THE LIFE OF
MUHAMMAD
SALLALAHU
ALAYHE WASALLAM
THE MEDINAN PERIOD
Transcribed
by Maria Iqbal
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The
Madeenan Period
The
Hijrah to Medina
CD 1
Insha’Allah Ta’ala we’ll start with the hijra of Rusool ullah
(pbuh). I have already covered in the past the life of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
in Mecca. So Insha’Allah in these sessions we’ll talk about the early stage of
Medina,and we’ll start with Al-hijra,
but before that just a word on Seera. The books of seera are concerned with
what usually historians are concerned with, and that is the history of politics
and the history of the military engagements. When it comes to the Ikhlaaq of
Rusool ullah (pbuh) you’ll find those in the books of Hadith, if your
interested in the the SHAMAYA of Rusool ullah (pbuh), which are issues related
to his character, you’ll find those in the books of SHANAYAS. However the books
of seera usually cover the political and military aspects of the life of Rusool
ullah (pbuh) and that’s why many of us scholars call seeras MAGHAZI, maghazi
means “status”. However we’ll try to bring in the verses of Quran that relate
to the event that were happening at the
time of Rusool ullah (pbuh), because
Quran would comment on events that happened in the time of Rusool ullah (pbuh).
Sometimes the ayat of Quran would precede an event, sometimes the ayat of Quran
would come concurrent with an event and sometimes the ayat of Quran would come
to comment on an event. So for example you have Ghazwat ul Anfal, which was
revealed, talking about the Battle of Badr and what happened therein, for the
battle of Uhud you have the end of the Surah Al-Imran which relates the story.
Surah tul Hashr talks about the battle of Banu Nadir, Surah Munafiqun and Surah Al-Nur relates the battle
of Bani al-Mustaliq and also Surah
Al-Ahzab relating what happened in the battle of the Trench. So we’ll try to
bring in these verses that relate to these events in seera. We’ll start with
the hijra of Rusool ullah (pbuh). Allah zaujal revealed ayat in Mecca talking
about al- Hijra. Allah Zaujal says: Az-
Zumar (39:10)
Say, "O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who
do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the
patient will be given their reward without account."
So
Allah Zaujul in this ayat says “waardu Allahi wasiAAatun” the earth of Allah is
spacious, meaning that if you are suffering oppression in Mecca then you can
move somewhere else where you will be able to apply and live according to the religion
of Allah Zaujal.
Mujahid
was one of al- Muffassirun, one of the Imams of tafsir, he says commenting
about this ayat, he said “make hijra in the land and fight in the way of Allah
Zaujal and stay away from the idol worshipping” and Atta
one of the early scholars of this ummah, he said “if you are invited to
do a sin then run away” so we should run away from sins and these two quotes
are in the tafsir of Ibn Kathir. Allah Zaujal also says: An-Nahl (16:41)
Allah Zaujal says “And those who emigrated for [the cause of] Allah after they had been wronged - We will surely settle them in this world in a good place; but the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if only they could know”
so notice here,
Allah Zaujal is promising the ones who make hijra for His sake and the ones who
have been oppressed. Allah promises them that He will settle them in this world
in a good place, so what does this mean? What does this mean, when Allah Zaujal
says that We will settle them in this world in a good place? Some of the
scholars of tafsir said if we look at the al-muhajirun, the ones who moved out
of Mecca and went to Medina. They all later on became a leader of a state or a
leader of an army so Allah Zoujal gave them a better status in this World than
what they had in Mecca, But Allah Zoujal
says ‘but the reward of the Hereafter is greater’ so Amar bin Khattab when he
became khalifa and he would give money or gifts to the muhajirun he would tell
them “This is a gift from Allah for you in this World but what Allah has
reserved for you in the Hereafter is even greater.” And the scholars say
whoever leaves something for the sake of Allah, Allah Zaujal will give him something
better. Allah Zaujal says: An- Nahl (16:110)
” Then, indeed your Lord, to those who emigrated after they had been compelled [to renounce their religion] and thereafter fought [for the cause of Allah ] and were patient - indeed, your Lord, after that, is Forgiving and Merciful”
So hijra has a very high status in islam. Have
you ever asked yourself the question, where did they stay, when they moved from
Mecca to Medina? Did they check in to hotels? Or, did they stay in refugee camps? No, they stayed in the
houses of Ansar, and that’s why we call them ‘ansar’. That’s why we call them
the ones who gave victory to islam. Ansar means they gave support, they gave
victory to the religion of Allah. Their houses were open for the muhajirun,
even though they were very modest houses for example Al- Hasan Al Basri says
that “I entered into the rooms of Rusool Allah (pbuh) and I could touch the
ceiling with my own hand and when Rusool Allah (pbuh) would pray in the room of
Aisha, he would have to touch her, so that she would move her feet away so that
he can make sujood.” Every, every wife of Rusool Allah (pbuh) had a room, that
was it just one room, you know they didn’t have
a kitchens, living rooms, and a
balconies, bedrooms, basement, etc. Every wife of Rusool Allah just had one
room, it was that small. So for example in the house of Habib ibn Usa, Talhah ibn Ubaydullah his
mother and Suhayb that’s where they stayed. Hamza stayed in the house of Sa’d
bin Zurra, Saad bin Khaitan all of the bachelors stayed in his house so they
called it the house of bachelors. Ubaida ibn Haris and his mother Tufayl ibn
Haris, Tunayl bin Amr, Al Hussain bin Haris, all of them stayed in the house of
Abdullah ibn Salama. So one thing that you
learn is that being generous and
being supportive of muslims is one of the signs of emaan, it was one of the
signs of al- ansar (ra).
There were two hijras, one to Medina
and the other to Habasha. So what’s the
difference the difference between the two? When it comes to the hijra to al-
Habasha, they went there flee persecution but they didn’t become part of the
society in Abyssinia, they weren’t really part of the society, rather they were
secluded. Therefore there ability to change the society was hindered. They were
like refugees in Abyssinia and that’s why when they left Abyssinia they didn’t
leave a strong Islamic impression behind. However the Hijra to Medina was a
hijra to establish the Islamic community, so there’s a big difference between
the two.
Some of the virtues of Medina:
·
Rusool
Allah (pbuh) asked Allah to make them love Medina so he said “Oh Allah, make us
love Medina like we love Mecca or more” Rusool Allah (pbuh) made duas that
Allah Zaujal gives barakat in Medina , this hadith is in Bukhari, “Oh Allah
double the barakat (double the blessings) of Medina compared to what you have given
Mecca” It was Ibrahim Allayhissalaam asked Allah to give
barakat in Medina. So Rusool Allah
(pbuh) is asking Allah Zaujal to double the blessing in Medina.
·
Medina
is protected from dajjal. Rusool Allah (pbuh) says that there are angels on
every entrance to Medina protecting it from dajjal.
·
There
is a special reward for being patient on the hardship of Medina, because, it
was difficult to live in Medina at that time. It was very hot and the
environment was harsh so Rusool Allah (pbuh) says in Sahih Muslim, “Anyone who
is patient on the hardships of Medina, I will be his intercessor on the Day of
Judgement, I will intercede on his behalf on the Day of Judgement”.
·
There
is a special blessing of dying in Medina, Rusool Allah (pbuh) says, “Whoever is
able to die in Medina then let it be so, because I will intercede for you on
the Day of Judgement” and this hadith is in Muslim.When Amr ibn Khatab became
khalifa, he wanted to die in Medina and he also wanted to die as a shaheed. So
he made a dua to Allah saying, “Oh Allah, I want to die as a martyr in the town
of Your Prophet” so his daughter Hafsa said, “Oh my father, how can you become
a shaheed in Medina when it’s safe? Medina is the capital of the muslim empire
if you want to die as a shaheed you need to go to Iraq; you need to go to Syria,
not in Medina”. Amr bin Khattab said, “If Allah wants something to happen, He
will make it happen”. So not only did Amr die as a shaheed in Medina, he died
in as a shaheed in the mosque of Rusool Allah (pbuh) while praying.
·
Allah
Zaujal protects Medina, Rusool Allah (pbuh) says, “Whoever plots against the
people of Medina, Allah will make him dissolve like salt dissolves in water”,
and this hadith is in Bukhari.
·
And
Medina also is sacred so Rusool Allah (pbuh) says, “You are not allowed to cut
down trees in Medina, your not allowed to hunt in Medina, your not allowed to
carry weapons in Medina, because of its sanctity”. So these are some of the
blessings of Medina.
Before Rusool Allah (pbuh) decided to make
hijra, the people of Mecca plotted against him. They came together and they
started discussing how to deal with the Islamic problem. Some of them suggested
that we should throw Muhammed (pbuh) in jail. The response was that it is not a
good idea because if we throw him in jail his followers will come and take him
out, they’re going to revolt against us. So the second suggestion was to exile
him, drive him out of Medina. They rejected this stating that his talk is very
sweet, so he’s going to deceive other people, and eventually they will believe
him and then they’re going to come back to challenge us. So the third
suggestion was that of obviously no one other than Abu Jahl he gave the idea of
killing Rusool Allah (saw), and said, the way to do that would be to appoint a
strong man from every clan, give him a sharp sword, and then have them all
strike Muhammed at once, so that his blood will disperse among the different
clans of Mecca, so that the family of Rusool Allah (pbuh) will not be able to
seek revenge and then they will ask for blood money and we will be happy to pay
to them. They said this is the suggestion we adopt. And Allah Zaujal says: Al – Anfal (8:30)
“And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you [from Makkah]. But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners.”
So
they plan to execute Prohet Muhammed (pbuh), they wanted to assassinate
him, but Allah Zoujal will protect him. Allah Zoujal told Prophet Muhammed
(pbuh) to recite the following dua, this is an ayat in surat al- Isra: (17:80)
And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound
exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority."
So to ‘cause me’ to enter a sound entrance
is to go to Medina and to exit a ‘sound exit’ is to leave Mecca, ‘and grant me
from Yourself a supporting authority’, because Allah Zoujal is teaching
Muhammed that this religion is supported by authority. Rusool Allah (saw) says
that “Allah Zoujal sometimes could support this religion through authority in
ways that Quran can not support the religion.” And that’s why khilafah was a
very important concept to the muslims. Infact the sahabah met to decide the
issue of khilafah before they buried Rusool ullah (pbuh) as we mentioned in the
story of Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra).
