304 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMADthe Messenger of God (SAAS) had finished with the slain, he was told, 'Pursue
the caravan; there's nothing protecting it now.' Al-'AbhZs, in shackles, called
out to him, 'It behoves you not!' 'Why not?' he asked. He replied, 'Because
God promised you one of the two parties and He has fulfilled His promise to
YOU."""The total number of polytheist leaders killed at Badr were 70, this taking place
in the presence of 1,000 angels.
It was no doubt God's decree that a majority of those who survived would
accept Islam. If He had wished He could have sent down just one angel against
them and destroyed them to the last man. But the (angels) killed only those
totally devoid of good.
For among those angels was Gabriel, whom God Almighty had once ordered
to destroy the cities of the people of Lot. There were seven of these cities and
they consisted of a variety of nations, animals, lands and farms, and God only
knows what. He lifted these cities up until he had raised them to the very
heavens on the edge of his wing. He then turned them upside down and lowered
them, pursuing them with stones that struck them. This was as we described it
in our account of the people of Lot.
God had planned for the warfare of the believers against the unbelievers. The
Almighty had laid out his judgements about that in saying, "And when you meet
in battle those who disbelieve, then strike their necks until you have defeated
them. Then take them prisoner. Later set them free either as a favour or for ran-
som until the war is concluded. That will be how it is; if God had wished he
would have inflicted full retribution upon them. But He acted to try some of you
through others" (sarat Muhammad, XLVII, v.4).
The Almighty also stated, "Fight them! God will punish them through your
hands and will disgrace them. He will give you victory over them and He will
assist you against them, relieving the hearts of a people who are believers. He will
remove the anger from their hearts and He will grant forgiveness to those He
wishes" (sarat al-Tawba; IX, v.14, 15).
The death of Aba Jahl came about at the hands of a youth from the Helpers.
Thereafter 'Ahd All* h. Mascad was placed over him; he grasped Aba Jahl by
the beard and stood upon his chest, until he said, "You have reached remarkable
heights, for a herdsman!" 'Abd All& then cut off his head and took it and placed
it before the Messenger of God (SAAS).
By this God comforted the believers. And this was more effective than if He
had made a bolt of lightning strike Ahn Jahl down, or made the roof of his house
fall upon him, or if he had died a natural death. But God knows best!
Among those polytheists killed at Badr, Ibn IshZq mentions some Muslims who
had come to battle along with them only out of fear. These Muslims had been
persecuted and enticed away from Islam. Among these were al-Hiirith b. Zam'a