The Battle of Badr

[EagleEyes]

The Battle of Badr

The Great Battle of Badr took place on the seventeenth of Ramadan, two years after the Hijra. This was the first battle that the believers ever engaged in with the disbelievers, and it is, by far, the most famous and most renown, becuase of the several extraordinary events that occured during it. Rasoolullah (saws) had encouraged the Muslims to oppose the Quraish caravan which was returning to Mecca from Sham. The Muslims went out with 300 and some soldiers not intending to meet a caravan of about 40 men, not intending to fight but only to overpower them. The caravan escaped, but Abu Sufyan had already sent word to Quraish to come and protect it. The Quraish marched with enormous army of 1000 men, six hundred wearing shields, 100 horses, and 700 camels, and luxurious provisions to last for several days. The disbelievers wanted to make this a victory that would put fear into the hearts of all the Arabs. They wanted to crush the Muslims once and for all and the odds were overwhelmingly in their favor. Imagine that the believers with their small army (including only 2 horses), going out with the intent of meeting a mere 40 unarmed man and instead meeting a well- prepared army of *3 times* their size.... Rasoolullah (saws) could have easily ordered the believers to fight and they wouldn't have hesitated to comply, but, he (saws) wanted to emphasize to his followers that they should fight out of conviction and iman and to teach us a lesson in the process. He gathered his followers to conduct shura (consultation). Many of the muhajireen ( the Muslims who emigrated from Mecca to Medinah) spoke up, using the most eloquent of words to describe their dedication. But there was one of the sahabah whom all the others envied for his statement to Rasoolullah (saws). He, Miqdad ibn al Aswad, rose up in front of the crowd and said, 'Ya Rasoolullah! We will not say to you like Bani Israel said to Musa, 'Go you and your Lord and fight, we are here sitting (waiting).' (surat al maa'idah). Go by Allah's blessing and we are with you!" And so Rasoolullah (saws) was very pleased, but in his greeat wisdom, he waited silently, and some among the Muslims knew what he intended. So far only the muhajiroon had given their consent, but it was the Ansar (the Muslims who lived in Medinah and welcomed the Muslims into their city) who had the most to loose in this stake and it was not a part of the pledge (that Rasoolullah had taken from the Ansar at ‘Aqabah) for the Ansar to fight with the Muslims in foreign territory. So, the great leader of the Ansar, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh spoke up, "Ya Rasoolullah! Maybe you mean us." Rasoolullah (saws) responded in the affirmative. Sa'd proceeded to give a beautiful speech in which he said, among many things: "O Messenger of Allah, we have believed in you and we believe that you are saying the truth. We give you, based on that, our covenant to listen to and obey you.....By Allah, the One Who sent you with the truth, if you were to enter the sea, we would rush into it with you and not one of us would stay behind...May Allah show you in our actions what will satisfy your eyes. So march with us, putting our trust in Allah's blessings." Rasoolullah (saws) was very pleased by this and said, “Forward and be of cheer, for Allah has promised me one of the two (the caravan or the battle), and by Allah, it is as if I now saw the enemy lying prostrate.” The Muslims marched forward and encamped at the nearest spring of Badr (closest to Medinah, which is north of Mecca). One of the companions, Al-Hubab ibn Mundhir, asked Rasoolullah (saws), “ Has Allah inspired you to choose this very spot or is it stratagem of war and the product of consultation?” Rasoolullah (saws) said, “It is the product of stratagem of war and consultation.” So Al-Hubab suggested that the Muslims encamp further south on the nearest water well, make a basin of water for themselves, and destroy the other wells to thereby restrict to Quraish’s access to the water. Rasoolullah (saws) approved of his plan and carried it out.[*] Then, Sa’d ibn Mu’adh suggested that a trellis or hut be built for Rasoolullah (saws) as a protection for him and to serve as a headquarters for the army. Rasoolullah (saws) and Abu Bakr stayed in the hut while Sa’d ibn Mu’adh and a group of his men guarded it. Rasoolullah (saws) spent the whole nigh preceeding the battle in prayer and supplication evn thought he (saws) knew that Allah (swt) had promised him victory. It was out of his (saws) love for and worship and submission to Allah (swt) that he did this. And it was said that this is the highest form of ‘ibadah knowns as “‘ain al yaqeen”, a state of being completely dependant and submissive to Allah (swt), which distinguished him (in superiority) from Abu Bakr As siddiq (ra) who only had “ ‘ilm al yaqeen”, the certainty of the promise. Unusally, that same night, the night when tensions were mounting for one of the biggest events in history, the night before the battle that would signify the progress or defeat of Islam, instead of being nervous, worried and unable to sleep, the Muslim army enjoyed a sound and refreshing sleep. That night was the night of the 17th of Ramadan, the year 2 A.H. This was a Divine favor which Allah (swt) mentioned in the Quran: “(Remember) when He covered you with a slumber as a security from Him, and He caused rain to descend on you from the sky, to clean you thereby and to remove from you the Rijz (whispering, evil suggestions, etc.) of Satan, and to strengthen your hearts, and make your feet firm thereby.” [8:11] The seond favor from Allah (swt) mentioned in this verse is the rain that Allah (swt) sent upon the believers that very night. The place where the Muslims were to encamp was made of sandy ground which was hard to walk on becuase one’s feet could easily sink in it. Allah (swt) sent the rain to make the ground firm under their feet and sent the sleep to make their hearts firm. The next morning, Rasoolullah (saw) was still asleep when Quraish was very closely approaching. Abu Bakr (ra) was very hesitant to wake the noble Messenger (saws), but was forced to do so becuase Quraish were approahcing quickly. The Muslims were arranged in ranks. When the two parties appoached closer and were visible to each other, Rasoolullah (saws) began supplicating, “O Allah! The conceited and haughty Quraishites are already here and defying You and and belying Your Messenger. O Allah! I m waiting for Your victory which You have promised me. I beseech You Allah to defeat them.” He (saws) then gave strict orders that his men would not start fighting until he gave them his final word. He recommended that they use their arrows sparingly [1] and never resort to swords unless the enemies came too close. [2] The Quraish were haught and arrogant and confident in their superior number, weapons, and provisions but it is Allah (swt) who would decide the matter: “(O disbelievers) if you ask for a judgement, now has the judgement come unto you and if you cease (to do wrong) , it will be better for you, and If you return (to the attack), so shall we return, and your forces will be of no avail to you, however numerous it be, and verily, Allah is with the believers.” [8:19] The battle began with a confronation between three men from each side:

-- Hamza (Rasoolullah’s uncle)vs.‘Utbah ibn Rabi’a
-- Ali (Rasoolullah’s cousin)vs.Al-Waleed ibn ‘Utbah
-- ‘Ubaidah ibn al Harith vs. Shaybah ibn Rabi’a


In the former two cases, Hamza and Ali killed their opponents, but ‘Ubaidah (despite killing his opponent) was severely wounded and died about four or five days later. The fighting intensified, and many more duels broke out. In the midst of all of this, Rasoolullah (saws) continued to supplicate his Lord. He (saws) said, “O Allah! Should this group (of Muslims) be defeated today, You will no longer be worshipped.”Abu Bakr witnessed this incessant supplication so He said to Rasoolullah (saws), “O Rasoolullah, you have cried out enough to your Lord. He will surely fulfill what He has promised you.”

Immediate was the response of Allah (swt), Who sent down angels from the heavens for the help and assistance of Rasoolullah (saw) and his companions. The Quran marks this miraculous occurance: “I will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other (following one another) in succession.” Quran [8:9] Rasoolullah (saws), in his hut, dozed off a little and then raised his head joyfully crying and said, “O Abu Bakr! glad tidings are there for you. Allah’s victory has approached. By Allah, I can see Jibreel on his mare in the thick of a sandstorm.” Then he came out of the hut and exclaimed: “sayuhzamul jam’u wa yuwwalloonad-dubur” Quran [54:45] (Their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs.) This is in fact one of the miracles of the Quran becuase this verse was revealed in Mecca before any of these events at Badr had taken place. Omar (ra), upon hearing Rasoolullah (saws) proclaim this verse on this occasion said, “When this verse was first revealed, I asked Rasoolullah what it means. What multitude? What deafeat? And Rasoolullah (saws) didn’t answer me. But when I saw him recite it on that occasion, I then understood.” Then Rasoolullah (saws) took a handful of dust and cast it at the enemy and said : Confusion seize their faces!” As he flung the dust, a violent sandstorm blew like furnace blast into the eyes of the enemy. About this, Allah says: “And you (i.e. Muhammad -saws) threw not when you did throw, but Allah threw.” [8:17] It was at this point that Rasoolullah (saws) gave orders to launch a full counter-attack. He incited the believers reciting the following verse: “And be quick for forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and earth.” [3:133] The spirit of the Muslims was at it peak and they fought with the untmost courage and bravery severly wounding the Quraish army, killing many of their men and instilling fear in their hearts. The Muslims did not know that Allah’s help was about to descend upon them. They only knew the odds that were apparent to both sides: 100 against 300, 700 camels against 70 camels, 100 horses against 2, enourmous provisions against none, an intent and preparation for war against an unprepared group of believers. Still, despite all odds, they had trust in Allah (swt) and His Messenger and they were willing and even hoping to give their lives of this dunya for the ever-lasting abode of Jannah. Because of their devotion Allah (swt) sent His help and victory.

In addition to sending down angels, Allah (swt) also brought another miraculous occurence to ensure the Muslim victory. Allah says: "“(And remember) When Allah showed them to you (Muhammad) as few in your dream, if He had shown them to you as many, you would have surely have disputed in making a decision. But Allah saved (you). Certainly, He is the AllKnower of what is in the breasts.'” [8:43] And indeed, Allah (swt) did fulfill His promise: “And (remember) when you met (the army of the disbelievers on the Day of the battle of Badr), He showed them to you as few in your eyes and He made you appear as few in their eyes, so that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained (in His Knowledge), and to Allah return all matters (for decision).” [8:44] Many of the disbelievers were killed in this battle, the most noteworthy of which was Abu Jahl, the archenemy of Islam. When Rasoolullah (saws) set out to look at his corpse, he (saws) said, "“This is the Pharaoh of this nation."” And so the Muslims defeated the disbelievers in a humiliating defeat by the Help of Allah (swt). Indeed Allah, again, fulfilled His promise, "“Their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs”" [54:45] The disbelievers, with all their might, turned their backs and ran away from the Muslims in disgrace and utter humiliation. Allahu Akbar wa lillah al Hamd.

[*] I the book by Dr. al Sibai, Sh. Jamal Zarabozo says that this story was not narrated through authentic chains, although it is mentioned in several famous books of seerah (with reliable authors) who were silent about its authenticity. Allahu a`lam.

[1] Sahih al-Bukhari, 2/568

[2] Abu Daud, 2/13

http://www.islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=128

 

[niaz]

I found a book written by an Iragi general in the Islamic bookshop near Baker Street Tube Station in London. That was written with a military outlook. Some facts mentioned therein are:

1. Meccan included two Hashmites; Abbas(RA) Holy Prophet's (PBUH) uncle and Aqeel (RA) one of the elder brothers of ALi ( RA). Both were captured and ransomed by Abbas(RA) who was a money lender by profession and a wealthy man. Both converted to Islam soon after.

2. Meccans did not really want to fight because safety of the caravan led by Abu Sufian had been assured. Abu Jahel however accused Otba, brother in law of Abu Sufian of cowardice and insisted that they should finish off Muslims once and for all. For this reason, Otba along with his brother and son (Sheba and Walid) were the first ones to challange the Muslims.

3. Till that time, Amir Hamza ( RA) was recognised as the foremost fighters among the Muslims and Hazrat Ali (RA), being young was an unknown. However , the Battle of Badar established Hazrat Ali(RA) as the foremost fighter of Islam. This from the fact that total number of Kuffar killed in Badar were 70 and out these 14 were killed by one man Hazarat ALI (RA).

 

[KashifAsrar]

Another good article Webi. Although most of it is known but still refreshes the memory and add some thing new every time we read these epics. Thanks for sharing.
Kashif

 

[IamBengali]

Thanks for sharing.

 

[SQ8]

To add to this.. a more detailed account from Martin Ling's book on the Prophet which is based on the earliest accounts available.

