The pandemonium was such that no one bothered about the others.

The pandemonium was such that no one bothered about the others. They were all running helter-skelter. Abū-Qutadah who was one of the deserters said: [1] Tārīkh al-Tabarī, Vol 2, Page 346 “The Muslims flew! I too flew with them.

Suddenly I noticed `Umar Ibn al-Khattab among the deserters I asked him, ‘What has happened to the people?’ He replied, ‘It is Allah’s Wish!’”[1] The books of Hadith and biographies certainly recorded about this flight, but the Holy Qur’an too records the incident thus: لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمْ اللَّهُ فِي مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيرَةٍ وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ إِذْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنْكُمْ شَيْئًا وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُمْ مُدْبِرِينَ.

“Certainly Allah helped you in many battlefields and on the day of Hunayn, when your great numbers made you vain, but they availed you nothing and the earth became strait to you notwithstanding its spaciousness, then you turned back retreating. (9:25) When Abū-Sufyan saw the Muslims running away he said, “Wait!

When they are vanquished, they will run to the sea shore!” Kildah ibn Hanbal said, “Today the spell of Islam has been broken!” Some said that al-Lat and Manat had avenged their destruction! Although they were in the army of Islam, but their hearts were not with them. They would certainly have showed their backs if defeat looked into their faces. But the surprising fact was that those who were there at the bay`at al-ridwan and swore to lay down their lives for the Cause chose to fly!

Within no time, a major portion of the 12,000 men vanished in thin air! Very few persons remained with the Prophet (a.s). According to one narration, only four persons, `Ali (a.s), `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib, Abū-Sufyan ibn al-Harith and `Abdullah ibn Mas`ūd remained steadfastly with the Prophet (a.s).

According to another narration there were ten persons with him, viz: `Ali Ibn Abi-Talib (a.s), `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib, al-Fadl ibn `Abbas, Abū-Sufyan ibn al-Harith, Rabi`ah ibn al-Harith, `Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr ibn `Abd al-Muttalib, `Utbah and Mu’tah sons of Abū-Lahab and Ayman ibn `Ubayd. The Prophet (a.s) was astride a pony in the battlefield. `Abbas and al-Fadl were standing on the right and left of him.

Abū-Sufyan was at the back holding the saddle of the mule and `Ali (a.s) was in the front meeting the attacks of the enemy with his sword. The other persons formed a protective circle around the Prophet (a.s). The enemy’s pressure increased every moment.

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