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Battle of Badr: Difference between revisions
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The battle of Badr was the first great battle in the military career of the prophet Muhammad according to the [[sira]]. Again according to the sira in took place in the month of Ramadan in the second year of the hijra (circa 624 AD). It was a watershed moment in the prophetic career, where some of the prophet's greatest enemies from Mecca were killed or humiliated. It was also interpreted as a sign of divine favor by the Muslim community in Mecca, with angels including [[Jibreel (Angel Gabriel)|Jibra'il]] reportedly taking part. The runup to the battle, the battle itself and the aftermath were also the [[Asbab al-Nuzul (Revelational Circumstances of the Quran)|backdrop of the revelation]] for many verses in the Qur'an including the majority of | The battle of Badr was the first great battle in the military career of the prophet Muhammad according to the [[sira]]. Again according to the sira in took place in the month of Ramadan in the second year of the hijra (circa 624 AD). It was a watershed moment in the prophetic career, where some of the prophet's greatest enemies from Mecca were killed or humiliated. It was also interpreted as a sign of divine favor by the Muslim community in Mecca, with angels including [[Jibreel (Angel Gabriel)|Jibra'il]] reportedly taking part. The runup to the battle, the battle itself and the aftermath were also the [[Asbab al-Nuzul (Revelational Circumstances of the Quran)|backdrop of the revelation]] for many verses in the Qur'an including the majority of surat al-anfal, the sura of war booty or voluntary gifts. The aftermath of the battle would see Muhammad put in place new rules around the division of [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad and Booty|booty]]. The defeat of the Meccans would harden their resolve to resist Muhammad was well as creating several blood fueds that the Meccans felt needed avenging, ultimately culminating the defeat of Muhammad and the Muslims at the [[Battle of Uhud]]. For Muhammad, the battle would solidify his reputation as a commander and strengthen the faith of his community. | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
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An important source for early Islamic history are the letters to the Umayyad court from 'Urwa b. Zubayr (d. 94 H), a nephew of Aisha. One of his letters describes the events leading up to the battle of Badr as well as the battle itself (for a discussion of academic views on 'Urwa's letters see [[Jihad in Islamic Law]]). In his book ''Muhammad and the Empires of Faith'', Professor Sean Anthony translates these letters. His translation of the beginning of 'Urwa's third letter is given below, outlining events leading up to the battle: | An important source for early Islamic history are the letters to the Umayyad court from 'Urwa b. Zubayr (d. 94 H), a nephew of Aisha. One of his letters describes the events leading up to the battle of Badr as well as the battle itself (for a discussion of academic views on 'Urwa's letters see [[Jihad in Islamic Law]]). In his book ''Muhammad and the Empires of Faith'', Professor Sean Anthony translates these letters. His translation of the beginning of 'Urwa's third letter is given below, outlining events leading up to the battle: | ||
{{Quote|Third letter of 'Urwa b. Zubayr to the Umayyad court<ref name=" | {{Quote|Third letter of 'Urwa b. Zubayr to the Umayyad court<ref name="AnthonyEmpires">Sean Anthony, ''Muhammad and the Empires of Faith: The making of the Prophet of Islam'', Oakland CA: University of California, 2020, pp. 116-19</ref>|§2.1 Now to the heart of the matter. You wrote to me concerning Abū Sufyān and his expedition to ask me about how it transpired. What happened to him is that Abū Sufyān was on a return journey from Syria with riders from the clans of Quraysh, about seventy in all. They had been trading in Syria and were heading back together with wealth and traded goods.<BR /> | ||
