Not merely a military defeat for Quraysh, but also a significant moral blow

والصَّلَاةُ والسَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَشْرَفِ اْلمُرْسَلِيْنَ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ الطَّيّبِيْنَ الطَّاهِرِيْن

Subsequently, Quraysh approached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to negotiate the ransom for their captives. Each tribe ransomed their captive according to what they deemed appropriate. However, some of the captives from the Battle of Badr had no means of ransom.

Therefore, the Messenger ﷺ decreed that their ransom would be to teach the children of the ‘Ansar how to write. As a result, the captives began instructing the boys of Medina in reading and writing, and any captive who taught ten boys would secure his own release.

Outcomes of the Battle

Among the outcomes of the Battle of Badr were the following:

• The strength of the Muslims was significantly bolstered.
• They became held in awe in Medina and its surrounding regions.
• The new Islamic state acquired a source of income through the spoils of battle, greatly revitalising the Muslims' material and economic condition, after enduring severe hardship and poverty for nineteen months.

As for the results of the battle for Quraysh, it was a devastating loss:

• ‘Abu Jahl, ^Amr ibnu Hisham, ‘Umayyah ibnu Khalaf, ^Utbah ibnu Rabi^ah, and other leaders of Quraysh, who were among the most courageous, powerful, and formidable of the Quraysh, were killed.
• The Battle of Badr was not merely a military defeat for Quraysh, but also a significant moral blow, as Medina no longer threatened only their trade, but also their authority and influence over the entire Hijaz.

The Location of Badr

Badr is situated southwest of Medina. The distance between Badr and Medina, following the ancient caravan routes traversed by the Prophet ﷺ, is approximately 257.5 kilometres (160 miles). Badr is also located to the north of Makkah, with the distance between the two, along the old caravan routes used by the Quraysh army, being around 402.3 kilometres (250 miles).

Currently, the distance between Makkah and Badr via contemporary roads is 343 kilometres, while the distance from Medina to Badr on these roads is 153. The distance from Badr to the Red Sea coast, which lies to its west, is roughly thirty kilometres.

The well was named after Badr ibnu l-Harith, who is credited with digging it. However, some sources suggest it was named after Badr ibnu Kaladah. Others believe the name derives from the well’s round shape, resembling the full moon (Badr), or from its clarity, which allowed the full moon to be seen in its waters.