Battle of Badr (Part 1) Iblis Comes in Human Form to the Quraysh Assembly

نحمده ونصلى ونسلم على رسوله الكريم

In the cosmic struggle between Light and Darkness, Heaven and Hell, this planet is the battlefield and the human soul is the prize. When the Devil was cast out from the presence of the Most High after refusing to acknowledge the superiority of Man, he asked for and was granted respite till Judgment Day. Then he declared:

۞قَالَ فَبِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَاطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ۞

۞ثُمَّ لَآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَائِلِهِمْ ۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ۞

“Because You have put me in error I will surely sit in wait for them on your Straight Path. Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them, and from their right and from their left; and You will not find most of them grateful”

(Sura 7:16-17)

But the Almighty too raises up His Prophets and Apostles directing His chosen servants to the Straight Path leading to salvation, deliverance from the Fire. Both sides are determined to win souls. This war is being waged continuously, incident after incident, for aeons since the creation of Man and the Devil’s fall from grace, and it will not cease until the Last Day of this world. But this cold war at times heats up and actually manifests into armed conflict played out on the battlefield of the human realm. The historic Battle of Badr was a time when the war between Light and Darkness became climactic. The time when Allah sends a prophet is especially critical. The Devil goes into overdrive in order to prevent the prophet from succeeding in changing hearts. When the Prophet Muhammad(sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) was invited by the clans of Medina to settle among them, Hell was especially anxious about the fast changing situation. Iblis himself came in human form to advise the chieftains of pagan Quraysh at their council:

فَلَمَّا رَأَتْ قُرَيْشٌ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَدْ صَارَتْ لَهُ شِيعَةٌ وَأَصْحَابٌ مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ بَلَدِهِمْ ، وَرَأَوْا خُرُوجَ أَصْحَابِهِ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ إِلَيْهِمْ ، عَرَفُوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ نَزَلُوا دَارًا ، وَأَصَابُوا مِنْهُمْ مَنَعَةً ، فَحَذَرُوا خُرُوجَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَيْهِمْ ، وَعَرَفُوا أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَجْمَعَ أَنْ يَلْحَقَ بِهِمْ لِحَرْبِهِمْ ، فَاجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ فِي دَارِ النَّدْوَةِ ، وَهِيَ دَارُ قُصَيِّ بْنِ كِلابٍ الَّتِي كَانَتْ قُرَيْشٌ لا تَقْضِي أَمْرًا إِلا فِيهَا ، يَتَشَاوَرُونَ فِيهَا مَا يَصْنَعُونَ فِي أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّه ، صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، حِينَ خَافُوهُ

