The Role of Aisha in the History of Islam (volume 3)

Part One : a Glance At the Life of Mu'awiyah

Mu'awiyah was the son of Abu Sufyan and fiend and was nicknamed 'Abd ar- Rahman. According to the most common historical narrations, he seemed to apparently embrace Islam after the capture of Mecca, and in the 12th year of the Hijrah when Abu Bakr dispatched an army to ash-Sham under the command of Yazid, the other son of Abu Sufyan, to fight the Romans, Mu'awiyah accompanied his brother as a banner-bearer of the army. Yazid, Abu Sufyan's son, died of plague in the year 18 of the Hijrah; in 'Amwas6, and appointed his brother, Mu'awiyah, as commander of the army, a nomination that was accepted and signed by the caliph.

During the caliphate of 'Uthman who was of the Umayyads and a cousin of Mu'awiyah, many lands were annexed to the dominion governed by him, and 'Uthman placed ash-Sham under his rule which to-day comprises Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan.

Thus for nineteen years Mu'awiyah governed ash-Sham in peace and tranquility. But after this period when Imam 'Ali assumed the position of caliph, Mu'awiyah rebelled against and disobeyed him. He rose with the deceptive claim of avenging 'Uthman's blood, and entered the region of Siffin with a huge army. The Imam collected an army of the Emigrants, Ansar (helpers) and other Muslims to suppress him and proceeded to Siffin to confront him.

The two armies faced each other in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah of the year 36 of the Hijrah, and during one hundred and ten days ninety skirmishes took placed between them, and finally when the victory of the Imam's army seemed certain, 'Amr ibn al-'As suggested to resort to trickery, which was carried out by the order of Mu'awiyah. Soldiers were ordered to stick a copy of the Qur'an on their spearheads, inviting the Imam and his army to the arbitration of the Qur'an. This trick carried a considerable emotive effect on the army of ash- Sham and the simple-minded people of Kufah who faced the Imam to accept peace with their brothers-in-faith!

The war thus ended, and then the arm of Kufah, contrary to the view of the Imam, chose Abu Musa al-Ash'ari as their arbitrator, while Mu'awiyah nominated 'Amr ibn al-'As to act as arbitrator on behalf of himself and his army. These two arbitrators came together to the land of Dumat al-Jandal in the month of Ramadan of the year 38 of the Hijrah to negotiate. 'Amr ibn al-'As cunningly suggested that they should both reject 'Ali and Mu'awiyah as caliph 6. 'Amwas was a village in Palestine within six miles of Jerusalem from where plague spread in 'Umar's time to all parts of Palestine and destroyed many Muslims. (Mu'jam al-buldan 4/257 printed Beirut).

so that the Muslims could then vote to choose anyone they wished as caliph. Abu Musa accepted the proposal and was asked by 'Amr ibn al-'As to climb the pulpit and declare the denouncement. He did so. But when 'Amr ibn al-'As climbed the pulpit, contrary to their agreement, he denounced 'Ali and nominated Mu'awiyah as caliph. Abu Musa rose in anger of 'Amr ibn al-'As's trickery and began to abuse him. 'Amr ibn al-'As was ready to retaliate. In this way Mu'awiyah was chosen as caliph.

In Ramadan of the year 40 of the Hijrah, the sword of 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn Muljam split the Imam's forehead, who died after three days. The Emigrants, Ansar and other Muslims except the people of ash-Sham swore allegiance to Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba, but eventually failed to support him against Mu'awiyah, and showed such weakness that evil intentions of Mu'awiyah were carried out without any serious confrontation. In that year which was named "Am al-Jama'ah" Mu'awiyah sat on the seat of caliph, and ruled some nineteen years. He died in Rajab of the year 60 and was buried in Damascus.

Abu Sufyan and Hind Controversy over the true identity of Mu'awiyah's father On his father's side Mu'awiyah is related to four persons.

