Amongst those taken prisoner was Ummaya, the notorious persecutor of impoverished, under privileged Muslims. Before Islam his captor, Abdu Amr, who had now taken the name Abdul Rahman, had been Ummaya's friend, however, Ummaya refused to recognize him by his new name, instead he would call him Abdulillah, which was acceptable to Abdul Rahman. After the encounter, as Abdul Rahman searched among the dead for coats of mail as spoils of war, he caught sight of Ummaya holding his son Ali's hand and heard him call out "Abdu Amr', but he ignored him until he addressed him as Abdulillah saying, "Won't you take me prisoner, I am more valuable than those coats of mail!" Abdul Rahman answered, "By Allah, I will!" as he threw down the coats of mail. Abdul Rahman took them both by the hand and led them toward the camp. As they walked, Ummaya asked the name of the person that had worn an ostrich feather on his chest. Abdul Rahman told him that the man was Hamza, whereupon Ummaya commented that it was he who had harmed them most. Bilal, who had been tortured unmercifully by Ummaya caught sight of Abdul Rahman leading his prisoners to the camp and cried out, "It is the great unbelievers, Ummaya, Khalaf's son, may I not live as long as he lives!" Abdul Rahman retorted, "They are my prisoners!" but Bilal continued to cry out, "O helpers of Allah, the great unbeliever Ummaya, Khalaf's son, may I not live as long as he lives!" The believers soon began to gather around Abdul Rahman, Ummaya and Ali, then one stepped forward and cut off Ali's foot and Ummaya screamed out in protest with all his might. Abdul Rahman told him that there was nothing he could do for him and the crowd set upon the two and killed them.
THE DRIED−UP WELL
When it came time to bury the twenty−four unbelieving Koraysh chieftains, the Prophet (sa) ordered their corpses to be cast into a disused, dried−up well. A few days after as the Prophet (sa) left Badr he passed by the well and addressed each of the corpses by their own name saying, "Would it have pleased you if you had obeyed Allah and His Messenger? We have found what our Lord has promised to be true, have you found what your lord has promised you to be true?" When Omar heard him speaking to the dead he asked, "O Messenger of Allah (sa), do you speak to bodies without souls?" whereupon he informed him that they could indeed hear him better than Omar had heard him ask. As for Ummaya, he was not buried with his comrades as his body had swollen to such an extent that when they tried to remove his armor it started to disintegrate, so they covered him with earth and stones, leaving him where he had fallen.
As the body of Utba was about to be thrown into the pit along with the other unbelievers, the Prophet (sa) caught sight of Abu Hudhayfah who was Utaba's son. Compassionately, the Prophet (sa) inquired about his feelings, whereupon he replied, "No, I have no misgivings about my father and his death, rather, I remember him for his wisdom, and better qualities. I had hoped that he would be guided to Islam and when I saw he had died in disbelief it saddened me." The Messenger of Allah (sa) spoke kindly to him and then supplicated for Abu Hudhayfah.
THE APOSTATES
Amongst those who had fought against the Prophet (sa) were Harith, Zamaa's son; Abu Kays, Fakih's son, Al Walid's son; Ali, Ummaya's son and Al As, Munabbih's son. All of these men had embraced Islam when the Prophet (sa) was in Mecca, however, when it was time for them to migrate their families had compelled them to stay behind and succeeded to seduce them once more into disbelief. Then, more recently, when the Koraysh asked them to join with them against the Prophet (sa) they had done so without the least hesitation. Now a verse referring to them was sent down. "And the angels who take those who wronged themselves, will say: ‘In what condition were you?’ They will reply: 'We were oppressed in the land,' They (the angels) will say: 'Was not the earth of Allah wide enough for you in order that you migrate in it?" Those, their shelter will be Gehenna (Hell), an evil arrival." Al-Quran 4:97
Satan, the stoned and cursed, threw the seeds of discord among the Muslims who had but a few hours before fought as one against a common enemy −− now a dispute over the distribution of the spoils of war started to fester. Some of the Muslims who had stood guard around the Prophet (sa) during the hostilities claimed that although they had not fought, they were entitled to a share of the prisoners, weapons, coats of mail and rides. When the Messenger of Allah (sa) heard the arguing he immediately ordered all the spoils to be brought before him and it was during this time that a new Revelation was sent down that called them back to the remembrance of Allah, whereupon they felt ashamed of their actions.
"They ask you about the spoils (of war), Say: 'The spoils belong to Allah and the Messenger. Therefore, have fear of Allah, and set things right between you. Obey Allah and His Messenger, if you are believers.’ Indeed the believers are those whose hearts quake at the mention of Allah, and when His verses are recited to them it increased them in faith. They are those who put their trust in their Lord. Those who pray steadfastly, and spend of that which We have provided them, Those are, in truth, the believers. They shall have degrees with their Lord and forgiveness, and a generous provision.” Al-Quran 8:1−4
After the Prophet (sa) received the new Revelation he appointed Abdullah, Ka'bs son, to take charge of the spoils. It was now time to set off on the return journey to Medina and so the companions, together with their prisoners made ready, but before they set off the Prophet (sa), knowing that his followers that had remained behind in Medina would be anxious for news of them, sent Abdullah, Rawaha's son on ahead of them to Medina, and Zayd to its suburbs to convey the news of their blessed victory.
Before Islam, when feuding Arabs were taken captive, they knew they could expect little or no mercy from their captors. When the unbelievers learned that the Prophet (sa) had given instructions that they should be bound but treated well they were surprised and heartened still further upon learning that they were not to go hungry but to share their captors food. Amongst the prisoners were several members of the Prophet's own family including Suhail, the chief of Amir, cousin and former brother−in−law of Lady Swaydah, the Prophet's wife. Other family members were the Prophet's uncle, Abbas, who inclined to Islam, but feared that if the Koraysh learned about his inclination they would refuse to repay the vast sums of money owed to him. Then, there was Abd Al As, husband of the Abbas. Earlier on that day Musab discovered that his brother Abu Aziz had been taken captive by one of the Ansar. When he saw him, he turned to the Ansar saying, "Bind him well, his mother is rich and she might be prepared to pay handsomely for him!" When Abu Aziz heard his brother's remark he exclaimed, "Brother, is this how you speak of me to others?" Musab replied, "He is my brother in your stead." Musab proved to be right, his mother offered 4,000 dirhams for her son's release. However, Abu Aziz never forgot how well the Ansar treated him and would often speak of it in the years to come. That night as the companions prepared themselves to sleep the Prophet (sa) was restless. He disliked the thought of his uncle being bound so he sent word for him to be untied.
Amongst their captives, the companions succeeded in taking two of their most hostile enemies −− Nadr, from the tribe of Ad Dharr and Ukba, from the tribe of Shams. The Prophet (sa) contemplated on whether or not to let them live, for he knew that if they were to remain alive they would, no doubt, continued to incite further hostilities against them. However, there was the chance that the events of the encounter had caused them to reflect and thereby convert to Islam. With this in mind, the Prophet (sa) patiently decided to observe their attitude and actions before taking any further steps. By the time they had reached their first halt, the Prophet (sa) had chance to assess Nadr and Ukba and found them both as resolute as they had always been, nothing had changed, so he ordered Ali to put Nadr to death and an Ansar to put Ukba to death. Three days before reaching Medina, the Prophet (sa) halted his army and divided the prisoners and spoils of war between them so that each companion received an equal share.
When Zayd and Abdullah reached Medina, the news of the Prophet's victory spread like wild−fire throughout the City, whereupon the Muslims rejoiced and gave thanks to Allah. Zayd now made his way to Afra's house to break the news that her two sons Awf and Muawwidh had both been martyred at Badr. It was indeed a great loss for Afra, but deep down she knew that her sons had been honored with the death of martyrdom. From Afra's house Zayd visited Haritha's mother and told her that her son had been one of the first to be mortally wounded at the onset of the hostilities. A few days after the Prophet's return Haritha's mother went to him and asked, "O Messenger of Allah (sa), tell me about Haritha. If he is in Paradise I can endure it with patience, but if not I shall weep." The Messenger of Allah (sa) compassionately consoled her with the words, "O mother of Haritha, there are many ranks in Paradise and your son has achieved the best −− Firdous!" The heart of Haritha's mother was now at rest, and she gave thanks to Allah, she could not have wished for more than this for her beloved son. As for the hypocrites, and Jewish tribes of Nadir, Krayzah and Kaynuka their hopes were dashed. All had all hoped for the destruction of the Prophet (sa) and his followers so that their way of life might return to how it had been before his arrival in Medina.
