Excerpt from 'The Message':
It is not possible to deny that some companions fled the field and the fact that they were companions of the Prophet or that later they acquired status and honour amongst the Muslims should not prevent us from accepting this bitter reality.
Ibn Hisham, the famous historian, writes thus 'Anas bin Nazr, the uncle of Anas bin Malik says: 'When the army of Islam came under pressure and the news of the death of the Prophet was afloat, most of the Muslims thought of their own lives and every person took refuge in one corner or the other.'
He adds: 'I saw a group of Muhajirs and Ansar, including Umar bin Khattab and Talhah bin Ubaydullah Taymi, who were sitting in a corner and were anxious for themselves. I said to them with a tone of protest: 'Why are you sitting here?' They replied, 'The Prophet has been killed and it is, therefore no use fighting.' I said to them: 'If the Prophet has been killed it is no use living. Get up and meet martyrdom in the same path in which he has been killed.'
According to many historians, Anas said: 'If Muhammad has been killed his Lord is alive.'And then he added: 'I saw that my words had no effect on them. I put my hand to my arms and began to fight with determination.' Ibn Hisham says that Anas sustained seventy wounds in this battle and none could identify his dead body except his sister.
A group of Muslims were so much depressed that in order to ensure their safety they planned to approach Abdullah Ubayy so that he might obtain security for them from Abu Sufyan.