The battle of Badr, 17 Ramadhaan - II

Now the disbelievers launched a full-scale attack and the Muslim
troops also moved forward to face their enemies. Both sides showed
great valor. As the day ofBadr drew towards its close, the defeated
disbelievers fled the battlefield leaving behind seventymen slain and
seventy as prisoners. When the fighting started, the Prophet,
sallalahu alayhi wa sallam, came out to have a full view of the
situation. He pointed out to the Muslims that Banu Haashim did not
join the enemy force out of their own will and desire, it was due only
tocompulsion and so they deservedspecial concessions. So Al-'Abbaasibn
'Abdul-Muttalib must not be killed. Abu Huthayfah said,"How can it be
that I kill my brother and leave Al-'Abbaas ibn Abdul Muttalib, I will
not let him go if Al-'Abbaas fights with me." Later on Hudhaifah was
deeply repentant for his words and expressed great regret.
When the battle was in full swing, the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa
sallam, picked a handful of dust and threw it towards the disbelievers
after reciting something over it. It resulted in the enemy fighters
fleeing for their lives. Mu'aath ibn'Amr a young man from Al-Ansaar,
came across Abu Jahl who was armor clad. Mu'aath ibn'Amr struck at his
uncovered leg with his sword so forcefully that it was cut off from
the shin. When 'Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahl foundhis father fatally injured,
he fell upon Mu'aath ibn 'Amr and struck him with his sword so
violently that his left arm was nearly separated from the shoulder but
he kept fighting thewhole day with the hanging arm.When it gave him
more trouble, he put the hanging part under his foot and pulled apart
by a violent force. At the same moment Mu'awwidh ibn Afra', another
young man from the Ansaar drew near Abu Jahl and put him to the sword.
When the disbelievers fled the battlefield and the believers
werevictorious in this historic event, Allaah's Messenger, sallalahu
alayhi wa sallam, asked for a search of the dead body of Abu Jahl.
'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood searched through the dead bodies and found Abu
Jahl lying half-dead. 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'oodgot on his chest and said,
'Behold, O enemy of Allaah, what a disgrace you have been put to by
Allaah." Abu Jahl said, "What's the outcome of battle?" 'Abdullaah ibn
Mas'ood replied, "It ended in victory for the believers and defeat for
the disbelievers." 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood chopped his head off and
laid it down at the feet of theProphet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam.
Having noticed it, Allaah's Messenger thanked Allaah. This battle
martyred fourteen believers, six from the Muhaajireen and eight from
the Ansaar. The battle being over, Allaah's Messenger, sallalahu
alayhi wa sallam, buried the believers and ordered that the dead among
the infidels should be thrown into a pit or well and let them be
covered with dust.
The disbelievers were so frightened when they fled the field that they
even lost track of their Commander, Abu Jahl and left him behind
fatally injured and dying. The soul-shattering news of the
disbelievers' ignominious defeat in the battlefield of Badr left the
Makkans struck with grief.
The Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam, entrusted the booty to
'Abdullaah ibn Ka'b who belonged to Banu An-Najjaar, andsent
'Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah and Zayd ibn Haarithah with the glad tidings
of victory to the upper and lower settlements of Al-Madeenah. Usamah
ibn Zayd who was left in Al-Madeenah as the deputy of the Prophet,
sallalahu alayhi wa sallam, remarked, "The glad tidings of the
victory were received by us ata time when we were burying Ruqayyah ,
the daughter of the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam, and the wife
of 'Uthman ibn Affaan. The news of victory had arrived in Al-Madeenah
on 18 Ramadhaan."
Being free from his engagement in the battlefield of Badr, the
Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam, proceeded to Al-Madeenah. On
reaching Safra', he with the Command of Allaah the Almighty,
distributed the booty equally among the Muslims, and ordered Nadr ibn
Al-Harith ibn Kildah (from Banu Abdud-Daar) to be beheaded. Similarly,
arriving at Irq-uz-Zabyah, he, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam, issued the
same order for 'Uqbah ibn Abu Mu'ayt . These two among the prisoners
of the battle of Badr were hard-core and ruthless enemies of the
Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam, and Islam and equal to Abu Jahl
in enmity. Thereafter theProphet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam, along
with his Companions, speedily left for Al-Madeenah leaving the
prisoners and their guards behind who joined them in Al-Madeenah the
next day.
General Treatment of the Prisoners :
When the captives reached Al-Madeenah, the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi
wa sallam, said distributing them among the Companions, "Treat them
generously." Among them was Abu 'Azeez ibn 'Umayr who was the
standard-bearer of the disbelievers' army and also the full brother of
Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr . Abu 'Azeez relates, "When I was being brought to
Al-Madeenah, I was in the custody of a group of the Ansaar''. Whenever
they sat down to dine, they gave bread to me and they began to eat
dates. Being ashamed, I tried to return it but whenever I gave the
bread to any of them, he gave it back tome." On reaching Al-Madeenah,
Abu 'Azeez was lodged with Abu Yusr Al-Ansaari. Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr said
to Abu Yusr, "Treat him roughly, for his mother is a wealthy woman."
Abu 'Azeez said, "Brother, is it for you to givethis counsel?" "You
are not my brother," replied 'Umayr, "insteadhe is my brother who is
tying up your hands." The mother of Abu 'Azeez sent four thousand
dirhams for his release.
The defeat suffered by the polytheists plunged Makkah into gloom.
There was not a house in the city, which did not go into mourning. The
Makkans stood aghast and agitated. However, the suppressed Muslims of
Makkah breathed a sigh of relief and felt elated. Abu Lahab, who could
not join the army at Badr, was so terribly shocked that he died after
a week.
The Issue of the Captives :
Concerning the captives, Allaah's Messenger, sallalahu alayhi wa
sallam, sought the advice of the Companions. 'Umar ibn Khattaab
submitted, "In my opinion everyone of us should kill his ownrelatives
to establish beyond doubt that, in Islam, love of faith is far greater
than love for relations." Abu Bakr said, "Letall the captives be
released in return for reasonable ransoms sothat the amount be
invested in developing weaponry. Besides, some of them may embrace
Islam in future." The Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam, liked the
proposal of Abu Bakr. Some of the prisoners were released without
ransom. The Makkans sent from one thousand to four thousand dirhams to
pay for the release of their relatives. The captives who knew reading
and writing but were unable to pay ransom were allowed freedom after
teaching ten children to read and write.
Zaynab the daughter of the Prophet, sent her necklace as a ransom for
the release of Abul-'Aas, her husband, who was also among the
captives. Allaah's Messenger, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam, noticed the
necklace and said to his Companions, "If you think it fit, send the
necklace back to Zaynab, for it was a gift from her mother Khadeejah."
TheCompanions were pleased to accept it and released Abul-'As at once.
Abul-'Aas then hurried backto Makkah and sent Zainab to Al-Madeenah at
once. He acceptedIslam three or four years after this event.
The battle of Badr was the most important among the Islamic battles of
Destiny. For the first time the followers of the new faith were put
into a serious test.Had victory been the lot of the pagan army while
the Islamic Forces were still at the beginningof their developments,
the faith of Islam could have come to an end.

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