The Muslims’ Victory in the Battle of Badr

17/12/2010| IslamWeb

The Battle of Badr ended with the Muslims’ victory over the polytheists, who sustained seventy casualties and seventy captives, most of whom were the chiefs of Quraysh. Muslims sustained fourteen martyrs, six from the Muhaajiroon (emigrants) and eight from the Ansaar (helpers). Muslims attained the conquest and defeated the polytheists, the Messenger, , sent ‘Abdullaah bin Rawaahah and Zayd bin Haarithah, may Allah be pleased with them, to convey the glad tidings of victory to the Muslims of Madeenah.

 

The Prophet, , stayed three days in Badr. In this regard, Anas bin Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, was reported to have said, “The Prophet would stay three days in the arena if he was victorious over certain people.” Maybe, he would do so:

 

1.     To finish off any desperate resistance that would be mustered by the defeated troops that were able to flee to the mountains.

 

2.     To bury the martyrs, the soldiers of Allah, who had fallen in any battle. The Muslim martyrs were buried in the land of the battle and no reference was quoted as to whether they were prayed over. None of them was buried outside Badr.

 

3.     To collect the spoils of war and keeping them by means of entrusting someone to that mission until they were delivered to their beneficiaries. The spoils of Badr were entrusted to Ibn Al-Haarith ‘Abdullaah bin Ka‘b Al-Ansaari, may Allah be pleased with him, from Banu Maazin.

 

4.     To give the victorious army some time for recreation after they had been physically and mentally exhausted in the battlefield and to look after the wounded soldiers. During this time, the favors of Allah including a sweeping victory that had not been easy to attain, were to be contemplated. Members of the army were also to remember the events and disclosures that emerged during the battle and which were effective in bringing about victory. It was an opportunity for reminiscing over the individuals’ courage and aptitude to clear up difficulties; the practical lessons of attack and retreat learned from the battle; the consummate planning by the enemies and the lessons involved; and the orders passed by the upper leadership, its planning and participation in carrying out the plans. All of that, when remembered, gives Muslims guidance for future battles and tones up their lives to abide by a Jihaad that ends with evident victory.

 

5.     To bury the enemies’ corpses after identifying them by name and rank among their people in order to know the wounded enemies who are still alive and who may be targeted for having killed and to avoid their malice in the future, as decided by the leadership of the Muslim army. Examples of those who were finished off were Abu Jahl, the Pharaoh of the Ummah; Umayyah bin Khalaf, the head of disbelief, and their likes. The Prophet, , ordered these wicked corpses to be thrown into a dirty well. He then stood on the brink of the well and was reported to have addressed the killed polytheists saying: “You were the most evil kinship to your prophet. You belied me when other people trusted me, let me down when people supported me, and expelled me when people sheltered me.”

 

Upon this address, he ordered the other corpses to be dragged and thrown into another one of the wells of Badr. Then he stood next to them and said: “O ‘Utbah bin Rabee‘ah, Shaybahi bin Rabee‘ah, so and so, and so and so; have you not found what your Lord had promised you to be true? I certainly have found what my Lord promised me to be true.”‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said,  “Messenger of Allah, why are you speaking to corpses?”   The Prophet, said:“By Him in whose hand is my life, they can hear what I am saying more clearly than you can, but are unable to reply.”[Muslim]

 

Qataadah, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned that Allah The Almighty revived them such that they heard his saying in order to be reproached, spited and consequently feel regret.

 

The address of the Prophet, , to the slain disbelievers at Badr indicated an important fact, which is that they had begun a new life, the life of the Barzakh, wherein they heard the speech of the living humans but they could not reply or talk. Belief in the existence of the Barzakh life is part of Muslims’ creed. That the dead experience bliss or torment in the grave is a fact that is supported by authentic Hadeeth. Once, the Prophet, , passed by two graves and said: “They are being tormented, and they are being tormented for sins that are not grave.” [Al-Bukhari] He mentioned that the reason behind their torment was talebearing and neglecting purification after urination. Unseen facts must be held indisputable after they were reported by the most veracious and the most trusted Muhammad, , and by the Quran in what means:

 

Concerning the torment of Pharaoh's people: {The Fire, they are exposed to it morning and evening. And the Day the Hour appears [it will be said], “Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment.”}[Quran 40:46]

 

Concerning martyrs {And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision.} [Quran 3:169]