THE STORY OF MUHAMMAD SAW

Muhammad, sometimes called Muhammad Abdullah, was the founder of the

religion Islam, and is considered by Muslims to be a messenger and prophet of God.
Muslims believe he was the last of the Islamic prophets.

Prophet Muhammad was born in 570 CE IN Mecca. His father, Abdullah, died several
weeks before his birth in Madinah (Yathrib) where he went to visit his fathers
maternal relatives. His mother, Aminah, died while on the return journey from
Madinah at a place called Abwa when he was six years old. He was raised by his
paternal grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib (Shayban) until the age of eight and after his
grandfathers death he was raised by Abu Talib, his paternal uncle.

Adb al-Muttalib was the respected head of Hashim and the tribe of Quraysh. The
Quraysh has a special status because they used to be in charged of the sacred Kaba.
Abu Talib did not possess the high status and influence of his father.

When Muhmmad was twenty five years old, he was hired by a woman called Khadijah
to take her merchandise to Syria. Khadijah, a widow fifteen years Muhammads senior,
later proposed marriage to him, which he agreed to. They lived together for almost a
quarter of a century. The first verses of Quran was received by Prophet Muhammad at
the age of forty. The last word of the book were revealed to the Prophet shortly before
his death.

In the first two three years after the revelation, the Prophet preached Islam secretly to
individuals whom he trusted. When he started calling people to Islam publicly, he was
subjected to harassment and abuse. However, armed with patience, determination
and protected by his uncle, he was able to carry on preaching the new faith of people.
Converts to Islam, some of whom were slaves, had to suffer all kinds of persecution,
 including brutal torture and murder. The prophet had to instruct a group of Muslims to
escape the persecution to Abyssinia and seek protection of its just Christian King.

Quraysh then sent a delegation to the king, carrying precious gifts, to secure the
extradition of the Muslim refugees. The king, however, rejected the bribe and let the
Muslims stay. One year later the Quraysh imposed economic and social sanctions on
the Prophet, his followers, and his clan. As a result, the Muslims withdrew to a
mountain in Mecca. The sanctions lasted about three years before collapsing in
618/619 CE without achieving their goals.

Soon afterwards, the Prophet lost his wife Khadija, about 8-9 years after the
revelation of the Quran. Matter grew worst when his uncle, the protector, died.

Prophet Muhammad has his first battle of Islam, it is called Battle of Badr

The battle of Badr was the first of the great battles of Islam. The faithful 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 Quraysh
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 Madinah, therefore, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) 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 Quraysh 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 Madinah 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 himself 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 Madinah. On hearing this, some of
them counselled 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 (pbuh), 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(pbuh)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.

The hundreds of companions of the Messenger whose hearts 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(pbuh) 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(pbuh)
himself. Abdul Malik ibn-e-Hushham narrates in his book As-Seerah An-Nabawiyah that the
Prophet(pbuh) 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 Ramzan 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(pbuh) and many of them were expecting to be called upon
to start the battle but the Prophet(pbuh) 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(pbuh)) 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(pbuh) distinguised 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(pbuh) 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 Prophet Mohammad(pbuh) 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.

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.
 The 14 Muslims killed were:

Haritha bin Suraqa al-Khazraji

Dhush-shimaalayn ibn 'Abdi 'Amr al-Muhajiri

Rafi' bin al-Mu alla al-Khazraji

Sa'd bin Khaythama al-Awsi

Safwan bin Wahb al-Muhajiri

Aaqil bin al-Bukayr al-Muhajiri

Ubayda bin al-Harith al-Muhajiri

Umayr bin al-Humam al-Khazraji

Umayr bin Abi Waqqas al-Muhajiri

Awf bin al-Harith al-Khazraji

Mubashshir bin 'Abdi'l Mundhir al-Awsi

Mu'awwidh bin al-Harith al-Khazraji

Mihja' bin Salih al-Muhajiri

Yazid bin al-Harith bin Fus.hum al-Khazraj