It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was not helped in any place as he was helped on the day of Uhud. The narrator said: We expressed surprise at this, so Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: Between me and whoever denies this is the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says about the day of Uhud: "And Allah had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing them (the disbelievers) by His permission" [Surah Al Imran: 152] . Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that "al-hass" means killing. "Until, when you lost courage and disputed about the order and disobeyed after He had shown you what you loved. Among you were some who desired this world, and among you were some who desired the Hereafter. Then He turned you back from them that He might test you. And He has certainly pardoned you, and Allah is full of bounty to the believers." By this verse the archers were meant. What happened was that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stationed them at a particular place and said: "Protect our backs. If you see us being killed, do not come to our help, and if you see that we have taken spoils, do not join us (without an order)." But when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gained the spoils and the camp of the idolaters was overrun, all the archers turned away and entered the camp to plunder. Meanwhile, the ranks of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were intermingled, and they were entangled like this (Ibn Abbas interlaced the fingers of both his hands). So when the archers left empty the gap where they had been posted, the horsemen of the idolaters attacked the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from that place, causing such confusion that they began striking one another, and by the Muslims' own hands their own people were wounded, and many Muslims were martyred. At the start of the day the upper hand belonged to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions, to the extent that seven or nine of the standard-bearers of the idolaters were killed. Then the Muslims fell back towards the mountain; they did not reach the place that people call "al-Ghab," but rather they were below "al-Mihras" (a mountain hollow). Meanwhile Satan cried out: "Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) has been killed!" We had no doubt that it was true. We remained in this state until the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) appeared between "the two Sa'ds" (Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Mu'adh and Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Ubadah). We recognised him (peace and blessings be upon him) by his particular gait. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: We were so happy that it was as if no hardship had befallen us. He (peace and blessings be upon him) came up towards us, saying: "Severe is the wrath of Allah upon a people who bloodied the face of the Messenger of Allah." And he (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: "O Allah, it is not for them to prevail over us." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) reached us and stayed for a while. Suddenly Abu Sufyan began shouting from the foot of the mountain: "U'lu Hubal, u'lu Hubal," meaning: O Hubal (the idol), be exalted! Then he called out: "Where is Ibn Abi Kabshah (Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him)? Where is Ibn Abi Quhafah (Abu Bakr)? Where is Ibn al-Khattab?" Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah, shall I not answer him? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes." So when he said "U'lu Hubal," Sayyiduna Umar replied: "Allah is the Most High and Most Majestic." Abu Sufyan said: O Ibn al-Khattab, this is the day of silence (that is, it is the answer to Badr). Then he called out again: "Where is Ibn Abi Kabshah? Where is Ibn Abi Quhafah? Where is Ibn al-Khattab?" Sayyiduna Umar replied: "This is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), this is Abu Bakr, and here I am, Umar." Abu Sufyan said: "This day is in return for the day of Badr. Days alternate, and war goes in turns (like a bucket, sometimes this way, sometimes that)." Sayyiduna Umar said: "We are not equal: our slain are in Paradise and yours are in the Fire." Abu Sufyan said: "That is what you claim; if it is so, then we have indeed failed and lost." Then Abu Sufyan said: "You will soon find mutilation (muthlah, cutting off noses and ears) among your slain. This was not the decision of our chiefs, (but now that it has happened) we do not dislike it either," for the zeal of the Time of Ignorance had overtaken him. This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain of narration, and the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.