Musab al-Khair - Part 3

The Prophet's Migration

The polytheists harmed the Muslims intensely. So, the Prophet [s] ordered his companions to immigrate to Madina.

The Muslims began leaving Makkah secretly. They went there one by one or group by group. The Quraish knew about the Muslims immigration. Thus, they began capturing and torturing some of them.

Thirteen years passed after the Prophetic Mission. Abu Jahal urged the Quraish to kill our Master Muhammad [s]. Jibreel came down from the sky to tell Allah's Apostle [s] about the Quraishi plot. He ordered him to immigrate to Madina.

The Prophet [s] decided to leave Madina secretly. Therefore, he asked his cousin Ali to sleep in his bed. Ali accepted the Prophet's request with pleasure.

The polytheists broke into the Prophet's house. They saw Ali sleeping in his bed. They admired Ali's bravery and sacrifice.

Our Master Muhammad [s] arrived in Madina. It's people received him with songs. On that day, Yathrib was named al-Madina al-Munawarra.

Our Master Muhammad [s] began building a new society.

First, our Master Muhammad [s] built a mosque. The mosque was a symbol for monotheism. Then, he made brotherhood between Muhajireen and Ansar.

The Battle of Badr

The polytheists in Makkah attacked and robbed the Muslim's houses.

Our Master Muhammad [s] wanted to punish the Quraish. He heard about their trade caravan coming from Sham. He ordered the Muslims to get ready to attack the caravan.

Abu Sufyan, the leader of the caravan, heard about the Muslim's plan. So, he sent a man to the Quraishi leaders to send him urgent supplies. In the meantime, he changed the direction of the caravan.

The polytheists got ready to face the Muslims. They called up 950 fighters and headed for Madina.

The Prophet [s] formed an army. The number of the army was 313 fighters. He gave Mus'ab bin Umair the Muhajireen's banner. He gave Saad bin Maadh the Ansar's banner. And he gave his banner, called al-Ikaab, to Ali bin Abu Talib [a].

The two armies met near Badr wells.

The battle took place. The Muslims fought bravely. Allah granted them a victory. The Muslims killed many polytheists. They killed Abu Sufyan and Umayyah bin Khulaif. Besides, they captured many polytheists such as al-Nadhar bin al-Harith.

Al-Nadhar bin al-Harith said to Mus'ab bin Umair: Tell your friend (our Master Muhammad [s] ) to regard me as a prisoner of war!

Mus'ab said to him: You tortured his companions.

Al-Nadhar bin al-Harith tried to remind him of the pre-Islamic fanaticism, he said to him: If the Quraish captured you, I would prevent them from killing you.

Mus'ab said: I'm against your opinion. Islam is against fanaticism.

Mus'ab thought of nothing but Islam and obeyed none but Allah and his Messenger [s].

The Battle of Uhud

The Quraish were getting ready to take revenge on the Muslims. A year passed after the Battle of Badr.

The polytheists formed a big army. The number of the army was three thousand fighters. Abu Sufyan headed it.

The polytheist army advanced towards Madina.

The Jews in Madina were worried, for the Muslims won victory at the Battle of Badr. So, they were full of spite. Kaad bin al-Ashraf, a Jew belonging to Bani al-Nadheer, went to Makkah. He urged the polytheists to take revenge on the Muslims.

Abu Sufyan said to Kaab: Which religion is better - Muhammad's or ours?

Kaab said with a smile: Yours!

Thus, the Jews succeeded in urging the polytheists. For this reason, the polytheist army headed for al-Madina al-Munawwara.

The Facing

After many talks in the Prophet's Mosque, the Muslims were agreed on facing the polytheists near Uhud Mount outside Madina. Our Master Muhammad [s] formed an army. The number of the army was seven hundred fighters. The Prophet [s] gave the banner to the brave companion Mus'ab bin Umair.

Our Master Muhammad [s] ordered the best fifty bow men to stay on al-Ainain Mount. Their duty was to defend the Muslims against any surprising attack. Thus, the Prophet [s] ordered them not to leave their places at any rate - he said to them:

Protect us from the back. Don't leave your places when you see us collecting booty or when we are killed.

When the fight started, the Muslims won great victory. They began chasing the polytheists. The bow men on the mountain forgot the Prophet's order. They saw their Muslim brothers collecting booty. So, they left their places.

Khalid bin al-Waleed headed the polytheist army. He launches a surprising attack. The bow men on the mountain could not resist the attack. So, some of them became martyrs. The attack left the Muslims in chaos.

Our Master Muhammad [s] and some of his companions such as Ali bin Abu Talib [a], Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib, and Mus'ab bin Umair faced the attack.

Mus'ab was carrying the Muslims' banner. He was among those who fought bravely to protect Allah's Apostle [s].

The polytheists attacked Mus'ab strongly to drop banner, for dropping the banner meant defeat. For this reason, Mus'ab bin Umair was fighting bravely. After heroic resistance, he fell to the ground and was martyred.

Our Master Muhammad [s] ordered Ali bin Abu Talib [a] to raise the banner high. The fight continued. Then Hamza became a martyr. Some companions fought bravely. Abu Dajana al-Ansary and Sahal bin Hunaifa were two of them.

Our Master Muhammad [s] was badly wounded. The polytheists launched intense attacks against him. Each time, the Prophet [s] said to Ali [a]: Fight these polytheists!

Ali was fighting with his sword called Dhul Fiqar. He did not pay attention to his wounds. Jibreel came down from the sky. He said to our Master Muhammad [s]: Muhammad, the angels of the sky have admired your resistance.

Some companions heard an angel calling the sky: There's no sword but Dhul Fiqar and no youth like Ali.

The Withdrawal

Although the situation was critical, our Master Muhammad [s] decided to withdraw his troops to refresh them. He called: I'm Allah's Apostle [s]. come near to me!

The Prophet [s] took his companions to Uhud Mount.

Abu Sufyan stood at the foot of the mountain and said: A day for a day!

Then he said: Hubal is great!

The Prophet [s] ordered a companion of his to say: Allah is greater!

Abu Sufyan said: The supporter is for us, but you've no supporter!

The Prophet [s] said: Allah is our supporter, but you've no supporter!

The battle was over. The Muslims took an unforgettable lesson from it. The lesson was about obeying our Master Muhammad [s] at any rate.

The Muslims lost seventy fighters. The polytheists lost twenty eight fighters.

Our Master Muhammad [s] arrived in Madina. The Muslims rejoiced at his return.

Our Master Muhammad [s] condoled Hamna bint Jahash on her uncle's martyrdom. She said: We belong to Allah and we shall come back to Him! May Allah forgive and have mercy on him!

He condoled her on her brother Abdullah's martyrdom.

She said: We belong to Allah and we shall come back to Him! May Allah forgive and have mercy on him!

Then he condoled her on her husband Mus'ab's martyrdom. She burst into tears and said: What great sadness!

She wept bitter tears. Our Master Muhammad [s] knew that Hamna loved her brave husband very much. So, he did not tell her directly.

That believing woman went home weeping. For this reason our Master Muhammad [s] said: The woman loves her husband more than others.

Thus the bright page of jihad was folded. Mus'ab's name was on its first lines.

The Muslims always remember this brave hero, who suffered persecution for Islam. Mus'ab al-Khair's name has been in the generations memory!

Adapted from the book: "The Companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w)"