The Battle of Badr took place on the seventeenth of Ramadan; it is the day when truth and falsehood were distinguished and made clear. That day is a sanctified day in pure Islam. Muslims worldwide have always commemorated Badr without objection, singing and narrating the praises of the Badris (participants of Badr), and donating food in the names of those great personalities. Regrettably, now some people are trying to confuse ordinary people by arguing that commemorating the Badris, other martyrs (Shuhada), and great personalities, and narrating their praises – practices Muslims have been observing – are Bid'ah (reprehensible innovation) and new customs. At the same time, these critics themselves publish praises (Madh) and commemorations of their movement's leaders in their magazines as prose, poetry, and articles, and organize commemorative speeches and events on stages. Thus, the Wahhabi movement and others, who obstruct all good deeds done by Muslims, portray the commemoration of Badr Day and similar events as a great sin, thereby misleading ordinary people. However, let us examine whether Badr Day should be commemorated. The fact that Badr Day was a great blessing for Muslims worldwide is a truth that anyone with intelligence will acknowledge. If so, see what Allah teaches through His Holy Quran. Allah says:
وذكّرهم بأيام الله إنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ (سورة إبراهيم-الآية:5)
Allah says: And remind them of the "Ayyam" (Days) of Allah. Indeed, in that are signs for everyone who is patient and grateful. (Surah Ibrahim: 5).
See what Quranic commentators say in explaining this verse:
عن ابن عباس عن أبي بن كعب عن النبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: في قوله يبارك وتعالى: [وذكّرهم بأيّام الله] قال: بنعم الله تبارك وتعالى. (تفسير ابن كثير:4/478)
The great Ibn Abbas (﵁) and the great Ubayy ibn Ka'b (﵁) narrate from the Prophet (ﷺ): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "You should tell them about the Days of Allah," meaning, "Remind them of the blessings of Allah, the Exalted." This can be seen explained by Ibn Kathir in his (Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim: 4/478). The Mufassirs (commentators) have also taught what blessing is mentioned in this verse; that is, Allah commands us to remember the blessings He bestowed upon Prophet Musa (﵇) and his followers, such as saving him from his enemy Fir'awn (Pharaoh) and his cohorts, and parting the Nile River in two for their escape. This matter is very clearly explained by Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir. It can be seen stated that Ibn Kathir's Tafsir is the most authentic Tafsir in the official mouthpiece (Al-Manar - 2000, July issue), introduced by the Wahhabis themselves as a stronghold in the field of ideological propagation of the Wahhabi movement, and in the book "Quraninte Velicham" (Light of the Quran) (pages 10 and 44) published by "Yuvatha," the publishing wing of the Mujahid movement before its split. Just as Ibn Kathir explained this verse, Imam Khatib al-Tabrizi (﵀), who passed away in 502 H, in his (Al-Mulakhkhas min I'rab al-Quran: page/94), Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (﵀), who passed away in 310 H, in his (Tafsir: 13/594, 595), Imam Qurtubi (﵀), who passed away in 671 H, in his (Al-Jami' li Ahkam al-Quran: 12/106), Muhyi al-Sunnah Imam Baghawi (﵀), who passed away in 516 H, in his Tafsir (Ma'alim al-Tanzil: 4/335), and even "Nasir al-Sa'di," a Salafi leader in Saudi Arabia who passed away in 1956, in his (Tafsir: page/418), have explained it.
Similarly, the great Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (﵀) reports in his Musnad:
روى عبد الله ابن أحمد بن حنبل عن ابن عباس، عن أبي بن كعب، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في قوله تبارك وتعالى {وذكرهم بأيام الله} قال بنعم الله تبارك وتعالى . (مسند الإمام أحمد:رقم الحديث-20207)
The great Ibn Abbas (﵁) and Ubayy ibn Ka'b (﵁) also narrated from the Prophet (ﷺ) that what is mentioned in the fifth verse of Surah Ibrahim is "remember the blessings of Allah, the Exalted." (Musnad al-Imam Ahmad: Hadith number: 20207). However, among the blessings Allah has given us, a very important and great blessing that we should always remember and remind others of is Badr, where truth triumphed and falsehood was crushed. We can see that Allah Himself taught the greatness of Badr and the greatness of the Sahaba who participated in Badr in the Holy Quran. Moreover, Allah Himself described Badr Day in the Quran as "Yawm al-Furqan" (the Day of Distinction between truth and falsehood). That day cannot be forgotten by a Muslim. That is why true believers around the world renew the memory of Badr, praise the great Sahaba who participated in Badr and the Prophet (ﷺ), and prepare and donate food on that day. We have evidence for this practice in the actions of the Sahaba and the Prophet (ﷺ) himself.
