12. The Muslims started collecting the war booty. Seeing this, the archers rushed also towards the booty. Abdullah bin Jubair tried hard to stop them for not vacating the pass between the hills, as per orders of the Holy Prophet
, but they did not care. The result was that the pass was left vacant with only Jubair standing there.
13. Seeing the pass vacant, Khalid bin Waleed attacked the Muslims from the rear.
14. When the Holy Prophet found his strong defensive plan wrecked by the blunder of the archers, he immediately acted upon his alternative plan to meet the threat of the enemy’s attack from the rear. He gathered some of his companions although severely sounded, and fought bravely while gradually withdrawing to a new defense line on the high ground near the mountain of Uhud.
15. Ali fought back and occupied the pass checking the onslaught of the enemy from that direction.
16. Hamza launched a counter attack from the other side.
17. The enemy went up the mountain to dislodge the Muslims from their defensive position. The Holy Prophet, who was severely wounded, saw them and said: “ O’ Allah! It is not befitting that they should be above us.” There upon, Umar, Usman and other Muslims went up and fought till they drove them down the hill. When the enemy found the counter attacks of the Muslims too dangerous, it quietly withdrew without overpowering the Muslims.
18. When the enemy left in haste without defeating the Muslims, the Holy Prophet again took initiative and pursued the enemy. He marched forward with a force of 450 men to a place called Hamra al-Asad, about ten miles out of Madina. His face, lower lip and the right shoulder were severely wounded, but he did not care about his wounds and pursued the enemy. He encamped at Hamra al-Asad and at night burnt fires at five hundred places which were visible from a long distance. When Abu Sufyan heard of the Muslim army following them, he left quietly for Mecca. Thus the tactical surprise move of the Holy Prophet averted the delicate and grave situation of Uhud.
[Encyclopedia on Seerah, Ibn Hashsham, Ibn Khaldun, Bukhari]
[Note: See the Battle of Uhud in Al-Quran-3:121-128,139-180]
