10.2.2 The Turning Point

The Sudden Reversal on the Day of Uhud

The Battle of Uhud began in favor of the Muslims. They had marched out from Madinah with clear instructions from the Prophet ﷺ, and in the early hours of the battle, Quraysh suffered heavy losses. Yet, by midday, the situation had dramatically reversed. This sudden change is what we call the “turning point” of Uhud, where initial victory transformed into severe trial.

Allah described this in the Quran as a direct consequence of a specific mistake and as a means of education and purification for the believers.

﴿وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَعْدَهُۥٓ إِذْ تَحُسُّونَهُم بِإِذْنِهِۦ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ وَتَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ وَعَصَيْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَآ أَرَىٰكُم مَّا تُحِبُّونَ﴾
“And Allah had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing them by His permission, until the time when you lost courage and fell to disputing about the order and disobeyed after He had shown you what you love.”
[Āl ʿImrān 3:152]

In this verse, Allah refers to the precise moment when obedience slipped, hearts differed, and the tide of the battle turned.

The Command of the Archers

Before the battle began, the Prophet ﷺ placed fifty archers on a small hill that later came to be known as Jabal al-Rumāh, the Mountain of Archers. This hill guarded the rear of the Muslim army and blocked any attempt to attack from behind.

He ﷺ gave them a very explicit instruction that became central to the turning point of Uhud. In an authentic hadith:

عَنْ جَابِرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ لِلرُّمَاةِ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ:
«لَا تَبْرَحُوا مَكَانَكُمْ، إِنْ رَأَيْتُمُونَا تَخْطَفُنَا الطَّيْرُ، فَلَا تَبْرَحُوا مَكَانَكُمْ هَذَا، حَتَّى أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ، وَإِنْ رَأَيْتُمُونَا هَزَمْنَا الْقَوْمَ، فَلَا تَبْرَحُوا، حَتَّى أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ»
“Do not leave your position. If you see birds snatching us, do not leave your place until I send for you. And if you see that we have defeated the enemy, do not leave your place until I send for you.”
[Reported by al‑Tirmidhī]

This command was absolute. It covered both scenarios of victory and defeat. The Prophet ﷺ wanted to ensure that the rear remained protected, especially from the cavalry of Khalid ibn al‑Walid, who had not yet accepted Islam and was fighting with Quraysh.

The Desire for War Spoils

At first, the archers remained firm. The Muslims pushed the Quraysh back, their ranks broke, and the enemy began to retreat, leaving behind their belongings and wealth. The battlefield started to show signs of Muslim victory.

Some of the archers then saw their fellow Muslims gathering spoils. They believed the battle was over and that their position had lost its importance. Among them a dispute arose: some insisted on staying, while others wanted to join the collection of war booty.

This is exactly what Allah described:

﴿حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ وَتَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ وَعَصَيْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَآ أَرَىٰكُم مَّا تُحِبُّونَۚ﴾
“Until the time when you lost courage and fell to disputing about the order and disobeyed after He had shown you what you love.”
[Āl ʿImrān 3:152]

“What you love” here refers to the apparent victory and the spoils that came with it. Many of the archers descended from the hill to join others, leaving only a small number in place. This created a gap in the Muslim defense, exactly where the Prophet ﷺ had warned them to remain firm.

From this we see how a momentary attachment to worldly gain, even at the hands of good believers, can open a door to major consequences for the entire community.

The Counterattack of Khalid ibn al‑Walid

Khalid ibn al‑Walid, who would later become one of Islam’s greatest generals, was on the side of Quraysh at Uhud. He was leading the cavalry on the flank, waiting for an opportunity.

He had been unable to attack from the rear as long as the hill of the archers remained manned. When he noticed the archers leaving their strategic position, he immediately recognized the opening. He took his cavalry around the mountain and attacked from behind.

At the same time, parts of the retreating Quraysh army regrouped and returned to the field. The Muslims suddenly found themselves attacked from both front and rear. Confusion spread rapidly. Those who thought the battle had ended victorious were now caught off guard.

The Muslim lines broke, and the sense of order gave way to chaos. The tight formation that had functioned well before was disrupted. The archers’ hill, which was meant to be a shield, had been turned into the weakness through which the enemy struck.

Confusion, Rumors, and the Cry That the Prophet ﷺ Was Killed

In the midst of this sudden counterattack, many Muslims were martyred. The situation became so confusing that it was hard to distinguish friend from foe. The dust, the noise, and the shock of reversal magnified the fear.

In this chaos, a shout spread across the battlefield: that Muhammad ﷺ had been killed. This rumor cut into the hearts of the believers more than any sword. Some Muslims were so shaken that they stopped fighting. Others sat down, feeling that there was no point in continuing if the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was gone.

Allah described this moment of extreme test:

﴿وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌۭ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُۚ أَفَإِيْن مَّاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ ٱنقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَعْقَـٰبِكُمْۚ﴾
“Muhammad is no more than a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him. If then he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels?”
[Āl ʿImrān 3:144]

Although this verse was revealed after Uhud, it directly addresses the mindset that appeared there. The battle revealed the depth of attachment to the person of the Prophet ﷺ and tested whether obedience to Allah would continue even if the Messenger himself were not present.

Some companions, however, responded to the rumor by renewing their resolve. It is reported that Anas ibn an‑Nadr رضي الله عنه, who had missed Badr, said when he heard people saying the Prophet ﷺ was killed:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعْتَذِرُ إِلَيْكَ مِمَّا يَقُولُ هَؤُلَاءِ، وَأَبْرَأُ إِلَيْكَ مِمَّا جَاءَ بِهِ هَؤُلَاءِ
“O Allah, I apologize to You for what these (who withdraw) say, and I disassociate before You from what these (the enemies) have brought.”
Then he advanced and fought until he was martyred.
[Reported by al‑Bukhārī in meaning]

Thus, the same turning point that shook some to weakness also raised others to the highest level of sacrifice.

