The Prophet (Peace be upon him) on hearing about this unholy alliance, summoned Abdullah and admonished him to be more sensible and thoughtful and cautioned his men against being snared in malicious tricks. The men, on grounds of cowardice, or reason, gave up the idea. Their chief, however, seemingly complied, but at heart, he remained a wicked unpredictable accomplice with Quraish and the envious Jews. Skirmishes and provocations started to pave the way for a major confrontation between the Muslims and polytheists. Sad bin Muadh, an outstanding Helper, announced his intention to observe Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) and headed for Makkah. There Omaiya bin Khalaf provided tutelage for him to observe the ritual circumambulation. Abu Jahl, an archenemy of Islam saw him in the Sacred Sanctuary and threatened he would have killed him if he had not been in the company of Omaiya. Sad, fearlessly and defiantly, challenged him to committing any folly at the risk of cutting their caravans off. Provocative actions continued and Quraish sent the Muslims a note threatening to put them to death in their own homeland. Those were not mere words, for the Prophet (Peace be upon him) received information from reliable sources attesting to real intrigues and plots being hatched by the enemies of Islam. Precautionary measures were taken and a state of alertness was called for, including the positioning of security guards around the house of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and strategic junctures. Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) lay down on bed during one night on his arrival in Madinah and said: Were there a pious person from amongst my Companions who should keep a watch for me during the night? She [Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her)] said: We were in this state when we heard the clanging noise of arms. He [the Prophet (Peace be upon him)] said: Who is it? He said: This is Sad bin Abi Waqqas. Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said to him: What brings you here? Thereupon he said: I harboured fear (lest any harm should come to) Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him), so I came to serve as your sentinel. Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) invoked blessings upon him and then he slept. This state of close vigilance continued ceaselessly until the Words of Allah were revealed saying:
وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ
"Allah will protect you from mankind."?[5:67]
Here, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) peeped from the dome of his house asking his people to go away, and making it clear that Allah would take the charge of protecting him.
The Prophet's life was not the only target of the wicked schemes, but rather the lives and the whole entity of the Muslims. When the Madinese provided the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his Companions with safe refuge, the desert bedouins began to look at them all in the same perspective, and outlawed all the Muslims. At this precarious juncture with Quraish, intent on pursuing their aggressive and devilish plans, Allah, the All-High, gave the Muslims the permission to take arms against the disbelievers:
"Permission to fight is given to those (i.e. believers against those disbelievers), who are fighting them, (and) because they (believers) have been wronged, and surely Allah is Able to give them (believers) victory."? [22:39]
This verse was revealed in a larger context of Divine instructions to eradicate all aspects of falsehood, and hold in honour the symbols and rites of Allah:
"Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they) order for Iqamatas-
Salaat: [i.e. to perform Salaat (prayer) the five compulsory, congregational prayers (the males in Mosques)], to pay the Zakat (obligatory charity), and they enjoin Al-Maruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islam has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Quraan as the Law of their country in all the spheres of life]."? [22:41].
Doubtlessly, the permission to fight was revealed in Madinah after emigration, not in Makkah, still the exact date where of is in doubt. The permission to fight was already there, but in the light of the status quo, it was wise for the Muslims to bring the commercial routes leading to Makkah under their control. To realize this strategic objective, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) had to choose either of two options:
1. Entering into non-aggression pacts with the tribes inhabiting either the areas adjacent to the routes or between these routes and Madinah. With respect to this course of action, the
Prophet (Peace be upon him) had already signed, together with the Jews and other neighbouring tribes, the aforementioned pact of cooperation and good neighbourliness.
2. Despatching successive armed missions for harassment along the strategic commercial routes.
PRE-BADR MISSIONS AND INVASIONS:
With a view to implementing these plans, the Muslims commenced real military activities, which at first took the form of reconnaissance patrols delegated to explore the geopolitical features of the roads surrounding Madinah and others leading to Makkah, and building alliances with the tribes nearby. The Prophet wanted to impress upon the polytheists and Jews of Madinah as well as the bedouins in its vicinity, that the Muslims had smashed their old fears, and had been too strong to be attacked with impunity. He also wanted to display the power of his followers in order to deter Quraish from committing any military folly against him which might jeopardize their economic life and means of living, and to stop them from persecuting the helpless Muslims detained in Makkah, consequently he would avail himself of this opportunity and resume his job of propagating the Divine Call freely.
The following is a resume of these missions and errands:
1. Saif Al-Bahr Platoon sent in Ramadan 1 A.H., i.e. 623 A.D. led by Hamzah bin Abdul
Muttalib and comprising 30 Emigrants with a definite task of intercepting a caravan belonging to Quraish. It was a caravan of 300 people including Abu Jahl bin Hisham. The two parties encountered each other and aligned in preparation for fighting. Majdi bin Amr, on good terms with both sides, happened to be there and managed to prevent an imminent clash.
On that occasion, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) accredited the first flag in the history of Muslims. It was white in colour and was entrusted to Kinaz bin Husain Al-Ghanawi, to carry.
2. In Shawwal, 1 A.H., i.e. April 623 A.D. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) despatched Ubaidah bin Al-Harith bin Al-Muttalib at the head of 60 horsemen of Emigrants to a spot called Batn Rabegh where they encountered Abu Sufyan at the head of a caravan of 200 men. There was arrow shooting but no actual fighting.
It is interesting to note that two Muslims, Al-Miqdad bin Amr Al-Bahrani and Utbah bin Ghazwan Al-Mazini, defected from the caravan of Quraish and joined the ranks of Ubaidah.
The Muslims had a white flag carried by Mistah bin Athatha bin Al-Muttalib bin Abd Munaf.
3. In Dhul Qadah 1 A.H., i.e. May 623 A.D. the Prophet (Peace be upon him) despatched Sad bin Abi Waqqas at the head of 20 horsemen, and instructed them not to go beyond Kharrar. After a five-day march they reached the spot to discover that the camels of Quraish had left the day before; their flag, as usual, was white and carried by Al-Miqdad bin Amr.
4. Ghazwa Al-Abwa or Waddan. It was in Safar 2 A.H., i.e. 623 A.D. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) set out himself at the head of 70 men, mostly Emigrants, to intercept a camel caravan belonging to Quraish, leaving behind Sad bin Ubadah to dispose the affairs in Madinah. When he reached Waddan, a place between Makkah and Madinah, he found none.
In the process of this campaign, he contracted a non-aggressiopact with Amr bin Makhshi Ad-Damari. The provisions of the pact go as follows:
"This is a document from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah concerning Bani Damrah in which he established them safe and secure in their wealth and lives. They can expect support from the Muslims unless they oppose the religion of Allah. They are also expected to respond positively in case the Prophet sought their help."?
This was the first invasion under the leadership of the Messenger of Allah. It took fifteen days, with a white flag carried by Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib.