Imam Bukhari (﵀) reports in his Sahih:
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ ذَكْوَانَ قَالَ قَالَتِ الرُّبَيِّعُ بِنْتُ مُعَوِّذٍ ابْنِ عَفْرَاءَ. جَاءَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: فَدَخَلَ حِينَ بُنِىَ عَلَىَّ ، فَجَلَسَ عَلَى فِرَاشِى كَمَجْلِسِكَ مِنِّى، فَجَعَلَتْ جُوَيْرِيَاتٌ لَنَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِالدُّفِّ وَيَنْدُبْنَ مَنْ قُتِلَ مِنْ آبَائِى يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ ، إِذْ قَالَتْ إِحْدَاهُنَّ وَفِينَا نَبِىٌّ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى غَدٍ. فَقَالَ: دَعِى هَذِهِ، وَقُولِى بِالَّذِى كُنْتِ تَقُولِينَ. (صحيح البخاري: رقم الحديث: 5147)و(4001)
Rubayyi' bint Mu'awwidh ibn Afra' (RA) says: On my wedding day, the Prophet (ﷺ) came to my house. At that time, young girls were beating the Daff (tambourine) and singing praises of those among my forefathers who were martyred in the Battle of Badr. When the great Prophet (ﷺ) entered the gathering, one of the girls sang a song meaning (وَفِينَا نَبِيٌّ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي غَدٍ) "Among us is a Prophet who knows what will happen tomorrow." At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Leave this, and say what you were saying (before)." (Sahih al-Bukhari: Hadith number: 5147) and (4001).
Explaining this Hadith, Shaykh al-Islam Imam Zakariyya al-Ansari (﵀) says:
)كُنْتِ تَقُولِينَ) أَيْ مِنَ الْـمَدْحِ وَالثَّنَاءِ الْمُتَعَلِّقِينَ بِالْمَغَازِي وَالشَّجَاعَةِ وَنَحْوِهِمَا. (تُحْفَةُ الْبَارِي بِشَرَحِ صَحِيحِ الْبُخَارِي :5/341) لِشَيْخِ الْإِسْلاَمْ زَكَرِيَّا الْأَنْصَارِيِّ رَحِمَهُ الله – ت:926هــ
In this Hadith, when he said, "say what you were saying," the intention is the praise (Madh) and eulogy related to the battles, bravery, and the like." This is explained in (Tuhfat al-Bari bi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari: 5/341) by Al-Imam Shaykh al-Islam Zakariyya al-Ansari (﵀), who passed away in 926 H.
There is another lesson for us in this Hadith. That is, when the Prophet (ﷺ) entered the house, a little girl praised the Prophet (ﷺ) by singing, "Among us is a Prophet who foretells what will happen tomorrow," because those children understood that the Prophet (ﷺ) could know unseen matters. Who told those children that! Their fathers and mothers themselves taught them!! In essence, the belief of the Sahaba was that the Prophet (ﷺ) could know Ghayb (unseen matters).
Then, what the Wahhabis usually say is that when the girl sang like that, the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade it. However, what we have to say is that the Prophet (ﷺ) stopped those children not because the Prophet (ﷺ) does not know Ghayb and therefore one should not sing like that, but rather in the sense that "there is no need to sing my praise now; first, continue with the praises of your forefathers, the Badris, as you were singing." Otherwise, the great Prophet (ﷺ) would have taught those children not in the manner mentioned in the Hadith, but would have clearly convinced them that "I do not know Ghayb; only Allah knows Ghayb." Moreover, none of the Imams who explained that Hadith said that what the Prophet (ﷺ) said is evidence that the Prophet (ﷺ) cannot know unseen matters. On the contrary, all the Imams have recorded in their books that the Prophet (ﷺ) knows Ghayb matters.
