The Muslims had with them seventy camels which they rode in turns, while their total number on the day of Badr was 319.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, ʿAlī, and Marthad ibn Abī Marthad shared one camel; Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf shared another. When the Prophet ﷺ drew near al-Ṣafrāʾ he sent two men to gather intelligence about Abū Sufyān, and received word that Quraysh had mustered a war-party. He consulted the people and they spoke well.

Al-Miqdād ibn ʿAmr declared, “Messenger of Allah, go forward to what Allah has shown 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 will stay right here’ (Qurʾān 5:24). Rather we say: Go, you and your Lord, and fight; we will fight alongside you. By the One who sent you with the truth, were you to march us to Bark al-Ghimād, we would fight with you against whoever stood in your way until you reached it.” The Prophet ﷺ praised him and prayed for him.

Saʿd ibn Muʿādh then said, “Messenger of Allah, by Allah, if you were to lead us into this sea we would plunge into it with you.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was pleased and said, “March on and rejoice, for my Lord has promised me one of the two parties: either the caravan or the army.”

He proceeded until he camped close to Badr. When evening came he dispatched ʿAlī, al-Zubayr, and Saʿd with a group to Badr to gather news. They seized a water-skin carrier belonging to Quraysh, accompanied by Aslam and Abū Yasār, their clients, and brought them to the Prophet ﷺ. Questioned, the men replied, “We are water-bearers for Quraysh.” The Companions disliked this answer, hoping they were water-bearers for the caravan, and began to beat them; whenever the pain grew intense the two said, “We are from Abū Sufyān’s caravan.”

The Prophet ﷺ was praying; when he finished he said, “When they tell you the truth you beat them, and when they lie you leave them alone!” He then asked, “Tell me, where is Quraysh?” They answered, “Behind that sand-hill.” He asked, “How many camels do they slaughter each day?” They replied, “Ten—or nine.” He said, “Then their numbers are between nine hundred and a thousand.”

As for the two men the Prophet ﷺ had sent to spy, they dismounted near the well of Badr and filled their leather water-skins. Mujdī ibn ʿAmr was nearby without their noticing, and he overheard