Battle of Badr

A battle fought in 624 near Badr in western Arabia, where Muhammad’s Muslim force defeated a larger Meccan army. It became a defining early victory for the Muslim community.

Badr: A settlement and well complex in western Arabia, near the site of the 624 battle. The wells and surrounding terrain shaped how the armies approached and fought.
Hijra: Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina in 622, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar. The move created the Medinan community whose forces fought at Badr.
Early Muslim conquests: The seventh-century expansion of Muslim rule beyond Arabia under the early caliphs. Badr became part of the remembered foundation for the community that later expanded.
Surah Al-Anfal: The eighth chapter of the Quran, associated with the aftermath and spoils of Badr. It addresses questions of victory, captured property, and obedience after the battle.
Abu Jahl: A leading opponent of Muhammad in Mecca, killed during the Battle of Badr. His death deprived the Meccan force of a prominent commander.
Constitution of Medina: An agreement traditionally associated with Muhammad that organized relations among groups in Medina. It provides context for the political community from which the Muslim force emerged.
Islamic historiography: The historical writing and methods through which Muslim scholars recorded the past. Accounts of Badr preserve competing details and interpretations of the event.
Battle of Badr in Islamic tradition: The accounts and commemorations of Badr transmitted in Muslim religious and historical traditions. These traditions supply narratives beyond the Quran’s references to the encounter.
Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib: A close relative of Muhammad and an early Muslim known for his role in battles. He fought for the Muslim side in the battle’s opening single combats.
Quraysh: A powerful tribal confederation that controlled Mecca and opposed Muhammad’s movement. Meccan forces at Badr were drawn from the community led by Quraysh.

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