2 They mentioned this to the Messenger of God and his companions, for there had been a battle between them before that. Several warriors had been killed. Ibn al-Ḥaḍramī was killed in a raiding party at Nakhlah, and several captives were taken from the Quraysh, including a man from the Mughīrah clan and their client Ibn Kaysān. ʿAbdallāh ibn Jaḥsh Wāqid, a confederate of ʿAdī ibn Kaʿb, were the ones who attacked them, with a party of the companions of God's Messenger, whom he had sent out along with ʿAbdallāh ibn Jaḥsh. It was this event that provoked the war between the Messenger of God and Quraysh, and the first conflict in which they inflicted casualties on one another. That all happened before the trading expediton of Abū Sufyān and his cohort to Syria.<BR /> | 2 They mentioned this to the Messenger of God and his companions, for there had been a battle between them before that. Several warriors had been killed. Ibn al-Ḥaḍramī was killed in a raiding party at Nakhlah, and several captives were taken from the Quraysh, including a man from the Mughīrah clan and their client Ibn Kaysān. ʿAbdallāh ibn Jaḥsh Wāqid, a confederate of ʿAdī ibn Kaʿb, were the ones who attacked them, with a party of the companions of God's Messenger, whom he had sent out along with ʿAbdallāh ibn Jaḥsh. It was this event that provoked the war between the Messenger of God and Quraysh, and the first conflict in which they inflicted casualties on one another. That all happened before the trading expediton of Abū Sufyān and his cohort to Syria.<BR /> | ||
3. Later, after that, Abū Sufyān and the riders from Quraysh began to head back. Returning from Syria, they followed the coastal route. When the Messenger of God heard about them, he readied his companions and told them how much wealth they carried and how few they were in number. They set out only intending to go after Abū Sufyān and the riders that accompanied him. Seeing it as nothing more than a change to plunder, they did not imagine that there might be a full-fledged battle when they met them. This is as God Almighty revealed concerning the incident, "your desire was for the party without weapons to be yours" (Q. Anfāl 8:7).}} | 3. Later, after that, Abū Sufyān and the riders from Quraysh began to head back. Returning from Syria, they followed the coastal route. When the Messenger of God heard about them, he readied his companions and told them how much wealth they carried and how few they were in number. They set out only intending to go after Abū Sufyān and the riders that accompanied him. Seeing it as nothing more than a change to plunder, they did not imagine that there might be a full-fledged battle when they met them. This is as God Almighty revealed concerning the incident, "your desire was for the party without weapons to be yours" (Q. Anfāl 8:7).}} | ||
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'Urwa's simpler account of the battle is quoted below and concludes his letter. Muhammad casting dust towards the Quraysh is apparently alluded to in {{Quran|8|17}} "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 [...]". Other traditions ellaborate that a wind then blew dust in the faces of the Quraysh (perhaps this became known as "angelic" assistance, mentioned in {{Quran|8|9}} and {{Quran|8|12}} of the same surah). | 'Urwa's simpler account of the battle is quoted below and concludes his letter. Muhammad casting dust towards the Quraysh is apparently alluded to in {{Quran|8|17}} "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 [...]". Other traditions ellaborate that a wind then blew dust in the faces of the Quraysh (perhaps this became known as "angelic" assistance, mentioned in {{Quran|8|9}} and {{Quran|8|12}} of the same surah). | ||
{{Quote|Third letter of 'Urwa b. Zubayr to the Umayyad court<ref name=" | {{Quote|Third letter of 'Urwa b. Zubayr to the Umayyad court<ref name="AnthonyEmpires" />|6 When the Quraysh advanced, he turned to face them and cast the dust of the earth in their direction. God defeated them. Before they had even encountered the Prophet, a rider from Abū Sufyān and his traveling party reached them to tell them, "Go back!"-and the travelling party was ordering the Quraysh to return to al Juḥfah-but they said, "By God we won't turn around until we go down to Badr and camp there for three nights so that the people of the people of the Ḥijāz can see us. No Arab who sees us and the host we've gathered will dare battle us!" They were the ones about whom God Almight revealed "those who in arrogance left their homes to be seen by the people" (Q. 8:47).<BR /> | ||
7. They met each other in battle, the Meccans and the Prophet, and God granted His Messenger victory. He disgraced the leaders of the infidels and granted the believers' hearts the vengeance they craved.}} | 7. They met each other in battle, the Meccans and the Prophet, and God granted His Messenger victory. He disgraced the leaders of the infidels and granted the believers' hearts the vengeance they craved.}} | ||