Exemplary Conduct

EXEMPLARY CONDUCT Muslims held sway; later on, a mistake made by some of the Prophet’s companions gave the enemy a chance to attack from the rear and sway the tide of battle in their favour. It was a desperate situation, and many of the companions started fleeing from the field. The Prophet was left alone, encircled by the enemy’s armed forces. Like hungry wolves, they advanced upon him. The Prophet started calling to his companions. “Come back to me, O servants of God,” he cried. “Isn’t anyone who will sacrifice his life for my sake, who will fend these oppressors off me and be my companion in paradise?’ Imagine how dreadful the situation must have been, with the Prophet crying for help in this manner. Some of his companions responded to his call, but such confusion reigned at the time that even these gallant soldiers could not protect him fully. First, ‘Utbah ibn Abi Waqqas hurled a stone at the Prophet’s face, knocking out some of his lower teeth. Next, a famed warrior of the Quraysh, ‘Abdullah ibn Qumayyah, attacked him with a battle-axe, causing two links of his helmet to penetrate his face. They were so deeply embedded that Abu ‘Ubaydah broke two teeth in his attempt to extract them. Then it was the turn of ‘Abdullah ibn Shahab Zuhri, who threw a stone at the Prophet and injured his face. Bleeding profusely, he fell into a pit. When the Prophet was not seen on the field of battle for long, the word went around that he had been martyred. Then one of the Prophet’s companions spotted him lying in the pit. Seeing him be alive, he cried jubilantly, “The Prophet