Mihja’

The Battle of Badr, the epic clash between Truth and Falsehood. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala speaks about the details of this glorious battle so that it may serve as a lesson for the adherents of both truth and falsehood:

قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ أٰيَةٌ فِيْ فِئَتَيْنِ الْتَقَتَا فِئَةٌ تُقَاتِلُ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ وَأُخْرىٰ كَافِرَةٌ يَّرَوْنَهُمْ مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْيَ الْعَيْنِ وَاللّٰهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهٖ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ إِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُولِي الْأَبْصَارِ

Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met – one fighting in the cause of Allah and another of disbelievers. They saw them [to be] twice their [own] number by [their] eyesight. But Allah supports with His victory whom He wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for those of vision.^[1]

Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala lists the favours He bestowed on this selected group, the participants of Badr:

إِذْ يُغَشِّيْكُمُ النُّعَاسَ أَمَنَةً مِّنْهُ وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً لِّيُطَهِّرَكُمْ بِهٖ وَيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمْ رِجْزَ الشَّيْطَانِ وَلِيَرْبِطَ عَلىٰ قُلُوْبِكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتَ بِهٖ الْأَقْدَامَ

[Remember] when He overwhelmed you with slumber [giving] security from Him and sent down upon you from the sky, rain by which to purify you and remove from you the evil [suggestions] of Shaitan and to make steadfast your hearts and plant firmly thereby your feet.^[2]

The significance of this battle may be realised by the fact that Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala dedicated an entire Surah―Surah al Anfal―to highlight the various stages of this battle. Indeed, the warriors of Badr were beloved to Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and are the cream of this ummah.

Sayyidina Rifa’ah ibn Rafi’ al Zuraqi radiya Llahu ‘anhu (one of the Badr warriors) says that Jibril `alayh al-Salam came to Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and enquired, “How do you look upon the warriors of Badr among yourselves?” Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam replied, “As the best of the Muslims.” On that, Jibril `alayh al-Salam said, “And so are the angels who participated in Badr.”^[3]

Only a select few where chosen for this great honour. The Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum would say that the number of the soldiers of Badr was the same as the number of Talut’s companions who crossed the river (of Jordan) with him, and none crossed the river with him but a believer, and they were over 310 men.^[4]

This is the largest group of people promised Jannat, explicitly, in the hadith: Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam declared: “Perhaps Allah looked upon the Badr fighters and said, ‘Do whatever you like, for I have ordained that you will be in Jannat.’”^[5] Another version has the wording, “Do whatever you like, for I have forgiven you.’”^[6]

Sayyidina Mihja’ radiya Llahu ‘anhu is one of the 310 privileged soldiers of Islam to witness Badr. His good fortune does not stop there. He is among the 14 martyrs of the battle as well. You will recognise that his blessing only increases when you realise that he was the first martyr of this major contest,^[7] killed by ‘Amir ibn al Hadrami.^[8]

Sayyidina Mihja’ radiya Llahu ‘anhu has earned his place among the first Muhajirin.^[9] He is the freed slave Sayyidina ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu and is originally from Yemen.^[10]

NEXT⇒ Shuqran al Habashi

^[1] Surah Al ‘Imran: 13.

^[2] Surah al Anfal: 11.

^[3] Sahih al Bukhari, Book 59, Hadith: 327.

^[4] Sahih al Bukhari, Book 59, Hadith: 294; Jami’ al Tirmidhi, Book 19, Hadith: 1598. Grade: sahih.

^[5] Sahih al Bukhari, Book 74, Hadith: 276.

^[6] Sahih al Bukhari, Book 52, Hadith: 314.

^[7] Al Bidayah wa al Nihayah, vol. 3 pg. 347.

^[8] Tanwir al Ghabash, pg. 130.

^[9] Tanwir al Ghabash, pg. 130.

^[10] Al Bidayah wa al Nihayah, vol. 3 pg. 347.

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