Life-of-Muhammad

70Life of Muhammad sawould achieve but little. If they died guarding theProphet's sa person, they would have served both Godand man. They believed that in sacrificing their familiesthey served mankind and they served their God. Ininviting death for them they secured life everlasting formankind at large.The Prophet sa collected the wounded and the dead.The wounded were given first-aid and the dead wereburied. The Prophet sa then learnt that the enemy hadtreated the Muslims most savagely, that they hadmutilated the bodies of the dead Muslims and cut off anose here and an ear there. One of the mutilated bodieswas that of Hamza ra , the Prophet's sa uncle. The Prophet sawas moved, and said, "The actions of disbelievers nowjustify the treatment which we so far thought was unjustified."As he said this, he was commanded by God tolet the disbelievers alone and to continue to show themcompassion.RUMOUR OF PROPHET'S sa DEATH REACHESMEDINAThe rumour of the Prophet's sa death and the news ofthe dispersal of the Muslim army reached Medina,before the remnants of the Muslim force could return tothe town. Women and children ran madly towardsUhud. Many of them learnt the truth from the returningsoldiers and went back. One woman of the tribe of BanuDinar went on until she reached Uhud. This woman hadlost her husband, father and brother in the battle.According to some narrators, she had also lost a son. Areturning soldier met her and told her that her fatherhad died. She said in reply, "I do not care for my father;tell me about the Prophet sa ." The soldier knew theProphet sa was alive, so he did not answer her query atonce, but went on to tell her of her brother and husbandwho had also died. At each report she remainedunmoved and asked again and again, "What has the