Az-Zamakhshari Mu'awiyah's father was Abu Sufyan, Sakhr ibn Harb ibn Umayyah ibn 'Abd Shams, and his mother was Hind, daughter of 'Utbah ibn Rabi'ah ibn 'Abd Shams. Hind's first marriage was with al-Fakah7, son of al-Mughayrah of the Banu Makhzum tribe, who was killed in the district of al-Ghamisa'8. After the death of al-Fakah, Hind married Hafs, another son of al-Mughayrah, who died sometime after. So for the third time she married Abu Sufyan.9 Some historical texts have described her marriages at a greater length, and said that al-Fakah, Hind's first husband, suspected her of adultery. So he separated from her since he could not tolerate the disgrace.10 Other historians 7. You can read an account of al-Fakah in the hook of Nasab Quraysh (lineage of the Quraysh) p.300, printed Cairo.

  1. al-Ghamisa' e is a district near Mecca where the tribe of Banu Judhaymah a used to live. This tribe had killed al-Fakah and several other members of the Quraysh in pagan times. In Islamic times when Khalid ibn al-Walid was commissioned after capture of Mecca to invite Arab tribes to Islam, he claimed blood from this tribe. The Prophet was greatly enraged at his action and paid the ransom of the victims out of the public fund.

  2. al-Muhbar 437 and Tabaqat of Ibn Sa'd 8/235.

  3. al-Muhbar 437 and Tabaqat of Ibn Sa'd 8/235 believe that Hind had won notoriety in Mecca for illegitimate acts and adultery.11

But concerning Hind's marriage with Abu Sufyan they write that Musafir ibn 'Amr, who was of the Umayyads, was so deeply in love with Hind that everyone suspected an affair between them. Hind became pregnant from him and when people came to notice this, Musafir ibn 'Amr fled from Mecca and went to an-Nu'man ibn al-Mundhir, the well-known Arab king of Hira, to beg his aid. It was in his absence that Abu Sufyan married Hind.12 Hisham ibn Muhammad al-Kalbi, well-known genealogist, in the book of al- Mathalib, and al-Asma'i, famous scholar and man of letters, say: Mu'awiyah was, in pagan times, related to four persons, namely:

a) 'Amarah ibn al-Walid of the Banu Makhzum b) Musafir ibn 'Amr of the Umayyads c) Abu Sufyan of the Umayyads d) al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib of the Banu Hashim.13

All these men were each other's friends, and each of them was known to have had a love affair with Hind!

a) 'Amarah ibn al-Walid was one of the handsomest men of the Quraysh. He accompanied 'Amr ibn al-'As in his journey to Abyssinia to bring back the Muslims who had emigrated to that country and request Negus the king of Abyssinia to aid them in this task. Owing to the attachment he showed to the wife of 'Amr ibn al-'As during this journey, he was involved with the vengeful slyness of her husband, who took preliminary steps to slander him before Negus and rouse the King's anger against him. So by the king's order he was given certain drugs that drove him mad, and he took to the desert to keep the company of wild beasts.14

b) Concerning Musafir ibn 'Amr, al-Kalbi, a great genealogist writes: During pagan times it was supposed that Mu'awiyah is his son, since Musafir was more deeply attached to Hind then his rivals. When Hind became pregnant, Musafir, fearing exposure and being regarded as the begetter of the child, fled to the king of Hira and settled there.

After some time Abu Sufyan traveled to Hira and there he met his old friend. At this Musafir had fallen ill owing to his love for and separation from his beloved. After talking for some time about the people of Mecca, Abu Sufyan 11. Description of Nahj al-balaghah of Ibn Abi al-Hadid 1/336, Research of Muhammad Abu al-Fadl.

