In today’s episode, we are on the battlefield of Badr. The two armies are ready to stand face to face. Truth and lies stand face to face today. Allah has brought the two armies face to face according to His plan. In the previous episode, we discussed how the two armies came face to face through attacks on trade caravans. However, there is one thing here that is not the same as simply attacking the caravan and appearing at the edge of Badr in retaliation. We can say that the incident of the caravan attack was the occasion of the Battle of Badr.
In reality, the Battle of Badr was a battle between truth and falsehood. At the root of this war is a conflict of ideals. The Battle of Badr began on the very day the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) received prophethood. And the rest of the events are conflicts between those who admit to being Muslims and those who deny being non-Muslims.
So we must remember that the two sides that faced each other at the Battle of Badr were essentially facing the truth and the lie.
Muslims had positive thoughts about the Battle of Badr. They slept well the night before, so they are in a good mood today. Because the night before, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had received good news about this war from Allah through a dream. So from the morning onwards, the companions were confident that they would see with their own eyes what Allah had promised them. Not only that, before the war started, the Prophet (peace be upon him) showed various places and told them where and who would die. Not only that, before the war started, the Prophet (peace be upon him) showed various places and told them where and who would die.
Shortly before the battle began, the Prophet (peace be upon him) called his companions and gave them the good news of victory in the battle.
On the other hand, there was anxiety and unrest in the camp of the infidels. We discussed in the previous episode that even after reaching the battlefield, there was division and unrest in the infidel camp. Utba had been trying to explain from the beginning why the Quraysh should not fight because there were Quraysh sons and fathers among the Muslim army. So it was better to impose this responsibility on other tribes than to kill them. But his argument did not stand up to Abu jehel’s conspiracy.
From this division in the minds of the Quraysh army just before going to battle, we can understand how much anxiety was at work in their minds. It is important to have more strength of mind than strength on the battlefield.
Military power is of no use if there is no morale. In this battle, the Prophet Muhammad used military tactics that no Arab had ever used before. In this battle, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used the method of attacking in a line. He would line up his army based on majority. The front line consisted of soldiers with sharp weapons, and the second line consisted of archers.
This is a new strategy of the Arabs. Allah Almighty says in this regard:
Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly.
(Quran 61:4)
In this method, troops would attack the enemy simultaneously. Until they defeat their enemies. This tactic was new to the Arabs, so they would retreat in fear.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was straightening the ranks of the army with his bow in his hand, just as one straightens a group in prayer.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) straightened up his army and determined the location of the attack, and then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) returned to the tent with him. After completing all the preparations, he prayed to Allah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood to one side and raised his hands and prayed for a long time.
Allah informed the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that He would send 1,000 angels to help him. Then Rasulullah (peace be upon him) came out of his tent and took a handful of sand in his hand and threw it at the infidels, saying that their faces should be covered with dust.
This grain of sand thrown by the Prophet (peace be upon him) hit the eyes of every disbeliever, and Allah Almighty says about it:
And you did not kill them, but it was Allah who killed them. And you threw not, [O Muhammad], when you threw, but it was Allah who threw that He might test the believers with a good test. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
(Quran 8:17)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was encouraging the Muslim army in various ways. He stood in front of everyone and said that whoever fights with courage today, Allah will grant him entry into Paradise.
It is narrated in the Muslim Sharif that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Run towards Paradise, which is between the heavens and the earth.”
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was encouraging his army in various ways. This was due to Allah’s command. Allah Almighty says:
O Prophet, urge the believers to battle. If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of those who have disbelieved because they are a people who do not understand.
(Quran 8:65)
The first bloodshed of the Battle of Badr occurred at the beginning of the battle. There was a bad-tempered man in the Quraysh army. Her name was Asma Al Maqsood. He was a gangster by nature. He decided to drink water from the well behind the Muslims. He said that I would die because I needed to drink water from the Muslim well. Saying this, he started walking towards the well. Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him) came forward and struck his foot.
His leg was cut and separated, and blood was pouring from it, yet he crawled towards the well so that his vow could be fulfilled. Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him) struck him again and killed him. The battle at that time was a hand-to-hand battle. There were three duel battles before the start of the Battle of Badr.
Allah revealed the verse about the battle of Badr:
These are two adversaries who have disputed over their Lord. But those who disbelieved will have cut out for them garments of fire. Poured upon their heads will be scalding water. By which is melted that within their bellies and [their] skins. And for [striking] them are maces of iron. Every time they want to get out of Hellfire from anguish, they will be returned to it, and [it will be said], “Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire!” Indeed, Allah will admit those who believe and do righteous deeds to gardens beneath which rivers flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearl, and their garments therein will be silk. And they had been guided [in worldly life] to good speech, and they were guided to the path of the Praiseworthy.