This Hadith of Imam Bukhari (﵀) is conclusive evidence for commemorating great personalities and singing their praises. When this is said, perhaps the Wahhabis might ask: Just because the praises of the Badris were recited once in a Sahabi's house, it doesn't become evidence for doing it always or annually, does it? Also, taking this one act as evidence, have the Sahaba done so at any other time? The answer to that is found in the book "An Introduction to the History of the Islahi Movement," published by Mujahid Centre, Kozhikode, which identifies their fourth leader. In Shawkani's book "Nayl al-Awtar" (which they certified as the most authentic book for deriving religious rulings), it is stated: "If a matter is established once from the Prophet (ﷺ), that matter is evidence for his Ummah until the Last Day," as Shawkani has said. It is good for the Wahhabi to understand at least this. Another point is, if we are to say that the Sahaba did not conduct Badr commemorations and the like, we must have seen and read all the books that narrate the history of the Sahaba. It is certain that this is not possible for us. Without that, we have no grounds to say that the Sahaba did not do it. Rather, what we can read from Hadiths and history books is that narrating and organizing praises of the Prophet (ﷺ) and other great personalities was a part of the Sahaba's life. It was a regular practice for them. That is why the great Imams have recorded what the noble Sayyidatuna Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha Bibi ﵂ said. It can be read as follows:
يَقُولُ الْحَافِظُ ابْنُ الْجَوْزِي:عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: زَيِّنُوا مَجَالِسَكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ عَلىَ النَّبِيِّ صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَبِذِكْرِ عُمَرَ ابْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رِضْوَانُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ. وَعَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: إِذَا ذَكَرْتُمْ عُمَرَ طَابَ الْمَجْلِسُ. (مَنَاقِبُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ:ص/237)لِلْحَافِظِ ابْنِ الْجَوْزِي-ت:597هــ
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi (﵀), who passed away in 597 H, says: Urwa (RA) narrates from Aisha ﵂: Aisha Bibi ﵂ said: "Adorn your gatherings by sending Salawat upon the Prophet (ﷺ) and by mentioning Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. Aisha Bibi (﵂) says: If you mention Umar ibn al-Khattab (﵁), your gathering will become pleasant." This can be seen mentioned by Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi (﵀) in his (Manaqib Amir al-Mu'minin Umar ibn al-Khattab: page/237).
وَيَقُولُ ابْنُ الْجَوْزِي أَيْضًا: قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا: إِذَا شِئْتُمْ أَنْ يَطِيبَ الْمَجْلِسُ فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِذِكْرِ عُمَرَ ابْنِ الْخَطاَّبِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ. (اَلتَّبْصِرَةُ:1/421)لِلْحَافِظِ ابْنِ الْجَوْزِي، وَ(الرِّيَاضُ النَّضْرَةِ فِي مَنَاقِبِ الْعَشْرَةِ:2/421)للإمام محب الطبري-694هــ، وَ(مَحْضُ الصَّوَابِ فِي فَضَائِلِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ:3/1010)لِلْإِمَامِ يُوسُفُ ابْنِ عَبْدِ الْهَادِي الْمَعْرُوفِ بِابْنِ الْمُبَرَّدِ-909هــ
Similarly, Ibn al-Jawzi (﵀) says: "Aisha Bibi ﵂ said: If you wish for your gathering to be pleasant, then you should mention Umar ibn al-Khattab (﵁)." This can be seen mentioned by Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi (﵀) in his (Al-Tabsira: 1/421). This matter is seen narrated by Imam Muhibbuddin al-Tabari (﵀), who passed away in 694 H, in his (Al-Riyad al-Nadira fi Manaqib al-'Ashara: 2/421), and from Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi (﵀) by Imam Yusuf bin Abdil Hadi (﵀), known as Ibn al-Mubarrad, who passed away in 909 H, in his (Mahd al-Sawab fi Fada'il Amir al-Mu'minin Umar ibn al-Khattab: 3/1010).
