What Abu Bakr (Ibn Abi Shaybah) preserved about Uhud and the reports on it

It is reported from al-Sha'bi that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) employed a stratagem against the polytheists on the day of Uhud, and this was the first day on which he (peace and blessings be upon him) employed a stratagem against them.

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that on the day of Uhud, when the polytheists were defeated, Iblis cried out: "O servants of Allah, look to those behind you!" The ones in front turned back and fought with those behind them. The narrator said: Then Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) looked, and there was his father al-Yaman, and he said: "O servants of Allah! My father! My father!" Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: By Allah, the Companions did not hold back until they had killed him. Then Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "May Allah forgive you." Urwah said: By Allah, goodness remained in Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) until he met Allah.

Al-Sha'bi said: On the day of Uhud, when the polytheists had gone back, the Muslims saw their brothers in the worst state of mutilation. The polytheists had cut off the ears and noses of the Muslims and slit open their bellies. The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If Allah Almighty gives us power over them, we will most certainly adopt (this same conduct) toward them, and we will adopt this same conduct!" So Allah Almighty revealed this verse: "And if you punish, then punish with the like of that with which you were afflicted. But if you are patient, it is better for those who are patient." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Rather, we shall be patient."

Sa'id bin al-Musayyib narrates that in the battle of Uhud the one among the Muslims who fought the hardest was Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Umayr bin Ishaq: In the battle of Uhud the people had fallen away from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), while Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) was shooting arrows, and a young man was handing him arrows for shooting. Whenever one arrow was shot, he would hand another arrow to Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him). Then he said: "O Abu Ishaq, shoot at him." Later the people searched for that young man (who had been handing him the arrows), but they could not find him.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him): I did not hear the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say "may my parents be ransomed for you" to any man other than Sa'd. I heard him (peace and blessings be upon him) on the day of Uhud, when he (peace and blessings be upon him) was saying: "O Sa'd, shoot! May my mother and father be sacrificed for you."

Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that on the day of Uhud the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned both his mother and father together for me (saying that they be sacrificed).

Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: On the day of Uhud, on the right side and on the left side of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), I saw two men wearing white clothes. I had not seen them before that, nor did I (ever) see them after it.

It is narrated from Umayr bin Ishaq that in the battle of Uhud Sayyiduna Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) was fighting in front of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with two swords, saying: "I am the lion of Allah." The narrator said: Sayyiduna Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) was moving forward and back when he stumbled, fell flat on the back of his neck and slid away, and the coat of mail came open from over the belly of Sayyiduna Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him). An Abyssinian slave saw him and struck him with a spear or a javelin, which passed right through him.

Sa'id bin Jubayr said concerning "And do not think of those who were killed in the way of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision" [Al Imran: 169]: When Sayyiduna Hamzah bin Abd al-Muttalib and Sayyiduna Mus'ab bin Umayr (may Allah be pleased with them both) were martyred on the day of Uhud, they said: "If only our brothers could know of the good we have attained, so that they might have greater desire (for it)." So Allah Almighty said: "I will convey this on your behalf (to them)." Then this verse was revealed: "And do not think of those who were killed in the way of Allah as dead" up to "the believers."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that on the day of Uhud the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by Sayyiduna Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) when he had been mutilated. He (peace and blessings be upon him) stood by him and said: "Were I not afraid that Sayyidah Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) would keep this in her heart, I would leave Hamzah (as he is), so that grazing beasts, birds and animals would eat him, and then on the Day of Resurrection he would be gathered and raised from their bellies." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) sent for a blanket with white and black stripes. When that blanket was put over the blessed head of Hamzah, his feet would be uncovered, and when it was pulled toward his feet, his head would be uncovered. At this the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Pull this blanket toward his head and put harmal (wild rue) on his feet." Clothes ran short and the slain were many, so one, two and three men were shrouded in a single cloth. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would ask: "Which of them has the most Qur'an (memorised)?" Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) would give that person precedence.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would put together two men at a time from those slain at Uhud in a single cloth. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) would ask: "Which of these two knows more of the Qur'an?" When someone pointed out one of them to him (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) would lower that one into the grave first, and he would say: "I will be a witness over these people on the Day of Resurrection." He (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that the slain be buried with their blood upon them, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not lead the funeral prayer over them, nor were they given the ritual bath (ghusl).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned on the day of Uhud, the women of Banu Abd al-Ashhal were weeping over their slain. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "But Hamzah has no women to weep over him." So the women of the Ansar came to weep over Sayyiduna Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) had been sleeping, and he awoke and said: "Alas for them! These women are still here! Order them to go back, and not to weep over anyone who perishes after today."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Khabbab (may Allah be pleased with him): We migrated with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), seeking the pleasure of Allah Almighty, so our reward became due upon Allah. Among us were some who did not consume anything of their reward. Among these is Sayyiduna Mus'ab bin Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was martyred in the battle of Uhud, and nothing was available to shroud him except one sheet. When the Companions put this sheet over his head, his feet would be uncovered, and when they pulled it toward his feet, his blessed head would be uncovered. At this the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Put this sheet toward his head, and put idhkhir (a fragrant grass) on his feet." And among us were some whose fruits (of reward) ripened for them, so they are harvesting them.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Usayd (may Allah be pleased with him): We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) at the grave of Sayyiduna Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him). The sheet was pulled toward the head of Sayyiduna Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him), so his feet were uncovered. Then the sheet was pulled toward his feet, so his blessed head was uncovered. At this the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Pull this sheet toward his head, and put leaves of harmal on his feet."