Rusool Allah (pbuh) set out to prepare for
hijra, Aisha Raziullah unha said that, one day at midnoon in the house of Abu
Bakr, “we saw a man approaching us and he was masked”, he covered his face, so
Abu Bakr Siddiq saw that it was Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), he said ‘Prophet
Muhammed wouldn’t come at this time except if its something important’ this was
because it was at noon and people ususally sleep at noon. So Rusool ullah
(pbuh) came in and he said, “Oh Abu Bakr had everyone in your house leave?” Abu
Bakr Siddiq (ra) said, “The only ones who are in my house are your family oh
Rusool ullah.” Meaning my family is like yours, you can trust speaking in the
presence of my family because they’re like your own family. So Rusool ullah
(pbuh) said, “I was given permission to leave and make hijra to Medina.” Abu
Bakr Siddiq (ra) said, “Oh Messenger of Allah, can I be your companion?” Rusool
ullah (pbuh) said, yes. Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) started to weep, Aisha Raziullah
anha said, “I never saw somebody weeping because of pleasure, because of joy,
like my father that day.”
Now I just want to stop right here and
say, this was not an entertaining journey. Abu Bakr knew very well that he was
risking his life, by being the companion of Rusool Allah (pbuh) on hijra. So
how come he is crying of joy? When he knows that he is putting his life on the
line. Brothers and sisters this shows you the level of sacrifice, that Abu Bakr
Siddiq (ra) is willing to go to and it shows you that he is so happy, to
sacrifice for Rusool ullah (pbuh). His heart was not trembling he was not
afraid, he was instead crying of joy knowing that he could be killed. But this
shows you the love that he had for Rusool ullah (saw).
Rusool ullah (pbuh) appointed Ali ibn Abu
Talib to sleep on his bed, and this is another sacrifice because Ali ibn Abu
Talib was also risking his life. But these were the sahabah of Rusool ullah
(pbuh), this is how far they were willing to go. Rusool ullah (pbuh) and Abu
Bakr left Mecca.Rusool ullah (pbuh) loved Mecca very much, he looked back and said,
“ In the name of Allah, you are the most beloved land to Allah, and if it
wasn’t that I was driven out from you, I wouldn’t have left. I wouldn’t leave
Mecca if I had the choice.” But he was driven out of it.
The journey started and Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra)
for sometime would walk ahead of Rusool ullah, and then for sometime he would
walk behind Rusool ullah. So the Messenger of Allah noticed this and asked Abu
Bakr, “How come sometimes you walk infront of me and sometimes you walk behind
me?” Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) said, “When I remember that somebody could anguish
you infront of us, I would walk ahead of you, and then I remember that somebody
could be pursuing us, I walk behind you.” Then Rusool ullah (pbuh) said, “Oh
Abu Bakr would you rather have harm happen to you or to me?” Abu Bakr Siddiq
(ra) said, “Oh messenger of Allah, I would rather have happen to me, and not to
you.” And then they reached the cave so Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) went in to check
the cave to make sure there were no snakes, scorpions, or ambushes, and then he
told Rusool ullah (pbuh) to come in. When they were in the cave, the kuffar of
Quraish succeeded in following their tracks until they reached to the mouth of
the cave. Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) told Rusool ullah (saw) “Oh Rusool ullah, if one
of them would stare right under their feet, they would see us.” They were right
there at the mouth of the cave. Rusool ullah (pbuh) with all confidence, he
said, “Oh Abu Bakr, what do you think about two men if Allah is the third?”,
“Abu Bakr how would you regard the safety of two people who had Allah as their
third companion?” You know what stopped them from entering the cave? It was the
web of a spider. Allah Zaujal says about the web of a spider: Al-Ankabut (29:41)
“ … the most feeble of houses is the house of
a spider…”, with one finger you
could tear down the whole web, so this feeble weak web was the soldier of
Allah, what stopped the disbelievers from entering into the cave, and this
shows us that Allah Zoujal can choose
sometimes the weakest of His creations to be His soldier. This story of the web
of the spider is an agreeable narration, it is hassan. Allah Zoujal reveal this
ayat later on after the hijra. This ayat is in Surah Taubah, where Allah Zoujal
is speaking to the sahaba and telling them, “If
you do not aid him now , Allah has already aided him.”.
That
day when Abu Bakr was the only companion of Rusool ullah (pbuh) and the kuffar
surrounded the cave, none of the sahabah were around and Allah didn’t need them
to support the prophet. Allah sais : At-Tauba
(9:40)
“If you do not aid
the Prophet - Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven
him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to
his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us." And Allah
sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not
see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of
Allah - that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.”
The angels of Allah were the unseen
soldiers, however the spider was the seen soldier. Now they stayed in the cave
for three days, during those three days Abdullah the son of Abu Bakr, would
spend a day in Mecca, listening to the conversations about Prophet Muhammed
(pbuh) and Abu Bakr. He would spend the nights with Prophet Muhammed (saw) and
Abu Bakr. He would tell the servant of Abu Bakr, Amir ibn Fuhairah (ra), to follow him with his
sheep. There was a double purpose for this, the sheep would provide milk to the
prophet and Abu Bakr, and the sheep would also cover the tracks of Abdullah and
Amir. Thus no one will know where they went. This procedure went on for three
days. The guide, Abdullah bin Uraiquit, then showed up, he was a mushriq, but
the Prophet (saw) hired him because he had an alliance with the people of
Quraish. So he was responsible for showing them a different route, from Mecca
to Medina, than what people usually take. They began their journey to Medina,
not following the regular route. They followed the coastline until they reached
Medina.
The people of Quraish had a bounty on the
capture of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) and Abu Bakr, hundred camels for each dead
or alive. They had sent their messengers to the bedouin tribes in the desert to
inform them of the reward. These tribal people were the experts of the roots of
the desert. One of the heads of the Bedouin tribes, Suraqa ibn Malik, said, “I
was sitting in the gathering of my people, when a man showed up and said, ‘I
saw two men in the horizon and I think that these are the two men the Quraish
are looking for’, I told him no, these two men were here a while ago, they just
left. I told him that to deceive him, but I knew that those two were Prophet
Muhammed (pbuh) and Abu Bakr, but I told him that because I wanted the camels
for myself.” So Suraqa stayed in the gatherings for a while, so that they
wouldn’t be suspicious, and then he went to his house and told his servant to
go and prepare his horse, and to hide it, he then left from the backdoor. He
carried his spear which was’ ‘dragging on the ground’. This was because spears
are long; he didn’t want anyone to see it. He mounted his horse and went
towards the direction where that man thought he saw Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) and
Abu Bakr go. Later the guess turned out to be correct. Suraqa was now only few
meters away from becoming a millionaire. Abu Bakr was looking back while
Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) was reciting the Quran, Muhammed (saw) never looked
back, and he was confident; he knew that with the help of Allah victory was in
their hands. Abu Bakr was very concerned, not for himself but for the safety of
Muhammed (pbuh). Abu Bakr told the prophet (pbuh) that there was someone
pursuing us. Rusool Allah (pbuh) then made a dua, and the horse of Suraqa sank
in the sand, causing Suraqa to fall of the horses back. Suraqa’s greediness
insisted on following them nevertheless. He tried again but he fell off his
horse again, he claimed that this never happened to him before. The third time
it happened to him, he said a cloud of dust exploded in my face from the front.
Suraqa then knew that Allah was supporting this man. Suraqa then asked them to
grant him peace. Suraqa who was pursuing Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) was now
worried about his own survival Suraqa said, “Write
for me a warrant of security.” Thereupon the Prophet (saw) ordered ‘Amir Ibn
Fuhayrah to write the warrant which he wrote on a piece of tanned leather or
bone. Suraqa preserved the document as a memento of sorts. (SubhanaAllah 8-9
years later he was arrested when Muhammed was laying Siege to Persia, Suraqa
was a captive; he took this paper out, which saved his life.) Suraqa went back
to Mecca he discouraged the Quraish on finding Muhammed; he did this on Prophet
Muhammed request. So eventually Suraqa became a guardian for Muhammed, who was
before an enemy.
Rusool Allah (pbuh) and Abu Bakr visited
the tent of Umm Ma’bad, a woman of Khuza’a. She was a very generous woman,
anyone who would pass by she would feed them. But when the prophet (pbuh) and
Abu Bakr reached there, she didn’t provide them with anything. Rusool Allah
(pbuh) asked her if she had anything to spare. Her response was that if she had
anything, you wouldn’t have had to ask. Apparently Umm Ma’bad owned a ewe but
it was weak and her udder had dried up due to drought. Rusool Allah (pbuh)
asked if he could milk the ewe, she allowed. Rusool Allah (pbuh) asks for a big
container, knowing that she had no milk. He touches the sheep and starts
milking it, the milk flows out, till the vessel is full. He first gives Umm
Ma’bad some to drink then everyone else until everyone was satisfied. Rusool Allah
(pbuh) was the last to drink, he said, “the servant of the people is the last
to drink.” Rusool Allah (pbuh) left some milk for Umm Ma’bad. When Abu Ma’bad
came back home with his flock of sheep, he asks his wife where did the milk
come from? She said a blessed man visited us and he was the one who milked the
ewe. He asked her to describe this man to her. Umm Ma’bad gave the description
of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), which remains until this day the best of the
descriptions ever given of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), even though she only met
him once.
And I’ll read to you her description of
Rusool Allah (pbuh) she said, “I saw him to be a man of evident splendor, fine
in figure, his face handsome, slim in form, his head not too small, elegant and
good-looking, his eyes large and black, his eyelids long, his voice deep, very
intelligent, his brows high and arched, his hair in place, his neck long and
his beard thick. He gave an impression of dignity when silent and of high
intelligence when he talked, his words were impressive and he was decisive not
trivial not trite, his ideas like pearls moving on their string. He seems the
most splendid and fine looking man from a distance, and the very best of all
from close by, medium in height, the eye not finding him too tall nor too short,
a tree branch as it were between two others but he was the finest looking of
the three. The best proportioned, he was the center of his companion’s
attention. When he spoke they listened well and if he ordered they hurried to
obey. A man well helped, well served, never sullen, never refuted.”
Her husband said, “This man must be
Muhammed, the one who Quraish are pursuing, if I meet him I will pledge
allegiance to him and become Muslim.” Umm Ma’bad had already pledged allegiance
to Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), thus she became Muslim.
Some lessons from hijrah
The concept of
hijrah: there are two types of hijra the
figurative hijrah and the literal hijrah. The figurative hijrah is as was
mentioned in a hadith in Annasai, “Hijrah is to leave what Allah Zaujal
dislikes.” So this is the figurative hijrah, it is to emigrate from the state
of sin to the state of obeying Allah Zaujal. Allah Zaujal says in the Quran,
“stay away from impurities” make hijrah from impurities, from idol worshiping
from evil, and this type of hijrah is mandatory on everyone. All of us have to
leave from the state of sin to the state of obedience. Then we have the literal
hijrah, and that is to move from one land to another, you move from the land of
evil to the land of good. Examples of that are the hijrah of Prophet Muhammed
(pbuh) and the sahabah or the hijrah of the man from the children of Israel who
killed a hundred people and then he went to consult a scholar, the scholar told
him that, Allah will accept your repentance but you have to move from this town
of evil, and move to another where people will support you in worshipping Allah
Zaujal.
