The death of Abu Jahl at Badr

As the ranks of Quraysh began to break at the day of Badr, Abu Jahl held his ground and urged on his army. Then two young men of the Ansar killed him, and Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud finished him off and cut off his head. The Prophet said: "This is the Pharaoh of this community." ^{1 2}

The two young men were Mu'adh ibn Amr ibn al-Jamuh and Mu'awwidh ibn Afra'. Mu'adh struck him and cut off his leg at half the shin, and Ibn Afra' struck him until he brought him down. In one report the Prophet awarded his spoils to Mu'adh, because the other was killed as a martyr in the battle. ² Mu'adh said that he heard the people saying that Abu al-Hakam could not be reached. ²

Ibn Mas'ud found him with a last breath left, put his foot on his neck and questioned him. He said that the Dominion belongs to God and His Messenger, and told Ibn Mas'ud that he had climbed a difficult height, O shepherd of the sheep. Ibn Mas'ud used to herd sheep in Mecca. Then he cut off his head and brought it to the Prophet. ²

• The details come from Mu'adh ibn Amr's report in Ibn Ishaq and al-Bukhari, and the book records both reports in its footnote. ²