The Withdrawal of Abdullah ibn Ubayy with a Third of the Army

At a most critical moment, shortly before dawn, while the Muslim army was in the area of "al-Shawt" close to the enemy, a sudden withdrawal took place led by Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul ¹. Ibn Salul withdrew with about a third of the army — roughly three hundred fighters — arguing that the Prophet had abandoned his opinion and obeyed others in the decision to march out of Medina ¹.

The author of al-Rahiq al-Makhtum holds that the withdrawal was not merely an objection to the military view; its instigators meant to sow confusion in the Muslim ranks before their enemy and break the morale of those who stayed with the Prophet — and they hoped leadership would return to Ibn Salul ².

The withdrawal nearly collapsed parts of the army: two factions, of the Aws (Banu Haritha) and the Khazraj (Banu Salama), nearly withdrew as well, but God made them stand firm after a spell of turmoil ². Abdullah ibn Haram — father of Jabir ibn Abdullah — followed the deserters urging them to return, and they answered him, as the book relates: "had we known you would fight, we would not have gone back"; so he turned away saying: "may God keep you far, enemies of God — God will spare His Prophet of you" ².

After this withdrawal only seven hundred fighters remained with the Prophet, continuing their march toward Mount Uhud ².