The first lesson: Hijrah
can cause an economic boom. For example, the muslim Grenada, the last Islamic state in Andalusia; the Christian north,
Spaniards started taking over, conquering Islamic land, the muslims started
migrating to southern Spain. The population boom of the south reached over 2
million, but these men were skilled, causing Grenada to flourish. It eventually
became the wealthiest state in all of Europe.
Now we have a surge of Muslim minds
immigrating to the western world, so the Muslim land is deprived of their
abilities.
The second lesson: When Rusool Allah
(pbuh) for the first time was exposed to revelation, he came down from the cave
trembling and worried. He went to his wife Khadija Raziullah unha, and told her
to wrap him in a garment, that is when the verses of Muzzammil and Muddassir
were revealed. Khadija suggested going to her uncle Waraqa ibn Naufal, who was
a wise old man who had studied the early scriptures. Waraqa asked Prophet
Muhammed (pbuh), “Oh nephew what do you see?” Rusool Allah (pbuh) explained to
him what happened, Waraqa said, “This was the angel Jibrael, who used to come
down to Musa, and how I wish I were a young man again. I hope I will be alive
when your people exile you.” This last statement was a shock to Prophet
Muhammed (pbuh), we should keep in mind that Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) was the
most beloved man of the Quraish. Rusool Allah (pbuh) asked Waraqa, “Are they
going to exile me?” He affirmed he said, “No one has ever received what you
have, without being treated as an enemy, if I’m alive when your time comes, I
will give you every help.” Thus Waraqa Ibn Naufal has been speaking of the
reality of the history of da’wa. Whenever a person declared the truth of Islam,
people rebelled. Allah Zaujal says about the people of Thamoud: An-Naml (27:45)
“And we have certainly sent to Thamoud their
brother Saaleh, saying, ‘worship Allah’ and at once they
were two parties conflicting.” [27:45]
So Saaleh was in a very similar
position to Muhammed (pbuh), he was much respected amongst his people, but when
he started to preach the message of Allah Zaujal, the people split in to two
conflicting groups. And that is why the Quran is called ‘Al Furqan’, the
Criterion; it separates the good and the evil, splitting the society in to
two. The Battle of Badr is called
‘Furqan’ for the same reason.
13 years later, what Waraqa had predicted
did happen, Allah Zaujal says: Al-An’am (6:112)
“And thus have We made for every prophet an enemy from
among the criminals. But sufficient is your Lord as a guide and a helper.”
So every prophet has enemies, that is sunnah of Allah Zaujal.
The third lesson:
We can notice from the hijrah of Rusool ullah (pbuh) the elaborate
planning, that went into it. Rusool ullah (pbuh) first visits Abu Bakr at noon,
all masked. Then when he entered the house he asked Abu Bakr, to clear his
house to maintain secrecy. Third, he had Ali bin Abu Talib sleep on his bed.
Fourth, the camels were ready and prepared, Fifth, they left under the cover of
darkness from the backdoor. Sixth, they hired a guide. Seventh, Medina is north
of Mecca, but just to decieve the disbelievers , they headed south. Eighth,
they hid in the cave for three days Ninth, Abdullah would gather information
during the day, and provide them with information during the night. Tenth Amir bin Fuhayra
brings them food.
Rusool ullah (pbuh) went to and
extreme extent to ensure his safe journey to Medina, even though he knew that
Allah has promised to protect him, after all he is the Messenger of Allah. But
he did this to teach us that as a muslim we have to do our best, this is
‘ahsaan’. Thus this is how we should conduct, and plan our islamic work.
The
fourth lesson of the hijrah of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) is the role of women:
How do we hear the story of hijrah? Whether its from Sahih Muslim or
Bukhari, it was narrated my Aisha Raziullah unha. All of it was peserved by
her. Asma bint Abi Bakr, the sister of Aisha, she tore her griddle to put food
into it, to send it to Prophet (saw) and her father, Abu Bakr. Later she
suffered because of hijrah, as Abu Jahl and some men from the Quraish came and
knocked on the door of Abu Bakr. Asma opened the door, Abu Jahl asked her where
her father was, she said I don’t know, in response Abu Jahl slapped her hard on
her face. She remained patient for the safety of the Prophet (saw) and her
father. Another thing to notice here is that she lied, but it is allowed to lie
for the protection of a muslim. The father of Abu Bakr, her grandfather , was a
blind man, he came in and he said, “ I see that my son has caused you two
sufferings, one, by him leaving, and two by him not leaving you behind any
money.” Asma was very creative she went and filled a sack with some rocks, and
put it in the hands of her grandfather, to show that her father has left them a
lot of money. Her grandfather was satisfied by this, she did this to keep him
calm.
The fifth lesson from hijrah is to choose a companion wisely. RusoolAllah
(pbuh) chose Abu Bakr Siddiq RaziAllah anhu, he was the best companion that
Rusool Allah (pbuh) could make. Abu Bakr (ra) loved Prophet Muhammed (pbuh),
his love was genuine and not just lip service. He cried when he found out that
he would have the honour of being the Prophet’s (pbuh) companion for hijrah.
Abu Bakr was a wise man who RusoolAllah (pbuh) could trust, Abu Bakr was
willing to sacrifice his life for the life of RusoolAllah (pbuh). This can be
made out by the way Abu Bakr checked the cave before Muhammed (pbuh) entered.
This incident was narrated by Amr bin Khattab. When Amr bin Khattab became
Khalifa, he heard that some people gathered to discuss, who was better, Abu
Bakr or Amr? On hearing this, Amr rushed towards them and said to them, “One
day in the life of Abu Bakr is better than the entire family of Amr.” He then
narrated this story of hijrah. And said that, that one day of hijrah is not
only better than the life of Amr but better than the life of the entire family
of Amr’s. This event shows us the recognition that the sahaba had of the high
status of Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra).
The sixth lesson: A lot of what Rusool Allah (saw) did during that stage
was done in secrecy, he did this to preserve islam and muslims. But a balance
needs to be kept between secrecy and da’wa. Da’wa by nature is a public outward
act, so how do you keep a balance between giving da’wa and protecting your
organisation? In hijrah we find examples of both. Related to secrecy, Ibn
Ishaaq says, “And as I had been told, no one knew of the departure of the
Messenger of Allah except Ali bin Abu Talib and Abu Bakr and his family.” These
were the only people who knew about the hijrah of RusoolAllah (saw). When
RusoolAllah (saw) and Abu Bakr were travelling and they would need some people
to help, Abu Bakr was a known man while
RusoolAllah (saw) was not known outside of Mecca. Abu Bakr used to travel a lot
due to his business, because of that he was familiar to most of the people in
villages, towns etc. Rusool Allah (saw) didn’t travel much, as most of his
da’wa was done in Mecca, except Taif. Although people had heard of him, no one
knew what he looked like. Anas ibn Malik said, that Abu Bakr was a known man so
people would come to meet him, then they would ask Abu Bakr who was the man
with him, Abu Bakr would reply, “This man is a guide, and he is showing me the
path.” Now what people would obviously think he was saying was that, he was
guiding Abu Bakr through the desert but what he really meant was that this man
is guiding him towards Allah. But he said it in this manner to protect the
identity of Rusool Allah (saw), because of his fear of endangering Rusool Allah’s (saw) life. At the
same time Abu Bakr is not lying. This is what you call Tauree.
This is the secrecy
part.
But when it comes to da’wa the
identity needs to be exposed. So when Rusool Allah (saw) met Buraidah Aslami, he did introduce himself as the last and final Messenger,
and did give him da’wa and Buraidah became muslim. Buraidah joined Rusool Allah
(pbuh) in 16 out of his 19 battles. Rusool Allah (saw) also came across two
thieves. They were also given da’wa, they too became muslim. When RusoolAllah
(saw) asked for their names they said, “Our name is the Al Muhanan” , Al Muhanan means ‘the dishonoured
ones’, RusoolAllah (saw) disagreed declaring them as the honoured ones. Another
example of da’wa was when RusoolAllah (saw) met with a shepherd. RusoolAllah
(saw) asked this shepherd for some milk. The shepherd, explained how none of
his goats have milk at the moment. RusoolAllah (saw) asked the shepherd if he
would allow him to milk it. On his allowance RusoolAllah (saw) did milk it, as
a result milk started to flow out. After everyone drank , first the shepherd
and then Muhammed (saw) and Abu Bakr, the shepherd asked, “For heavans sake,
who are you? I never saw the like of you.” RusoolAllah (saw) responded, “Do you
think you can keep it secret, if I told you?”, so the man said, “yes”,
RusoolAllah (saw) said I, “I am Muhammed, the messenger of Allah.” The shepherd
asked if he was the one the Quraish say, claims to be a sabian. Sabian was a
degrading accusation, that the people of Quraish would level towards the muslims.
They would call them ‘Assabiun’ rather than ‘muslims’. RusoolAllah said, “Yes, they
do say that.” The man said, “I bear witness that you bring the truth and that
only a prophet could do as you have. I am your follower now.” RusoolAllah (saw)
told him, “You can not be that right now, come and join us, when you hear that
I have declared my self openly.” RusoolAllah (saw) does not mean that you can
not be a Muslim right now, he meant that he could not join the islamic ja’maa
at the moment, because RusoolAllah (saw) is still at that secretive stage. Thus
by these examples the balance betweem giving da’wa and the secrecy of
RusoolAllah’s (saw) identity can be understood. RusoolAllah(saw) only declared
his identity to those people who he thought would respond to da’wa.
The Seventh lesson:
When RusoolAllah (saw) told Abu Bakr that, he had been given the
permission for hijrah, and Abu Bakr was ready to join him, Abu Bakr told
Muhammed (saw) that, “Here are two camels for hijrah.” RusoolAllah (saw)
replied that he will take the camel but, he’ll pay for it. Thus it’s important
for the da’i to be financially independent. When a scholar is on the government
pay roll, there’s a conflict of interest when that scholar is giving a fatwa on
any issue that relates to the government. When the scholar is dependant on the government then automatically the scholar will be hesitant
to do anything against the will of the government even if that means favouring
falsehood. An example of this is when we hear scholars giving fatwas, that it
is allowed to have interest banks. Thus to prevent this evil, there should be
financial independence of such Islamic figures.
