Battle of Badr  The Greatest Victory - on 17^th Ramadhan 2 AH

Importance of 17^th of the Month of Ramadhan  Image
The Prophet (saws) and his small army of 313 Muslims were far outnumbered on the battlefield of Badr as compared to the enemy's army.
The Prophet (saws) prayed to Allah (swt) for victory despite the great odds against the Muslim army, and Allah sent his help.

إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمْ فَاسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ أَنِّي مُمِدُّكُم بِأَلْفٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُرْدِفِينَ
"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 8 Anfal Aya 9

A seemingly impossible and hopeless situation became a great victory for the Muslims.

Thus the impossible became possible through supplication/dua
Therefore on this night, pray for seemingly impossible wishes, and inshallah (god willing) they shall be fulfilled

The battle of Badr was the first of the great battles of Islam. Pdf from Play & Learn |
 

And indeed Allah assisted you at Badr when you were weak, so be careful (to your duty) to Allah so that you may be of the thankful ones.

When you said to the believers 'Does it not suffice you that your Lord should assist you with three thousand angels sent down.."  [Suratul Ale Imran 3:123 & 124]

Place: Badr (80 miles from Medina)
Muslim Army: 313 men, mainly infantry with 2 horses & 70 camels
Kuffar army: 1000 men, mainly riders with 100 horses and 700 camels
Muslim martyrs: 14
Kuffar killed: 72 out of which 36 killed by Imam Ali (A.S) 
Battle won by Muslims 

When the Prophet heard the news that there was a trade caravan going to Syria from Makka under the leadership of Abu Sufiyan, he sent two men to gather information about it. 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 disturbing. The Prophet (S.A.W.W.) left Medina with 313 men, 2 horses and 70 camels to go to Badr which was a stopping point for the caravans.  The Quraysh had confiscated all the property of all the Muslims who had left Makka for Medina. Abu Sufyan fearing defeat by Muslims sent a messenger to Makka 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 Makka to go to Badr.  Meanwhile Abu Sufyan took a different route back to Makka avoiding Badr. Once he was back in Makka he called Abu Jahl but Abu Jahl was too proud and wanted to crush the Muslims with his large army. 
 

The two armies met at Badr on 17th Ramadhan 2 A.H.  In the beginning as per Arab custom, single combat (one to one) took place. The famous Quraysh warriors Utbah, Shayba and Walid came to challenge three 'Ansars' from Medina. The Quraysh refused to fight any of the 'Ansaars', demanding their 'equals' and so the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) sent Ubayda, Hamza and Imam Ali (A.S). The three Kuffar were killed (Ubayda was hurt).  The Quraysh got disturbed and began attacking en masse. 
 

In the thick of the battle, the Prophet prayed to Allah.  In Surat-ul Anfal Allah 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". Suratul Anfal 8:9

The enemies 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 36 of them. 14 Muslims were martyred. 
 

70 prisoners were taken by the Muslims. 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

What is Badr? Abu�l-Yaq�an says: Badr is the name of a man of Ghifar, the tribe of Abu-Dharr Ghifari.[159] Shi`bi says: Badr is the name of a well attributed to a man called Badr.[160]

The battle of Badr was the most horrific among the other battles, the first trial of Muslims, and the one taking place vehemently between the Holy Prophet and the atheists of Quraysh.

God Almighty states about the trial of Muslims: �Even as your Lord caused you to go forth from your house with the truth, though a party of the believers were surely averse; They disputed with you about the truth after it had become clear, and they went forth as if they were being driven to death while they saw it.� (8:5-6). This battle happened eighteen months after the immigration of the Holy Prophet (s.a) to Medina and `Ali was twenty seven years old.[161]

The atheists of Quraysh insisted on fighting this battle, for they outnumbered the Muslims, though among them, there were far-sighted men who were not ignorant of the consequences of this battle, had taken part reluctantly, had been forced into the battle and challenged only their peers. The Messenger of Allah too warned his army not to fight them, saying: They only challenge their peers. Hence, the first person who was given mission to fight them was `Ali and his match was Walid ibn `Utbah, a man of courage and valor but he was killed by `Ali after a short fighting.[162]

Al-`As ibn Sa`id ibn al-`As was a man of courage and horror. For this reason, no one was ready to fight him. He too was killed by `Ali. [163]

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وَجَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لاَ يَسْتَوُونَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ. الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْفَائِزُونَ�﴾ إلَى قَوْلِهِ: ﴿أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾ فَصَدَقَ اللهُ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فِي دَعْواهُ وَشَهِدَ لَهُ بِالإيمانِ وَالمُهاجَرَةِ وَالجِهادِ.

وَغَزَواتُهُ مَشْهورَةُ:

فَفِي غَزاةِ بَدْرٍ:

قَالَ أَبُو اليَقْظانِ: إنَّهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ غِفارٍ رَهْطِ أَبِي ذَرٍّ الغِفارِيِّ.

وَقالَ الشِّعْبِيُّ: (بَدْرٌ) بِئْرٌ كَانَتْ لِرَجُلٍ يُسَمّى بَدْراً.

وَهَذِهِ الغَزاةُ هِيَ الدَّاهِيَةُ العُظْمى وَأَوَّلُ حَرْبٍ كَانَ بِهِ الإمْتِحانُ حَيْثُ قَالَ الله تَعالَى: ﴿كَمَا أَخْرَجَكَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَيْتِكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَكَارِهُونَ. يُجَادِلُونَكَ فِي الْحَقِّ بَعْدَ مَا تَبَيَّنَ كَأَنَّمَا يُسَاقُونَ إِلَى الْمَوْتِ وَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ.﴾

كَانَتْ عَلَى رَأْسِ ثَمانِيَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْراً مِنْ قُدومِهِ الْمَدينَةَ وَعُمْرُ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ سَبْعَ عَشرَةَ سَنَةً. وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكونَ قَدْ أَصَرُّوا عَلَى القِتالِ لِكَثْرَتِهِمْ وَقِلَّةِ المُسْلِمينَ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ خَرَجَ كارِهاً. فَتَحَدَّتْهُمْ قُرَيْشٌ بِالبِرازِ وَاقْتَرَحَتِ الأَكْفاءَ. فَمَنَعَهُمُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَقالَ إنَّ القَوْمَ طَلَبوا الأَكْفاءَ. ثُمَّ أَمَرَ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَبْرُزُ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَبارَزَهُ الوَليدُ بْنُ عُتْبَةَ، وَكَانَ شُجاعاً جَريئاً، فَقَتَلَهُ.

وَقَتَلَ العَاصَ بْنَ سَعيدِ بْنِ العاصِ بَعْدَ أنْ أحْجَمَ عَنْهُ النَّاسُ لأَنَّهُ كَانَ هَوْلاً عِظيماً.