THE time was now at hand for Abu Sufyan to return with all the wares that he and his fellows had acquired in Syria. The Prophet sent Talhah and 'Umar's cousin Sa'id -the son of Zayd the Hanif -to Hawra' on the sea-shore due west of Medina to bring him news as soon as the caravan arrived. This would enable him, by a quick march to the south-west, to overtake it further down the coast. His two scouts were hospitably received by a chief of Juhaynah who hid them in his house until the caravan had passed. But he and they might have spared themselves their pains, for someone in Medina, no doubt one of the hypocrites or one of the Jews, had already sent word of the Prophet's plans to Abu Sufyan, who immediately hired a man of the Ghifarl tribe, Damdam by name, to go with all speed to Mecca and urge Quraysh to march out at once with an army to their rescue, while he himself pressed forward along the coastal route, travelling by both day and night.
But his was not the only sense of urgency. The Prophet had his reasons for wishing to remain in Medina as long as possible, for his beloved daughter Ruqayyah had fallen seriously ill. But personal considerations could not be taken into account, and rather than risk being too late he decided not even to wait for the return of his scouts. By the time they reached Medina he had already set out with an army of Emigrants and Helpers, three hundred and five men altogether. At that time there were seventy-seven able-bodied Emigrants in Medina and all these were present on this occasion except three: the Prophet had told his son-in-law 'Uthman to stay at home and tend his sick wife; the other two were Talhah and Sa'id, who arrived back from the coast too late to set out.
At the first halt, which was still in the oasis, the Prophet's cousin Sa'd of Zuhrah noticed his fifteen-year-old brother 'Umayr looking troubled and furtive and he asked him what was the matter. "I am afraid," said 'Umayr, "that the Messenger of God will see me and say I am too young and send me back. And I long to go forth. It might be that God would grant me martyrdom." As he feared, the Prophet noticed him when he lined up the troops and said he was too young and told him to go home. But 'Umayr wept and the Prophet let him stay and take part in the expedition. "He was so young", said Sa'd, "that I had to fasten the straps of his sword-belt for hiim."
There were seventy camels which the men rode by turns, three or four men to one camel, and three horses, one of which belonged to Zubayr. The white banner was given to Mus'ab, no doubt because he was of theclan of 'Abd ad-Dar, whose ancestral right it was to carry the banner of Quraysh in war. After the vanguard came the Prophet himself, preceded by two black pennants, one for the Emigrants and one for the Helpers. These were borne respectively by 'Ali and Sa'd ibn Mu'adh of Aws. During the Prophet's absence from Medina, the prayers were to be led by Ibn Umm Maktum, the blind man referred to in the Revelation He frowned and turned away when the blind man came unto him,'
In Mecca, shortly before the arrival of Damdam, the Prophet's aunt 'Atikah had a dream which terrified her and left her with a conviction of impending disaster for Quraysh. She sent for her brother 'Abbas and told him what she had seen: "I saw a man riding a camel and he halted in the valley and cried at the top of his voice: 'Haste ye forth, 0 men of perfidy, unto a disaster that in three days shall lay you prostrate.' I saw the people gather round him. Then he entered the Mosque with the people following him, and from out of their midst his camel carried him up to the roof of the Ka'bah, and again he cried out the same words. Then his camel bore him to the top of Mount Abu Qubays, and yet again he cried out to the people as before. Then he wrenched free a rock and sent it hurtling down the slope, and when it reached the foot of the mount it split into fragments, nor was there any house or any dwelling in Mecca but was smitten with a piece of it."
'Abbas recounted his sister's dream to 'Utbah's son, Walid, who was his friend, and Walid told his father, and the news spread throughout the city. The next day Abu Jahl exclaimed in the presence of 'Abbas, with gleeful mockery: "0 sons of 'Abd al-Muttalib, since when hath this prophetess been uttering her prophecies amongst you? Is it not enough for you that your men should play the prophet? And must your women do the same?" 'Abbas could not find a rejoinder, but Abu jahl had his answer the next day, when the crags of Abu Qubays resounded with the powerful voice of Damdam. The people streamed out of their houses and out of the Mosque to where he had halted in the valley. Abu Sufyan had paid him handsomely, and he was determined to play his part well. He had turned round his saddle and was seated with his back to his camel's head; and in further sign of calamity he had slit his camel's nose, so that the blood poured forth from it, and he had rent his own shirt to ribbons. "Men of Quraysh," he shouted, "the transport camels, the transport camels! Your goods which are with Abu Sufyan! Muhammad and his companions are upon them! Help! Help!"
The town was immediately in an uproar. The caravan now in danger was one of the richest of the year, and many were those who had reason to fear the loss of it. An army of about a thousand men was quickly mustered. "Do Muhammad and his fellows think that this will be as the caravan of Ibn al-Hadrarni?" they said, referring to 'Amr, the confederate of 'Abdu Shams who had been killed by an arrow in the sacred month at Nakhlah. The clan of 'Adi were alone in not taking part in the expedition. Every other chief of clan led out a contingent except Abu Lahab, who sent in his own stead a man of Makhzum who owed him money. But the Bani Hashimand the Bani l-Muttalib had none the less their interests in the caravan and felt in honour bound to defend it, so Talib led out a body of men from both clans, and 'Abbas went with them, perhaps intending to act as peacemaker. Hakim of Asad, Khadijah's nephew, went out with the same purpose. Like Abu Lahab, Umayyah of jumah had also decided to stay at home, for he was an elderly man of excessive corpulence; but while he was sitting in the Mosque 'Uqbah came to him with a censer of incense which he placed before him, saying: "Scent thyself with that, Abu 'Ali, for thou art of the women." "God curse thee," said Umayyah, and made ready to set out with the others.
The Prophet had by now left the direct route from Medina to the south and was making for Badr, which lay on the coastal route from Syria to Mecca, to his west. It was at Badr that he hoped to waylay Abu Sufyan, and he sent ahead two of their allies of ]uhaynah, who knew the district well, to scout for news of the caravan. At Badr they halted on a hill above the well, and when they went to draw water they overheard a conversation between two girls from the village about a debt. "The caravan will come tomorrow or the next day," said one to the other, "and I will work for them and pay thee what I owe thee." When they heard these words they made haste back to the Prophet with the news. But if they had stayed a little longer they would have seen a solitary rider approaching the well from the west. It was Abu Sufyan himself, who had hastened ahead of the caravan in order to see whether it was safe to proceed to Mecca by the nearest route, that is by Badr. On reaching the water he found a villager there and asked him if he had seen any strangers. He answered that he had seen two riders who had made a halt on the hill above and who had then drawn some water and taken it away with them. Abu Sufyan went to their halting-place and took up some of the camel dung which he broke into pieces. There were some date stones in it. "By God," he said, "this is the fodder of Yathrib." He hastened back to his followers, and turning the caravan away from the road they pressed on at full speed along the shore by the sea, leaving Badr on their left.
