274 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMADIn any case, the contending forces did confront one another in battle, the out-
come resting in the hands of the All-Merciful. The greatest of the prophets
called upon his Lord's help, his Companions too raising their voices loud in
invocation of the Lord of heaven and earth, Who hears all prayers and discovers
all heroic action.
The first of the polytheists to he killed was al-Aswad h. 'Abd al-Asad
al-Makhznmi.
Ibn Ishaq stated, "This was a mean and disreputable fellow who had said, 'I
swear to God I will drink from their cistern or destroy it, or die before I get
there!' And when he came forth to do battle, Hamza b. 'Abd al-Mn(p1ib went
out to confront him. When they met, Hmza struck him and off came his foot
and half his leg, before he had reached the cistern. He fell down on his back, his
leg spurting blood hack towards his companions. He then crawled on in the
direction of the cistern, plunging into it intending, so they say, to fulfil his oath.
Harnza pursued him and struck him again and again until he had killed him,
there in the cistern."
Al-Umawi stated, "At that Wtba b. Rahi'a became excited and determined to
demonstrate his bravery. He came forth with his brother Shayba on one side of
hi and his son al-Walid on the other and, standing out in the centre between the
two lines, they issued a challenge for single combat. Three young men from the
Helpers went out to confront them; they were 'Awf and Mu%dh, the two sons of
al-HGth, their mother being 'Afra", dong with 'Ahd All& b. Rawaha, so they
say. 'And who are you?' they were asked, and they replied, 'We are from among
the aqar, "the Helpers".' 'We have no quarrel with you,' they were told.''
In one account it is said that the Quraysh warriors then said, "These are our
honourable peers, but send forth some of our own people." Their herald then
called out, "0 Muhammad, send forth our peers from our own people."
"The Prophet (SAAS) replied, 'You go, Wbayda b. al-Haith, and you
Hamza, and you, 'Ali."'
According to al-Umawi, the Messenger of God (SAAS) was displeased when
the three Helpers stepped forth. This was because this was the first battle pitting
his men against his enemies, and he would have preferred his warriors to have
been from his own tribe. He therefore ordered the first three men to withdraw
and ordered out the three men named above.
Bn Ishaq stated, "When the three combatants approached the three Quraysh
warriors, the latter asked their names." (This is an indication that they were
wearing armour and they could not be recognized by their weapons.) "Wbayda,
Hamza and 'Ali each gave their names in turn. The Quraysh champions then
commented, 'Worthy peers.'
"Wbayda then stepped forward, he being the oldest of them, and faced Wtba,
while Hamza addressed Shayba and 'Ali stood before al-Walid b. Wtba.
"Hamza soon killed Shayha, as 'Ali did al-Walid. 'Ubayda and Wtba
exchanged blows and each brought the other down. Hamza and 'Ali then turned