Mishkat al-Masabih 5888

Ibn `Abbas said:

I was present with God's messenger at the battle of Hunain. When the Muslims and the infidels met the Muslims turned in retreat, but God's messenger began to spur his she-mule in the direction of the infidels, while I was holding the bridle of his she-mule to restrain it, desiring that it should not go quickly, and Abu Sufyan b. al-Harith was holding God's messenger's stirrup. God's messenger then said, "Call those who were present at the gum-acacia tree[1]." `Abbas, who had a loud voice, told that he called at the top of his voice, "Where are those who were present at the gum-acacia tree?" adding, ``I swear by God that I made them turn back when they heard my voice as cows turn back to their young." They said, "At your service, at your service." They and the-infidels then fought, and the call among the Ansar was, "O company of the Ansar, O company of the Ansar." Then the call was confined to the B. al-Harith b. al Khazraj[2]. God's messenger watched their fighting while sitting on his she-mule like one stretching out his neck, and said, "This is when the oven has become hot[3]." Then taking some pebbles and throwing them in the faces of the infidels he said, "Be routed, by the Lord of Muhammad." I swear by God that no sooner had he thrown the pebbles at them than I began to see their power becoming weak and their ranks, turning in retreat. 1. The reference is to the battle of Mu'ta. 2. Those who swore allegiance to the Prophet at al-Hudaibiya. Cf. Quran, 48:18. 3. A tribal group which formed a section of the Ansar. 4. A figure of speech meaning that the fighting has become violent. Muslim transmitted it.