Some shaykhs of the Ansar narrate that on the day of Uhud Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin Haram and Sayyiduna Amr bin Jamuh (may Allah be pleased with them both) were brought slain to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Bury these two in one grave, for in this world they had a sincere bond with each other."

Some people of Banu Salamah narrate: When Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) made the spring flow that passes by the graves of the martyrs, that spring passed over the grave of two martyrs, and their grave was exposed. The people raised a cry about them, and we brought the two of them out. Their limbs were soft and bending, as though they had died only yesterday. There were two sheets over them, with which their faces had been covered, and idhkhir plants lay on their feet.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him): My father Abdullah said to me: "O my son, were it not for these little sisters and daughters whom I am leaving behind, I would have liked to send you ahead of me. But (now) remain among those keeping watch over Madinah." The narrator said: Then before long my paternal aunt brought the two of them, meaning his father and paternal uncle, in a slain state. She had laid the two of them across a camel.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that on the day of Uhud a man from the polytheists was killed, and the polytheists wished to pay his blood money, but he refused. So they offered (more) until it reached the amount of the blood money, but he still refused.

It is narrated from Farisi, a freed slave of Banu Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), that on the day of Uhud he struck a man and killed him, and said: "Take that! I am the Persian lad." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What prevented you from saying 'the Ansari', when you are one of them? The freed slave of a people is counted among that people."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that his uncle was absent from the battle of Badr, and he would say: "I stayed behind from the first battle that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fought against the polytheists. By Allah, if Allah Almighty now shows me battle against the polytheists, I too will show Allah Almighty what I do." When the day of Uhud came and the Muslims scattered, he said: "O Allah, I apologise to You for what these people (the Muslims) have done, and I declare myself free before You of what these people (the polytheists) have brought." And (having said this) he went forward. Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) met him at the far end of the army, on this side of Uhud, and Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I am with you (too)." Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I could not do what he did. On his body were found a little over eighty sword blows, spear thrusts and arrow marks. And we used to say that it was concerning him and his companions that this verse was revealed: "Among them are those who have fulfilled their vow, and among them are those who are waiting." [Al-Ahzab: 23]

It is narrated from al-Hasan and Sa'id bin al-Musayyib that those slain at Uhud were given the ritual bath (ghusl).

It is narrated from Qays bin Abi Hazim: I saw the hand of Sayyiduna Talhah bin Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him) paralysed. With this hand he had protected and shielded the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on the day of Uhud.

It is reported from al-Sha'bi that Sayyiduna Hamzah bin Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) was killed on the day of Uhud, and Sayyiduna Hanzalah Ibn al-Rahib (may Allah be pleased with him), whom the angels washed, was killed on the day of Uhud.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): I was presented in the service of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on the day of Uhud when I was fourteen years old, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) considered me too young. (Then) I was presented to him (peace and blessings be upon him) on the day of al-Khandaq when I was fifteen years old, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) granted me permission (to take part in the fighting).

Nafi' said: So I narrated this hadith to Umar bin Abd al-Aziz, and he said: "This (age) is the boundary between the young and the grown." Then he wrote to his governors that they should assign a share for the fifteen-year-old among the fighters and for the fourteen-year-old among the dependents.

