*Bismillaahir  Rahmaanir  Raheem*

Assalaamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuhu

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I pray that all of you are well by the grace of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala

*O Allah, on this day, guide me towards righteous actions, fulfil my needs
and hopes, O One who does not need explanations nor questions, O One who
knows what is in the chests of the (people of the) world. Bless Muhammad and
his family, the Pure.*

17th Ramzan – the battle of Badr:

Battle of Badr was the first most important battle between the Muslims and
the Mushrikeen of Makkah.  The battle was fought in 2 A.H. on Friday 17th of
Ramazan and Allah(swt) had promised the Muslims of victory even before the
battle had started.

Allah(swt) says in the Quran :  “And indeed Allah assisted you at Badr when
you were weak, so be careful (to your duty) to Allah so that you may be of
the thankful ones. When you said to the believers ‘Does it not suffice you
that your Lord should assist you with three thousand angels sent down..” –
Sura Aal-e-Imran 3:123 & 124

A Historical perspective
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The battle of Badr was the first of the great battles of Islam. The
faithfuls were put to the first real test during this battle. Badr is the
name of a celebrated well and a market-place of Arabia, and is so named
after a certain Badr bin Quraish bin Mukhlad bin an-Nadr bin Kananah, who
hailed from the clan of Ghaffar.

From the start of Ramzan, a report reached to Madina that a large trading
caravan of Quraish was returning to Mecca from Syria under the leadership of
Abu Sufyan bin Harb accompanied by fifty armed guards. It has been pointed
out that this richly loaded caravan constituted a grave threat to the
security of Madina, therefore, Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) dispatched Talha bin
Ubaidullah and Saeed bin Zaid, to gather intelligence about the caravan and
to report back. It was discovered that it was a large caravan in which all
the Makkans had shares. The Quraish had decided to put all their savings
into it and use the profits on arms, horses and other items of war to use
against the Muslims.

The news was highly disturbing. The Prophet (S.A.W) left Madina and decided
to meet the caravan in Badr with 313 men. Among them only 2 were on horses
and 70 had camels and the rest were on foot. There were only 6 men with
protective gear (zirah). Imam Ali(a.s.) was the standard bearer of the
Muslim army.

Abu Sufyan feared an attack from the Muslims and sent a messenger to Makkah
telling them of his fears. On receiving the message, an army of 1000 men,
100 horses and 700 camels under the leadership of Abu Jahl left Makkah to go
to Badr. Meanwhile Abu Sufyan took a different route back to Makkah avoiding
Badr. When the army of Abu Jahl reached at Jahfah, a little half-way to
Badr, an emissary of Abu Sufyan – or Abu Sufyan himslef according to some
traditions – met with the army of Abu Jahl and informed them that the
caravan had passed through the danger zone safely and that it was not
necessary to march towards Madina. On hearing this, some of them counseled
that they should go back, but Abu Jahl and his party rejected the suggestion
violently in their proudness and the lust of power and their desire to crush
the Muslim army and proceeded towards Badr.

The importance of the first great battle of Islam
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The personality of the Messenger(sawaw), his leadership and his unequalled
firmness. He was to the Muslims the final refuge at Badr and at every battle
he attended. The Hashmites (the clan of the Prophet(sawaw)), led by Imam Ali
ibn-e-Abu Talib(a.s..) who entered this battle relatively obscure and came
out with unequalled military fame. His military performances became the
popular subject of the Arab caravans conversations throughout the Arabic
Peninsula.

Hearts of hundreds of companions of the Messenger were filled with the faith
and readiness for sacrifice. Many of them viewed martyrdom to be a gain,
equal to life and victory. These good companions were the army of Islam, its
first line of defense and thick wall behind which the Messenger(sawaw) used
to stand. They were the attackers and the defenders.

The importance of the outcome of the battle were evident from the prayers of
the Prophet(sawaw) himself. Abdul Malik ibn-e-Hushham narrates in his book
As-Seerah An-Nabawiyah that the Prophet(sawaw) prayed to 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 worshipped.”

The two armies meet at Badr on 17th Ramazan 2 A.H.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the beginning as per Arab custom, single combat (one to one) took place.
The famous Quraysh warriors Utbah ibn-e-Rabi’ah – the father-in-law of Abu
Sufyan -, his son Walid ibn-e-Utbah and his brother Shebah ibn-e-Rabi’ah
came to challenge the Muslim warriors. Hundreds of companions were around
the Prophet(sawaw) and many of them were expecting to be called upon to
start the battle but the Prophet(sawaw) chose to start from his own family.
The load was heavy and the heavy load could be carried only by the people to
whom it belonged as he called upon Imam Ali(a.s.), Al-Hamza and Obeidah Al
Harith (all from the clan of the Prophet(sawaw)) to face the three warriors.
Imam Ali(a.s.) destroyed Al-Walid and Al-Hamza killed Utbah; then they both
assisted Obeidah against his opponent Sheibah. Sheibah died immediately and
Obeidah was the first martyr at this battle. He died after he lost his leg.

