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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' IS~~A'IL IBN KATHiR 283
great wind arose, then another, then another. Finally Michael came down along
with 1,000 angels. He took up position on the right of the Messenger of God
(SAAS) where Aha Bakr was positioned. lsrafil came to the left flank where I
was, with another 1,000 angels. Gabriel was present, also with another 1,000."
'Ali then said, "That day the water reached up to my armpits."
The author of al-cIqd62 and others maintain that the finest verse ever spoken
by the Arabs is that of Hasszn b. Thzbit,
"And a well at Badr when Gabriel and Muhammad held back
their mounts, beneath our banner."
Al-Bukhari stated, "Ishaq b. Ibmhim related to us, quoting Jarir, from Yahya b.
Sacid, from Mu5dh b. Rifz'a b. al-Zurqi, who quoted his father, who had
been one of those present at Badr, as saying, 'Gabriel came to the Messenger of
God (SAAS) and asked, "How do you colisider those of you who were at Badr?"
He replied, "As the best of Muslims," or some such phrase. Gabriel commented,
"Likewise those of the angels who were present at Badr."'"
Al-Bukhzri alone gives this hadzth.
God Almighty had said, "When your Lord reveals to the angels that I am with
you. And so strengthen those who believe; for I shall cast terror into the hearts
of the unbelievers! Therefore strike above their necks" (meaning their heads)
"and strike off all their linger-tips" (swat al-Anfzl; VIII, v.12).
In the ~ahih collection of Muslim, through 'Ikrima b. 'Ammu, from Ahti
Zumayl, (it states) that Ibn 'Abbs said, "While one of the Muslim warriors was
vigorously pursuing one of the unbelievers ahead of him he heard above him the
noise of a whip striking and a rider's voice saying, 'Giddy up, Hayziim!' When
the Muslim warrior looked at the polytheist in front of him, he found him prostrate
on the ground. Examining him more closely he found that the man's nose
had been smashed and his face split apart by a blow from a whip, all having
turned dark in colour. The warrior, a Helper, went and told this to the
Messenger of God (SAAS) who said, 'You speak true. That was help from the
third heaven.' That day they killed 70 and captured 70 more."
Ibn Ishzq stated, "'Abd All& b. Abn Bakr b. Hazam related to me, from
someone who related it to him, from Ibn 'Ahb%, from a man of the Banii Ghif~r,
who said, "I and a cousin of mine were present at Badr, though we were still
polytheists then. We were up on a mountain waiting for the battle to take place
and to see who would win, when a cloud approached. When it drew near the
mountain we heard the sound of horses galloping and a voice saying, 'Giddy up,
Hayznm!' My companion suffered a heart attack and died on the spot, while I
almost expired, but later recovered."'
Ibn Ishaq went on, '"Abd All& b. Aha Bakr related to me, from a man of the
Bana Sacida, from Aha Usayd Mdik b. Rabi'a, who was present at Badr, who
62. Presumably the reference is to nl-'Igd al-Forid by Ibn 'Ahd Rabbihi, d. 940 AH