While many Muslims fled [at Uhud] and others, having heard false reports about the Prophet’s death, sat down near the battlefield in a state of shock, some Muslims chose to seek out martyrdom. One such Muslim was Anas ibn An-Nadr (RA), who, for many months, was mourning the fact that he had not participated in the Battle of Badr. After the Battle of Badr was concluded, Anas ibn An-Nadr (RA) said, “By Allah, if Allah allows me to participate in another battle alongside the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Allah will indeed see what I will do!” He showed on the Day of Uhud that he was truthful to his word. When the situation took a turn for the worse for the Muslims, Anas passed by a group of Muslims who were so shocked by the rumour of the Prophet’s death, they tossed their weapons to the ground and stopped fighting. Anas asked them, “Why are you sitting down?” They answered, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has been killed!” He said, “O people, even if Muhammad (ﷺ) has been killed, the Lord of Muhammad has not been killed, so die for that which Muhammad (ﷺ) has died,” after which he said, “O Allah, I excuse myself to you for what these people – i.e., the Muslims – have said, and I absolve myself from what these people – i.e., the polytheists of the Quraish – have come with.” Anas then met Sa’d ibn Mu’aadh (RA) and said, “O Sa’d, I indeed smell the fragrance of Paradise beneath Uhud,” upon which he launched himself into the midst of the battlefield, fighting with a ferocity that, if translated into words, would say, “Here I am fulfilling my pledge, O Allah!” The sword of Anas (RA) was lowered only when its owner finished breathing his last breath. Later on, when they came across his body, the Muslims counted more than eighty wounds on his body, wounds that rendered him unrecognizable and wounds that were caused by swords, spears, and arrows. Only his sister was able to recognize him, and even she was able to identify him only because she recognized the shape and size and texture of his fingers. The following saying of Allah (SWT) was revealed about Anas and others like him:
“Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah [i.e. they have gone out for Jihad (holy fighting), and showed not their backs to the disbelievers], of them some have fulfilled their obligations (i.e. have been martyred), and some of them are still waiting, but they have never changed [i.e.they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allah] in the least.” [Qur’an 33:23]
[The Noble Life of the Prophet (ﷺ) by Dr. Ali Muhammad As-Sallaabee, vol. 2, p. 1123-1124]