The Quraysh got disturbed and began attacking en masse. When the general
offensive began, hundreds of companions participated in the battle and
offered sacrifices and pleased their Lord. But the members of the house of
the Prophet(sawaw) distinguished themselves. Imam Ali(a.s.)’s endeavour was
unique at this battle. When Hanthala Ibn Abu Sufyan faced him, Imam
Ali(a.s.) liquified his eyes with one blow from his sword. He annihilated Al
Auss Ibn Saeed, and met Tuaima Ibn Oday and transfixed him with his spear,
saying “You shall not dispute with us in God after today.”

In the thick of the battle, the Prophet(sawaw) prayed to Allah(swt). In
Surat-ul Anfal Allah(swt) gave the answer:
“When you asked for help from your Lord, He answered you. Indeed I will aid
you with a thousand of the angels in rows behind rows”.
Sura Anfa’al 8:9

According to authentic tradition, Allah(swt) had already promised victory to
the muslims following the prayers of the Phophet Mohammad(sawaw) and during
the battle, Allah(swt) sent down first one thousand then three thousand and
then five thousand angels to help the Muslim army. According to some
narrators of the army of infidels, they saw these warriors having a sword in
one hand and a whip in the other and whoever got stuck by the whip was
instantly killed. It is stated by Maulvi Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehlvi that
Allah(swt) sent all angels in the face of Imam Ali(a.s.).

The Results
~~~~~~~~~~~
The mushrakeen army got frightened and began to retreat. The skill of Imam
Ali(a.s.), the other Muslim soldiers and the sight of so many angels struck
terror in the enemies hearts. 72 Kuffar were killed including their leader
Abu Jahl. Imam Ali(a.s.) killed no less that 20 of them , though some
historians give his credit of killing 36 of them. 14 muslims were martyred.

70 prisoners were taken by the Muslims. This was the first opportunity of
the Muslims after their long and bitter sufferings at the hands of the
Meccans to wreak vengeance on them, if they chose. However, the prisoners
were treated with kindness and some became Muslims. In later days some of
the prisoners said: “blessed be the men of Medina, they made us ride whilst
they walked, they gave us wheat and bread to eat when there was little of it
contenting themselves with plain dates.” The rich prisoners paid ransom and
were set free. Others were asked to gain their freedom by teaching 10
Muslims to read and write.

The battle of Badr strengthened the faith of the Muslims and laid the
foundation of the Islamic State and made out of the Muslims a force to be
reckoned with by the dwellers of the Arabic Peninsula

Historians have recorded that from the day of Badr there was such
awe-inspiring effect on the Arab populace about Imam Ali’s swordsmanship,
daring and courage that the word ‘shuja’at’ became synonymous with Ali

Angles Salute Imam Ali(a.s.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is related by Imam Ali(a.s.) in Yanabi-al-Mawadah that he stated that “On
the night of Badr, Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) sent me to fetch water from a
well. On the way back three strong gusts of winds hit me. When I reached the
Prophet(sawaw) I mentioned about those winds the Prophet(sawaw) told me that
they were groups of angels sent by Allah(swt) in the leadership of Hazrat
Jibrael(a.s.), Hazrat Israfeel(a.s.) and Hazrat Mikaeel(a.s.) and they
saluted me.”

In another tradition also mentioned in Yanabi-al-Mawadah, Imam Ali(a.s.)
used to mention it proudly to his companions that who could be like me who
received the salutation of three thousand angels on the night of Badr which
included angels Jibreel(a.s.), Mikaeel(a.s.) and Israfeel(a.s.).

________________________________
This is from the grace of my LORD & In the Service of His Last Hujjat (a.t.f.s)

Islam Is My Religion…
Allah Is My God..
Mohammad Is My Prophet…
Ali Is My Imam..
Ahlul-Bayt Is My Love…
Quran Is My Book…
Al Qibla Is My Direction…
Makkah Is My Wish..
Jannah Is My Goal….

Please do remember in your valuable prayers and remember H.Prophet (s.a.w)Say’s:
“You cannot treat people by means of your wealth; hence, you should treat them by means of your moral conduct”