Shafaqna Pakistan: “Sirah of the Leaders of Islam” is a historical work written in Persian by the late “Shaykh Mahdi Pishvai”. The book contains the social and political life of the Infallible Imams (AS). Dr. Mohammad Sobhanie has selected some parts of the book and translated them into English for Shafaqna.
The Battle of Uhud
After the Quraysh’s defeat at the Battle of Badr, they sought revenge and aimed to restore their lost prestige by launching a major attack on Madinah in the third year of the Hijrah. Upon learning of the Quraysh’s plans, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) convened a military council to discuss the appropriate strategy. Some of the Muslims suggested confronting the enemy outside Madinah rather than engaging them within the city.
The Prophet (PBUH) subsequently left Madinah with a force of one thousand men, heading north toward Mount Uhud. Along the way, three hundred followers of Abdullah ibn Ubayy—a prominent hypocrite—withdrew from the army at his urging and returned to Madinah, reducing the Muslim force to seven hundred. On the seventh day of Shawwal in the third year of the Hijrah, the two armies positioned themselves on the slopes of Mount Uhud.
Before the battle began, the Prophet (PBUH) carefully surveyed the battlefield and identified a strategic vulnerability that the enemy could exploit. To safeguard this position, he stationed Abdullah ibn Jubayr with fifty skilled archers on a small hill and instructed them to remain at their post, regardless of whether the Muslims were winning or losing the battle.
In the warfare of that era, the role of the flag bearer was critical. The presence of a flag strengthened an army’s morale, while its fall often led to confusion and defeat. For this reason, commanders appointed their bravest and most capable warriors as flag bearers.
The Quraysh selected their flag bearers from the tribe of Banu Abd al-Dar, renowned for their courage. However, as the battle commenced, their flag bearers were killed one after another by Imam Ali (AS). The repeated fall of the Quraysh flag bearers shattered their morale, caused disorder and instability within their ranks, and led many of their soldiers to flee the battlefield.
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) narrated, “The flag bearers of the polytheist army in the Battle of Uhud were nine individuals, all of whom were killed by Ali (AS).”[1]
Ibn Athir likewise stated, “The one who defeated the flag bearers of the Quraysh was Ali (AS).”[2]
According to the late Shaykh al-Ṣaduq, Imam Ali (AS) later referred to this achievement during the deliberations of the six-member council convened after the death of Umar to determine the next caliph. He asked:
“I adjure you by God: is there anyone among you other than me who killed nine of the flag bearers of Banu Abd al-Dar in the Battle of Uhud?”
He then added:
“After these nine were killed, their servant, named Sawb, a man of immense stature, entered the battlefield. With foam at his mouth and rage in his eyes, he declared that he sought to avenge his masters by killing Muhammad. The people recoiled from him, but I confronted him. After exchanging blows, I struck him with such force that he was split in two from the waist.”
All members of the council confirmed the truth of Imam Ali’s (AS) words.[3]
When the Quraysh army initially began to retreat, the archers stationed under the command of Abdullah ibn Jubayr, perceiving what appeared to be victory, asked to abandon their post to collect the spoils of war. Despite Abdullah’s repeated reminders of the Prophet’s explicit orders, more than forty of them descended the hill, leaving him with fewer than ten men. At that moment, Khalid ibn al-Walid, who had been lying in ambush with a cavalry unit, seized the opportunity. He attacked the remaining archers, killing them, and then launched a surprise assault on the Muslims.
Meanwhile, Amrah bint Alqamah, a woman who had come to the battlefield to rally the Quraysh forces, raised their fallen banner once more. This pivotal moment, combined with the preceding events, created confusion and dramatically altered the course of the battle.
Adding to the chaos, the enemy spread the false rumor that the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) had been killed, which severely shook the morale of many Muslims. Under renewed pressure from the polytheist forces, most Muslims retreated and scattered, leaving only a small group steadfastly surrounding the Prophet. At this critical and decisive moment in Islamic history, the unparalleled role of Imam Ali (AS) became fully evident. He fought valiantly beside the Prophet, defending him against repeated attacks by numerous groups of polytheists.
Ibn al-Athir records in his history:
“The Messenger of God (PBUH) saw a group of polytheists preparing to attack and ordered Ali to confront them. Ali (AS) obeyed the Prophet’s command, killed several of them, and caused them to disperse. Then another group approached, and the Prophet again ordered Ali to attack. Ali (AS) engaged them as well, dispersing the enemy once more.”
Amid these testing circumstances, at this point, the Angel of Revelation said to the Prophet, “This is an example of the ultimate sacrifice that Ali (AS) is demonstrating.”
The Messenger of God replied, “He is from me, and I am from him.”[4]
Then a voice was heard from the heavens proclaiming: “There is no sword except Dhul-Fiqar, and there is no youth except Ali.”[5]
Ibn Abi Al-Hadid also writes:
“When most of the Prophet’s companions had fled, the pressure from various enemy groups intensified against him. A group from the tribes of Banu Kinanah and Banu Abd Manat, including four renowned warriors, attacked the Prophet. The Prophet (PBUH) said to Ali (AS), ‘Repel their attack.’ Fighting on foot, Ali (AS) charged a group of fifty men and scattered them. They regrouped and attacked repeatedly, but each time Ali (AS) repelled them. In these encounters, the four famous warriors and ten others—whose names are not preserved in history—were killed by Ali (AS).”[6]
Note:
[1] The Life of the Leaders of Islam, Mahdi Pishvai, P. 46, Ref. 1
[2] Ibid, P. 46, Ref. 2
[3] Ibid, P. 47, Ref. 1
[4] (إنه مني وأنا منه، فقال جبرائيل: وأنا منكما)
[5] (لاسَيْفَ اِلاّ ذُوالْفِقار، وَ لا فَتى اِلاّ عَلىّ)
[6] The Life of the Leaders of Islam, Mahdi Pishvai, P. 49, Ref. 1
Part of Series: Sirah of the Leaders of Islam by Mahdi Pishvai
Source: Shafaqna English
