(Muhammad is but a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have passed away before him) [3:144]. Said 'Atiyyah al-'Awfi: “In the Battle of Uhud, people ran away and some of them said: 'Muhammad has been killed, why not surrender to them, they are your brothers after all?' But some said: 'If Muhammad is killed, why do you not continue what your Prophet was doing until you join him?' Allah, exalted is He, then revealed (Muhammad is but a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have passed away before him) up to His saying (And with how many a prophet have there been a number of devoted men who fought (beside him). They quailed not for aught that befell them in the way of Allah, nor did they weaken… So Allah gave them the reward of the world…)”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou
