Mount Uhad
Mount Uhud is a mountain that is in the North of Madinah. It can be seen in the distance when walking out of Masjid An Nabawi towards the Royal Dyar Hotel. The sheer size of the mountain is staggering it is a mountain that is approximately 3kms wide and 8kms long!
To think that this is the amount of reward we get for the funeral prayer and also for following the funeral procession. To think this is also the mountain which ‘shook’ when the Prophet r , Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman may Allah be pleased with all of them were standing on top of it.
While taking in panoramic views of the mountain’s rugged terrain, visitors can also enjoy the offerings of street vendors, who sell everything from fresh dates to hand-woven scarves.
Battle of Uhad
The Battle of Uhud was fought on March 19, 625 (3 Shawwal 3 AH in the Islamic calendar) at the valley located in front of Mount Uhud. It occurred between a force from the Muslim community of Madinah led by the Prophet Muhammad r , and a force led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb from Makkah.
The Battle of ‘Uhud was the second military encounter between the Makkans and the Muslims, preceded by the Battle of Badr in 624, where a small Muslim army had defeated the much larger Makkan army.
Whilst heavily outnumbered, the Muslims gained the early initiative and forced the Makkan lines back, thus leaving much of the Makkan camp unprotected. When the battle looked to be only one step far from a decisive Muslim victory, a serious mistake was committed by a part of the Muslim army, which shifted the outcome of the battle. A breach of the Prophet Muhammad’s orders by the Muslim archers, who left their assigned posts to despoil the Makkan camp, allowed a surprise attack from the Makkan cavalry, led by war veteran Khalid ibn al-Walid (May Allah Be Pleased With Him), which brought chaos to the Muslim ranks.
Many Muslims were killed including Hamza ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (May Allah Be Pleased with Him), the Prophet’s uncle. Prophet Muhammad pbuh himself was almost killed and came out badly injured. The Muslims had to withdraw up the slopes of ‘Uhud. The Makkans did not pursue the Muslims further, but marched back to Makkah declaring victory. There were a total of approximately 70 companions martyred at the battle of Uhud.