RusoolAllah
(saw) and Abu Bakr were travelling in the desert at the peak of the summer
season. It was a very hot weather. The guide took them down the Valley, and Quba to the Banu Amr bin Auf,
it was Monday the 12th of Rabi ull awwal, the heat was extreme, the
sun had almost reached its peak. The Ansar would go out of Medina everyday in
the morning, in the anticipation of meeting RusoolAllah (saw) and greeting him,
but when the heat would become extreme, they would go back indoors. So one day,
just like their practice, they went early in the morning waiting for
RusoolAllah (saw), and when he didn’t show up they went back in. There was a
jew who was climbing on one of their high buildings, and he saw Muhammed (saw)
and Abu Bakr approaching all dressed in white. The reason why they were dressed
in white was that when they had reached the valley of Reem, they met Zubayr bin
Awwam (ra), who was accompanying a trade caravan of Muslims returning from
Syria. He presented the Prophet (saw) and Abu Bakr (ra) with sheets of white
cloth. Anyway this jew after spotting them, called out: “O people of Arabia!
What you have been waiting for has arrived!” The Ansar lifted their weapons and
rushed to greet the Prophet (saw). The reason why the ansar grabbed their
weapons was that it was their tradition, they would do this whenever they would
greet an important guest.This was also a sign, that they were willing to offer
him protection. This is still a tradition in some tribal societies. Rusool
Allah (saw) and Abu Bakr arrived at the outskirts of Medina called Quba, where
people started greeting them. Rusool Allah (saw) stayed in Quba for 14 days,
during which he built the mosque of Quba, the first masjid in islam. This
masjid is special, if you make wudu at your place and pray 2 rakats in the Masjid
of Quba Quba then we get the sawaab of one umra. Rusool Allah (saw) stayed in a
house called, the house of bachelors, all of the men in there were bachelors.
He stayed in the house of Sa’d bin Khathima. He stayed there because he had a
lot of visitors, he didn’t want to burden a family with all the havoc. While he
stayed there, Rusool Allah (saw) sent messengers to Medina, asking them
permission for their entrance. They in response sent for the Prophet (saw) a
large delegation, which came and met Rusool Allah (saw) and said, “Come in, you
are safe, and you will be obeyed.”
Rusool Allah (saw) was not going to Medina
as a guest but rather as a leader. Allah zaujal also says:
SURAH AN-NISA (4:64)
“Every
Messenger that We have sent, We sent them to be obeyed …”
So the people
are under a duty to follow the Messenger’s of Allah. It was an amazing day when
Rusool Allah (saw) entered into Medina,
there was a huge celebration. People were greeting him. The men came out armed,
the Abyssinians were dancing with their spears, women stood on their rooftops,
children flooded the streets just to catch a glimpse of Rusool Allah (saw).
Anas ibn Malik (ra) says, “ The Messenger
of Allah did come, and his companion. They were amongst the town people. Even
the old people came out to greet them, climbing on top of houses and shouting,
‘which one is he?!’”, Anas Ibn Malik says, “We never saw such a sight before.”
People were very happy the Rusool Allah (saw) had arrived. Anas Ibn Malik (ra) said, “I witnessed the
day he entered among us and I witnessed the day he died, and I never saw two
days as those. I never saw two days like that in my life.” Anas Ibn Malik (ra) sais in another narration, “I witnessed two
days. One day was the brightest and best day in my life and that was the day,
Rusool Allah (saw) and Abu Bakr came into Medina. The other day was the darkest
day and the worst day in my life, and that was the day in which Rusool Allah
(saw) passed away and I have witnessed both of them.”
So dear brothers and sisters the best day
that Medina had ever had, was the day Rusool Allah (saw) had entered Medina and
the worst day Medina has ever witnessed was the day Rusool Allah (saw) left them. Rusool Allah (Saw) was
offered to stay in every house in Medina, but Rusool Allah (saw) wanted to stay
with Banu Najjar, this is because Banu Najjar were his relatives. Hashim
married a woman from Banu Najjar, Banu Najjar are from Khuzruj. Their for Abdul
Muttalib, his maternal uncles were from
Medina, from Banu Najjar. Rusool Allah (saw) wanted said he wanted to stay with
Banu Najjar, then he asked them which house of Banu Najjar was closest to him.
Abu Ayyub Ansari responded, that his house was. Rusool Allah (saw) thus stayed
with Abu Ayyub. Rusool Allah (saw) wanted to stay on the lower level, while Abu
Ayyub was trying to convince him to settle on the upper floor. The reason for
this was because peole visited Rusool Allah (saw) often, so it was more convenient for everyone
for him to stay in the lower level. Finally Abu Ayyub agreed. Aby Ayyub sais,
“We had a container filled with water that fell. We were afraid that the water
wuld drip on Rusool Allah (saw) so we used our blanket, and me and my wife only
had that blanket. We used it to soak up the water and we had to sleep without
that blanket.” This is the generosity that the sahaba (ra) were willing to
offer to Rusool Allah (saw).
Another example of the generosity of the
people in Medina: Zaid bin Thabit (ra) sais “The first gift made to the
Messenger of Allah, after he took up residence in the home of Abu Ayyub was
brought to him by myself. It was a big wooden bowl filled with bread crumbled
up with milk and butter. I told him that my mother had sent him the bowl. He
commented, ‘may Allah bless her’ then he called over his companions and they
ate, then a wooden bowl came from Sa’d ibn Ubada, it was bread mixed with meat
gravy.” Zaid bin Thabit sais, “not an evening went by without there being, at the door of the
messenger of Allah, three or four people, who would come one after the other,
carrying food. He remained there in the home of Abu Ayyub for seven months.” These
were mostly poor people, who were giving up their food for the messenger of
Allah. People loved Rusool Allah (Saw).
A few young girls went out on the streets,
and they were singing, “We are girls of the Banu Najjab. How wonderful if Muhammed
were our neighbor!” Rusool Allah (saw) said, “Allah knows, that my heart loves
you all.” This was the relationship between the people of Medina and Rusool
Allah (saw). Allah Zaujal had chosen the Ansar, to be the ansar of Rusool Allah
(saw). Towards the end of the Prophet’s (saw) life he said, “If it wasn’t for
hijra, I would consider myself to be a member of al-ansar.”
What was the situation of Medina like when
Rusool Allah (saw) migrated? There were five tribes living in Medina. Three of
them were jewish and two were Arab. The three jewish tribes were; Banu Nadir,
Banu Qurayza, and Banu Qaynuqa. Banu Qaynuqa lived in the center of Medina, the
market place, they had a business of jewellery. They were previously settled in
the outskirts of Medina but were driven out by a war between them and the other
jews. Both Banu Nadir and Banu Qurayza lived in forts in the ouskirts of
Medina. They had about 59 fortresses in which they lived in. They had a
fighting force of about 2000. The two arab tribes were; Al-Aus and Al-Khazruj.
They had a fightimg force of about 4000. One tribe lived in the north while the
other lived towards the south inside Medina. So Medina was a sort of a city
full of many villages, with areas specified for each tribe. The livelihood of
the people of Medina was dependant on agriculture. They had palm groves for
which the farmers would need money throughout the year, until the time of
harvest. The jewish tribes would lend the arabs money who would charge interest
on the loan. This created some conflict or bitter feelings between the arab and
the jews. This was the situaion prior to the advent of Islam .When islam cam ,
Medina had muslims , pagan worshippers and jews .. thus there were different
ethnic groups. Rusool Allah (saw) had to be very careful while dealing with
these people.
There were some people who were not happy
of Rusool Allah’s (saw) presence, to give an example of the complicated
situation that existed due to the various ethnic groups is that, once Rusool
Allah (saw) was riding on his donkey and he went towards a gathering which
included arabs, muslim and non-muslim, and jews. When he went there his donkey
caused some dust, Abdullah bin Ubayy (who later became the head of the
munafiqeen) said, “Keep your dust away from us.” Rusool Allah (saw) did not
respond to that, Rusool Allah (saw) started to preach islam to them. When he
was finished, Abdullah bin Ubayy said, “Don’t come and bother us in our
meetings with your talk. Stay home, and whoever comes to visit you, then tell
them your stories.” Abdullah ibn Rawaha, who was a muslim said, “No! We want
him to come to our meetings and talk to us.” People then started shouting and
arguing, it seemed like a battle was going to occur. Rusool Allah (saw) started
to calm them down. Rusool Allah (saw) said, “Sa’d didn’t you see what Abdullah
bin Ubayy did?” Sa’d asked him what happened and then he responded to Rusool
Allah’s response, “Oh Rusool Allah, Abdullah bin Ubayy was a man whom his
people was almost going to appoint him king over them, when you arrived. So he
feels that you have stripped him of his kingdom.” So Sa’d was explaining how it
was understandable that Abdullah was against Rusool Allah (saw), because the
tribe of Khazraj was about to appoint Abdullah bin Ubayy as the king over them.
So this was the situation that Rusool Allah (saw) was dealing with.
CD #2
When Rusool
Allah (saw) reached Medina, he had four projects to work on.
- The masjid
- Establishing Brotherhood
- A covenant that would govern
the relationship between the various groups in Medina.
- The establishment of the army
1ST PROJECT
THE MASJID
The masjid was
the first thing Rusool Allah (saw) worked on when he arrived to Medina. It is
to be noticed that the first thing that Rusool Allah (saw) worked on in Qubaa
was also a masjid. The reason why it was the first project he launced is
because al-masjid is the center of learning for the muslims. The Rusool Allah
(saw) had Dar ul Arqam in Mecca and then he was going to built a masjid in
Medina which would expand the functions of Dar ul Arqam.
Dar ul Arqam was a secret location where
the muslims would meet to pray and teach. But since Rusool Allah (saw) now had
established an islamic state, nothing needed to be kept a secret anymore rather
they built a mosque called “Masjid-e-Nabvi”.
How did they choose the location for the mosque?
Rusool Allah
(saw) was riding his camel and people were pulling it towards their direction.
Rusool Allah (saw) said, “Leave it, because it is being commanded by Allah.”
The camel while going through the streets of Medina stopped at a particular
location which was a field for drying dates. This field belonged to two orphans
in Medina. After the camel chose his location, Rusool Allah (saw) said, “This
is our place.” This would be the location for the masjid and the Prophet’s
(saw) living quarter.
Rusool Allah (saw)
wanted to buy the area, but the orphans refused to sell, they said they wanted
to give the land to Rusool Allah (saw). The building of Masjid-e-Mabvi began.
