Hayatus Sahabah - The Lives of the Sahabah - Part 1 of 3

188 THE LNES OF 7'HE SAHAl3AH '@@@&& (Vol-I)
Juthaama !&W&G carried their flag. They cried "Allaahu Akbar!" thrice as they
passed Abu Sufyaan. When Abu Sufyaan asked who they were, Hadhrat Abbaas
!&E&!& informed him that they were the Banu Layth tribe. The last battalion to
pass was that of the Banu Ash'ja tribe who numbered three hundred. They had a
flag carried by Ma'qal bin Sanaan mj and anomer carried by Hadhrat Nu'aym
bin Mas'ood ?&%&!%. Abu Sufyaan remarked, "Of all the Arabs, they were the
staunchest opponents of Muhammad w." Hadhrat Abbaas 33- commented,
"Allaah has entered Islaam into their hearts. That is the grace of Allaah." Abu
Sufyaan then remained silent for awhile.
Abu Sufyaan then asked, "Has the battalion of Rasulullaah @%! not passed?"
Hadhrat Abbaas 3.HSWi replied, "He has not yet passed: If you see the battalion of
Rasulullaah @@, you will see only steel, horses, brave men and an army that
none has the power to withstand." Abu Sufyaan said, "0 Abul Fadhl! By Allaah! I
am now convinced of this. Who has the capacity to resist them?" When the
battalion of Rasulullaah @@ appeared, all that could be seen was large masses
and dust rising from the hooves of horses. As they marched by in a successive
chain, Abu Sufyaan kept asking, "Has Muhammad @@ not passed yet?" Hadhrat
Abbaas @,S%% kept informing him that Rasulullaah @@ had not yet passed.
Eventually, Rasulullaah @@ passed riding his camel Qaswa. He was between
Hadhrat Abu Bakr %&3@!3 and Hadhrat Usayd bin Hudhayr 3iWZ% and speaking
to the two of them.
Hadhrat Abbaas !&U@% then said, "That is Rasulullaah @@ amongst a powerful
battalion of Muhaajireen and hsaar." The battalion carried many large and small
flags. Every hero of the Ansaar carried a large and small'flag. They were clad in
steel armour and only the whites of their eyes were visible. Hadhrat Umar !&'W&
was also covered in armour and he was busy arranging the lines of the army with
his booming voice. Abu Sufyaan asked, "0 Abul Fadhl! Who is that man talking?"
"He is Umar bin Khattaab," replied Hadhrat ~bbaas %3@Wj. Abu Sufyaan
remarked, "The Banu Adi (the tribe of Hadhrat Umar W4W) were very few in
number and possessed little honour. By Allaah! They have now assumed great
prominence." Hadhrat ?ZdG@& Abbaas said, "0 Abu Sufyaan! Allaah elevates
whoever He wills as He wills. Umar is indeed amongst those whom Islaam has
elevated." The narrator of this report mentions that there were two thousand
coats of armour in this battalion.
Rasulullaah w had given his flag to Hadhrat Sa'd bin Ubaadah who
was at the head of the battalion. When Hadhrat Sa'd %lCJ@& passed by Abu
Sufyaan with the flag of Rasulullaah w, he shouted to Abu' Sufyaan, Today is
the day of bloodshed! Today, the sacredness of the Haram shall be lifted! Today
Allaah shall disgrace the Quraysh!" As Rasulullaah w approached and drew
alongside Abu Sufyaan, he called out, "0 Rasulullaah @@! Have you commanded
that your people be killed as Sa'd and those with seemed to think as they passed
us? He called out saying, '0 Abu Sufyaan! Today is the day of bloodshed! Today,
the sacredness of the Haram shall be lifted! Today Allaah shall disgrace the