The way with the Prophet (may Allāh bless him and his descendants) was that when fighting became fierce and people began to loose ground he would send forward members of his family and through them protect his companions from the attacks of swords and spears. In this way ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Ḥārith was killed on the day of Badr, Ḥamzah (ibn ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib) on the day of Uḥud and Ja‘far (ibn Abī Ṭālib) on the day of Mu’tah. One more person, whom I can name if I wish, desired to seek martyrdom as they did; but their deaths approached, while his death had not yet approached.