battalion.’ He came forth riding a camel and challenged the Muslims to a single combat. People  refrained from fighting him due to his bravery; but Az-Zubair bin Al-‘Awwam advanced for the fight.
He  did not give the ‘Ram’ any chance to fight but fell on him like a lion on his camel’s back, pulled him  down to the ground and slaughtered him with his sword.
The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) who was watching that wonderful incident exclaimed:
Allâhu Akbar that is ‘Allâh is the Greatest’ and the Muslims exclaimed Allâhu Akbar too. He praised Az-
Zubair when he said:
“Every Prophet has a disciple and Az-Zubair is a disciple of mine.”
Soon the general engagement ensued and the fight of the two parties grew fierce everywhere on the  battlefield. The strain of the fight was centred round the carriers of the standard. After the death of  their leader Talha bin Abi Talha, Banu ‘Abd Ad-Dar alternated the mission successively. Talha’s  brother,
‘Uthman, ran forward and seized the standard which lay by the lifeless body of his brother, chanting:
“The standard-bearer has the right to dye its shaft in blood, till it be beaten in his hand.” Hamzah bin
‘Abdul Muttalib attacked and dealt him a blow that cut his arm and shoulder and went down to his  navel  to uncover his lung.
The standard was raised up again by Abu Sa‘d bin Abi Talha; but Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas shot him with a  deadly arrow that hit him at his throat and made his tongue hang out breathing his last.
In another version it was narrated that Abu Sa‘d lifted the standard up and challenged the Muslims to  fight him. ‘Ali bin Abi Talib went forth. They exchanged two blows. Then ‘Ali gave him a terminal blow  that finished him off.
Musafi‘ bin Talha bin Abi Talha then hoisted the standard, but was soon shot with an arrow by ‘Asim  bin
Thabit bin Abi Al-Aqlah. His brother Kilab bin Talha bin Abi Talha followed him picked the banner and  lifted it up; but Az-Zubair bin Al-‘Awwam attacked him and managed to kill him. Their brother Al-Jallas  bin Talha bin Abi Talha lifted the banner up but Talha bin ‘Ubaidu-Allâh stabbed him to death. They  also  said that it was ‘Asim bin Thabit who managed to deal a terminal blow to him.
All those six people killed round and in defence of the standard, belonged to one house, the house of
Abi Talha ‘Abdullah bin ‘Uthman bin ‘Abd Ad-Dar. Another man from Bani ‘Abd Ad-Dar, called Artat bin
Sharhabeel carried the standard but he also was killed by ‘Ali bin Abi Talib. Others said it was Hamzah  who killed him not ‘Ali.
Then it was Shuraih bin Qariz who was killed by Quzman — he was a hypocrite who fought for prestige  only, not in defence of Islam. Abu Zaid ‘Amr bin ‘Abd Munaf Al-‘Abdari lifted the standard up but he  was  killed by Quzman too. A son of Sharhabeel bin Hashim Al-‘Abdari hoisted it again and was also killed  by
Quzman.
So we see that ten fighters of Bani ‘Abd Ad-Dar — the standard-bearers — were annihilated. Seeing  that none of ‘Abd Ad-Dars survived to carry the standard, a slave of theirs — called Sawab — came to  raise it. The slave showed more admirable sorts of bravery and steadfastness than his former  masters.
Sawab, the slave went on fighting till his hand was cut off. So he knelt down and embraced the  banner,  leant it against his chest and neck lest it should fall down to the ground. He remained fighting steadily  and steadfastly till he was killed. In the meanwhile he did not stop saying: “O Allâh, have I been  excused?” After the death of the slave Sawab, the standard fell down to the ground, and remained  there as there was no one to carry it.
Whilst the brunt of the battle centred around the standard, bitter fighting was going on everywhere on  the battlefield. The spirit of Faith overwhelmed the Muslims’ ranks; so they rushed among the  idolaters  as if they had been an outbreak of a destructive flood that overflowed and knocked down all dams and  barriers standing in its way “I seek death, I seek death.” That was their announced motto on Uhud
Day.
Abu Dujana, recognized by the red band worn round his head, came forth, fighting with the sword of  the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him). He was determined to pay its price at all costs. He killed  all the idolaters that stood on his way splitting and dispersing their ranks. Az-Zubair bin Al-‘Awwam