What happened at the Battle of Badr?
Badr was the first decisive battle — fewer than 320 Muslims against nearly three times their number. Ibn Kathīr's account traces the intelligence, the Prophet's ﷺ duʿāʾ, and the angelic reinforcement, anchored to the Qurʾān and the classical sīrah sources.
10 passages from 6 books in the library
From the cited passages, Badr is treated mainly as a point of reference in the hadith literature — the scholars weigh which narrations belong to it. Bukhari is cited, through al-Bara ibn Azib, on the number of the Prophet's ﷺ companions present at Badr, and Muslim is cited through Umar ibn al-Khattab on the battle. The passages also examine the report prohibiting the cursing of the dead of Badr (narrated by Ibn Abi al-Dunya) and carefully correct a claim that Aisha was present, noting she was not. For the fuller narrative, the surrounding chapters in the library should be heard.
Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 6 books by Ibn Battuta, Imam al-Ghazali, and Ibn Kathir — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
· Provenance →
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"There was a judge there from among the virtuous and generous scholars following the Shafi'i school, named Badr al-Din al-Mabari, who also taught knowledge."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"Weina Ibn Badr Al-Fazari once remarked by God. I have a grown son who is married and has a beard and I have never kissed him"
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"Recounted that she once went out with the messenger of Allah during the Battle of Badr. He said come let us race"
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"There is no original source for this and Aisha was not with him during the Battle of Badr. In a hadith"
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"The Hadith regarding the prohibition of cursing the dead of Badr was narrated by ibn Abi al-Dunya"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"it happened in Badr, and in Abu Nuaym's narration, it happened in Uhud. There is some inconsistency"
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"Now regarding the Battle of Badr, it is recorded by Muslim from the Hadith of Umar ibn al-Khattab"
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir →
· Provenance →
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"to rain upon the land of Morj of A'd. Indeed, the people of Badr'al have become unable to speak due"
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
· Provenance →
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"He is King Badr al-Din ibn Karaman, and before him it belonged to his brother Musa who relinquished"
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir →
· Provenance →
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"Bukhari narrated through the hadith of al-Bara bin Azib that the number of the companions of Badr"
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