The Second Battle of Badr
Time and place of the battle
This battle took place one year after the battle of Uhud, which transpired in year 4 A.H. in the land of Badr. [1]
Background of the battle
When the battle of Uhud ended, Abu Sufyan said to the Muslims, “We will meet each other in the same place next year and I will take even greater revenge from you.” Thus, the Prophet commanded the Muslims to prepare to defend themselves in the upcoming battle. [1]
The Account of the battle
The effort to discourage the army of Islam
When the battle of Uhud ended and Abu Sufyan was preparing to return to Mecca, he announced,
“We will meet again next year in Badr al-Safra’ to fight each other.”
The army of Abu Sufyan returned to Mecca and proceeded to tell every man that they saw that they would be fighting Muhammad next year on the same day in which they had first fought them in Badr. He also encouraged them to prepare themselves for this war and to provide all that is necessary for the army to proceed. They assumed that just as the Muslims had won the first battle, that they would once again become victorious in this, the second battle of Badr.
However, when the time came to make their way towards the battlefield, Abu Sufyan started to regret the decision he made the year before to fight Muhammad. In actuality, he hoped that Muhammad and his army would not show up for the battle. Thus, as every person who was accompanying him from Mecca to Medina would pass by him, he would say,
“Indeed with an expensive army, I am going to battle Muhammad and his army.”
Naeem ibn Masoud entered Medina just as Abu Sufyan and his army were preparing to leave and so Abu Sufyan and a group of the Quraysh went to him and said,
“On the day of Badr, I promised that I would fight Muhammad again in Badr al-Safra’ next year and the time has now come.”
Naeem said,
“What brought me to Mecca was that I saw Muhammad and his companions collecting weapons and animals, and they were asking their allies from the tribe of Aws - such as Balli and Juhaynah and others to support them; I left Medina while the city was crowded with people.”
Abu Sufyan said,
“Now that they have prepared themselves, listen carefully! This year we suffered a drought and so it is not really in our best interest to fight them. Rather, we will fight them when we have a year of material prosperity and green pastures so that our animals have enough grass to eat and so that we have their milk to drink.”
Abu Sufyan went on to say,
“Muhammad is going to show up and I do not want to be the one who does not show up for the battle as this would only embolden them. I would rather want Muhammad and his army to not show up, and so if you can go back to Medina and convince him to stay there, I will give you twenty camels - ten five year old camels and ten four year old camels. I will keep these with Suhayl ibn Amr to hold on for you until you return.”
Naeem ibn Masoud, a friend of Abu Sufyan, said to him,
“O Abu Yazid, do you guarantee me twenty camels? If so, I will leave for Medina immediately and will change the companion’s minds about coming forth to war?”
He replied,
“Yes, I promise.”
Naeem said,
“I am leaving now.”
Naeem got on his camel and rode rapidly towards Medina. He reached the city with his head shaved, as he had prepared himself for the hajj pilgrimage and when he arrived, he saw that the companions of the Prophet were preparing themselves for battle. They saw Naeem and asked him,
“Where are you coming from?”
He replied,
“I have just performed the umrah in Mecca.”
They asked him,
“Do you have any news from Abu Sufyan?”
He replied,
“Yes, when I was leaving I saw him with an army – the likes of which you have never seen before! He has asked his allies for help and was starting his journey with a massive number of soldiers! I suggest that you stay in Medina and do not go to the battlefield. You fought them last year and each and every one of you was severely wounded; your elders were killed and Muhammad was also seriously injured. Considering all of this, you still want to fight Abu Sufyan again? You have made the wrong decision and I really feel that none of you will survive this next battle!”
He repeated his words over and over until all of the companions of the Prophet heard his statements and feared what might happen if they go to war again. Their fear reached to such an extent that some regretted the decision to join the army, thus, allowing the words of Naeem to change their minds. This positive result gave the Jews and the hypocrites the opportunity to gloat and say,
“Muhammad is not going to survive this battle!”
The news which Naeem brought and which he was able to use to dissuade the companions finally reached to the Prophet. He was told that a number of people have stood back from the war and when reviewing the situation, the Prophet feared that no one would remain in his army and in this condition, he is quoted as saying,
“I swear upon He who my life is in His hands, even if none of you fight with me, I will move towards the battlefield on my own! When the Prophet said this to the people, Allah granted them insight and distanced the fear which Satan had planted within them.” [2]
The trip towards Badr
The Prophet and his army of 1,500 men left Medina towards Badr. Along with foot soldiers, there were ten horses - one which belonged to the Prophet, while the rest belonged to companions such as Zubayr, Miqdad and some others. During this trip, Ali ibn Abi Talib was holding the flag of the Prophet; and the Prophet chose Abdullah ibn Rawahah to be in charge of the community who were in Medina while he had gone for the battle. Eventually they reached Badr at the beginning of the month of Dhu al-Qadah. [2]
The economic strategy of the Prophet
The Prophet left Medina in the month of Dhu al-Qadah in the year 4 A.H. and was accompanied by 1,500 foot soldiers, a few horses and some commodities which they brought along with them to sell while on route to Badr. This contingent of Muslims stayed in Badr for eight days and their stay coincided with the annual trading market which the Arabs would normally partake in. During this time, the Muslims sold what they had brought from Medina, and cleared a good profit. [2]
The shameful retreat of the army of the Idolaters of Mecca
Eventually, the news reached Mecca that the Prophet and his army had arrived in Badr. In order to preserve their honor, the polytheists of Mecca saw no other choice other than leaving Mecca to go to Badr to face the Muslim army. Abu Sufyan accompanied them with sufficient military equipment, however when they reached the area of Murr al-Dhahran, he began to bring up excuses of why he needed to go back home and eventually, he returned to Mecca – leaving the rest of the people to continue the journey to Badr.
Sufyan ibn Umayyah said to Abu Sufyan,
“I swear by God! Did I not tell you not to take an oath to the Muslims that you would fight them in the upcoming year!? However, you did not listen to me and now, they have developed the audacity to challenge us! Now that they have seen that we have broken our oath (to fight against them), they will see this as a weakness in us!” [2]
The return of the Prophet
The Prophet was away from Medina for sixteen days for this, the second battle of Badr, and returned home four nights before the end of the month of Dhu al-Qadah. [2]