Battle of Uhud (II)

Whilst mentioning further details about the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) states:

“The feats of valour that were displayed by the Companions (ra) who had gathered around the Holy Prophet (sa) were such that history is unable to present the like thereof. These people would revolve around the Holy Prophet (sa) like moths around a flame and continuously put their lives at stake for the Holy Prophet (sa). The Companions (ra) would take every blow upon themselves and along with protecting the Holy Prophet (sa) they would continue to strike the enemy. Hazrat Ali (ra) and Zubair (ra) attacked the enemy countless times and persistently drove back their ranks. In the course of this rain of arrows, Abu Talha Ansari (ra) broke three bows, and stood firm like a rock and covered the body of the Holy Prophet (sa) with his own shield. The Holy Prophet (sa) would hand arrows to Saad (ra) himself and Saad (ra) would continue to shower the enemy with arrow upon arrow. At one instance, the Holy Prophet (sa) addressed Saad (ra) saying, ‘May my mother and father be sacrificed upon you – go on shooting arrows!’ Even to the very end of his life, Saad (ra) would recall these words of the Holy Prophet (sa) with great pride. For a very long time, Abu Dujanahra shielded the body of the Holy Prophet (sa) with his own, and would take every arrow and stone to his own body. This was to such an extent that his body became heavily pierced with arrows, but he did not even sigh, lest his body flinched and the Holy Prophet (sa) became even slightly exposed to a single arrow. In order to protect the Holy Prophet (sa), Talha (ra) took countless blows to his own body, and it was in this very attempt that his hand was paralysed and rendered useless forever. But how long could these few devotees withstand this grand flood, which was ravaging forward moment by moment from all fronts with its horrific waves. The Muslims would sway from side to side with every wave of every attack waged by the enemy, but as soon as its force would somewhat subside, these helpless Muslims would continue fighting and close in around their beloved Mastersa. At times, the force of the attack would be so perilous that the Holy Prophet (sa) would practically be left standing alone. There was one occasion when only twelve men were left standing around the Holy Prophet (sa), and there was even a time when only two people were left standing by the Holy Prophet (sa). Among these devotees the names of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), Ali (ra), Talha (ra), Zubair (ra), Saad (ra) bin Waqas, Abu Dujanah Ansari (ra), Saad (ra) bin Muaz and Talha Ansari (ra) have been especially recorded.”

(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), pp. 495-496)