  1. Refer to al-Aghani 9/50-53.

  2. According to the narration of Sibt ibn al-Jawzi in Tadhkirat al-khawas 116.

  3. Refer to al-Aghani 9/55-58 in which the story of 'Amarah has been fully given.

mentioned that after Musafir's flight from Mecca, he himself had married Hind. This news was a great shock to Musafir, whose condition deteriorated and he died soon after.15 A historian considers Musafir a victim of love in pagan times.16

az-Zamakhshari, the well-known scholar and commentator, in his book of "Rabi' al-abrar" mentions the four people to whom Mu'awiyah was related, as follows: Musafir ibn 'Amr, 'Amarah ibn al-Walid, al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al- Muttalib, and lastly as-Sabbah, the minstrel slave of 'Amarah.17 Az-Zamakhshari says: Abu Sufyan was short of stature and ugly looking, whereas as-Sabbah, who was his slave, possessed the freshness of youth, and Hind was attracted to him. Finally she could not conceal her love for him, and invited him to sleep with her and thus a secret love affair started between them. Some historians go even so far as to say that in addition to Mu'awiyah, 'Utbah, the other so-called son of Abu Sufyan, too, was really begotten by as-Sabbah. They say also that Hind had no inclination to give birth to this child at her home, so she went out to the desert and gave birth to him there.

Hassan ibn Thabit, a great poet of Islam, before the capture of Mecca and at a time when a cold war raged between the Muslims and infidels, composed a poem about this incident, satirizing and criticizing Hind: "Whose is that child who lies in the corner of that sandy desert of al-Batha', Mecca?

A child, lying on the earth and out of cradle.

He is born by a young and beautiful woman of the Banu Umayyah tribe!" Hisham ibn Muhammad al-Kalbi writes as follows in his book of al- Mathalib: Hind was one of the women who were greatly attracted by black men, and whenever she gave birth to a black baby, she killed it. He adds: One day a heavy quarrel took up between Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah and Ishaq ibn Tabah in the presence of Mu'awiyah and during his caliphate. Yazid said ironically to Ishaq: "It is to your interest that all the children of Harb ibn Umayyah should enter heaven", meaning that Ishaq was an illegitimate son of that house and a bastard, since his mother had secret relations with the Umayyads.

Ishaq retorted sarcastically: "O Yazid! It is to your interest that all the children of Banu 'Abbas should go to heaven!"

Yazid did not get the meaning of Ishaq's sharp remark, but his father, Mu'awiyah, did. So when Ishaq left the gathering, Mu'awiyah said to Yazid: "Why do you open your mouth to abuse when you do not understand what they say about you?" Yazid said: "My intention was to show his defects."

  1. Here ends the narration of Ibn al-Jawzi quoted from al-Asma'i and Ibn al-Kalbi p. 116.

  2. al-Aghani 9/53.

  3. Rabi' al-abrar vol. 3 Chapter of al-Ghirabat wa al-ansab manuscript copy, Endowment Library of Baghdad No. 388, and Description of Nahj 1/336, The life of Musafir and 'Amarah can be read in al-Aghani vol. 9 p.49 onward.

Mu'awiyah said: "He, too, had the same intention about you." Yazid asked: "How?" Mu'awiyah said: "Don't you know that some of the Quraysh of pagan times considered me a son of Banu 'Abbas?" It was then that Yazid realized what an insult he had received.

Indeed, Hind's bad reputation was so obvious and certain that on the day of capture of Mecca the Prophet made some reference to it. When Hind came to his presence to show allegiance, the Prophet pardoned her, even though he had declared Hind's blood worthless owing to her great anti-Islamic crimes, and accepted her allegiance, and showed indulgence towards her unworthy deeds.18 She asked the Prophet: "On what ground should we show allegiance to you?" The Prophet answered: "On the ground of abstaining from adultery."

