Bitter Fighting Everywhere on the Battlefield

whilst the brunt of the battle centred around the standard, bitter fighting was going on everywhere on the battlefield. the spirit of faith overwhelmed the muslims’ ranks; so they rushed among the idolaters as if they had been an outbreak of a destructive flood that overflowed and knocked down all dams and barriers standing in its way "i seek death, i seek death." that was their announced motto on uhud day.

abu dujana, recognized by the red band worn round his head, came forth, fighting with the sword of the messenger of allâh [pbuh]. he was determined to pay its price at all costs. he killed all the idolaters that stood on his way splitting and dispersing their ranks. az-zubair bin al-‘awwam said:

"i felt angry and discouraged when the messenger of allâh [pbuh] refused to give me the sword but gave it to abu dujana. i said to myself: ‘i am his paternal cousin — the cousin of his aunt safiya — a quraishite, besides, i was the first who demanded it and yet he favoured him to me. by allâh, i will watch how he will use it.’ so i followed him, i saw him take out his red band and wear it round his head. seeing him like that, the helpers said, ‘abu dujana had worn the band of death.’ then he set out saying loudly:

‘i am the one whom my intimate friend made covenant with, when we were under the palm-trees on the mountain side.
the covenant that we made was that i should not fight at the rear.
but fight at the front heroically with the sword of allâh and his messenger.’

no one stood the way of abu dujana but was killed. there was a man among the idolaters whose only target was to finish off the wounded muslims. during the fight abu dujana drew near that man; so i implored allâh that they might engage in combat. they in fact did and exchanged two sword-strokes. the idolater struck abu dujana, but he escaped it and it pierced into his leather shield. the idolater’s sword now stuck to it, abu dujana struck him with the sword and killed him. ibn hisham 2/68,69] into the thick of the battle, he rushed to kill a person who was inciting the enemy to fight the muslims. upon this the person shrieked and lo! it was a woman. abu dujana spared her saying: ‘i respect the prophet [pbuh]’s sword too much to use it on a woman.’ the woman was hind bint ‘utbah."

describing the same incident, az-zubair bin al-‘awwam said: "i saw abu dujana raising a sword over the parting part of hind bint ‘utba’s head then he moved it off. i said to myself: ‘allâh and his messenger know best.’ (i.e. know why he acted like that). [bn hisham 2/69]"

hamzah bin ‘abdul muttalib displayed wonderful feats of gallantry against the overwhelming odds which stood unparalled and created consternation and confusion in the disbelieving hosts. heroes dispersed off his way as if they had been tree-leaves blown away by strong wind. in addition to his effective contribution to the annihilation of the idolaters who stood in defence of the standard, he was even of much greater effect at fighting against men of bravery and distinguished horsemen. it was allâh’s will that he be murdered when he was at the top. he was not killed in a face-to-face fight on the battlefield — in the normal way by which heroes die — but rather assassinated in the dead-dark as was the custom of killing generous and noble men that were impossible to kill in an honourable fight.