( 85 )
8.
At Badr
The Battle of Badr was the most important
among the
Islamic Battles of Destiny. For the first time the followers
of the new faith were put into a serious test. Had victory
been the lot of the pagan army while the Islamic forces
were still at the beginning of their developments
the faith
of Islam could have come to an end.
No one was as aware of the importance of the outcome
of the Battle as the Holy Prophet. We might read the depth
of his anxiety in his prayer before the beginning of the Battle when he stood up supplicating his Lord:
"God
this is Quraish. It has come with all its arrogance
and boastfulness
trying to discredit Thy Apostle. God
I
ask Thee to humiliate them tomorrow. God
if this Muslim
band will perish today
Thou shall not be worshiped!" ( 1 )
At this battle in which the pagan army consisted of 950
fighters and the Muslims did not exceed 314 (including
the Messenger)
the Islamic defense was a combination of
three elements resembling three defensive lines:
1. The personality of the Messenger
his leadership and
his unequalled firmness. He was to the Muslims the final
refuge at Badr and at every battle he attended .
2. The Hashimites (the clan of the Prophet)
led by
Ali Ibn Abu Talib who entered this Battle relatively obsecure and came out of it with unequaled military fame .
His military performances became the popular subject of
the Arab caravans' conversations throughout the Arabic
Peninsula .
( 1 ) Ibn Husam Biography of the Prophet Part 2 p. 621.
|