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Ramadan - The battle of Badr
Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa.
In the name of Allah the Gracious the Merciful.
Allah says; {Allah made you victorious in Badr when you were of small number and arsenal and weaker. Fear Allah that you may be thankful.} 3-123.
During the blessed month of Ramadan in the second year after immigration (Hijra), the first major battle (or charge) of the prophet took place. It was the great battle of Badr. The cause for this battle is that the messenger (PPBU) knew of a convoy of a commercial camel train which belonged to Quraish. He knew that it was returning from Al-Sham area (Syria and Palestine) back to Mekkah. It was led by Abu-Sofyan. The messenger ordered his followers to go and capture the convoy. He said: {May Allah give you control over it.} Quraish at the time had been raging a war against the messenger and the Muslims. The messenger went out leading with a little over 300 of his companions. They went not seeking war, and not thinking that there will be a major fight. Abo-Sufyan managed to slip away and escape with the convoy. But, the clan of Quraish when they received the message they went out with 1000 men, including 100 horses and 700 camel. The group included also the well known names in the clan. They went out in a show-of-force act and to impress other people, and in a drive against Allah. They had musicians and singers chanting against Muslims. When Abu-Sofyan escaped with the convoy he sent a word to Quraish to let them know that the convoy is safe and he recommended not to go into battle. They refused, and Abu-Jahl said: "I pledge by Allah that I shall not return until I reach Badr, stay there three days, slaughter and give away the food and drink so all Arabia shall hear about us; and so they'll remain fearful of us."
When the messenger (PPBU) heard about what Quraish intended to do; he gathered his companions and consulted with them. Mekdad ebn-Amr (
مقداد بن عمرو) and he was one of the Ansar said: "Messenger of Allah, go on to what ever Allah commanded you to do. I pledge to Allah that we shall not say to you as the Isralies said to Mosa 'Go you and your god and fight; we are staying here', Instead we shall fight on your right, left, in front and behind you." The messenger (PPBU) praised him for that and went on to say: {People, advice me}. Saad (سعد) said: "Messenger of Allah, it is as if you were worried that the group of Ansar think that it is not within their right to support you except within the bounds of their city. And I say and respond to you on behalf of all the Ansar. Take us and go, any time you wish, and make ties with whomever you wish, and cut off ties with whomever you wish, and take from our money as much as you wish; and give us from that money as much as you wish, and this that you take of it; is dearer to ourselves that what you leave. And what ever you are commanded to do; we shall be at your command. Lead us, for I swear by Allah; if you go with us to fields of battle we shall go with you. And if you come cross the sea and ride it we shall ride it with you. By Allah; we will not hate it; if you want us to meet our enemy tomorrow morning. For we have tremendous bearing to war, and are truthful when meeting them. And may Allah show you from us what your eyes will be contented with"
The messenger (PPBU) was happy with what he heard from those who immigrated with him, and from those they immigrated to (Mohajreen and Ansar), and he said: {Then march; and I bring you good tidings; by Allah; I can almost see the places where many men will be killed.}
The messenger (PPBU) marched with his group to the nearer end towards Madina of the Badr water spring and the men dismounted. The Habbab ben-Munther الحباب بن المنذر said: Messenger of Allah, about this location, were you instructed by Allah to camp here, such that we must stick to? Or is it the strategy, war and tactics? The messenger (PPBU) said: "indeed it is strategy, war and tactics."
Al-Habbab said "then, this is not a the right place. Let us go to the nearest water of the other side. And deepen the wells round that." The messenger (PPBU) liked that suggestion and headed off with the men to the lower bank of the valley on the Madina side, and the Quraish army was at the upper bank towards Mekkah.
That day Allah brought down heavy rain which caused slippery mud for the unbelievers, while it was like light dew on the Muslims side. Allah used it to purify Muslims, made earth firmer which gave better footholds. Muslims built a simple roofed shelter for the messenger as an observatory.
The messenger came down, lined up the men in rows, waked in the battle field pointing at spots on the ground where he said the top men from Quraish shall be killed. He said: "this is the spot where such and such shall be killed with the well of Allah". And you know what!! None of the men he named actually passed the point the messenger pointed out for him. They were all killed exactly at the spots defined by the messenger.
