It was the second year after the Hijrah — the seventeenth day of Ramadan — a Friday. The two armies now stood face to face on the plain of Badr.
The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] walked among his Companions, arranging their ranks with care. On the right flank rode al-Zubayr [radiyallahu anh] upon his horse, and on the left, al-Miqdad [radiyallahu anh].
A small command tent had been set up for the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] on a rise overlooking the battlefield. Out of concern that the enemy might target him, Abu Bakr [radiyallahu anh] remained by his side.
When one looked upon the armies and their equipment, the disparity was overwhelming. Every outward sign pointed to Quraysh. Yet the Messenger of Allah turned his face toward the heavens and supplicated:
“O Allah! If this small band is destroyed today, there will be none left on earth to worship You. O Allah, fulfill Your promise to me. O Allah, send down Your help! O Allah, grant us victory!”
His hands were raised to the sky, and tears streamed down his blessed face. Abu Bakr [radiyallahu anh] was moved with compassion, comforting him and replacing the cloak that had slipped from his shoulders.
This handful of believers were precious — the future of faith was being built upon their steadfastness. The battle before them would never be forgotten, for it would mark the great divide between truth and falsehood, between guidance and misguidance. The victory at Badr would open the gates of future triumphs, and its heroes would become the keys to new conquests.
Tension filled the air. From among the idolaters stepped out Aswad ibn ‘Abd al-Asad — a vile, arrogant man known for his crude defiance. With boastful fury, he advanced, swearing that he would drink from the Muslims’ cistern and destroy it, even if it cost him his life. But he neither drank nor destroyed. Hamzah [radiyallahu anh], the Lion of Allah, met him in single combat and struck him down. Aswad became the first slain among the Quraysh that day.
His death enraged Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah, who marched forth with his brother Shaybah and his son Walid. Proud and fierce, they called for champions to face them in single combat.
Such duels — mubarazah — were an Arab tradition: a prelude to battle fought between warriors of both sides to inspire their armies and test the enemy’s strength.
The Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] heard their challenge. He sent forth three of the bravest from among his kin: his uncle Hamzah, his cousin Ali, and ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Harith [radiyallahu anhum].
‘Ubaydah faced Utbah, Hamzah faced Shaybah, and Ali faced Walid. Hamzah and Ali swiftly struck down their opponents. ‘Ubaydah, though the eldest, and Utbah wounded one another before Hamzah and Ali rushed to aid him and finished Utbah off. Gravely wounded, ‘Ubaydah was carried to the Prophet. Resting his head upon the Prophet’s blessed feet, he breathed his last. The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] said through tears, “I bear witness that you are indeed a martyr.”
The Quraysh had lost three of their finest men in a single moment. Without further duels, they launched their full attack. The Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] cried out:
“Advance toward Paradise — vast as the heavens and the earth!”
The Companions surged forward with hearts full of faith, ready to give their lives for the cause of Allah.
Soon the battle raged — chest to chest, sword against sword. Their ranks held firm; their hearts did not waver. The cry of “Ahad! Ahad! — Allah is One! Allah is One!” thundered across the valley. Hamzah fought with unyielding courage; Ali struck with unmatched strength; Abu ‘Ubaydah, Zubayr, and Miqdad [radiyallahu anhum] fought fiercely; the young men of Madinah fought as if possessed by the wind of heaven. The ground, firm from the night’s rain, bore witness to their steadfastness, and the valley echoed with the clash of swords, the hiss of arrows, and the neighing of horses.
The Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] took a handful of dust, cast it toward the enemy, and said, “May their faces be disfigured!” The grains flew into the eyes of the disbelievers. His prayers and supplications continued.
Amid the chaos, one of the Companions — ‘Abdurrahman ibn ‘Awf [radiyallahu anh] — later recounted:
“At Badr, I found myself standing between two very young boys. To be honest, I would have preferred to stand between two seasoned men, for I thought that would be safer. As we waited, one of the boys nudged me and said, ‘Uncle, do you know Abu Jahl?’ I replied, ‘Yes, but what do you want with him?’ He said, ‘I have heard that he spoke vile words against the Messenger of Allah. By Allah, if I encounter him, I will not leave him until one of us is dead.’
Before I could answer, the other boy touched me and asked the same question, vowing the same oath. Their zeal and courage amazed me. Not long after, I spotted Abu Jahl — a large, imposing man moving among his fighters. I pointed and said, ‘There is the man you seek.’
They rushed forward like two falcons. Moments later, Abu Jahl — the arrogant enemy of Allah — lay struck down upon the ground.”
These two youths, as recorded by historians, were Mu‘adh and Mu‘awwidh, the sons of ‘Afra’ [radiyallahu anhum]. Some reports mention them simply as “the two sons of ‘Afra’,” while others — including narrations from al-Bukhari and Muslim — state that one was Mu‘adh ibn ‘Afra’ and the other Mu‘adh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Jamuh. Together, they became the immortal heroes who brought down the tyrant of Quraysh.
Though severely wounded, Abu Jahl still breathed. Later, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud [radiyallahu anh] came upon him lying helpless. Overjoyed, he said, “Has Allah not humbled you, O enemy of Allah?”
Even in his final moments, Abu Jahl’s arrogance did not leave him. He sneered, “Humbled? Does a man slain by his own people suffer disgrace? Tell me, who has the upper hand today?”
According to the narration of Muhammad ibn Ishaq, when ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud [radiyallahu anh] came upon Abu Jahl in his final moments, he placed his small foot upon the chest of that massive man and asked the question already mentioned.
Abu Jahl — ever the embodiment of arrogance — even then refused to humble himself. Looking up at ‘Abdullah, he sneered and said, “O little shepherd! You have climbed a very high and lofty place today.”
Every word he uttered dripped with pride and conceit. Then he asked, “Tell me — who has prevailed in the battle?”
‘Abdullah [radiyallahu anh], wise and perceptive, understood what he was hoping to hear. With words that pierced like a sword, he replied, “Victory belongs to Allah and His Messenger.” His tone carried both certainty and joy.
This was the same Abu Jahl who, in Makkah, had tormented countless believers — none more than ‘Abdullah himself. Now, the once-humble shepherd stood over his persecutor. As he struck him with his sword, he recalled the many acts of cruelty and oppression Abu Jahl had committed, as if demanding, blow by blow, an answer for each.
‘Abdullah’s weapon was a simple, unadorned sword, while Abu Jahl’s was a fine blade — beautifully crafted and renowned for its strength. ‘Abdullah [radiyallahu anh] set aside his own sword, took up the enemy’s, and with it severed the head of the enemy of Allah.
Carrying the severed head, he went to the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] and said, “O Messenger of Allah! This is the head of the enemy of Allah — Abu Jahl!”
He himself relates what happened next:
“When I said this, the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] asked joyfully, ‘By Allah, is it true?’
I replied, ‘Yes, by Allah, it is true!’ Then I placed Abu Jahl’s head before him.”
The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] looked upon it and said:
“Praise be to Allah, who has humiliated and disgraced you, O enemy of Allah.” Then he turned to his Companions and declared, “This was the Pharaoh of my nation.”
Thus did Allah [subhanahu wa ta‘ala] decree that the downfall of this towering tyrant — the one who had seemed as mighty as a mountain — would come at the hands of two youthful warriors, while the final blow would be delivered by a man small in stature yet vast in courage, whose faith made him stand taller than kings.