Uhud Mountain and the Battle of Uhud
Uhud Mountain surrounds the plain on the northern side of Medina-i Munawwarah. It stretches for 8 kilometers in length and reaches a height of 110 meters. The distance from the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid-i Nabawi) to Uhud Mountain is 5 kilometers.
Uhud Mountain stands alone and isn’t part of any mountain range, earning its name for its unique individuality. Today, Uhud Mountain is bordered by Medina’s expansion, with the Medina Airport road to the east and Tariqul Yun to the west. It has become integrated into the growing city.
The Battle of Uhud, a significant chapter in the struggle against the Meccan polytheists, took place here, giving the mountain its historical importance and name.
Hz. Anas (RA) narrated that in the presence of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman (RA) ascended Uhud Mountain. The mountain shook with happiness, and the Prophet tapped his foot on it, saying, “Stay firm, O Uhud, for on you is a Prophet, a truthful one, and two martyrs.“
In other hadiths, the Prophet said, “Uhud is a mountain that loves us, and we love it. Uhud is one of the cornerstones of Paradise.“
The Battle of Uhud
After suffering a heavy defeat in the Battle of Badr, the Meccan polytheists gathered a 3,000-strong army for vengeance and marched to Medina a year after the Battle of Badr. While Prophet Muhammad (SAW) initially wanted to stay in Medina for defensive purposes, the insistence of some young Muslims and companions who hadn’t participated in the Battle of Badr led him to decide to go to Uhud.
Prophet Muhammad arrived at the foothills of Uhud Mountain with 700 companions. He strategically positioned 50 archers on the Aynain (Archers) hill and instructed them not to leave their posts regardless of the battle’s course.
Although the Muslims initially seemed to have the upper hand, the departure of the archers from Aynain hill allowed the Meccan polytheists to attack from the rear, changing the course of the battle.
News spread that Prophet Muhammad had been martyred, causing the battle’s pace to slow down. As the Muslims retreated to the foothills of Uhud Mountain, the Meccan polytheists gathered around Abu Sufyan, leading to the separation of the two armies and the end of the battle.
The battle was intense, resulting in the Prophet’s (SAW) injury, the martyrdom of approximately 70 companions, and a shift in the battle’s dynamics.
Following the battle, Prophet Muhammad buried the martyrs of Uhud and led their funeral prayers.
Visiting the Martyrs of Uhud
When the martyrs of Uhud are remembered, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is reported to have said, “By Allah, I wish I could be martyred with my companions and spend a night at the foot of Uhud Mountain.” (Beyhaki, Delâil-i Nübüvve 3,304)
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) would occasionally visit the site of the Uhud Martyrs and recite the following verse loudly:
“Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home.” (Quran, Surah Ar-Ra’d, 24)
He personally visited the martyrs of Uhud, and he encouraged his companions to do the same. He stood at the head of the martyrs and said, “I bear witness that you are alive with Allah.” He then turned to the Companions and said, “Visit and greet them. By Allah, they will respond to anyone who greets them until the Day of Judgment.” (Miratul Haremeyn, c.2, s.1026)
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has also been reported to have said, “O Allah! Your servant and Messenger bears witness to their martyrdom. And they, until the Day of Resurrection, will respond to anyone who visits them and greets them.” (Beyhaki, 3,307)
Following Prophet Muhammad’s example, the caliphs also adopted the practice of visiting the Uhud Martyrs.
Hz. Fatimah (RA), whenever she found the opportunity, would visit Uhud every two or three days. She would go to the grave of her uncle Hz. Hamza, cry, pray, and fix the grave.
Prophet Muhammad’s wife, Ummu Salama (RA), would also visit and greet the martyrs at Uhud.
Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (RA), when leaving Medina-i Munawwarah, would always visit the Uhud Martyrs, greet them three times, and then turn to those with him, saying, “Won’t you greet a group that will respond to your greetings until the Day of Judgment?“
The Martyrs of Uhud
Due to some of the graves being near the floodplain and the canal that provided water to Medina-i Munawwara, some of the graves at the Uhud Martyrs’ site were transferred to Jannat al-Baqi 46 years later. However, some graves, especially that of Hz. Hamza (RA), remained at the original site.
During the Umayyad period, under the governorship of Umar bin Abd al-Aziz, efforts to preserve the memories of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) continued during the Abbasid era. Markers were placed at the locations where Prophet Muhammad was injured and where the martyrs of Uhud were buried. Some graves were even covered with domed structures.
During the Abbasid Caliphate, the mother of Nasir al-Din Allah, the Abbasid Caliph, turned the tomb of Hz. Hamza into a shrine. In this shrine, along with Hz. Hamza, the graves of Mus’ab bin Umair and Abdullah bin Jahsh (RA) are located. Next to the shrine, a mosque known as “Masjid-i Hamza” was built.
Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent undertook various restoration projects, and in 1543, he reconstructed the Shrine of Hamza. In 1849, on the northern side of the martyrdom site where Prophet Muhammad was injured, Sultan Abdulmecid I built a dome called “Qubbet as-Sanaya.” Another dome was built on the eastern side of Masjid-i Hamza at the location where Hz. Hamza was martyred, named “Qubbah al-Masra.” Today, Uhud Martyrs’ site is enclosed by walls and is visited as an open area without any tomb or grave structures.
