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

282 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
When the Messenger of God (SAAS) had come out of the shelter and urged the
men on to fight, they remained in their battle lines, firm and frequently invoking
God's name, as the Almighty had ordered them to do in the words, 'LO believers,
when you meet a force in battle, remain firm and invoke frequently the name
of God" (sarat al-Anfal; VIII, v.45).
Al-Umawi stated, "MuGwiya b. 'Amr related to us, from Abn Ishaq, who
quoted al-Awzaci as having stated, 'It used to be said that rarely did an armed
force remain firmly in place. Those who can stay in place at such times, cast their
eyes down and make frequent mention of God are likely to remain safe from the
charge of hypocrisy."'
Wtba b. Rabi'a said to his men at the battle of Badr, "Do you not see them" -
referring to the force of the Prophet (SAAS)- "how they crouch down on their
mounts, keeping firmly in place, licking their lips like al-hayyat, 'serpents'? Or
he may have used the word al-afa'i, 'snakes'."
Al-Umawi stated in his work on the military expeditions, "When the Prophet
(SAAS) urged the Muslims on to battle, he promised that each man would keep
any spoils they took and said, 'By Him in whose hands is my soul, any man who
fights them hard and valiantly, advancing and not retreating, who is killed, will
be allowed entry to heaven by God."'
Al-Umawi's account then repeats the anecdote relating to Wmayr b.
al-Ham- given above.
The Messenger of God (SAAS) himself fought with heart and soul, as did
Aba Bakr, just as they had exerted themselves in the shelter in prayer and
entreating. Thereafter, they went forth, and urged on the men to fight, themselves
participating physically, thus combining their two noble functions.
The Imam Ahad stated, "Waki' related to us, quoting Ism'il, from Aha
Ishaq, from Hzritha h. Midrab, from 'Ali, who said, 'I saw at Badr how near we
kept to the Messenger of God (SAAS), while he was the one of us most close to
the enemy. He was one of the bravest men there that day.'"
Al-NasZ'i related this from a hadith of Aba Ishaq, from Hzritha, quoting 'Ali
as having said, "When the forces engaged and the battle grew fierce we sought
protection with the Messenger of God (SAAS)."
Imh A b d stated, "Aba Nu'aym related to us, quoting Mis'ar, from Aba
'Awn, from Aba Salih al-Hanafi, from 'Ali who said that he and Abn Bakr were
told at Badr, 'With one of you is Gabriel and with the other is Michael. Israfil, a
great angel, will witness the battle but not fight.' Or the words used were 'will
witness the ranks."'
This account is similar to the information preceding, namely, that Aba Bakr
was on the right flank, and that at Badr when the angels descended Gabriel was
there with 500 of them on one flank, the right along with Aba Bakr, while
Michael was on the other, the left, with 500 more angels, along with 'Ali.
In a hadith related by Aha Ya'la, through Muhammad b. Jubayr b. Mut'im,
'Ali is quoted as saying, "At Badr, I was swimming in the water-hole when a