The First Victory

The Muslims had endured many hardships and suffering in the fifteen-year period after the coming of the first revelation in the cave of Hira. Some had found themselves under great oppression and torture so that they would reject their new faith while others found no other choice than to abandon their homes and countries. Some had fled to Abyssinia and some had been forced to emigrate to Medina. In Medina, however, the Muslims had now formed a unity. Islam was spreading even further with each passing day, and the believers were growing stronger by the minute. The Qurayshi non-believers had grown even more furious and desperate against Allah the Almighty. Infuriated at not being able to stop him from emigrating to Medina, they grew even more persistent in denying the Messenger of Allah. “From now on, Muhammad will be able to spread his religion freely there and the number of people believing him will increase day by day,” was the thought that ate away their brains just like the woodworm had eaten away their boycott document. Once again they were gathered at Daru’n-Nadwa, the place where they always got together when reaching important decisions. The buzzing of the crowd was pierced by Abu Jahl’s words; “Muhammad slipped away from our hands. What’s more, the number of those gathering around him are increasing day by day. Fortunately, the things belonging to the ones who fled to Medina are still here.”

“What are you trying to say Abu Jahl? Make it clear,” one called out from the crowd. With revenge and animosity oozing out from between his teeth, Abu Jahl cried out, “We are not only going to wipe out Muhammad, we are going to wipe out him and all those who believe in him.”
“And how are we going to do that,” asked another.
“By war! They have no idea about combat. Besides, they’ve left behind whatever possessions they have. We can prepare a great army after selling the believers’ belongings. Then we can charge against them and kill them all,” exclaimed Abu Jahl.
Everyone’s eyes at the meeting had lit up with joy. Indeed, the people of Medina, being a people of agriculture, did not know much about combat. What’s more, they had neither an army nor the weapons to equip that army with. The nonbelievers, on the other hand, were putting forth great effort to prepare an army that was superior both number and weaponwise. All the property left behind that had belonged to the believers who had left Mecca, every single piece was plundered. The non-believers were going to load all the possessions onto a caravan heading to Damascus, sell them and were going to prepare their army with the profit they made.
This caravan, led by Abu Sufyan, had gone to Damascus and was coming back with its unjust profit. Our Prophet, who had been informed of all that had been happening, planned an intervention to this caravan, with Allah’s permission. In this way, they were both going to intimidate the non-believers and also take back the money that rightfully belonged to the Muslims, the true owners of the possessions. When Abu Sufyan learned that our Prophet was going to set out in pursuit of the caravan, he immediately changed his route and took the road that was further away from Medina and closer to the coast. He also sent a messenger to Mecca, to inform them of the situation. When the messenger reached Mecca his heart was about to burst from the excitement and rush. He spoke to the crowd of people that gathered around him, full of curiosity.
“Muhammad had raided the caravan and has taken over all the goods,” he said.
In reality, though, our Prophet was just following the caravan at that point. Upon the words of the messenger, the leaders of Mecca gave orders for the army to be prepared right away. Whatever was needed for a battle was brought together in a very short period of time. Manpower, horses, camels, weapons and money… The non-believers had not wasted any time and had set out from Mecca with an army of 1,000, whereas there were only a mere 300 gathered around the Messenger of Allah. Even worse, the Muslims had very few horses and their weapons were terribly insufficient.
The army led by Abu Jahl and the caravan led by Abu Sufyan met each other somewhere along the way. Abu Sufyan said, “As you can see, none of the goods have been damaged. I managed to escape their pursuit. There is no need for battle. Come, let us go back now.”
“What are you saying Abu Sufyan? We have come all this way from Mecca with such a magnificent army. We cannot return without destroying Muhammad and his friends,” roared Abu Jahl! Abu Sufyan was much calmer about the situation. “Didn’t you come here to save the caravan? You have seen that the caravan is safe. There’s no longer a need to fight,” he repeated.
“Not at all, there are plenty of reasons for us to fight. Until we have gotten rid of Muhammad there will be plenty of reason for us to fight,” roared Abu Jahl once again.
This time Abu Sufyan’s answer was crystal clear. “My duty was to return the caravan safe and sound back to Mecca, and that is exactly what I will do. I am not coming with you to fight, I am going to Mecca,” he said.
As he ordered the caravan to take up speed once again, he looked over at Abu Jahl and the others with him and said, “You will do nothing but perish yourselves.” With that he mounted his horse and rode on towards Mecca.
Meanwhile, our Prophet had been informed that the polytheist army had started out of Mecca, and so he had found it suitable that they wait for them near the water wells at Badr. When the Islamic army reached the water nearest Badr, our Prophet consulted with the Medinan Muslims on where they should set up the army headquarters. Hubab knew the water wells in the surroundings very well. He shared his opinion, saying, “O Messenger of Allah! This is not a very suitable location to settle down. Let us go to the water closest to our enemies. Let us dig a pool there and fill it with water. Then, let us close up all the other wells. This way, we can drink water from our own pool during the battle, and they will be left without water.”