They built it from mud-bricks and the roof was palm leaves. When it would rain
the drops would fall right on top of their heads. The floor was just sand. Even
though it was very simple, it was the most blessed masjid , this was where the first
generation graduated from. Rusool Allah (saw) also took part, along with the
sahaba, in the building of the masjid. The poet among them said, “If we sit
down while the messenger of Allah is working, that is a misguided act on our
behalf.” Rusool Allah (saw) even carried the bricks for the masjid.
Some lessons from the building of the majsid
First lesson: The masjid was the first thing Rusool Allah (saw) did. Allah Zaujal says:
Al-Hajj (22:41)
“[And they are] those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish
prayer…”
So when Allah Zaujal grants them authority in the land
the first thing they did was establish
salah. By establishing a masjid they are establishing the center of salah.
Second
lesson: Rusool Allah (saw) taught the sahabah through practice. Our beloved Prophet
(saw) worked side by side with the sahabah, he did not give orders from a high
place. This explains the role of leaders in islam.
Third
lesson: Specialisation is respected in islam, people should do what they believe
they are good at. This we can tell because when the Prophet (saw) and the
sahabah were building the masjid-e-Nabvi, there was a man from NAJD who was
with them. This man was a builder. He asked Rusool Allah (saw) if he should
join them in carrying the bricks. Rusool Allah (saw) refused, instead he asked
the builder to make the mixture for the bricks and make them.. Thus Rusool
Allah (saw) asked him to do this because the builder needed to focus on doing
what he was best at. This indicates that in our islamic work, everybody does
not have to do the same thing. Everbody does not need to be a good da’I, imam,
or a scholar. Allah has given everyone different gifts, people should be
allowed to utilise these gifts to their full. A good leader will be able to recognize
these gifts and advise his followers on how to strengthen these gifts. But
keeping in mind that these gifted abilities should be used for the benefit of
Islam.
What
is the role of the masjid?
Allah Zaujal says in the Quran:
Al-Nur
(24:36)
“[Such niches are] in mosques which Allah has ordered to be raised and that
His name be mentioned therein; exalting Him within them in the morning and the
evenings”
Al-Nur
(24:37)
“[Are] men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of
Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakah. They fear a Day in which
the hearts and eyes will [fearfully] turn about”
AL-NUR (24:38)
“That Allah may reward them [according to] the best of what they did and
increase them from His bounty. And Allah gives provision to whom He wills
without account.”
1.
This tells us that the masjid is just a building, the real essence of the
building are the people inside the building. That is the spirit of the Masjid.
The Quran talks about men who are in the houses of Allah, these men are not
distracted by money, or making a living. Although they indeed do run businesses
or they do earn for a living, but when they are present in the house of Allah,
they are busy with the remembrance of Allah only. Thus the primary role of
masjid is that it is a place for salah and zikr.
2.
The masjid is the center of learning. In Mecca it was Dar ul Arqam and
Masjid-e-Nabvi in Madina. These were the places where Rusool Allah (saw) would
give his khutbas, talks, and lectures. Also the sahabas would sit in circles
and sit together to study the Book of Allah.
3.
Rusool Allah (saw) says, “If people come together in the house of
Allah, studying the book of Allah Zaujal
and reading it. Allah will give them four things; Safina (tranquility), rahma
(mercy), angels will surround them, and Allah will mention their names in a
gathering better than theirs.”
4.
The masjid is a place for muslims to meet. It plays a vital role in their
social life. Muslims who pray jama’a would meet five times a day. This would
strengthen the bond of brotherhood between them. They also meet on juma’a and
this word like jama’a means congregation. Congregation means an assembly of
people gathering.
5.
The masjid was a dwelling for the traveller and the poor. There was a place
called Ahl ul Sufa which was built for such people in the masjid.
6.
The masjid was the place where the armies set out from. The banners or the
standards of war will be handed out inside the masjid.
7.
The masjid was a place for da’wa. When the chirstians from Yemen visited,
they stayed inside the masjids. They stayed there, so that they can see the
muslims pray and have discussions with Muhammed (saw). This tells us that
non-muslims should be allowed to enter masjids.
We talked about how the masjids of Rusool Allah (saw) and Masjid-e-Nabvi
were simple. They didn’t have all that fancy decorations.
So what is the ruling on
such decorations?
Scholars say that ‘tashheed’ is allowed while ‘zakhrufa’ and ‘naksh’ is
not. Tashheed means having good quality building material for the building
itself. So after the masjid was first built from mudbricks, it was rebuilt with
stones etc. the roof was replaced by wood and all this is allowed. However
there is a difference in opinion about the decoration of the masjid. Some say
it is haraam and some say it is mukroo. Even the ones who say it is muqroo,
they say that if someone designates money to be used as a ‘waqf’, trust for a
masjid, it is haraam to use that money to decorate the masjid. The money must
be put in for the building of the masjid. This is because substance is more
important that symbol.
The Masjid-e-Nabvi was simple (mud bricks) but the best of people graduated
from there, and now you have huge, magnificent buildings but this merely shows
how much money was thrown into this.
Virtues of Masjid-e-Nabvi
Rusool Allah (saw) sais in a hadith narrated by Bukhari, “One salah in my
masjid is better than 1000 salah in any other masjid except the Masjid ul Haram
(Ka’aba).” Which means if you pray Isha once in Masjid-e-Nabvi, it is as if you
prayed Isha for 83 years in any other masjid. This is the amount of blessing
you get by praying in Rusool Allah’s (saw) masjid.
Rusool Allah (saw) also sais, “You should not travel to visit a masjid,
except if it is one of three masjids; Al- Masjid ul Haram (Ka’aba), Al-Masjid
ul Aqsa (Jerusalem), and this Masjid of mine (Masjid-e-Nabvi).”
Rusool Allah (saw) sais, “There is a garden from the gardens of Paradise
between my house and my pulpit, and my pulpit is on my Lake Fount (Al-Kauthar)”
Book 30:112
Azaan
Abdullah bin Zaid, one of the sahabah of Rusool Allah (saw) saw a dream, at
the time the Masjid-e-Nabvi’s construction was complete. After the completion
of the masjid they were now thinking of ways of how to invite people to prayer.
Some of the suggestions were to; use a bell like the Christians or blow a horn
like what the Jews in Medina ould do. So Abdullah bin Zaid (ra) saw a dream; he
saw a man carrying a bell, who Abdullah asked how much he would sell that bell
for. The man then asked him why he wanted it. Abdullah responded in the dream,
that he wanted it to invite people to prayer. The man then asked him if he
could suggest something better. Abdullah asked what it was. The man told him to
say:
Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!
Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!
Ash-hadu Al La ilaha illAllah
Ash-hadu Al La ilaha illAllah
Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar RasoolAllah
Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar RasoolAllah
Hayya’a ala-salaah
Hayya’a ala-salaah
Hayya’a alal-falaah
Hayya’a alal-falaah
Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!
La ilaha illAllah
Then the man waited for a while, he then said to Abdullah and told him that
when you have to make Iqama you say:
Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!
Ash-hadu Al La ilaha illAllah
Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar RasoolAllah
Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!
La ilaha illAllah
Abdullah bin Zayd later, related
this dream to the Prophet (saw). Rusool Allah (saw) realized that this dream
was meant to be fulfilled. He then asked Abdullah to teach the words to Bilal,
who had a strong and beautiful voice. When Umar (ra) heard the new prayer call,
he hurried to the mosque and said that he had heard this call in his
dream. When more than one person sees
the same dream, it is an indication that it is a true dream. Azaan has become
one of the most prominent symbol of
islam. It is the most outwardly or public symbol of islam.
In the beginning the direction of the Qibla was towards north. This was
because they used to pray towards Jerusalem. A few months after hijrah the
Qiblah changed from the north towards the south, the exact opposite direction
facing towards Mecca.
Regarding Ahl us-Suffa
When the Qibla was towards the north, the people had built a shed to
provide shade, and the place underneath it, was called As-Suffa. The definition
of As-Suffa according to Ibn Hajr is that As-Sufa is a place at the back of the
Masjid-e-Nabvi, it is shaded and it was prepared for the foreigners. The ones
who don’t have any family or any place to stay. Abu Huraira, who was also an
ahl al-Suffa says (in Bukhari) about Ahl al-Suffa that, Ahl al- Suffa are the
guests of Islam, they are the ones who don’t have any family or wealth to fall
back on. So they live in this place called As-Suffa. Now not everyone who lived
there was forced to live there, because of their condition.
Some of them volunteered to join Ahl al-Suffa like Abu Huraira, who had
enough wealth, but he chose to devote his time to studying and therefore he
lived with the people of As-Suffa. He sais about himself that, some people
comment that ,how come Abu Huraira narrates more hadith than the muhajireen and
the ansar? They wondered this because Abu Huraira was late in becoming a
muslim. Abu Huraira narrated more hadith than anyone else. So Abu Huraira
explains how the brothers from the muhajireen were busy with business, while he
used to follow Rusool Allah (saw) with an empty stomach. He said that he was
poor and had nothing but he would follow Rusool Allah (saw) all the time. So he
would attend when the muhajireen were absent and he would remember, when they
would forget. Then he would explain that the ansar were busy with their farms.
He said that he was a poor man and that he would remember what they wouldn’t.
Because Abu Huraira devoted all
his time to studying he had time to review all the hadith of the Prophet (saw).
Infact Abu Huraira said that he splits the night into three parts. One part for
sleeping, one for praying, and one for reviewing the ahadith of Rusool Allah
(saw) that he would hear throughout the day. The muhajireen and the ansar were
busy with business and farms. Abu Huraira had nothing to occupy himself so he
chose to join Ahl al-Suffa so he could study with Rusool Allah (saw) full time.
One source of livelihood for As-Suffa was the sadaqat that Rusool Allah
(saw) sent to them. When Rusool Allah (saw) receive sadaqat he would send it to
them. Also when he would receive a gift he would take some of it and give them
the rest. Rusool Allah (saw) did not accept sadaqat for himself. Rusool Allah
(saw) would encourage the sahabah who are well-off to invite the people of
As-Suffa. One of the Ansar said that his father was among the people of
As-Suffa. Rusool Allah (saw) ordered the sahaba to invite the Ahl ul-Suffa to
their houses and so the sahabah came and invited some until 5 of them were
left. Then Rusool Allah (saw) told them to go to that ansar’s house and he fed
them.
Rusool Allah (saw) says that
whoever has food enough for two people should take a third and whoever has food
enough for four people, such a person should take a fifth of sixth person with
him. These sahaba, who were told to invite these people, were not
millionaires. Rusool Allah (saw) asked
them to invite a third when they have food enough for just two people.
This tells us that sacrifice and generosity
has been part of Islam since the beginning.