Imam Muhammad ibn Qasim al-Rassa' (﵀), who passed away in 894 H, says:
كَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا تَقُولُ:(إِذَا أَرَدتُّمْ مَجْلِسَكُمْ أَنْ يَطِيبَ فَاذْكُرُوا مَحَاسِنَ عُمَرَبْنِ الْخَطَّابْ). وَإِذَا كَانَ هَذَا لِعُمَرَرَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ فَكَيْفَ لاَيَتَمَسَّكُ مَجْلِسًا بِذِكْرِخِتَامِ الرُّسُلِ، وَحَبِيبِ الْمَلِكِ الْوَهَّابِ، وَإِذَا كاَنَ الْمَجْلِسُ يَطِيبُ بِذِكْرِالْفَارُوقِ، فَكَـيْفَ لاَيَطِيبُ بِذِكْرِالصَّادِقِ الْمَصْدُوقِ ؟ وَلَكِنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا إِنَّمَا ذَكَرَتْ عُمَرَبْنَ الْخَطَّابِ وَخَصَّتْهُ بِذَلِكَ لِعْلْمِهَا أَنَّ مَا مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ وَلاَمُؤْمِنَةٍ وَلاَمُسْلِمٍ وَلاَمُسْلِمَةٍ تَمُرُّ عَلَيْهِ سِلْعَةٌ أَوْمَجْلِسٌ إِلاَّوَيَطِيبَ مَجْلِسُهُ وَتَزْهَرُمَحَاسِنُهُ بِطِيبِ ذِكْرِ الْمُصْطَفَى صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَبِسِيرَةِ أَهْلِ الصِّدْقِ وَالْوَفَا. وَهَكَذَا كَانَتِ الصَّحَابَةُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ وَأَحْوَالُهُمْ مَعَ حَبِيبِهِمْ فِي ذِكْرِهِمْ لَهُ وَكَثْرَةِ اللَّهْجِ بِهِ، فَإِذَا سُئِلُوا عَنْ أَفْضَلِ النَّاسِ وَأَطْيَبِ النَّاسِ، وَمَنْ تَطِيبُ بِذِكْرِهِ الصُّدُورُ، وَتَفْرَجُ بِهِ صِعَـابُ الْأُمـُورِ، فَلاَ يَخْطُرُ بِبَالِهِمْ إِلاَّزَيْنُ الْعَابِدِينَ وَإِمَامِ الْمُتَّقِينْ. [تَذْكِرَةُ الْمُحِبِّينْ فِي أَسْمَاءِ سَيِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِينْ:ص/479-480] لِلْإِمَامِ ابْنِ قَاسِمِ الرَّصَّاعْ-ت: هـــ .
Aisha Bibi (﵂) says: "If you want your gatherings to be fragrant, then narrate the virtues of Umar ibn al-Khattab (﵁). If this is for Umar (﵁), then how can a gathering not be enhanced by the mention of the Seal of the Messengers, the beloved of the King, the Bestower? And if the gathering becomes pleasant with the mention of Al-Faruq (Umar), then how can it not become pleasant with the mention of Al-Sadiq Al-Masduq (the truthful, the believed one - Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ))? However, Aisha (﵂) mentioned Umar ibn al-Khattab and singled him out because she knew that there is no believing man or woman, nor Muslim man or woman, for whom a gathering passes but that their gathering becomes pleasant and its virtues flourish with the sweet remembrance of Al-Mustafa ﷺ and with the lives of the people of truth and loyalty. And such were the Companions (RA) and their states with their beloved in their remembrance of him and their frequent mention of him. So if they were asked about the best of people and the purest of people, and by whose mention hearts find comfort, and by whom difficult matters are eased, no one would come to their minds except the adornment of the worshippers and the Imam of the God-fearing (Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ))." This matter is seen explained by Imam Muhammad ibn Qasim al-Rassa' (RA) in his (Tadhkirat al-Muhibbin fi Asma' Sayyid al-Mursalin: pages/479-480), and other Imams are seen saying it in their books. Here, Sayyidatuna Umm al-Mu'minin Bibi Aisha (﵂) is commanding the recitation of the Mawlid (praises) of great personalities.
