Friday Sermon
3 May 2024
Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
Previously, the Battle of Hamra al-Asad was being discussed. Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra has cited various books of history in relation to the events of the Battle of Uhud, the return to Medina and also the Battle of Hamra al-Asad. I will present what he has mentioned. He writes:
“This night [i.e., the night following the return from Medina] was a night of great fear in Medina, because although the army of the Quraish had apparently taken to Mecca, it was apprehended that this move may be a plot to catch the Muslims off guard, and suddenly return to attack Medina. Hence, on this night, an arrangement was made for security in Medina and the Companions particularly stood guard all night long at the residence of the Holy Prophetsa. The next morning, it was discovered that this apprehension was not mere speculation, because prior to the Fajr salat, the Holy Prophetsa received news that the army of the Quraish had stalled at a few miles from Medina and a heated debate was taking place amongst the chieftains of Mecca that, making use of this victory, why not attack Medina. Some of the Quraish were taunting one another, saying: ‘You did not kill Muhammad[sa], nor did you take the Muslim women as slaves, nor did you seize their wealth and possessions; rather, when you gained dominance over them and received the opportunity to destroy them completely, you just left them and turned back, so that they may collect strength again. There is still time, let us return and attack Medina and uproot the Muslims once and for all.’
“In contrast to this, the others argued: ‘You have attained victory. Consider this to be good fortune enough and return to Mecca, lest we lose this repute as well, and this victory is turned to defeat. Now if you return and attack Medina, the Muslims shall indeed fight with all their strength, and those who did not participate at Uhud shall come forth in the field of battle as well.’
“Ultimately, however, the opinion of the passionate ones prevailed and the Quraish prepared to set back to Medina. When the Holy Prophetsa was informed of these events, he immediately announced that the Muslims should prepare, but along with this, he also ordered that except for those people who had participated at Uhud, no one else should set out with them. (I have mentioned this historical account previously already. However, since there are additional details, I am mentioning this once again.) As such, the warriors of Uhud, most of whom were wounded, tied up their wounds and betook to the company of their Mastersa. It is written that on this occasion, the Muslims set out with such joy and zeal, as if they were a triumphant army that set out in pursuit of the enemy. After travelling a distance of eight miles, the Holy Prophetsa reached Hamra al-Asad, where the dead bodies of two Muslims were found laying on the plain. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that these were the two spies whom the Holy Prophetsa had sent in the footsteps of the Quraish. Upon finding an opportunity, the Quraish had executed them. The Holy Prophetsa instructed that a single grave be dug, and both of them were buried together. Now that it was evening time, the Holy Prophetsa instructed that camp be set up at this very location. He further instructed that fires be lit at different places throughout the plain. As such, in no time, 500 fires were lit in the plain of Hamra al-Asad, which struck awe into the heart of any spectator from afar. Most probably, on this occasion, an idolatrous chief of the Khuza‘ah tribe named Ma‘bad presented himself before the Holy Prophetsa and offered his condolences to those who had fallen at Uhud, whereafter he continued on his way. On the following day, when he reached Rauha’, lo and behold, he found the army of the Quraish encamped there and that preparations were underway to return to Medina. Ma‘bad went to Abu Sufyan at once and said:
“‘What are you about to do? By God, I have just left behind the army of Muhammad at Hamra al-Asad, and never before have I seen such an awe inspiring army. They are so passionate due to their regret for the defeat at Uhud that they shall reduce you to ashes on sight.’
“Abu Sufyan and his followers were so awe-struck by these comments of Ma‘bad, that they abandoned the idea of returning to Medina and made haste to Mecca at once. When the Holy Prophetsa received news that the army of the Quraish had fled in this manner, he thanked God and said:
“‘This is the awe of God, which He has struck into the hearts of the disbelievers.’
“(As stated before, I have mentioned this in detail in a previous sermon, this was a summary.)
“After this, the Holy Prophetsa remained in Hamra al-Asad for another two or three days, and after an absence of five days, he returned to Medina. In this campaign, two warriors from among the Quraish, one of whom was treacherous and the other a spy, were captured by the Muslims. According to the laws of war, since their punishment was death, they were executed by order of the Holy Prophetsa. Among them, one was a renowned poet of Mecca named Abu ‘Uzzah, who was taken captive at the hands of the Muslims in the battle of Badr. On that occasion, the Holy Prophetsa released him without ransom upon his seeking forgiveness and promising that he would never come forth to fight the Muslims again. However, he betrayed the Muslims and again participated in the war against them. Moreover, not only did he participate himself, but with his provocative couplets, he incited others as well.
