69 Page Notes

03 Surah Ali-Imran (continued)

Page 69 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

3:149

3:150

3:151

3:152

3:153

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 69 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 69 of the Qur'an contains Surah Ali-Imran (Chapter 3), Verses 149 through 153.

This page covers the absolute climax of the Qur'an's commentary on the Battle of Uhud. Historically, it analyzes the exact turning point where the tide of the battle shifted from a sweeping Muslim victory to a severe tactical disaster, zeroing in on the actions of the fifty archers stationed on the hill.

The prominent Hadiths and Sunnah narratives directly connected to this page include:

1. Verses 149–151: Divine Protection vs. Enemy Alliances

"O you who have believed, if you obey those who disbelieve, they will turn you back on your heels, and you will turn back losers. But Allah is your protector, and He is the best of helpers. We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve..."

Following the chaotic retreat at Uhud, certain hypocrites and weak-hearted individuals suggested making peace alliances with the pagan Quraysh or returning to their pre-Islamic paths. Allah warned the believers against this.

• The Historical Hadith Context (Terror in Abu Sufyan's Heart): Commentators like As-Suddi record that after the battle ended, Abu Sufyan and the Makkan army began marching back to Makkah. Mid-way, they realized they had failed to completely crush Madinah or capture the Prophet ﷺ and decided to turn back to launch a final slaughter.
  However, acting upon verse 151 ("We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve"), Allah struck sudden, unexplainable fear into the hearts of the pagan leaders, causing them to abandon their plan and panic-flee back to Makkah. This fulfilled the Prophet’s ﷺ specific declaration:
  "I have been given victory through terror (cast into the enemy's heart) for a distance of one month's journey." (Recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 335 and Sahih Muslim, Hadith 521).

2. Verse 152: The Catastrophic Turning Point (The Archers of Uhud)

"And Allah had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing the enemy by His permission until [the time] when you lost courage and fell to disputing about the order [given by the Prophet] and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love [the booty]..."

This verse outlines exactly how the initial victory slipped away due to the desire for worldly spoils (Ghanimah).

• The Uncompromising Command of the Sunnah: Al-Bara bin Azib narrated the core structural Hadith regarding this exact breakdown:
  The Prophet ﷺ appointed Abdullah bin Jubair as the commander of the infantrymen (archers) on the day of Uhud. He positioned fifty archers on a strategic hill and strictly ordered them: "Stick to your place, and don't leave it even if you see birds snatching us, till I send for you; and if you see that we have defeated the infidels and made them flee, even then you should not leave your place till I send for you."
  The Muslims initially routed the pagan army, and their women were seen fleeing up the hills. Seeing this, the archers said, "The booty! O people, the booty! Your companions have become victorious, what are you waiting for?" Abdullah bin Jubair tried to stop them, saying, "Have you forgotten what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to you?" They ignored him, saying, "By Allah, we will go to the people and collect our share of the war spoils."
  As soon as they abandoned their post, Khalid bin al-Waleed (who was commanding the pagan cavalry at the time) saw the exposed hill, swept around the mountain from behind, and ambushed the vulnerable Muslims, throwing the entire army into complete chaos. (Recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3039 / 3986).

3. Verse 153: The Panic and the Miraculous Defense of the Prophet ﷺ

"[Remember] when you were running far away [in panic]—not looking at anyone—while the Messenger was calling to you from behind! So Allah rewarded your disobedience with distress upon distress..."

As the ambush struck, the Muslim ranks fractured in panic. The Prophet ﷺ stood firm with only a tiny handful of companions, shouting out to the retreating army from behind to regroup.

• The Fierce Defensive Stand of Sa'd and the Angels: During this exact moment of retreat mentioned in verse 153, the Prophet ﷺ was left highly exposed and heavily assaulted. The Sunnah documents the miraculous divine protection he received. Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas narrated:
  "On the day of Uhud, I saw two men wearing white clothes, one to the right of the Prophet ﷺ and one to his left, who were defending the Prophet fiercely. I have never seen these men before or after that day."
  The Prophet ﷺ informed them that these were the archangels Gabriel (Jibril) and Michael (Mika'il) fighting manually alongside them. (Recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4054 and Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2306).

• The Cry of Ka'b ibn Malik: While the chaos intensified due to the rumor that the Prophet ﷺ had died, a companion named Ka'b ibn Malik was the first to recognize the Prophet ﷺ alive through the glint of his helmet. He acted directly upon the call of the Messenger described in the verse:
  Ka'b shouted at the top of his lungs: "O Muslims! Rejoice! This is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ alive and well!" Hearing his voice, the panicked companions finally turned around, reassembled, and fought their way back to protect the Prophet ﷺ. (Recorded in Ibn Hisham's Sirah and Tafsir Al-Qurtubi for this verse).