Hazrat Zaid (ra) Returns to Medina with the News of Victory
After the Battle of Badr, the Holy Prophet (sa) sent Hazrat Zaid (ra) bin Haritha to the people of Medina to convey to them the glad tidings. Hazrat Zaid (ra) came on the camel of the Holy Prophet (sa). When he reached the prayer area, he shouted out, whilst on the camel, that the two sons of Rabi‘a, Utbah and Shaybah, the sons of Hajjaj, Abu Jahl and Abul Bakhtari, Zam‘ah bin al-Aswad and Umaiyyah bin Khalf had all been killed and Suhail bin Amr and many others had been held captive. The people of Medina could not believe what Zaid (ra) bin Haritha was saying and thought that Zaid (ra) had fled after losing, and this angered the Muslims. The hypocrites and enemies were saying that he was panicking and this was why he was saying all this. A man from among the hypocrites said to Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (ra), “Your master and all those with him have all been killed.” One man said to Hazrat Abu Lubabah (ra) “Your friends [i.e. the Companions (ra)] have been desolated to the extent that they will never be able to come together again, now that Muhammad (sa) and his high-ranking Companions (ra) have all been killed. This camel belongs to him and we recognise it. Out of fear, Hazrat Zaid (ra) does not even know what he is saying.” The protagonists further said that Hazrat Zaid (ra) did not know himself what he was saying and had returned having fled from the defeat. Hazrat Abu Lubabah (ra) replied that God Almighty would prove his words to be wrong. The Jews too were saying that Hazrat Zaid (ra) had returned having been defeated. Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (ra) states, “I asked my father in private if what he says is true.” Hazrat Zaid replied, “O my son, by Allah all that I have said is the truth.” Hazrat Usama (ra) states that upon hearing this his became resolute.
(Kitab-ul-Maghazi, Vol. 1, p. 114, Badr Al-Qitaal, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyaah, Beriut, 2004).