Similarly, it is a matter taught by the great Imams that Allah's mercy descends where righteous people are mentioned: Imam Marwazi (﵀) is seen narrating from Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (﵀): (عِنْدَ ذِكْرِ الصَّالِحِينَ تَنْزِلُ الرَّحْمَةُ) "When righteous people are mentioned, Allah's mercy descends." It can be seen stated by Imam Marwazi (﵀) in his (Kitab al-Wara': page/80). The great Imam Sufyan ibn Uyaynah (﵀) is seen saying this, as reported by Hafiz Abu Nu'aym (﵀) in his (Hilyat al-Awliya'), and many other Imams. It is also seen that Imams have specifically mentioned some great personalities. Among them is what Imam Nawawi (﵀) says: The great scholar says:
أَبُو الْحسَنِ الْحَرْبِي يُعْرَفُ بِابْنِ الْقَزْوِينِيِّ مِمَّنْ تَسْتَنْزِلُ الرَّحْمَةُ بِذِكْرِهِ.(اَلطَّبَقَاتُ الْفُقَهَاءِ الشَّافِعِيَّةِ:ص/320) لِلإِمَامْ قُطْبِ اْلأَوْلِيَاءِ النَّوَوِيِّ رَحِمَهُ الله- ت:676هــ
Imam Nawawi (﵀) says: "Abu al-Hasan al-Harbi, known as Ibn al-Qazwini, is among those by whose mention mercy descends." This can be seen in Imam Nawawi's (Tabaqat al-Fuqaha' al-Shafi'iyyah: page/320) and Imam Ibn al-Salah (﵀) in his (Tabaqat al-Fuqaha' al-Shafi'iyyah). To the extent that even the greatest leader of the Wahhabis, Ibn Taymiyyah, is seen to have said in his (Kitab al-Safadiyya: 2/269) that Allah's mercy descends where the praises (Madh) of great personalities are mentioned. Then, if it is the praises and eulogies of the great Sahaba, and specifically the Badris, their greatness and power need not be further elaborated!!
Now let us examine if the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Sahaba did any particular act on Badr Day and if they gave special consideration to that day.
The great Imam Umar ibn Shabbah (﵀), who passed away in 262 H, and other Imams report:
عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ ابْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْتِي قُبَاءَ صَبِيحَةَ سَبْعِ عَشْرَةَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ. (تَارِيخُ الْمَدِينَةَ الْمُنَوَّرَةِ:1/44)لِلْإِمَامِ ابْنِ شَبَّةَ-262هـ، وَ(لَطَائِفُ الْمَعَارِفِ:ص/328)لِلْحَافِظِ ابْنِ رَجَبِ الْحَنْبَلِي-795هــ، وَ(عُمْدَةُ الْقَارِي شَرَحُ صَحِيحِ الْبُخَارِي:7/378)لِلْعَلاَّمَةِ بَدْرُالدِّينِ الْعَيْنِي، وَ(وَفَاءُ الْوَفَا بِأَخْبَارِ دَارِ الْمُصْطَفَى :3/803) وَ(خُلَاصَةُ الْوَفَا:2/40)لِلْحَافِظِ السُّمْهُودِيِّ، وَ(حُسْنُ النَّبَإِ فِي فَضْلِ مَسْجِدِ قُبَاءَ:ص/66)لِلْعَلاَّمَةِ ابْنِ عَلاَّنِ الصِّدِّيقِيِّ الشَّافِعِيِّ-ت:1057هــ
The great scholar says: "Ibn al-Munkadir (﵁) narrates from Jabir (﵁): The Prophet (ﷺ) used to come to Quba on the morning of the seventeenth of Ramadan." This is seen reported by Imam Ibn Shabbah (﵀) in his (Tarikh al-Madinah al-Munawwarah: 1/44), Hafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (﵀) in his (Lata'if al-Ma'arif: page/328), Allama Badruddin al-Ayni in his (Umdat al-Qari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari: 7/378), Hafiz al-Samhudi in his (Wafa al-Wafa bi Akhbar Dar al-Mustafa: 3/803) and (Khulasat al-Wafa: 2/40), and Allama Ibn Allan al-Siddiqi al-Shafi'i (﵀) (d. 1057 H) in his (Husn al-Naba' fi Fadl Masjid Quba': page/66), and many other Imams.