“Hence, since the treachery of such a man could have proven to be severely injurious to the Muslims, when he was now taken captive at the hands of the Muslims a second time, the Holy Prophetsa ordered that he be put to death. Abu ‘Uzzah attempted to talk his way to freedom again with a verbal apology, but the Holy Prophetsa refused and said:
لَا يُلْدَغُ الْمُوٴْمِنُ مِنْ جُحْرٍ وَاحِدٍ مُرَّتَيْنِ
“‘A believer is not stung from the same hole twice.’
“The second captive was Mu‘awiyyah bin Mughirah. This individual was from among the relatives of Hazrat ‘Usman bin ‘Affanra, but was a staunch enemy of Islam. After the battle of Uhud, he continued to secretly circle the vicinity of Medina, but the Companions spotted him, apprehended him and presented him before the Holy Prophetsa. Hazrat Usmanra interceded on his behalf and the Holy Prophetsa released him on the condition that he would leave within three days, otherwise he would be executed according to the punishment which was meted out to spies.
“(First he, i.e. Mu’awiyyah, was given a warning to leave within three days, otherwise, since he was apprehended on charges of espionage, he would be executed. If he left, then it would be fine, otherwise, he would have to bear the consequences.)
“Mu‘awiyyah promised that he would leave within three days, but when this time limit had expired and he was still found to be circling Medina secretly just as before, he was executed. History has not recorded his motive, but for someone to secretly remain in the vicinity of Medina, and then to remain there past the stipulated term despite being warned, demonstrates that he harboured dangerous intent. It is very likely that, agitated and vexed by the safe return of the Holy Prophetsa from the field of Uhud, he came to Medina with some ill motive against the very person of the Holy Prophetsa and planned to make a secret strike with the help of a conspiracy hatched by the Jews or idolaters of Medina. Nonetheless, God the Exalted granted His protection and his plan could not succeed.” (Sirat Khatam-un-Nabiyeen, Vol. 2, pp. 350-353 [English Translation])
There have been lengthy debates about the outcome of the Battle of Uhud. Some historians interpret Uhud as a defeat for the Muslims, while others generally hesitate to call it a victory, and pass a verdict somewhere in between. Then there are those who consider it a loss that later turned into an overall victory. The fact of the matter is that if we analyse it in light of the then prevailing customs and rules of warfare, it cannot be called a defeat for the Muslims, because what was the nature of the loss for the Muslims and the victory for the disbelievers? The Muslims were still on the battlefield when Abu Sufyan returned with his army to Mecca, raising hollow slogans. He also raised the false slogan that “this day is revenge for the day of Badr.” However, this was an empty claim. After all, how did this in any way avenge what happened at Badr? At Badr, the disbelievers saw casualties extending from their infantry to their most eminent chieftains, while 70 of their fighters were taken captive. At Badr, the Muslims acquired many spoils of war. At Badr, the Muslims – who were the clear victors – in keeping with Arab custom, remained on the battlefield for three days, while the Meccan army fled. But on the day of Uhud, the disbelievers did not even gain a single one of these [victories]. How then could this be called justice for Badr?
Evidently, therefore, the Muslims certainly did not incur a defeat at Uhud. Indeed, whereas in the first half of the battle, the Muslims saw a triumph, they also incurred a great loss of life in the second half of the battle. But ultimately, the Muslims stood their ground and stayed on the battlefield, and the powerful, hidden hand of God kept the Meccans from achieving an outright victory. Despite a temporary win, they were unable to inflict any further harm on the Muslims. According to the principles of war at that time, they left the battlefield having failed to achieve their objective. And when we pair this with the fact that the Muslims set out for Hamara al-Asad the very next day, the battle of Uhud evidently emerges as a clear victory for the Muslims. And even the momentary setback at Uhud proved to be full of wisdom for the Muslims and a beneficial lesson for all times.
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra states:
“As far as permanent outcomes are concerned, the battle of Uhud does not possess any special significance [against Islam or Muslims]. Temporarily, however, this battle did cause harm to the Muslims in certain respects. Firstly, seventy men were martyred in this war, some of whom were among the most prominent Companions and the number of those who were wounded was also very large.
