Quran Garden

Session 336

Chapter 3

Verses 13

a continuation

There was certainly a sign for you in the two groups that encountered each other: one group fighting in the way of Allah and the other faithless, who saw them visibly twice as many. Allah strengthens with His help whomever He wishes. There is indeed a lesson in that for those who have vision. (Chapter 3: Verse 13)

Let’s take a few moments to study the word ‘lesson,’ translated from the Arabic origin ‘Ebra’ ‘عبْرَة.’  The root of the word ‘عبْرَة’ is ‘ع ب ر’ which means to cross from one place to another.  For example, the ship that ferries people from one shore to the other is called ‘Abbara’ ’عبّارة.’  In literature, ‘Ebara’ ‘عِبارة’ is a phrase we use to convey our ideas to other people.  ‘Abeer’ ‘عبير’ is the beautiful aroma that fills the air, traveling from the source, such as a flower, to your nose.  All these words share the core meaning of transfer from one place to another.  Similarly, a lesson ‘Ebra’‘عبْرَة’ is a remarkable tool that takes you from a place of ignorance to a place of understanding.  A really good lesson gives you a whole new outlook on life. 

Thus, when Allah says: "There is indeed a lesson in that for those who have vision," we should pay close attention.  Allah transfers the believers from a place of fear to a place of victory, from the conventional thoughts of battle -where a poorly armed few stand no chance against the well-equipped many-to victory by God’s support.  Likewise, Allah transfers the disbelievers from sure victory to defeat despite their clear advantage on the battlefield; and from a place of confidence to utter humiliation.  Allah wants you to understand that His support overrides all convention. 

The phrase ‘Allah strengthens with His help whomever He wishes’ should draw your attention to the fact that God wants you to work and prepare.  Had God wanted to torment the disbelievers without having the believers fight them, He would have ruined them with an earthquake, a storm, or disease.  But God wanted to punish the disbelievers at the hands of the believers.  He says:

How could you not fight a people who have broken their oaths, who tried to drive the Messenger out, who attacked you first? Do you fear them? It is God you should fear if you are true believers. Fight them: God will punish them at your hands. He will disgrace them. He will help you to conquer them, He will heal the believers’ feelings.  (09:13,14)

Allah wants you to learn the lesson of hard work and preparation, and only then, Allah would complete the process of victory.  God says: ‘There is indeed a lesson in that for those who have vision.’

Some people have questioned: Is the lesson for people who have vision, or people who have insight? We answer that the lesson here is for those who have vision because what the verse talks about is a tangible matter which can be observed.  Anyone who has eyes can see. 

If you look at the battle of Badr, you find it full of evidence of the authenticity of this lesson.  The believers were few in numbers and equipment, and they were not even prepared for war.  They went out looking to seize a caravan carrying goods, food, and clothing for Quraysh who seized all their possessions in Mecca.  Had they only captured the caravan, the victory would not have been small because caravans are lightly defended.  But God intended proper victory for them over a formidable force.  He says:

Remember how God promised you that one of the two enemy groups would fall to you: you wanted the unarmed group to be yours, but it was God’s will to establish the truth according to His Word and uproot the disbelievers––(08:07)

Had the Muslims raided the caravan –as they wished-, people would have said that Muhammad and his followers confronted a group of unarmed merchants.  God, however, wanted to give the Muslims a true triumph, so he set them against a fully prepared enemy.   Then, He Almighty gave them victory and made it a lesson for all.

Let’s take a few moments and consider other lessons from the battle of Badr.  One of the more interesting facts is that Badr had members of the same family –often a father and son- fighting on opposite sides.  Take the example of Abu Bakr, who was fighting next to the Prophet, and his son, who had not accepted Islam yet, fighting with Quraysh. 

Before Abu Bakr migrated to Medina, he had a very close relationship with his son.  Later, when the son entered Islam, he said to his father: “I saw you on the day of Badr, but I turned my face away from you.” Abu Bakr responded: “Son, if I saw you that day fighting the faithful, I would have killed you.”  This statement may seem extreme, but both positions are logical.  How, you may ask?  We answer that if the son of Abu Bakr came face to face with his father in battle, he would have to weigh his love for his father against his ties to Quraysh.  The son knew that Quraysh was corrupt and had illegally seized the properties of those who accepted Islam.  Abu Bakr, on the other hand, would have compared his love for his son on the one hand, and his ties to God, Prophet Muhammad, and justice on the other.  He knew the truth and the value of faith.

Mus’ab met his brother Abu ‘Aziz –a disbeliever- on the battlefield.  After the battle, Mus’ab saw his brother captive to another companion, Abu al-Yusr.  He said to him: “O Abu al-Yusr, be tough on your captive, for his mother is rich, and she will pay a handsome ransom to set him free.”  Abu Aziz was astonished.  He turned and said: "My brother, is this how you treat me?”  Mus’ab replied, pointing to Abu al-Yusr: "He is a much closer brother to me than you."

Faith permeated the soul of the believers.  It made it possible for a small army to triumph over the people of disbelief; it was the love for God and the truth that eclipsed the bonds of brotherhood, paternalism, and tribalism.  God says:

The indelible marking of Allah. And who marks better than Allah! And for Him we are worshipers. (2:138)

Another lesson to learn from Badr is that many of Quraysh’s leaders and fearsome warriors escaped death that day.  This made the Muslims angry.  God, however, had wisdom behind preserving the life of the disbelievers.  God had reserved many of these men for great tasks serving the future of Islam.  For example, had Khalid ibn al-Walid died on the battlefield when he was supporting the disbelievers, Muslims would have lost a great future leader.  God saved Khalid for the future, where his sword would be aimed at the enemies of Islam.  This was another form of victory.

From all the lessons above, we find that the phrase "There is indeed a lesson in that for those who have vision," is a perfect end to a verse that started with ‘There was certainly a sign for you in the two groups that encountered each other.’