The teacher of Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (﵀), Imam Zaynuddin al-Maraghi (﵀), Hafiz al-Samhudi (﵀), and others narrate:
وَفِي كِتَابِ رَزِينْ: عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ : أَدْرَكْتُ النَّاسَ يَأْتُونَ مَسْجِدَ قُبَاءَ صَبِيحَةَ سَبْعِ عَشْرَةَ مِنْ رَمَضَانْ. (تَحْقِيقُ النُّصْرَةِ بِتَلْخِيصِ مَعَالِمِ دَارِ الْهِجْرَةِ:ص/171) لِلْإِمَامِ زَيْنِ الدِّينِ أَبِي بَكْرِ الْمَرَاغِيِّ الْعُثْمَانِيِّ الشَّافِعِي-ت/816 هـ ، (وَفَاءُ الْوَفَا بِأَخْبَارِ دَارِ الْمُصْطَفَى:3/803) وَ(خُلاَصَةُ الْوَفَا:2/40)لِلْحَافِظِ السُّمْهُودِي، وَ(حُسْنُ النَّبَإِ فِي فَضْلِ مَسْجِدِ قُبَاءَ:ص/66)لِلْعَلاَّمَةِ ابْنِ عَلاَّنِ الصِّدِّيقِيِّ الشَّافِعِيِّ-ت:1057هــ
The great scholar says: Imam Razin (﵀) reports in his book from the great Ibn al-Munkadir (﵀): "I found people gathering at Masjid Quba on the morning of the seventeenth of Ramadan." This is seen reported by Imam Maraghi (﵀) in his (Tahqiq al-Nusra bi Talkhis Ma'alim Dar al-Hijra: page/171), Hafiz al-Samhudi (﵀) in his (Wafa al-Wafa bi Akhbar Dar al-Mustafa: 3/803) and (Khulasat al-Wafa: 2/40), and Allama Ibn Allan al-Shafi'i (﵀) (d. 1057 H) in his (Husn al-Naba' fi Fadl Masjid Quba': page/66), and many other Imams.
See what the great Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (﵀), who passed away in 310 H, reports from the great Sahabi Zayd ibn Thabit (﵁), who used to recite the Quran to the Prophet (ﷺ), narrate Hadiths from the Prophet (ﷺ), was the Mufti of Madinah, the Shaykh of Qaris, and a scribe of revelation (Wahy) for the Prophet (ﷺ), from among the Ansar:
عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُحْيِي لَيْلَةَ سَبْعِ عَشْرَةَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ لَيُصْبِحُ وَعَلىَ وَجْهِهِ أَثَرُ السَّهْرِ، وَيَقُولُ: فَرَّقَ اللهُ فِي صَبِيحَتَهَا بَيْنَ الْحَقِّ وَالْبَاطِلِ وَأَعَزَّ فِي صُبْحِهَا اْلإِسْلاَمَ وَأَنْزَلَ فِيهَا الْقُرْآنَ، وَأَذَلَّ فِيهَا أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ. (تَارِيخُ الرُّسُلِ وَالْمُلُوكِ:2/420)لِلْإِمَامِ أَبُو جَعْفَرْ اِبْنُ جَرِيرِ الطَّبْرِي-310هــ
Imam Tabari (﵀) narrates from Imam Waqidi (﵀) (d. 207 H) from the great Zayd ibn Thabit (﵁): "Indeed, the great Zayd ibn Thabit (﵁) used to keep alive the night of the seventeenth of the month of Ramadan (with good deeds), and indeed, when morning came, the signs of staying up late would be apparent on his face. He would say: 'On its morning, Allah distinguished between truth and falsehood, honored Islam on its morning, revealed the Quran in it, and humiliated the leaders of disbelief in it.'" This is seen mentioned by Imam Abu Ja'far Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (﵀) in his (Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk: 2/420).
Imam Muhammad ibn Ishaq (﵀), who passed away in 151 H, says:
كَانَ زَيْدُ بنِ ثَابِتٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ يُعَظِّمُ سَابِـعَةَ عَشَرَ وَيَقُولُ:هِـيَ وَقْـعَةُ بـَدْرٍ. (السِّيرَةُ النَّبَوِيَّة:1/174)لِلْإِمَامِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنِ إِسْحَاقْ رضي الله عنه-ت-151هــ
Ibn Ishaq (RA) says: "Zayd ibn Thabit (﵁) used to specially honor the seventeenth and would say: 'It is the Day of Badr.'" This can be seen in Ibn Ishaq (RA)'s (Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah: 1/174).
