The Prophet's Injury

when the quraysh heard of the fall of muhammad, their forces fell upon muslim ranks with renewed vigor. every one of them was seeking to hit muhammad, even if dead, that he might have the honor and pride of having participated in his downfall. the muslims who stood close to the prophet protected him and drew a close circle around him. their faith had come back to them and they now stood their ground anxious to lay down their lives in order to save their prophet. the fact is that one of the stones thrown by the quraysh had hit the prophet and caused him to fall to the ground, with a cut lip, a wounded face, and a broken tooth. the stone that hit the prophet was thrown by `utbah ibn abu waqqas. it landed with such force that it pushed two links of muhammad's helmet chain into his wound. muhammad attempted to stand up behind a shield of his companions, but he fell again, this time in a hole which abu `amir had dug as a trap for the muslims. `ali ibn abu talib ran to muhammad and gave him his hand and, together with talhah ibn `ubaydullah, lifted him again to his feet. he and his .companions then began to retreat toward the mountain of uhud while fighting their pursuing enemies.