Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:121-122)
By: Mohammad Sobhanie
The Battle of Uhud-Part (1)
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَإِذْ غَدَوْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ تُبَوِّئُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَقَاعِدَ لِلْقِتَالِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿١٢١﴾ إِذْ هَمَّت طَّائِفَتَانِ مِنكُمْ أَن تَفْشَلَا وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّهُمَا ۗ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٢٢﴾
3:118 And (remember) when you, (O Muhammad), left your family in the morning to post the believers at their stations for the battle (of Uhud) – and Allah is Hearing and Knowing -.
3.119 When two parties among you were about to lose heart, but Allah was their protector; and upon Allah the believers should rely.
Commentary: Verses in this section discuss the Battle of Uhud, which took place in the third year of Hijra. A detailed account of the event is provided at the end of this section.
The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) received the news that the Quraysh army had set out toward Medina to fight the Muslims in retaliation for their defeat at the Battle of Badr. In response, he consulted his companions regarding how and where to confront the enemy. Some were in favor of remaining inside Medina and defending the city, while the majority supported going out to face the Quraysh outside the city, seeking either victory or martyrdom in the way of Allah (s.w.t.). The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) adopted the majority opinion and moved the camp to the outskirts of Medina, near the slopes of Mount Uhud.
Verse 3:121 refers to the Prophet’s departure from Medina to choose a camp on the slopes of Uhud. The verse says, “And (remember) when you, (O Muhammad), left your family in the morning (وَإِذْ غَدَوْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ) to post the believers (تُبَوِّئُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ) at their stations for the battle (of Uhud) (مَقَاعِدَ لِلْقِتَالِ).”
The verse ends with the phrase, “and Allah is Hearing and Knowing (وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ).” This phrase indicates that Allah (swt) was fully aware of the Prophet’s consultations and discussions with his companions.
According to historical reports, two Muslim groups—the Banu Salamah from the Aws tribe and the Banu Harithah from the Khazraj tribe—initially considered withdrawing and returning to Medina midway through the journey. This hesitation is often attributed to their preference for defending their city from within the walls of Medina, rather than facing the enemy outside. Verse 3:122 refers to this moment and states, “When two parties among you (إِذْ هَمَّت طَّائِفَتَانِ مِنكُمْ) were about to lose heart (and return midway) (أَن تَفْشَلَا).”
However, these two groups soon regained their resolve and continued to fight alongside the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). The verse reflects this recovery and says, “but Allah was their protector (وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّهُمَا); and upon Allah the believers should rely (وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ).”
Indeed, Allah (swt) protected these groups from misguidance and guided them back to the path of truth, as expressed in verse 2:257 (al-Baqarah):
اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ ۖ …. ﴿٢٥٧﴾
2:257 God is the Protector of the believers; He brings them forth from the shadows into the light.
The Battle of Uhud
After the defeat of the Quraysh in the Battle of Badr—where they lost seventy men and had seventy captured—they returned to Mecca. Abu Sufyan advised the people not to mourn their dead, as this might weaken their resolve or reduce their hostility towards the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).
In the third year of the Hijra, building on their desire for revenge, the Quraysh set out from Mecca with three thousand cavalry and two thousand infantry, equipped with sufficient supplies. To strengthen their resolve on the battlefield, they also took their idols and women with them.
Meanwhile, Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, who lived in Mecca, observed the Quraysh army’s departure. Recognizing the urgency, he immediately wrote a letter to Medina describing the situation and sent it through a man from the Banu Ghaffar tribe. The courier departed swiftly and delivered the letter directly to the Prophet (s.a.w.a.).
Upon receiving Abbas’s letter, the Prophet took swift action. On the same day, he dispatched two scouts to collect more intelligence about the Quraysh army. The scouts returned promptly, reporting the condition of the Quraysh forces and verifying that Abu Sufyan commanded a formidable army.
Following these urgent reports, the Prophet gathered the companions and the people of Medina and shared with them the news of the approaching Quraysh army. In this gathering, he consulted with them whether they should fight within Medina or leave the city to confront the enemy. Abdullah ibn Ubayy and some of the Muhajireen and Ansar suggested remaining in Medina so that even the weak—including women and servants—could assist in defending the city through its narrow streets.
Despite this suggestion, a group of young men and warriors—especially those who had not participated in the Battle of Badr—advocated leaving the city to fight. They argued that, now united in faith, they should face the enemy boldly, seeking either martyrdom or victory in God’s cause. Their speeches swayed the majority, and Abdullah ibn Ubayy’s plan fell into the minority.
Respecting the majority decision, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) set out with his companions, choosing a strategic position on the slopes of Mount Uhud.
The Muslim army of 1,000 Muhajireen and Ansar was led by the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). Before leaving Medina, he organized three divisions—one Muhajireen and two Ansar. On the way to Mount Uhud, he inspected the army and arranged the ranks himself, ensuring the soldiers moved in a straight line.
