forces of evil.
The records of Hadith speak eloquently of the fact that the angels did appear on that day and fought  on  the side of the Muslims. Ibn ‘Abbas said: “While on that day a Muslim was chasing a disbeliever and  he  heard over him the swashing of a whip and the voice of the rider saying: ‘Go ahead Haizum’. He  glanced at the polytheist who had (now) fallen down on his back. The Helper came to the Messenger  of
Allâh (Peace be upon him) and related that event to him. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) replied:
‘You have told the truth. This was the help from the third heaven.”
One of the Helpers captured ‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib, who said: “O Messenger of Allâh, by Allâh this  man did not capture me. I was captured by a man who was bald and had the most handsome face,  and  who was riding a piebald horse, I cannot see him here among the people.” The Helper interrupted: “I  captured him, O Messenger of Allâh.” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) replied:
“Be quiet, Allâh the All-Mighty strengthened you with the help of a noble angel.”
Iblîs, the archsatan, in the guise of Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju‘sham Al-Mudlaji, on seeing angels  working  in favour of the Muslims, and Quraish rapidly losing ground on the battlefield, made a quick retreat  despite the polytheists’ pleas to stay on. He ran off and plunged into the sea.
The ranks of Quraish began to give way and their numbers added nothing but confusion. The Muslims  followed eagerly their retreating steps, slaying or taking captive all that fell within their reach. Retreat  soon turned into ignominious rout; and they flied in haste, casting away their armour, abandoned  beasts of burden, camp and equipage.
The great tyrant Abu Jahl, however, on seeing the adverse course of the battle, tried to stop the tidal  wave of the Islamic victory by nerving the polytheists and encouraging them by all means available  and  adjuring them by Al-Lat and ‘Uzza and all symbols of paganism to stand firm in place and retaliate  against the Muslims, but to no avail. Their morale had already been drastically reduced to zero, and  their lines broken down. He then began to realize the reality of his arrogance and haughtiness. None  remained around him except a gang of doomed polytheists whose resistance was also quelled by an
Islamic irresistible storm of true devotion-based valour and Islam-orientated pursuit of martyrdom.
Jahl  was deserted and left by himself on his horse waiting for death at the hand of two courageous lads of  the Helpers.
‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Awf related the following interesting story in this regard: I was in the thick of the  battle when two youths, still seemingly inexperienced in the art of fighting, one on the right and the  second on the left. One of them spoke in a secret voice asking me to show him Abu Jahl. I asked  about  his intention, to which he replied, that he had a strong desire to engage with him in a combat until  either of them was killed. It was something incredible to me. I turned left and the other said  something  to the same effect and showed a similar desire. I acceded to their earnest pleas and pointed directly at  their target. They both rushed swiftly towards the spot, and without a moment’s hesitation struck him  simultaneously with their swords and finished him off. They went back to the Messenger of Allâh
(Peace  be upon him), each claiming that he had killed Abu Jahl to the exclusion of the other. The Prophet
(Peace be upon him)asked if they had wiped the blood off their swords and they answered that they  had not. He then examined both swords and assured them that they both had killed him. When the  battle concluded, Abu Jahl’s spoils were given to Mu‘adh bin ‘Amr bin Al-Jumuh, because the other
Mu‘awwadh bin Al-‘Afrâ’ was later killed in the course of the same battle. At the termination of the  battle, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) wanted to look for this archenemy of Islam, Abu Jahl.
‘Abdullah  bin Mas‘ud found him on the verge of death breathing his last. He stepped on his neck addressing  him:
“Have you seen how Allâh has disgraced you?” The enemy of Islam still defiantly answered: “I am not  disgraced. I am no more than a man killed by his own people on the battlefield.” And then inquired
“Who has won the battle?” Ibn Mas‘ud replied “Allâh and His Messenger.” Abu Jahl then said with a  heart full of grudge “You have followed difficult ways, you shepherd!” Ibn Mas‘ud used to be a