The Holy Prophet’s (sa) Fervent Supplications on the Battlefield
In another narration, it is mentioned that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) stood guarding the Holy Prophet (sa) in the canopy with an unsheathed sword, while the Holy Prophet (sa) spent the entire night in fervent supplications. It is also recorded that he was the only one to remain awake the entire night whilst others in the army took turns to sleep.
(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), p. 357) (Mustafa Abd al-Wahid, Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad fi Sirat Khair al-Ibad, Vol. 11 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1993], p. 398)
There is a narration of Hazrat Ali (ra) in relation to the bravery of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). Hazrat Ali (ra) relates, “I asked a group of the Companions (ra), ‘Who is the bravest of all people?’ They answered, ‘You are, O Ali (ra).’”
Hazrat Ali (ra) then said, “The bravest person among the people was Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). On the day of Badr, we prepared a canopy for the Holy Prophet (sa), and we asked one another who would remain with the Holy Prophet (sa) so that no idolater could reach him. By Allah, none of us was close to the Holy Prophet (sa), but Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) went and stood right by him with his sword unsheathed, so that if any idolater were to reach, they would have to face Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) first.’”
(Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi, Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, Bab Dhikr Maghaziyah [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2002], p. 214)
In relation to this, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) states:
“Hazrat Ali (ra) once said that the bravest and most courageous of all people was Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). He also said that when a separate canopy was constructed for the Holy Prophet (sa) during the Battle of Badr, at the time, the question was raised as to who would be responsible for guarding the Holy Prophet (sa) that day. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) immediately stood with his sword unsheathed, and he fulfilled this duty of safeguarding him during an extremely perilous time with utmost bravery.”
(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 7, pp. 364-365)
Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra) relates that whilst the Holy Prophet (sa) was in a large tent, he stated:
اللّٰهُمَّ إنِّيْ أَنْشُدُكَ عَهْدَكَ وَوَعْدَكَ اللّٰهُمَّ إِنْ شِئْتَ لَمْ تُعْبَدْ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ
“O Allah, I swear by Your oath and Your promise; O Allah, if You desire for the Muslims to be destroyed, then after today there shall be no one left to worship You.”
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) then took hold of his hand and said, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah, please rest now! You have persisted a great deal in beseeching your Lord.”
At the time, the Holy Prophet (sa) was still wearing his chain mail. He came forth out of his tent and was reciting,
سَيُهۡزَمُ الۡجَمۡعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ الدُّبُرَ بَلِ السَّاعَةُ مَوۡعِدُهُمۡ وَالسَّاعَةُ أَدۡهَىٰ وَأَمَرُّ
“Soon they shall all be defeated and flee, and this is the hour about which they were warned, and this hour shall be extremely difficult and severe for them.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Jihad wa al-Siyar, Bab ma Qila fi Dar‘ al-Nabi (sa) al-Qamis fi al-Harb, Hadith 2915)
Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (ra) states, “Hazrat Umar (ra) bin Khattab told me that on the day of Badr, the Holy Prophet (sa) looked towards the idolaters and saw that they numbered 1,000 while his own Companions (ra) numbered only 319. The Holy Prophet (sa) turned in the direction of the Ka‘bah, raised both his hands and cried out to his Lord:
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِزْ لِي مَا وَعَدْتَنِي اللَّهُمَّ آتِنِي مَا وَعَدْتَنِي اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ تُهْلِكْ هَذِهِ الْعِصَابَةَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الإِسْلاَمِ لاَ تُعْبَدُ فِي الأَرْضِ
“Meaning, ‘O Allah, fulfil Your promise to me. O Allah, grant me that which You have vouchsafed. O Allah, if you allow this group of Muslims to be defeated, then there will be no one left on this earth to worship You.’
“He continued to face the Ka’bah with both his hands outstretched while continuously beseeching his Lord aloud. As he did so, his cloak fell from his shoulders. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) went towards him, lifted the cloak and placed it back on his shoulders. Then he held the Holy Prophet (sa) from behind and said, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah, you have offered a lot of fervent supplications before your Lord; He will surely fulfil that which was promised to you.’ Upon this, Allah the Almighty revealed the following verse:
إِذۡ تَسۡتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمۡ فَاسۡتَجَابَ لَكُمۡ أَنِّي مُمِدُّكُم بِأَلۡفٖ مِّنَ الۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ مُرۡدِفِينَ
“‘And remember the time when you implored the assistance of your Lord, and He answered you, saying, “I will assist you with a thousand of the angels, following one another. [Ch.8: V.10]”’
“Thus, Allah helped him by sending angels.”
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Jihad wa al-Siyar, Bab al-Imdad bi al-Mala‘ikah fi Ghazwat Badr…, Hadith 4588)