5. Buwat Invasion. It took place in Rabi Al-Awwal 2 A.H., i.e. 623 A.D. The Prophet (Peace be upon him), at the head of 200 companions, marched for Buwat to intercept a caravan belonging to Quraish comprising 100 Quraishites, Omaiya bin Khalaf among them, and 2500 camels. When he reached Buwat, the caravan had left. Before leaving Madinah, he mandated Sad bin Muadh to dispose the affairs until his return.
6. Safwan Invasion. In Rabi Al-Awwal 2 A.H., i.e. 623 A.D. Karz bin Jabir at the head of a small group of polytheists raided the pastures of Madinah and looted some animals. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) at the head of 70 men left Madinah to fight the aggressors. He went in their pursuit till he reached a place called Safwan near Badr but could not catch up with them. This invasion came to be known as the preliminary Badr Invasion. During his absence, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) entrusted Zaid bin Harithah with the disposition of the affairs in Madinah. The standard was white in colour and entrusted to Ali bin Abi Talib to carry.
7. Dhil Ushairah Invasion. It was in Jumada-al-Ula and Jumada-al-Akhirah the first or second 2 A.H., i.e. November-December 623 A.D. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) at the head of 150-200 Muslim volunteers, with 30 camels which they rode turn by turn, set out to intercept a Quraishite caravan. He reached Dhil Ushairah but the camels had left some days before. These camels were the same that he went out to intercept on their return from Syria, and were the direct reason for the break out of the battle of Badr. In the process of this campaign, the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam contracted a non-aggression pact with Bani Madlij and their allies Bani Dhumrah. Abu Salama bin Abd Al-Asad Al-Makhzumi was mandated to rule Madinah in his absence.
8. The Platoon of Nakhlah. It took place in Rajab 2 A.H., i.e. January 624 A.H. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) despatched Abdullah bin Jahsh Asadi to Nakhlah at the head of 12 Emigrants with six camels. Abdullah was given a letter by the Prophet (Peace be upon him) but was instructed to read it only after two days. He followed the instructions and discovered that he was asked to go on to a place called Nakhlah standing between Makkah and At-Taaif, intercept a caravan for Quraish and collect news about their intentions. He disclosed the contents of the letters to his fellows who blindly obeyed the orders. At Nakhlah, the caravan passed carrying loads of raisins (dried grapes), food stuff and other commodities. Notable polytheists were also there such as Amr bin Al-Hadrami, Uthman and Naufal, sons of Abdullah bin Al-Mugheerah and others… The Muslims held consultations among themselves with respect to fighting them taking into account Rajab which was a sacred month (during which, along with Dhul Hijja, Dhul Qada and Muharram, war activities were suspended as was the custom in Arabia then). At last they agreed to engage with them in fighting. Amr bin Al-Hadrami was shot dead by an arrow, Uthman and Al-Hakam were captured whereas Naufal escaped. They came back with the booty and the two prisoners. They set aside one-fifth of the booty assigned to Allah and His Messenger, and took the rest. The Messenger disapproved of that act and suspended any action as regards the camels and the two captives on account of the prohibited months already mentioned. The polytheists, on their part, exploited this golden opportunity to calumniate the Muslims and accuse them of violating what is Divinely inviolable. This idle talk brought about a painful headache to Muhammad's Companions, until at last they were relieved when the Revelation came down giving a decisive answer and stating quite explicitly that the behaviour of the polytheists in the whole process was much more heinous and far more serious than the act of the Muslims:
"They ask you concerning fighting in the sacred months (i.e. 1st, 7th, 11th and 12th months of the Islamic calendar). Say, Fighting therein is a great (transgression) but a greater (transgression) with Allah is to prevent mankind from following the way of Allah, to disbelieve in Him, to prevent access to Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah), and to drive out its inhabitants, and Al-Fitnah is worse than killing." [2:217]
The Words of Allah were quite clear and said that the tumult created by the polytheists was groundless. The sacred inviolable sanctities had been repeatedly violated in the long process of fighting Islam and persecuting its adherents. The wealth of the Muslims as well as their homes had already been violated and their Prophet (Peace be upon him) had been the target of repeated attempts on his life. In short, that sort of propaganda could deservedly be described as impudence and prostitution. This has been a resume of pre-Badr platoons and invasions. None of them witnessed any sort of looting property or killing people except when the polytheists had committed such crimes under the leadership of Karz bin Jabir Al-Fahri. It was, in fact, the polytheists who had initiated such acts. No wonder, for such ill-behaviour is immanent in their natural disposition.
Shortly afterwards, the two captives were released and blood money was given to the killed man's father. After this event, Quraish began to realize the real danger that Madinah could present with. They came to know that Madinah had always been on the alert, watching closely their commercial caravans. It was then common knowledge to them that the Muslims in their new abode could span and extend their military activities over an area of 300 miles. and bring it under full control. However, the new situation borne in mind, the Makkans could not be deterred and were too obstinate to come to terms with the new rising power of Islam. They were determined to bring their fall by their own hands and with this recklessness they precipitated the great battle of Badr. The Muslims, on the other hand, and at the behest of their Lord, were ordered to go to war in Shaban 2 A.H:
"And fight, in the way of Allah those who fight you; but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors. And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah (polytheism or calamity) is worse than killing. And fight not with them at Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (the Sanctuary at Makkah), unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers. But if they cease, then Allah is O ft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah) and (all and every kind of ) worship is for Allah (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalim (polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)"? [2:190-193]
Before long, Allah again sent the Muslims a different sort of verses whereby teaching them ways of fighting, urging them to go to war and demonstrating relevant rules:
"So, when you meet (in fight – Jihaad in Allah's cause), those who disbelieve smite at their necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them, i.e. take them as captives). Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom), or ransom (according to what benefits Islam), until the war lays down its burden. Thus [you are ordered by Allah to continue in carrying out Jihaad against the disbelievers till they embrace Islam (i.e. are saved from the punishment in the Hell-fire) or at least come under your protection], but if it had been Allah's Will, He Himself could certainly have punished them (without you). But (He lets you fight), in order to test you, some with others. But those who are killed in the way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost. He will guide them and set right their state. And admit them to Paradise which He has made known to them (i.e. they will know their places in Paradise more than they used to know their houses in the world). O you who believe! If you help (in the cause of) Allah, He will help you, and make your foothold firm."? [47:4-7]
Shortly afterwards, Allah began to dispraise the hypocrites, the weak at heart and cowardly elements:
"But when a decisive Surah (explaining and ordering things) is sent down, and fighting (Jihaad the holy fighting) is mentioned (i.e. ordained) therein, you will see those in whose hearts is a disease (of hypocrisy) looking at you with a look of one fainting to death." [47:20]
The prevalent exigencies required as a top priority exhorting the Muslims to fight. Any leader with a deep insight would order his soldiers to get ready for any sort of emergency, let alone the All- Knowing Exalted Lord, Who is at all times omniscient of the minutest details of affairs. The event of that skirmish with the polytheists dealt a heavy blow to the pride of Quraish and created a sort of horrible restlessness amongst them. The aforementioned Quraanic verses, enjoining the Muslims to strive in the cause of Allah, betrayed the proximity of blood clashes that would be crowned by a decisive victory for the Muslims, and final expulsion of polytheists out of the Sacred City, Makkah. They referred to rules pertinent to the treatment of captives and slaughtering the pagan soldiers till the war ended and laid down its burdens. All of these could act as clues to a final triumph that would envelop the strife of the Muslims towards their noble objectives.
Another event of great significance featured the same month Shaban 2 A.H., i.e. February 624 A.D., which was a Divine injunction ordering that Al-Qiblah be changed from Jerusalem to the Sacred Mosque in Makkah. That was of a great advantage to the Muslims at two levels. First, it brought about a kind of social sifting, so to speak, in terms of the hypocrites of the Jews and others weak at heart, and revealed their true nature and inclinations; the ranks of the Muslims were thereby purged from those discord-prone elements. Second, facing a new Qiblah, the Sacred Mosque in Makkah, refers gently to a new role awaiting the Muslims to take up, and would start only after the repatriation of the Muslims to their Sacred City, Makkah for it is not logical for the Muslims to leave their Qiblah at the mercy of non-Muslims.
The Muslims, therefore, at the behest of Allah and on account of those Divine clues, augmented their activities and their tendency towards striving in the cause of Allah and encountering His enemies in a decisive battle were greatly intensified.
THE BATTLE OF BADR THE FIRST DECISIVE BATTLE IN THE HISTORY OF ISLAM
REASON OF THE BATTLE:
We have already spoken about Al-Ushairah Invasion when a caravan belonging to Quraish had escaped an imminent military encounter with the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his men. When their return from Syria approached, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) despatched Talhah bin Ubaidullah and Said bin Zaid northward to scout around for any movements of this sort. The two scouts stayed at Al-Hawra for some days until Abu Sufyan, the leader of the caravan, passed by them. The two men hurried back to Madinah and reported to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) their findings. Great wealth amounting to 50 thousand gold Dinars guarded by 40 men moving relatively close to Madinah constituted a tempting target for the Muslim military, and provided a potentially heavy economic, political and military strike that was bound to shake the entire structure of the Makkan polytheists.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) immediately exhorted the Muslims to rush out and waylay the caravan to make up for their property and wealth they were forced to give up in Makkah. He did not give orders binding to everyone, but rather gave them full liberty to go out or stay back, thinking that it would be just an errand on a small scale.
The Muslim army was made up of 300-317 men, 82-86 Emigrants, 61 from Aws and 170 from Khazraj. They were not well-equipped nor adequately prepared. They had only two horses belonging to Az-Zubair bin Al-Awwam and Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad Al-Kindi, 70 camels, one for two or three men to ride alternatively. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) himself, Ali and Murthid bin Abi Murthid Al-Ghanawi had only one camel. Disposition of the affairs of Madinah was entrusted to Ibn Umm Maktum but later to Abu Lubabah bin Abdul Mundhir. The general leadership was given to Musab bin Umair Al-Qurashi Al-Abdari, and their standard was white in colour. The little army was divided into two battalions, the Emigrants with a standard raised by Ali bin Abi Talib, and the Helpers whose standard was in the hand of Sad bin Muadh. Az-Zubair bin Al-Awwam was appointed to the leadership of the right flank, Al-Miqdad bin Amr to lead the left flank, and the rear of the army was at the command of Qais bin Abi Sasaah. The General Commander-in-Chief was the Prophet (Peace be upon him), of course. The Prophet (Peace be upon him), at the head of his army, marched out along the main road leading to Makkah. He then turned left towards Badr and when he reached As-Safr he despatched two men to scout about for the camels of Quraish.
Abu Sufyan, on the other hand, was on the utmost alert. He had already been aware that the route he was following was attended with dangers. He was also anxious to know about the movements of Muhammad (Peace be upon him). His scouting men submitted to him reports to the effect that the Muslims were lying in ambush for his caravan. To be on the safe side, he hired Damdam bin Amr Al- Ghifari to communicate a message asking for help from the Quraishites. The messenger rode fast and reached Makkah in frenzy. Felling himself from his camel, he stood dramatically before Al- Kabah, cut off the nose and the ears of the camel, turned its saddle upside down, tore off his own shirt from front and behind, and cried: "O Quraish! Your merchandise! It is with Abu Sufyan. The caravan is being intercepted by Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and his companions. I cannot say what would have happened to them. Help! Help!"?
The effect of this hue and cry was instantaneous and the news stunned Quraish and they immediately remembered their pride that was wounded when the Muslims had intercepted Al- Hadrami caravan. They therefore swiftly mustered almost all of their forces and none stayed behind except Abu Lahab, who delegated someone who owed him some money. They also mobilized some Arab tribes to contribute to the war against the Prophet (Peace be upon him). All the clans of Quraish gave their consent except Banu Adi. Soon an excited throng of 1300 soldiers including 100 horsemen and 600 mailed soldiers with a large number of camels, was clamouring to proceed to fight the Muslims. For food supplies, they used to slaughter an alternate number of camels of ten and nine every day. They were however afraid that Banu Bakr, on account of old long deep-seated animosity, would attack their rear. At that critical moment, Iblis (Satan) appeared to them in the guise of Suraqa bin Malik bin Jusham Al-Mudlaji – chief of Bani Kinana – saying to them: "I guarantee that no harm will happen from behind."?
They set out burning with indignation, motivated by a horrible desire for revenge and exterminating anyone that might jeopardize the routes of their caravans:
"boastfully and to be seen of men, and hinder (men) from the path of Allah."? [8:47]
Or as the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "O Allah these are the haughty and conceited; they have come defying Allah and defying His Messenger."?
They moved swiftly northward to Badr. On the way they received another message from Abu Sufyan asking them to go back home because the caravan had escaped the Muslims. Incidentally, Abu Sufyan, on learning the intention of the Muslims, led his caravan off the main route, and inclined it towards the Red Sea. By this manoeuvre, he was able to slip past the Madinese ambush and was out of their reach.
On receiving Abu Sufyan's message, the Makkan army showed a desire to return home. The tyrant Abu Jahl, however haughtily and arrogantly insisted that they proceed to Badr, stay three nights there for making festivities. Now they wanted to punish the Muslims and prevent them from intercepting their caravans, and impress on the Arabs that Quraish still had the upper hand and enjoyed supremacy in that area.
Abu Jahl's threats and insistence notwithstanding, Banu Zahrah, acting on the advice of Al-Akhnas bin Shuraiq, broke away and returned to Makkah. Thenceforth Al-Akhnas remained the well-rubbed palm tree for Bani Zahrah and was blindly obeyed in all relevant matters.
Banu Hashim were also inclined to break away, but Abu Jahlâ's threats made them desist from that idea.
The rest of the army, now 1000 soldiers, approached Badr and encamped themselves beyond a sand dune at Al-Udwat Al-Quswa.
The intelligence corps of the Madinese army reported to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) that a bloody encounter with the Makkans was inescapable, and that a daring step in this context had to be taken, or else the forces of evil would violate the inviolable and would consequently manage to undermine the noble cause of the Islam and tread upon its faithful adherents. The Muslims were afraid that the pagan Makkans would march on and start the war activities within the headquarters of Islam, Madinah. A move of such nature would certainly damage and produce an infamous impact on the dignity and stance of the Muslims.
On account of the new grave developments, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) held an advisory military emergency meeting to review the ongoing situation and exchange viewpoints with the army leaders. Admittedly, some Muslims feared the horrible encounter and their courage began to waver; in this regard, Allah says:
"As your Lord caused you (O Muhammad [Peace be upon him) ] to go out from your home with the Truth, and verily, a party among the believers disliked it, disputing with you concerning the Truth after it was made manifest, as if they were being driven to death while they were looking (at it)."? [8:5, 6]
The Prophet (Peace b e upon him) apprised his men of the gravity of the situation and asked for their advice. Abu Bakr was the first who spoke on the occasion and assured the Prophet (Peace be upon him) of the unreserved obedience to his command. Umar was the next to stand up and supported the views expressed by his noble friend. Then Al-Miqdad bin Amr got up and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Proceed where Allah directs you to, for we are with you. We will not say as the Children of Israel said to Moses (Peace be upon him):
"Go you and your Lord and fight and we will stay here;"
Rather we shall say: "Go you and yourLord and fight and we will fight along with you. By Allah! If you were to take us to Bark Al-Ghimad, we will still fight resolutely with you against its defenders until you gained it."?
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) thanked him and blessed him.
The three leaders who spoke were from the Emigrants, who only constituted a minor section of the army. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) wanted, and for the more reason, to hear the Helpers view because they were the majority of the soldiers and were expected to shoulder the brunt of the war activities. Moreover, the clauses of Al-Aqabah Pledge did not commit them to fighting beyond their territories.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) then said: "Advise me my men! by which he meant the Helpers, in particular. Upon this Sad bin Muadh stood up and said: "By Allah, I feel you want us (the Helpers) to speak."? The Prophet (Peace be upon him) directly said:
"Oh, yes!'? Sad said: "O Prophet of Allah! We believe in you and we bear witness to what you have vouchsafed to us and we declare in unequivocal terms that what you have brought is the Truth. We give you our firm pledge of obedience and sacrifice. We will obey you most willingly in whatever you command us, and by Allah, Who has sent you with the Truth, if you were to ask us to plunge into the sea, we will do that most readily and not a man of us will stay behind. We do not grudge the idea of encounter with the enemy. We are experienced in war and we are trustworthy in combat. We hope that Allah will show you through our hands those deeds of valour which will please your eyes. Kindly lead us to the battlefield in the Name of Allah."?
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) was impressed with the fidelity and the spirit of sacrifice which his companions showed at this critical juncture. Then he said to them: "Forward and be of cheer, for Allah has promised me one of the two (the lucrative course through capturing the booty or strife in the cause of Allah against the polytheists), and by Allah it is as if I now saw the enemy lying prostrate.'? In the immediate vicinity of Badr, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his cavemate Abu Bakr conducted a scouting operation during which they managed to locate the camp of Quraish. They came across an old bedouin nearby whom they manipulated and managed to extract from him the exact location of the army of the polytheists. In the evening of the same day, he despatched three Emigrant leaders, Ali bin Abi Talib, Az-Zubair bin Al-Awwam and Sad bin Abi Waqqas to scout about for news about the enemy. They saw two men drawing water for the Makkan army. On interrogation, they admitted that they were water carriers working for Quraish. But that answer did not please some Muslims and they beat the two boys severely in order to exact from them an answer, even if it is't true, alluding to the caravan laden with wealth. The two boys thus lied, and so they were released. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) w as angry with those men and censured them saying: "On telling the truth, you beat them, and on telling a lie, you released them!'? He then addressed the two boys and after a little conversation with them he learned a lot about the enemy: number of soldiers, their exact location and names of some of their notables. He then turned to the Muslims and said: "Hearken, Quraish has sent you their most precious lives."?
The same night it rained on both sides. For the polytheists it obstructed further progress, whereas it was a blessing for the Muslims. It cleaned them and removed from them the stain of Satan. Allah sent rain to strengthen their hearts and to plant their feet firmly therewith. They marched a little forward and encamped at the farther bank of the valley. Muhammad (Peace be upon him) stopped at the nearest spring of Badr. Al-Hubab bin Mundhir asked him, "Has Allah inspired you to choose this very spot or is it stratagem of war and the product of consultation?"? The Prophet (Peace be upon him) replied "It is stratagem of war and consultation."? Al-Hubab said: "This place is no good; let us go and encamp on the nearest water well and make a basin or reservoir full of water, then destroy all the other wells so that they will be deprived of the water."? The Prophet (Peace be upon him) approved of his plan and agreed to carry it out, which they actually did at midnight.
Sad bin Muadh suggested that a trellis be built for the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to function as headquarters for the Muslim army and a place providing reasonable protection for the leader. Sad began to justify his proposal and said that if they had been victorious, then everything would be satisfactory. In case of defeat, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) would not be harmed and he could go back to Madinah where there were more people who loved him and who would have come for help if they had known that he was in that difficult situation, so that he would resume his job, hold counsel with them and they would strive in the cause of Allah with him again and again.
A squad of guards was also chosen from amongst the Helpers under the leadership of the same man, Sad bin Muadh, in order to defend the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in his headquarters.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) spent the whole night preceding the day of the battle in prayer and supplication. The Muslim army, wearied with their long march, enjoyed sound and refreshing sleep, a mark of the Divine favour and of the state of their undisturbed minds.
"(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]
That was Friday night, Ramadan 17th., the year 2 A.H.
In the morning, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) called his men to offer the prayers and then urged them to fight in the way of Allah. As the sun rose over the desert, the Prophet(Peace be upon him) drew up his little army, and pointing with an arrow which he held in his hand, arranged the ranks. Quraish, on the other hand, positioned their forces in Al-Udwat Al-Quswa opposite the Muslim lines.
A few of them approached, in a provocative deed, to draw water from the wells of Badr, but were all shot dead except one, Hakeem bin Hizam, who later became a devoted Muslim. Umair bin Wahab
Al-Jumahi, in an attempt to reconnoiter the power of the Muslims, made a scouting errand and submitted a report saying that the Muslim army numbered as many as 300 men keen on fighting to the last man. On another reconnaissance mission he came to the conclusion that neither reinforcements were coming nor ambushes laid. He understood that they were too brave to surrender and too intent on carrying out their military duties to withdraw without slaying the largest number possible of the polytheists. This report as well as kindred relations binding the two belligerent parties together, slackened the desire to fight among some of the Quraishites. To counteract this reason-based opposition advocated by a rival of his, Utbah bin Rabia and others,
Abu Jahl started an anti-campaign seeking vengeance on Muhammad's followers for the Quraishites killed at Nakhlah. In this way, h e managed to thwart the opposite orientation, and manipulated the people to see his evil views only.
When the two parties approached closer and were visible to each other, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) began supplicating Allah "O Allah! The conceited and haughty Quraishites are already here defying You and belying Your Messenger. O Allah! I am waiting for Your victory which You have promised me. I beseech You Allah to defeat them (the enemies)."? He also 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 and never resort to sword unless the enemies came too close.
Abu Jahl also prayed for victory, saying: "Our Lord, whichever of the two parties was less kind to his relatives, and brought us what we do not know, then destroy him tomorrow." They were confident
That heir superior number, equipment and experience would be decisive. The Noble Quraan, with a play on the word, told them that the decision had come, and the victory but not in the sense they had hoped for:
"(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 first disbeliever to trigger the fire of the battle and be its first victim was Al-Aswad bin Abdul Asad Al-Makhzumi, a fierce bad-tempered idolater. He stepped out swearing he would drink from the water basin of the Muslims, otherwise, destroy it or die for it. He engaged with Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib, who struck his leg with his sword and dealt him another blow that finished him off inside the basin.
The battle had actually started. Protected by armour and shields, Utbah bin Rabia stepped forth between his brother Shaibah and his son Al-Waleed bin Utbah from the lines of Quraish and hurled maledictions at the Muslims. Three young men of the Helpers came out against them: Awf and Muwwadh the sons of Harith, and Abdullah bin Rawaha. But the Makkans yelled that they had nothing to do with them.
They wanted the heads of their cousins. Upon this the Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked Ubaidah bin Al-Harith, Hamzah and Ali to go.
The first disbeliever to trigger the fire of the battle and be its first victim was Al-Aswad bin Abdul Asad Al-Makhzumi, a fierce bad-tempered idolater. He stepped out swearing he would drink from the water basin of the Muslims, otherwise, destroy it or die for it. He engaged with Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib, who struck his leg with his sword and dealt him another blow that finished him off inside the basin. The battle had actually started. Protected by armour and shields, Utbah bin Rabia stepped forth between his brother Shaibah and his son Al-Waleed bin Utbah from the lines of Quraish and hurled maledictions at the Muslims. Three young men of the Helpers came out against them: Awf and Muwwadh the sons of Harith, and Abdullah bin Rawaha. But the Makkans yelled that they had nothing to do with them. They wanted the heads of their cousins. Upon this the Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked Ubaidah bin Al-Harith, Hamzah his uncle, and his cousin Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) to go forward for the combat. The three duels were rapid. Hamzah killed Shaibah, while Ali killed Al-Waleed. Ubaidah was seriously wounded but, before he fell, Hamzah fell upon Utbah and with a sweep of his sword, cut off his head. Ali and Hamzah carried Ubaidah back with his leg cut off. He died four or five days later of a disease in the bile duct. Ali was possessed of a deep conviction that Allah's Words were revealed:
"These two opponents (believers and disbelievers) dispute with each other about their Lord." [22:19]
These verses were revealed in connection with men of Faith who confess their Lord and seek to carry out His Will (i.e. Muhammad's followers at Badr Battle), and men who deny their Lord and defy Him (the people of Quraish).
The duel was followed by a few more duels but the Makkans suffered terrible defeats in all the combats and lost some of their most precious lives. They were too much exasperated and enraged and fell upon the Muslims to exterminate them once and for all. The Muslims, however, after supplicating their Lord, calling upon Him for assistance, were made to hold to their position and conduct a defensive war plan that was successful enough to inflict heavy losses on the attackers.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) used to pray to his Lord ceaselessly persistently and day and night to come to their succour. When the fierce engagement grew too hot he again began to supplicate his Lord saying:
"O Allah! Should this group (of Muslims) be defeated today, You will no longer be worshipped.'? He continued to call out to his Lord, stretching forth his hands and facing Al-Qiblah, until his cloak fell off his shoulders. Then Abu Bakr came, picked up the cloak, and put it back on his shoulders and said: "O Prophet of Allah, you have cried out enough to your Lord. He will surely fulfill what He has promised you."?
Immediate was the response from Allah, Who sent down angels from the heavens for the help and assistance of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his companions. The Noble Quraan observes:
"Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved."? [8:12]
Allah, the All-Mighty, also inspired another message to His Messenger, saying:
"I will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other (following one another) in succession."? [8:9]
The Prophet (Peace be upon him), in his trellis, dozed off a little and then raised his head joyfully crying:
"O Abu Bakr, glad tidings are there for you: Allah's victory has approached, by Allah, I can see Gabriel on his mare in the thick of a sandstorm."? He then jumped out crying:
"Their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs."? [54:45]
At the instance of Gabriel, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) took a handful of gravel, 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 enemies. With respect to this, Allah says:
"And you [i.e. Muhammad (Peace be upon him) ] threw not when you did throw but Allah threw."? [8:17]
Only then did he give clear orders to launch a counter-attack. He was commanding the army, inspiring confidence among his men and exhorting them to fight manfully for the sake of their Lord, reciting the Words of Allah:
"And be quick for forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth."? [3:133]
The spirit he infused into his men was clearly witnessed by the valour of Umair, a lad of sixteen, who flung away some dates he was eating crying out: "These (the dates) are holding me back from Paradise."? So saying he plunged into the thick of the battle and died fighting bravely. Unique deeds of valour, deep devotion and full obedience to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) were exhibited in the process of the battle. The army of the faithfuls was borne forward by the power of enthusiasm which the half-hearted warriors of Makkah miserably lacked. A large number of the polytheists were killed and the others began to waver. No wonder! The standard-bearers of Truth were given immediate help, and supernatural agencies (the angels), were sent to their assistance by their Lord to help them defeat the forces of evil.
The records of Hadith speak eloquently of the fact that the angels did appear on that day and fought on the side of the Muslims. Ibn Abbas said: "While on that day a Muslim was chasing a disbeliever and he heard over him the swashing of a whip and the voice of the rider saying: Go ahead Haizum. He glanced at the polytheist who had (now) fallen down on his back. The Helper came to the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) and related that event to him. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) replied: You have told the truth. This was the help from the third heaven."? One of the Helpers captured Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib, who said: "O Messenger of Allah, by Allah this man did not capture me. I was captured by a man who was bald and had the most handsome face, and who was riding a piebald horse, I cannot see him here among the people."? The Helper interrupted: "I captured him, O Messenger of Allah."? The Prophet (Peace be upon him) replied:
"Be quiet, Allah the All-Mighty strengthened you with the help of a noble angel. the archsatan, in the guise of Suraqah bin Malik bin Jusham Al-Mudlaji, on seeing angels working in favour of the Muslims, and Quraish rapidly losing ground on the battlefield, made a quick retreat despite the polytheists pleas to stay on. He ran off and plunged into the sea.
The ranks of Quraish began to give way and their numbers added nothing but confusion. The Muslims followed eagerly their retreating steps, slaying or taking captive all that fell within their reach. Retreat soon turned into ignominious rout; and they flied in haste, casting away their armour, abandoned beasts of burden, camp and equipage.
The great tyrant Abu Jahl, however, on seeing the adverse course of the battle, tried to stop the tidal wave of the Islamic victory by nerving the polytheists and encouraging them by all means available and adjuring them by Al-Lat and Uzza and all symbols of paganism to stand firm in place and retaliate against the Muslims, but to no avail. Their morale had already been drastically reduced to zero, and their lines broken down. He then began to realize the reality of his arrogance and haughtiness. None remained around him except a gang of doomed polytheists whose resistance was also quelled by an Islamic irresistible storm of true devotion-based valour and Islam-orientated pursuit of martyrdom. Jahl was deserted and left by himself on his horse waiting for death at the hand of two courageous lads of the Helpers. Abdur-Rahman bin Awf related the following interesting story in this regard: I was in the thick of the battle when two youths, still seemingly inexperienced in the art of fighting, one on the right and the second on the left. One of them spoke in a secret voice asking me to show him Abu Jahl. I asked about his intention, to which he replied, that he had a strong desire to engage with him in a combat until either of them was killed. It was something incredible to me. I turned left and the other said something to the same effect and showed a similar desire. I acceded to their earnest pleas and pointed directly at their target. They both rushed swiftly towards the spot, and without a moment's hesitation struck him simultaneously with their swords and finished him off. They went back to the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), each claiming that he had killed Abu Jahl to the exclusion of the other. The Prophet (Peace be upon him)asked if they had wiped the blood off their swords and they answered that they had not. He then examined both swords and assured them that they both had killed him. When the battle concluded, Abu Jahl's spoils were given to Muadh bin Amr bin Al-Jumuh, because the other Muawwadh bin Al-Afraa was later killed in the course of the same battle. At the termination of the battle, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) wanted to look for this archenemy of Islam, Abu Jahl. Abdullah bin Masud found him on the verge of death breathing his last. He stepped on his neck addressing him: "Have you seen how Allah has disgraced you?'? The enemy of Islam still defiantly answered: "I am not disgraced. I am no more than a man killed by his own people on the battlefield.'? And then inquired "Who has won the battle?'? Ibn Masud replied "Allah and His Messenger.'? Abu Jahl then said with a heart full of grudge "You have followed difficult ways, you shepherd!'? Ibn Masud used to be a shepherd working for the Makkan aristocrats. Ibn Masud then cut off his head and took it to the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) who, on seeing it, began to entertain Allah's praise:
"Allah is Great, praise is to Allah, Who has fulfilled His Promise, assisted His servant and defeated the confederates alone.'?
He then set out to have a look at the corpse. There he said: "This is the Pharaoh of this nation.'?
SOME SIGNIFICANT INSTANCES OF DEVOTION:
1. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) advised his companions to preserve the lives of Banu Hashim who had gone out to Badr with the polytheists unwillingly because they had feared the censure of their people. Among them, he named Al-Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib and Abu
Bukhtari bin Hisham. He ordered the Muslims to capture, but not to kill them. Abu Hudhaifah bin Utbah showed great surprise and commented saying: "We kill our fathers, children, brothers and members of our clan, and then come to spare Al-Abbas? By Allah! If I see him I will surely strike him with my sword.'? On hearing these words, the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), addressing Umar bin Al-Khattab, said "Is it fair that the face of the Messenger's uncle be struck with sword?'? Umar got indignant and threatened to kill Abu
Hudhaifah; the latter later said that extreme fear had taken firm grip of him and felt that nothing except martyrdom could expiate for his mistake. He was actually killed later on during Al-Yamamah events.
2. Abu Al-Bukhtari bin Hisham had already done his best to restrain his people, the Makkans, from committing any act of folly against the Prophet (Peace be upon him) while the latter was still in Makkah. He also neither hurt nor was reported to have uttered anything repugnant with regard to the Prophet (Peace be upon him). He had as well been among the people who tried to invalidate the boycott alliance taken against Banu Hashim and Banu
Abdul Muttalib. Here, however, in the battle of Badr he insisted on fighting unless his compatriot was spared. Al-Mujdhir bin Ziyad Al-Balwi, with whom he was engaged in combat, replied that the other was not included in the Prophet 's recommendation. The combat went on to end in Al-Bukhtari's death.
3. Abdur-Rahman bin Awf and Omaiyah bin Khalaf had been close friends during the pre- Islamic era. When the battle of Badr ended, Abdur-Rahman saw Omaiyah and his son among the captives. He threw away the armour he had as spoils, and walked with them both. Bilal, the Prophet's caller for prayer, saw Omaiyah and soon all the torture he had been put to at the hand of this man dawned upon him, and swore he would have revenge on Omaiyah. Abdur-Rahman tried to ease the tension and address embarrassing situation amicably but with no success. The Muslims gathered around and struck Omaiyah's son with swords. At this point, Abdur-Rahman called upon his old friend to run for his life but he was put to swords from different people and lay down dead. Abdur-Rahman, completely helpless and resigned said: May Allah have mercy on Bilal, for he deprived me of the spoils, and I have been stricken by the death of my two captives.
4. On the moral level, the battle of Badr was an inescapable conflict between the forces of good and those of evil. In this context, Umar bin Al-Khattab did not spare the life of any polytheist even his uncle on the maternal side Al-As bin Hisham bin Al-Mugheerah.
5. Abu Bakr shouted at his son Abdur-Rahman, still a polytheist and fighting with them, "Where is my wealth, you wicked boy?'? The son answered that it was gone with the wind.
6. When the battle ended, the Muslims began to hold some polytheists in captivity. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) looked into the face of Sad bin Muadh, the Head of the Prophet's guards, and understood that he was hateful to taking the enemy elements as prisoners. Sad agreed to what the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said and added that it was the first victory for the Muslims over the forces of polytheism, and he had more liking for slaying them than sparing their lives.
7. On the day of Badr, the sword of Ukashah bin Mihsan Al-Asdi broke down so the Prophet (Peace be upon him) gave him a log of wood which he shook and it immediately turned into a long strong white sword. Ukashah went on using that same sword in most of the Islamic conquests until he died in the process of the apostasy wars.
8. When the war activities had been concluded, Musab bin Umair Al-Abdari saw his brother, still a polytheist, being handcuffed by a Ansari. Musab recommended that the Helper tighten the knot for the prisoner's mother was wealthy enough to ransom her son. Abu Aziz,
Musab's brother, tried to appeal to his brother through the family ties, but the latter firmly replied that the Helper was more eligible for brotherhood than him.
