THE NUMBER OF CAPTIVES AND THOSE KILLED AMONG THE POLYTHEISTS IN THE BATTLE OF BADR
It is popularly known that the number of captives from Badr were seventy and the number of the dead Mushrikeen was also seventy as related by other narrations separate from those related earlier, such as the Hadith of Al-Bara’ Ibn ‘Azib in Saheeh Al-Bukhari that the Muslims killed seventy and captured seventy.
Al-Baihaqi said that Al-Bara’ Ibn ‘Azib narrated that: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, appointed ‘Abdullah Ibn Jubair over the archers on the day of the Battle of Badr and seventy of us were felled (i.e. at the Battle of Uhud). Meanwhile, the Prophet and his Companions had recorded 140 of the Mushrikeen as casualties of the Battle of Badr. Seventy were captured and seventy were killed.
I say: The aggregate of the Mushrikeen at the battle was between nine hundred and one thousand. Qatadah was categorical that there were nine hundred and fifty men and perhaps he took the information from what we have mentioned and Allah knows best. In the Hadith of ‘Umar mentioned earlier, their number was a little more than one thousand. The more authentic of the views is the first one based on what the Prophet said: “The number of the people (enemies) was between nine hundred and one thousand.” As for the number of the Companions on that day, they were about three hundred and ten men.
How the Booty Was Shared
The Companions disagreed on the day of Battle of Badr over the booty taken from the Mushrikeen over what should rightly be theirs. The Companions were broken into three groups after the Mushrikeen fled. A group encircled the Messenger of Allah lest anyone from the Mushrikeen would return to harm him.
Another group pursued the Mushrikeen killing and capturing some of them while the third group went around gathering the spoils of war from different parts of the battlefield. Each group claimed to have greater rights due to the gravity of their exploits.
Ibn Ishaq related that Abu Umamah Al-Bahili said: I asked Ubadah Ibn Samit about “Al-Anfal” (a chapter of the Qur’an) and he said: “It was revealed concerning us the participants of the Battle of Badr when we disagreed over the booty. When our disagreement became aggravated, Allah took it from us and made it the prerogative of the Messenger of Allah to distribute it among the believers equally.” The meaning of his statement “equally” is that equal portion was given to those who gathered the booty and those who pursued the enemies as well as those who remained under the flags; he did not give preference to anyone who claimed precedence in its portion. This did not, however, nullify the one-fifth so it was disposed of accordingly as some scholars have misconstrued among whom were Abu ‘Ubaidah and others. And Allah knows best. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, obtained a sword with a spine as his portion from the spoils of the Battle of Badr.
Ubadah Ibn Samit narrated: We went out with the Prophet and I witnessed the Battle of Badr with him. We met the enemy and Allah routed them. A group chased after the enemy decimating and capturing them and another group fell upon the spoils picking and gathering them while the third group encircled the Messenger of Allah lest the enemy should unexpectedly attack him. This continued till nightfall when the people gathered again. Those who had gathered the spoils claimed sole right to what they had gathered and that no one else would have any portion in it. Those who chased after the enemy disagreed with them claiming that they had no greater share to the spoils than them for they were the ones who pursued the enemy causing them to abandon the spoils, and they were the ones who routed them. Those who encircled the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: We feared that the enemy would carry out a surprise attack on him (i.e. the Prophet) so we were busy protecting him.
Thus Allah (SWT) revealed: They ask you (O Muhammad) about the spoils of war. Say: “The spoils are for Allah and the Messenger.” So fear Allah and adjust all matters of difference among you, and obey Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), if you are believers. (Soorah Al-Anfal 8:1) Thus, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, distributed it equally among the Muslims. Whenever the Messenger of Allah invaded an enemy land, he would give out one-fourth of the booty and one-third upon his return and he used to dislike the spoils of war.
Abu Dawood, An-Nasa’i, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim have related through different chains that Ibn ‘Abbas narrated: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said on the day of the Battle of Badr, “Whoever does such-and-such, for him will be such-and-such reward.” The young men dashed forth in quest of that while the elderly ones remained close to the flags. When Allah bestowed victory on them, the elderly men said: “We were a support for you. If you had been defeated, you would have returned to us. Do not take this booty alone and we remain (deprived of it).” The young men refused (to give), and said: The Messenger of Allah has given it to us. Then Allah revealed: They ask you (O Muhammad) about the spoils of war. Say: “The spoils are for Allah and the Messenger.” So fear Allah and adjust all matters of difference among you, and obey Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), if you are believers. (Soorah Al-Anfal 8:1)
The importance of all that is that the matter of the spoils of war is referred to the ruling of Allah (SWT) and His Messenger based on the overriding benefits of the servants (of Allah) in their livelihood and hereafter. Thus Allah revealed: They ask you (O Muhammad) about the spoils of war. Say: “The spoils are for Allah and the Messenger.” So fear Allah and adjust all matters of difference among you, and obey Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), if you are believers. (Surah Al-Anfal 8:1)
Then he related the events of the Battle of Badr and what transpired till he ended with the words of Allah: And know that whatever of war booty that you may gain, verily one-fifth (1/5th) of it is assigned to Allah, and to the Messenger, and to the near relatives [of the Messenger (Muhammad)], (and also) the orphans, Al-Masakeen (the poor) and the wayfarer. (Soorah Al-Anfal 8:41)
Clearly, this verse explains the ruling of Allah on the spoils of war, which He attributed to Himself and His Messenger and explained and ruled on it as He deemed.
By: Ibn Katheer
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