لَمَّا اجْتَمَعُوا لِذَلِكَ ، وَاتَّعَدُوا أَنْ يَدْخُلُوا دَارَ النَّدْوَةِ ، وَيَتَشَاوَرُوا فِيهَا فِي أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ، صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، غَدَوْا فِي الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي اتَّعَدُوا لَهُ ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ يُسَمَّى : الزَّحْمَةَ ، فَاعْتَرَضَهُمْ إِبْلِيسُ ، فِي هَيْئَةِ شَيْخٍ جَلِيلٍ عَلَيْهِ بَتٌّ لَهُ ، فَوَقَفَ عَلَى بَابِ الدَّارِ ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ وَاقِفًا عَلَى بَابِهَا ، قَالُوا : مَنِ الشَّيْخُ ؟ قَالَ : شَيْخٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ نَجْدٍ ، سَمِعَ بِالَّذِي اتَّعَدْتُمْ لَهُ ، فَحَضَرَ مَعَكُمْ لِيَسْمَعَ مَا تَقُولُونَ ، وَعَسَى أَلا يَعْدِمَكُمْ مِنْهُ رَأْيٌ وَنُصْحٌ ، قَالُوا : أَجَلْ ، فَادْخُلْ . فَدَخَلَ مَعَهُمْ ، وَقَدِ اجْتَمَعَ فِيهَا أَشْرَافُ قُرَيْشٍ كُلُّهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ قَبِيلَةٍ ، مِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ : شَيْبَةُ ، وَعُتْبَةُ ابْنَا رَبِيعَةَ ، وَأَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ حَرْبٍ ، وَمِنْ بَنِي نَوْفَلِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ : طُعَيْمَةُ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ ، وَجُبَيْرُ بْنُ مُطْعِمٍ ، وَالْحَارِثُ بْنُ عَامِرِ بْنِ نَوْفَلٍ ، وَمِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ الدَّارِ بْنِ قُصَيِّ : النَّضْرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ كِلْدَةَ ، وَمِنْ بَنِي أَسَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعُزَّى : أَبُو الْبَخْتَرِيِّ بْنُ هِشَامٍ ، وَزَمْعَةُ بْنُ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ ، وَحَكِيمُ بْنُ حِزَامٍ ، وَمِنْ بَنِي مَخْزُومٍ : أَبُو جَهْلِ بْنُ هِشَامٍ ، وَمِنْ بَنِي سَهْمٍ : نَبِيهٌ وَمُنَبِّهٌ ابْنَا الْحَجَّاجِ ، وَمِنْ بَنِي جُمَحَ : أُمَيَّةُ بْنُ خَلَفٍ ، وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْهُمْ ، وَغَيْرُهُمْ مِمَّنْ لا يُعَدُّ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ : إِنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ قَدْ كَانَ أَمْرُهُ مَا قَدْ كَانَ ، وَمَا قَدْ رَأَيْتُمْ ، وَإِنَّا ، وَاللَّهِ ، مَا نَأْمَنُهُ عَلَى الْوُثُوبِ عَلَيْنَا بِمَنْ قَدِ اتَّبَعَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِنَا ، فَأَجْمِعُوا فِيهِ رَأْيًا . قَالَ : فَتَشَاوَرُوا ، ثُمَّ قَالَ قَائِلٌ مِنْهُمُ : احْبِسُوهُ فِي الْحَدِيدِ ، وَأَغْلِقُوا عَلَيْهِ بَابًا ، ثُمَّ تَرَبَّصُوا بِهِ مَا أَصَابَ أَشْبَاهَهُ مِنَ الشُّعَرَاءِ الَّذِينَ قَبْلَهُ : زُهَيْرًا ، وَالنَّابِغَةَ ، وَمَنْ مَضَى مِنْهُمْ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَوْتِ ، حَتَّى يُصِيبَهُ مِنْهُ مَا أَصَابَهُمْ ، قَالَ : فَقَالَ الشَّيْخُ النَّجْدِيُّ : لا وَاللَّهِ ، مَا هَذَا لَكُمْ بِرَأْيٍ ، وَاللَّهِ لَوْ حَبَسْتُمُوهُ ، كَمَا تَقُولُونَ ، لَخَرَجَ أَمْرُهُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْبَابِ الَّذِي أَغْلَقْتُمُوهُ دُونَهُ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ ، فَلَأَوْشَكُوا أَنْ يَثِبُوا عَلَيْكُمْ ، فَيَنْتَزِعُوهُ مِنْ أَيْدِيكُمْ ، ثُمَّ يُكَاثِرُوكُمْ حَتَّى يَغْلِبُوكُمْ عَلَى أَمْرِكُمْ هَذَا ، مَا هَذَا لَكُمْ بِرَأْيٍ ، فَانْظُرُوا فِي غَيْرِهِ ، ثُمَّ تَشَاوَرُوا ، فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ مِنْهُمْ : نُخْرِجُهُ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَظْهُرِنَا ، فَنَنْفِيهِ مِنْ بَلَدِنَا ، فَإِذَا خَرَجَ عَنَّا ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا نُبَالِي أَيْنَ ذَهَبَ ، وَلا حَيْثُ وَقَعَ ، إِذَا غَابَ عَنَّا أذاه ، وَفَرَغْنَا مِنْهُ ، فَأَصْلَحْنَا أَمْرَنَا ، وَأُلْفَتَنَا كَمَا كَانَتْ ، قَالَ الشَّيْخُ النَّجْدِيُّ : وَاللَّهِ ، مَا هَذَا لَكُمْ بِرَأْيٍ ، أَلَمْ تَرَوْا حُسْنَ حَدِيثِهِ ، وَحَلاوَةَ مَنْطِقِهِ ، وَغَلَبَتَهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِ الرِّجَالِ بِمَا يَأْتِي بِهِ ؟ وَاللَّهِ لَوْ فَعَلْتُمْ ذَلِكَ مَا أَمِنْتُ أَنْ يَحِلَّ عَلَى حَيٍّ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ ، فَيَغْلِبَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِذَلِكَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ وَحَدِيثِهِ ، حَتَّى يُتَابِعُوهُ عَلَيْهِ ، ثُمَّ يَسِيرُ بِهِمْ إِلَيْكُمْ حَتَّى يَطَأَكُمْ بِهِمْ ، فَيَأْخُذَ أَمْرَكُمْ مِنْ أَيْدِيكُمْ ، ثُمَّ يَفْعَلَ بِكُمْ مَا أَرَادَ ، أَدِيرُوا فِيهِ رَأْيًا غَيْرَ هَذَا . قَالَ : فَقَالَ أَبُو جَهْلِ بْنُ هِشَامٍ : وَاللَّهِ إِنَّ لِي فِيهِ لَرَأْيًا مَا أَرَاكُمْ وَقَعْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ بَعْدُ ، قَالُوا : وَمَا هُوَ يَا أَبَا الْحَكَمِ ؟ قَالَ : أَرَى أَنْ تَأْخُذُوا مِنْ كُلِّ قَبِيلَةٍ فَتًى شَابًّا ، جَلْدًا نَسِيبًا وَسِيطًا فِينَا ، ثُمَّ نُعْطِي كُلَّ فَتًى مِنْهُمْ سَيْفًا صَارِمًا ، ثُمَّ يَعْمِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ ، ثُمَّ يَضْرِبُونَهُ بِهَا ضَرْبَةَ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ ، فَيَقْتُلُونَهُ ، فَنَسْتَرِيحُ ، فَإِنَّهُمْ إِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ تَفَرَّقَ دَمُهُ فِي الْقَبَائِلِ كُلِّهَا ، فَلَمْ يَقْدِرْ بَنُو عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ عَلَى حَرْبِ قَوْمِهِمْ جَمِيعًا ، وَرَضُوا مِنَّا بِالْعَقْلِ ، فَعَقَلْنَاهُ لَهُمْ . قَالَ : فَقَالَ الشَّيْخُ النَّجْدِيُّ : الْقَوْلُ مَا قَالَ الرَّجُلُ ، هَذَا الرَّأْيُ لا رَأْيَ لَكُمْ غَيْرُهُ ، فَتَفَرَّقَ الْقَوْمُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ، وَهُمْ مُجْمِعُونَ لَهُ

