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Back to Madinah 
The martyrs had been buried and Allah’s blessings invoked 
upon them. Now it was time for the Prophet to return to 
Madinah. On the way, he stopped to give solace to some women 
whose relatives had fallen in the field. His invocation of Allah’s 
blessings upon them comforted them immensely. 
Many of the bereaved Muslims bore their losses with 
patience and took comfort in knowing that their Prophet was 
safe, although they had lost their own loved ones in the bargain. 
The following incident illustrates the priority the Muslims placed 
on the Prophet’s safety. A group of Muslims returning from the 
battle encountered a woman from the tribe of Banu Dinar. Her 
husband, brother and father had all been killed at Uhud. When 
she was told of each of their deaths, she responded each time, 
“First tell me about the Prophet.” The people replied, “Thanks to 
Allah he is safe.” But the woman was not satisfied with the men’s 
assurances and asked to see for herself how the Prophet was. 
When the people brought her to see him, she said simply, “Now 
that you are safe, every grief has vanished.” 
Back in Madinah the Muslims spent the night on high alert. 
After all, they were still in a state of emergency. Exhausted and 
wounded, they were also overcome by deep sorrow and remorse 

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at the actions of a few who had risked the life of the Prophet
himself. They all insisted on guarding the Prophet . The 
Prophet on the other hand, felt that it was far more important 
to monitor the retreating enemy’s movements carefully. He 
wanted to be prepared in case of a surprise attack on Madinah. 
The expedition of Hamra Al-Asad 
The very next morning, the Prophet sent a crier to 
announce that all those who had fought in the Battle of Uhud 
should prepare to pursue the enemy. Every Muslim who had 
fought at Uhud the day before followed the Prophet out of 
Madinah regardless of fatigue and injury. Thus they set out from 
Madinah and camped at Hamra Al-Asad, eight miles away. 
The pagans were camped at Rawha, thirty-six miles from 
Madinah, holding a war council. Much recrimination was traded 
as the troops berated their leaders. Why had they squandered the 
advantage by not entering Madinah? 
At this moment, the Muslim camp was also pondering 
strategy. Ma’bad bin Abi Sa’eed Khaza’i, who was a well-wisher of 
the Prophet , came to him at Hamra Al-Asad and commiserated 
about the events at Uhud. The Prophet asked him to approach 
Abu Sufyan and use scare tactics to head the pagans off. Ma’bad 
accordingly reached Rawha, where the mood was in favour of 
returning back to Madinah. 
Ma’bad dismayed the pagans with his description of the 
ferocity of the Muslims and their extensive preparations for a new 
encounter. “Muhammad has come out with a horde the like of 
which I have never seen. They are intent on revenge, and their 
mood is terrifyingly bloodthirsty. I think you will soon spot their 
vanguard appearing from behind this hill.” 
The ruse worked. The Makkan troops lost their bravado, and 
Abu Sufyan confined his response to a similar scare campaign. He 
decided to do some sabre rattling of his own. He instructed a 

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caravan to scare the Muslims by saying that the Makkans were 
ready for another round. Meanwhile, Abu Sufyan and his soldiers 
hurried back to Makkah. 
Having come close to defeat, the subdued Muslims who 
heard this warning were prepared to fight on. The threat of a 
renewed attack only stiffened their resolve. They responded by 
quoting the following verse:
“The Hypocrites said, “Verily, the pagans have gathered 
against you, so fear them!” But this increased the Muslims in 
faith, and they replied, “Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the 
best to determine our affairs.” (3: 173)
There was no further volley of threats, and the resulting claim 
is best described in the next verse: “Thus they returned with the 
blessings and favour of Allah. No evil touched them, and they 
sought nothing but Allah’s pleasure, and Allah is munificent 
beyond measure.” (3: 174)