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غزوة بدر الموعد
The expedition of Badr al-Maw'id, also known as the Second Badr or Badr al-Sughra, took place in Dhu al-Qa'dah 4 AH (April 626 CE). Though no actual combat occurred, the event holds considerable significance in early Islamic history as a demonstration of Muslim resolve following the painful losses at Uhud and as a strategic humiliation for the Quraysh leadership.
At the conclusion of the Battle of Uhud in Shawwal 3 AH, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb called out to the Muslims from the battlefield, proposing a return engagement at Badr the following year. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ instructed Umar ibn al-Khattab to respond on his behalf, accepting the challenge with the words: "That is an appointment between us and you." This exchange, recorded by Ibn Ishaq in his Sirah, established a mutual agreement that both sides would meet at the marketplace of Badr during the annual trade fair.
The challenge carried weight precisely because Uhud had shaken Muslim confidence. The Quraysh believed the Muslims would not dare face them again, and Abu Sufyan's public declaration was intended to reinforce the impression that Mecca held the military initiative.
When the appointed time approached, the Prophet ﷺ began preparations to march. Some among the Muslims expressed hesitation, still bearing the psychological and physical scars of Uhud. The Quran addressed this moment directly. Allah revealed:
"Those who responded to Allah and the Messenger after injury had struck them — for those who did good among them and feared Allah is a great reward. Those to whom people said, 'Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.' But it increased them in faith, and they said, 'Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.'" (Aal Imran 3:172-173)
The Prophet ﷺ set out with approximately 1,500 companions, taking with them horses and merchandise for trade at the Badr fair. According to Ibn Sa'd in his Tabaqat, the Prophet ﷺ appointed Abdullah ibn Rawahah as his deputy in Madinah during his absence.
In Mecca, Abu Sufyan gathered a force reported at around 2,000 men and marched northward. However, after only two days of travel, he halted and turned back toward Mecca. The stated reason was that the year had been one of severe drought, making it impractical to sustain a military campaign. Abu Sufyan reportedly said that they should return and wait for a year of abundance when they could graze their animals and drink milk along the route.
Classical historians noted the transparent nature of this excuse. The Quraysh had marched to Uhud the previous year under no better conditions. The reality, as Ibn Kathir observed in al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, was that Abu Sufyan and the Quraysh leadership feared another engagement. The memory of Badr, where they had suffered a devastating defeat just two years earlier, weighed heavily. The mockery from their own ranks confirmed this interpretation: Qurayshi fighters derisively called the aborted expedition "Jaysh al-Sawiq" — the porridge army — because they had packed sawiq (a barley drink) as provisions and returned home having consumed nothing but their own supplies.
The Prophet ﷺ and his companions arrived at Badr and waited for eight days. During this time, with no enemy appearing, the Muslims took advantage of the seasonal trade fair. They engaged in commerce with the merchants gathered at Badr's marketplace, earning substantial profits. Ibn Ishaq recorded that the companions traded successfully, with some doubling their capital during the stay.
This detail is historically significant. The Muslim community had suffered economically from the ongoing conflict with Mecca, and the profitable trading at Badr provided material relief alongside the moral victory.
The expedition of Badr al-Maw'id achieved several outcomes without a single blow being struck. First, it restored Muslim morale. The companions who had suffered at Uhud marched out willingly to face the same enemy, demonstrating that their spirit remained unbroken. The Quranic praise for those who responded to the call despite their wounds gave this act of courage a permanent place in scripture.
Second, the Quraysh failure to appear damaged their standing among the Arab tribes. In the tribal culture of the Hijaz, failing to honor a public challenge was a serious dishonor. Abu Sufyan had issued the challenge himself, and his retreat undermined Meccan credibility as the dominant power in the region.
Third, the episode shifted the strategic balance. After Uhud, many tribes had begun to view the Muslims as weakened. The march to Badr reversed that perception. The Muslims were willing to fight; it was the Quraysh who withdrew.
Ibn al-Qayyim, in his Zad al-Ma'ad, counted this expedition among the Prophet's significant military campaigns precisely because of its psychological and political impact. It confirmed that the setback at Uhud was temporary and that the Muslim community possessed the discipline and faith to meet any challenge placed before them.