Similarly, Hafiz al-Dhahabi says: "The great Sahabi Zayd ibn Thabit (﵁) used to give special respect to the seventeenth of Ramadan (Badr Day) and would say that day was Badr Day." This can be seen in Hafiz al-Dhahabi's (Tarikh al-Islam: 1/30).
Hafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (﵀), who passed away in 795 H, says:
والمشهور عند أهل السير والمغازي: أنّ ليلة بدر كانت ليلة سبع عشرة، ... وكان زيد بن ثابت لا يحيي ليلة من رمضان كما يحيي ليلة سبع عشرة من رمضان، ويقول: إنّ الله فرّق الله في صبيحتها بين الحقّ والباطل، وأذلّ صبيحتها أئمّة الكفر... وحكي عن عامر بن عبد الله بن الزبير:أنّه كان يواصل ليلة سبع عشرة. وعن أهل مكّة أنّهم كانوا لا ينامون فيها، ويعتمرون. ... وروى أبو الشيخ الأصبهاني: بإسناد جيّد عن الحسن: قال: إنّ غلاما لعثمان بن أبي العاص، قال له:يا سيّدي إنّ البحر يعذب في هذا الشهر في ليلة. قال: فإذا كانت تلك الليلة فأعلمني. قال: فلما كانت تلك الليلة أذنه، فنظروا فوجدوه عذبا، فإذا هي ليلة سبع عشرة. وروي من حديث جابر: قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: يأتي قباء صبيحة سبع عشرة من رمضان. أيّ يوم كان. ... وأصحّ ما روي في الحوادث في هذه الليلة أنّها ليلة بدر، كما سبق أنّها كانت ليلة سبع عشرة. والمشهور أنّها كانت ليلة سبع عشرة. وسمّي يوم الفرقان. لأنّ الله تعالى فرّق فيه بين الحقّ والباطل، وأظهر الحقّ وأهلّه على الباطل وحزبه، وعلت كلمة الله وتوحيده، وذُلَّ أعدائه من المشركين وأهل الكتاب، وكان ذلك في السنة الثانية من الهجرة. (لطائف المعارف:ص/327-328-329)للحافظ ابن رجب الحنبلي-795هــ
It is well-known among the people of Sirah (biographies) and Maghazi (battles) that the night of Badr was the night of the seventeenth... Zayd ibn Thabit would not keep alive any night of Ramadan as he would keep alive the night of the seventeenth of Ramadan, and he would say: 'Indeed, on its morning, Allah distinguished between truth and falsehood, and humiliated the leaders of disbelief on its morning...' It is narrated from Amir ibn Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr that he used to remain engaged (in worship) on the night of the seventeenth. And from the people of Makkah that they would not sleep on it, and would perform Umrah... Abu Shaykh al-Asbahani narrated with a good chain from Al-Hasan: He said: A servant of Uthman ibn Abi al-'As said to him: 'O master, the sea becomes sweet on one night in this month.' He said: 'When that night comes, inform me.' He said: When that night came, he informed him. They looked and found it sweet, and it was the night of the seventeenth. It is narrated from the Hadith of Jabir: He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to come to Quba on the morning of the seventeenth of Ramadan, whatever day it was... And the most authentic narration regarding events on this night is that it is the night of Badr, as previously mentioned that it was the night of the seventeenth. It is well-known that it was the night of the seventeenth. And it was named Yawm al-Furqan (Day of Distinction). Because Allah, the Exalted, distinguished in it between truth and falsehood, made truth and its people manifest over falsehood and its party, and the word of Allah and His Oneness were elevated, and His enemies from the polytheists and the People of the Book were humiliated, and that was in the second year of Hijra." This can be seen explained by Hafiz Ibn Rajab (﵀) in his (Lata'if al-Ma'arif: pages/327, 328, 329). Similarly, many Imams can be found to have explained this if their books are examined.
From all this, it is clear that the great Sahaba also specially honored Badr Day and engaged in good deeds, giving special importance to that day.
By the greatness of the noble Badris, and by their right (Haqq), status (Jah), and blessings (Barakah), may Allah protect us from all crises, difficulties, and pandemics. May Allah forgive all our sins and include all of us among those for whom the holy Ramadan bears witness favorably - Ameen. Ameen Ya Rabbal Alameen.