Hind said: "Is it possible that a free woman would commit adultery and thus contaminate herself?" Though the Prophet was aware of her character, he said nothing and only smiled. 19, 20

The Umayyads in pagan times

Abu Sufyan was one of those who had joined hands to combat the Prophet. Ibn Hisham As we saw Hind, Mu'awiyah's mother, was regarded as belonging to the Umayyads. Her father was called 'Utbah and her uncle Shaybah, both of whom were considered as nobles of the Quraysh in pagan times. At the advent of Islam, 'Utbah and Shaybah did not abstain from hostility to the Prophet, and in the battle of Badr they co-operated with other members of the Quraysh. It was in the same battle that in the early hours of the day these two came forward in the battlefield to challenge warriors in the other army, but their lot was to face the valiant and true warriors of Islam, namely Imam 'Ali and Hamzah, had to be killed soon after.21

  1. An Arab poet says in a verse:

"We won victory and pardoned; for, For giveness was in our character But when you became victorious Our blood flowed in the desert like a torrent."

  1. What has been described about Mu'awiyah's lineage is not confined to him alone. Similar descriptions are given about 'Amr ibn al-'As and his mother Nabighah, Ziyad and his mother Sumayyah, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, Marwan ibn al-Hakam and many other great men of pagan times by various genealogists. In fact at that time the city of Mecca was from the viewpoint of sexual carelessness like the Paris of the 19th and 20th centuries. It has been God's wisdom to send the Prophet first for that corrupt society.

  2. Tadhkirat al-khawas 203 printed an-Najaf 1064. Compare with Ansab al-ashraf 1/360 printed Egypt 1959.

  3. Ansab al-ashraf 1/297 and Sirah of Ibn Hisham 1/709 printed Egypt

  4. Naba Cultural Organization Abu Sufyan, Mu'awiyah's father was a stout, well-set and short man, and bore the name of Hanzalah, like his eldest son, and his nickname was Abu Hanzalah. He was one those who was killed by Imam 'Ali in the battle of Badr.22

In pagan times Abu Sufyan was considered as a great man of the Quraysh, and after the battle of Badr in which the Quraysh leaders were killed, he assumed the position of the sole chief of Mecca and his own tribe. Thenceforth all the Arab wars and hostilities against Islam were conducted by him. Jewish and primitive tribes were mobilized against Islam at his instigation, and the battles of Uhud and al-Khandaq, which were considered the greatest anti-Islam line ups, were fought under his leadership.

Muhammad ibn Habib, great historian, has regarded Abu Sufyan as one of the eight Quraysh atheists.23 According to Ibn Hisham, during the life of the Prophet, Abu Sufyan was one of the leaders of the groups opposed to the Prophet, and he spared no effort to destroy him.24 He is also one of those who seeked to attach himself to Abu Talib, the great defender of Islam, seeking to prevent him from supporting the Prophet.25 Moreover, there were some who got together in Dar an-Nudwah the meeting center of the Quraysh tribe, to discuss the elimination of the Prophet, and ended by concluding in agreement of collaboration to carry out this great crime.26

Gradually the Quraysh and their chiefs such as Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan, Abu Lahab and others put such a pressure on the Muslims in Mecca that life became intolerable for them, and thus the decree was issued by the Prophet for emigration to Medina. So the hard-pressed and suffering Muslims departed from their city and land and cut off their ties with their home, property and relations, and proceeded towards Medina by the order of God in order to be delivered from the oppressors. Emigration was continued until with the exception of the Prophet and a few others, no Muslims remained in Mecca. In the last few years of their stay, suppression was so tense and hostile that the Prophet abstained from public propagation in Mecca and confined his activity to inviting desert dwellers and pilgrims towards God during the pilgrimage ceremonies only. As during these ceremonies fighting and dispute were forbidden, and since, owing to the Quraysh's social prestige, they could not molest the Prophet, they tried to render his propagation ineffective. Thus Abu 22. Ansab al-ashraf 1/296-297 and Sirah of Ibn Hisham 1/708.

