When it was the day on which the Battle of Badr was fought, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ cast a glance at the infidels, and they were one thousand while his own Companions were three hundred and nineteen. The Prophet ﷺ turned (his face) towards the Qibla. Then he stretched his hands and began his supplication to his Lord: "O Allah, accomplish for me what Thou hast promised to me. O Allah, bring about what Thou hast promised to me. O Allah, if this small band of Muslims is destroyed. Thou will not be worshipped on this earth." He continued his supplication to his Lord, stretching his hands, facing the Qibla, until his mantle slipped down from his shoulders. So Abu Bakr came to him, picked up his mantle and put it on his shoulders. Then he embraced him from behind and said: Prophet of Allah, this prayer of yours to your Lord will suffice you, and He will fulfill for you what He has promised you. So Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, revealed (the Qur'anic verse): "When ye appealed to your Lord for help, He responded to your call (saying): I will help you with one thousand angels coming in succession." So Allah helped him with angels. Abu Zumail said that the hadith was narrated to him by Ibn ʿAbbas who said: While on that day a Muslim was chasing a disbeliever who was going ahead of him, he heard over him the swishing of the whip and the voice of the rider saying: Go ahead, Haizum! He glanced at the polytheist who had (now) fallen down on his back. When he looked at him (carefully he found that) there was a scar on his nose and his face was torn as if it had been lashed with a whip, and had turned green with its poison. An Ansari came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and related this (event) to him. He said: You have told the truth. This was the help from the third heaven. The Muslims that day (i.e. the day of the Battle of Badr) killed seventy persons and captured seventy. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Abu Bakr and ʿUmar (Allah be pleased with them): What is your opinion about these captives? Abu Bakr said: They are our kith and kin. I think you should release them after getting from them a ransom. This will be a source of strength to us against the infidels. It is quite possible that Allah may guide them to Islam. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: What is your opinion, Ibn Khattab? He said: Messenger of Allah, I do not hold the same opinion as Abu Bakr. I am of the opinion that you should hand them over to us so that we may cut off their heads. Hand over ʿAqil to ʿAli that he may cut off his head, and hand over such and such relative to me that I may cut off his head. They are leaders of the disbelievers and veterans among them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ approved the opinion of Abu Bakr and did not approve what I said. The next day when I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I found that both he and Abu Bakr were sitting shedding tears. I said: Messenger of Allah, why are you and your Companion shedding tears? Tell me the reason. For I will weep, or I will at least pretend to weep in sympathy with you. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: I weep for what has happened to your companions for taking ransom (from the prisoners). I was shown the torture to which they were subjected. It was brought to me as close as this tree. (He pointed to a tree close to him.) Then God revealed the verse: "It is not befitting for a prophet that he should take prisoners until the force of the disbelievers has been crushed..." to the end of the verse: "so eat ye the spoils of war, (it is) lawful and pure. So Allah made booty lawful for them."  

لَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ بَدْرٍ نَظَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَهُمْ أَلْفٌ وَأَصْحَابُهُ ثَلاَثُمِائَةٍ وَتِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلاً فَاسْتَقْبَلَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْقِبْلَةَ ثُمَّ مَدَّ يَدَيْهِ فَجَعَلَ يَهْتِفُ بِرَبِّهِ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِزْ لِي مَا وَعَدْتَنِي اللَّهُمَّ آتِ مَا وَعَدْتَنِي اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ تَهْلِكْ هَذِهِ الْعِصَابَةُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الإِسْلاَمِ لاَ تُعْبَدْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَمَازَالَ يَهْتِفُ بِرَبِّهِ مَادًّا يَدَيْهِ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ حَتَّى سَقَطَ رِدَاؤُهُ عَنْ مَنْكِبَيْهِ فَأَتَاهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَأَخَذَ رِدَاءَهُ فَأَلْقَاهُ عَلَى مَنْكِبَيْهِ ثُمَّ الْتَزَمَهُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ وَقَالَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ كَذَاكَ مُنَاشَدَتُكَ رَبَّكَ فَإِنَّهُ سَيُنْجِزُ لَكَ مَا وَعَدَكَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ { إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمْ فَاسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ أَنِّي مُمِدُّكُمْ بِأَلْفٍ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ مُرْدِفِينَ} فَأَمَدَّهُ اللَّهُ بِالْمَلاَئِكَةِ قَالَ أَبُو زُمَيْلٍ فَحَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَشْتَدُّ فِي أَثَرِ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ أَمَامَهُ إِذْ سَمِعَ ضَرْبَةً بِالسَّوْطِ فَوْقَهُ وَصَوْتَ الْفَارِسِ يَقُولُ أَقْدِمْ حَيْزُومُ فَنَظَرَ إِلَى الْمُشْرِكِ أَمَامَهُ فَخَرَّ مُسْتَلْقِيًا فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ قَدْ خُطِمَ أَنْفُهُ وَشُقَّ وَجْهُهُ كَضَرْبَةِ السَّوْطِ فَاخْضَرَّ ذَلِكَ أَجْمَعُ فَجَاءَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ فَحَدَّثَ بِذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ صَدَقْتَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مَدَدِ السَّمَاءِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَقَتَلُوا يَوْمَئِذٍ سَبْعِينَ وَأَسَرُوا سَبْعِينَ قَالَ أَبُو زُمَيْلٍ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَلَمَّا أَسَرُوا الأُسَارَى قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ مَا تَرَوْنَ فِي هَؤُلاَءِ الأُسَارَى فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ هُمْ بَنُو الْعَمِّ وَالْعَشِيرَةِ أَرَى أَنْ تَأْخُذَ مِنْهُمْ فِدْيَةً فَتَكُونُ لَنَا قُوَّةً عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ فَعَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُمْ لِلإِسْلاَمِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَا تَرَى يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ قُلْتُ لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَرَى الَّذِي رَأَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَكِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تُمَكِّنَّا فَنَضْرِبَ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ فَتُمَكِّنَ عَلِيًّا مِنْ عَقِيلٍ فَيَضْرِبَ عُنُقَهُ وَتُمَكِّنِّي مِنْ فُلاَنٍ نَسِيبًا لِعُمَرَ فَأَضْرِبَ عُنُقَهُ فَإِنَّ هَؤُلاَءِ أَئِمَّةُ الْكُفْرِ وَصَنَادِيدُهَا فَهَوِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَا قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَمْ يَهْوَ مَا قُلْتُ فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ جِئْتُ فَإِذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ قَاعِدَيْنِ يَبْكِيَانِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي مِنْ أَىِّ شَىْءٍ تَبْكِي أَنْتَ وَصَاحِبُكَ فَإِنْ وَجَدْتُ بُكَاءً بَكَيْتُ وَإِنْ لَمْ أَجِدْ بُكَاءً تَبَاكَيْتُ لِبُكَائِكُمَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَبْكِي لِلَّذِي عَرَضَ عَلَىَّ أَصْحَابُكَ مِنْ أَخْذِهِمُ الْفِدَاءَ لَقَدْ عُرِضَ عَلَىَّ عَذَابُهُمْ أَدْنَى مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ شَجَرَةٍ قَرِيبَةٍ مِنْ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ { مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَى حَتَّى يُثْخِنَ فِي الأَرْضِ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ { فَكُلُوا مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلاَلاً طَيِّبًا} فَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْغَنِيمَةَ لَهُمْ  

[Machine] While a Muslim man was following in the footsteps of a polytheist man, he heard a whip strike above him and the sound of a horseman above him saying, "I am Hudhum." He looked at the polytheist man in front of him and saw him fall flat on his face, with his nose broken and his face cut like a whip strike. That became green like vegetation. Al-Ansari came and informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "You have spoken the truth, that is a result of the help from the third heaven." Thus, they killed seventy of the polytheists and took seventy as captives. Ibn 'Abbas said, "When they took the captives, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Abu Bakr, 'What do you think of these captives?' Abu Bakr said, 'O Messenger of Allah, they are the kinsfolk and families. I believe we should accept ransom from them, which will give us strength against the disbelievers, and perhaps Allah will guide them to Islam.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'What do you think, O son of Al-Khattab?' I said, 'By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I do not see what Abu Bakr sees, but I think we should cut off their heads and make Ali bin Abi Talib kill 'Uqayl, and I should kill so-and-so, a relative of 'Umar, for they are the leaders of disbelief and the pillars of idolatry.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ approved of what Abu Bakr said, but did not approve of what I said. When it was morning, I went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and saw him and Abu Bakr weeping. I asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, please tell me what made you and your friend weep?' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'I weep for what has been suggested to my Companions, that they may accept ransom from the captives. Allah has revealed the Ayah, "It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land... This is so because Allah desires to test and purify the believers. And so He will punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the idolaters, men and women, who think evil thoughts about Allah. For them is a disgraceful torment, and Allah will inflict on them a humiliating torment." Thus, Allah allowed the booty.'"  

بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَشُدُّ فِي أَثَرِ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ أَمَامَهُ إِذْ سَمِعَ ضَرْبَةً بِالسَّوْطِ فَوْقَهُ وَصَوْتَ الْفَارِسِ فَوْقَهُ يَقُولُ أَقْدِمْ حَيْزُومُ إِذْ نَظَرَ إِلَى الْمُشْرِكِ أَمَامَهُ خَرَّ مُسْتَلْقِيًا فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ فَإِذْا هُوَ قَدْ خُطِمَ أَنْفُهُ وَشُقَّ وَجْهُهُ كَضَرْبَةِ سَوْطٍ فَاخْضَرَّ ذَاكَ أَجْمَعُ فَجَاءَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ فَحَدَّثَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ ﷺ «صَدَقْتَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مَدَدِ السَّمَاءِ الثَّالِثَةِ» فَقَتَلُوا يَوْمَئِذٍ سَبْعِينَ وَأَسَرُوا سَبْعِينَ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَلَمَّا أَسَرُوا الْأُسَارَى قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعَلِيٍّ وَعُمَرَ «مَا تَرَوْنَ فِي هَؤُلَاءِ الْأُسَارَى؟ » قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ هُمْ بَنُو الْعَمِّ وَالْعَشِيرَةِ أَرَى أَنْ نَأْخُذَ مِنْهُمْ فِدْيَةً تَكُونُ لَنَا قُوَّةً عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ وَعَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُمُ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «مَا تَرَى يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ؟ » قُلْتُ لَا وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَرَى الَّذِي رَأَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَكِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تُمَكِّنَنَا فَنَضْرِبَ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ فَتُمَكِّنَ عَلِيًّا مِنْ عَقِيلٍ فَيَضْرِبَ عُنُقَهُ وَتُمَكِّنَنِي مِنْ فُلَانٍ فَأَضْرِبَ عُنُقَهُ نَسِيبٍ كَانَ لِعُمَرَ فَإِنَّ هَؤُلَاءَ أَئِمَّةُ الْكُفْرِ وَصَنَادِيدُهَا فَهَوِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَا قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَمْ يَهْوَ مَا قُلْتُ فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ جِئْتُ فَإِذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ قَاعِدَانِ يَبْكِيَانِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي مِنْ أَيِّ شَيْءٍ تَبْكِي أَنْتَ وَصَاحِبُكَ فَإِنْ وَجَدْتُ بُكَاءً بَكَيْتُ وَإِنْ لَمْ أَجِدْ بُكَاءً تَبَاكَيْتُ لِبُكَائِكُمَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «أَبْكِي لِلَّذِي عَرَضَ عَلَيَّ أَصْحَابُكَ مِنْ أَخْذِهِمُ الْفِدَاءَ وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَى حَتَّى يُثْخِنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {فَكُلُوا مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا} فَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْغَنِيمَةَ»  

[Machine] On the day of the Battle of Badr, the Prophet ﷺ asked, "What do you think of these prisoners?" Abu Bakr replied, "O Prophet of Allah, they are the sons of our relatives, our clans, and our brothers, except for the fact that we took ransom from them to gain strength against the disbelievers. Perhaps Allah may guide them to Islam and they will become supporters for us." The Prophet asked, "What do you think, O Ibn Al-Khattab?" Umar replied, "O Prophet of Allah, I do not see what Abu Bakr sees, but they are the leaders of disbelief and their heads should be struck down. Thus, the Messenger of Allah inclined to what Abu Bakr said and did not pay attention to what I had said. He accepted ransom from them. The next morning, I went to the Messenger of Allah and found him and Abu Bakr sitting and weeping. I asked, "O Prophet of Allah, tell me why you and your companion are weeping. If I find a reason to weep, I will weep. Otherwise, I will pretend to weep because you both are weeping." The Prophet replied, "The Companions presented to me the option of your punishment, which is more severe than this tree and another close tree at that time. Allah revealed the verse, 'It is not for a Prophet to have captives of war...'" (Quran, Surah Al-Anfal: 67).  

لَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ بَدْرٍ قَالَ مَا تَرَوْنَ فِي هَؤُلَاءِ الْأُسَارَى؟ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ بَنُو الْعَمِّ وَالْعَشِيرَةُ وَالْإِخْوَانُ غَيْرَ أَنَّا نَأْخُذُ مِنْهُمُ الْفِدَاءَ؛ لِيَكُونَ لَنَا قُوَّةً عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَعَسَى الله ﷻ أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَيَكُونُوا لَنَا عَضُدًا قَالَ فَمَاذَا تَرَى يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ؟ قُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ مَا أَرَى الَّذِي رَأَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَكِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ أَئِمَّةُ الْكُفْرِ وَصَنَادِيدُهُمْ فَقَرِّبْهُمْ وَاضْرِبْ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ قَالَ فَهَوِيَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَا قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَمْ يَهْوَ مَا قُلْتُ أَنَا فَأَخَذَ مِنْهُمُ الْفِدَاءَ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْتُ غَدَوْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَإِذَا هُوَ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ قَاعِدَانِ يَبْكِيَانِ فَقُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ أَخْبِرْنِي مِنْ أِيِّ شَيْءٍ تَبْكِي أَنْتَ وَصَاحِبُكَ؟ فَإِنْ وَجَدْتُ بُكَاءً بَكَيْتُ وَإِلَّا تَبَاكَيْتُ لِبُكَائِكُمَا قَالَ الَّذِي عَرَضَ عَلَيَّ أَصْحَابُكَ لَقَدْ عُرِضَ عَلَيَّ عَذَابُكُمْ أَدْنَى مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ وَشَجَرَةٌ قُرَيْبَةٌ حِينَئِذٍ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَى حَتَّى يُثْخِنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ الدُّنْيَا وَاللهُ يُرِيدُ الْآخِرَةَ} [الأنفال 67] الْآيَةَ  

[Machine] On the day of the Battle of Badr, the Prophet asked, "What do you think of these prisoners?" Abu Bakr replied, "O Prophet of Allah, they are cousins, families, and brethren, but we take ransom from them to gain strength against the polytheists. It is possible that Allah may guide them to Islam and they may become our supporters." The Prophet asked, "What do you think, O Ibn Al-Khattab?" I replied, "O Prophet of Allah, I don't see what Abu Bakr sees, but they are the leaders of disbelief and their forelocks should be brought near and struck." The Messenger of Allah favored what Abu Bakr had said and did not show interest in what I had said, nor did he accept ransom from them. When it was morning, I went to the Messenger of Allah and found him and Abu Bakr sitting together and weeping. I said, "O Prophet of Allah, tell me why you and your companion are weeping. If I find reason to cry, I will cry; otherwise, I will pretend to cry." The Prophet said, "What was presented to me by your companions was an offer of ransom from you that is less than this tree and a nearby tree at that time." Then, Allah sent down the revelation: "It is not for a Prophet to have prisoners of war until he has made a great slaughter in the land. You desire the commodities of this world, but Allah desires the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise." [Quran 8:67]  

لَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ بَدْرٍ قَالَ مَا تَرَوْنَ فِي هَؤُلَاءِ الْأَسْرَى؟ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ بَنُو الْعَمِّ وَالْعَشِيرَةُ وَالْإِخْوَانُ غَيْرَ أَنَّا نَأْخُذُ مِنْهُمُ الْفِدَاءَ لِيَكُونَ لَنَا قُوَّةً عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَعَسَى اللهُ أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَيَكُونُوا لَنَا عَضُدًا قَالَ فَمَاذَا تَرَى يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ؟ قُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ مَا أَرَى الَّذِي رَأَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَكِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ أَئِمَّةُ الْكُفْرِ وَصَنَادِيدُهُمْ فَقَرِّبْهُمْ فَاضْرِبْ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ قَالَ فَهَوَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَا قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ وَلَمْ يَهْوَ مَا قُلْتُ أَنَا وَأَخَذَ مِنْهُمُ الْفِدَاءَ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْتُ غَدَوْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَإِذَا هُوَ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ قَاعِدَانِ يَبْكِيَانِ فَقُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ أَخْبِرْنِي مِنْ أِيِّ شَيْءٍ تَبْكِي أَنْتَ وَصَاحِبُكَ فَإِنْ وَجَدْتُ بُكَاءً بَكَيْتُ وَإِلَّا تَبَاكَيْتُ لِبُكَائِكُمَا قَالَ الَّذِي عَرَضَ عَلَيَّ أَصْحَابُكَ لَقَدْ عُرِضَ عَلَيَّ عَذَابُكُمْ أَدْنَى مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ وَشَجَرَةٌ قَرِيبَةٌ حِينَئِذٍ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَى حَتَّى يُثْخِنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ الدُّنْيَا وَاللهُ يُرِيدُ الْآخِرَةَ وَاللهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ} [الأنفال 67]