Abdullah bin Jubair (radi Allahu anhu) as the commander of a fifty-man infantry detachment and emphasized: "Do not leave your position, even if you see birds snatching us away, until I send you another message. And if you see that we have defeated the enemy and crushed them, still do not leave this place until I call you."

In the beginning, the Muslims routed the disbelievers.
I myself saw the polytheist women fleeing, lifting their garments and exposing their shins.
Upon seeing this situation, the detachment of Abdullah bin Jubair (radi Allahu anhu) said:
"Now gather the spoils of war; your companions have already prevailed, so what are you waiting for?" Abdullah bin Jubair (radi Allahu anhu) said:
"Have you forgotten what the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) told you?" They replied:
"By Allah! We will go to the people and collect the spoils of war."
When they left the pass and went to the people, the disbelievers attacked the Muslims, turned them back, and they began to flee in defeat.
Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was calling them, and at that time only twelve men remained with him.
The disbelievers martyred seventy Muslims, whereas on the day of Badr, the Muslims had inflicted a loss of one hundred and forty on the disbelievers—seventy were taken captive and seventy were killed.
(Sahih Muslim, Al-Jihad wal-Siyar, Hadith: 3039)

Hadith Commentary:

At certain points in the history of nations, it happens that due to the mistake of a few individuals, the entire nation is destroyed, and sometimes, through the efforts of a few individuals, the whole nation attains success. The same occurred in the Battle of Uhud, where the entire Muslim community had to bear the consequences of the mistake of a few individuals. For the trial of the people of Islam, it was also necessary for this to happen, so that in the future they would remain vigilant and not repeat such a mistake. Abandoning the specified pass of Mount Uhud was a grave mistake on their part, even though the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had emphatically instructed that under no circumstances should they leave that pass without his command.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
In the history of nations, there are certain occasions when the entire nation has to bear the punishment for the mistake of a few individuals. And sometimes, due to the efforts of a few individuals, the whole nation attains success. This also happened in the Battle of Uhud, where the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave a strict instruction to the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) stationed on the hill that under no circumstances should they leave their post without his command. However, due to their mistake, the entire nation had to face a trial.
It was necessary for the Muslims to undergo such a trial so that they would remain alert in the future and not repeat such a mistake.

➋
It should be clear that when the Muslims disobeyed the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and caused him grief, in return Allah, the Exalted, caused the Muslims to suffer defeat and thus caused them grief.
In addition to this, the Muslims were afflicted with various kinds of distress, the details of which are as follows:
© The hypocrites turning back.
© Being subjected to defeat.
© The martyrdom of close relatives.
© The news of the martyrdom of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
© Being wounded and injured.
© The outcome of this battle.

➌
There is also a lesson in this: that a believer neither falters nor loses hope in times of calamity, nor does he become excessively boastful in times of happiness. Rather, he is always grateful to Allah and maintains a balanced temperament in every situation.
In one narration, it is mentioned that only a few remained with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in the field of Uhud.
()

Hadith Commentary:
The Battle of Uhud is a major event in Islamic history in which the Muslims had to endure significant loss of life and property. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave a strict command to the companions of Abdullah bin Jubayr (radi Allahu anhu) that, “Whether we flee or are killed and birds are snatching our flesh, you must not leave this pass under any circumstances without our order.” This pass was an extremely sensitive position. From there, the Muslims could be attacked from the rear. When the companions of Abdullah bin Jubayr (radi Allahu anhu) saw that the battlefield was in the Muslims’ favor, they left the pass in pursuit of the spoils of war, and they completely forgot the command of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in favor of their own opinion and reasoning. As a result, due to this sudden attack by the disbelievers, the Muslims’ ranks were broken, and most of the Muslim warriors fled. Only Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, Umar al-Faruq, Ali al-Murtada, Abdur Rahman bin Awf, Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas, Talhah bin Ubaydullah, Zubair bin al-Awwam, Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah, Khabbab bin Mundhir, Sa’d bin Mu’adh, and Usayd bin Hudayr (radi Allahu anhum) remained with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

Seventy of the eminent Companions were martyred. Among them, Amir Hamzah (radi Allahu anhu) is called the Chief of Martyrs (Sayyid ash-Shuhada).

Abu Sufyan (radi Allahu anhu), who at that time was commanding the army of the Quraysh disbelievers, at the end of the battle, boastfully challenged the Muslims and also said, “O Muslims! Some of your martyrs will be found mutilated, that is, their noses and ears have been cut off and their faces disfigured. I did not order this, but I do not disapprove of it either.” The polytheists showed the greatest disrespect to Amir Hamzah (radi Allahu anhu). A slave named Wahshi attacked him stealthily, and he fell. Abu Sufyan’s wife, Hind, remembering the killing of her father and brother, mutilated his corpse, took out his liver and chewed it, stood over his body, and recited boastful poetry.

Hubal was the name of an idol that was considered the greatest among the idols of the Ka’bah. Thus, Abu Sufyan, upon victory in battle, raised the slogan of Hubal’s triumph, saying, “Today you have prevailed, and the people of Allah have been defeated.” In response, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) raised the slogan of “A’la wa Ajal” (The Most High and Most Glorious), which proved to be truly higher and superior, for later Hubal and all the idols were removed from the Ka’bah, and the name of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, continues to be exalted there forever.