It is narrated from Sa'd bin al-Mundhir that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set out toward Uhud. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) had passed Thaniyyat al-Wada', he (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a fierce-looking force behind him. He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Who are these people?" The people said: "Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul and his Jewish allies." He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Have they accepted Islam?" The people said: "No! Rather, they remain on their own religion." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tell them to go back, for we do not seek help from polytheists against polytheists."

It is narrated from Asim bin Umar bin Qatadah that the eye of Sayyiduna Qatadah bin al-Nu'man (may Allah be pleased with him) came out on the day of Uhud and fell on his cheek, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) put it back. Then this eye was more beautiful and sharper of sight (than the other eye).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave an order concerning those slain on the day of Uhud, so they were wrapped in cloth with their blood on them. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) also said that the one among them with the most Qur'an should be given precedence, and that two men should be placed in one grave. The narrator said: So I buried my father and my paternal uncle in one grave.

It is narrated from Muhammad bin Thabit that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said on the day of Uhud: "O Mus'ab, go forward!" Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him (peace and blessings be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), has Mus'ab not been killed?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed he has, but an angel is standing in his place, and it has taken his name."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that on the day of Uhud the (Muslim) women were finishing off the wounded (disbelievers), giving water to (the Muslims) and treating the wounded (Muslims).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that on the day of Uhud the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) took hold of a sword and said: "Who will take this from me?" The people stretched out their hands, and every man began saying: "I, I (will take it)." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who will take this sword in return for (fulfilling) its right?" The narrator said: Then the people held back. Simak Abu Dujanah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I will take this sword in return for (fulfilling) its right." The narrator said: Then Abu Dujanah took hold of that sword, and with it he split open the skulls of many polytheists.

Hisham narrates from his father that whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw Uhud, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would say: "This is a mountain that loves us, and we love it."

It is narrated from al-Hakam that the funeral prayer was not offered over those slain at Uhud, nor were they given the ritual bath (ghusl).

It is narrated from Amir that on the day of Uhud the blessed nose of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was injured, and his (peace and blessings be upon him) blessed incisor tooth was injured. The narrator held that Sayyiduna Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) protected the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with his hand, and he was struck, and his finger became paralysed.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him): I was among those upon whom drowsiness came on the day of Uhud, until the sword fell from my hand several times.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the polytheists closed in on the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on the day of Uhud, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever drives these polytheists back from us will go to Paradise." A man from the Ansar stood up and fought until he was killed. Then another man stood up and began driving the polytheists back until he too was killed, until seven men had been killed. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "We have not done well by our companions."

It is narrated from Abu Salih, the freed slave of Umm Hani, that al-Harith bin Suwayd pledged allegiance at the hand of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and believed in him (peace and blessings be upon him). Then he joined the people of Makkah and took part in Uhud (on their side) and fought against the Muslims. Then he felt remorse, returned to Makkah and wrote a letter to his brother Julas bin Suwayd: "O my brother, I regret what has come from me, so I repent to Allah and return to Islam. Mention this to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and if you have hope concerning (the acceptance of) my repentance, write to me." Julas mentioned this to him (peace and blessings be upon him), and Allah Almighty revealed this verse: "How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their faith?" At this, some of his former companions began saying: "He enjoys himself, then he returns to Islam." Then this verse was revealed: "Indeed, those who disbelieved after their faith and then increased in disbelief, their repentance will never be accepted, and those are the ones who have gone astray." [Al Imran: 86, 90]

Muhammad bin Ka'b al-Qurazi reports that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) met Sayyidah Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) on the day of Uhud and said: "Take the sword; it has not been found blameworthy." At this the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)! If you fought excellently today, the day of Uhud, then Abu Dujanah, Mus'ab bin Umayr, al-Harith bin al-Simmah and Sahl bin Hunayf also fought excellently: (that is,) three men of the Ansar and one man of Quraysh."

It is narrated from Ikrimah that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came with his sword and said: "(Fatimah,) take this praiseworthy sword." (At this) the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If you fought excellently today, then Sahl bin Hunayf, Asim bin Thabit, al-Harith bin al-Simmah and Abu Dujanah also fought excellently." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who will take this sword in return for (fulfilling) its right?" Sayyiduna Abu Dujanah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I (will take it)." Then he took the sword and fought with it, until when Abu Dujanah came (back) with the sword, he had bent it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Have you given the sword its right?" He replied: "Yes!"