Saying · 16 Shawwal 3 AH, in Madinah
We need another contingent to ensure they will not return. Who will volunteer? Only those who participated [at Uhud] are allowed to volunteer.
16 Shawwal 3 AH (one day after Uhud) · 3 AH
The day after Uhud, worried the retreating Quraysh might turn back to finish off the Muslims, the Prophet ﷺ called for volunteers to form a pursuing contingent, restricting it to those who had fought at Uhud (excluding the 300 who had withdrawn with Abdullah ibn Ubayy). About 70 sahaba, at their head Ali ibn Abi Talib, marched out and camped at Hamra al-Asad; the Prophet ﷺ joined them the next day and they remained three days to make sure the Quraysh did not return, before returning to Madinah.
Outcome: The Quraysh, shaken by Ma'bad's report, abandoned any plan to return and continued to Makkah. The Muslims held Hamra al-Asad for three days before returning to Madinah: one more sign, among several noted by the sahaba afterward, that Uhud had not been the clear Quraysh victory it might have seemed on the battlefield itself.
On the road home the Quraysh debated turning back to finish off the Muslims. Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahal pressed for it, but Safwan ibn Umayyah warned that a second strike would only harden the Muslims' resolve. Before this, Ma'bad al-Khuza'i (not yet a Muslim, but sympathetic after Uhud) had visited the Prophet ﷺ in Madinah to offer condolences; on his way home he met Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and, without knowing he was repeating Safwan's own warning almost word for word, described the Muslims as burning for vengeance and advised Abu Sufyan to flee. This sealed the Quraysh's decision to continue on to Makkah rather than return. Allah praised the 70 who marched out despite their wounds in Surah Ali-Imran [3:172]; Aisha RA later recited this verse to her nephew Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, telling him both his father (Zubayr ibn al-Awwam) and his grandfather (Abu Bakr) were among them.
The Year of Uhud·Chapter 4 of 13The day after
See the whole storyOther events recorded in 3 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
We need another contingent to ensure they will not return. Who will volunteer? Only those who participated [at Uhud] are allowed to volunteer.
O my nephew, both of your fathers responded.
Said to her nephew Urwah ibn al-Zubayr after reciting Qur'an 3:172 about Hamra al-Asad, referring to his father Zubayr ibn al-Awwam RA and his grandfather Abu Bakr RA, both of whom answered the call despite their wounds.
See in the distance what they are riding. If they are riding horses, they will come back to Madinah; but if they are riding their camels, they will go back to Makkah.
Instructed Ali ibn Abi Talib RA, tasked with watching the Quraysh's retreat from Hamra al-Asad.
We need to go back and get rid of this menace forever!
O my people, do not do this! For verily, they will be fuming in anger and you don't know: maybe their groups of the Khazraj and Aws who didn't participate will now participate!
Neither have we killed Muhammad ﷺ nor have we earned the admiration of our young ladies!
We have heard what happened to you and your Companions. Know that I am not pleased by this. I would rather the other group was inflicted with the loss and defeat.
O Ma'bad, tell me. How did you leave Muhammad ﷺ and his Companions?
Oh! You don't want to see them now! They are fuming with anger! And all those who didn't fight are going to fight now! They are lighting the fire of war, beating the drums of vengeance; and they have promised themselves they will not enjoy peace until they exact vengeance at what you have done to them.
What do you advise?
I advise you to flee as fast as your horses will take you.
“Those who responded to Allah and His Messenger after they were wounded, those of them who did good and were mindful [of Allah] will have a great reward.”
Praises the ~70 sahaba who marched to Hamra al-Asad despite their wounds from Uhud.