Battle of Uhud

The Battle of Uhud (Arabic: غزوة أحد, romanized: Ghazwat ʾUḥud) was fought between the early Muslims and the Quraysh during the Muslim–Quraysh wars in a valley north of Mount Uhud near Medina on Saturday, 23 March 625 AD (7 Shawwal, 3 AH).

Following the Muslim emigration to Medina, hostilities with the Quraysh intensified, largely due to Muslim raids on Meccan trade caravans. In 624, the Quraysh suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Badr, during which several of their leaders were killed. The following year, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb led a force of approximately 3,000 men toward Medina to avenge the loss. The two sides met near Mount Uhud, just north of the city. At the outset of the engagement, the Muslims gained the upper hand and forced the Meccan lines to retreat. A group of Muslim archers had been stationed by Muhammad on a nearby hill in order to protect the army’s rear and guard against a cavalry attack. However, believing the battle was won, many of them left their positions to collect spoils from the Meccan camp. This lapse allowed the Meccan cavalry, led by Khalid ibn al-Walid, to launch a counterattack from the rear, reversing the momentum of the battle, and disrupting the Muslim lines. The resulting chaos led to heavy losses on the Muslim side, including the death of Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib.

The battle was seen as a significant setback for the Muslims and a minor victory for the Quraysh as they would return with an even larger force in the Battle of the Trench.

Muhammad initially spread his new religion in Mecca, where he found no opposition from the local people until he attacked their polytheistic beliefs. As tensions with the Meccans increased, Muhammad brought his followers to migrate to Medina after his successful negotiations with Banu Aws and Khazraj to mediate their tribal conflicts. Francis Peters proposes that these raids were probably a quick remedy by Muhammad for the poverty of his people in the new land, who lacked agricultural skills and capital for trade. Tariq Ramadan agrees with this reasoning, but also adds that The Battle of Badr in particular was initiated to impress the Meccans, who were becoming increasingly hostile towards Medina.

In March 624, after gaining rich plunder from attacking a caravan at Nakhla, Muhammad received information about a large Quraysh trade caravan containing about 1,000 camels and 50,000 dinars was on its way from Gaza to Mecca, and he ordered his followers to ambush it. The very cautious Abu Sufyan, who led the caravan, got wind of his plan and sent messengers on a quick trip to Mecca for help, with the caravan diverted to another route. The reinforcements then camped at Badr, where they later met up with the Muslims. A battle ensued, and with great charisma and powers of suggestion, Muhammad managed to get his troops to defeat the Quraysh reinforcements, which were larger in number.

This defeat was a major catastrophe for the people of Mecca. A number of its influential and experienced men were killed, including Amr ibn Hisham. Their prestige was shaken. Their old enemies, such as the Hawazin, began to set their sights on them again. On Muhammad's part, this victory drew all eyes to him. He used this victory as proof of his prophethood. Those who supported and participated in his raids were becoming more numerous. Abu Sufyan, who was chosen as the successor of the leader of the Quraysh, vowed vengeance. Several months later, he accompanied a party of 200 men to Medina. There, he met his old friend, the Banu Nadir chief, who then provided him with a meal and some background information about the area, but nothing more. He and his party then left Medina, burning two houses and laying waste to some fields in fulfillment of his vow.

Further skirmishes between the Meccans and the Muslims would occur thereafter. A few months later, Abu Sufyan mobilized an invasion force of over 3,000 men to retaliate against the Muslims for the losses at Badr.

At the head of a 3,000-strong army, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb ( one of the head generals) set forth toward Madinah to avenge the Meccans' defeat at Badr. They encamped on the pastures north of the city, hoping that the Muslims would come out to meet them. According to the early Muslim historian Ibn Ishaq, a number of Meccan women are said to have accompanied Abu Sufyan's army to boost their morale, including Hind bint 'Utbah, Abu Sufyan's wife.