Allaah says regarding the events of the battle of Badr: “(Remember) when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): “I will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other (following one another) in succession. Allah made it only as glad tidings, and that your hearts be at rest therewith. And there is no victory except from Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.” [8:9-10]
Ash-Shaheed Sayyid Qutb comments on these two verses saying:
“Their Lord then answered their appeal and informed them that He had decided to reinforce them with 1000 angels moving in close ranks. Greatly significant as this decision is, indicating the great value assigned by Allaah to those believers and the faith of Islaam, Allaah does not want the Muslims to understand that there is a mechanical process of a direct cause leading to a definite effect. The whole matter is referred back to Him so that the Muslims maintain the right beliefs and concepts.
This whole response, enforcement, and the revelation announcing it were merely given as happy news to reassure the believers’ hearts. Victory itself comes only from Allaah. This is a basic fact of faith restated here so that Muslims do not attach undue importance to any particular cause or factor.
It was sufficient that the Muslims should do their best and exert their maximum effort, overcoming the initial shock some of them experienced as they found themselves facing real danger. All they needed to do was to actually proceed in obedience of Allaah, assured of His support. In other words, they needed to fulfill their part and leave the rest to Allaah’s will. It is He who plans matters for them and dictates the final outcome of their efforts. The rest was merely a piece of happy news, giving reassurance to the believers to calm their hearts and enable them to face up to the real danger.
A community of believers does not need more than to feel that they are supported by Allaah’s soldiers for their hearts to be set at rest and to go into battle with courage and perseverance. Victory then comes from Allaah, who alone can grant it.”
[Fee Zhilaal Al-Quraan [English trans.], 7/92]
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