Quran Garden

Session 453

Chapter 3

Verse 122

When two parties of you were about to lose heart, although God was their helper and protector –and in God let the believers put all their trust.  (Chapter 3: Verse 122)

When our beloved Muhammad prepared the Muslims for the battle of Uhud, he positioned the Haritha clan from the Aws and the Salamah clan from the Khazraj on the left wing and the right wing of the army, respectively.  On their way to the battlefield Ibn Salul (who was a hypocrite) said to them, "I do not think there will be any fighting today because, as soon as the Quraysh fighters see us, they will flee." He aimed to weaken the army from within, urging its flanks not to take the battle seriously.  Ibn Salul also told the Messenger, "We are not people of war.  Had we known how to fight, we would certainly have followed you."  

God says, "When two parties of you were about to lose heart." The phrase "to lose heart" means to "turn into a coward," but what is the meaning of "about to" here?  It is when the mind is enticed towards doing something.  If you take your idea to the second stage after "about to," you will become determined, and the third and last stage is to take definitive action.  Banu Salamah and Banu Haritha were not determined to leave the Muslim army, but they certainly entrained the idea.  Why is this important?  Because Allah wants to show you that Islam is logical in its view of humanity.  Many thoughts cross our minds, and Islam helps you deal with your thoughts properly, and only act on the ones good for you.  God says:

When two parties of you were about to lose heart, although God was their helper and protector –and in God let the believers put all their trust.  (Chapter 3: Verse 122)

When Abdullah Ibn Haritha saw the hesitation of his people, he went to them and said, "The Almighty God calls on you, the Messenger of God calls on you, and your faith calls on you." So they went to fight and remained firm after they were enticed to retreat.  A Muslim man who was with the army that day said, "By God, I was not pleased with my thoughts as I was about to lose heart until I heard God say, 'God was their helper and protector.' Then I felt at ease because I was among those who had God's help and protection!  Allah is sufficient for me."  

We know that Uhud occurred after the great Battle of Badr, where the Muslims were victorious despite their small number and poor resources.  In Badr, the Muslims did not go out to wage war; instead, they were a small force seeking to seize one of Quraysh's caravans as compensation for the money and property that Quraysh confiscated from them in Mecca.  But Allah willed them not to confront the loaded caravan but rather to face their enemy with all its might and arrogance.  The amazing victory in Badr raised the fear of Muslims in the hearts of their opponents.  It also fuelled Quraysh to gather their forces and strike a blow to restore their reputation and defend their idols.  The leaders of Quraysh had prohibited their women from weeping over their dead ones in Badr because crying relieves the burden from the soul.  Instead, they wanted grief to remain, hate to rise, and revenge to rule the day.  They were also busy collecting money to organize an army that would regain their pride.

There were several failed attempts before Uhud to harass the Muslims and take revenge.  For example, Abu Sufyan led a small force of one hundred soldiers for a surprise attack on Medina.  But the news reached Muhammad, and he, peace be upon him, gathered the companions to face them.  When Abu Sufyan heard that the Messenger was on his way, he fled and left the army's supplies behind to lighten the burden and gain speed.  It was called "the Battle of Sawiq," referring to the food supplies left behind.  Likewise, some leaders of Quraysh tried to raid Medina several times after Badr with forces ranging from a hundred to two hundred fighters, but their plots failed each time.  All of these small victories preceded the Battle of Uhud.  Allah aided the Muslims in Badr, even though they were a small force not prepared for war.  Perhaps some Muslims thought that they would be victorious by simply being attributed to God and Islam, regardless of their circumstances or actions.  Thus, God Almighty wanted to teach them that not only do the physical means must be utilized, such as preparation and weaponry, but the spiritual standards of faith, such as obeying God and His Messenger, must be adhered to at all times.