  1. al-Muhbar 161 printed India.
  2. Sirah of Ibn Hisham 1/315-317 and al-Aghani 6/343-344.
  3. Sirah of Ibn Hisham 1/276-279 and 2/26-27.
  4. Sirah of Ibn Hisham 2/92-95 and at-Tabari 21370 published by Dar al-ma'arif, Egypt.

Lahab would walk a few steps behind him and prevent the people from having contact with the Prophet or listen to his words. He kept on abusing and accusing him in order to check his mission. At last, revelation descended ordering the emigration, thus delivering the Prophet from the clutches of the Quraysh. He left Mecca; to be followed soon by Imam 'Ali and only a few of the Muslims remained in captivity and prison in that city. Now Abu Sufyan resorted to a fresh crime by meanly usurping the houses vacated by the Muslims and putting them up for sale.

Abu Sufyan in the battle of Badr

"Infidels freely offer their property to prevent people from joining the way of God." The Holy Qur'an When the Muslims migrated to Medina, they were laxed from the molestation's of the Quraysh, but they were faced with the deadly hardship of poverty and indigence, for, the emigrants had left behind all their property, houses and relatives and had taken refuge in the city of Islam that is Medina. Of course, the people of Medina, named Ansar (helpers), so far as they were able, assisted these emigrants, but the people of those days were not so well off as to provide themselves with a comfortable life, especially as a group of them had no dwellings or financial means to support themselves. Nevertheless, despite these shortcomings and deficiencies the number of the followers of Islam increased every day, and gradually they were able to present themselves as a new force in the Arabian Peninsula, and show their strength.

In the second year of the Hijrah an event took place which produced the first great battle of Islamic era. For many long years the Quraysh had been engaged in trade travels and transport of goods to foreign lands, and every year they regularly visited Yemen and once a year they took their merchandise to ash- Sham. In the second year of the Hijrah, as usual a big caravan headed by Abu Sufyan, father of Mu'awiyah, had left for ash-Sham. On their return, the Prophet and a group of three hundred confronted the caravan demanding the lost property of the Muslims in Mecca.

When Abu Sufyan heard the news, he asked Mecca for help, and then tried to choose another route to return. To help Abu Sufyan, the Quraysh summoned a force of one thousand soldiers to fight the Prophet's army who were small in number. Thus, started the battle of Badr, in an area called the same. Occult aid and the self-sacrifice of Islamic warriors brought them victory, while the other side lost seventy men and another seventy were taken captive.

Of the sons of Abd Shams of the Umayyads eight men were killed in this battle among them were Hanzalah, Abu Sufyan's son, 'Utbah and Rabi'ah, father and uncle of his wife Hind, and al-Walid ibn 'Utbah, uncle of Mu'awiyah. Six members of the Hulafa' and their confederates, too, lost their lives. Among the captives, too, were seven of the Umayyads including 'Amr, another son of Abu Sufyan.27 In retaliation for his son's captivity, Abu Sufyan without any feasible excuse seized one of the great men of Ansar who was on his way to Mecca for pilgrimage, and imprisoned him, whereas before this battle, the Quraysh never molested a pilgrim. Consequently the Muslims were compelled to set their POW's free.28

After the battle of Badr in which the first-rank leaders of the Quraysh lost their lives, Abu Sufyan was able to seize the position of the absolute master of Mecca and the leadership of the Quraysh in war and peace. It was at this time that he vowed not to wash his head until he took revenge from the Prophet. After some time, Abu Sufyan, in order to fulfil his indecent vow, proceeded to Medina accompanied by two hundred Quraysh horsemen and stayed with the Jewish tribe of Banu an-Nadir. Then he began to make inquiries about the city's conditions, and sent a number of his men to set fire to the date palms of the people. These raiders, after carrying out their mission, killed two innocent men of the city who were near by, and then they all returned to Mecca.29 Hind, mother of Mu'awiyah, was greatly enraged after the battle of Badr for the death of her father and uncle and other relatives of hers, and spent her time mourning for them, and did her worst to rouse the Quraysh to avenge their blood.30

