for the third time. Now the Ansaar realized that the question was meant for them. S’ad b.
Mu’ad immediately got up to say in reply, “O Prophet of God (r), it appears that the ques-
tion is directed to us and you want to have our answer. Perhaps you think, O Prophet of God
(r), that the Ansaar have offered to help you on their own territory only. I want to tell you
in behalf of the Ansaar that you may lead us wherever you like, align with whom you may
desire or break relations with whom you may think fit; you may take whatever you desire
from our property and give us as much as you want; for, whatever you would take from our
property would be dearer to us than what you would leave for us. We will follow whatever
you command us to do. By God, if you go ahead until you reach Bark Ghimdan, we will
accompany you, and by God if you march into the sea, we will also do it with you.”
The battle took place on the 17th of Ramadhan, 2nd year of Hijrah. Badr is situated 160-
km southwest of Madinah. The battle was between the Muslims as one side and Quraysh
idolaters, where the Muslims army were consisting of 313 to 317 men with two horses and
70 camels, on the contrary Quraysh army were consisting of 1000 men with 100 horses, 6oo
suits of armor, and many camels.
70 men were killed among the Quraishities army, and 70 were captured, where only 14 of
the Muslims were killed.
The result of the battle was a great victory for the Muslims over their enemy.OTHER EXPEDITIONS
The ironclad oath of Abu Sufyan, as mentioned earlier, bound him to refrain from even
splashing water over his head until he had wreaked havoc on the Muslims. The chief of the
Jewish tribe of Bani an-Nadir, who offered the information he desired about Madinah. The-
reupon Abu Sufyan succeeded in getting away after killing two of the Ansaars.
The Prophet (r) got a warning of the evil raiders and went out in their pursuit. Abu Sufyan
eluded the Prophet (r) but was obliged to throw away a good deal of his provisions consist-
ing of food grains, especially parched corn or al-sawiq, and hence the expedition goes by
such a name. (Ibn Hisham, Vol. II, pp. 144-45).
The Jews of Madinah who first broke their covenant with the Prophet (r) were Banu Qay-
nuqa. They contended with the Muslims and spoke scornfully of the Prophet (r). Ultimately,
the Prophet (r) besieged them - the siege lasting for fifteen nights - until Banu Qaynuqa
surrendered unconditionally. The attack had been instigated on the recommendation of
‘Abdullah b. Ubayy, the leader of the hypocrites. (Ibn Hisham Vol. II, pp. 47-49)
Banu Qaynuqa operated a market in Madinah and practiced crafts such as that of the
goldsmith trade. (Zad al-Ma’ad, Vol. p. 348)
They were forced to abandon the city although the number of people who could bear
arms among them was seven hundred.