Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
My uncle Anas bin An- Nadr (May Allah be pleased with him) was absent from the battle of Badr. He said: "O Messenger of Allah! I was absent from the first battle you fought against the pagans. (By Allah!) if Allah gives me a chance to fight against the pagans, no doubt, Allah will see how (bravely) I will fight." On the Day of Uhud, when the Muslims turned their backs and fled, he said, "O Allah! I apologize to You for what these (i.e., his companions) have done, and I denounce what these (i.e., the pagans) have done." Then he advanced and Sa'd bin Mu'adh met him. He said: "O Sa'd bin Mu'adh! By the Rubb of An-Nadr, Jannah! I am smelling its aroma coming from before (the mountain of) Uhud," Later on, Sa'd said: "O Messenger of Allah! I cannot achieve or do what he (i.e., Anas bin An-Nadr) did. We found more than eighty wounds by swords, spears and arrows on his body. We found him dead and his body was mutilated so badly that none except his sister could recognise him by his finger." We used to think that the following Ayah was revealed concerning him and other men of his sort: "Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah (i.e., they have gone out for Jihad, and showed not their backs to the disbelievers), of them some have fulfilled their obligations (i.e., have been martyred)." (33:23).
وعنه قال: غاب عمي أنس بن النضر رضي الله عنه عن قتال بدر، فقال: يا رسول الله غبت عن أول قتال قاتلت الشركين لئن الله أشهدني قتال المشركين ليرين الله ما أصنع. فلما كان يوم أحد انكشف المسلمون، فقال اللهم إني اعتذر إليك مما صنع هؤلاء - يعني الصحابة- وأبرأ إليك مما صنع هؤلاء يعني المشركين- ثم تقدم فاستقبله سعد بن معاذ فقال: يا سعد بن معاذ الجنة ورب النضر، إني أجد ريحها من دون أحد! قال سعد: فما استطعت يا رسول الله ما صنع! قال أنس: فوجدنا به بضعًا وثمانين ضربة بالسيف، أو طعنة برمح أو رمية بسهم، ووجدناه قد قتل ومثل به المشركون، فما عرفه أحد إلا أخته ببنانه، قال أنس: كنا نرى -أو نظن- أن هذه الآية نزلت فيه وفي أشباهه: {من المؤمنين رجال صدقوا ما عاهدوا الله عليه فمنهم من قضى نحبه} إلى آخره ((الأحزاب 23)). ((متفق عليه)) وقد سبق في باب المجاهدة.