When Quraysh saw that the Messenger of God had acquired a following and Companions from a tribe other than themselves in a region other than theirs, and when they saw his Emigrant Companions going to join them, they realized that these had found a home and were safe from their attacks . The Quraysh were now anxious about the Messenger of God going to the people of al-Madinah as they knew that he had decided to join the Madinans in order to make war on the Quraysh. They therefore met together about this matter in the House of Assembly, formerly the house of Qusayy b. Kilab, where Quraysh had always made their decisions, and there they deliberated what to do about the Messenger of God, since they had come to be afraid of him. They gathered together for this purpose and at the fixed time went into the House of Assembly to deliberate there about the Messenger of God. On the morning of the day fixed (the day called al-Zahmah) they went there, and the Devil met them in the form of a venerable old man wearing a coarse garment and stood at the door of the house. When they saw him standing at the door they said, “Who is this old man?” He said, “I am an old man from Najd who has heard what you have arranged to meet for and has come to be with you to hear what you say; perhaps you will not lack judgement and good advice from him.” They replied, “Certainly, come in,” so he went in with them. All the nobles of Quraysh, of every clan, had gathered there; from the Banu Abd Shams, Shaybah and Utbah the sons of Rabi’ah and Abu Sufyan b. Harb; from the Banu Nawfal b. Abd Manaf, Tu’aymah b. Adi, Jubayr b. Mut’im and al-Harith b. Amir b. Nawfal; from the Banu Abd al-Dar b. Qusayy, al-Nadr b. al-Harith b. Kaladah; from the Banu Asad b. Abd al-Uzza, Abu al-Bakhtari b. Hisham, Zam’ah b. al-Aswad b. al-Muttalib and Hakim b. Hizam; from the Banu Makhzum, Abu Jahl b. Hisham; from the Banu Sahm, Nubayh and Munabbih the sons of al-Hajjaj; and from the Banu Jumah, Umayyah b. Khalaf. In addition there were others, some from the Quraysh and others who were not counted as Quraysh. They said to one another, “This man has done what he has done, and you have seen it for yourselves. We cannot be sure that he will not fall upon us with his followers who are not of us; so come to a decision about him.” When they began to deliberate, one of them said, “Keep him in fetters, lock him up, and wait for the same kind of death to overtake him which overtook other poets of his sort before him, Zuhayr, al-Nabighah and others.” The old man from Najd said, “No, by God, this is not judicious; if you were to imprison him as you say, news of what had happened to him would leak out to his companions from behind the door which you had shut upon him, and in no time at all they would fall upon you and snatch him away from your hands. Then their numbers would grow against you and they would seize power from you. This is not judicious, so consider something else.” They consulted again, and one of them said, “Let us expel him from among us and banish him from our land; when he has left us, by God, we will not care where he goes or where he settles. The harm which he has been doing will disappear, we shall be rid of him and we shall be able to put our affairs in order again and restore our social harmony to what it was before.” The old man from Najd said, “By God, this is not judicious; do you not see the beauty of his discourse, the sweetness of his speech and how he dominates the hearts of men with the message which he brings? By God, if you expel him, I think it not unlikely that he will descend upon some tribe of the Arabs and win them over with this speech and discourse of his so that they follow him in his plans; then he will lead them against you, crush you with them, seize power from your hands and do with you what he wants. Come to some other decision about him.” Abu Jahl b. Hisham said, “By God, I have an idea about him, which I do not think you have hit upon yet.” “What is it, Abu al-Hakam?” they asked. He said, “I think that you should take one young, strong, well-born, noble young man from each clan; then we should give each young man a sharp sword; then they should make for him and strike him with their swords as one man and kill him. Thus we shall be relieved of him, and if they do this, the responsibility for shedding his blood will be divided up among all the clans, and the Banu Abd Manaf will not be able to wage war against the whole of their tribe, and will be content to take blood money from us, which we can pay them.” The old man from Najd was saying, “What this man says is right. This is the correct decision; you have no other.” Thereupon they dispersed, having agreed upon this. (Tarikh at-Tabari)

To be continued