Allah Zaujal has repeatedly revealed ayats be kind to the orphans, the
poor, the needy, being generous towards guests etc. All of these are ibadaat
that have been encouraged from day one. So we should accept that being a muslim
does demand sacrifice, and this we have to do, to seek the pleasure of Allah
Zaujal Giving is big part of sacrifice.
Fatima (ra) was the daughter
of Rusool Allah (saw), the most beloved to the messenger of Allah (saw). Fatima
had to do all of the hard work at home. This even caused her hands to become
injured and coarse. Ali ibn Talib told her that her father has received slaves,
and then he advised her to go ask Rusool Allah (saw) for a servant. So Fatima
(ra) goes to Rusool Allah (saw) and asks for a servant, Rusool Allah (saw)
responded to his daughter, that I am not going to give you and leave the people
of As-Suffa with hungry stomachs, because they don’t have any money. I don’t
have any money to spend on them, so I’m going to sell these slaves and use that
money to give to Ahl us-Suffa. This tell us how much concern Rusool Allah (saw)
had for Ahl us-Suffa.
It should not be thought that Ahl us-Suffa would just sit and eat free
food, and that they don’t do any work. These were actually very active people
in ibadat, these were true monks. They had immense knowledge, who were
scholars, mujahideen, many of them became Shuhadah. For example one of the scholars who graduated from among the
ranks of Ahl us-Suffa was Abu Huraira (ra), the most prolific narrator of the
hadith of Rusool Allah (saw). Another member of Ahl us-Suffa was Hazrat Huzafia
ibn Yamaan (ra), who narrated most of the ahadith about the end of time.
Shuhada from among Ahl us-Suffa were Sufwan, Habib bin Isaaf, Hareem , Harifa
ibn Nauman, Sarem bin Umair were shuhadah at the battle of Badar. Hanbala the
one who was washed by the angels was a shaheed in Uhud. There were also some
shuhadah from As-Suffa in Hudaibiyah and various other battles. They would also
try to earn for a living my collecting date seeds and selling them as animal
feed. They would try to make a living, but due to the difficult conditions in
Medina they were forced into poverty.
The number of Ahl us-Suffa rose and decreased depending on the conditions.
But on average they were 70. They used to live 24 hours at the back of
Masjid-e-Nabvi. They were obvioulsy active in studying because they were close
to the center of learning, Masjid-e-Nabvi, which was the university of islam.
That is why these people have narrated a lot of ahadith.
The is a lot of importance of having a social welfare system in islam.
People would stay at As-Suffa and eat at the houses of al-Ansar. To take care
of social needs is also a part of da’wa. Ubadah ibn us-Samet (ra) said that, “Rusool Allah (saw) would become
busy, so he would turn over the new muslim to us.” He also said, “If a new muhajir (new muslim) would come to
Rusool Allah (saw), and if Rusool Allah (saw) is busy then he would send him over to one of us to teach
him Quran., Rusool Allah sent to me a man, he stayed with me at home, and I
would feed him as a member of my own family and then I would teach him Quran.”
Da’wa to them includes feeding and taking care of the
muhajir. They were aware that these muhajir had left everything they own
behind, thus were in need of help.
Rusool Allah (saw) wanted the muslim society to become organized, so he
appointed representatives over these groups. Abu Huraira (ra) was Areef, areef
is someone who represents people and would express, or convey the people’s need
to the leader. So Abu Huraira (ra) was the representative of Ahl us-Suffa. If
Rusool Allah (saw) wanted to give a message to Ahl us-Suffa, then he would
convey it through Abu Huraira (ra).
2ND PROJECT
ESTABLISHING BROTHERHOOD
Allah Zaujal
says in Al-IMRAN (3:103)
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become
divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and
He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you
were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does
Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.”
Allah Zaujal
also sais in AL-ANFAL (8:63)
“And brought together their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the
earth, you could not have brought their hearts together; but Allah brought them
together. Indeed, He is Exalted in Might and Wise.”
Allah Zaujal is
telling Muhammed (saw) that it is Allah, that brought the hearts of the muslims
together. And that even if Muhammed (saw) had spent all the money in the world,
he couldn’t have done this. This tells us that it is not possible to buy the
hearts of men. This was a favour of Allah Zaujal to unite the hearts of the
muhajireen and the ansar making them brothers.
Allah Zaujal
says about al-Ansar in AL-HASHR (59:9)
“And [also for] those who were settled in al-Madinah and [adopted] the
faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want
in their breasts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference
over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected
from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful.”
From this Ayat,
we know that Allah has protected the Ansar from stinginess in their souls.
These ayar are talking about brotherhood in general, but the brotherhood
between the muhajireen and the ansar is unique. According to As-Sohaili some
people said that this brotherhood started 5 months after hijra, some say 9
months after hijra, while others say it was established as soon as
Masjid-e-Nabvi was built.
This brotherhood was like as if the
muhajireen and the ansar were blood brothers. Even the rules of inheritance
would apply to them as if they were blood-brothers. An example of this , was
the bond between Sa’d bin Rabi’a and Abdur Rahman bin Auf. Abdur Rahman was one
of the muhajireen, he is one of the ten who were given glad tidings of Jannah.
Abdur Rahman bin Auf stayed in the house of Sa’d bin Rabi’a, an ansari.
Narrated Ibrahim
bin Sad from his father from his grand-father:
Abdur Rahman bin
Auf said, "When we came to Medina as emigrants, Allah's Apostle
established a bond of brotherhood between me and Sad bin Ar-Rabi'. Sad bin
Ar-Rabi' said (to me), 'I am the richest among the Ansar, so I will give you
half of my wealth and you may look at my two wives and whichever of the two you
may choose I will divorce her, and when she has completed the prescribed period
(before marriage) you may marry her.' Abdur Rahman replied, "I am not in
need of all that. Is there any market-place where trade is practiced?' He replied,
"The market of Qainuqa." Abdur-Rahman went to that market the
following day and brought some dried butter-milk (yogurt) and butter, and then
he continued going there regularly. Few days later, 'Abdur Rahman came having
traces of yellow (scent) on his body. Allah's Apostle asked him whether he had
got married. He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet said, 'Whom have you
married?' He replied, 'A woman from the Ansar.' Then the Prophet asked, 'How
much did you pay her?' He replied, '(I gave her) a gold piece equal in weigh to
a date stone (or a date stone of gold)! The Prophet said, 'Give a Walima
(wedding banquet) even if with one sheep.' "
(Sahih Bukhari Book 3
Volume 34 Hadith 264)
These brothers
would also advise each other. An example of that would be the brothers
Salman and Abu Ad-Darda.
Narrated Abu
Juhaifa:
The Prophet made a
bond of brotherhood between Salman and Abu Ad-Darda’. Salman paid a visit to
Abu Ad-Darda' and found Um Ad-Darda' dressed in shabby clothes and asked her
why she was in that state. She replied, "Your brother Abu Ad-Darda' is not
interested in (the luxuries of) this world." In the meantime Abu Ad-Darda'
came and prepared a meal for Salman. Salman requested Abu Ad-Darda' to eat
(with him), but Abu Ad-Darda' said, "I am fasting." Salman said,
"I am not going to eat unless you eat." So, Abu Ad-Darda' ate (with
Salman). When it was night and (a part of the night passed), Abu Ad-Darda' got
up (to offer the night prayer), but Salman told him to sleep and Abu Ad-Darda'
slept. After sometime Abu Ad-Darda' again got up but Salman told him to sleep.
When it was the last hours of the night, Salman told him to get up then, and
both of them offered the prayer. Salman told Abu Ad-Darda', "Your Lord has
a right on you, your soul has a right on you, and your family has a right on
you; so you should give the rights of all those who has a right on you."
Abu Ad-Darda' came to the Prophet and narrated the whole story. The Prophet
said, “Salman has spoken the truth."
(Sahih Bukhari
Book 3 Volume 31 Hadith 189)
Salman was a
muhajir but not from Mecca, he came from Persia to Medina in search of the
Prophet (saw). But still he was made the brother of Abu Ad-Darda by Rusool
Allah (saw).
The Ansar were
thus very co-operative and giving towards the muhajireen.
Narrated Abu
Huraira:
The Ansar said (to
the Prophet), "Please divide the date-palm trees between us and them (i.e.
emigrants)." The Prophet said, "No." The Ansar said, "Let
them (i.e. the emigrants) do the labor for us in the gardens and share the
date-fruits with us." The emigrants said, "We accepted this."
(Sahih Bukhari Book 5 Volume 58
Hadith 126)
Though the
agreement was that the muhajir will do half of the work, that didn’t happen and
that the Ansar ended up doing most of the work! The muhajirun came to Rusool Allah (saw) and said, Oh
Messenger of Allah, we have never seen people like this, they comfort us when
they are poor and they are generous when they are well off, they work in their
farms and then they split their harvest with us.
Then, Narrated
Anas ibn Malik:
The Immigrants
(Muhajirun) said: Apostle of Allah! The Helpers (Ansar) got the entire reward.
He said: no, so long as you pray to Allah for them and praise them.
(Dawud Book 41
Hadith 4794)
This
now tells us the value of being grateful. If you can not give then we are
obliged to thank the person who is generous to us, and pray for him/her. To
wish good for others is a part of becoming a Muslim. Of course Allah deserves
to be thanked the most!
The
bond of brotherhood was in pairs between the muhajireen and the ansar. And this
lasted till the situation of the muhajireen improved. Once their conditions
improved the brotherhood of the pairs dissolved, but the general brotherhood of
the ummah remained. The inheritance laws
now only apply to blood relatives.
Allah Zaujal says in AL-ANFAL (8:75)
“And those who
believed after [the initial emigration] and emigrated and fought with you -
they are of you. But those of [blood] relationship are more entitled [to
inheritance] in the decree of Allah . Indeed, Allah is Knowing of all things.”
A new community was developed in Medina,
based on a new bond. Usually in Arabia the recognized bonds were; blood
relationships, economical relationships. But then a community was born based on
faith. It was mentioned that in Medina there were Arab pagans, Arab Christians,
muslims and then there were jews. This multiethnic society caused some
conflicts or disputes in the city. One example mentioned was when Rusool Allah
(saw) went in a gathering to do da’wa and war was about to break out between
the Muslims and Ka’afirs.
When Rusool Allah (saw) was trying to
establish an ummah based on imaan, Allah Zaujal revealed ayat asking Muslims to
first break down your previous alliances.
Allah Zaujal
says in AT-TAUBA (9:23)
“O you who have believed, do not take your fathers or your brothers as
allies if they have preferred disbelief over belief. And whoever does so among
you - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.”
Thus Allah
Zaujal is now telling the muslims that you need to terminate the relationships
of loyalty that you have with your tribes, if they are not muslim.
