View From the Archers Hill

Geographically higher locations are considered as ports to the realm of wisdom. Many remarkable individuals throughout the history had a close connection with mountains. Elevated places provide "security from the turbulence of daily life", or at least a better view of the environment. I, too, would like to go up on a hill now, and share with you what I see from there. This hill is known as the Archers Hill.

In the Islamic history, the second war, Uhud, was waged against the oppressors in Mecca, who had been violating almost all basic human rights of the believers. Those of you who are interested in the historical details of this event can go to the relevant sources. Here, I would like to delve into two aspects of this war related to the Archers (Aynayn) Hill; one psychological, the other metaphorical.

First aspect is on the notion of obedience. It is told that the Prophet Muhammad pbuh had given explicit orders to 50 archers to stay on that hill no matter what happens: "Even if you see that we have defeated the enemy, do not leave your position unless I inform you or I send you someone." "Even if you see that the enemy has defeated us, do not leave your position in order to help us. Even if you see that birds pull our bodies to pieces, do not leave your position unless I send you someone."

Despite this order, after the first half of the war, which was victorious for the believers, most of the archers left their positions, thinking that the war was over and that their duty was finished. Looking back from today, it is explained in the sermons that this behavior represented a lack of obedience towards the prophet, and that the losses incurred following this action was a lesson on the matter.

Without objecting to it, I would like to bring a different perspective on the same issue. As I had discussed in a previous blog (Chosen From Among Us Humans), exaggeration is a property of the Arabic culture. That is, if you want to encourage people towards something or discourage them, you utter exaggerated words; and even make your words poetic to further strengthen your stance. Both the prophet and his companions were blended with this culture. Keeping this in mind, if you rethink why those archers left their positions, you can catch a new possibility: they might have thought that the order given before the war was overexpressed for the sake of importance, and so, it was not literal! Then, it is understandable that they acted in the way they did.

Now let's ponder over what this could mean for us today. We are the people who are living the periods ever close to the end of time. So, if we take a second look at the admonishments of the prophet regarding the conflicts near the end of times, and also keep in mind the above notion, we can get some lessons that might have skipped our eyes.

Before the Last Hour there will be commotions like pieces of a dark night in which a man will be a believer in the morning and an infidel in the evening, or a believer in the evening and infidel in the morning. He who sits during them will be better than he who gets up and he who walks during them is better than he who runs. So break your bows, cut your bowstrings and strike your swords on stones. If people then come in to one of you, let him be like the better of Adam's two sons.
(Abu Dawud, 4259, Grade: Sahih)

Another hadith on the same matter is this:

He then said to me: What will you do, Abu Dharr, when you see the Ahjar az-Zayt covered with blood?
I replied: What Allah and His Apostle choose for me.
He said: You must go to those who are like-minded.
I asked: Should I not take my sword and put it on my shoulder?
He replied: you would then associate yourself with the people.
I then asked: What do you order me to do?
You must stay at home.
I asked: (What should I do) if people enter my house and find me?
He replied: If you are afraid the gleam of the sword may dazzle you, put the end of your garment over your face in order that (the one who kills you) may bear the punishment of your sins and his.
(Abu Davud, 4261, Grade: Sahih)

Listening to these hadiths, what we hear is a clear order to stay away from conflicts, even if it means not defending our very basic rights or giving them up. Since this kind of inaction is "out of reason", it is normally thought that these expressions are exaggerations, and that a believer should use defenses as long as they are in the rightful way, and must make sure that they are not serving to unlawful ends. This interpretation could be correct, but what if the admonishment of the prophet was literal?

Without answering this question at the moment, I would like to go to the second aspect related to the Archers Hill. If you were on that hill, you would be out of  what was going on below you, and you would have a better and bigger view of the situation. Furthermore, let's assume that you are obeying the Messenger of God, and not descending from the hill. Whether the rest of the army is collecting bounty or being torn into pieces, you are staying where you are. Let's stop here, and put this situation in perspective with the aforementioned admonishment of the prophet about the end of time. Of course they are not the same, but they are not completely different either. In short, they tell that if you are out of the conflict, stay so. Now, I would like to add a verse from Quran to complete the picture:

And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of them a group [remaining] to obtain understanding in the religion and warn their people when they return to them that they might be cautious. (9/122)

In case of the conflicts near the end of time, staying out of trouble and not taking sides, even at the cost of your very basic rights, is actually for a purpose. And that purpose is that you can have a better and bigger picture of what is going on, and when things settle down, you can help the confused and/or sinful people find the right path. This position of yours is so important that even if you see a group perishing or another group prospering, protect the honor of your duty outlined by the Messenger of God, and stay away.