IMAM ABO AL-FIDA' ISMA?L IBN KATHiR 27 1"Wtba then looked for a steel helmet to put on his head. But he could not find
one with the army that was big enough for his skull. Realizing this, he wrapped
his head in a cloth he had."Ibn Jarir related through al-Musawwar b. 'Abd al-Malik al-Yarbiici, from his
father, from Sa'id b. al-Musayyab, who said, "While we were at the home of
Marwzn b al-Hakam, his doorkeeper came in and said, 'Hakim b. Hizh asks if
he can come in.' Marwm said that he could, and when Hakim came in, be said
to hi, 'Welcome to you, Abii Khdid, do sit close by.' He then moved away
from the central cushion, taking a seat with the cushion next to him. He then
greeted him and said, 'Tell us about the battle of Badr.'
"Hakim then said, 'We went out as far as al-Juhfa, at which point one entire
Quraysh tribe went back, none of their polytheists consequently being at Badr.
We then went on to al-Wdwa where we stopped as the Almighty had said. I then
went to Wtba b. Rabi'a and asked, "Aba al-Walid, how would you like to enjoy
honour for this day for as long as you live?" "What should I do?" he asked. I
replied, "Ask of Muhammad only compensation for the death of your ally,
al-Hadrami; be satisfied with his blood-money and the force will go home."
""'You have convinced me," he said, "go on to Ibn al-Hanzaliyya (meaning
Abii Jahl) and tell him his cousin asks him if he is willing to now return home
with his men."
'"So I went to him (Aba Jahl) and found him with a group of his men all
around him. There too, standing in front of him, was Ibn al-Hadrami who was
saying, "I have cancelled my contract with 'Abd Shams; now it stands with the
Banii Makhziim."
"'I said to him (to Abii Jahl), "Wtba b. Rabi'a asks you whether you will now
return with your men?" He replied, "Are you the only messenger he could find?"
I answered, "No; and I'd be the messenger for no one but hi."'
"Hakim went on, 'I hurried off to Wtba to be sure I would miss nothing that
happened. He was leaning over Ayms' b. Rahada al-Ghifm, who had donated to
the polytheists ten camels for slaughter.
"'Abii Jahl then appeared, looking extremely mean, and said to Wtba, "Have
your lungs filled with terror then?" Wtba replied, "You'll find out!" At that Abn
Jahl drew his sword and slapped the flank of his horse with it. Aym2 b. R&ada
commented, LLThis is a bad omen." And at that point warfare began.
"'The Messenger of God (SAAS) had established very effective battle lines
for his force."'
Al-Tirmidhi related, from 'Abd al-Wman b. 'Awf, that Hakim used the
words, "It was during the night that the Messenger of God (SAAS) established
us in battle lines at Badr."
Imsm bad related, from an account of Ibn Lahi%., as follows, "Yazid b.
Aba Habib related to me that Aslam Abii 'Imrim related to him that he heard
Aba Ayyiib say, 'The Messenger of God (SAAS) established our battle lines at