Battle of Mu'tah (Hazrat Musleh Maud's (ra) Narration)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) has explained the account of the Battle of Mu‘tah in the following manner – this has already been mentioned once before in reference to Hazrat Zaid (ra), however I shall mention it briefly again. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) states:
“The Holy Prophet (sa) had appointed Zaid (ra) as the commander of the army. However, the Holy Prophet (sa) also stated, ‘I am appointing Zaid (ra) as the commander of the army, but if Zaid (ra) is martyred during the battle, then Jafar (ra) will take command of the army. If he is also martyred, then Abdullah (ra) bin Rawaha will take command. However, if he is also martyred then whoever the Muslims collectively agree upon should take the command of the army’. When the Holy Prophet (sa) stated this, a Jew was also sat in the company of the Holy Prophet (sa) and submitted, ‘Although I do not believe you to be a prophet, but if you are truthful, then none of these three individuals would return alive because anything uttered by a prophet is certainly fulfilled.’ The Jew then went to the Hazrat Zaid (ra) and stated, ‘If your prophet is true, then you shall not come back alive.’ Hazrat Zaid (ra) replied, ‘Regardless of whether I return from this battle alive or not, for Allah knows best, but it is an undeniable truth that our Messenger (sa) is truthful.’”
Despite not professing belief in the Holy Prophet (sa), the Jew knew that the words of the Holy Prophet (sa) were indeed going to be fulfilled, but this is the stubborn attitude of those who will not accept the truth whatever be the case. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) further writes:
“Allah’s wisdom so ordained that this incident was fulfilled exactly as foretold. Hazrat Zaid (ra) was martyred. Then, Hazart Jafar (ra) took up the command and he too was martyred. Then, Hazrat Abdullah (ra) bin Rawaha took up the command of the army and was also martyred. It was possible that in this moment, the Muslim army could have dispersed but Hazrat Khalid (ra) bin Waleed took the flag in his hand at the behest of the Muslims. Allah gave victory to the Muslims through him and he returned the army safely.”
(Fariza-e-Tabligh Aur Ahmadi Khawatin, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 18, pp. 405-406)