8:42
Remember ye were on the hither side of the valley, and they on the farther side, and the caravan on lower ground than ye. Even if ye had made a mutual appointment to meet, ye would certainly have failed in the appointment: But (thus ye met), that Allah might accomplish a matter already enacted; that those who died might die after a clear Sign (had been given), and those who lived might live after a Clear Sign (had been given). And verily Allah is He Who heareth and knoweth (all things).
Emerick explains that the circumstances surrounding the Battle of Badr illustrate how events unfolded according to a broader divine plan. At the time, a Meccan caravan was returning from Syria, while the Meccan army was traveling northward without knowing the location of the Muslim forces. Meanwhile, the Muslim group was departing from Madinah and was initially unaware that the Meccan army was mobilizing. None of the three parties knew the precise whereabouts of the others. Nevertheless, the Muslim and Meccan forces encountered each other at the wells of Badr, while the caravan narrowly escaped. Emerick notes that, in an era lacking modern navigational technologies such as satellite systems, accurate maps, or communication devices, the convergence of these groups in the same location at the same time can be understood as reflecting the unfolding of God’s plan (Emerick, 2011).
References:
Emerick, Yahiya. The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an in Today’s English (p. 829). Unknown. Kindle Edition.