Our Prophet and his Companions liked this idea very much. The plan was implemented in exactly the same way. They settled down and set up the headquarters right next to the water well they had spoken of. That night, in his tent, the Messenger of Allah prayed until the morning light and supplicated to his Lord, saying, “O my Gracious Lord! There the Quraysh stands before us with all their self-esteem and pomp. They dare to challenge You, and they accuse Your Messenger of being a liar. My Lord, I ask of You to grant us the victory which You have promised us, against them. My Lord, early tomorrow morning, rub their noses against the dirt in the battlefield!”
Meanwhile, it had started raining in Badr, as a kind of messenger of mercy before the start of the battle. Together with the rain, the Almighty Allah had also sent down a peaceful and relaxing sleepiness over the Muslims, and they had all fallen into a sweet slumber behind the shelter of the trees. This sweet slumber had been a kind of Divine aid for the Muslims so that they could forget the fatigue and hardships they had endured up until then and become refreshed and energetic for the following day. With the same rain, the non-believers found themselves struggling with many hardships difficult to overcome, having trouble even walking as they sank into the mud and dirt.
In the morning of that night, our Prophet gathered his Companions at Badr and lined them up in rows, ready for battle, before the polytheist army even had a chance to arrive and get settled.
Meanwhile, a wind, unlike any other they had seen before, passed by. A second and third gust of wind followed shortly after and passed by. With the first wind, the Archangel Gabriel, with the second, the Archangel Michael, and with the third, the Archangel Israfil, upon them be peace, took their places next to our Prophet, each accompanied by a thousand Archangels. The Archangels had wrapped their heads in green, yellow and red turbans, leaving one end of the cloth flowing down their backs. There were signs made of wool adorning the foreheads of their horses.
Despite all the efforts of some individuals in the Meccan army about not wanting to fight against their own brothers and relatives, the desire for revenge and feeling of hatred from Abu Jahl and those like him had won out in the end. When the efforts to prevent battle had proved futile, the first thing the Messenger of Allah did was turn towards the qiblah and perform two rakahs of Prayer in supplication to Allah the Almighty, for Him to help them overcome the enemy who outnumbered them greatly. Then he opened his blessed hands and pleaded to his Lord, “O my Gracious Lord! Grant us that which You have promised us! O my Almighty Allah! If you are to destroy this mere handful of believers, then there will be no one left in this world to worship and glorify You!”
Just then, because his hands were raised to the sky, a part of his dress slid off his shoulder. Abu Bakr put it back in place and did not leave our Prophet’s side. The Messenger’s supplications had grown so intense that Abu Bakr couldn’t stop himself from saying,
“O Messenger of Allah! All this supplication to your Lord is enough! He will, without a doubt, fulfill His promise to you!” It was at that moment that Allah the Almighty sent down this verse to our Prophet; “When you were imploring your Lord for help (as a special mercy), and He responded to you: “I will help you with a thousand Archangels, coming host after host. “Upon this, our Prophet turned to his faithful Companion and said, “I have glad tidings! O Abu Bakr! Allah’s help has arrived! That over there is Gabriel! Atop the Naq Hill, holding the rein of his horse, equipped with his weapons and coat of armor! Ready for battle!”
They could hear more neighing of horses and clinking of swords than there actually was in the valley of Badr now. In such an atmosphere, the strength of the opposing forces had gradually decreased while the strength of our Prophet and his respected Companions gradually increased. These tidings had spread throughout the Companions in a very short period of time and faces shone with delight. The Messenger of Allah had one more piece of glad tidings to share with his Companions. He turned to them and said, “I feel as though I can see the very point in which each non-believer will be killed by the end of today!”
After a series of fighting and rigorous battles against each other, the Muslims wiped out the enemies of Islam and gained a glorious victory. There was nothing left of the Qurayshi army in the valley of Badr other than the lifeless bodies laying in the battlefield and the captives tied up and waiting in one corner. The Quraysh had come all the way from Mecca to Badr with such high hopes, and now they had no other choice than to go back with disappointment and casualties. Abu Jahl and many other Qurayshi leaders lost their lives in this battle named the Battle of Badr. Aside from the seventy non-believers who had been killed in the war, seventy more were held captive. There had also been a total of fourteen martyrs in the believers’ side. Though they had gained victory over the nonbelievers, still, a sorrow had fallen over Badr on account of the fourteen martyrs. Allah’s Messenger himself led the Funeral Prayer for those who came to Badr and who became the first ones among them all to be blessed with the honor of martyrdom. He prayed for them and accompanied them in their last journey.
Because this had been their first battle ever fought, what they would do about the captives was going to be a whole new experience for them. There was no other similar practice which would serve as an example to resolve the situation about the captives. To make it worse, no Divine command had been sent to show them the proper way, either. The Messenger of Allah immediately called his Companions together so that they could discuss and consult each other on what to do about the situation. He said, “What do you think we should do about the captives? Even if they were your brothers yesterday, today, Allah has made them dependent of the decision that you will come to.”
As an outcome of the consultation, the general opinion was that the captives be freed in exchange for ransom money. Those who did not have the means to pay the ransom would be freed in exchange for teaching ten Muslims to read and write. Still there were those who could neither pay the ransom nor knew how to read and write. The Muslims did not leave them stranded like that, though. They too would be set free on the condition that, from that day on, they would not speak badly of Islam or help, in any way, those fighting against the Muslims. Many people from both Mecca and Medina became Muslim after this incident.