The Consultative Council for the Battle of Uhud

After precise news arrived about the camp of the Meccan army, the Prophet held a high military consultative council to exchange views and choose the best position for defending Medina ¹.

The Prophet opened the council by telling the Companions of a dream he had seen: cattle were being slaughtered, there was a notch in his sword, and he entered a strong coat of mail. He interpreted it: some of his Companions would be killed, a man of his household would be wounded, and Medina was the strong coat of mail ¹.

On that basis the Prophet proposed that the Muslims not leave Medina, but fortify themselves within it. If the polytheists camped outside, it would gain them nothing. If they tried to enter the city, the Muslims would fight them in the alleys, with the women's help from the rooftops ¹. Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul agreed with him in this view. The book notes that he wanted by it to keep away from the fighting without raising suspicion about himself ¹.

But a group of Companions, especially those who had missed the battle of Badr, pressed the Prophet to march out and meet the enemy outside Medina, lest it be said that the Muslims had shrunk from facing them ¹. At the head of these was Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib, who swore not to eat food until he had fought the polytheists outside Medina with his sword ¹.