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

42 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
'Abd al-Razzzq stated that Ma'mar related to him, from al-Zuhri, from
Wthmm al-Hariiri, from Miqsam, that the Messenger of God (SAAS) spoke a
curse against Wtba b. Abii Waqqq when he broke his lower teeth and bloodied
his face, saying, "0 God, may change not come to him, so that he dies an
unbeliever!"
And no change did come over him, so that he did die an unbeliever, bound
for hell-fire.
Abii Sulaymzn al-Jawzajmi stated, that Muhammad b. al-Hasan related to
him, quoting Ibr&im b. Muhammad b. 'Abd All& b. Muhammad b. Aha Bakr
b. Barb, from his father, from Abii Umma Sahl b. Hanif, to the effect that the
Messenger of God (SAAS) treated his face at Uhud with a dried bone.
This hadith is gharib, "unilateral", and I found it in the military chronicle of
al-Umawi regarding the battle of Uhud.
When he had done injury to the Messenger of God (SAAS), 'Abd Alhh b.
Qami'a went back and said, "I've killed Muhammad!" And on that occasion
that devil the 'izb9 of al-'Aqaba shouted at the top of its voice, "Hear this!
Muhammad has been killed!"
Consternation spread among the Muslims. Many people believed it, and yet
remained determined to fight on in defence of Islam until they died in the same
way as had the Messenger of God (SAAS). Anas b. al-Nadr and others of whom
mention will be made were among these.
Almighty God had sent down consolatory verses to deal with this eventuality.
He had stated, "And M u h a d is no more than a messenger; messengers have
passed away before him. And if he dies or is killed, will you turn on your heels?
Whoever should turn on his heels will do no harm to God thereby. And God will
reward the grateful. And no soul shall die except with God's permission at a
specified time. And whoever desires the rewards of this world, those We will
give him; and whoever desires the rewards of the hereafter We will give him
those. We will reward the grateful. And many are the prophets who have fought
along with many worshippers! And they did not weaken because of what befell
them in God's cause. They neither weakened nor abased themselves. God loves
those who stand firm. And what they said was merely, '0 God of ours, forgive
us our sins and our excesses! Set our feet firmly and give us victory against the
disbelieving enemy!' And so God did give them the reward of this world and
the fine reward of the hereafter; God does love those who do good. 0 you who
believe, if you obey those who disbelieve, they will turn you back on your heels
and you will go back having lost. But God is indeed your master and He is best
of all helpers. We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve for their
having associated with God that for which He sent down no authority. Hell-fue
shall be their abode. And terrible is the abode of the unjust!" (sarat Al-'Imrrin;
111, v.143-50).
9. See above, Val. 11, pp 138 ref. "Azabb of alL'Aqaba".