To solve this problem they hired some poets who were capable...

To solve this problem they hired some poets who were capable of writing fiery patriotic poems. They sent their men to recite, and incite men, in the areas of different tribes far and near! One poet of Makkah, Abū-`Uzza `Amr ibn `Abdullah went to Tihamah and made the men of. Banū-Kinanah endorse his views and seven hundred of them joined the ranks of the Quraysh army. The recruitment proceeded in this manner and the number of men swelled to three thousand.

These were committed men ready for any sacrifices! Hind, the wife of Abū-Sufyan, whose father `Utbah, brother al-Walid and uncle Shaybah were killed in the Battle of Badr, made tireless efforts to prepare the Quraysh for another decisive campaign. She became chief of fourteen women who joined the army.

Among these women was Khalid ibn al-Walid’s sister Fatimah, `Amr ibn al-`As’s wife Rita, `Ikrimah ibn Abi-Jahl wife Ummu-Hakim bint Harith, Sufyan ibn `Uwayf’s wife Qutaylah bint `Amr, al-`Azib ibn Sufyan’s wife `Amrah bint Harith, Talhah ibn `Uthman’s wife Saltah bint Sa`d, al-Harith ibn Sufyans wife Ramlah bint tariq and Safwan ibn Umayyah’s wife al-Barra’ bint Mas`ūd.

The purpose of these women joining the army was to upbraid the feelings of the fighters in the theatre of the war and egg them on to fight more valiantly! They were to shame them and bring them back to the battlefield in the event of their trying to desert. When this army, in the command of Abū-Sufyan, left Makkah, `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib thought that if it made a preemptive attack on al-Madinah, the Muslims would not be able to defend themselves.

Therefore, through a person from Banū-Ghifar he sent word to the Prophet (a.s) that the troops of Quraysh have started for an attack on al-Madinah. Because of his timely warning the Prophet (a.s) deputed two men to keep a watch on the outskirts of al-Madinah. They went to some considerable distance and brought the intelligence that the report from `Abbas was correct. And the army of Quraysh causing destruction enroot had reached almost the out skirts of al-Madinah.

Although these were the same people who were vanquished at Badr, they had refurbished their ranks with men from Tihamah and Kinanah. When the Muslims got the wind of fast approaching enemy, there cropped up differences in their ranks as to how best to tackle the attack. Some felt that since the Muslims had lesser numbers, and the infidels were many times more, the best approach would be to take a defensive stance.