He persisted with him until Ḥakīm said:
“We met and fought, and I heard a sound fall from the sky to the earth like the plink of a pebble in a basin. The Prophet ﷺ grasped a handful of dust, flung it at us, and we broke in flight.”
Al-Wāqidī (1) narrated: Isḥāq ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh related to us, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Thaʿlabah ibn Ṣuʿayr, who said: I heard Nufal ibn Muʿāwiyah al-Daylī say:
“We fled on the Day of Badr while hearing a noise like pebbles rattling in a goblet (2), beating within our chests and behind us; it was one of the most terrifying things we experienced.”
Al-Umawī (3) reported: my father transmitted to us—[Ibn Isḥāq also transmitted]—al-Zuhrī told me, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Thaʿlabah ibn Ṣuʿayr, that when the lines met Abū Jahl said, “O Allah, whoever among us cuts the ties of kinship and has brought us something we do not recognize—destroy him this morning.” Thus he was the one who invoked the decisive judgment.
While they were in that state—Allah having emboldened the Muslims to face their enemy and made them appear few in the idolaters’ eyes so that they grew overconfident—the Messenger of Allah ﷺ dozed briefly in the shelter. He awoke and said,
“Rejoice, Abū Bakr! This is Gabriel, his turban wrapped around him, holding the reins of his horse and leading it; dust lies upon his front teeth. Allah’s help and promise have come to you.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then took a handful of pebbles, went out to face the enemy and proclaimed,
“May the faces be disfigured!”
He blew the pebbles at them and said to his Companions,
“Charge!”
The rout was instantaneous; Allah killed whom He willed of their chiefs and took others captive.
Ziyād, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq (5), said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took a handful of gravel, faced Quraysh and said, “May the faces be disfigured!” He blew it at them and ordered his Companions, “Press forward!” The enemy was routed; Allah slew those He willed from the Qurayshite leaders and captured others of their nobles.
Al-Suddī al-Kabīr said: On the Day of Badr the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to ʿAlī, “Hand me some pebbles from the ground.” ʿAlī gave him pebbles covered with dust, and he threw them into the faces of the enemy. Not a single idolater remained without some of that dust entering his eyes. The Muslims then pursued, killing and capturing them. Concerning this Allah revealed:
“You did not slay them; it was Allah who slew them. Nor did you throw when you threw; rather, Allah threw.” (Qur’an 8:17)
ʿUrwah, ʿIkrimah, Mujāhid, Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb, Muḥammad ibn Qays, Qatādah, Ibn Zayd and others likewise said that this verse was revealed about the events of Badr. The Prophet ﷺ did the same in the expedition of Ḥunayn, as will be mentioned in its proper place—Allah willing, and in Him we place our trust.
Ibn Isḥāq (6) also mentioned that after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had urged his Companions to fight, cast the dust at the idolaters and Allah Almighty had routed them, he ascended once more to the shelter with Abū Bakr, while Saʿd ibn Muʿādh and those with him stood guard