The two sides met. The messenger (PPBU) offered many prayers to Allah asking with insistence, and he begged Allah and asked for his help and support. He said "Allah, fulfill your promise to me, O'Allah, here is Quraish has come with its power and pride to block your religion, and fight your messenger" and then he went on to say about his companions: "O'Allah, if you destroy this bunch of men, you shall not be worshipped on earth"
As answer to the prayers, Allah brought down his victory. He sent down angels to defeat the enemy. Quraish lost and retreated. Quraish suffered the killing of 70 of its unbelievers, and the capture of 70 more as prisoners of war. Twenty four of the top unbelievers who died, were thrown down a
t a (قليب من قلبان بدر) drop (or cliff) in Badr. Some of the names are: Abu-Jahl, Autbah ben-Rabiea (عتبى بن ربيعة), Shaibah ben-Rabiea, al-Waleed ben-Autbah and many more.
The messenger camped in Badr for three nights. When they were pulling back and returning he stopped at the cliff and called each one of those dead unbelievers in their full names saying: "We found what our god promised us is true, have you found what your god promised you is true?" Omar ben-Khattab asked: "Are you talking to corpses that have worn out?" the messenger replied: "By Allah, you are not better at hearing me than they are." For Allah made them hear that call at that moment.
Those two parties, the party of believers, the messenger (PPBU) and his companions, and the party of those who are unbelievers and who took partners with Allah. The party of Quraish and its defiant heads. Allah says: {Those two adversaries, argued with regard to their God, the blasphemers have clothes made of fire made for them with, hell pouring down from above their heads} Haj-19.
There are many lessons that can be learned from the great battle of Badr:
1) This battle occurred during the month of Ramadan. This holy month, the month of work, deeds, patience, strive in the line of Allah. A month where the vigor and determination of a believer is increased many fold, and he gets even closer to gracious and merciful God. A month where doors of paradise are opened wide. It is the most precious time for a believer to strive with good deeds in the line of Allah. Besides, most of the great battles in the Islamic history happened in this month.
2) This battle clearly shows what each believer knows that all victory is within the hands of Allah. He brings it to whoever He wishes. For the companions coming out with the messenger (PPBU) did not want the war, they actually did not think that there will be a major battle, and they did not get ready for it; nor prepared for it before hand. Despite all that Allah honored them with the victory for the truthful pledge they made to Allah. He made them victorious because of the grace of their belief, and the truth they held with Allah and with the truth in obeying the messenger (PPBU).
3) When the battle is between belief and disbelief then results are not measured in human measurements, which normally are based on materialistic evidence. For Allah supports the believers over the unbelievers even if the materialistic balance of power is not equal. Allah compensates what is missing with and how ever He wishes. Allah says: "Allah alone knows of the soldiers of your God"
At the battle of Bader, the enemy was greater in numbers and in arsenal. The enemy was three times the number of the companions. But when they prayed, asked Allah for help; despite the great materialistic difference; He made them victorious.
4) The messenger as commanded by Allah, always consulted with his companions in great matters, especially at the battles of Badr, and Ohod, and the battle of the Trench. The blessings gained from using this method always produce success and winning in all matters, ordinary life or military matters
5) All things belong to Allah. All creations are His, and creatures are His slaves. They all need Allah and He does not need them. This fact the believer knew it well and submitted to it. While the unbeliever denied it and revolted against. The messenger (PPBU) gave us a lesson that we must always show the need to Allah, and always to ask him in humbleness and beg of him in humiliation. To always show weakness and need towards Him, with the certainty of the answer.
All thanks be to Allah.
Notes:
- The inhabitants of the city of Almadina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he imigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.
Ansar (or Al-Ansar):
is a verse of the Koran. Aya (or Ayah):
mountain that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day. Arafa (or Arafa or Arafat): is a
talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help. Duaa: a prayer in the form of
Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise. reported that the messenger said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list. Hadeeth: is something
Hijra: the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.
Iman: belief
line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. Jihad: is striving in the
Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor". peninsula (known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Madinah: A city in the Arabian
Mekka: is the holiest Mosque for Muslims. Some say it was first built by Adam, and some say Ibraham. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers.
Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed by a believer.Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.
PPBU: Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. Qadr (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during in the ten nights of the month of Ramadan.. Sunna: is the way the Messenger PPBU lived, did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes
Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers.
Faheem Bukhatwa, my email
address is : faheemfb@gmail.com