(1) Although Muslims were militarily defeated in this battle, they learned not to disregard the Holy Prophet’s orders. Such disobediences never happened in the following wars.
(2) The hypocrites started all sorts of conspiracies; they rejoiced on the Muslims’ defeat and blamed them.[1]
(3) The Jews, too, surfaced their hatred, saying, “No prophet has been defeated to this degree!”[2]
(4) The enemies of Islam around Medina were emboldened to initiate conspiracies. Ban£-Asad, for instance, attempted to attack Medina. Other events the most famous of which were known as al-Raj¢` and Bi’r Ma`£nah took place as a result of the Muslims’ defeat at the Battle of U¦ud.
(5) Upon the return of Muslims to Medina, the shadow of grief and despair prevailed over the city. Conspiracies of the hypocrites and the Jews worsened the situation. God removed these signs of despair and strengthened the Muslims’ morale through a revelation of some verses. According to Ibn Is¦¡q, sixty verses were revealed about the Battle of U¦ud.[3] God, in these verses, mentions the mysteries behind the Muslims’ failure and warns them not to despair even if they suffer a defeat. God the Almighty adds that the very reason for Muslims’ zeal was their seeking of worldly material. Muslims were victorious in the Battle of Badr, because they fought for the sake of God only. However, in the Battle of U¦ud, they were after booties:
And Allah did certainly assist you at Badr when you were weak; be careful of your duty to Allah then, that you may give thanks.
And be not infirm, and be not grieving, and you shall have the upper hand if you are believers.
If a wound has afflicted you at U¦ud, a wound like it has also afflicted the unbelieving people; and We bring these days to men by turns, and that Allah may know those who believe and take witness from among you; and Allah does not love the unjust.
Do you think that you will enter the garden while Allah has not yet known those who strive hard from among you, and He has not known the patient.
And certainly, you desired death before you met it; so indeed you may have seen it and looked at it.
And certainly Allah made good to you His promise, when you slew them by His permission, until when you became weak- hearted and disputed about the affair and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you loved; of you were some who desired this world and of you were some who desired the hereafter; then He turned you away from them that He might try you; and He has certainly pardoned you, and Allah is Gracious to the believers.
What! When a misfortune befell you, and you had certainly afflicted the unbelievers with twice as much, you began to say: Whence is this? Say: it is from yourselves; surely, Allah has power over all things.[4]
The defeat and failure in the Battle of U¦ud damaged the Muslims’ military credentials badly and caused the infidels and hypocrites to indulge in conspiracies against them. Choosing this very time to attack Muslims was due to Muslims’ weak points.[5] Here are some examples of their conspiracies:
