Shortly after their departure, Abu Sufyan himself arrived at the same well. His heart was uneasy, so he had halted the caravan at a distance and gone ahead to examine the routes and the terrain. When he reached Badr, he questioned the locals about whether they had seen any strangers. They replied that two unfamiliar men had camped on the hill near the well, drawn water for themselves and their animals, and then departed.
This report alarmed Abu Sufyan. He went to the spot they described, examined the camel droppings they had left behind, broke them open, and found inside the pits of dates. His suspicion was confirmed. “By Allah, these are from Yathrib!” he exclaimed, for it was known that the people of Yathrib fed their camels with date pulp. Without delay, he returned to the caravan and warned them of the danger.
The caravan immediately changed course, leaving the Badr route and heading toward the coast. They followed a distant valley, avoiding the main road to escape pursuit. But their fear still lingered. As they pressed on, Abu Sufyan hired a man from the Ghifar tribe—Damdham ibn Amr—to ride swiftly to Makkah and summon help. He urged the Quraysh to send a force to intercept the Muslims and protect their caravan.
The situation was dire. If a caravan of a thousand camels fell into Muslim hands, it would devastate Quraysh and greatly strengthen the Muslims. It would also serve as retribution for the injustices Quraysh had inflicted—having seized, plundered, and sold the homes and possessions of the Companions who had migrated to Madinah.
Now, a race had begun. The Muslim army was advancing toward Badr, while Abu Sufyan was steering the caravan away along the seashore to escape danger.
Damdham rode swiftly across the desert and reached Makkah in record time. As soon as the city’s houses came into view at a place called Abtah, he began shouting:
“O people of Quraysh! The caravan! The laden caravan! Your goods are with Abu Sufyan!”
He gasped between cries: “Muhammad and his men have blocked its route! I do not know if you will reach it in time—help, help!”
His desperate voice echoed through the valley, rebounding off the hills and homes of Makkah.
Before long, the city was in turmoil. The Quraysh began their preparations at once. “Do they think this caravan belongs to Amir ibn Hadrami?” they scoffed. Nearly a thousand warriors—fully armed and equipped—set out from Makkah. Their forces far outmatched those of the Muslims.
While the Muslims had only two horses, Quraysh possessed two hundred. The Muslims had seventy camels; Quraysh had seven hundred. The Quraysh army counted six hundred soldiers in full armor; the Muslims had barely sixty.
The Quraysh army was led by Abu Jahl. All the chieftains of Quraysh joined him—except Abu Lahab, who excused himself on the pretext of illness and sent in his place his brother As ibn Hisham, who owed him four thousand dirhams. Abu Lahab forgave the debt in exchange for his participation.
Umayyah ibn Khalaf, the master of Bilal and one of the notorious oppressors, had at first resolved not to go, using his age as an excuse. He was a heavy man, sluggish in movement despite his cruelty, and feared being a target for the Muslims.
While he sat among his followers near the Ka‘bah, Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt approached him carrying a censer filled with burning incense. Setting it before him, he mockingly said, “Perfume yourself with this, O Abu Ali, for you are now among the women!”
It was an insult—an accusation of cowardice. Enraged, Umayyah cursed him and the censer alike, rose to his feet, and joined the army. The taunt had achieved its purpose.
Meanwhile, the Quraysh caravan had successfully escaped through the coastal route. Abu Sufyan sent word to Quraysh that the danger had passed and there was no longer any need for reinforcements.
When this news reached the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam], he also learned that a powerful Quraysh army—fully equipped—was now marching toward him.
The situation had changed. The caravan had escaped, but the army was coming. The Muslims faced a crucial choice: either advance toward an army three times their number—better armed and more experienced—or turn back to Madinah.
At this decisive moment, the Messenger of Allah consulted his Companions. His calm demeanor showed no trace of fear. Abu Bakr [radiyallahu anh] rose and spoke eloquently in support of jihad. Umar [radiyallahu anh] followed with words of strength and conviction.
Then Miqdad ibn Amr [radiyallahu anh] uttered words that history would never forget:
“O Messenger of Allah! Go forth where your Lord commands you, for we are with you. By Allah, we will not say to you as the Children of Israel said to Moses: ‘Go, you and your Lord, and fight; we shall stay here.’ Rather, we shall fight at your side—on your right and on your left, before you and behind you.”
Hearing these words, the noble face of the Prophet shone with joy. Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, who narrated the incident, later said he wished those words had come from his own lips.
So far, only the Muhajirun had spoken. Their courage spoke for all—but the Prophet still looked expectantly toward the Ansar, who understood that he awaited their counsel.
Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh [radiyallahu anh], leader of the Ansar, stood up and delivered a speech that would echo through history:
“O Messenger of Allah! It seems that you await our reply. We have believed in you, affirmed your truth, and borne witness that what you have brought is the truth. We have pledged to listen and obey. Proceed then, O Messenger of Allah, as you will—we are with you! By Him who sent you with the truth, if you were to march into the sea, we would plunge into it with you. Not one of us will turn back. When we meet the enemy tomorrow, you will see from us that which will delight your eyes. Go forth with the blessings of Allah!”
The Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] rejoiced and said:
“March forth with glad tidings! For by Allah, He has promised me one of the two parties. And by Allah, I can already see their slain lying upon the ground.”
With this faith and determination, they advanced—until they reached the plain of Badr.