After the battle of Badr and the death of seventy men and captivity of another seventy the Quraysh who were greatly distressed at the outcome of that battle, earmarked their enormous trade profits of ash-Sham and the goods carried by one thousand camels and valued at fifty thousand dinars31 to a fresh war with the Muslims. It was then that the following verse of the Qur'an descended and reproached the infidels in a sharp tone:

"Surely those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder people from the way of Allah; so they shall spend it, then it shall be to them an intense regret, then they shall be overcome; and those who disbelieve shall be driven together to hell." 32

Abu Sufyan in the battle of Uhud

We possess such a god as the al-'Uzza idol, whereas you have no al-'Uzza. Abu Sufyan 27. Sirah of Ibn Hisham 2/355-364 and Ansab al-ashraf 1/301 and Nasab Quraysh 126. 28. Sirah of Ibn Hisham 2/295. 29. The same source 2/422-423. 30. The same source 2/414-416.

  1. al-Waqidi in al-Maghazi 1/27, printed Oxford printing society 1966 and Tabaqat al-kubra 2/37 printed Beirut.

  2. The Holy Qur'an, Chapter al-Anfal, Verse 36.

Following the offensive raids of Abu Sufyan and the decision of the Quraysh traders to supply money, for the war the infidels prepared themselves for a war with the Prophet. Abu Sufyan held the command of this army and took with him his wife and a number of Quraysh women. Along the way between Mecca and Medina wherever Hind came across Wahshi, the slave of Jubayr ibn Mat'am, she cried out: "O Wahshi! Take my revenge from the Prophet and heal my wounds if you wish to be set free!"

In this way Abu Sufyan and Hind, parents of Mu'awiyah, started the bloody and longed-for battle of Uhud, causing the bloodshed of many true and striving devotees of Islam. On the day of the battle, Abu Sufyan addressed the Quraysh banner-bearers who were of the Banu 'Abd ad-Dar, and said: "O sons of 'Abd ad-Dar! In the battle of Badr you carried our banners of war and we suffered so many disasters and calamities. The matter of the military banner is so important that it leads either to victory or defeat. Therefore, either protect the banner or abandon it so that we ourselves may undertake this task." 33 They responded: "Do you expect us to hand over the banner to you? This is impossible. When the fire of the combat is aflame tomorrow, you will witness our courage and self-sacrifice!"

This was what Abu Sufyan heartily desired, namely the defeat of Islam and annihilation of the Prophet. The following day when the sun came up, the two armies fell upon each other. Hind and other women, who had come to encourage their men, emerged from their tents, and while they beat their tambourine they chanted slogans to encourage their soldiers.

Hind started singing the following words:

"Forward, O sons of 'Abd ad-Dar! Endeavour O protectors and vanguards of the army! Deal blows with your sharp swords! We girls are morning stars! If you advance victoriously, We open our arms to you and spread beds for you! But if you turn your back to the combat And submit to defeat, We, too, turn our backs to you!

Then you will suffer such a separation In which you will see no sign of love and loyalty." 34 During the battle one of the Ansar fighters noticed Hind inciting the infidel 33. Sirah of Ibn Hisham 3/587-588 research of Muhammad Muhyi ad-Din 'Abd al-Hamid, Egypt, 1963.

  1. al-Maghazi 1/225-227, and Sirah of Ibn Hisham 3/588, and Ansab al-ashraf 1/317, and at- Tabari 2/513 published by Dar al-ma'arif and Ibn al-Athir 2/106 published by Dar al-kitab al- 'Arabi and Tabaqat al-kubra 2/40 printed Beirut.

army to fight. So he attacked her with his drawn sword, but when he was about to deal the blow, he realized that she was not a warrior, but a woman. So he abstained from killing her and returned in chivalry. As we said, this battle was a heavy blow for the newly founded Islam in which about seventy of the best and devoutest sons of Islam lost their lives. One of the most distinguished martyrs of this battle, who was killed through the efforts of Abu Sufyan and Hind, was Hamzah, the noble uncle of the Prophet, whose killer was Wahshi, the slave of Jubayr ibn Mat'am.