“Secondly, the Jews and hypocrites of Medina, who had become somewhat awe-stricken as a result of the battle of Badr now became relatively bold. As a matter of fact, ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy and his supporters openly hurled mockery and taunts on this occasion. Thirdly, the Quraish of Mecca became very bold and in their hearts, they began to assume that they had not only sought revenge for Badr, but even in the future, whenever they were able to collect a force and wage an attack, they could easily subdue the Muslims. Fourthly, the tribes of Arabia in general began to raise their heads with more courage. However, despite these losses, it is a clear fact that the victory at the battle of Uhud could not compensate for the harm which had been sustained by the Quraish as a result of the battle of Badr. In the battle of Badr, all those chieftains of Mecca who, in actuality, were the spirit of the Quraish’s national life, were destroyed. Moreover, as the Holy Quran states, this nation was uprooted in the true sense of the word. Furthermore, all of this transpired at the hands of such a nation, which in terms of apparent means, was completely insignificant in comparison to them. In contrast to this, undoubtedly, the Muslims suffered in the field of Uhud, but this loss was absolutely immaterial and temporary in comparison to the loss suffered by the Quraish at Badr. The Holy Prophetsa, who was the focal point of the Islamic society, and was the actual target of the hostile designs of the Quraish, was alive by the grace of God. In addition to this, all the prominent Companions, except for one or two, were all safe. Then, this defeat of the Muslims was in contestation with an army many times greater than their own in number, and far stronger in terms of equipment of war. Hence, in comparison to the magnificent triumph at Badr, the defeat of Uhud was an insignificant thing for the Muslims, and then, in one respect, even this loss proved to be beneficial for the Muslims. For it became clear to them in the likeness of broad daylight that to tread a path in contradiction to the will and guidance of the Holy Prophetsa could never prove to be prosperous and beneficial. The Holy Prophetsa proposed to remain in Medina and in support of this, he even related a dream of his, but they insisted upon going out to fight. The Holy Prophetsa positioned them at a mountain pass and very emphatically instructed them not to leave their positions under any circumstances, but in the thought of collecting spoils, they vacated their positions and descended. Although this practical mistake was committed only by a small group of people, since human society links all people in the form of a single chain, everyone suffered as a result of this weakness, just as if any benefit had been derived, all would have shared in it equally.” (Sirat Khatam-un-Nabiyyeen, Vol. 2, pp. 353-355 [English Translation])
This is a matter of principle. At times, the weaknesses of a few can cause harm to the community at large. In the same way, a good act can be beneficial for the entire community. We now see that many people speak in favour of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. It is not the case that 100% of Ahmadis are of the highest standing, however, due to the few that have a positive influence, the people consider the rest to be good as well.
“Hence, if the defeat of Uhud was a cause for suffering in one respect, it also served as a beneficial lesson for the Muslims in another respect. Moreover, despite having to bear this injury, the Muslims continued to race towards their final destination in the likeness of a grand flood which hits a barrier and then rebounds in the opposite direction with even greater speed.” (Sirat Khatam-un-Nabiyeen, Vol. 2, pp. 353-355 [English Translation])
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh assessed the incidents that followed after the Battle of Uhud in one of his speeches. The various points he derived from this are as follows:
In order to completely eliminate any feeling of loss amongst the Muslims, there was no better measure to adopt by immediately taking them to another battlefield.
By not giving permission to any new soldier who was completely free to join them, the Holy Prophetsa emphatically demonstrated that he did not rely on any worldly means, rather he was true in his claim and conviction in that he placed his sole trust in his Lord and that verily He alone possessed all power over their victory.
Through this decision, the Holy Prophetsa reassured and comforted his companions who had lost their footing in the earlier battle and he showed his confidence in them to suggest that they did not turn their backs and flee from the battlefield, but rather they were compelled to do so owing to the dire circumstances. In the history of battles fought in the world, there would not be a single example as such where the general of the army showed such confidence in his army despite the fact that the very same army, only a few hours prior to that, had fled from the battlefield and left him all alone, except for a few devoted companions.
The Holy Prophet’ssa confidence in his soldiers was 100% accurate and it was not just a passionate decision. This was proven true by the fact that, without any exception, every single one of the soldiers who participated in the Battle of Uhud joined the Holy Prophetsa in this expedition with great resolve and passion. Among them were those who no longer had even the capability to walk. Not a single one of them turned away saying that this expedition was akin to a suicidal mission nor did they express any sort of criticism or claim that it would be unwise to once again throw themselves at the hands of a strong and brutal enemy, having just barely survived [the earlier battle]. […] The decision made by Muhammadsa, the Chosen One on the second day of Uhud to set out in pursuit of the enemy is a great favour upon his Companions, the like of which no general has done for his army whereby their wounded were cured in an instant.
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلٰي آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ بَارِكْ وَسَلِّمْ اِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَّجِيْدٌ
The events that took place afterwards show that the steps taken by the Holy Prophetsa were not just indicative of his personal and moral stature, but it was also very successful from a military point of view and the enemy was stopped from waging an attack which would be even more fierce. Instead, the enemy returned without so much as a whim of victory and instead was severely defeated. Returning without any further harm, it was through his wisdom and planning that the Holy Prophetsa obtained countless magnificent benefits.”
