123his own as wcll-to remain in Medina and wait fo r the enemy. His deser-
cion was a serious matter, since it reduced to seven hundred the Muslim
army, which could no longer change their srr:negy or tum back. Ibn
Ubo-Yy's hypocrisy was well known, and he was suspected of multiple
betrayals: that decision, just before the showdown, was additional evi-
dence of his duplicity.
'The Muslims moved on, although they were now considerably weak-
ened. On the way, the Prophet noticed that six youths, between the ages
of thirteen and sixteen, had mingled with the army. He immediately sent
bac:' four of th em, who were tOO young, but agreed to keep two boys of
fifteen and sixteen who proved to him o n the Spot that they were better
marksmen and fighte rs than many grown men. The choice, in such a sit-
uation, was a difficult one, but the Prophet repeatedly insisted that children
be kept away &om battle areas, both as soldiers ar.d as potential victims. He
reiterated it forcefully, as we shall sec, before one of the last expeditions,
and this teaching, perraining tv tlte ethics of war, alway:'! remained uncom-
promising in his message.
The Muslim army had to find an inconspicuous route to Uhud that
would enable the arm y to approach the battleground without its move-
ments being anticipated o r discovered. Once again, the Prophet tru sted a
non-r.,·fuslim guide who answered his call: his abilities were widely known,
and he led the army to th eir destination. They took up their position, and
the Prophet explained his fighting strategy to his [fOOps. The archers were
to stay 00 the hillside, while the horsemen and soldiers directly confront-
ed tile enemy in the plain. The archers were not to leave their POStS under
any circumstance, whether the troops below might seem to be winning o r
10slOg, in order to p revent the Quraysh from coming round the hill and
attacking the trOOps from behind. This was in fact what one of the
Quraysh divisions tried to do at the very beginning of the battle, but they
were g reeted with a shower of arco..v'S that compelled them to move back.
The su ategy was working perfectly.
The fighting began and, down in the plain, the Muslim troops were
gradually taking control. The Quraysh were lming g round and suffering
many losses, while the .Muhajirun and the Acsar displayed remarkable
courage. Among those fighters, twO women siood out for their energy
and vigor: Um SuJarm and cspecially an Ansar woman called Nusaybah
bint Kab, who had initially come to carry water and aid the wounded, and