After this event, Quraish began to realize the real danger that Madinah could present with. They came  to know that Madinah had always been on the alert, watching closely their commercial caravans. It  was  then common knowledge to them that the Muslims in their new abode could span and extend their  military activities over an area of 300 miles. and bring it under full control. However, the new situation  borne in mind, the Makkans could not be deterred and were too obstinate to come to terms with the  new rising power of Islam. They were determined to bring their fall by their own hands and with this  recklessness they precipitated the great battle of Badr.
The Muslims, on the other hand, and at the behest of their Lord, were ordered to go to war in Sha‘ban
2 A.H:
“And fight, in the way of Allâh those who fight you; but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allâh  likes not the transgressors. And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where  they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah (polytheism or calamity) is worse than killing. And fight  not with them at Al-Masjid-Al-Harâm (the Sanctuary at Makkah), unless they (first) fight you  there. But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers. But if  they cease, then Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And fight them until there is no more
Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allâh) and (all and every kind of ) worship  is for Allâh (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimûn
(polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)” 2:190-193
Before long, Allâh again sent the Muslims a different sort of verses whereby teaching them ways of  fighting, urging them to go to war and demonstrating relevant rules:
“So, when you meet (in fight - Jihâd in Allâh’s cause), those who disbelieve smite at their necks  till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them, i.e. take  them as captives). Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom),  or ransom (according to what benefits Islam), until the war lays down its burden. Thus you are  ordered by Allâh to continue in carrying out Jihâd against the disbelievers till they embrace Islam
(i.e. are saved from the punishment in the Hell-fire) or at least come under your protection, but  if it had been Allâh’s Will, He Himself could certainly have punished them (without you). But (He  lets you fight), in order to test you, some with others. But those who are killed in the way of
Allâh, He will never let their deeds be lost. He will guide them and set right their state. And admit  them to Paradise which He has made known to them (i.e. they will know their places in Paradise  more than they used to know their houses in the world). O you who believe! If you help (in the  cause of) Allâh, He will help you, and make your foothold firm.” 47:4-7
Shortly afterwards, Allâh began to dispraise the hypocrites, the weak at heart and cowardly elements:
“But when a decisive Sûrah (explaining and ordering things) is sent down, and fighting (Jihâd —  the holy fighting) is mentioned (i.e. ordained) therein, you will see those in whose hearts is a  disease (of hypocrisy) looking at you with a look of one fainting to death. ” 47:20
The prevalent exigencies required as a top priority exhorting the Muslims to fight. Any leader with a  deep insight would order his soldiers to get ready for any sort of emergency, let alone the All-Knowing
Exalted Lord, Who is at all times omniscient of the minutest details of affairs. The event of that  skirmish  with the polytheists dealt a heavy blow to the pride of Quraish and created a sort of horrible  restlessness amongst them.
The aforementioned Qur’ânic verses, enjoining the Muslims to strive in the cause of Allâh, betrayed  the  proximity of blood clashes that would be crowned by a decisive victory for the Muslims, and final  expulsion of polytheists out of the Sacred City, Makkah. They referred to rules pertinent to the  treatment of captives and slaughtering the pagan soldiers till the war ended and laid down its  burdens.
All of these could act as clues to a final triumph that would envelop the strife of the Muslims towards  their noble objectives.
Another event of great significance featured the same month Sha‘ban 2 A.H., i.e. February 624 A.D.,  which was a Divine injunction ordering that Al-Qiblah be changed from Jerusalem to the Sacred
Mosque  in Makkah. That was of a great advantage to the Muslims at two levels. First, it brought about a kind  of  social sifting, so to speak, in terms of the hypocrites of the Jews and others weak at heart, and  revealed their true nature and inclinations; the ranks of the Muslims were thereby purged from those  discord-prone elements. Second, facing a new Qiblah, the Sacred Mosque in Makkah, refers gently to