The Personal Wounding of the Prophet ﷺ

Part of the shock at Uhud was that the Prophet ﷺ himself was physically harmed. This had not happened at Badr. At Uhud, stones and arrows struck him. His helmet was crushed on his head. A ring of the metal went into his cheek. He fell into one of the pits that the enemy had dug as traps.

In authentic narrations we learn that his face was wounded and one of his teeth was broken. This caused visible bleeding and pain. The companions rushed to protect him. Blood flowed from his noble face, yet his response remained full of mercy.

In Sahih Muslim, it is reported:

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: كُسِرَتْ رَبَاعِيَةُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ، وَشُجَّ فِي رَأْسِهِ، فَجَعَلَ يَسْلُتُ الدَّمَ عَنْهُ، وَيَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ يُفْلِحُ قَوْمٌ شَجُّوا نَبِيَّهُمْ؟»
“The Prophet’s front tooth was broken on the Day of Uhud and his head was wounded. He began wiping the blood from him and saying, ‘How can a people succeed who have injured their Prophet?’”
[Muslim]

Then Allah revealed:

﴿لَيْسَ لَكَ مِنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ شَىْءٌ أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَوْ يُعَذِّبَهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ ظَـٰلِمُونَ﴾
“You have no part in the decision, whether He will turn to them in mercy or punish them, for indeed they are wrongdoers.”
[Āl ʿImrān 3:128]

This turning point included not only military reversal, but also a profound lesson for the believers about the limits of human judgment and the wide scope of Allah’s mercy.

The Steadfastness Around the Prophet ﷺ

As the lines broke and many fled or were scattered, a core group remained close around the Prophet ﷺ, determined to protect him at all cost. The battle had shifted from a wider field engagement to a desperate effort to shield the Messenger.

Among those who surrounded him were Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿAlī, Talhah ibn ʿUbaydillāh, Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqās, Umm ʿAmmārah (Nasībah bint Kaʿb) رضي الله عنهم and others. They formed a living wall with their bodies.

Talhah رضي الله عنه in particular is mentioned in narrations as having protected the Prophet ﷺ and been severely wounded. In one report, the Prophet ﷺ said about him afterward that he had fulfilled his duty. Umm ʿAmmārah fought fiercely and suffered many wounds while defending the Prophet ﷺ, and he ﷺ praised her courage.

The turning point, therefore, highlighted who among the believers would stand firm in the most difficult hour and how love for the Prophet ﷺ translated into action on the battlefield.

The Role of Individual Mistakes in a Collective Outcome

One of the clearest lessons of the turning point at Uhud is that the mistake of a small group can affect the entire Ummah. The decision of a number of archers to leave their post was not intended as rebellion. They were sincere believers. Yet, their action still counted as disobedience to a direct command of the Messenger ﷺ.

Allah stated:

﴿مِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ﴾
“Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some who desire the Hereafter. Then He turned you away from them in order to test you.”
[Āل ʿImرān 3:152]

This verse shows that at that moment two types of intentions were present among the believers. The battle became a mirror that showed what was in the hearts. Allah allowed them to taste the consequence of that mix, not to destroy them, but “to test you.”

The Quran then reassures them:

﴿وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنكُمْۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾
“And He has already pardoned you, and Allah is the possessor of bounty for the believers.”
[Āل ʿImرān 3:152]

Thus, the turning point was both a punishment and a mercy. It corrected, purified, and then forgave. In this we see the balance of divine justice and compassion.

A Spiritual Turning Point, Not Only a Military One

The visible turning point at Uhud was military, but its deeper nature was spiritual and educational. The defeat did not come because the Quraysh were more loved by Allah or because their cause was superior. It came so that the believers would be trained in reliance, obedience, and patience.

Allah addressed them with these words:

﴿وَلَا تَهِنُوا۟ وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ﴾
“So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers.”
[Āل ʿImرān 3:139]

He explained that what happened was by His permission:

﴿وَمَآ أَصَـٰبَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْتَقَى ٱلْجَمْعَانِ فَبِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾
“And what struck you on the day when the two armies met, was by the permission of Allah, and so that He might make evident the believers.”
[Āل ʿImرān 3:166]

So the same event that looked like a defeat on the ground was, in Allah’s wisdom, a turning point in the inner training of the Ummah. Pride from the victory of Badr was humbled. Reliance on numbers and early success was corrected. The community learned that obedience to the Messenger ﷺ must be placed above every other desire.

This spiritual turning point prepared the believers for future challenges. It showed them that victories and setbacks are both part of Allah’s teaching and that the real measure is the state of their faith and obedience, not only the outcome of battles.

Summary of What Changed at the Turning Point

At Uhud, the Muslims moved in a few hours from apparent victory to painful loss. The core causes of this turning point included the partial disobedience of the archers, the sudden counterattack by Khalid’s cavalry, the spreading of the false news that the Prophet ﷺ was killed, and the confusion that followed.

At the same time, the event exposed the difference between those who were shaken and those who stood firm, highlighted the deep love of the companions who shielded the Prophet ﷺ with their bodies, and brought down Quranic verses that shaped the understanding of the Ummah.

The turning point of Uhud is therefore not just a moment in a battle. It is a moment in the education of the believers, an example of how Allah uses apparent defeat to teach, purify, and strengthen His servants.