Hadhrat Anas bin Nadhr (rali) was one of the sahabah who could not take part in the campaign of Badr. He very much regretted to have missed the honour of participating in the first and the most illustrious battle for Islam. He longed for a chance wherein he could make asmends for Badr. He did not have to wait for long. The battle of Uhud came about in the following year. He joined the army with the most determined zeal. Despite heavy odds, the Muslims were gaining the upper hand, when some people made a blunder and the muslims had to suffer a reverse. The prophet (sal) had posted a band of fifty archers to guard a pass in the rear against the enemy cavalry. They had definite instructions not to move from their positions till furthur orders from him. But when they saw the muslims gaining victory from the enemy in full flight, they left their positions in the belief that the battle was over and it was time to join the pursuit and get on to the booty. The leader of the band tried his utmost to check them by remindibg them of the prophets command and solicited then to stay on, but no more than ten persons would listen to him, arguing that the orders given by the prophet (sal) were only for the duration of the actual fight. The enemy cavalry then noticed the unguarded passing the rear, made a flank movement, forced a passage through it, and fell right on the rear if the muslim, who were pre occupied with the booty. It was in this state of affairs that hazrath Anas (rali) saw Hazrath Sa'ad bin Maaz (rali) passing in front of him. He shouted to him:
"O, Sa'ad! Where are you going? By Allah! I smell the fragrance of Paradise coming from Mount Uhud."
Saying this, he threw himself into the very thick of the enemy, and fought tooth and nail till he met his martyrdom.
After the battle, it was found that his body had been mauled and mutilated to such an extent that only his sister could identify him, and that bearly from the finger tips. No lesss than eighty woulds of arrows and swords were counted on his body.
Those who strive in the path of Allah with sincerity and devotion taste the pleasures of paradise even in this world, and so did Anas (rali) smell the fragrance of Paradise.
