Martyred at the Hands of Wahshi
During the battle, he valiantly killed many leaders. During the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Hamza (ra) also proved his excellence in gallantry. This display of bravery was a thorn in the sight of the Quraish of Mecca. Details of this event are recorded in Bukhari is as follows:
Hazrat Ja‘far bin ‘Amr bin Umayya Zamri (ra) narrates, “I was travelling with Ubaidullah bin Adi bin Khiyar (ra) when we arrived at Homs, which is a famous city in Syria. Once we reached there Ubaidullah bin Adi (ra) said to me, ‘Would you like to meet Wahshi bin Harb of Abyssinia. We will ask him about the murder of Hazrat Hamza (ra). Wahshi used to live in Homs. Therefore, we enquired about his address and we were told that Wahshi is sitting idle under the shade of his palace.”
Ja‘far says, “We went to Wahshi and stood by him for a short while. We offered the greetings of peace, to which he replied in kind.” Ja‘far said, “Ubaidullah at the time was wearing a turban. His head and face were covered. Wahshi could only see his eyes and feet. Ubaidullah said to Wahshi if he could recognise him? Wahshi looked at Ubaidullah carefully and then replied, ‘By God, I do not recognise you except that I know that Adiyy bin Khiyar married a woman called Ummul Qital bint Abi Lais. They had a child in Mecca. I would feed this baby and carry him to the mother and would hand him over to her. I used to see the feet of this child, and by looking at your feet today, I have a feeling you are the very same person.’”
On hearing this Ubaidullah revealed his face. (So Wahshi recognised Ubaidullah from his feet). Then Ubaidullah said to Wahshi to narrate the incident of the murder of Hamza(ra).
Wahshi explained that Hazrat Hamza (ra) had killed Tu‘aimah bin Adiyy bin Khiyar during the battle of Badr. Wahshi’s master at the time Jubair bin Mut‘am had said to him that if he could avenge the murder of his uncle Tu‘aimah by killing Hamza (ra), and in return he will be set free.
Wahshi then said that when people saw that the Battle of Uhud was to commence, and they were heading towards ‘Ainain, one of the hills of Uhud. There was a valley between this hill and Uhud. Wahshi also joined the expedition here. When people lined up to begin the battle, Siba‘ came forward and called out if anyone dared challenge him. On hearing this Hazrat Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib (ra) stepped forward and said, “O Siba‘, do you war with Allah and His Messenger (sa)”.
After saying this, Hazrat Hamza (ra) attacked him and slayed him as if he had not existed from before. (This means that he swiftly overpowered Siba‘ and dealt with him.) Wahshi says that he was hiding behind a large stone waiting to ambush Hazrat Hamza (ra). When Hazrat Hamza (ra) came near him, he attacked him with his spear and impaled him with it, penetrating his torso.
These were Hazrat Hamza’s last moments. When people returned to Mecca, Wahshi also returned with them and stayed in Mecca until the people of Mecca accepted Islam, at which he then migrated to Taif. People sent ambassadors to the Holy Prophet (sa) and Wahshi was asked as to why he would not go with those ambassadors, as they could not be harmed in any way. So, Wahshi also joined them, and when he went to see the Holy Prophet (sa), as soon as the Prophet saw him, he asked, “Are you the one they refer to as Wahshi?” Wahshi responded in the affirmative. The Holy Prophet (sa) asked if he was the one that killed Hamza (ra). Wahshi said that the Prophet had been correctly informed. At this, the Holy Prophet(sa) said:
“As much as possible do not come before me.”
Wahshi says that on hearing this he left this place.
When the Holy Prophet (sa) passed away and Musailimah Kadhdhab started a rebellion, Wahshi thought that he ought to go to Musailimah, and if he was the one to kill him, then this may serve as an atonement for the killing of Hazrat Hamza (ra).
Wahshi says that he too set out for the war with the people and the battle panned out as it did. He saw that a man was stood in the gap of a wall. This man’s complexion resembled that of a wheat coloured camel. He was so dishevelled, and his hair was scruffy. So, Wahshi continued that he attacked this man with his spear by striking him on his chest which impaled him between the shoulders, and then an Ansari cut the man’s throat. So, this was his ending at last.
(Sahih Al Bukhari, Kitabul Mughazi, Bab Qatli Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib, Hadith No.4072)
Umair bin Ishaq narrates that on the day of Uhud, Hamza (ra) bin Abdul Muttalib was fighting in front of the Holy Prophet (sa) with two swords. He was chanting that he was the Lion of God. During this chant he would move forward and backward. Whilst doing this his foot slipped and he ended up falling on his back. Wahshi Aswad saw him in this state. Abu Usama narrates that Wahshi attacked him with his spear and murdered Hamza.
(At-Tabaqat Al-Kubra Li Ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p.8, Hamza bin Abdil Muttalib, Darul-Kutub Al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1990, Beirut)
Hazrat Hamza (ra) was martyred during the Battle of Uhud, 32 months after the migration of the Prophet (sa) to Medina. At the time, his age was 59 years.
(At-Tabaqat Al-Kubra Li Ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p.6, Hamza bin Abdil Muttalib, Darul-Kutub Al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1990, Beirut)
It is narrated that Hind, who was the wife of Abu Sufiyan, also was present with the army of the disbelievers on the day of Uhud. She wanted to avenge the death of her father, who was killed while fighting Hazrat Hamza (ra) during the Battle of Badr. She had sworn that whenever the opportunity arose she would chew the liver of Hamza (ra). When such a situation did arise and Hazrat Hamza (ra) fell, the disbelievers dismembered the bodies of the martyred Muslims, defaced them and cut their noses and ears. They also cut out a part of the liver of Hazrat Hamza(ra) and gave this to Hind. Hind attempted to chew upon this liver but was unable to swallow it, so she spat it out. When this incident came to the knowledge of the Holy Prophet (sa), he said that Allah Almighty had forbidden the fire to ever touch any part of the body of Hamza (ra).
(At-Tabaqat Al-Kubra Li Ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p.8, Hamza bin Abdil Muttalib, Darul-Kutub Al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1990, Beirut)