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

IMAM ABO AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATHFR 43
Abii Bakr, "the trusting", made an address at the first assembly he held
following the death of the Messenger of God (SAAS) in which he said, "0 my
people, regarding those who worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad has died.
Regarding those who worshipped God, God is alive and shall not die!" He
then recited this verse: "And Muhammad is no more than a messenger." He
said, "It was as though the people had never heard this before, and so all, without
exception, recited it thereafter."
Al-Bayhaqi related in his Dala'tl al-Nubamma (Sagns of the Prophethood),
through Ibn Abii Najih, from his father, who said, "At mud, one of the
muhajirin passed by one of the atgar, a man who was covered in his own blood,
and asked hi, 'Are you aware that Muhammad has been killed?' The atgari
responded, 'If Muhammad (SAAS) has been killed, then he must have fulfilled
his mission! So fight on for your religion!'
"And so the verse was revealed, 'And Muhammad is no more than a messenger;
messengers have passed away before hi."'
That atgltri might well have been Anas b. al-Nadr, may God be pleased with
him; he was the uncle of Anas b. Mzlik.
Imiim Ahmad stated, "Yazid related to us, quoting Hamid, from Anas, that
his uncle was absent from the fighting at Badr and said, 'I was absent from the
fust battle fought by the Prophet (SAAS) against the polytheists; if God should
have me witness a battle against the polytheists, I'll certainly show him what I
can do!'
"When, at the battle of Uhud, the Muslims gave way, he said, '0 God, I
apologize to you for what these men have done' - meaning his fellow fighters
- 'and I declare myself innocent of what these others' -meaning the polytheists
- have done against You.' He then advanced and was met before Uhud by Sa'd
h. Mu%dh. Sa'd told hi, 'I am with you!' And Sa'd also said, 'But I could not
do what he did.'
"Some 80 wounds were found on him, consisting of sword cuts, spear thrusts
and arrow punctures."
He went on, "We used to say that it was about him and his Companions
that the verse was revealed, 'and of them there are those who fulfilled their vow;
and of them there are those who wait'" (sarat al-Ahzab; XXXIII, v.23).
Al-Tirmidhi related this from 'Abd b. Hamid; al-NasPi related it from Ishxq
b. mawayh; both gave Yazid b. Hzriin as a link. Al-Tirmidhi stated, "This
tradition is hasan, 'good'."
I would comment that this hadith conforms to the criteria of the sahih
collections, from this source.
Imiim Abad stated that both Bahz and Hzshirn related to him that Sulaymzn
b. al-Mughira quoted Thzhit as having said, "Anas (b. M&) stated, 'My uncle'
- Hashirn gave his name as Anas b. al-Nadr - 'was the one for whom I was
named. He was not present at Badr. This fact troubled him, and so he said,
"I was absent from the first battle fought by the Messenger of God (SAAS); if