Such was the disregard for their faith, that many Jews had taken to marrying pagan Arabs, even though Judaism forbade it. Ka'b, Ashraf's son had been born of a Jewish mother and an idol worshipping Arab from the tribe of Tayy but on account of his mother being a Jewess, the Jews accepted him as one of their own into her tribe of Nadir. Ka'b was wealthy and known for his poetry, and over the years had become an influential Nadir tribesman. When he heard the news of the Koraysh defeat, with the demise of so many if its chieftains, he could not accept it and his tongue revealed his innermost thoughts as he exclaimed, "By Allah, if Muhammad has killed these, can the depths of the earth be better than its surface!" Ka'b could not accept the news to be true so he questioned those whom he knew to be reliable, but to his dismay all confirmed the same account. Despondent, yet angered Ka'b rode off for Mecca with the intention of inciting the Koraysh to revenge themselves by riding against the Prophet (sa) again, but, this time to fight him in Yathrib. To add fuel to the fire he composed an impassioned poem in honor of the lamented Koraysh chieftains and their fallen tribes which he knew would kindle the emotions of everyone in Mecca.
THE DEATH OF LADY RUKAYYAH
Although it was a time for great elation in Medina, it was also a time for great sorrow. Shortly before the Prophet (sa) left for Badr, his daughter, Lady Rukayyah, had been taken seriously ill. Her illness has been of such great concern to the Prophet (sa) that he had instructed her husband, Uthman, to stay at her side and not to accompany them to Badr. Lady Rukayyah's illness proved terminal and on the very day Zayd and Abdullah brought news of the glorious victory, Uthman and Osama buried her, may Allah be pleased with her. One of the first things the Prophet (sa) did upon his return was to visit her grave. Lady Fatima, the youngest daughter of the Prophet (sa) was very upset by the loss of her sister and so the Prophet (sa) took her to visit the tomb. As they approached the grave Lady Fatima could not withhold her sorrow and many tears rolled down her cheek whereupon the Prophet (sa) comforted her and dried away her tears with his cloak. There had been a misunderstanding over the Prophet's instruction regarding the extent of expressing one's bereavement. Omar had heard someone weeping for the martyred of Badr and then again for Lady Rukayyah and spoken harshly to them. When the Prophet (sa) learned of Omar's harsh words, he told him it was all right to let them weep, for what comes from the heart and from the eyes is from Allah and His Mercy. He explained that it was only the excess of the hand and tongue which was forbidden because they are the prompts of satan, the stone and cursed. By this he referred to the pagan customer where mourners would beat their chest, dig their nails into their cheeks and scream in an uncontrollable manner.
THE ARRIVAL OF THE PRISONERS
The Koraysh prisoners arrived in Medina the day after Prophet Muhammad (sa). They had been well cared for and the attitude of the Muslims towards them gave the Koraysh a chance to experience Islam in action. Not only had they been treated unexpectedly well but they could not help but observe the considerate Islamic behavior of Muslims toward one another that had succeeded in breaking down, what would have appeared to other Arabs, as impregnable tribal differences and barriers.
Suhayl, Lady Swaydah's cousin and former brother−in−law was confined in the house of the Prophet (sa) as was Al As, the husband of Lady Zaynab, the Prophet's daughter. When Suhayl arrived, Lady Swaydah was not at home, she had been to visit Afra whose sons had been martyred, so upon her return she was taken by surprise to find him sitting in the corner of a room in her apartment with his hands bound. When Suhayl's tribesmen learned of his capture they made haste to Medina to negotiate his release, as he was considered by many, to be the most able to lead the tribe of Amir. Suhayl was Malik, the son of Al Dukhshum's captive, and so it was with him that the ransom was negotiated. The amount was agreed upon, however, Suhayl's tribesmen had not brought the ransom with them so he permitted Suhayl to return with them to raise the sum and left Mikraz,
Haf's son behind as surety until their return.