(Quran 22:19-24)
The Quraysh were furious after losing the duel and they began to approach the Muslims. Everyone started attacking the Muslim forces at once. But the Muslim army was not afraid of the enemy’s simultaneous attack, but instead they shot arrows first. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade attacking the enemy until they come close. He said: “Do not release arms until the enemy comes close.”
After a while, the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered the Muslim army to attack the infidels in turn.
I have previously mentioned that the number of enemies shown to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the dream was reduced. In this regard, Allaah says:
[Remember, O Muhammad], when Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many, you [believers] would have lost courage and would have disputed in the matter [of whether to fight], but Allah saved [you from that]. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
(Quran 8:43)
The meaning of this verse is that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) informed the Muslims about the number of the enemy, they gained great courage.
Allah Almighty not only saw the number of the enemy reduced in dreams, but also showed the number of the enemy much less in the eyes of the companions on the battlefield, as Allah Almighty says:
And [remember] when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your eyes, and He made you [appear] as few in their eyes so that Allah might accomplish a matter already destined. And to Allah are [all] matters returned.
(Quran 8:44)
The polytheists saw the Muslims as being outnumbered before the war began, but after the war began, they saw the Muslims as being outnumbered. That is, there were 1000 Muslims but they were watching 2000. Seeing that, their morale was further broken.
Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met – one fighting in the cause of Allah and another of disbelievers. They saw them [to be] twice their [own] number by [their] eyesight. But Allah supports with His victory whom He wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for those of vision.
(Quran 3:13)
It is noteworthy here how Allah makes things easy for one party and difficult for the other. The Muslims were few in number, but when they saw that the infidels were few in number, their morale increased. On the other hand, when the infidels saw the small number of Muslims, they were very happy. But by the time they realized the power of the Muslims, it was too late. In this war, Allah sent angels from heaven to help the Muslims.
And already had Allah given you victory at [the battle of] Badr while you were few in number. Then fear Allah; perhaps you will be grateful. [Remember] when you said to the believers, “Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand angels sent down? Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah and the enemy come upon you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels having marks [of distinction]. And Allah made it not except as [a sign of] good tidings for you and to reassure your hearts thereby. And victory is not except from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
(Quran 3-123-126)
There was no need to send angels to conquer the Muslims. If Allah had willed, He could have conquered the Muslims without sending angels. Allah sent angels to bring peace to Muslims.
In battle, it was clear from the bodies who were dying at the hands of angels and who were dying at the hands of swords. The bodies of those who were dying at the hands of angels looked as if someone had struck them with a hot iron weapon. The angels did not stop at just killing them, but they were also taking prisoner of war.
The Quraysh were defeated by the Muslim army. Within a short time, many of their leaders were killed and many were captured. In this battle, 70 people were killed and 70 polytheists were arrested. Now let’s discuss the Quraysh army in the Battle of Badr. They were devastated from the beginning to the end of the war. Then they tried to attack the Muslim army but the Muslim army resisted them. Humans have no power to resist the attacks of angels. That was not even the case with the Quraysh.
Therefore, the greatest loss for the Quraysh was that many of their leaders were killed. A leader has a very important role in war or politics because he directs or leads the war. After the death of the leaders of the first party, the leaders of the second party took power, but they were not as powerful as the leaders of the first party.
The polytheists were never able to recover from the losses they suffered in the Battle of Badr.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever informs me of Abu Jahl, then Abu Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I went down and saw Abu Jahl. I stepped on his neck because he had stepped on mine once in Mecca. Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I saw how Allah, the enemy of Allah, humiliated you.”
Abu Jahl then said, “Who killed me? Tell me what the outcome of the battle was.” Even before his death, Abu Jahl wanted to know the news of the war. Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Abu Jahl was trying to defend himself with his sword, but I stepped on his chest and threw the arms away from him.
Then Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) killed Abu Jahl with his sword. Then I cut off Abu Jahl’s head and took it to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
Allah Almighty says in the Quran that Allah Almighty gave peace to the hearts of Muslims through the death of Abu Jahl.
Fight them; Allah will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them and satisfy the breasts of a believing people. And remove the fury in the believers’ hearts. And Allah turns in forgiveness to whom He wills; and Allah is Knowing and Wise.
(Quran 9:14-15)
The infidels had caused much suffering to the Muslims for a long time, so Allah punished them at the hands of the Muslims, which calmed their hearts.