The combat ended and the dead lay down in the battlefield covered with blood. But the beastly spirit of savagery would not leave alone these godless people of Mecca, and Hind leading a number of women entered the field, each carrying a knife or other, and each looked for a dead warrior to cut off his ear, nose or other parts of his body. The number of the severed parts of the Muslims was so great that Hind was able to make a necklace and bracelet of them for herself, and in return for Wahshi's service in killing Hamzah, she offered her own gold ornaments. Then she searched for the body of Hamzah, and tore open the side of that lion of God, and cruelly pulling out his liver, took it to her mouth to eat, but failing in it, she threw it down.35 The nickname of "Liver- eating Hind" had its origin in this savage and vengeful act. Then she climbed on a rock and loudly sang the following lines:

"We made square for the battle of Badr! War after war kindles a fire, I was never tranquil at 'Utbah's death, Nor for my brother and his uncle Shaybah, Nor for my son Hanzalah. Now I have remedied the pain of my heart And have fulfilled my vow. Wahshi brought tranquility to my burning breast And I shall ever be grateful to Wahshi Until my bones decay in the grave and turn into dust."

A woman of Banu Hashim named Hind, too daughter of Athathah ibn 'Ibad ibn al-Muttalib composed the following lines in response to Hind, wife of Abu Sufyan:

"In both the battle of Badr and the next one, You were sunk in the cesspool of meanness! O offspring of vilenesses and great infidelities! May God bring you a day when you will face The strong arms of Banu Hashim and their sharp swords. Hamzah was our courageous lion, And 'Ali is our sharp-clawed hawk.

  1. Sirah of Ibn Hisham 3/607 published by 'Abd al-Hamid and al-Maghazi 1/274 and 286, and Ansab 1/322, and at-Tabari 2/524, and al-Ya'qubi 2/35.

When your father and uncle intended to kill us, Their throats were covered with blood! What a wicked vow was that evil vow of yours!"

After the battle of Uhud, Hulays who was the chief of an ally tribe of the Quraysh, saw Abu Sufyan in the battlefield standing over the dead body of Hamzah and toying its face with the end of his spear saying: "Now taste the bitterness of death for breaking your bond of kinship!" By this remark he meant that Hamzah, by embracing Islam, had abandoned the Quraysh and had risen to fight them. When Hulays 36 observed this mean act of Abu Sufyan, he cried out: "O men of Kananah tribes! Look at this chief of the Quraysh! See what he is doing with the lifeless body of the son of his uncle spread on the earth!" 37 Abu Sufyan answered: "Woe upon you! Don't say a word about what you saw me doing! It was a mistake." Then he stood on the hillside and cried out loudly: "How well we have done! War always has two sides. Today as a response to the battle of Badr!" Then he said: "High and exalted be the idol Hubal!"38

The Prophet ordered to respond him: "God is greater and higher." Against these Godly words of the Muslims, Abu Sufyan shouted: "We possess such a god as the al-'Uzza idol, whereas you have no al-'Uzza!" The Prophet ordered to give him this answer: "Great God, Allah, is our Lord and Master, but you have no such lord!"

Abu Sufyan walked off while exclaiming: "Our next meeting by the wells of Badr, next year!" The Prophet ordered one of his friends to answer: "Yes, Allah's army will meet you then and there."

Abu Sufyan together with the Quraysh army left the battle-scene. But after a few days marching towards Mecca and thinking over the comparatively weak position of the army and the Muslims he decided to return and destroy the half- vanquished Muslims. But when he heard that the Prophet had left the city with a number of Muslim warriors and was ready to fight, he and his supporters were overcome with fear, and were thus compelled to return to Mecca.