Meantime the two scouts returned to the Prophet with the news that the caravan was expected to reach Badr on the following day or the day after. They would certainly stop at Badr, which had long been one of the great halts on the road between Mecca and Syria, and there was ample time for the Muslims to surprise them and overpower them.
Then came the news that Quraysh had set out with an army to rescue their caravan. This had always been considered as a possibility, but now that it had become a fact the Prophet felt bound to consult his men and to let theirs be the choice between advancing and retreating. Abu Bakr and 'Umar spoke for the Emigrants in favour of advancing and then, by way of confirmation of all that they had said, an ally of the Bani Zuhrah who had only recently come to Medina, Miqdad by name, rose to his feet and added: "0 Messenger of God, do what God hath shown thee to do. We will not say unto thee as the children of Israel said unto Moses: Go thou andthy Lordand fight; we shall sit here,1 but we will say: 'Go thou and thy Lord and fight, and with you we also will fight, on the right and on the left, before thee and behind thee.'" 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud used to tell in after years of the great light that dawned on the Prophet's face when he heard those words and as he blessed their speaker. Not that he was surprised, for he knew that the Emigrants were unreservedly with him. But could the same be said of all the Helpers who were now present? The army had set out from Medina in hope of capturing the caravan. But now it seemed that they might have to encounter something much more formidable. Moreover, when the Helpers had pledged allegiance to him in 'Aqabah, they had said that they were not responsible for his safety until he had entered their territory, but that when he was with them they would protect him as they protected their wives and their children. Would they be prepared to help him against an enemy now that he was no longer in Yathrib? "Men, give me your advice," he said, expressing himself in general but meaning the Helpers, some of whom had already divined his thoughts, though none of them had yet spoken. But now Sa'd ibn Mu'adh rose to his feet. "Itwould seem," he said, "that we are the men thou meanest, 0 Messenger of God." And when the Prophet assented he went on: "We have faith in thee and we believe what thou hast told us, and we testify that what thou hast brought us is the truth, and we have given thee our binding oaths to hear and obey. So do what thou wilt, and we are with thee. By Him who hath sent thee with the truth, if thou shouldst bid us cross yonder sea and didst plunge into it thyself, we would plunge into it with thee. Not one man of us would stay behind. Neither are we averse from meeting our enemy tomorrow. We are well tried in war, trusty in combat. It may be that God will show thee prowess of ours such as shall bring coolness to thine eyes.I So lead us on with the blessing of God."
The Prophet rejoiced at his words; and the certainty came to him that they would indeed have to contend with either the army or the caravan but not with both. "Onwards," he said, "and be of good cheer, for God the All Highest hath promised me one of the two parties, and even now it is as if I saw the enemy lying prostrate."?
Although they were prepared for the worst, there was still hope that they would be able to attack the caravan and be well on their way back to Medina, enriched with plunder and prisoners, before the army of Quraysh arrived. But when they had reached a halt that was less than a day's march from Badr, the Prophet rode on with Abli Bakr and obtained some information from an old man from which he concluded that the Meccan army was already near. Returning to the camp he waited until nightfall and sent his three cousins 'Ali, Zubayr and Sa'd with some others of his companions to the well of Badr to see if either the army or the caravan or both had drawn water from it, or if anyone there had had any news of either party. At the well they chanced upon two men who were loading their camels with water for the army of Quraysh, and having overpowered them they brought them back to the Prophet, who was standing in prayer when they arrived. Without waiting until he had finished they began to question the two men, who said that they were the army's water-carriers. But some of their interrogators preferred to think that they were lying, for they fervently hoped that it was Aqu Sufyan who had sent them to get water for the caravan, and they set about beating them, until they said "We are Abu Sufyari's men," and they let them be. The Prophet made the concluding prostrations to his prayer and gave the greetings of peace, and said: "Whenthey told you thetruth,yebeatthem, and when theyliedyelet them be. They are indeed of the army of Quraysh." Then he turned to the two prisoners. "Tell me, ye two," he said, "of Quraysh, of their whereabouts." "They are behind this hill," they said, pointing to 'Aqanqal, "on the further slope of the valley beyond it." "How many men are they?" he asked. "Many," they said, nor could they answer anything more precise, so he asked how many beasts they slaughtered. "Some days nine, some days ten" was the answer. "Then they are between nine hundred and a thousand," he said. "And what leaders of Quraysh are amongst them?" They named fifteen and these included, of 'Abdu Shams, the brothers 'Utbah and Shaybah; of Nawfal, Harith and Tu'ayrnah; of 'Abd ad-Dar, Nadr, who had pitted his tales of Persia against the Koran; of Asad, Khadijah's half brother Nawfal; of Makhzfim, Abu Jahl; of jumah, Umayyah; of 'Amir, Suhayl. Hearing these eminent names, the Prophet remarked when he rejoined his men: "This Mecca hath thrown unto you the best morsels of her liver."
It was not long before flews of the thousand-strong army reached Abu Sufyan, and by that time he had reached a point from which his rescuers were between him and the enemy. Realising that the caravan was now safe, he sent a messenger to Quraysh, saying: "Ye came out to defend your camels and your men and your goods; and God hath rescued them, therefore return." This message reached them when they were already encamped at juhfah, a little to the south of Badr. There was yet another reason why they should advance no further. Gloom had been cast over the whole camp on account of a dream-almost a vision-thatJuhaym, a man of Muttalib, had had. "Between sleeping and waking," he said, "I saw a man approach on horseback, leading a camel. Then he halted and said 'Slain are 'Utbah and Shaybah and Abu 'l-Hakam and Umayyah'" -and he went on to mention other chiefs of Quraysh that the horseman had named. "Then," saidJuhaym, "I saw him stab his camel in the chest and let it run loose through the camp, and there was no tent that was not bespattered with its blood." When Abu Jahl was told of this he said in a tone of triumphant derision: "Here is yet another prophet from the sons of Muttalib." He said "yet another" because the two clans of Muttalib and Hashim were often thought of as one. Then, seeking to dispel the gloom, he addressed them all: "By God, we will not return until we have been at Badr. Three days will we stay there; we will slaughter camels and feast and make flow the wine and the songstresses shall play and sing for us; and the Arabs will hear how we marched forth and of our mighty gathering, and they will stand in awe of us for ever. Onwards to Badr!"
