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Prophets

What happened at the Battle of Badr?

Badr was the first decisive battle — fewer than 320 Muslims against nearly three times their number. Ibn Kathīr's account traces the intelligence, the Prophet's ﷺ duʿāʾ, and the angelic reinforcement, anchored to the Qurʾān and the classical sīrah sources.

10 passages from 4 books in the library

From the cited passages, Badr is treated mainly as a point of reference in the hadith literature — the scholars weigh which narrations belong to it. Bukhari is cited, through al-Bara ibn Azib, on the number of the Prophet's ﷺ companions present at Badr, and Muslim is cited through Umar ibn al-Khattab on the battle. The passages also examine the report prohibiting the cursing of the dead of Badr (narrated by Ibn Abi al-Dunya) and carefully correct a claim that Aisha was present, noting she was not. For the fuller narrative, the surrounding chapters in the library should be heard.

Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.

Where the answer comes from

The classical approach.

These passages are drawn from 4 books by Ibn Kathir and Imam al-Dhahabī — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.

Read them closely. If a passage doesn't sit right, open the full book in the library and listen to the chapter around it. Context in the classical tradition is everything.

Cover of Volume 3 — The Sīrah: From the First Revelation to Badr
Volume 3 — The Sīrah: From the First Revelation to Badr
Ibn Kathir · Al-Bidāya wal-Nihāya

14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir → · Provenance →

  1. "is no need to go out in vain. They listened to him, and not a single man from the Banu Zuhra attended the Battle of Badr. Al-Akhnas was influential among them, and there was no clan of the Quraysh without some people setting out, except for the Banu Adi, from whom no one went. The Banu Zuhra returned with Al-Akhnas, so neither of these two tribes had anyone present at Badr. Ibn Ishaq narrated that the people proceeded until they camped at al-Udwāt al-Quswa of the valley, behind al-Aqnaqīl and the valley's belly, which is Yāliyāl, between Badr and the dense al-Aqnaqīl where the Quraysh were. The well at Badr was in al-Udwāt al-Dunyā from the belly of Yāliyāl to Medina."

  2. "arrived in Medina and bequeathed a third of his wealth to him, which the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, returned to his heirs. His son Bishr witnessed Badr, Uhud, and the Battle of the Trench, and died as a martyr in Khaybar after eating from the poisoned sheep with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. Sinan ibn Saifi, al-Tufail ibn al-Numan, and Maqeel ibn al-Mundir were Badr participants. Masud ibn Zayd and Dahak ibn Harithah were also among the Badr participants. Yazid ibn Kidam and Jubair ibn Sakhr were Badr participants, as were al-Tufail ibn Malik, Kab ibn Malik, and Sulaim ibn Amir. Qutba ibn Amir and his brother"

  3. "Abu Mas'ud Uqba ibn Amr, noted by Ibn Ishaq as the youngest to witness the Pledge of Aqaba, did not participate in Badr. Ziyad ibn Labid, Furwa ibn Amr, and Khalid ibn Qais were Badr participants. Rafi ibn Malik was a leader, and Daqwan ibn Abd Qais was known as a Muhajir Ansari, staying with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in Mecca until he migrated. He was a Badr participant and was killed on the day of Uhud. Abad ibn Qais and his brother Al-Harith were Badr participants. Al-Bara ibn Marur was a leader and the first to pledge allegiance, according to the Banu Salimah. He died before the Prophet, peace be upon him,"

  4. "Bakr al-Siddiq when al-Siddiq divorced her, and this was when God prohibited polytheists from Muslims, and her name was Umm Bakr. Umm Bakr greets with peace and is there for me after my people any peace. So what is in the well of Badr from the singers and the noble drinks? Now consider the introduction of the book. What is it about the well of Badr that is adorned with the finest of treasures? How many times have you seen the beauty of Badr among the herds and the noble offerings? How many times have you witnessed the splendor of Badr, in the grand ambitions and the great endeavors, and the companions of the noble"

Cover of Volume 1
Volume 1
Imam al-Dhahabī · Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalā

13th–14th century · Damascus, Syria
Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ — the monumental biographical dictionary of Islamic scholarship, from the companions of the Prophet ﷺ through al-Dhahabī's own era. A working-scholar reference used for seven centuries.
More on Imam al-Dhahabī → · Provenance →

  1. "The Prophet appointed him as the leader over sixty riders from the Muhajirun and gave him a banner. This was the first banner to be raised in Islam. They encountered the Quraysh, led by Abu Sufyan, at Thaniyyat al-Murra. This was the first battle that took place in Islam. This was narrated by Ibn Ishaq. [Notable Participants of Badr] Among the notable participants of the Battle of Badr were Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali, Sa'd, al-Zubayr, Abu 'Ubaydah, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf, Zayd ibn Harithah, Mistah ibn Uthathah, Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr, Ibn Mas'ud, al-Miqdad, Suhayb, Ammar, Abu Salamah, Zayd ibn al-Khattab, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, 'Abbad ibn Bishr, Abu al-Haytham ibn al-Tayhan,"

Cover of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq
Abu Bakr al-Siddiq
Ibn Kathir · Timeless Classics

14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir → · Provenance →

  1. "I say: among the Emigrants who were martyred that day were Malik ibn Amr, a confederate of the Banu Ghanm, an emigrant and a veteran of Badr; Yazid ibn Ruqaysh ibn Rabab al-Asadi, a veteran of Badr; al-Hakam ibn Said ibn al-As ibn Umayya al-Umawi; Hasan ibn Malik ibn Buhayna, brother of Abd Allah ibn Malik al-Azdi, a confederate of the Banu al-Muttalib ibn Abd Manaf; Amir ibn al-Bakr al-Laythi, a confederate of the Banu Adi and a veteran of Badr; Malik ibn Rabia, a confederate of the Banu Abd Shams; Abu Umayya Safwan ibn Umayya ibn Amr; Yazid ibn Aws, a confederate of the Banu Abd al-Dar;"

Cover of Uthman ibn Affan
Uthman ibn Affan
Ibn Kathir · Timeless Classics

14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir → · Provenance →

  1. "I think you are a cowardly Christian." Abu Sabra ibn Abi Ruhm al-Amiri, the brother of Abu Salama ibn Abd al-Asad, their mother being Barra bint Abd al-Muttalib. He emigrated to Abyssinia and was present at Badr and what followed. Al-Zubayr said: We know of no man of Badr who settled in Mecca after the Prophet, God's peace and blessings be upon him, except him. He said: and his family with him were at Badr in that. Abu Lubaba ibn Abd al-Mundhir, one of the chiefs of the night of al-Aqaba; it is said that he died in the caliphate of Ali, and God knows best."

  2. ""It is a duty on every Muslim to kiss your head," and Umar rose and kissed his head before the people, may God be pleased with him. Abdullah ibn Suraqa ibn al-Mu'tamir al-Adawi, a Companion of Uhud; al-Zuhri claimed that he was present at Badr, and God knows best. Abdullah ibn Qays ibn Khalid al-Ansari was present at Badr. Abd al-Rahman ibn Sahl ibn Zayd al-Ansari al-Harithi was present at Uhud and what followed, and Ibn Abd al-Barr said he was present at Badr."

  3. "Ibn Abi Shaddad ibn Rabi'a ibn Hilal, Abu Sa'id al-Qurashi al-Fihri. He was present at Badr and what followed. Mas'ud ibn Rabi'a Or, it is said, Ibn al-Rabi, Abu Amr al-Qari. He was present at Badr and what followed. He died aged sixty-odd. Ma'mar ibn Abi Sarh Ibn Rabi'a ibn Hilal al-Qurashi, Abu Sa'd al-Fihri; it is said his name was Amr. A man of Badr, of early companionship."

  4. "Ibn Amr al-Mazini, Abu al-Harith, or, it is said, Abu Yahya, al-Ansari. He was present at Badr and was in charge of the fifth that day. Abdullah ibn Maz'un The brother of Uthman ibn Maz'un. He emigrated to Abyssinia and was present at Badr. Iyad ibn Zuhayr Ibn Abi Shaddad ibn Rabi'a ibn Hilal, Abu Sa'id al-Qurashi al-Fihri. He was present at Badr and what followed."

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