The whole affair of the captives was settled in accordance with the Prophet’s opinion, and they were all set free, eventually. But the matter was not let to rest, at that level. Qur’ānic verses were revealed later (see below) which, in effect, approved of ʿUmar’s position that all the combatants among the captives be killed, with the exception of the Hashimites relatives of the Prophet (peace be upon him), especially al-ʿAbbās, because of their earlier service to Muslims.
7.3 The Qur’ān Comments on the Issue of War Captives
The Qur’ānic comment on the captives’ question is as follows:
It does not behave a Prophet to hold war captives, until he makes wide slaughter in the land; you desire the passing goods of this world, and Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-wise. [al-Anfāl 8:67]
This verse must have been severe for the Muslims, because it had in clear and unambiguous language exposed a typical human weakness in some of the Badr fighters, namely the love of the passing goods of this world. That some of the Badr referees suffered from this typical human weakness, was amply demonstrated in two occasions during the march to Badr.
a. Firstly, some of them strongly disliked the possibility of having to clash with the Quraysh in the battlefield, as if they are being driven to death, their eyes wide open.
b. Secondly, there was the wrangling over the question of how war spoils were to be distributed, a matter which gave a noble sūrah of the Qur’ān its name: namely Sūrah al-Anfāl, whose opening verses dealt with this verse.
c. The opening verse of Sūrah al-Anfāl should be noted for its frankness, not only criticising the Prophet (peace be upon him) and rebuking the Muslims’ wrangling over the war spoils, but also for its stern threat that such wrangling over material things of this world did not behove them, and might even lead to God’s severe chastisement against them!
d. The verse strongly hints to the Muslims that they should not, as indeed did the Jews, assume the favour of their Lord God. God does not favour the Muslims out of mere prejudice for them. They must ensure that their behaviour is righteous, and their dealings fair and straightforward, true to the ideals and norms of the Qur’ān.
The severe attitude of the Qur’ānic verse on the captives issue holds several important lessons:
a. Firstly, it opposes the opinion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Abū Bakr, and is more in line with ʿUmar’s. The fact that it does so, together with the familiar Qur’ānic tendency to criticize, blame, rebuke or even threaten the Prophet (peace be upon him) at times, is a proof that Muḥammad could not have been the author of the Qur’ān.
b. Secondly, the concern over the material welfare of the Muslims as a community is not the overriding Qur’ānic concern. More important is the issue of the supremacy of God’s word and the salvation of the Muslims in the Hereafter.
c. The militant tone of this verse is justifiable by the need to vanquish and punish the mischief and aggression of the Quraysh, by destroying their manpower. The Quraysh not only disbelieved the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) and opposed God Himself, they forced the Muslims out of their homes.
d. However, this verse and the one that immediately came after it, display that characteristic pragmatism and tolerance of the Qur’ān: The Muslims, as ordinary human beings were expected at times to display aspects of the weakness and frailties of human nature. In other words, to love the world and its beautiful ornaments is a characteristic human weakness that cannot be totally eradicated. Yet the Muslims were exhorted to resist it to their utmost power. At the same time, the above Qur’ānic verse assured the Muslims of God’s forgiveness. It even called upon them to enjoy the victory achieved at Badr. The threatening tone of awful doom gave way to a more cheerful one of enjoy what you have won: Says God, in the Qur’ān:
Had it not been a prior ordinance of God, an awful doom could have come upon you, on account of what you have taken. Now, eat of what you have earned as booty is lawful and good and fear Allah, for surely Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate. [al-Anfāl 8:68-69]
8. EPILOGUE ON BADR – A CONCLUDING NOTE: COLOURS AND SOUNDS
8.1 The Banners of Badr
The Muslims’ army carried three banners. The one carried by Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr, the renowned Dāʿiyah and first Muslim ambassador to Yathrib, was white in colour. The other two banners were black, and they were carried right in front of the Prophet (peace be upon him). One called ʿal-ʿUqāb’ carried by ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law and the second by one of the Anṣārs.
The war cry of the Muslims was Aḥad, Aḥad; One, One, God is One, and Yā Manṣūr amit; Allāhu Akbar, God Almighty is the Greatest.
8.2 The Colours of Angels
Angels appeared at Badr in white costumes, wearing white turbans, which extended behind their back, with Gabriel wearing a yellow turban. They were all on horseback. Gabriel was seen by some descending through the clouds, on that rainy day leading his horse, known as Ḥayzūm. Just before the two armies clashed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) filled his hand with pebbles and threw them at the enemy, saying:
‘Defamed are those faces.’ To this act of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the Qur’ān refers: You did not throw, when you threw, but it was Allah who threw. [al-Anfāl 8: 17]
The descent of the angels from heaven was accompanied by a tremendous sound. One of the unbelievers heard a voice in the clouds saying: ‘Go forward, Ḥayzūm!’
8.3 Quraysh in Dispute
The Quraysh disputed hotly among themselves, just before the start of the war. There were two camps: The ‘doves’ represented by Ḥakīm ibn Hishām, and ʿUtbah ibn Rabīʿah. These wanted the Quraysh to return home and not engage the Muslims in battle. Their caravan had arrived safely in Makkah and, after all, Muḥammad (peace be upon him) and the Muslims, especially the Muhājirīn, were their own kith and kin. Should they engage them in war, the result would be the unpleasant one of killing each other, and the Quraysh side would become bitter and divided, as some of them would have killed their fathers and brothers. If Muḥammad (peace be upon him) became victorious, then his glory is the glory of the Quraysh and if the other Arabs prevailed over him, that was what they wanted. But the ‘hawks’, represented by ʿAmr ibn Hishām (Abū Jahl), accused ʿUtbah and Ḥakīm ibn Hishām of cowardice and vowed not to go back to Makkah until Muḥammad and the Muslims had been routed.
8.4 Bilāl Versus Umayyah ibn Khalaf
Bilāl, seeing his former master and oppressor Umayyah ibn Khalaf, shouted as they charged against him: ‘Umayyah ibn Khalaf the head of disbelief, I may not live if he lives!’ Bilāl dealt a fatal blow to Umayyah who, together with his son, was captured by ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf. But Bilāl would not allow his old enemy to escape alive that day, while he was still on the battleground.
8.5 ‘Ukāshah going forward to Paradise
‘Ukāshah ibn Miḥsan lost his sword on the day of Badr, because it was broken into two halves during the fighting. He called to the Prophet (peace be upon him): ‘I have lost my sword!’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave him a long piece of wood. When ‘Ukāshah shook it in his hand, it became a real sword of steel, yet another miracle of the Prophet (peace be upon him) on that fateful day.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Some men of my Ummah, fifty thousand of them, will enter paradise, their faces shining like the full moon,’ ‘Ukāshah said: ‘O Prophet of God, pray that I am one of them.’ ‘You are one of them, O ‘Ukāshah.’ Another man came forward and asked: ‘May I be of them?’ ‘No, ‘Ukāshah has preceded you