Akhnas ibn Shariq had come out with Zuhrah, whose confederate he was, and he now urged them to pay no attention to Abu jahl, so they returned from juhfah to Mecca, every man of them. Talib also returned with some of his fellow clansmen, for words had passed between him and others of Quraysh who had said: "0 sons of Hashim, we know that even though ye have come out with us, your hearts are with Muhammad." But. 'Abbas decided to go on to Badr with the rest of the army, and he took with him his three nephews, Abu Sufyan and Nawfal, the sons of l;Iarith, and 'Aqil, the son of Abu Talib.
Beyond the hill, a little to the north-east, the Muslims were breaking camp. The Prophet knew that it was imperative for them to reach the waters ofBadr before the enemy, so he ordered an immediate advance. Not long after they had started rain began to fall, and he rejoiced in it as a sign of favour from God, a blessing and an assurance. Itrefreshed the men and laid the dust and made firm the soft sand of the valley of Yalyal where now they were marching; but it would impede the enemy, who had yet to climb the slopes of 'Aqanqal, which layover to the left of the Muslims, on the opposite side of the valley from Badr. The wells were all on the gentler slopes of the near side, and the Prophet ordered a halt at the first well they came to. But a man of Khazraj, Hubab ibn al-Mundhir, came to him and said: "0 Messenger of God, this place where now we are -hath God revealed it unto thee, that we should neither advance nor retreat from it, or is it a matter of opinion and strategy of war?" He said that it was merely a matter of opinion, whereupon Hubab said: "This is not the place to halt, but take us on, 0 Messenger of God, until we come unto that one of the large wells which is nearest the enemy. Let us halt there and stop up the wells that lie beyond it and make for ourselves a cistern. Then will we fight the enemy, and all the water will be ours to drink, and they will have none." The Prophet at once agreed, and Hubab's plan was carried out in every detail. The further wells were stopped and the cistern was built, and every man filled his drinking vessel.
Then Sa'd ibn Mu'adh came to the Prophet and said: "0 Prophet of God, let us build for thee a shelter and put thy riding camels in readiness beside it. Then will we meet our enemy, and if God strengthen us and make us victorious over them, that is what we fervently desire. But, if not, then thou canst mount and ride to join those whom we left behind us. For as to some of those who came not out with thee, 0 Prophet of God, even our love for thee is not greater than theirs, nor had they stayed behind, if they had known thou wouldst meet with war. Through them God will protect thee, and they will give thee good counsel and fight at thy side." The Prophet praised him and invoked blessings upon him, and the shelter was fashioned with branches of palms.
That night God sent down a peaceful sleep upon the believers, and they awoke refreshed.' Itwas Friday 17 March AD 623 which was 17 Ramadan in the year AH 2.2 As soon as it was dawn Quraysh marched forth and climbed the hill of 'Aqanqal. The sun was already up when they reached the toP,. and when the Prophet saw them on their richly caparisoned horses and camels descending the slope into the valley of Yalyal towards Badr, he prayed: "0 God, here are Quraysh: they have come in their arrogance and their vanity, opposing Thee and belying Thy messenger. 0 Lord, grant us Thy help which Thou didst promise us! 0 Lord, this morn destroy them!"
They made their camp at the foot of the slope; and since it appeared to them that the Muslims were fewer than they had anticipated they sent out 'Umayr of jumah on horseback to estimate their numbers and to see if they had any reinforcements in their rear. He reported that there was no sign of any further troops other than those who were now facing them on the opposite side of the valley. "But 0 ye men of Quraysh," he added, "I do not think that any man of them will be slain but he shall first have slain a man of you; and if they slay of you a number that is equal to their number, what good will be left in life thereafter?" 'Umayr had something of the reputation of a diviner throughout Mecca, and this added weight to his words. No sooner had he spoken than Hakim of Asad, Khadijah's nephew, seized his opportunity and went on foot through the camp until he came to the men of 'Abdu Shams. "Father ofWalid," he said to 'Utbah, "thou art the greatest man of Quraysh, and their lord and the one whom they obey. Wouldst thou be remembered with praise amongst them until the end of time?" "How shall that be?" said 'Utbah. "Lead the men back," said Hakim, "and take upon thyself the cause of thy slain confederate 'Amr." He meant that 'Utbah should eliminate one of the strong reasons for fighting and pay the blood-wite to the kinsmen of the man who had been killed at Nakhlah, whose brother 'Amir had in fact come to take his revenge on the field of battle. 'Utbah agreed to do all that he said, but urged him to go and speak to Abu Jahl, the man most likely to insist on war. Meantime he addressed the troops, saying: "Men of Quraysh, ye will gain naught by fighting Muhammad and his companions. If ye lay them low, each man of you will for ever.look with loathing on the face of another who hath slain his uncle or his cousin or some yet nearer kinsman. Therefore turn back and leave Muhammad to the rest of the Arabs. Ifthey slay him, that is what ye desire; and if not, he will find that ye have shown self-restraint towards him."
He no doubt intended to approach 'Amir al-Hadrami at once with a view of paying the blood-wite for his brother, but Abu jahl was too quick for him. He taunted 'Utbah with cowardice, with being afraid of death for himself and also for his son Ab.!i Hudhayfah, who was in the ranks of the enemy. Then he turned to 'Amir and urged him not to let slip his opportunity of revenge for his brother. "Arise," he said, "and remind them of thy covenant and of the slaying of thy brother." 'Amir leapt to his feet, and frantically stripping off his clothes, he began to utter cries of lamentation at the top of his voice. "Alas for 'Amr! Alas for 'Amr!" So the fire of war was kindled and men's souls were filled with violence and it was in vain for 'Utbah or anyone else to seek to turn them back.
The now general absorbedness in final preparations for battle gave one man the chance he had been waiting for. Fearing that he might escape in his absence, Suhayl had brought his son 'Abd Allah with him to Badr. Umayyah, chief of jumah, had done the same with his son 'Ali, whom he had coerced into forsaking Islam. But unlike 'Ali, who was a waverer, 'Abd Allah was unshakeable in his faith; and going out of sight of the camp behind a nearby hillock, he quickly made his way across the uneven sands to the Muslim camp, where he went straight to the Prophet, and joy was on both their faces. Then he joyfully greeted his two brothers-in-law, Abu Sabrah and Abu Hudhayfah.

