A crucial mistake brought defeat upon the Muslims in the Battle of Uhud (AD 625). When the tide of battle turned against them, most of the army dispersed, but Prophet Muhammad clung determinedly to his position. Fifteen people, following his example, remained firm in the barrage of arrows and swords that was descending upon them. At this time one of the opponents Abdullah Ibn Qumayya, threw a stone at the Prophet. Mas’ab Ibn Umair, a Companion of the Prophet, moved to counter this attack. In the duel that ensued, Mas’ab Ibn Umair was slain. Abdullah Ibn Qumayya thought that he had killed the Prophet, and returned to his army shouting: “Muhammad has been slain; Mohammad has been slain.”

This news had a shattering effect on the Muslims, even those who had forsaken their positions. Abdullah Ibn Abbas has given a lengthy account of the course of events, which has been recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari (a compilation of Prophetic teachings). Here is a part of his account:

“Some hypocrites said: ‘If Muhammad has been killed, then you might as well revert to your former religion.’ But Anis ibn Nadhr said: ‘If Muhammad has been killed, his Lord has not been killed.” (Tafseer Al-Mazhari, an Arabic commentary of the Quran).

Some people portray the Prophet Muhammad in his capacity as a conqueror. Others know him in his capacity as a preacher of the faith—one who called humankind to God. The true believer is one who knows him in his latter capacity.

According to another account, related by Ibn Kathir, one of the Ansar (people of Madinah) said: “If Muhammad has been killed, then he has communicated his message; now is the time to strive for your faith.” The following verse of the Quran was revealed with regard to this incident:

“Muhammad is only a messenger. Messengers have passed away before him. If he should die, or be killed, will you turn back on your heels? Those who turn on their heels do not harm the Lord in the least. God will reward the grateful” (3: 144).

Some people know the Prophet Muhammad in his capacity as a conqueror. Others know him in his capacity as a preacher of the faith— one who called humankind to God. The true believer is one who knows him in his latter capacity, for it is historians, not believers, who portray him as a conqueror.

It will not be out of place to discuss the reasons for portraying the Prophet as a conqueror which is a total misrepresentation of the facts. The Muslim biographers, because of a lack of objective understanding of the Prophet's life, misrepresented the facts by ignoring the prevailing tribal customs and culture of the time. Due to the prevailing culture the Prophet and his Companions were forced to engage themselves in defensive battles for a short while. This was falsely construed as forming the major events of the Prophet’s life. This is far from the truth.

The true personality of the Prophet as a peaceloving and modest person appeared to many of his biographers as deficient in some way or the other. This image of the Prophet appeared to them as falling short of the standards of leaders of other peoples of the time, who were great conquerors and warriors. Hence these biographers tried to present an image of their Prophet as a warrior, which, in their eyes was a superior image.

Quran addresses the individual and it is a book of wisdom. The prophet to whom this Quran was revealed could not have preached anything else but God’s message of spirituality and peace.

On the other hand, non-Muslim biographers of the Prophet have adopted a different approach. These people have largely ignored the main events of the Prophet’s life choosing to focus on a few, exceptional incidents that they have used as a basis of a picture of the Prophet’s life, that portrays him as a warrior prophet. A true believer follows the pristine teachings from the Quran and the life of the Prophet, whose only goal was to call people towards God. Quran addresses the individual and it is a book of wisdom. The prophet to whom this Quran was revealed could not have preached anything else but God’s message of spirituality and peace. A believer is a missionary in the truest sense. He is a well-wisher of humanity. He desires to establish peace in the society at all cost.