And Allah
Zaujal says in AL-MUMTAHINAH (60:1)
“O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as
allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to
you of the truth, having driven out the Prophet and yourselves [only] because
you believe in Allah , your Lord. If you have come out for jihad in My cause
and seeking means to My approval, [take them not as friends]. You confide to
them affection, but I am most knowing of what you have concealed and what you
have declared. And whoever does it among you has certainly strayed from the
soundness of the way.”
AL-MUMTAHINAH (60:2)
“If they gain dominance over you, they would be to you as enemies and
extend against you their hands and their tongues with evil, and they wish you
would disbelieve.”
AL-MUMTAHINAH (60:3)
“Never will your relatives or your children benefit you; the Day of
Resurrection He will judge between you. And Allah , of what you do, is Seeing.”
The muslims then had to follow new rules. The former alliances with tribes
needed to end. This was about the relationship of the Muslims and non-muslims
in general. There were also some ayat revealed related to the relationship of
the muslims and the People of the Book (jews and Christians). This is because
in Medina there were also people of the Book. The Arabs in Medina had this
on-going relationship with the Jews; neighbourly, economical or political.
Allah Zaujal revealed ayat to deal with this issue.
Allah Zaujal says in AL-MAIDAH (5:51)
“O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as
allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to
them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the
wrongdoing people.”
This Ayat tells us that if a muslim has allied with the People of the Book,
then he will become a disbeliever., he will become one of ‘them’.
Allah Zaujal says in AL-IMRAN (3:100)
“O you who have believed, if you obey a party of those who were given the
Scripture, they would turn you back, after your belief, [to being]
unbelievers.”
AL-IMRAN (3:101)
“And how could you disbelieve while to you are being recited the verses of
Allah and among you is His Messenger? And whoever holds firmly to Allah has
[indeed] been guided to a straight path.”
Thus again the muslims are being warned that, if they follow the ways of
the Jews and Christians in Medina then they will become disbelievers.
Allah Zaujal says in AL-BAQARAH
(2:120)
“And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow
their religion. Say, "Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [only]
guidance." If you were to follow their desires after what has come to you
of knowledge, you would have against Allah no protector or helper.”
All the relationships of loyalties have been cut off.
An important aqeedah of islam is that, it first asks us to negate then it
affirms. Like when a muslim says, ‘la ilaha illAllah’ , the first part is ,
‘there is no god..’ , thus it first asks you to disbelieve in all the gods that
you previously believed in, then ‘..but
Allah’ thus your faith in Allah is then established. Precisely similarly, Allah
here asks muslims to first break their ties with the disbelievers and then
affirms Who muslims loyalty should be towards.
Allah Zaujal says in AL-MA’AIDAH (5:55)
“Your ally is none but Allah and [therefore] His Messenger and those who
have believed - those who establish prayer and give zakah, and they bow [in
worship].”
AL-MA’AIDAH (5:56)
“And whoever is an ally of Allah and His Messenger and those who have
believed - indeed, the party of Allah - they will be the predominant.”
A new community
is established based on faith, this community is the ‘party of Allah’.
Allah Zaujal
says in AL-FATH (48:29)
“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ; and those with him are forceful
against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and
prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their
mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. That is their description
in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces
its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their
stalks, delighting the sowers - so that Allah may enrage by them the
disbelievers. Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among
them forgiveness and a great reward.”
Virtues of Al-Ansar
Narrated Al-Bara:
I heard the Prophet
saying (or the Prophet said), "None loves the Ansar but a believer, and
none hates them but a hypocrite. So Allah will love him who loves them, and He
will hate him who hates them." (Sahih Bukhari Book 5 Volume 58 Hadith 127)
Another
hadith mentioned in Bukhari is that Rusool Allah (saw) said that if the ansar
take one path and the rest of the people would take another path, I would
follow the path of al-Ansar and if I hadn’t made hijra, I would consider myself
a member of the ansar.
Narrated Musa bin
'Uqba:
'Abdullah bin
Al-Fadl told me that Anas bin Malik said, "I was much grieved over those
who had been killed in the Battle of Al-Harra. When Zaid bin Arqarr heard of my
intense grief (over the killed Ansar), he wrote a letter to me saying that he
heard Allah's Apostle saying, O Allah! Forgive the Ansar and the Ansar
children. The sub narrator, Ibn Al-Fadl, is not sure whether the Prophet also
said, and their grand-children." Some of those who were present asked Anas
(about Zaid). He said, "He (Zaid) is the one about whom Allah's Apostle
said, 'He is the one whose sound hearing Allah testified.' (Sahih Bukhari Book 6 Volume 60
Hadith 429)
In
another narration Prophet (saw) said that people will increase and the ansar
will decrease then Rusool Allah (saw) says accept from the ones who do good and
overlook mistakes, he then said, in the name of Allah I love Al-Ansar, the
Ansar have done their part , now it is your turn. Prophet Muhammed (saw) is
telling us that the Ansar have done their duty and now it’s the Muslims turn to
their duty.
This
was about the 2nd project of Rusool Allah (saw) in Medina:
establishing a community based on brotherhood. We should keep in mind that
shaitan is always trying to disunite us. Muslims need to be aware of this
wuswusa and fight it. We need to be aware that shaitan is constantly plotting
to break this bond of brotherhood among muslims.
And
that is why Allah Zaujal says in AL-ISRA (17:53)
“And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan induces
[dissension] among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy.”
3RD PROJECT
COVENANT THAT GOVERNED THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN COMMUNITIES IN MEDINA
A covenant is
called ‘al ‘waheeqa’, or the document. This document governed the relationship
of the communities of Medina
It is narrated
by ibn Ishaq, “This messenger of Allah wrote a contract between the immigrants
and the helpers in which he expressed conciliation.”
The Covenant:
In the name of
Allah The Merciful, The Beneficient
-This is a
document from Muhammed, the unlettered Prophet, between the believers and Muslims
of Quraish, and Yathrib and their followers, allies, and supporters.
Establishing that they are one nation apart from all others.
-The immigrants
from Qurasih will maintain their current practice and will honour blood money
contracts between themselves and will treat their weaker members with kindness
and justice.
-The Banu auf
shall maintain their current practice and honour their former blood money
contracts , each party treating their weaker members with kindness and justice
among all believers.
(Then a
reference was made to each clan of the helpers and to the families of each
home. He went on to say …)
-The believers
shall not leave anyone among them burdened by debts without giving him in
kindness and paying for him any randsom, money, or blood money he owes.
-A believer
will not ally with any freed man of a second believer against that man. Pious
believers shall act against any of their own people; who practice evil, or seek
to bring harm, sin, aggression, or corruption among believers. Believers will
unite against anyone doing this, even if he being one of their own sons.
-No believer
shall kill any believer for any disbeliever, nor shall he help a disbeliever
against a believer.
-Allah’s
proptection is all one; the least of them can offer protection to others.
-Believers are
allies to one another excluding others.
(Meaning we are
a nation excluding everyone else.)
-Jews who
become Muslim shall receive help and equality. They shall not be mal-treated
nor will others be helped against them. Peace for all believers.
-No peace shall
be accepted for any one believer, to the exclusion of others, the entire
community is responsible if an individual failed to carry out his duty when the
battle is for Allah’s cause.
-Among them
equality and justice must prevail.
-In every
expedition we engage in, riders shall take turns on their mounts.
-Believers
shall avenge one another for blood-shed in Allah’s cause.
-Believers who
are pious are well-guided on the straightest of paths.
-No polytheist
shall be allowed to offer protection, for the property or persons of Quraish.
Nor try to interfere with any believer.
-Anyone who has
clearly aggressed against and caused the death of any believer shall be subject
to retaliation, unless the dead person’s executor can be satisfied. Believers
as a whole shall take action against him and no excuse will be acceptable.
-It shall not
be permissible for any believer who has accepted what is in this document, and
who believes in Allah, to give help or shelter to any wrong-doer. Any believer
who does this shall be the object of Allah’s curses and anger on Judgement Day.
And neither compensation nor excuse will be acceptable.
-Any matter in
which you disagree must be refered to Allah All-Mighty, and Glorious is He and
to Muhammed (saw).
-The Jews shall
pay expenses along with the Muslims, so long as they are allied in war-fare.
-The Jews of
Bani Auf and Muslims would live together as two separate nations. The jews will
have their religion, the Muslims their own. This applies to their freemen and
to them themselves, except for those who commit sins and are unjust. Such
persons only harm themselves and their families.
-What applies
to Bani Auf shall also apply to the Jews of Banu Najjar, Banu Harith, Banu
Sa’ada, Banu Jishum, Banu ul-Aus, Banu Thaaluba, Banu Jifna, and Banu Shutaiba.
The close
associates of the Jews shall be viewed as themselves; none of them shall go to
war without Muhammed’s permission. However he is not thereby constrained from
taking revenge for injury.
-Whoever
attacks another may do so to protect himself and his family, but act not
unjustly. For Allah condemns such acts.
-The Jews shall
bear their own expenses, the Muslims theirs.
-Both nations
must help one another, against any who fight those who adopt this document.
They must give one another advice and consult one another. Do good and avoid
evil.
-A man is not
held blameworthy on behalf of his allies.
-Help must be
given to those wronged.
-The center of
Yathrib shall be a sanctuary for those who agree to this document.
-One’s neighbor
shall be treated as oneself, without being harmed.
-No property
shall be encroached upon without the permission of its owner.
-In the case of
any dispute or incident occurring between those agreeing to this document and
involving consequences likely to be harmful, the matter must be refered to
Allah, and to Muhammed the Messenger of Allah.
-Allah
acknowledges what is very good and pious in this document, the Quraish and
their allies are not to be helped or given protection.
-Those
accepting this document must help one another against anyone attacking Yathrib, if they are called upon to make peace, to do
so, and keep it, then they will be making peace. If they make a similar demand
then is is up to the muslims to agree, if the warfare is over the faith.
-Each
participant shall receive whatever portion is due to him from his own side’s
winnings.
-This document
will not provide protection to people who are wrong-doers or unjust.
-Whoever goes
to war will be safe, or whoever leaves will be safe, whoever stays in the town
will be safe except for those who have sinned or have been unjust. Allah
provides protection for those who are good.
CD #3
We talked about
the covenant which governed the relationship between the various communities;
polytheist Arabs, Muslim Arabs and the Jewish tribes of Medina.
