Province
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The Battles of Badr & Uhud
| The Battles of Badr, Uhud and The Trench all were defining moments in Islam. The Prophet (pbuh) and his companions had already fled persecution in Makkah, and then were being challenged in Madinah |
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The first of the Prophet's (pbuh) battles was the Battle of Badr in 2H (624). It is mentioned by name in the Quran [3:122] The purpose of the military campaign was not to convert people by force, but rather to enable them to freely profess Islam without risk of persecution. The Quran [2:156] is categorical on this point: "There is no compulsion in religion."
According to tradition, the battle was an accident and Mohammed was uncertain until the last moment that the bulk of his party would actually fight on his behalf. Victory at Badr crystalized Mohammed as an effective combat leader and confirmed his position in Madinah.
Often described as 'non-believers', the enemy at Badr were, essentially, the entire manpower of the Quraysh, the same people who had driven the Muslims from Makkah. The Prophet (pbuh) himself belonged to this tribe as did several members of his family who fought with him.
The two forces met at the village of Badr between Madinah and Makkah. After resting overnight they fought the next day. No description of the battle as a whole is available. One version of the battle describes it beginning when Utbah Ibn Rabi-ah, his son Al Walid, and his brother Sheibah stood in front of their pagan army of a 1,000 men, and asked the Prophet (pbuh) to send to them their equals for a dual. Hundreds of companions were there, and many expected to be called by the Prophet (pbuh) but he choose to start from his own family. He called Ali, Al Hamza and Obeidah Al Harith to face the three warriors.
Ali destroyed Al Walid and Al Hamza killed Utbah; then they both assisted Obeidah against his opponent Sheibah. Sheibah died immediately and Obeidah became the first martyr at this battle. He died after he lost his leg.
When the general offensive began, hundreds of companions participated. It was a violent, but fairly short battle with the force from Makkah fleeing the field leaving the Prophet (pbuh) and his supporters the victors. Mohammed defeated 1,000 men with only 314 followers.
And Allah has already made you victorious at badr, when you were a weak little force. So fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden and love Allah much, perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained) that you may be grateful. [3:123]
Badr became so significant a victory, that Ibn Ishaq included a complete name-by-name roster of the army Mohammed led. There were 83 men from the Muslim Quraysh, and 231 men from Madinah.
At the Uhud (Ohod) Battleground in the shadow of Jebel Uhud the Prophet's tiny army was defeated by the Makkahns in the second battle. The foothills of Madinah contains the martyrs' graves, including that of Hamza Bin Abdul Mutaleb, the Prophet's uncle. The Prophet said of this site, "Uhud is a mountain that loves us and we love it, and it is on one of the doors to paradise." Two years later he was finally able to conquer the Makkahns at the Battle of the Trench.
Al Baqi cemetery is the burial site for most of the companions of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). It also includes the graves of Ibrahim, Ruqaiya, Fatima Bint Asad, (mother of Ali Bin Abi Taleb), Othman Bin Affan, Abi Saeed Al Khudary, Sa'ad Bin Mua'd, Abdul Rahman Bin Awf, Othman Bin Madhoun, Malek bin Anas, and the graves of the Prophet's wives, daughters and member of his family. May Allah be pleased with them all. |
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