From this hadith, Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) established the purpose of the chapter: that those who were with Abdullah bin Jubayr (radi Allahu anhu) disagreed with their leader and did not obey him, left their post, and thus were punished and suffered defeat. From here, the severe condemnation of preferring opinion and analogy over explicit text is established. But, alas, a large segment of the Ummah has been ruined and destroyed by this very opinion and analogy. Furthermore, a major cause of the division of the Ummah is rigid imitation (taqlid jamid), which has divided the Muslims into various sects.

“They made four madhhabs (schools of law) for the true religion,
And thus created divisions in the religion of the Prophet.”

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Hubal was the name of an idol which was considered one of the greatest among the idols of the Ka'bah. Thus, Abu Sufyan, in his own estimation, raised the slogan of victory for Hubal, proclaiming that today is your dominance and the people of Allah have been subdued.
In response, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) raised a slogan illuminating the truth: (Allah is Most High and Most Majestic)
which proved to be truly exalted and superior, for later on, Hubal and all other idols were eradicated from the Ka'bah, and the name of Allah has always been elevated there since.

➋
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has established his point by showing that the companions of Abdullah bin Jubair (radi Allahu anhu) differed with him and left their post, as a result of which they were punished and faced distress, which the Noble Qur'an has described in these words:
﴿وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ اللَّـهُ وَعْدَهُ إِذْ تَحُسُّونَهُم بِإِذْنِهِ ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ وَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ وَعَصَيْتُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا أَرَاكُم مَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ مِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ الدُّنْيَا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ الْآخِرَةَ ۚ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ ۖ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١٥٢﴾ إِذْ تُصْعِدُونَ وَلَا تَلْوُونَ عَلَىٰ أَحَدٍ وَالرَّسُولُ يَدْعُوكُمْ فِي أُخْرَاكُمْ فَأَثَابَكُمْ غَمًّا بِغَمٍّ لِّكَيْلَا تَحْزَنُوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا مَا أَصَابَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ﴾
“Allah certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing them by His permission, until when you lost courage and fell to disputing about the order and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love. Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some who desire the Hereafter. Then He turned you away from them so that He might test you, and He has certainly pardoned you, and Allah is the possessor of bounty for the believers.
(152)
When you were climbing [the hill] and paid no attention to anyone, while the Messenger was calling you from behind you, so He repaid you with distress upon distress so that you would not grieve over what had escaped you nor over what had befallen you. And Allah is fully aware of what you do.” (Aal Imran: 152, 153)

➌
Allah, the Exalted, subjected the Muslims in this incident to several tribulations:
First, the return of the hypocrites;
second, the defeat;
third, the loss of their martyrs;
fourth, their wounded;
fifth, the rumor that spread regarding the martyrdom of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam);
and sixth, the outcome of this battle.
In any case, the result is that when there is discord, after the destruction of military strength, the enemy truly prevails.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:

In the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) appointed Abdullah bin Jubair (radi Allahu anhu) with fifty archers at a mountain pass of Uhud, with the condition that whether we are defeated or victorious, do not leave this pass under any circumstances without our command. In the beginning, when the Muslims began to achieve victory, the companions of Abdullah bin Jubair (radi Allahu anhu) abandoned that pass, the result of which manifested in the form of the defeat at the Battle of Uhud.

Hadith Commentary:
An incident that occurred during the Battle of Uhud has been mentioned in this hadith with extreme brevity.

In reality, the duty of a commander during war is to arrange his army and organize their positions. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) placed Mount Uhud at his back so that this side would be secure; however, there was one pass that remained unprotected. At that location, he appointed fifty archers under the leadership of Abdullah bin Jubayr (radi Allahu anhu), so that the enemy would not be able to attack the Muslims from that direction, and he strictly instructed them: whether we achieve victory or suffer defeat, you must not leave this position.

When the Muslims attacked the disbelievers, the latter could not withstand it and were forced to flee.

When the Muslims saw this situation, they began to collect the goods and spoils of the disbelievers. The detachment of the army stationed on the hill also descended and suddenly became occupied with gathering the spoils.

When Khalid bin Walid saw that the pass was completely empty, he attacked the Muslims from behind.

Upon seeing this sudden attack, the Muslims were thrown into confusion, and some Muslims fled towards Madinah.

One group turned back towards the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), while a third group left the battlefield and sat at the edge.

During this time, seventy Muslims were martyred, and the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself was wounded. The number of martyrs of Uhud is seventy.

The evidence for this is in the following noble verse; Allah the Exalted says:
"And when a calamity befell you, you had already inflicted twice as much upon them." ()

In this verse, the address is to the people of Uhud: before this loss, you had inflicted twice the loss upon the disbelievers in the Battle of Badr. And it is agreed upon that in the Battle of Badr, seventy disbelievers were killed and seventy were taken captive. The loss suffered by the disbelievers at Badr was twice the loss suffered by the Muslims at Uhud.

From this, it is clear that seventy Muslims were martyred in the Battle of Uhud, and those historians who have reported their number as less or more than seventy are not based on reality.

(Fath al-Bari: 7/384)

And Allah knows best.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
It is permissible for the warriors (mujahideen) to hide or be hidden in an ambush in order to attack the enemy or to defend themselves, and this is an important part of the organization of jihad.

➋
The consequence of not caring about the command of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and of greed for wealth appeared in the form of defeat, even though it was temporary. Therefore, it is obligatory that a person always gives precedence and priority to the commands of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), so that he may be protected from disgrace in this world and the Hereafter.

➌
Obedience to the legitimate leader (shar‘i amir) is also obligatory. And the orders regarding the planning of the commander-in-chief should be accepted without any objection or hesitation.