He writes, “Upon taking a look at all the battles fought by the Holy Prophetsa an astonishing light is cast upon his excellent and unmatched capabilities as a general in war, which had become perfected in him. However, the first and last impression of the Holy Prophetsa is not that he was an expert in war but that he was a moral and spiritual leader who bore the flag of the loftiest morals. (This is very important.) After raising the flag of excellent morals and then raising it higher and higher, he became engaged in such a grand and unrelenting endeavour, which continued just the same during times of peace as it did during times of war. He protected this flag day and night. The enemy would constantly succeed in causing great, painful physical harm to the Holy Prophetsa and his Companions, however, he never allowed for this to cause even the slightest blight to his flag of morals and he did not allow for any of its harm to be inflicted. Despite everything, the Holy Prophetsa always displayed the highest standard of morals. At that time as well, this flag was in his possession with great grandeur and was accompanied by heavenly wonders. When the severely injured body of the Holy Prophetsa helplessly fell upon the rocky plains of Uhud, even then this flag remained aloft in his hands with an extraordinary sense of independence while the companions were being cut down from every direction. Hence, the morals of the Holy Prophetsa and the Jihad of morality of those Companions who were with him during the Battle of Uhud continued simultaneously with great force and strength. The great victor, Muhammadsa, the Chosen One achieved magnificent victory in every single moral battle. The Holy Prophetsa safely passed through such calamitous earthquakes, which have the power to crumble even the strongest of moral foundations.” (Khitabat-e-Tahir [prior to his Khilafat], pp. 331-335)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“After an apparent victory at the Battle of Uhud, there was an aspect of defeat, but in reality, this battle was a magnificent sign of the truthfulness of the Holy Prophetsa. In this battle, according to the prophecy made by the Holy Prophetsa, the Muslims were victorious at first. Then, in accordance with the Holy Prophet’ssa prophecy, his uncle was killed in battle. Then, according to the Holy Prophet’ssa prophecy, the disbelievers’ flagbearer was killed at the beginning of the battle. Then, in accordance with the Holy Prophet’ssa prophecy, the Holy Prophetsa himself was injured and many Companions were martyred. Furthermore, the Muslims were given an opportunity to exhibit such faith and sincerity, the likes of which cannot be found anywhere else in history.” (Deebacha Tafsir-ul-Quran, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 20, p. 253)
Whilst mentioning the fact that the Battle of Uhud was a decisive victory and how, after this battle, the Holy Prophetsa continued his work of educating and training once again, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“Many Muslims were martyred and wounded during this battle, however, the Battle of Uhud still cannot be considered a defeat […] Rather, this was a great victory; so great that Muslims would remember it until the Day of Judgement and its memory would increase their faith. Upon returning to Medina, the Holy Prophetsa continued his real mission of moral training, educating and bringing about a transformation. Nonetheless, he was not able to carry out his task with ease. After the Battle of Uhud, the Jews were emboldened more than before and even the hypocrites began to raise their heads, thinking that it was within the power of man to eradicate Islam. Thus, the Jews began to cause harm to the Holy Prophetsa. They would write vulgar poetry about the Holy Prophetsa and his family. Once, the Holy Prophetsa had to visit a Jewish fort to settle a matter, and the Jews plotted to drop a large boulder on the Holy Prophetsa where he would sit, in an attempt to kill him. Nevertheless, God Almighty informed the Holy Prophetsa in advance and he departed from there without saying a word. Afterwards, the Jews admitted to their mistake.” (Ibid., p. 257)
This concludes the events that took place immediately after the Battle of Uhud and the accounts relating to the expedition of Hamra al-Asad.
I have been continuously drawing attention towards prayers for the situation of the world, the state of the Muslims and regarding Palestine. Although it seems from various sources that there may be a ceasefire for a short while, however, the prevailing conditions indicate that even if this happens, the injustices against Palestinians will not end. Hence, there is a great need for prayers; may Allah the Almighty enable the Palestinians to also turn to Him.
In any case, the current circumstances have also brought about the means to shatter the pride of the arrogant people. It seems that Allah the Almighty has started the process of bringing an end to their pride, but exactly when this process will be complete – only Allah knows best. However, in any case, their pride is breaking and voices opposing them are being raised from within them. For example, there are protests taking place in the USA. Although they are forcefully trying to stop these protests, and even if they are able to stop them temporarily, they will start up again.
May Allah the Almighty grant sense to the major powers of the world for them to act with justice. They have certain standards for themselves but different standards for others. This will ultimately become the reason for the collapse of the UN.
The second request for prayer is for myself. For some time, I had a heart valve malfunction. The doctors had been suggesting a procedure be carried out, however, I kept postponing it. But now, the doctors said that it was at a stage where it would not be advisable to wait any longer. Hence, in recent days, a procedure to change the valve was carried out. All praise is due to Allah, the procedure was successful. Upon the advice of doctors, I was unable to attend the mosque for a few days. As I mentioned that by the grace of Allah the Almighty the doctors have said that, medically speaking the procedure has been successful. Pray that however much life Allah the Almighty is to grant me is one that is healthy and active.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 24 May 2024, pp. 2-5. Translated by The Review of Religions.)