Ḥamrāʾ al-Asad

Within this discussion, one very prominent theme is the munāfiqīn, the hypocrites. They are of course on the other side; they want to see the Muslims defeated. Whenever they could spread rumours, cause fasād and corruption, and provoke chaos of one kind or another, they would do so. After the Prophet (peace be upon him) had buried the shuhadāʾ, all those who had been martyred — after they had buried them — the Muslims heard that Abū Sufyān, who had left supposing that they had won, had gone to a place a few miles away called al-Rawḥāʾ. He reached al-Rawḥāʾ, and it was there that he realised what a mistake they had made: "We have run off too quickly; we have retreated too quickly. We could simply go in and finish the job once and for all. Why did we not do that?" So he decides to turn back. And the Prophet (peace be upon him) hears of it. In those days such news would spread somehow: someone would come and report it. So the Prophet (peace be upon him) learns that the Quraysh mean to return; and if they return, it will be very difficult.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) now announces that they will pursue them, that they will go out to meet them. And the only people who could come with him that day were those who had been with him the day before — those who had fought the day before; only they could accompany him. Two things must be remembered here. First, these men were tired. Wounded. A battle takes everything out of a man. Thirty seconds in a boxing ring will show it; a whole battle lasting a day or two may then be imagined. But these were the men who had the īmān, the yaqīn, and who had proved it; so only they were permitted to come. And as soon as the Prophet (peace be upon him) made the announcement, they made ready to go with him. They made ready despite all their troubles, all their wounds, and everything else.

About eight miles from Madīnah Munawwarah there is a place called Ḥamrāʾ al-Asad — the red of the lion. It is not clear exactly why it bears the name Ḥamrāʾ al-Asad. It is called Ḥamrāʾ — perhaps the stones there are red, or some such reason. But it is a place about eight miles from Madīnah Munawwarah. When the Muslims reached it, the mushrikīn of Makkah discovered that the Muslims had come out. They were already apprehensive. They had thought themselves lucky, and had meant to return and take him unawares; but when they discovered that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was out in the field again, ready to give them battle, they decided against it. They judged it best simply to go home. That is why this small expedition is counted separately. Although it is connected with the whole affair of Badr and Uḥud, it is in fact called Ghazwat Ḥamrāʾ al-Asad, the Ḥamrāʾ al-Asad expedition, and is therefore mentioned separately in some places.