9. When the Prophet (Peace be upon him) ordered that the corpses of the polytheists be dropped into an empty well, Abu Hudhaifah bin Utbah looked sadly at his dead father, who fought on the side of the polytheists. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) noticed that and asked him about it. Hudhaifah said that he had never held the least doubt that his father met his fate deservedly, but added that he wished he had been guided to the path of Islam, and that is why he felt sad. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) whispered in his ears some comforting words. The outcome of the battle was as aforementioned an ignominious rout for the polytheists and a manifest victory for the Muslims. Fourteen Muslims were killed, of whom six were from the Emigrants and eight from the Helpers. The polytheists sustained heavy casualties, seventy were killed and a like number taken prisoners. Many of the principal men of Makkah, and some of Muhammad 's bitterest opponents, were among the slain. Chief of these was Abu Jahl.
On the third day, the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) went out to look at the slain polytheists, and said:
"What an evil tribe you were as regards your Prophet, you belied me but the others have believed; you let me down while the others have supported me; you expelled m, whereas the others have sheltered me.'? He stood over the bodies of twenty-four leaders of Quraish who had been thrown into one of the wells, and started to call them by name and by the names of their fathers, saying: "Would it not have been much better for you if you had obeyed Allah and His Messenger? Behold, we have found that our Lord's promise do come true; did you (also) find that the promises of your Lord came true?'? Thereupon, Umar bin Al-Khattab said: "O Messenger of Allah! Why you speak to bodies that have no souls in them?'? The Prophet (Peace be upon him) answered: "By Him in Whose hand is Muhammad 's soul! You do not hear better what I am saying than they do.
REACTION IN MAKKAH:
The polytheists having received a large dose of disciplining and heavy defeat, fled away in great disorder in the vales and hillocks heading for Makkah panicked and too ashamed to see their people. Ibn Ishaq related that the first herald of bad tidings was Al-Haisaman bin Abdullah Al-Khuzai. He narrated to them how their notables were killed. People there did not believe him at first and thought that he had gone mad, but soon the news was confirmed and a state of incredible bewilderment overwhelmed the whole Makkan scene. Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith gave Abu Lahab a full account of the massacre and the disgraceful rout they sustained, with emphasis on the role that the angels played in bringing about their tragic end. Abu Lahab could not contain himself and gave vent to his feelings of resentment in beating, abusing and slapping Abu Rafi, a Muslim, but reticent on his conversion, for reiterating the role of the angels. Umm Al-Fadl, another Muslim woman, greatly exasperated by Abu Lahab's thoughtless behaviour, struck him with a log and cracked his head. Seven days later, he died of an ominous ulcer and was left for three days unburied. His sons, however, for fear of shameful rumours, drove him to a pit and keeping their distance, hurled stones and dust at him.
The defeat was a matter of great shame and grief for the Makkans. In almost every house there were silent tears for the dead and the captives. They were burning with humiliation and were thirsting for revenge. Wailing, lamenting and crying however were decreed strictly forbidden lest the Muslims should rejoice at their affliction.
MADINAH RECEIVES THE NEWS OF VICTORY:
Two heralds, Abdullah bin Rawahah and Zaid bin Harithah were despatched to Madinah, to convey the glad tidings of victory to the Muslims there. The multi-ethnic and ideological structure of Madinah featured different respective reactions. Rumour-mongers amongst the Jews and hypocrites spread news to the effect that the Prophet
(Peace be upon him) had been killed, and tried to impress their false assumption on the fact that Zaid bin Harithah was riding Al-Qasw, the Prophet's she-camel. Having reached, the two messengers imparted to the Muslims the happy news of victory, and furnished accurate information about the course of events in order to establish the sense of reassurance deep in the hearts of the anxious, but now, joyous Muslims. They immediately started acclaiming Allah's Name and entertaining His praise at the top of their voices. Their chiefs went out of the city to wait and receive the Prophet (Peace be upon him) on the road leading to Badr. Usamah bin Zaid related that they received the news of the manifest victory shortly after Ruqaiyah, the Prophet 's daughter, and the wife of Uthman bin Affan had been committed to earth. She had been terminally ill and the Prophet (Peace be upon him) had asked Uthman to stay in Madinah and look after her.
Before leaving the scene of the battle, dispute concerning the spoils of war arose among the Muslim warriors, as the rule relating to their distribution had not yet been legislated. When the difference grew wider, the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) suspended any solution whereof until the Revelation was sent down.
Ubadah bin As-Samit said: "We went out with the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) and I witnessed Badr with him. The battle started and Allah, the Exalted, defeated the enemy. Some of the Muslims sought and pursued the enemy, some were intent on collecting the spoils from the enemy camp, and others were guarding the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) and were on the alert for any emergency or surprise attack. When night came and the Muslims gathered together, those who had collected the booty said: "We collected it, so no one else has any right to it.'? Those who had pursued the enemy said: "You do not have more right to it than we do; we held the enemy at bay and then defeated them.'? As for the men who had been guarding the Prophet (Peace be upon him), they also made similar claims to the spoils. At that very time, a Quraanic verse was revealed saying:
"They ask you [O Muhammad (Peace be upon him) ] about the spoils of war. Say: The spoils are for Allah and the Messenger.' So fear Allah and adjust all matters of difference among you, and obey Allah and His Messenger [Muhammad (Peace be upon him) ], if you are believers.'? [8:1]
On their way back to Madinah, at a large sand hill, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) divided the spoils equally among the fighters after he had taken Al-Khums (one-fifth). When they reached As- Safra', he ordered that two of the prisoners should be killed. They were An-Nadr bin Al-Harith and Uqbah bin Abi Muait, because they had persecuted the Muslims in Makkah, and harboured deep hatred towards Allah and His Messenger (Peace be upon him). In a nutshell, they were criminals of war in modern terminology, and their execution was an awesome lesson to oppressors. Uqbah forgot his pride and cried out, "Who will look after my children O Messenger of Allah?'? The Prophet
(Peace be upon him) answered, "The fire (of Hell). '? Did Uqbah not remember the day when he had thrown the entrails of a sheep onto the head of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) while he was prostrating himself in prayer, and Fatimah had come and washed it off him? He had also strangled the Prophet (Peace be upon him) with his cloak if it had not been for Abu Bakr to intervene and release the Prophet (Peace be upon him). The heads of both criminals were struck off by Ali bin Abi Talib. At Ar-Rawhâ', a suburb of Madinah, the Muslim army was received by the joyous Madinese who had come to congratulate the Prophet (Peace be upon him) on the manifest victory that Allah had granted him. Usaid bin Hudair, acting as a mouthpiece of the other true believers, after entertaining Allah's praise, he excused himself for not having joined them on grounds that the Prophet 's intention was presumably, an errand aiming to intercept a caravan of camels only, he added that if it had occurred to him that it would be real war, he would have never tarried. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) assured Usaid that he had believed him. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) now entered Madinah as a man to be counted for in a new dimension '” the military field. In consequence, a large number of the people of Madinah embraced Islam, which added a lot to the strength, power and moral standing of the true religion. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) exhorted the Muslims to treat the prisoners so well to such an extent that the captors used to give the captives their bread (the more valued part of the meal) and keep the dates for themselves.
