[Sidenote: 12. Abu Sofian threatened the Moslems with another attack
next year.]
Abu Sofian, while retiring from the field, victorious as he was, threatened the Moslem with a fresh attack the next year as he said to Omar: "We shall meet again, let it be after a year, at Badr." Medina and the Moslems, however, enjoyed a long exemption from the threatened attack of the Koreish.
At length the time came when the forces of the Koreish and the Moslems
were again to meet at Badr. But the year was one of great draught, and
the Koreish were desirous that the expedition should be deferred to a
more favorable season. Accordingly the Koreish engaged Naeem, an Arab of
a neutral tribe, to repair to Medina, and there to give forth an
exaggerated account of the preparations of the Koreish, in the hope
that, with the field of Ohad fresh in memory, it might deter the Moslems
from setting out to meet them. But Mohammad, with a force of fifteen
hundred men and only ten horses, set forth for Badr. The Koreish, who
never appeared mortified at the triumph of Mohammad, began to project
another grand attack upon him.
