' Abu Sufya's Gloating over the Muslim's Loss in the Battle

when the preparations of the idolaters for departure came to an end, abu sufyan went up the mountain and called out: "is muhammad [pbuh] among you?" they did not answer him. then he asked "is ibn abi quhafah (i.e. abu bakr) among you?" they did not answer. he asked again: "is ‘umar bin al-khattab among you?" they did not answer him; for the prophet [pbuh] forbade them answering him. he only asked about those three. that is because he and his people knew quite well that the call to islam depended to a large degree on those men. abu sufyan then said: "as for those three, we have relieved you of." ‘umar could not help but talking, so he said, "o enemy of allâh, those whom you have just mentioned, i tell you that they are still alive. allâh has maintained what you hate." abu sufyan answered: "the mutilation of your killed is something i did not order it; but it did not displease me." then he shouted: "hubal (an idol), let it be sublime!" the prophet [pbuh] said: "why do you not reply?" "what shall we say?" they asked him. "say: allâh is more sublime and exalted and mightier as well."

he said: "al-‘uzza (i.e. an idol) is ours but you have no ‘uzza." "why do you not reply?" the prophet [pbuh] said. "what shall we say?" they inquired. he said: "say allâh is our protector, but you have no protector."

abu sufyan said: "well deeds! today is a vengeance for badr day. this for that. war is attended with alternate success." ‘umar’s reply was: "no. they are not the same. our killed men are housed in paradise; but yours are in fire."

then abu sufyan said: "come on, ‘umar!" the messenger of allâh [pbuh] said: "go and see what the matter is." he went there. abu sufyan asked him: "i beseech you by allâh’s name to tell me the truth: have we killed muhammad [pbuh]?" ‘umar said: "o allâh, ‘no’ and now he is listening to you words." he said: "for me, you are more truthful than ibn qami’a, and even more reliable." [ibn hisham 2/93,94; za'd al-ma'ad 2/94; sahih al-bukhari 2/579]