Prisoners of war constituted a problem awaiting resolution because it was a new phenomenon in the history of Islam. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) consulted Abu Bakr and Umar bin Al-Khattab as to what he should do with the prisoners. Abu Bakr suggested that he should ransom them, explaining this by saying: "They are after all our relatives, and this money would give us strength against the disbelievers, moreover, Allah could guide them to Islam.'? Umar advised killing them, saying, "They are the leaders of Kufr (disbelief).'? The Prophet (Peace be upon him) preferred Abu Bakr's suggestion to that of Umar's. The following day, Umar called on the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr to see them weeping. He shextreme astonishment and inquired about the situation so that he might weep if it was worth weeping for, or else he would feign weeping. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said that a Quraanic verse had been revealed rebuking them for taking ransom from the captives rather than slaying them:
"It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took.'? [8:67,68]
The previous Divine ordainment went as follows, "Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom) or ransom.'? [47:4]
Which included an area providing permission to take ransom, that is why no penalty was imposed. They were rebuked only for taking prisoners before subduing all the land of disbelief. Apart from this, the polytheists taken to Madinah were not only prisoners of war but rather archcriminals of war whom modern war penal law brings to justice to receive their due sentence of death or prison for life.
The ransom for the prisoners ranged between 4000 and 1000 Dirhams in accordance with the captive's financial situation. Another form of ransom assumed an educational dimension; most of the Makkans, unlike the Madinese, were literate and so each prisoner who could not afford the ransom was entrusted with ten children to teach them the art of writing and reading. Once the child had been proficient enough, the instructor would be set free. Another clan of prisoners were released unransomed on grounds of being hard up. Zainab, the daughter of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), paid the ransom of her husband Abul-As with a necklace. The Muslims released her prisoner and returned the necklace in deference to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) but on condition that Abul-As allow Zainab to migrate to Madinah, which he actually did.
In captivity, there was also an eloquent orator called Suhail bin Amr. Umar suggested that they pull out his front teeth to disable him from speaking, but the Prophet (Peace be upon him) turned down his suggestion for fear Quraish should retaliate in the same manner on one hand, and on the other for fear of Allah's wrath on the Day of Resurrection. Sad bin An-Numan, a lesser pilgrim detained in Makkah, was released in return for setting Abu Sufyan's son, a captive, free.
THE BATTLE OF BADR IN ITS QUR'ANIC CONTEXT:
The Chapter of Al-Anfal (spoils of war) was revealed on the occasion of the battle of Badr, Ramadan 17th 2 A.H. It constituted a unique Divine commentary on this battle. Allah, the All-High, in the context of this Chapter draws on major issues relating to the whole process of Islamization. Allah, here draws the attention of the Muslims to the still lingering moral shortcomings in their character. He wants them to build an integrated, purified society. He speaks about the invisible assistance he sent down to His obedient servants to enable them to accomplish their noble objectives. He wants the Muslims to rid themselves of any trait of haughtiness or arrogance that might sneak in. He wants them to turn to Him for help, obey Him and His Messenger (Peace be upon him).
After that He delineated the noble objectives for which the Messenger (Peace be upon him) launched that bloody battle, and directed them to the merits and qualities that brought about the great victory.The polytheists, hypocrites, the Jews and prisoners of war were also mentioned, being admonished to surrender to the Truth and adhere to it only. The question of the spoils of war was resolved and the principles and basics relevant to this issue were clearly defined.
The laws and rules pertinent to war and peace were legalized and codified, especially at this advanced stage of the Islamic action. Allah wanted the Muslims to follow war ethics dissimilar to those of pre-Islamic practices. The Muslims are deemed to outdo the others in ethics, values and fine ideals. He wants to impress on the world that Islam is not merely a theoretical code of life, it is rather mind cultivation-orientated practical principles. In this context, He established inter a nd intrastate relations. The fast of Ramadan was established as an obligatory observance in the year 2 A.H., appended by the duty imposed upon Muslims of paying Zakat (alms tax, poor-due) in order to alleviate the burden of the needy Emigrants.
A wonderful and striking coincidence was the establishment of Shawwal Eid (the Festival of the Fast-Breaking) directly after the manifest victory of Badr. It was actually the finest spectacle ever witnessed of Muslims leaving their houses praying, acclaiming Allah's Name and entertaining His praise at the top of their voices in recognition of His favour and grace, and last but not least, the support He rendered them and through which the forces of the Truth overpowered those of evil.
"And remember when you were few and were reckoned weak in the land, and were afraid that men might kidnap you, but He provided a safe place for you, strengthened you with His help, and provided you with good things so that you might be grateful.'? [8:26]
THE MILITARY ACTIVITIES BETWEEN BADR AND UHUD
The battle of Badr was the first armed encounter between the Muslims and Quraish. It was in fact a decisive battle that gained the Muslims a historic victory acknowledged by all the Arabs, and dealt a heavy blow to the religious and economic interests of the polytheists. There were also the Jews who also used to regard each . Islamic victory as a heavy blow to their religioeconomic entity. Both parties were burning with rage and fury since the Muslims had achieved that great victory:
"Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers (Muslims) the Jews and Al-Mushrikûn (polytheists, pagans, idolators and disbelievers, etc.).'? [5:82] Both resentful parties had their much more indignant suite in the form of hypocrites who faked
Islam just to save their faces; at the head of whom came Abdullah bin Ubai and his retinue. The desert bedouins living in tents pitched in the vicinity of Madinah, who depended on plundering and looting as a means of living, were totally indifferent to this axial question of belief and disbelief. Their worry derived from fear of losing their perverted avenues of subsistence in case a powerful nascent Muslim state should rise up and put an end to such ill-practices, hence the grudge they nursed against Islam and the Muslims, in general, and the person of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in particular.
The whole cause of Faith was thus at stake with four furious parties laying ambushes against the new religion, each in its style: Pretension to Islam embedded with conspiracy plots and provocative deeds within Madinah, explicitly uncovered animosity pregnant with indignation and fire of rage on the part of the Jews, and there in Makkah open and persistent calls for vengeance coupled with open intentions to mobilize all potential resources available to silence the voice of Islam once and for all. This was later translated into military action, Uhud Invasion, which left a very bad impression on the good name and esteem that the Muslims were painstakingly working to merit and preserve.
The Muslims were always obliged to be on the lookout for any hostile movements, and it was imperative on them to launch pre-emptive strikes in all directions in order to enjoy a reasonable degree of security in this great instability-provoking ocean of unrest. The following is a list of military activities conducted in the post-Badr era:
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