Then uprose Mikdad, protesting stoutly: 'O Prophet! go without hesitation whither thou art ordered. By Allah! we'll not tell thee as the Banu Israil told Moses: "Go fight by the side of the Lord and we'll await thy return here!" On the contrary, we say to thee: "Go fight by the side of thy Lord and thou wilt find us with thee, always and everywhere."'
The Prophet called down divine blessings on the head of his courageous disciple; and then added: 'Reflect, O my partisans!' He then turned towards the Ansars who might not have considered themselves bound by the oath of the Aqbah to do anything else than to protect him so long as he dwelt in their town.
But Sad ibn Muaz rose to his feet, pained to have to think that the devotion of the Ansars could be doubted, if only for a moment. 'Our confidence in thee is unlimited. We have given thee our word,' he exclaimed. 'Go where thou art ordered and I swear by Him who sendeth thee to bring about the triumph of truth, that shouldst thou ask us to jump in the sea, we would leap with thee!'
This declaration freed the Prophet from the anxiety that weighed him down, and which had prevented him from having recourse to the Ansars in preceding expeditions. His features were radiant with inspired, grateful emotion; and fixing his eyes on a vision that he alone was privileged to see: 'Rejoice, O men of my "qawm!"' he cried. 'I look upon warriors fighting, and the enemy's troops are routed!' There was not a man but what understood that soon the battle would rage and all made preparations with admirable confidence.
As for Abu Sufyan, ever since he had been warned that the Mussulmans were on the march, he was constantly on the look-out. He accelerated the speed of the caravan and, going on in front himself, arrived at Badr soon after the Prophet's scouts. He questioned An Najd who had not yet left the well. 'Hath no prowler been seen about here?'—'I only saw two camels, each ridden by a man; and they watered their animals.'
Abu Sufyan hastened to the spot where the traces could still be seen, showing where the camels had knelt whilst their masters drew water from the well. He found fresh droppings, and, crumbling some in his fingers, picked out many date-kernels. 'By our gods! these camels hail from Al-Madinah, and the enemy is not far off!' he thought, knowing that in all the country round, only the camels of Al-Madinah were fed on soaked kernels of dates.
Therefore, changing the direction of the caravan at once so as to leave the Badr well on one side, he turned off the direct road and took a westerly route along the sea-shore. He was thus able to escape from the soldiers of Islam; and when he was safe, sent another messenger to the Quraish, to inform them of what he had done, advising them to return to Makkah, as he no longer desired their aid.
'Nothing of the kind!' exclaimed their chief, Abu Jahal, carried away by hatred. 'Let us push on to the well of Badr. We'll camp there three days and three nights, passing the time in joyous revels, slaughtering cattle, enjoying the meat, and drinking our fill of wine. Every year a fair is held there, lasting a week, attracting Arabs from far and near. When they hear of our expedition to that spot, the echo of the news will have a great effect, inspiring all with salutary fear of our power!'
Puffed up with pride by reason of this speech, so flattering to their vanity, and allured by the festivals and liquors in store for them, the idolaters approved their chieftain's plan and continued on the march to Badr.
The Believers bent their steps towards the same goal, not knowing whether they would meet the caravan, the Quraish army, or both united. In order to find out, Mohammad sent Ali and Zubayr as scouts. They caught two young men seeking for a well from which to fill their empty goat-skins, strapped to their shoulders. They were made prisoners and taken to the camp to be interrogated, but as the Prophet was at his devotions, the scouts questioned the lads. 'We were looking for water for the Quraish army,' the two captives confessed.