BATTLE OF BADR

2 A.H. SHABAN

SHORT BACKGROUND:

The Jewish tribes settled in an around Medinah betrayed the terms of the Charter.

No kindness or generosity, however, on the part of the Prophet would satisfy the Jews. Enraged that they could not use him as their instrument for the conversion of Arabia to Judaism, the tribes of BANI-UN-NAZIR, BANI KHURAIZHA, BANI KAINUKA soon broke off and ranged themselves with the enemies of the new faith.

They deliberately mispronounced the Koranic words rendering them meaningless and absurd. There were many Jewish poets and poetesses, who made fun of the faithful, particularly Muslim women. They secretly associated with the Koreish idolaters and Abdullah bin Ubay the leader of Munafikins, who saw his dreams of becoming king of Medinah gathering dust.

And now came the moment of severest trial to Islam. Barely had the prophet time to put the city in a state of defence, before the blow descended upon him.

Such were the uncertain conditions when in the month of Shaban, a large trade caravan loaded with expensive goods passed through an area accessible to the muslims. Escorted by only forty armed guards, the caravan felt itself highly vulnerable to an ambush. Abu Sufyan the leader of the caravan, dispatched a rider to Makkah to ask for help. On reaching Makkah, he narrated the situation is such a way as if the caravan has been ambushed. The merchandise belonged to a large number of people and very soon the whole city was thrown into a spasm.

Chieftains of different tribes, armed from head to foot, started pouring into the streets of Makkah and in a short while an army of one thousand was charging towards Medinah. The sole mission was to destroy the muslims once and for all.

Here in Medinah, the Muslims were surrounded by hostile Jewish tribes and the Trojan horse presence of hypocrites in the heart of the city.

The people who could fight hardly numbered 313. Only three of them had horses and there were not more than seventy camels. The fighting hardware was grossly inadequate; only six had armour on their bodies.

They were pitted against a foe of a thousand, well equipped men under the command of Utabah bin Rabiyah. Their supply route was excellent

The meagre means notwithstanding, the Prophet, banking on divine help

AT TAUBAH ayat 14 - (fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands and disgrace them and give you victory over them and heal the breasts of believing people).

left Medinah, heading south west, and on sixteenth of Ramadan reached a village by the name of BADR about eighty miles away from Medinah. The Quraish army was on the other fringe of the valley.

By now the Quraish had learned about the safety of their trade caravan, and since the cause of war had ceased to exist, bloodshed should have been avoided. But Abu Jahl (the father of ignorance) the bitterest enemy of Islam show a rare opportunity of crushing the Islamic movement once and for all.

THE BATTELFIELD

The Quraish were strategically well poised. The ground under their feet was hard. But the Muslims were on softer terrain. It was sandy and their feet sank into it. The night before the decisive morning, the mujahedeen slept but the Prophet was in continual prayers.

Fasting had become obligatory in the same year, and the muslims were being tested in the first month of Ramadan. They were put to fight an enemy three times their size.

Two things happened that night which manifested Allah’s Words. First, they slept well and woke up fresh in the morning. Second, it rained, which imparted strength to the sandy terrain on which they had camped. But the same rain had adverse effect on the enemy side. The ground turned muddy, and they found their feet sinking into it.

BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE

Strange was the scene, when the two armies faced each other. 313 muslims, barely armed and up against all authority but that of ALLAH, were poised against more than one thousand infidels, armed to teeth with singular passion burning in their bosom to fight and destroy them. When Mohammad (S.A.) saw the infidel army arrogantly advancing, he raised his hands in supplication to Allah and with tears dripping on his beard, he implored : O Allah! These Quraish banking upon their number and their arms have come to prove your Apostle a liar. O Allah send now your help that You promised me. O Allah ! if today this small party is vanquished, there will be none to offer you pure worship.

Three Quraish advanced into the open space, and according to Arab custom, challenged three champions from the Muslim ranks for single combat. Hamza (S.A.) Ali (S.A.) and Obaidah accepted the challenge and came out victorious.

The general engagement commenced. It was a stormy winter day. A piercing blast swept across the valley. True to the Koranic word the angels were fighting the idolaters. The blast of wind and sand, appeared as veritable succour sent from heaven. The angels riding of the wings of wind, drove the faithless idolaters and oppressors into

confusion. The Meccans were driven back with great loss. Abu Jahl fell victim to his own pride. About 70 people from the Quraish side were killed and an equal number captured. The muslim toll was six emigres and eight ansars. Amongst the prisoners tow were executed. One was Nazr son of Harith who has been referred in Koran Sura Anfal verse 32.

‘And (remember) when they said O Allah! If this Koran is indeed the truth from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment.’ They mocked Allah and met with terrible faith in the world, and forever will burn in Hell fire.

The rest of the prisoners, contrary to all Arab practises and tradition were treated with greatest humanity. The humanity shown made one prisoner say this " Blessings be on the men of Medinah! They made us ride, while they themselves walked, they gave us wheaten bread to eat when there was little of it, contending themselves with dates".

The prisoners who could afford it were released by making payment in compensation for the war waged against the Muslim. Those who were poor but literate were released on the condition that each would teach reading and writing skills to a batch of ten children. This goes to show the priority given to education by the Prophet.

THE EFFECTS OF BADR

The remarkable circumstances which led to the victory of Badr and the results which followed from it, made a deep impression on the minds of the muslims. They firmly believed that the angels of heaven had battled on their side against the idolaters. This was the first major blow that came from Allah as part of His promised punishment for the non-believers for their refusal to accept Islam.

Compiled by : Asgar Fakhruddin - Calcutta.