In short
- Date
- Friday 17 Ramadan 2 AH, March 624 CE
- Place
- The wells of Badr, on the caravan road southwest of Madinah
- Muslims
- About 313, with two horses and about seventy camels
- Quraysh
- About 1,000, led by Abu Jahl
- Result
- A clear victory for the Muslims
- Losses
- 14 Muslims martyred; 70 of Quraysh killed and 70 captured
In short: in Ramadan 2 AH the Prophet ﷺ went out from Madinah with about 313 Companions to meet a Quraysh trade caravan returning from Syria. The caravan escaped, and instead a Makkan army of about a thousand marched to Badr. On 17 Ramadan the two sides met. Allah sent down rain, calm and angels, and the small Muslim force won a complete victory. Abu Jahl and many leaders of Quraysh were killed. Surah Al-Anfal was revealed about this battle.1
Why the battle happened
For thirteen years in Makkah the Muslims were mocked, boycotted and tortured, and in the end they were driven out. Most of the Muhajirun left their homes and property behind in Makkah. In Madinah the first verses permitting them to fight were revealed: "Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged" (22:39).
In 2 AH a large caravan of Quraysh, led by Abu Sufyan, was returning from Syria. The Prophet ﷺ went out to intercept it. Ka'b ibn Malik said that he went out "wanting the caravan of Quraysh, until Allah brought them together with their enemy without an appointment".2 Abu Sufyan changed his route along the coast and sent word to Makkah for help. Quraysh marched out in strength. When the caravan was safe, Abu Sufyan told them to go home, but Abu Jahl refused and insisted on going on to Badr. Allah describes this in Surah Al-Anfal:
وَإِذْ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ إِحْدَى ٱلطَّآئِفَتَيْنِ أَنَّهَا لَكُمْ وَتَوَدُّونَ أَنَّ غَيْرَ ذَاتِ ٱلشَّوْكَةِ تَكُونُ لَكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُحِقَّ ٱلْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَيَقْطَعَ دَابِرَ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿٧﴾
Wa iz ya'idukumul laahu ihdat taaa'ifataini annahaa lakum wa tawaddoona anna ghaira zaatish shawkati takoonu lakum wa yureedul laahu ai yuhiqqal haqqa bikalimaatihee wa taqta'a daabiral kaafireen
[Remember, O believers], when Allah promised you one of the two groups - that it would be yours - and you wished that the unarmed one would be yours. But Allah intended to establish the truth by His words and to eliminate the disbelievers
Quran 8:7 · Sahih International · Read Surah Al-Anfal
What happened
The council
When the news came that an army, not a caravan, was coming, the Prophet ﷺ consulted his Companions. Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad said: "We will not say as the people of Musa said, 'Go, you and your Lord, and fight.' We will fight on your right and your left, in front of you and behind you." Ibn Masud said the Prophet's ﷺ face lit up with joy at his words.3 Ibn Ishaq reports that Saad ibn Muadh then spoke for the Ansar and promised that they would follow him even into the sea.4
The night before
The Muslims camped near the wells of Badr. Allah sent rain that firmed the sand under their feet and gave them a calm sleep (8:11). The Prophet ﷺ spent the night in prayer. On the day of the battle he turned to the qibla, raised his hands and kept calling on his Lord until his cloak fell from his shoulders, and Abu Bakr put it back and said that was enough.5
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْشُدُكَ عَهْدَكَ وَوَعْدَكَ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ شِئْتَ لَمْ تُعْبَدْ
"O Allah, I ask You to fulfil Your covenant and Your promise. O Allah, if You will, You will not be worshipped [on earth]." Abu Bakr took his hand and said, "That is enough." He went out reciting: "[Their] assembly will be defeated, and they will turn their backs in retreat" (54:45).
Sahih al-Bukhari 3953 · narrated by Ibn Abbas · sahih
The duels and the battle
The battle opened with single combat. Hamzah, Ali and Ubaydah ibn al-Harith went out against Utbah, Shaybah and al-Walid ibn Utbah of Quraysh, and the Quraysh champions were killed. Ali said the verse "These are two adversaries who have disputed over their Lord" (22:19) was revealed about these six men.6 Then the armies met. Allah reinforced the believers with angels: the Prophet ﷺ said, "This is Jibril, holding the head of his horse, equipped for war".7
Two young men of the Ansar, the sons of Afra, struck down Abu Jahl, and Abdullah ibn Masud found him dying.8 Umayyah ibn Khalaf, who had tortured Bilal in Makkah, was also killed.9 By the end of the day the Quraysh army had broken and fled.
After the battle
The Prophet ﷺ consulted Abu Bakr and Umar about the seventy captives. He accepted ransom, and verses 8:67-69 were revealed about that decision.5 The Muslims of Badr gained a rank of their own: the Prophet ﷺ told Umar that Allah may have looked at the people of Badr and said, "Do what you will, I have forgiven you".10
The numbers, and where the sources differ
| What the sources say | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Muslims | "Three hundred and ten and some", the same number as those who crossed the river with Talut | Sahih al-Bukhari 3957, from al-Bara |
| 319 | Sahih Muslim 1763, from Umar | |
| 313 or 314; al-Mubarakpuri gives 313, 314 or 317 | Ibn Hisham; al-Raheeq al-Makhtum | |
| Quraysh | About 1,000 | Sahih Muslim 1763; Ibn Hisham gives 950 |
| Muslims martyred | 14 (6 of the Muhajirun, 8 of the Ansar) | Ibn Hisham |
| Quraysh losses | 70 killed and 70 captured | Sahih al-Bukhari 3986, from al-Bara |
The small differences in the Muslim count come from whether the Prophet ﷺ himself, the boys sent back, and the few men sent on errands who were given a share are included.
Verses revealed about Badr
Ibn Abbas said Surah Al-Anfal "was revealed about Badr".11 These are some of its verses, and one from Surah Al-Imran:
إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمْ فَٱسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ أَنِّى مُمِدُّكُم بِأَلْفٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ مُرْدِفِينَ ﴿٩﴾
Iz tastagheesoona Rabbakum fastajaaba lakum annee mumiddukum bi alfim minal malaaa'ikati murdifeen
[Remember] when you asked help of your Lord, and He answered you, "Indeed, I will reinforce you with a thousand from the angels, following one another."
Quran 8:9 · Sahih International · Read Surah Al-Anfal
فَلَمْ تَقْتُلُوهُمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَتَلَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ رَمَىٰ ۚ وَلِيُبْلِىَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْهُ بَلَآءً حَسَنًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ ﴿١٧﴾
Falam taqtuloohum wa laakinnal laaha qatalahum; wa maa ramaita iz ramaita wa laakinnal laaha ramaa; wa liyubliyal mu'mineena minhu balaaa'an hasanaa; innal laaha Samee'un Aleem
And you did not kill them, but it was Allah who killed them. And you threw not, [O Muhammad], when you threw, but it was Allah who threw that He might test the believers with a good test. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
Quran 8:17 · Sahih International · Read Surah Al-Anfal
إِذْ أَنتُم بِٱلْعُدْوَةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَهُم بِٱلْعُدْوَةِ ٱلْقُصْوَىٰ وَٱلرَّكْبُ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدتُّمْ لَٱخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِى ٱلْمِيعَٰدِ ۙ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَقْضِىَ ٱللَّهُ أَمْرًۭا كَانَ مَفْعُولًۭا لِّيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنۢ بَيِّنَةٍۢ وَيَحْيَىٰ مَنْ حَىَّ عَنۢ بَيِّنَةٍۢ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٤٢﴾
Iz antum bil'udwatid dunyaa wa hum bil'udwatil quswaa warrakbu asfala minkum; wa law tawaa'attum lakhtalaftum fil mee'aadi wa laakil liyaqdiyal laahu amran kaana maf'oolal liyahlika man halaka 'am baiyinatinw wa yahyaa man haiya 'am baiyinah; wa innal laaha la Samee'un 'Aleem
[Remember] when you were on the near side of the valley, and they were on the farther side, and the caravan was lower [in position] than you. If you had made an appointment [to meet], you would have missed the appointment. But [it was] so that Allah might accomplish a matter already destined - that those who perished [through disbelief] would perish upon evidence and those who lived [in faith] would live upon evidence; and indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
Quran 8:42 · Sahih International · Read Surah Al-Anfal
وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍۢ وَأَنتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌۭ ۖ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٢٣﴾
Wa laqad nasarakumul laahu bi-Badrinw wa antum azillatun fattaqul laaha la'allakum tashkuroon
And already had Allah given you victory at [the battle of] Badr while you were few in number. Then fear Allah; perhaps you will be grateful.
Quran 3:123 · Sahih International · Read Surah Al-Imran
Lessons from Badr
- Victory comes from Allah, not from numbers: "And victory is not except from Allah" (8:10).
- Consultation (shura): the Prophet ﷺ asked his Companions before deciding, and acted on their counsel.
- Dua and effort together: he prepared the ranks, then spent the night calling on his Lord.
- Allah's plan can be better than ours. The believers wanted the caravan; Allah gave them a lasting victory (8:7).
- The young matter: two young men of the Ansar brought down the greatest enemy of Islam in Makkah.
- Badr was fought while fasting in Ramadan, so it is remembered every Ramadan. See the three ashras of Ramadan.
Where it fits in the seerah
Battle of Badr took place in 17 Ramadan 2 AH (March 624 CE). For the whole life of the Prophet ﷺ in order, from his birth in Makkah to his passing in Madinah, see the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ life timeline. All the battles and turning points are listed on the seerah page.
After this: Battle of Uhud
Questions
When was the Battle of Badr?
On Friday 17 Ramadan in the second year after the Hijrah, which was March 624 CE. Some sources give 19 Ramadan, but 17 Ramadan is the best-known date.
How many Muslims fought at Badr?
About 313. Al-Bukhari reports "three hundred and ten and some" (3957), and Muslim reports 319 (1763). They faced about a thousand men of Quraysh.
Why is Badr called the Day of Criterion?
Allah calls it yawm al-furqan, the day of criterion, "the day when the two armies met" (8:41), because on that day He separated truth from falsehood.
Did angels fight at Badr?
Yes. Allah says He reinforced the believers with a thousand angels (8:9), and the Prophet ﷺ said Jibril was there armed for battle (Bukhari 3995).
Who was killed at the Battle of Badr?
Fourteen Muslims were martyred. Of Quraysh, seventy were killed, among them Abu Jahl, Utbah and Shaybah ibn Rabiah and Umayyah ibn Khalaf, and seventy were captured.
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4645, from Said ibn Jubair: Ibn Abbas on Surah Al-Anfal.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3951, from Ka'b ibn Malik.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3952, from Ibn Masud.
- Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, from Ibn Ishaq: the Battle of Badr.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3953 (Ibn Abbas); Sahih Muslim 1763 (Umar ibn al-Khattab).
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3965 and 3966.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3995.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3141 and 3962.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 2301.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3007 and 3983, the story of Hatib ibn Abi Baltaah.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4882.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3957 and 3986.
- Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri, al-Raheeq al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar).
- Quran: Arabic from the Tanzil Uthmani text, transliteration from Tanzil, English by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic is the standard wording of the collection named; gradings are given for every hadith outside al-Bukhari and Muslim.