Al-Bukhārī records—through several chains—from Khālid al-Ḥadhdhāʾ, from ʿIkrimah, from Ibn ʿAbbās—that while the Prophet ﷺ was inside his pavilion on the Day of Badr he prayed: “O Allah, I beseech You by Your covenant and Your promise. O Allah, if You will, You will never again be worshipped after today.” Abū Bakr then took hold of his hand and said, “Enough, O Messenger of Allah; you have earnestly implored your Lord.” The Prophet came out, springing up in his coat of mail, and recited:

“The host will be routed, and they will turn their backs in flight; rather, the Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour is far more calamitous and bitter” (Q 54:45-46).

This verse was revealed in Mecca, and its truth was made manifest at Badr.

Ibn Abī Ḥātim reports: my father narrated to us; Abū al-Rabīʿ al-Zahrānī narrated to us; Ḥammād, from Ayyūb, from ʿIkrimah, who said: When the verse “The host will be routed and they will turn their backs” was revealed, ʿUmar said, “Which host will be routed? Which host will be defeated?” But on the Day of Badr I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ leaping in his armor and repeating, “The host will be routed and they will turn their backs,” and only then did I grasp its meaning.

Al-Bukhārī also relates—through Ibn Jurayj, from Yūsuf ibn Māhān—that he heard ʿĀʾishah say: “Whilst I was still a young girl playing in Mecca, the verse was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ: ‘Rather, the Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour is far more calamitous and bitter.’”

Ibn Isḥāq reports: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ continued to call upon his Lord for the victory He had promised, saying among other supplications, “O Allah, if this small band is destroyed today, You will not be worshipped.” Abū Bakr kept saying, “O Prophet of Allah, moderate your pleading with your Lord, for Allah will surely fulfil what He has promised you.” While the Prophet ﷺ was in the command shelter, he nodded off briefly; then he awoke and said, “Rejoice, O Abū Bakr! Allah’s help has come. Here is Gabriel holding the reins of his horse; dust is clouding his teeth,”—meaning the front of the horse was covered in dust.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then went out to the people, urged them on, and declared: “By Him in whose hand is Muhammad’s soul, no man fights them today, gets killed while remaining steadfast, seeking the reward of Allah, advancing and not retreating, except that Allah will admit him to Paradise.” ʿUmayr ibn al-Ḥumām, a member of Banū Salamah, was holding some dates and eating them. He exclaimed, “Wonderful! Nothing stands between me and Paradise except that these people kill me!” He threw the dates aside, seized his sword, and fought the enemy until he was killed—may Allah be pleased with him.

Imām Aḥmad reports: Hāshim narrated to us; Sulaymān, from Thābit, from Anas, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Basbasah as a scout to see what Abū Sufyān’s caravan was doing. He returned when no one was in the house except me and the Prophet ﷺ—I do not know whether he had kept some of his wives back—and conveyed his report. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then went out and addressed the people, saying, “Indeed, we have …”