Hazrat Umar R.A in Battle of Ohud

Hazrat Umar R.A in Battle of Ohud

To take revenge of the defeat of Badr the Makkans attacked Muslims again. This time the Makkans raised an army of three thousand warriors. They reached the outskirts of Madinah and stopped near the mountain of Uhud. The Holy  Prophet  confronted this army with seven hundred of his followers. Hadhrat Umar was also with him.

The Holy Prophet posted fifty of his men to guard a strategic narrow hilly pass so as to prevent the enemy’s attack from behind and faced the enemy with the rest of the force. Soon after the battle began the enemy was driven away. The Muslims ran after them, even some of the guards at the pass left their post and went in pursuit of the enemy in spite of Holy Prophet’s specific instructions to remain there. Two enemy Commanders Khalid bin Waleed and Amr bin  Al-Aas,  saw the poorly guarded pass, gathered their fleeing soldiers and attacked the Muslims from behind. The  Muslim soldiers were scattered all over the battlefield and therefore could not assemble to repel the enemy’s attack. There were only twenty Muslims left around the Holy Prophet who made a protective ring in order to save him from  the  enemy. But the attack was so severe that the Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW fell injured and became
unconscious. The rumour spread that the Holy Prophet was dead. Hadhrat Umar, who was also among those who tried to repel the attack, heard the news. It is said that he was so devastated that he sat on a stone  and  cried.  The  enemy  too  was  under  the  impression  that  Muhammad  was  killed  so  they withdrew. The Muslims lifted the Holy Prophet’s body from among the dead.

After a while the Holy Prophet returned to consciousness. The Muslims were overjoyed to see him alive and gathered around him. They escorted him to the foot of the hill. Abu Sufyaan, the leader of the Makkans, was sure that they had killed not only the Holy Prophet but also Abu Bakr and Umar. He therefore shouted:

“We have killed Muhammad”

The Holy Prophet told Muslims to remain quiet.

Then Abu Sufyaan exclaimed, “We have killed Abu Bakr.” The Holy Prophet forbade Hadhrat Abu Bakr to make a reply. Then he shouted again, “We have also killed Umar.”

The Holy Prophet told Hadhrat Umar to remain quiet.

Upon this the leader of Makkans shouted, “We have killed all three. Then he raised the national cry praising their chief idol, “Glory be to Hubal, because Hubal has put an end to Islam.”

The Muslims were still quiet when the Holy Prophet asked them “Why don’t you reply?” “What shall we say?”, the Muslims asked.

The Holy Prophet told them to respond and say, “Allah alone is Great and Mighty. He alone is High and Honoured.”

Hearing this reply the enemy was disappointed to learn that the Holy Prophet, Hadhrat Abu Bakr and Hadhrat Umar were all alive. In spite of the fact that many Muslims were badly wounded and totally exhausted, the enemy left the battlefield totally dejected