The Pursuit to Ḥamrāʾ al-Asad

Ibn Ḥazm said, "The Battle of Uḥud took place on Saturday in the middle of Shawwāl. On the morning of Sunday, the sixteenth of Shawwāl, the crier of the Messenger of Allah announced to the people that they should leave in pursuit of the enemy." The Muslims had just come back from battle, having fought on the Saturday, and on the Sunday morning the announcement was made that they had to pick up their arms, get ready, and pursue the enemy again — tired, exhausted, injured, having lost seventy of their men in one day, and now, the very next day following the Battle of Uḥud, they were to carry on the fight. This was very difficult for them, and the hypocrites did not want to go out, and made a great deal of it, spreading rumours that Abū Sufyān and his army were regrouping and planning another attack. The hypocrites said, "Are you crazy? Abū Sufyān has won yesterday, and now they are regrouping and receiving reinforcements, and you want to go and fight them again?" These rumours were having their effect, but the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "We will go out and meet them."

Ibn Ḥazm gives the purpose: "The purpose of the Messenger of Allah in pursuing was to frighten the enemy, by making them aware that the Muslims were still powerful, and that their losses had not so weakened them that they could not face their enemy." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was showing patience, showing steadfastness in the face of danger, and showing persistence — qualities important for the Muslims in their contest with the enemies of Allah, the Almighty and Glorious. Even if defeated, one carries on the fight; even if weakened, one depends on Allah, the Almighty and Glorious, and draws strength from Him, and remains steadfast and patient.

Of the outcome of this battle, Ibn Ḥazm said, "The Khazraj tribe, both those of them who were Muslims and those who were unbelievers, were secretly the allies of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in Tihāmah, and their understanding with him was that they would not conceal from him anything that happened there." These were tribes living in Tihāmah and the Ḥijāz, and whether Muslim or non-Muslim among them, they were allies of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and would bring him information about any movements that occurred in their area. Maʿbad, at that time, was still an idolater, and he told the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), on his way past Ḥamrāʾ al-Asad, "Muḥammad, we are deeply sorry at what happened to your men, and we hope for Allah to protect you and them." So even though he was an idolater, he was supportive of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and said that he wished he would win against the people of Quraysh. He then left, while the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was still there at Ḥamrāʾ al-Asad, and met up with Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb and his men at al-Rawḥāʾ.

Quraysh had decided to return and fight the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his men. They had concluded, "We have severely damaged the best of his companions and their chieftains and nobles — so should we now go home before we uproot them completely? We should go back for the rest of them and be finished with them." That was the plan of the disbelievers. When Abū Sufyān saw Maʿbad, he asked him, "How are things back up behind you, Maʿbad?" He replied, "Muḥammad has come out with his men seeking you, in a force the like of which I never saw before" — and this was not true, but Maʿbad was exaggerating the strength of the Muslims — "they are truly enraged towards you. He has been joined by those who stayed behind when you did battle with him, and these men much regret what they did; the anger they have towards you is something the like of which I have never seen before." Abū Sufyān said, "What are you suggesting?" He replied, "I swear, I do not think you will be able to leave before you catch sight of the foremost of their cavalry" — meaning they were coming fast — "but we have decided to attack them, to destroy the rest of them," was the response of Abū Sufyān. Maʿbad said, "I really do advise you against that. I swear, I was so affected by what I saw that I composed some verses on the subject." Abū Sufyān said, "What did you compose?" And Maʿbad recited the verses:

"At the noise, my mount almost shied, the earth streaming with masses of fine horses, racing on, their riders like noble lions, men not effeminate in the fray and not poorly armed. I ran on, thinking the earth itself moving, as they brought up a leader never to be forsaken, and I said, 'Woe to Ibn Ḥarb when you meet the plain sheikhs beneath the lines of men.' I warned the people of Mecca very plainly, addressing every wise and sane man they have — of the army of Aḥmad, not some mixed rabble, and my warning should not be described as mere hearsay."

When Abū Sufyān heard this, his party were dissuaded, and they went back. So Maʿbad did a very good job in demoralising the enemy and sending them back, by convincing them that they had no chance of winning against the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his Companions.