The Battle of Hamra ul-Asad

Upon his return to Medina after the Battle of Uhud, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was informed on the following day that the Quraishis would return and attack Medina. Upon hearing this, the Prophet decided to follow the Quraishi army in order to prevent any possible strike and to show that Muslims had not been weakened. He ordered that only those who had participated in the Battle of Uhud, one day before, could join in this campaign. The veterans of Uhud gladly accepted this battle call, even though they had just returned from battle, and some of them were exhausted or even wounded. In the meantime, Jabir ibn Abdullah wanted permission from the Prophet to join this campaign, as he had been unable to participate in the Battle of Uhud. His father, Abdullah ibn Amr, had been martyred in the Battle of Uhud. Jabir ibn Abdullah told the Prophet that although he wanted to join the Battle of Uhud, his father had wanted him to stay with his seven (or nine) sisters as they had nobody to look after them, and therefore he could not join the battle. When he heard this, the Prophet gave special permission to Jabir ibn Abdullah. The Prophet, with an army of 500, went to Hamra ul-Asad, 8 miles from Medina. Upon being notified about this, the Quraishis decided not to return to Medina and they went to Mecca. The Prophet stayed in Hamra ul-Asad for five days and returned to Medina in Shawwal 17, 3 (April 2, 625). This campaign is sometimes mentioned along with the Battle of Uhud, or it is sometimes mentioned as a separate battle. It is stated that this campaign was carried out to regain the prestige of the Islamic state which had been weakened in the Battle of Uhud. The Muslims reinforced their authority with this campaign, as it had been shaken by the defeat of Uhud, and they showed the Quraishis, the other Arab tribes, Jews and hypocrites in Medina that they were still strong.