Below is a repeat of an email I sent out on 10 October 2006, and I think it’s part of good preparation for us for Ramadaan Insha’Allah.

Assalaamu ‘Alaykum Dear Brothers and Sisters

Today is the day of the Battle of Badr – the first great battle in Islam wherein Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) himself took part.

On Sunday past, the Sunni Ulama Council held a commemoration in honour of the day of Badr – which is today, the 17th of Ramadaan.

At the event Shaykh Fakhruddin Owaisi at-Tijani and Shaykh Riyadh Walls gave 2 very inspiring and informative lectures Alhamdu’Lillah. Sitting in the gathering I made some notes, and I will share with you Insha’Allah some of what I have captured.

- The Battle of Badr took place in the second year after the Hijrah

- The Battle is mentioned as Youmul Furqaan in the Quran – The Day of Distinction

- Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) referred to the Companions who fought at Badr as the best Musims, and Gibril (AS) referred to the angels who fought at Badr as the best angels

- The night before the battle Allah Almighty sent a calm rain on the side of the Muslims, and even though they were worried about the battle Allah Almighty gave them a good sleep that night

- At the same time Allah Almighty sent heavy and fierce rain down on the camp of the kufaar

- The Prophet (SAAW) stayed up during the night and wept and made Dua to Allah Almighty – he pleaded to Allah Almighty that if those Muslims were defeated at Badr then Allah Almighty’s name would not be mentioned on the earth again

- The Prophet (SAAW) was so earnest in his dua to Allah Almighty that he raised his hands so high that the white under his arms could be seen, and such that the shawl that was across his shoulders fell down

- Then Allah Almighty sent Gibril (AS) with the good news that Badr would be a day of victory for the Muslims!

- At Badr the Muslims were 313 in number, with only 2 horses, and they will ill-equipped

- The kufaar were almost 1000 in number, with many horses, and they were very well equipped for warfare

- Before the battle the Prophet (SAAW) made markings on the ground – the Companions enquired about this – the Prophet (SAAW) told them that he was marking the spots where the kufaar would lay dead after the battle

- Before the battle the Prophet (SAAW) was organizing the Companions in their battle lines

- One of the Companions was out of line, and the Prophet (SAAW) hit him – lightly – with his stick

- This Companion said that the Prophet (SAAW) had no right to hit him, and that he had to claim justice

- The Prophet (SAAW) did not argue and said the Companion could hit him back

- The Companion said that he was hit on his naked body, so he had to do the same

- The Prophet (SAAW) then lifted his clothing so that the Companion could hit him

- When the Prophet (SAAW) did this the Companions grabbed and kissed the blessed body of the Prophet (SAAW)

- The Companion then explained that he did not know whether he was going to live or die after the battle, and that he wanted to at least kiss the blessed body of the Prophet (SAAW)! ALLAHU AKBAR!

- Before the battle the Prophet (SAAW) picked up sand thrice and threw it in the direction of the kufaar, and said the words “Shaahatil Wujooh” which means “May their faces be deformed” (This Dua is also recited in the Hizb-ul-Bahr – a Dua given to Shaykh Abu’l Hassan Ash-Shadhili by Prophet Muhammad (SAAW))

- During the battle Allah Almighty sent the angels to fight alongside the Muslims, and horses and swords were heard on the side of the Muslims though they did not start the battle with these

- After the battle the Prophet (SAAW) was asked about two men in white fighting alongside him – he said these were the angels Gibril (AS) and Mikaeel (AS)

- Alhamdu’Lillah the Muslims won the Battle of Badr, and it’s victory is mentioned in the Quran

- The Quran makes clear that the victory was from Allah Almighty (even though the Muslims were small in number and ill-equipped)

- After the battle one of the Companions went to look and found that the kufaar were laying dead on exactly the same spots as which the Prophet (SAAW) made the markings on the ground

- Some time after the battle, some of the kufaar become Muslim, and they said that everyone in the kufaar army had dust in their eyes before the battle – this is the dust that the Prophet (SAAW) threw – and this is mentioned in the Quran – Allah Almighty says it was not the Prophet (SAAW) that threw the dust, but it was Allah Almighty that threw it!

- Years after the battle Sayyidina Abu Bakr (RA) was talking with his son, who was Muslim then, but who was on the side of the kufaar on the day of Badr – the son said that on the day of Badr Sayyidina Abu Bakr (RA) came under his sword a few times, but he avoided killing him – but Sayyidina Abu Bakr (RA) said that if he (the son) had to come under his sword just once he would have killed him – this shows the commitment of the Companions to Islam and to the Prophet (SAAW)!

- Sayyidina Abu Ubaida (RA) also killed his father at Badr!

Alhamdu’Lillah we are greatly indebted to Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) and his blessed Companions who fought at the Battle of Badr. May Allah Almighty bless them and elevate them, Ameen.

One thing I learnt at the lecture on Sunday which I think is extremely important is this. One of the children of the Companions said that their fathers taught them about the battles of the Prophet (SAAW) in the same manner that their fathers taught them the verses of the Quran!

I think this is very important – we need to analyze what we are teaching our children, and what we are exposing them to.

May Allah Almighty guide and bless us in Ramadaan, Ameen.

The unworthy servant of the people of Allah

Jamaaludeen