The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 2 of 4

252 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Ihn Jarir stated, "In that year people were commanded to give the zakzt al-jitrIi5
It is said that the Messenger of God (SAAS) addressed the people ordering this a
day or two before the 'id al-ji~r".'~
He also stated, "In that same year the Messenger of God (SAAS) said the ~alzr
al-'id prayers for the first time and conducted the people to the rn~~allz.~~ They
set out in front of him carrying the harba, a spearhead, that had belonged to
Zuhayr to whom it had been presented by the Negus. It would be carried forth
before the Messenger of God (SAAS) on feast days."
I comment, and it was this year too, as several later authorities have reported,
that the payment of zakzt alms was prescribed. Details of all this will he given
following the account of the battle of Badr, if God wills it, and in Hi
is all confidence
and reliance. And there is no power nor strength except in God, the All-
High and Almighty.
THE GREAT BATTLE OF BADR; THE DAY OF THE FURQHN, THE
DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, THE
DAY THE TWO HOSTS MET.
God Almighty stated, "God gave you assistance at Badr when you were weak;
fear God then, and may you give Him thanks" (sfirat al-'Irnrzn; 111, v.123). He
also said, "Even as your Lord sent you forth from your house with the truth, a
faction of the believers were indeed reluctant. They disputed with you over the
truth even after it had become clear, as if being led to death while they watched.
And (remember) when God promised you that one of the two parties would he
yours, and you wished that, for you, it would he the one that was unarmed, but
God wished to fulfil the truth by His words and wipe the unbelievers out to the
last. This was to fulfil the truth and to nullify falsehood, even if the evil-doers
disliked this" (sarat al-Anfzl; VIII, v.5-8).
We have discussed this in our exegesis of this siirat. Here we will give reference
appropriate to each passage.
Ihn Ishaq, God bless him, stated, after giving his account of the expedition led
by 'Abd Allah b. Jahsh: "The Messenger of God (SAAS) then heard that Ahii
Sufym Sakhr h. Harb was arriving from Syria with a great Quraysh caravan consisting
of money and goods, as well as 30 or 40 men, who included Makhrama h.
Nawfal and 'Amr h. al-'TZ?."
Mnsa h. Wqha stated, from al-Zuhri, that this was two months after the killing
of Ibn al-Hadrami. He also said that the caravan consisting of 1,000 camels
carried property belonging to all of Quraysh except for Huwaycib h. 'Ahd
al-Wzza, and that this was why he was not present at Badr.
55. An obligatory donation given annually during the month of Ramadan
56. The feast marking the end of the fasting of Ramadm.
57. A building or area set aside solely for prayer.