Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi)
كتاب المغازى
Chapter 8: The killing of Abu Jahl
The following Holy Verse:-- "These two opponents (believers and disbelievers) dispute with each other about their Lord." (22.19) was revealed concerning us.
I heard Abu Dhar swearing that these Holy Verses were revealed in connection with those six persons on the day of Badr.
I heard Abu Dhar swearing that the following Holy verse:-- "These two opponents (believers and disbelievers) disputing with each other about their Lord," (22.19) was revealed concerning those men who fought on the day of Badr, namely, Hamza, `Ali, Ubaida bin Al-Harith, `Utba and Shaiba----the two sons of Rabi`a-- and Al-Walid bin `Utba.
A man asked Al-Bara' and I was listening, "Did `Ali take part in (the battle of) Badr?" Al-Bara' said, "(Yes). he even met (his enemies) in a duel and was clad in two armors (one over the other).
"I had an agreement with Umaiya bin Khalaf (that he would look after my relatives and property in Mecca, and I would look after his relatives and property in Medina)." `Abdur-Rahman then mentioned the killing of Umaiya and his son on the day of Badr, and Bilal said, "Woe to me if Umaiya remains safe (i.e. alive) . "
The Prophet (ﷺ) recited Surat-an-Najm and then prostrated himself, and all who were with him prostrated too. But an old man took a handful of dust and touched his forehead with it saying, "This is sufficient for me." Later on I saw him killed as an infidel.
Az-Zubair had three scars caused by the sword, one of which was over his shoulder and I used to insert my fingers in it. He received two of those wounds on the day of Badr and one on the day of Al-Yarmuk. When 'Abdullah bin Zubair was killed, 'Abdul-Malik bin Marwan said to me, "O 'Urwa, do you recognize the sword of Az-Zubair?" I said, "Yes." He said, "What marks does it have?" I replied, "It has a dent in its sharp edge which was caused in it on the day of Badr." 'Abdul- Malik said, "You are right! (i.e. their swords) have dents because of clashing with the regiments of the enemies Then 'Abdul-Malik returned that sword to me (i.e. Urwa). (Hisham, 'Urwa's son said, "We estimated the price of the sword as three-thousand (Dinars) and after that it was taken by one of us (i.e. the inheritors) and I wish I could have had it.")
That his father said, "The sword of Az-Zubair was decorated with silver." Hisham added, "The sword of `Urwa was (also) decorated with silver. "
On the day of (the battle) of Al-Yarmuk, the companions of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to Az-Zubair, "Will you attack the enemy so that we shall attack them with you?" Az-Zubair replied, "If I attack them, you people would not support me." They said, "No, we will support you." So Az-Zubair attacked them (i.e. Byzantine) and pierced through their lines, and went beyond them and none of his companions was with him. Then he returned and the enemy got hold of the bridle of his (horse) and struck him two blows (with the sword) on his shoulder. Between these two wounds there was a scar caused by a blow, he had received on the day of Badr (battle). When I was a child I used to play with those scars by putting my fingers in them. On that day (my brother) "Abdullah bin Az-Zubair was also with him and he was ten years old. Az-Zubair had carried him on a horse and let him to the care of some men.
On the day of Badr, the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered that the corpses of twenty four leaders of Quraish should be thrown into one of the dirty dry wells of Badr. (It was a habit of the Prophet (ﷺ) that whenever he conquered some people, he used to stay at the battle-field for three nights. So, on the third day of the battle of Badr, he ordered that his she-camel be saddled, then he set out, and his companions followed him saying among themselves." "Definitely he (i.e. the Prophet) is proceeding for some great purpose." When he halted at the edge of the well, he addressed the corpses of the Quraish infidels by their names and their fathers' names, "O so-and-so, son of so-and-so and O so-and-so, son of so-andso! Would it have pleased you if you had obeyed Allah and His Apostle? We have found true what our Lord promised us. Have you too found true what your Lord promised you? "`Umar said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! You are speaking to bodies that have no souls!" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "By Him in Whose Hand Muhammad's soul is, you do not hear, what I say better than they do." (Qatada said, "Allah brought them to life (again) to let them hear him, to reprimand them and slight them and take revenge over them and caused them to feel remorseful and regretful.")
regarding the Statement of Allah:--"Those who have changed Allah's Blessings for disbelief..." (14.28) The people meant here by Allah, are the infidels of Quraish. (`Amr, a sub-narrator said, "Those are (the infidels of) Quraish and Muhammad is Allah's Blessing. Regarding Allah's Statement:"..and have led their people Into the house of destruction? (14.29) Ibn `Abbas said, "It means the Fire they will suffer from (after their death) on the day of Badr."