Abbas was a well−built man yet he had been taken captive by Abu'l Yassar who was of slight build. When the Prophet (sa) asked how he managed to capture him, Abdu'l Yassar told him that a man, the like of which he had neither seen before or after, had helped him, whereupon the Prophet (sa) informed him that the man was none other than an angel sent for that purpose. When Abbas was brought before the Prophet (sa) he was asked, "You are a rich man, why don't you ransom yourself Abbas, and your nephews, Akil and Nawfal was well as Utba, Amr's son?" Abbas replied, "My tribesmen coerced me into joining them." The Prophet (sa) answered, "Allah knows best, however, it would appear you have acted against us, therefore a ransom is due." As part of the spoils of war Abbas had been relieved of twenty pieces of gold, so he reminded the Prophet (sa) of them telling him to use that as his ransom. When the Prophet (sa) heard this he replied, "Allah has taken this away from you and given it to us." Abbas insisted, "I have no money!" whereupon the Prophet (sa) asked, "Where then is the money you left with Umm Fadl, Harith's daughter when you left Mecca?" Abbas was completely taken aback and exclaimed, "None except Umm Fadl knew of this −− now I know you have been sent with the truth!" whereupon Abbas ransomed himself, his nephews and Utba.
The first people to reach Mecca with the news of the Koraysh defeat were Al Haysuman and Abdullah, Al Khuzai's son, who bewailed the fact that so many of their chieftains had fallen on the battlefield of Badr. In the large tent of Zamzam, the converts Abu Rafi, former slave of Abbas freed by the Prophet (sa) and Abbas' wife, Umm Fadl sat sharpening their arrows. They had both been overjoyed to hear the news of the Prophet's victory, however, they felt it was more prudent to restrain their happiness. As they sharpened the arrows, Abu Lahab who had not taken part in the encounter but sent Al As in his place entered. His face looked as black as thunder as he sat himself down at the other end of the tent with his back toward Abu Rafi. Not long after Abu Lahab heard some others in the tent saying, "Abu Sufyan, Al Harith's son has returned," whereupon he looked up, saw his nephew and called him. A small crowd gathered around the two as Abu Sufyan told his uncle, "The facts are the Koraysh met our enemy and turned their backs. They put us to flight taking prisoners as they pleased, I cannot blame our tribesmen because they faced not only them but men wearing white robes riding piebald horses, who were between heaven and earth. They spared nothing and no one had a chance." When Umm Fadl and Abu Rafi heard the news of the men in white riding between heaven and earth, they could no longer contain their happiness and Abu Rafi exclaimed for all to hear, "They were angels!"
THE DEATH OF ABU LAHAB
Abu Rafi's outburst was more than Abu Lahab could bear, in a raging fury he forced Abu Rafi, who was frail, to the ground and struck him over and over again. Umm Fadl grabbed hold of a tent pole that lay nearby and with all her might hit her brother−in−law's head with it crying out. "Do you think that you can abuse him just because Abbas is away!" She wounded him so severely that his head was split open and laid bare part of his skull. The wound was never to heal, it turned septic and its poison spread rapidly through his entire body erupting into open pustules that caused his death within the week. When he died, his family, fearing that they might be afflicted with disease −− for they feared the plague, and his condition resembled it −− were hesitant to bury him and so they left his decaying body decomposing in his home for two or three nights. It was only when someone rebuked them strongly saying, "It is disgraceful, you should be ashamed of yourselves to leave your father to rot in his house and not bury him from the sight of men!" that they did something. With great reluctance and from a safe distance, his sons threw water over his body, then removed his corpse and left it by a wall on a high piece of ground outside Mecca and threw stones over it until it was completely covered.
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