According to al-Halabi, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had not yet reached Uhud when he noticed a new group among the army. He learned that some Jews allied with Abdullah ibn Ubayy had come to help. The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “We cannot seek help from non-Muslims to fight against the Quraysh’s army unless they become Muslims.” They refused to become Muslims and left the camp. Thus, the Prophet’s force of one thousand men was reduced by three hundred men.
Some historians have written that, since Abdullah ibn Ubayy’s proposal to remain in Medina was rejected, he refused to accompany the Prophet. As a result, he and more than 300 of his allies returned to Medina.
The Prophet then ordered a strategic defense. He placed Abdullah ibn Jubayr and fifty archers at the mountain pass to guard the army’s rear. He emphasized, “Do not leave your position under any circumstances.” This order became the cornerstone of the defense strategy.
Meanwhile, Abu Sufyan instructed Khalid ibn al-Walid to monitor the same pass with two hundred skilled soldiers. Khalid was to wait for an opportunity to attack if the Muslim archers abandoned their position. As both armies faced each other, each side encouraged its warriors in its own way and prepared for battle.
Abu Sufyan invoked the idols of the Kaaba. He appealed to pride and emotion to stir his warriors. In contrast, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) encouraged the Muslims to fight in the name of God and for divine reward.
As the battle began, cries of “Allahu Akbar” echoed across the plain and slopes of Uhud. At the same time, the women of the Quraysh sought to rouse their warriors. They sang poems, accompanying themselves with tambourines and flutes.
After the fighting began, the Muslims launched a fierce attack and initially broke the Quraysh ranks, causing them to retreat. The Muslim soldiers pursued them. Khalid ibn al-Walid, seeing the Quraysh in retreat, attempted to circle through the valley and attack from behind, but the archers forced him to withdraw.
This retreat of the Quraysh led some new Muslims to believe the enemy had been defeated. They abandoned their positions and rushed to seize the spoils. Even the archers on the mountain left their stations and hurried onto the battlefield. Abdullah ibn Jubayr persistently reminded them of the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) order, but only about ten remained steadfast in their crucial positions.
As a direct result of this defiance, Khalid ibn al-Walid and his two hundred men in ambush recognized the unguarded mountain pass. They rapidly advanced and struck down Abdullah ibn Jubayr and his companions. Then they launched a surprise rear attack on the Muslim army, turning the tide of battle and exposing the Muslims to severe losses.
The Muslims were caught off guard by the rear attack. Soon, they were attacked from all sides. Their formation collapsed. Confusion spread. The retreating Quraysh forces saw the chaos. They returned to the battlefield and surrounded the Muslims, worsening their position.
Amid the battle, a cry arose claiming that Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) had been killed. Some biographers report that Ibn Qam’ah, who killed Mus’ab, a Muslim soldier, mistakenly believed he had struck the Prophet. He then shouted loudly, “By Lat and Uzza, Muhammad has been killed!”
Many in the Muslim army heard the news of the Prophet’s death. They fled in terror and took refuge atop Mount Uhud or in the surrounding areas. Only a small group, including Ali (a.s.), remained steadfast around the Prophet (s.a.w.a). They fought bravely against the Quraysh’s army.
Paradoxically, this rumor benefited the Muslims. Believing that the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had been killed, some members of the Quraysh army thought they had achieved their revenge and therefore withdrew from Uhud, returning to Mecca. Had they remained and continued fighting, the Muslims might have suffered further losses, and the Prophet’s life could have been placed in even greater danger.
In the Battle of Uhud, many brave companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) were injured or martyred. Among them was Hamza, known as Sayyid al-Shuhada, who was killed by Wahshi ibn Harb[1], an Ethiopian slave. Yet, the outcome of the battle served as a profound lesson on the consequences of disobedience and overconfidence, shaping the Muslims’ approach to future conflicts. In the following sections, an extensive study will examine the various effects of this pivotal event—God willing.
Imam Ali’s Bravery: Among those who stood firm, Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) played a crucial role. He fought with extraordinary bravery until his sword broke. The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) gave him his sword, Dhul-Fiqar. Some historians state Ali (a.s.) sustained more than sixty wounds to his head, face, and body during the battle.
At this moment, the angel Jibril conveyed the following words to the Prophet: “O Muhammad (s.a.w.a.)! This is the meaning of benevolence and empathy (Muwasat).”
The Prophet said, “Ali (a.s.) is from me, and I am from him.” Jibril added, “And I am from both of you!” Imam Sadiq (a.s.) narrates that the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) saw Jibril between the earth and the heavens. Jibril said, “There is no sword except Dhul-Fiqar, and there is no youth except Ali.”
[1] Wahshi ibn Harb, an Ethiopian slave, killed Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib during the Battle of Uhud in 625 AD. Tasked by Hind bint Utba to kill Hamza in revenge for her family’s deaths at Badr, Wahshi used a javelin to strike Hamza from ambush while Hamza was engaged in battle.
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