It was mentioned before `Aisha that Ibn `Umar attributed the following statement to the Prophet (ﷺ) "The dead person is punished in the grave because of the crying and lamentation Of his family." On that, `Aisha said, "But Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'The dead person is punished for his crimes and sins while his family cry over him then." She added, "And this is similar to the statement of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) when he stood by the (edge of the) well which contained the corpses of the pagans killed at Badr, 'They hear what I say.' She added, "But he said now they know very well what I used to tell them was the truth." `Aisha then recited: 'You cannot make the dead hear.' (30.52) and 'You cannot make those who are in their Graves, hear you.' (35.22) that is, when they had taken their places in the (Hell) Fire.
The Prophet (ﷺ) stood at the well of Badr (which contained the corpses of the pagans) and said, "Have you found true what your lord promised you?" Then he further said, "They now hear what I say." This was mentioned before `Aisha and she said, "But the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Now they know very well that what I used to tell them was the truth.' Then she recited (the Holy Verse):-- "You cannot make the dead hear... ...till the end of Verse)." (30.52)
Chapter 9: Superiority of those who fought the battle of Badr
Haritha was martyred on the day (of the battle) of Badr, and he was a young boy then. His mother came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! You know how dear Haritha is to me. If he is in Paradise, I shall remain patient, and hope for reward from Allah, but if it is not so, then you shall see what I do?" He said, "May Allah be merciful to you! Have you lost your senses? Do you think there is only one Paradise? There are many Paradises and your son is in the (most superior) Paradise of Al- Firdaus."
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent me, Abu Marthad and Az-Zubair, and all of us were riding horses, and said, "Go till you reach Raudat-Khakh where there is a pagan woman carrying a letter from Hatib bin Abi Balta' a to the pagans of Mecca." So we found her riding her camel at the place which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had mentioned. We said (to her),"(Give us) the letter." She said, "I have no letter." Then we made her camel kneel down and we searched her, but we found no letter. Then we said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had not told us a lie, certainly. Take out the letter, otherwise we will strip you naked." When she saw that we were determined, she put her hand below her waist belt, for she had tied her cloak round her waist, and she took out the letter, and we brought her to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) Then `Umar said, "O Allah's Apostle! (This Hatib) has betrayed Allah, His Apostle and the believers! Let me cut off his neck!" The Prophet asked Hatib, "What made you do this?" Hatib said, "By Allah, I did not intend to give up my belief in Allah and His Apostle but I wanted to have some influence among the (Mecca) people so that through it, Allah might protect my family and property. There is none of your companions but has some of his relatives there through whom Allah protects his family and property." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He has spoken the truth; do no say to him but good." `Umar said, "He as betrayed Allah, His Apostle and the faithful believers. Let me cut off his neck!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Is he not one of the Badr warriors? May be Allah looked at the Badr warriors and said, 'Do whatever you like, as I have granted Paradise to you, or said, 'I have forgiven you."' On this, tears came out of `Umar's eyes, and he said, "Allah and His Apostle know better."
Chapter 10: Chapter
On the day of Badr, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to us, "When the enemy comes near to you, shoot at them but use your arrows sparingly (so that your arrows should not be wasted).
On the day of (the battle of) Badr, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to us, "When your enemy comes near to you (i.e. overcome you by sheer number), shoot at them but use your arrows sparingly."
On the day of Uhud the Prophet (ﷺ) appointed `Abdullah bin Jubair as chief of the archers, and seventy among us were injured and martyred. On the day (of the battle) of Badr, the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions had inflicted 140 casualties on the pagans, 70 were taken prisoners, and 70 were killed. Abu Sufyan said, "This is a day of (revenge) for the day of Badr and the issue of war is undecided ."
That the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The good is what Allah gave us later on (after Uhud), and the reward of truthfulness is what Allah gave us after the day (of the battle) of Badr."
While I was fighting in the front file on the day (of the battle) of Badr, suddenly I looked behind and saw on my right and left two young boys and did not feel safe by standing between them. Then one of them asked me secretly so that his companion may not hear, "O Uncle! Show me Abu Jahl." I said, "O nephew! What will you do to him?" He said, "I have promised Allah that if I see him (i.e. Abu Jahl), I will either kill him or be killed before I kill him." Then the other said the same to me secretly so that his companion should not hear. I would not have been pleased to be in between two other men instead of them. Then I pointed him (i.e. Abu Jahl) out to them. Both of them attacked him like two hawks till they knocked him down. Those two boys were the sons of 'Afra' (i.e. an Ansari woman).