The BATTLE

THE Prophet now drew up his army, and he passed in front of each man to give them good heart and to straighten the ranks, bearing an arrow in his hand. "Stand in line, 0 Sawad," he said to one of the Helpers who was too far forward, and he gave him a slight prick in the belly with his arrow. "0 Messenger of God, thou hast hurt me," said Sawad, "and God hath sent thee with truth and justice, so give me my requital." "Take it," said the Prophet, laying bare his own belly and handing him the arrow whereupon Sawad stooped and imprinted a kiss where it was his due to place the point of the shaft. "What made thee do this?" said the Prophet. And he answered: "0 Messenger of God, we are now faced with what thou seest; and I desired that at my last moment with thee -if so it be -my skin should touch thy skin;" and the Prophet prayed for him and blessed him.
Quraysh had now begun to advance. Seen across the undulating dunes, the Meccan army appeared to be much smaller than it was. But the Prophet was fully aware of their true numbers and of the great disparity between the two hosts, and he now returned to the shelter with Abu Bakr and prayed for the help which God had promised him.
A light slumber came upon him, and when he woke he said: "Be of good cheer, Abu Bakr; the help of God hath come to thee. Here is Gabriel and in his hand is the rein of a horse which he is leading, and he is armed for war."!
In the history of the Arabs many a battle had been averted at the1ast minute, even when two forces were drawn up face to face. But the Prophet was now certain that the battle would take place, and that this formidable array was the one of the two parties that he had been promised. The vultures also knew that carnage was now imminent and they were already in wait to feed on the carcasses of the slain, some wheeling overhead and others perched on the rocky slopes in the rear of either army. It was, moreover, clear from the movements of Quraysh that they were preparing to attack. They were already near and had now halted within easy reach of the cistern which the Muslims had made. It seemed likely that their first move would be to take possession of it.
Aswad of Makhziim strode ahead of the others, clearly intending to drink. Hamzah went out to meet him and struck him a blow which severed one of his legs below the knee, and a second blow which killed him. Then 'Utbah, still smarting from the taunts of AbiiJahl, stepped from the ranks and gave the challenge for single combat; and for the further honour of the family his brother Shaybah and his son Walid stepped forward on either side of him. The challenge was immediately accepted by 'Awfof the Najjar clan of Khazraj, who had been one of the first six of the Helpers to pledge themselves to the Prophet; and with 'Awf stepped forward his brother Mu'awwidh. It was their quarter in Medina that Qaswa' had chosen as the ultimate halt of the Hijrah. The third to accept the challenge was 'Abd Allah ibn Rawahah, who had defied his leader Ibn Ubayy in speaking words of welcome and comfort to the Prophet.
"Who are ye?" said the challengers. When the men answered, 'Utbah said: "Ye are noble and our peers, yet have we naught to do with you. Our challenge is against none but men of our own tribe." Then the herald of Quraysh shouted: "0 Muhammad, send forth against us our peers from our own tribe." The Prophet had not intended anything else, but the eagerness of the Helpers had forestalled him. Now he turned to his own family, since it was above all for them to initiate the battle. The challengers were two men of mature age and one youth. "Arise, 0 'Ubaydah," he said. "Arise, 0 Hamzah, Arise, 0 'Ali." 'Ubaydah was the oldest and most experienced man in the army, a grandson of Muttalib, and he faced 'Utbah while Harnzah faced Shaybah and 'Ali faced Wand. The combats were not long: Shaybah and Walid were soon lying dead on the ground, while Harnzah and 'Ali were unhurt: but at the moment when 'Ubaydah struck 'Utbah to the ground he received from him a sweep of the sword that severed one of his legs. It was a triple contest, three against three, so Harnzah and 'Ali turned their swords on 'Utbah, and Harnzah gave him the death blow. Then they carried their wounded cousin back to their camp. He had lost a mortal quantity of blood, and the marrow was oozing from the stump of his leg. He had only one thought. "Am I not a martyr, 0 Messenger of God?" he said as the Prophet approached him. "Indeed thou art," he answered.
The tense stillness between the two hosts was now broken by the sound of an arrow from Quraysh, and a freedman of 'Umar fell to the ground, fatally wounded. A second arrow pierced the throat of Harithah, a youth of Khazraj, as he was drinking at the cistern. The Prophet now exhorted his men saying: "By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, no man will be slain this day, fighting against them in steadfast hope of his reward, advancing not retreating, but God shall straightway enter him into Paradise." His words were passed on by those who heard them to those who were out of earshot. 'Umayr of the Salimah clan of Khazraj had a handful of dates which he was eating. "Wonder of wonders!" he exclaimed. "Is there naught between me and my entering Paradise, but that these men should slay me?", and he flung away the dates and put his hand to his sword, in eager readiness for the word of command.
'Awf was standing near to the Prophet, disappointed at having lost the honour of the challenge he had been the first to accept, and he now turned to him and said: "0 Messenger of God, what is it that maketh the Lord laugh with joy at His slave?" At once came the answer: "When he plungeth without mail into the midst of the foe"; and 'Awfbegan to strip off the coat of mail he was wearing, while the Prophet took up a handful of pebbles and shouting at Quraysh "Defaced be those faces!", he hurled the pebbles at them, conscious that he was hurling disaster. Then he gave the order to charge. The battle cry he had devised for them, Ya mansur amit(Concise in Arabic but not in English: "0 thou whom God hath made victorious, slay!");: resounded from every throat as the men surged forward. 'Awf without his mail and 'Umayr were among the first to meet the enemy and both fought until they were slain. Their deaths and those of 'Ubaydah and the two killed by arrows brought the number of martyrs up to five. Only nine more of the faithful were to die that day, amongst them that other 'Umayr, Sa'd's younger brother, whom the Prophet had wanted to send home .
. Thou threwest not when thou tbreu/est, but it was God that threw. 2 These words were part of the Revelation which came immediately after the battle. Nor were the pebbles the only manifestation of Divine strength which flowed from the hand of the Prophet on that day. At one point where the resistance of Quraysh was at its strongest a sword broke in the hands of a believer, whose first thought was to go and ask the Prophet for another weapon. It was 'Ukkashah, a kinsman of the family of jahsh, The Prophet gave him a wooden club saying: "Fight with this, 'Ukkashah." He took it and brandished it and it became in his hand a long, strong, gleaming sword. He fought with it for the rest of Badr and in all the Prophet's other battles, and it was named al-'Awn which means the Divine Help.
When the believers were ordered to charge, they did not charge alone, as well the Prophet knew, for he had been promised: I will help you with a thousandoftheangels,troop ontroop? And the Angels also had received a Divine message: When thy Lord revealed unto the angels: Lo, I am with you, so make firm the believers. I shall cast terror into the hearts of the disbelievers. It is for you to strike offtheir heads, and to smite their every finger..
The presence of the Angels was felt by all, as a strength by the faithful and as a terror by the infidels, but that presence was only visible or audible to a few, and in varying degrees. Two men of a neighbouring Arab tribe had gone to the top of a hill to see the issue and to take part -so they hoped -in the looting after the battle. A cloud swept by them, a cloud filled with the neighing of stallions, and one of the men dropped instantly dead. "His heart burst with fright," said the one who lived to tell of it, judging from what his own heart had felt.
One of the believers was pursuing a man of the enemy, and the man's head flew from his body before he could reach him, struck off by an unseen hand. Others had brief glimpses of the Angels riding on horses whose hooves never touched the ground, led by Gabriel wearing a yellow turban, whereas the turbans of the other Angels were white, with one end left streaming behind them. Quraysh were soon utterly routed and put to flight, except in small groups where the Angels had not passed. In one of these Abu Jahl fought on with unabated ferocity until Mu'adh, the brother of 'Awf, smote him to the ground. 'Ikrimah, the son of Abu jahl, then
struck Mu'adh and all but severed his arm at the shoulder. Mu'adh went on fighting with his good arm, while the other hung limply by its skin at his side; but when it became too painful he stooped, and putting his foot on his dead hand jerked himself up, tore off the encumbrant limb, and continued in pursuit of the enemy. Abu jahl was still full of life, but Mu'awwidh, Awf's second brother, recognised him as he lay there and struck him a blow which left him dying. Then Mu'awwidh passed on and like 'Awf he fought until he was slain.

