The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 3 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATHiR 19
God (SAAS) and the Muslims with him passing by, he began tossing dirt into
their faces, saying, 'If you are the Messenger of God, then I do not permit you
to enter my garden!"'
Ibn Ishiiq continued, "It was told to me that he then took up a handful of dirt,
saying, 'By God, if I knew I'd strike no one but you, Muhammad, I'd hit you in
the face with this!' The Muslims charged at him to kill hi, but the Messenger
of God (SAAS) said, 'Don't kill him! This sightless fellow is blind both in
his heart and in his eyes!' But Sa'd b. Zayd, brother of Banii 'Abd al-Ashbal, had
already charged at him before the command of the Messenger of God (SAAS)
and had bit hi with his bow in his bead and split it open.
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) proceeded ahead and came down the defile
from Mt. Uhud, at the bead of the valley, at the mountain. He positioned his
camels and his men towards Uhud and said, 'Let no one begin fighting before I
give the order to attack.'
"Quraysh had released their camels and horses in the fields at al-Samgha, part
of Qanat that was Muslim territory. When the Messenger of God (SAAS) gave
the order not to attack, one of the Companions asked, 'Are the fields of Bana
Qayla to he grazed without us going to battle?'
"Then the Messenger of God (SAAS) made ready for battle. His force
consisted of 700 men; he appointed 'Abd Allah b. Jubayr, brother of Bana
'Amr b. 'Awf, in charge of the archers. He stood out by being dressed in white
clothing; the archers totalled 50 men. He (the Prophet (SAAS)) said 'Fend off
the cavalry from us with your arrows, so that they don't come at us from the rear.
Whether the battle goes for or against us, hold your position so that we can't be
attacked from your direction."'
This statement will receive testimony in both fahih collections, if God wills it.
Ibn Ishiiq stated, "The Messenger of God (SAAS) went out wearing two sets
of armour; that is, he wore one suit of chain-mail above another. He gave charge
of the banner to M uss b. Wmayr, brother of Bana 'Abd al-Dzr."
I comment that the Messenger of God (SAAS) had sent back a group of
young men from the battle of Uhud, not permitting them to be present at the
fighting because optheir youthfulness. These included 'Abd Alliih b. Wmar,
as is established in both fahih collections. He stated, "I was offered to the
Messenger of God (SAAS) for the battle of mud, hut he would not allow me.
I was later presented to him for the battle of al-khandaq, 'the trench', at a time
when I was 15, and he then did permit me to participate."
On that occasion he also rejected Usama h. Zayd, Zayd b. Thshit, al-Bar@ b.
'Xzib, Usayd b. Dhahir and 'Ariiba b. Aws b. Qayzi. Ibn Qutayba related this and
alSuhayli also gave it. It is of the last-mentioned that al-Shammxkh stated:
"If a banner he raised for glory, then %%ha will take
it in his right hand."