The Battle of Badr
It is recorded that the Battle of Badr took place in Ramadan, 2 AH, or in March of the year 623 CE.
(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), p. 349)
When departing for the Battle of Badr, the Companions (ra) had in their possession 70 camels. For this reason, one camel was given to every three persons, and each person would take turns riding it. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), Hazrat Umar (ra) and Hazrat Abdur Rahman (ra) bin Auf shared one camel and took turns riding it.
(Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi, Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, Dhikr Maghaziyah [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2002], p. 204)
Regarding the departure of the Holy Prophet (sa) for the Battle of Badr, it is narrated:
“The Holy Prophet (sa) set out from Medina to intercept the caravan of Abu Sufyan, which was returning from Syria. When the Muslim convoy reached the Valley of Dhafiran – a valley in the surrounding area of Medina close to the Valley of Safra – the Holy Prophet (sa) received news that the Quraish had set out in order to protect and escort their trade caravan. The Holy Prophet (sa) sought the counsel of his Companions (ra) and informed them about an army that was swiftly advancing from Mecca toward them. He asked them, ‘What should we do about this? Do you prefer to engage the trade caravan over the army?’ They answered in the affirmative. In other words, a party from among them said that they prefer to engage with the trade caravan as opposed to the enemy army.”
In another narration, it is recorded, “A small group among the Companions (ra) said, ‘Why did you not inform us of a battle? We could have prepared for it. Our intention was to pursue the trade caravan.’”
According to one narration, they said, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! You ought to head towards the trade caravan and leave the enemy army.” Upon hearing this, the expression of the Holy Prophet’s (sa) face changed.
Hazrat Abu Ayyub (ra) narrates: “It was for this moment that the following verse of the Holy Qur’an was revealed:
كَمَآ أَخۡرَجَكَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَيۡتِكَ بِالۡحَقِّ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقٗا مِّنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ لَكٰرِهُونَ
“As [it was] thy Lord Who rightfully brought thee forth from thy house, while a party of the believers were averse.”) Ch.8: V.6)
“Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) stood up and addressing the people, delivered an excellent speech, following which Hazrat Umar (ra) also stood and addressed the people and gave an excellent speech. Thereupon, Hazrat Miqdad (ra) stood and humbly submitted, ‘O Messenger of Allah (sa)! March towards that which you have been commanded by Allah. We are with you. By Allah, we will not say to you what the Israelites said to Moses (as):
فَاذۡهَبۡ أَنتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقٰتِلَآ إِنَّا هٰهُنَا قٰعِدُوْنَ
That is, “Go thou and thy Lord and fight, and here we sit.” (Ch.5: V.25)
We will fight alongside you as long as we are alive. By Allah, Who has raised you as a prophet with the truth, even if you lead us to Bark al-Ghimad, we will march with you, fighting with our swords in hand until we reach our destination.”’
Bark al-Ghimad is a coastal town situated at a distance of five days journey from Mecca. Nonetheless, Hazrat Abdullah (ra) bin Mas‘ud narrates, “I looked at the blessed countenance of the Holy Prophet (sa). Upon hearing this statement, his face began to glow with joy and he became very happy.”
(Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi, Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, Dhikr Maghaziyah [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2002], pp. 204-205) (Yaqut Ibn Abd Allah al-Hamawi, Mu‘jam al-Buldan, Vol. 1 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah], p. 475)
The Holy Prophet (sa) then set off from Dhafiran and set up camp near Badr. Then the Holy Prophet (sa) and one of his companions got on his mount – according to Ibn Hisham that companion was Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), but according to another narration, it was not Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) but Hazrat Abu Qatadah bin Nu‘man (ra) or Hazrat Muaz (ra) bin Jabal – until they stopped by an elderly Arab man. They inquired of him about the Quraish and about any news of Muhammad (sa) and his Companions (ra).
(Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Ghazwat Badr al-Kubra Dhikr al-Rasul (sa) wa Abu Bakr (ra) Yata‘arrafan Akhbar al-Quraish [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2001], p. 421) (Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi, Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, Dhikr Maghaziyah [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2002], p. 207)
When they gathered at the battlefield of Badr, a canopy was made for the Holy Prophet (sa). With regard to its preparation, it is recorded:
“By the suggestion of Saad (ra) bin Muaz, leader of the Aus tribe, the Companions (ra) prepared a canopy in one part of the battlefield of Badr for the Holy Prophet (sa). Hazrat Saad (ra) tied the mount of the Holy Prophet (sa) by the canopy and said, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah, sit under this canopy and in the name of Allah we shall face the enemies.’ Hazrat Saad (ra) and other Companions (ra) then stood around it to keep guard. The Holy Prophet (sa) and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) spent the night therein.”
Hazrat Abu Bakr's (ra) Son on the Battlefield
During this battle, Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) son, Abdur Rahman had come to fight from the disbelievers’ side and was considered as one of the bravest amongst the Arabs and an expert archer amongst the Quraish. When he later accepted Islam, he asked his father, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), “On the day of Badr, you were right before me and within reach of my target. However, I moved away from you and did not kill you.” Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) stated, “If you had been within reach of my target, I would not have moved away.”
*(Muhammad al-Salabi, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) aur Karname [Pakistan: Maktabat al-Furqan], pp. 108-109) *
Hazrat Musleh Mau’d’s (ra) Narration
Whilst mentioning this, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) states:
“Once, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was eating in the company of the Holy Prophet (sa) and they began speaking on different topics. Hazrat Abdur-Rahman, who was the eldest son of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and later became a Muslim, took part in the battle of Badr or Uhud from the disbelievers’ side. During the course of their meal, he said, ‘Father, you walked by such and such place during the battle and at the time I was hiding behind a rock. If I wanted to I could have attacked and killed you. However, I thought to myself, “Why would I kill my father?”’ Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied, ‘God had decreed that you were going to accept faith thus you were saved, otherwise, by God, if I had seen you, I would have certainly killed you.’”
(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 9, p. 588)
Suggestion Regarding the Prisoners of Badr
With regard to the Holy Prophet (sa) seeking counsel on what to do with the prisoners of Badr and Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) suggestion being implemented, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) writes:
“When the Holy Prophet (sa) returned to Medina, he sought counsel as to what should be done with the prisoners. Generally, it was a practice in Arabia to execute prisoners or make them permanent slaves. However, the disposition of the Holy Prophet (sa) was averse to such harsh measures. Moreover, no divine injunctions in this respect had been revealed either. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) submitted, ‘In my opinion, they should be released on ransom, because after all, they are our brethren and kindred. Who knows, if tomorrow, devotees of Islam are born from among these very people.’ However, Hazrat Umar (ra) opposed this view and said, ‘There should be no consideration of kinship in a matter of religion. These people have become deserving of execution due to their actions. My opinion is that all of them should be executed. As a matter of fact, the Muslims should execute their respective relatives by their own hands.’
“Swayed by his innate nature of mercy, the Holy Prophet (sa) approved of the proposal made by Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). He thus, issued an order against execution and directed that such idolaters who pay their ransom, would be released. Subsequently, a divine injunction was also revealed to this effect.”
(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), pp. 367-368)