A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Of the Asma’ Ahl Badr , 313 fought on the side of the Prophet ( s.a.w. ).  They were the first to come to the aid of their Prophet ( s.a.w. ), out of the thousands to come in his lifetime and the more than a billion who will hear the call, in times to come.  For that, they have no equal.  When they decided to stand with the Prophet ( s.a.w. ), it was pure faith.  As far as the evidence of the eye, the Muslims had no advantages.  They were outnumbered three to one.  They had fewer camels and horses.  They did not have enough weapons, and some fought with sticks.  Many had no armour, and they either fought wearing padded cloth, or some went bare-bodied.  They were the first of the believers and soon, it seemed, they were likely to be the last.  The Quraysh, on the other hand, besides the numerical advantage, also had good morale initially.  They had sizable cavalry, they were well-armed, and most...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The Battle of Badr was prophesied, in the Bible, by the Prophet Isaiah ( a.s. ).   It was described as a battle between the sons of Ishma’il ( a.s. ); the children of Tema who settled in Yatsrib, and the children of Kedar who settled in Bakka.   Muhammad ( s.a.w. ) was rejected by his people in Makkah, known in the Old Testament as “Bakka”, and migrated to Madina, which was previously called Yatsrib.   The specific passage is here:   Isaiah 21:13-17 13 The burden in Arabia.   In the forest at evening you shall sleep, in the paths of Dedanim.   14 Meeting the thirsty bring him water, you that inhabit the land of the south, meet with bread him that flees.   15 For they are fled from before the swords, from the sword that hung over them, from the bent bow, from the face of a grievous battle.   16 For thus says the Lord to me: “Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar s...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Two kinds of people cite the story of Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf.  The first are Islamophobes, who accuse the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) of political assassinations; and the second are extremists, who use it to justify murder.   Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf was a Jewish leader of Madina at the time of the Prophet ( s.a.w. ).  When the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) arrived in Madina, he established what we now call the Constitution of Madina.  It promised peace and religious freedom for Jews and Muslims.  Ka’b believed that this threatened his position.   As recorded in Sirah ibn Ishaq and elsewhere, the Prophet Muhammad ( s.a.w. ) ordered ibn al-Ashraf killed after he had gone to Makkah after the Battle of Badr, and provoked Quraysh to continue the fight against the Muslims.  He also composed verses in which he lamented the casualties of the Quraysh in the Battle of Badr.  This was clear incitement of the enemy and sedition.  He then s...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Khubayb ibn ‘Adiy ( r.a. ) was taken captive and escorted in a procession of thousands, which was led by men like Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and Sayyidina Swafwan ibn ‘Umayyah ( r.a. ), and which included Sayyidina Sa’id ibn ‘Amir ( r.a. ).  The women and children pushed him to the place set for his death.  Sayyidina Khubayb’s ( r.a. ) death was to avenge Quraysh losses in the Battle of Badr.  When the assembled throng arrived at the appointed place with him, the prisoner, Sayyidina Khubayb ( r.a. ) said in a firm but quiet voice amid the shouting of women and children, “If you would, leave me to pray two rak’ah before my death.”   This, the Quraysh allowed.  Sayyidina Khubayb ( r.a. ) faced the Ka’bah and prayed two rak’ah .  Then, Sayyidina Khubayb ( r.a. ) faced the Quraysh leaders.  “By Allah, if you thought that I asked to pray out of fear of death, I would think the prayer not worth the trouble,” he sa...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The Battle of Badr was fought on the 17 th Ramadhan 2 AH, in the Hijaz, at the Wells of Badr.   It was the first major ghazwat , battle, led by the Prophet ( s.a.w. ), in the early days of Islam, between the Quraysh and the Muslim community of Madina.   The battle was a decisive victory to the Muslims due to Divine intervention.   It is a battle of the converts, since the Muslims were all converts to Islam.   It is one of the few battles specifically mentioned in the Qur’an.   سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان قَدۡ ڪَانَ لَكُمۡ ءَايَةٌ۬ فِى فِئَتَيۡنِ ٱلۡتَقَتَا‌ۖ فِئَةٌ۬ تُقَـٰتِلُ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَأُخۡرَىٰ ڪَافِرَةٌ۬ يَرَوۡنَهُم مِّثۡلَيۡهِمۡ رَأۡىَ ٱلۡعَيۡنِ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصۡرِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ‌ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَعِبۡرَةً۬ لِّأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرِ (١٣)   “There has already been for you a Sign in the two armies that met (in combat): one was fighting in the Cause of Allah, the other resisting Allah; these ...