Ransom of the Prisoners of Badr – Part 1 (English Translation) Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib was the Prophet’s uncle. He had gone out to Badr unwillingly and fought alongside the Quraysh. He was a very wealthy man and was among the prisoners captured at Badr. When the time came to pay ransom, a conversation took place between him and the Prophet ﷺ. Al-‘Abbas said: “O Messenger of Allah, forty uqiyyahs of gold and silver were taken from me during the battle. Can that not count as my ransom?” The Prophet replied: “No, O Abbas. That is something Allah granted us as spoils of war. You must pay the ransom for yourself and for your two nephews: 1. Nawfal ibn al-Harith ibn Abd al-Muttalib 2. Aqil ibn Abi Talib (the brother of Ali, may Allah be pleased with him).” The ransom for each man was four thousand dirhams. Al-‘Abbas said: “Then you will leave me poor for the rest of my life!” The Prophet replied: “No, Abu al-Fadl. What about the money you hid beneath the doorstep before you left? You instructed Umm al-Fadl not to tell anyone about it and said: ‘If I am killed, this wealth will support you and the children for the rest of your lives. If I return safely, leave everything where it is.’” Al-‘Abbas responded: “I testify that you are truly the Messenger of Allah. By the One who sent you with the truth, no one knew of that conversation except Allah and us.” He then said: “O Messenger of Allah, you know that I am a believer who concealed his faith, and I only came out under compulsion.” The Prophet replied: “But outwardly, Abu al-Fadl, your sword was against us, and our companions captured you.” Then Allah revealed concerning the prisoners: “O Prophet, say to those captives in your hands: If Allah knows any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you and forgive you. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Qur’an 8:70) The Prophet gave Al-‘Abbas this glad tidings. Later, Al-‘Abbas would say: “By the One who sent him with the truth, Allah fulfilled His promise to me, and the Messenger fulfilled his promise. For every amount I paid as ransom, Allah gave me many times more. I invested through my servants until I became one of the wealthiest men of Quraysh.” About Al-‘Abbas Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib was born two years before the Prophet ﷺ. Some reports state that he accepted Islam early but concealed it, acting as a source of information about the Quraysh for the Prophet. He migrated shortly before the conquest of Makkah, witnessed the conquest, and later fought at the Battle of Hunayn. When many Muslims initially retreated at Hunayn, his powerful voice helped rally them and restore their ranks. Aqil ibn Abi Talib Aqil, the brother of Ali and cousin of the Prophet ﷺ, had his ransom paid by Al-‘Abbas. He accepted Islam later, around the time of the conquest of Makkah. He participated in Hunayn and the Battle of Mu’tah and was renowned for his intelligence and deep knowledge of Arab genealogy. Nawfal ibn al-Harith Nawfal, another cousin of the Prophet ﷺ, also had his ransom paid by Al-‘Abbas. He later accepted Islam and was known for trading in spears. He died during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab, who attended his funeral. Other Prisoners Among the prisoners was Al-Sa’ib ibn Ubayd, a cousin of the Prophet and an ancestor of Imam al-Shafi‘i. At Badr he carried the banner of the Quraysh. After paying his ransom, he accepted Islam and became a sincere Muslim. Another prisoner was Suhayl ibn Amr, one of Makkah’s greatest orators and a fierce opponent of Islam. When Umar ibn al-Khattab saw him, he said: “O Messenger of Allah, let me remove his front teeth so that he can never again stand and speak against you.” The Prophet replied: “No, Umar. I will not mutilate anyone, lest Allah punish me for doing so, even though I am a prophet. And who knows? Perhaps one day Suhayl will take a position for which you will be grateful.” Years later, after the conquest of Makkah, Suhayl accepted Islam and became a devoted Muslim. Following the Prophet’s death, when some people were shaken and uncertainty spread, Suhayl stood before the people of Makkah and delivered a powerful speech affirming Islam and supporting Abu Bakr as the rightful successor. His words helped keep the people of Makkah firm in their faith and prevented them from abandoning Islam. When news of Suhayl’s speech reached Madinah, Abu Bakr looked at Umar and said: “Well, Umar?” Umar wept and said: “I testify that he was truly the Messenger of Allah, both in life and after his death.”