21.3 Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul Deserts While placing the army groups in positions of combat, the Messenger saw a battalion whose people he could not recognize. He asked who they were and on being informed that they were the Jewish allies of' Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, he said, "One does not seek the aid of the polytheists against the polytheists." Then he commanded that they return. (Many Jews then believed that Uzayr was the son of Allah; they did not worship Allah alone.) Mohamed needed men and weapons, he needed the support of Ibn Ubayy, but what was more important to him than men and materials was to keep the principles of Islam uncompromised. At the darkest moment he would refuse aid if it meant the least compromise. The allies of Abdullah ibn Ubayy considered this an insult and went to him and said, "Look, Mohamed did not listen to your advice but to his boys, and now he drives your allies away." Abdullah ibn Ubayy was so offended that immediately before the battle he withdrew with his followers, diminishing substantially the Muslim ranks. There remained only the true Muslims. They were only seven hundred in number and they had to face three thousand Quraysh, well-prepared and burning for revenge.