The Quraish started the battle with an attempt to encircle the Muslims with a pincer movement. The left flank of the Quraish army, commanded by Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, tried to turn the Muslims around, but was unable to accomplish its purpose.

The right flank, commanded by Khalid ibn Al-Waleed, then made a similar attempt toachieve the same purpose. It was repelled, however, by a heavy bombardment with the arrows from the unit on top of Mount Ainain.

The two armies were back to their starting positions.

A man came out from the ranks of the non-believers calling for a duel. Al-Zubair ibn Al-Awwam accepted his challenge, fought and killed him, to the delight of the Muslims, who shouted their ever inspiring slogan: "God is Supreme."

The battle now began in earnest, and the Muslims were ready to repeat their splendid victory at Badr.

The fact that they were fighting an enemy four times their size did not discourage them. Indeed, to most of them victory was a certainty which was soon to come to pass, because they had long realized that victory is granted by God. Since they were fighting for God's cause, victory was assured.

An incident which epitomizes the attitude of the Muslims at the Battle of Uhud was that of Abu Dujanah Simak ibn Kharashah.

The Prophet held out a sword in his hand and asked his companions as he was marshalling them: "Who takes this sword for its proper value?"

Several men showed interest but the Prophet did not give it to any of them. Abu Dujanah, however, stood out and asked: "What is its proper value, Messenger of God?"

The Prophet answered: "That you strike the enemy with it until it is bent." Abu Dujanah said: "I take it for its proper value."

He was known to be a brave fighter and in time of war, he would walk in a certain way which showed pride. He took out a red band and tied it to his forehead, a gesture that signified that he was ready to fight. When the Prophet saw him doing that, he said: "This type of walk is hateful to God, except in time of war."

As the battle raged on, Abu Dujanah fought hard and killed everyone of the enemy army who tried to stop him. While Abu Dujanah advanced in this fashion, there was an enemy soldier who made it his duty to seek any one of the Muslims who was wounded and kill him.

Soon he found himself face to face with Abu Dujanah, and each of them leveled a strike at the other. Abu Dujanah managed to make his opponent's strike hit only his shield, and he then killed him.

He moved on to meet another soldier wearing a mask. As he was about to strike him, the soldier cried out and Abu Dujanah realized that he was facing a woman.

He let her go because, as he said later, he felt it was improper to strike a woman with the Prophet's sword.

That woman was Hind bint Utbah, Abu Sufyan's wife.

Keeping Up the Quraish Flag

With the battle raging fiercely, it was clear to everyone that it surpassed all previous encounters between the two sides in its ferocity.

The Muslims concentrated their attack on the unit which held the flag of the Quraish. Traditionally, the clan of Abd Al-Dar had the honor of holding the flag of the Quraish in any battle.

Since their showing at Badr had not been very impressive, Abu Sufyan spoke to thembefore the outbreak of war, saying that it might be better to give the

flag to some other unit if the Abd Al-Dar fighters were to give a  similar performance to that of Badr.

His real intention was to provoke them so that they would be determined to put up a good fight. They told him that no one would be able to criticize their performance this time.

Their performance was indeed impressive by any standard. As the Muslims concentrated their attack on them, the Abd Al-Dar fighters fought back with courage and determination.

But they were no match for their attackers. Talhah ibn Abu Talhah, the Quraish

flag-holder, was soon killed by Ali. The flag was then held by his brother, Uthman, who was killed in turn by Hamzah and the pattern was repeated.

No fewer than seven brothers carried the Quraish flag, and they were all killed. Three more of their relatives were also killed as they held the flag. The flag was then on the ground and the Quraish army was in chaos.

It was the smaller army which was putting in the more determined fight. Although the Quraish came to avenge its previous defeat, the Muslims had higher hopes and stronger inspiration to do well in battle. After all, they were defending their faith. It was not surprising therefore, that they fought hard, and in no time they were gaining

ground on their enemy.

Hamzah ibn Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet's uncle who had been the scourge of the Quraish at the Battle of Badr, repeated his exceptional performance. He killed at least two of the flag-holders as well as some other Quraish soldiers. But he had an enemy whom he could not see.

A Great Martyr Falls

Wahshi, an Abyssinian slave, was an excellent marksman with the spear. His master, Jubair ibn Mutim, had promised to set him free if he killed Hamzah to avenge the killing of Jubair's own uncle, Tuaymah ibn Adiy, who was killed at Badr. Also, Hind bint Utbah promised Wahshi a good reward if he killed Hamzah in revenge for her father, brother, and other relatives.

Wahshi was with the Quraish army, but he did not take part in the actual fighting. He

looked only for Hamzah, and found him fighting with exceptional courage.

As Hamzah was closing in on a man from the Quraish called Sabba ibn Abdul-Uzzah, he came within the range of Wahshi's spear. Hamzah missed Sabba's head with his sword when Wahshi aimed his spear at him, hitting him in his lower abdomen.

The spear went through his body and appeared between his legs. He tried to move towards Wahshi but could not, and fell down.

Wahshi waited until Hamzah died and went to pull his spear out. As Wahshi did not have any more interest in the fighting, he left, having ensured his freedom.

Hind bint Utbah, who for a full year had nursed her grudge against Hamzah, now started to disfigure him. She opened his stomach and took out his liver and tried to eat it. She could not cut it with her teeth, so she threw it out.

The death of Hamzah, however, did not much affect the way the battle was going. It was soon very clear that the Muslims were gaining the upper hand. Confusion spread in the Quraish army.

Many of its soldiers started to run away. The Muslims, on the other hand, started

to collect their booty.

To be continued…