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

284 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
said, his sight by then having gone, 'If I were there today at Badr and had my
sight back, I would show you the defile from which the angels emerged. I would
have no doubt whatsoever about it.
"'When the angels came down and Satan saw them, God revealed to them the
verse, "I am with you. And so make firm those who believe" (swat al-Anfzl;
VIII, v.12). "Making them firm" referred to the fact that the angels would come
to someone in the form of a person they would know and would say, "Be glad!
For they are as nothing, and God is with you. Attack them!""'
Al-Wxqidi stated that Ibn Abii Habiba related to him, from Dxliid b.
al-Husayn, from 'Ikrima, from Ibn 'Abb~, who said, "The angel would appear
in the form of someone they knew and would say, 'I went close to them and
heard them say, "If they attack us, we'll not hold firm. They are as nothing."
And so on."' This relates to the words, "When your Lord reveals to the angels
that I am with you. And so make firm those who believe."
When Satan saw the angels he turned on his heels and said, "I'm quit of you.
I see what you do not see." He was then in the guise of Surxqa.
Aba Jahl came forward haranguing his men and saying, "Don't be scared by
the nonsense Suraqa is telling you. He has a rendezvous with Muhammad and
his men." He then said, "By al-Lnt and al-Wzzii, we'll not return until we scatter
Muhammad and his men into the mountains. Don't kill them; take them
prisoner."
Al-Bayhaqi related, through Salnma, h-om Wqayl, from Ibn Shihnb, from
Abii Hiizim, from Sahl b. Sacd, who said, "Aba Usayd stated, he being by then
blind, 'Cousin, I swear by God, that if you and I were at Badr and God were to
restore my sight, I'd show you the defile through which the angels came out to
us; I'd do so without any doubt or difficulty at all."'
Al-Bukhai related, from Ibrxhim b. Miis, from 'Abd al-Wahhab, from
Khalid, from 'Ikrima, from Ibn 'Abbas, that the Messenger of God (SAAS) said
on the day of the battle at Badr, "This is Gabriel over here, holding the head of
his horse and fully accoutred for battle."
Al-Waqidr stated, "Ibn Abii Habiba related to us, from Dnlad b. al-Husayn,
from 'Ikrima, from Ibn 'Abbns, and Miisa b. Muhammad b. Ibrzhim al-Taymi
informed us, from his father, and 'Abid b. Y&yx related to me, from Aba
al-Huwayrith, from Wm%a b. Ukayma al-Laythi, from 'Ikrima, from Hakim b.
Hizm, who all said, 'When the time for battle arrived, the Messenger of God
(SAAS) stood with his arms raised imploring God's aid and fulfilment of His
promise, saying, 'LO God, if they prevail over this force, then polytheism too will
prevail and You will have no religion left." Meanwhile Abii Bakr was saying, '7
swear that God will give you aid and will make you content." And then God sent
down 1,000 angels descending en masse and surrounding the enemy."'
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) said,'Rejoice, Aba Bakr! I saw Gabriel
wearing a yellow turban, holding the reins of his horse, up there between heaven
and earth! When he came down to earth, I lost sight of him for a while, but then