Participation in the Battle of Badr
The Battle of Badr took place in 2 AH, or March 623 CE. With regard to Hazrat Ali’s (ra) participation in this battle, it is recorded in the traditions that the Holy Prophet (sa) sent Hazrat Ali (ra), Hazrat Zubair (ra), Hazrat Saad (ra) bin Abi Waqas and Hazrat Busbus (ra) bin Amr to the spring of Badr to find out information regarding the idolaters. They saw the Quraish giving their animals water and they captured this group of idolaters and brought them to the Holy Prophet (sa).
(Ibn Saad, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 2, Ghazwat Badr [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, 1996], 256) (Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), p. 349)
During the Battle of Badr, when the two armies came face to face, the two sons of Rabi‘ah, Shebah and Utbah, along with Walid bin Utbah stepped forward and challenged the Muslims for a duel. Three Ansar companions from the Banu Harith tribe, Muaz, Muawwiz and Auf, who were the sons of Afra, stepped forward to battle with them. However the Holy Prophet (sa) did not like for the Ansar to be involved in the initial combat between the idolaters and Muslims. Instead, he desired that this glory should be exhibited by the progeny of his uncle and by his people [i.e. the Quraish]. Thus, he commanded the Ansar to return to their ranks and commended them for this act. Then, the idolaters said, “O Muhammad, send forth those individuals from our people who can compete with us.” Thus, the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “O Banu Hashim, go forth and fight for the truth – the truth with which Allah has sent your prophet, for these people have come with their falsehood in order to try and extinguish the light of Allah.”
Thus, Hazrat Hamzah (ra) bin Abdul Muttalib, Hazrat Ali (ra) bin Abi Talib and Hazrat Ubaidah (ra) bin Harith went forth against them. Utbah told them to say something so that they may recognise them as they were wearing helmets due to which their faces were hidden.
Hazrat Hamzah (ra) said, “I am Hamzah bin Abdil Muttablib. I am the lion of Allah and His Messenger (sa).” Upon this, Utbah said that he was a worthy opponent and that he himself was the lion of the tribes. Then he enquired regarding the other two. Hazrat Hamzah (ra) said that they were Ali (ra) bin Abi Talib and Ubaidah (ra) bin Harith. Utbah said that they too were worthy opponents.
Then, Utbah said to his son, “O Walid, go forth.” Hazrat Ali (ra) went up against to fight him; both began wielding their swords and Hazrat Ali (ra) killed him. Then Utbah went forth and Hazrat Hamzah (ra) stood to fight him. Both wielded their swords and Hazrat Hamzah (ra) killed him. Then Shebah stood and Hazrat Ubaidah (ra) bin Harith went forth to fight him; on that day, Hazrat Ubaidah (ra) was the eldest amongst all the companions of the Holy Prophet (sa). Shebah struck Hazrat Ubaidah’s (ra) leg with his sword and wounded his calf. Hazrat Hamzah (ra) and Hazrat Ali (ra) attacked Shebah and killed him.
(Ibn Saad, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 2, Ghazwat Badr [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, 1996], 257)
This same narration was mentioned two years ago, a part of which I will mention again. The aforementioned incident is recorded in this particular narration in which Hazrat Ali (ra) narrates that Utbah bin Rabi‘ah, along with his son and his brother, stepped forward and declared, “Who will come forth and challenge us?” Upon this, a few youngsters from the Ansar responded. Utbah asked who they were and they responded by saying that they were from among the Ansar. Utbah replied saying, “We have nothing to do with you, we only wish to fight the sons of our uncle.” The Holy Prophet (sa) then said, “O Hamzah, get up. O Ali, stand up. O Ubaidah bin Harith, go forth.” Hamzah (ra) set off towards Utbah and Hazrat Ali (ra) says that he went towards Shebah, while Ubaidah clashed with Walid. Both severely injured one another, after which both Hazrat Hamzah (ra) and Hazrat Ali (ra) went towards Walid and killed him and took Ubaidah (ra) away from the battlefield.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Jihad, Bab fi al-Mubarazah, Hadith 2665)
With regard to the Battle of Badr, Hazrat Ali (ra) states, “The disbelievers heavily outnumbered the Muslims. The Holy Prophet (sa) spent the entire night fervently praying to God. When the army of disbelievers came near and we formed our ranks, my gaze fell on a person who was riding a red camel which was walking through the ranks of the enemy. The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘O Ali, call Hamzah, who is stood close to the disbelievers and ask him who is riding the red camel and what he is saying.’ Then the Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘If there is anyone from among the disbelievers who can give them good and beneficial advice, it is this person who is riding the red camel.’ Meanwhile, Hazrat Hamzah (ra) came and informed that it was Utbah bin Rabi‘ah, who was advising the disbelievers against fighting. However, Abu Jahl responded to him and said that he was a coward and was afraid of fighting. This incited Utbah’s pride and he said, ‘Today we shall see who is a coward.’”
(Ahmad (rh) bin Hanbal, Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 1, Musnad Ali (ra) bin Abi Talib, Hadith 948 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1998], 338-339)
Hazrat Ali (ra) narrates that on the occasion of the Battle of Badr, the Holy Prophet (sa) said to both him and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), “On the right side of one of you is Gabriel and on the right side of the other is Mikael; and Israfil is a great angel who is present during times of war and stands among the ranks.”
(Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihain, Vol. 3, p. 345, Kitab Marifat al-Sahabah, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, 2002)