Most of Quraysh escaped, but some fifty were mortally wounded or killed outright in the battle or overtaken and cut down as they fled. About the same number were taken captive. The Prophet had said to his Companions: "I know that men of the sons of Hashim and others have been brought out despite themselves, without any will to fight us." And he mentioned by name some of those whose lives should be spared if they were caught. But most of his army were in any case bent on holding their captives to ransom rather than putting them to the sword.
Since Quraysh so greatly outnumbered the believers, the possibility of their rallying and returning to the fight had still to be considered, and the Prophet was persuaded to withdraw to his shelter with Abu Bakr while some of the Helpers kept watch. Sa'd ibn Mu'adh was standing on guard at the entrance with drawn sword, and when his fellow warriors started to bring their captives into the camp the Prophet was struck by the expression of strong disapproval on his face. "0 Sa'd,' he said, "it would seem that what they are doing is hateful in thine eyes." Sa'd vigorously assented; then he added: "This is the first defeat God hath inflicted on the idolaters; and I had rather see their men slaughtered than left alive." 'Umar was of the same opinion, but Abu Bakr was in favour of letting the captives live, in the hope that sooner or later they might become believers, and the Prophet inclined to his view. But later in the day, when 'Umar returned to the shelter, he found the Prophet and Abu Bakr in tears on account of a Revelation which had come: It is not for a prophet to hold captives until he hath made great slaughter in the land. I Ye would have for yourselves the gainsofthisworldand Godwouldhave foryou the Hereafter, and Godis Mighty, Wise. But the Revelation then made it clear that the decision to spare the captives had been accepted by God and should not now be revoked; and the Prophet was given a message for the captives themselves:
o Prophet, say unto those captives who are in your hands: If God knoweth any good in your hearts, He will give you better than that which hath been taken from you, and He will forgive you. Verily God is Forgiving, Merciful. 2
There was, however, one man, Abu Jahl, who clearly could not be allowed to live. The general opinion was that he had been killed and the Prophet gave orders that his body should be searched for. 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud went out again to the battlefield and searched until he found the man who had done more than any other to stir up hatred of Islam amongst the people of Mecca. Abu Jahl still had enough life in him to recognise the enemy who now stood over him. 'Abd Allah had been the first man to recite the Koran aloud in front of the Ka'bah, and Abu jahl had struck him a severe blow and wounded him in the face, for he was merely a confederate of Zuhrah and a poor one at that, his mother having been a slave. 'Abd Allah now placed his foot on the neck of Abu jahl, who said: "Thou hast climbed high indeed, little shepherd." Then he asked him which way the fortunes of war had swung that day, his implication being that next time they would swing in the opposite direction. "God and His messenger have won," he answered. Then he cut off his head and took it to the Prophet.
Abu jahl was not the only chief of Quraysh to be killed after the fighting had finished. 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf was carrying coats of mail which he had taken as booty, and he passed by the corpulent Umayyah, who had lost his mount and was unable to escape. With him was his son 'Ali, whose hand he was holding. Umayyah called out to his one-time friend: "Take me prisoner, for I am worth more than coats of mail." 'Abd ar-Rahman agreed, and throwing down the mail he took him and his son each by a hand. But as he was leading them towards the camp Bilal saw them and recognised his former master and torturer. "Umayyah," he exclaimed, "the head of disbelief! May I not live if he survive!" 'Abd ar-Rahrnan indignantly protested that they were his prisoners, but Bilal repeated his cry: "May I not live if he survive!" "Wilt thou not hear me, thou son of a black mother?" said the outraged captor, whereupon Bilalshouted with all the power of the voice that had won him the function of muezzin: "0 Helpers of God, the head of disbelief, Umayyah! May I not live if he survive!" Men came running from all sides and narrowly encircled 'Abd ar-Rahman and his two captives. Then a sword was drawn and 'Ali: was struck to the ground but not killed. 'Abd ar-Rahman let go the father's hand. "Make thine own escape," he said, "yet no escape there is, for by God I can avail thee nothing!" Pushing him aside the men closed in upon the prisoners with their swords and quickly made an end of them both. 'Abd ar-Rahrnan used to say in after years: "God have mercy on Bilal! My coats of mail were lost to me, and he robbed me of my two prisoners."!
The Prophet gave orders that the bodies of all the infidels slain in the battle should be thrown into a pit; and when the body of 'Utbah was being dragged towards it the face of his son Abu Hudhayfah turned pale, and was filled with sorrow. The Prophet felt for him, and gave him a look of compassion, whereupon Abu Hudhayfah said: "0 Messenger of God, it is not that I question thy command as to my father and the place where they have thrown him. But I used to know him as a man of wise counsel, forbearance and virtue, and I had hoped that these qualities would lead him unto Islam; and when I saw what had befallen him, and when I remembered what state of disbelief he died in after my hopes for him, it saddened me." Then the Prophet blessed Abu Hudhayfah and spoke to him words of kindness.
