—for any one of us of his allotted life except the brief pause of a donkey’s drink. We are dead men, whether today or tomorrow. So why do we not take up our swords and catch up with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, hoping that Allah will grant us martyrdom alongside His Messenger?’

They therefore set out and slipped in among the ranks without anyone noticing them. Thābit was killed by the idolaters, whereas Ḥusail was struck down by the Muslims, who did not recognize him.

ʿĀṣim ibn ʿUmar ibn Qatādah related to me: ‘Among us there was a man of unknown parentage called Quzmān. Whenever he was mentioned, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say, “He belongs to the people of the Fire.” On the day of Uḥud he single-handedly killed eight—or seven—of the idolaters; he was a man of great valor. He was, however, gravely wounded and carried to the house of Banū Ẓafar.

Those around him kept saying, “By Allah, you have fought bravely today, O Quzmān; rejoice!” He replied, “Rejoice at what? By Allah, I fought only to uphold the honor of my clan; had it not been for that, I would not have fought at all.” When his wounds became unbearable, he took an arrow and killed himself with it.

Ibn Isḥāq said: Among those killed that day was Mukhayriq, one of Banū Thaʿlabah ibn al-ʿAyṭūn. On the morning of Uḥud he declared, ‘O company of Jews, by Allah, you know that aiding Muhammad against you is the truth.’ They answered, ‘But today is the Sabbath.’ He said, ‘There is no Sabbath.’ He then took up his sword and his equipment and said, ‘If I am killed, my estate is for Muhammad to dispose of as he wills.’ He went out to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, fought at his side, and was killed. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as has reached us, said, ‘Mukhayriq is the best of the Jews.’

Hind bint ʿUtbah and the women with her then fell upon the slain, mutilating the bodies—they cut off ears and noses until Hind made anklets and necklaces from the ears and noses of the men.