Both Parties Met

when the two parties approached closer and were visible to each other, the prophet [pbuh] began supplicating allâh "o allâh! the conceited and haughty quraishites are already here defying you and belying your messenger. o allâh! i am waiting for your victory which you have promised me. i beseech you allâh to defeat them (the enemies)." he also gave strict orders that his men would not start fighting until he gave them his final word. he recommended that they use their arrows sparingly[sahih al-bukhari 2/568] and never resort to sword unless the enemies came too close.[abu da'ud 2/13]

abu jahl also prayed for victory, saying: "our lord, whichever of the two parties was less kind to his relatives, and brought us what we do not know, then destroy him tomorrow.". they were confident that their superior number, equipment and experience would be decisive. the noble qur’ân, with a play on the word, told them that the decision had come, and the victory — but not in the sense they had hoped for:

"(o disbelievers) if you ask for a judgement, now has the judgement come unto you and if you cease (to do wrong), it will be better for you, and if you return (to the attack), so shall we return, and your forces will be of no avail to you, however numerous it be, and verily, allâh is with the believers." [al-qur'an 8:19]