The peace and quiet of the camp was soon broken by voices raised in anger, for those who had stayed behind to guard the Prophet demanded a share of the booty, and those who had pursued the enemy and captured men and armour and weapons were unwilling to give up what their own hands had taken. But before the Prophet had time to restore harmony by ordering an equitable distribution of all that had been captured, the desired effect was achieved more simply and more immediately by a Revelation: They will question thee concerning the spoils ofwar. Say: The spoilsofwararefor Godandthemessenger,' So the Prophet ordered that everything that had been taken, including the captives, should be brought together and no longer be considered as the private property of any individual. The order was at once obeyed without question.
The most eminent of the captives was the chief of 'Amir, Suhayl, cousin of Sawdah and brother of her first husband. Others more closelyconnected with the Prophet were his uncle 'Abbas, his son-in-law, Zaynab's husband Abu l-'A~, and his cousins 'Aqi! and Nawfal, He gave a general order that all the captives should be well treated, though clearly they had to be bound. But the thoughts of his uncle suffering such duress prevented the Prophet from sleeping that night, and he gave orders that his bonds should be loosed. Other captives received less indulgent treatment from their nearest of kin. Mus'ab passed by his brother Abu 'Aziz as he was being bound by the Helper who had captured him, and he said: "Bind him fast for his mother is rich, and it may be that she will ransom him from thee." "Brother," said Abu 'Aziz, "is this how thou dost commend meto others?" "He is now my brother in thy stead," said Mus'ab. None the less, Abu 'Aziz used to tell in after years of the good treatment he received from the Helpers, who took him to Medina whence his mother ransomed him for 4,000 dirhems.
As soon as it became clear that the eight hundred or more Meccan troops still at large had been routed beyond possibility of rallying, the Prophet sent 'Abd Allah ibn Rawahah to take the good tidings of victory to the people of Upper Medina, that is, the more southerly part of the city, and he sent Zayd to the people of Lower Medina. He himself remained with the army at Badr; and that night he went and stood by the pit into which the bodies of the enemies of Islam had been thrown. "0 men of the pit," he said, "kinsmen of your Prophet, ill was the kinship ye showed him. Liar ye called me, when others took me in; against me ye fought, when others helped me to victory. Have ye found it to be true, what your Lord promised you? I have found it to be true, what my Lord promised me." Some of his Companions overheard him and wondered at his speaking to dead bodies. "Your hearing of what I say is not better than theirs," he said, "but they cannot answer me."?
Early next morning he set off for Medina with his army and the spoils. Two of the most valuable captives, that is those whose families could be relied upon to pay the full ransom of 4,000 dirhems, were Nadr of 'Abd ad-Dar and 'Uqbah 3 of 'Abdu Shams. But these were two of the worst enemies of Islam, and if they were allowed to return they would immediately resume their evil activities, unless the Muslims' victory at Badr against such odds had made them reflect. The Prophet's eye was now constantly upon them; but there was no sign of any change of heart in either man, and during the march it became clear to him that it was not in accordance with the Will of God that they should be left alive. At one of the first halts he gave orders that Nadr should be put to death, and it was 'Ali who beheaded him. At a subsequent halt 'Uqbah suffered the same fate at the hands of a man of Aws. The Prophet divided the remainder of the captives and the rest of the spoils at a halt within three days'march of Medina, giving insofar as was possible an equal share to every man who had taken part in the expedition. .
By that time Zayd and 'Abd Allah ibn Rawahah had reached Medina, and there was great rejoicing amongst all except the Jews and the hypocrites. But Zayd was given sad news in exchange for his good news: Ruqayyah was dead; 'Uthrnan and Usamah had just returned from burying her. The lamentations in that part of the city were still further increased when Zayd told 'Afra' of the death of her two sons 'Awf and Mu'awwidh. Sawdah went between her own house and theirs to join the mourning in both. For 'Afra' there was joy mingled with sorrow on account of the glorious manner of her sons' deaths. But Zayd had also to tell Rubayyi' of the death of her youthful son Harithahibn Suraqah, whose neck had been pierced by an arrow as he was drinking at the cistern; and as soon as the Prophet himself returned a few days later she came to him and asked him about her son; for she was troubled by the thought that the youth had been slain before the battle had started and before he had had time to strike a blow for Islam. "0Messenger of God," she said, "wilt thou not tell me of Harithah, so that if he be in Paradise I may bear my loss with patience, and ifnot I may do penance for him with weeping." The Prophet had already answered such questions in general, for he had promisedthat a believer is rewarded for what he purposes, even if he should not achieve it: "Deeds are counted according to the intention."! But he now answered her in particular, saying: "Mother of Harithah, in Paradise are many Gardens, and verily thy son hath attained unto the all-highest, Firdaws."?