The Battle of Badr (5)

Day of Distinction

With Abu Jahl’s death the Quraysh were humbled. They scattered, defeated by an army of men and angels, and thus ended the Battle of Badr. It was fought not for territory, riches, or honour, but to make belief in Allah victorious over unbelief. The Muslims fought against their father’s, uncles, sons, brothers, cousins and friends. Umar killed his maternal uncle, Asi bin Hisham, while Abu Bakr faced his son, Abdul Rahman, and the Prophet’s uncle Abbas was captured. Utbah bin Rabi’a, who was one of the first to challenge the Muslims in a preliminary duel, fought against his son, Abu Hudhayfah, one of the Prophet’s closest Companions. Blood ties were severed so that belief would prevail over disbelief. The day came to be called “Yaum Al-Fuqan” (the day of distinction), because on this day the battle lines were drawn not according to tribe, but according to belief in Allah.

Fourteen Muslims were honoured with martyrdom during the Battle of Badr (Six Muhajireen and eight Ansar). They were buried at Badr, and their grave sites are still known today. On the pagan side, seventy men were slain and an equal number were taken captive. Most of the dead were tribal notables and chieftains. In fact, the bodies of twenty-four pagan chieftains were thrown into a foul-smelling well.

The Prophet and his men stayed in Badr for three days. When he was about to begin his journey back to Madinah, he stood over the well and called out to each chieftain by name: “O son of so and so! Do you wish you had obeyed Allah and His Messenger? I have found that what my Lord promised me is true. Did you find your Lord’s promise true?”

“O Prophet ,” Umar asked, “How can you talk to bodies which have no soul?” “They hear me just as you do, but they cannot answer,” the Prophet explained.