Comments on the covenant
·
Here you have a faith
based community, an ummah based on faith, this was an unusual concept among the
arabs, who used to base their unity on the relationship of blood. Rusool Allah
(saw) came up with this new concept, which says that we are brothers because we
are believers. A statement in the covenant was that ‘Believers are allies to
one another excluding others’. Thus we are excluding everyone else. This might
be one of the reasons why Rusool Allah (saw) gave many orders to distinguish
the Muslims from the jews. There are many obvious distinctions between the
pagan worshippers and the Muslims whereas there are some similarities between
muslims and the People of the Book. Muhammed (saw) wanted to keep the muslim
identity distinct. You will find that there are many ahadith ordering Muslims
to be different than the jews in Medina.
For example Rusool Allah
(saw) noticed that the jews of Medina did not pray in leather socks so Rusool
Allah (saw) allowed muslims to pray in leather socks. The jews in Medina would
not dye with henna so Rusool Allah (saw) instructed muslims to dye their hair
with henna. This is for men. Another incident:
Narrated Ibn Abbas:
When the Prophet arrived at Medina, the Jews were
observing the fast on 'Ashura' (10th of Muharram) and they said, "This is
the day when Moses became victorious over Pharaoh," On that, the Prophet
said to his companions, "You (Muslims) have more right to celebrate Moses'
victory than they have, so observe the fast on this day." (Sahih Bukhari book 6 Volume 60
Hadith 202)
Therefore Rusool Allah (saw) meant that we,
as Muslims, are closer to Moses because he was a Muslim too. Rusool Allah (saw)
started the tradition of fasting on the 10th of Muharram called
Ashura, however before he passed away, he said that if he lives till next year
than he will also fast the ninth of Muharram. Thus he was going to fast the
ninth and the tenth to distinguish the Muslims from the Jews who would only
fast on the 10th of Muharram.
· This document was
establishing authority of Rusool Allah (saw) who entered Medina as a guest.
Rusool Allah (saw) was invited there, but he was actually there to be followed.
Allah Zaujal says
in AN-NISA
(4:64)
“And We did not send any messenger except to be obeyed by
permission of Allah…”
So Rusool Allah
(saw) was meant to be followed and he was establshing his authority by the will
of Allah Zaujal, through various means and one of them was this covenant. All
of the first four projects of Rusool Allah (saw) which were; The masjid establishing brotherhood, a covenant that would govern the
relationship between the various groups in Medina and the establishment of an
army, all four contributed to the establishment of the authority of Muhammed
(saw), the one who was sent by Allah to bring people out of darkness and into
light.
So it is mentioned in the document that if
there is any matter in which you disagree must be refered to Allah All-Mighty,
and Glorious is He and to Muhammed (saw). The only name of an individual
mentioned in this document, is that of Muhammed (saw). Any matter of dispute
that occurs between the Jews and the Arabs, among the Arabs, between a citizen
of Medina and an outsider. All of these matters need to be referred to Allah
and the Messenger of Allah. This meant that now Allah’s rule will prevail in
Medina, along with the sunnah of Muhammad (saw). This was agreed by everyone in
Medina, muslims, and non-muslims.
- Relationship
with the Jews:
It is
clear form the covenant that Rusool Allah (saw) was extending a hand of
tolerance towards the people of the book. You find that this document considers
Jews to be citizens of Medina, thus citizens of an Islamic state. They were
granted religious freedom, they were allowed to worship according to their
teachings and it was the responsibility of the Islamic state to protect them.
On the other hand the Jews were required to support the Muslims against any
enemy that attacked Medina. They were also required to give sincere counseling
to the Muslim state, and never conspire against it, and to never withhold
information that was necessary for the security of the Medina. Also nobody was
allowed to leave Medina, without the permission of Rusool Allah (saw). The Jews
were under a duty to refer to Muhammed (saw) in any dispute that might arise
between them and the Muslims.
This was where the relationship of the Jews
and the Muslims started, however from there on, their relationship only went
downhill. The reason for this was the response of the Jews of the Muslim
presence in Medina. But from the Muslim side, Muhammed (saw) tried live
peacefully in Medina via the covenant (by giving them protection, equal rights,
and freedom); however the Jews did not let this happen.
·
Establishment
on the sanctity of Medina:
Mecca was considered to be ‘haram’ by the
Arabs. Haram is a sanctuary, it was holy. Rusool Allah (saw) did the same with
Medina. It is mentioned in the document that the center of Yathrib is a
sanctuary for everyone in this covenant. This includes not cutting down trees;
they are not allowed to hunt, and they are not allowed to fight or carry
weapons within the boundaries of this area.
These were a few comments regarding this
covenant.
Some
of the sahabah were held back from doing hijra, so they came after Rusool Allah
(saw) came to Medina. One of these sahabah was Suhayb Ar-roomi (ra). Suhayb
(ra) was imprisoned by the Romans in one of the wars between the Romans and the
Arabs. Suhayb ended up growing up among the Romans and he acquired their
language. Thus he would have a roman
accent when he would speak Arabic. He was sold from one master to another
ending up in the hands of Abdullah ibn Judan.
This
story of Suhayb (ra) represents an immigrant who went to Mecca, settled their,
earned his living and gained a status. But when he wanted to leave Mecca
(hijra) for the sake of Allah, he faced hindrances. The Muslims in the west today should take
heed in the story of Suhayb Ar-Rumi (ra). The muhajireen who moved from Mecca
to Medina, were feeling homesick. They wanted to go back to Mecca. Infact Bilal
(ra) used to say, “May Allah curse Utba bin Rabi’a, Shayba bin Rabi’a, Ummayya
bin Khalaf, because of whom they were driven out of Mecca into this land of
diseases.” Medina had swampy land, due
to which a lot of diseases such as malaria, or fever were common.
Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa
from his father that A'isha, umm al-muminin said, "When the Messenger of
Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to Madina, Abu Bakr and
Bilal came down with a fever. I visited them and said, 'Father, how are you?
Bilal, how are you?'" She continued, "When Abu Bakr's fever worsened
he would say, 'Every man is struck down among his people in the morning -death
is nearer than the strap of his sandal.'"
When it left Bilal, he raised his voice and
said, 'Would that I knew whether I will spend a night at the valley of Makka
with the idhkhir herb and jalil herb around me. Will I go one day to the waters
of Majinna? Will the mountains of Shama and Tafil appear to me?' " ‘ A'isha
continued, "I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, and informed him. He said, 'O Allah! Make us love Madina as
much as we love Makka or even more. Make it sound and bless us in our sa’ and
mudd. Remove its fever and put it in al-Juhfa.' “(Malik Book 45 Hadith 45.4.14)
In another narration when Aisha when to
visit, even Amr bin Fuhaira was down with fever and when she asked him how he
was, he also did not reply and would say, “I have found death before tasting
it, a coward has his demise right above him. Every man fights hard with all his
power, as a bull protects its skin with its horns.”
Abu Bakr was talking about death, Bilal (ra)
speaks about Shama and Tafil which are two mountains in Mecca, and Amr talks
about his death. All of these men are homesick and they want to go back to
Mecca. These people were forced out of their homes and went into a place in
which they didn’t really to CHOOSE to live in. After that you become sick!! It
is understandably a horrible feeling. They also didn’t have their family
around, to have someone to take care of them. So Rusool Allah (saw) felt very
sorry for the sahabah (ra) and made the dua, mentioned in the hadith. And
SubhanaAllah due to the dua, the muhajireen ended up loving Medina more than
anyplace in this World.
In
fact when they opened Mecca Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra), Uthman (ra), Bilal (ra)
all chose to stay in Medina. And the fact of the matter is that everyone who
has faith is his/her heart will love Medina. Until this day there is a special
feeling in the hearts of believers when they enter the city of Rusool Allah
(saw). When you enter Mecca, and see the huge pillars masjid ul-haram you have
this feeling of magnificence but when you go to Medina which is flat, unlike
Mecca which is mountainous, you have a different feeling than what you feel in
Mecca. In Medina you experience a feeling of tranquility. You feel at peace. It
is a beloved place for any believer. This is due to the barakat of the dua of
Rusool Allah (saw).
The
first new-born in Medina was Asma bint Abu Bakr (ra), she says, “When I immigrated
I was at term, when I came to Medina, I stayed in Quba and gave birth to him
there (Abdullah bin Zubair).” She then took him to Rusool Allah (saw) and
placed the new born in his lap. Rusool Allah (saw) called for a date, which
Rusool Allah (saw) chewed and then he placed the chewed date into the mouth of
Abdullah bin Zubair. Asma said that the first thing that entered the baby’s
mouth was from the mouth of Rusool Allah (saw). Rusool Allah (saw) then prayed
for Abdullah and blessed him. Asma said that Abdullah was the first baby born
in Islam.
Narrated Asma:
That she conceived
'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair. She added, "I migrated to Medina while I was at
full term of pregnancy and alighted at Quba where I gave birth to him. Then I
brought him to the Prophet and put him in his lap. The Prophet asked for a
date, chewed it, and put some of its juice in the child's mouth. So, the first
thing that entered the child's stomach was the saliva of Allah's Apostle. Then
the Prophet rubbed the child's palate with a date and invoked for Allah's
Blessings on him, and he was the first child born amongst the Emigrants in the
Islamic Land (i.e. Medina).
(Sahih Bukhari Book 5
Volume 58 Hadith 248)
Thus this shows
that the sahabah considered the beginning of Islam in Medina, because that was
where the first Islamic state had formed. As if the first 13 years spent in Mecca
was a preparation for this. Asma did not say first child born after hijra or
first child born in Medina. This was the first child born in Islam. Islam only
became complete when Muslims started living together in a Muslim society in a
Muslim state, following the Rules and Regulations of Allah Zaujal. This makes
US realize that we are missing a lot!
Abdullah
ibn Salam (ra) was the most knowledgeable rabbi in Medina. When he heard of the
coming of the Prophet (saw), he decided to go and meet him. In one narration of
Imam Ahmed Abdullah ibn Salam says that when he saw the face of Rusool Allah
(saw), he knew that this was not the face of a liar. SubhanAllah truth shined
out from the face of Rusool Allah (saw). As mentioned Abdullah ibn Salam was a
rabbi (scholar), he wanted to test Muhammed (saw) whether he was the true
messenger or not. These rabbis knew of signs related to the upcoming prophet.
Narrated Anas:
When the news of
the arrival of the Prophet at Medina reached 'Abdullah bin Salam, he went to
him to ask him about certain things, He said, "I am going to ask you about
three things which only a Prophet can answer: What is the first sign of The
Hour? What is the first food which the people of Paradise will eat? Why does a
child attract the similarity to his father or to his mother?" The Prophet
replied, "Gabriel has just now informed me of that." Ibn Salam said,
"He (i.e. Gabriel) is the enemy of the Jews amongst the angels. The
Prophet said, "As for the first sign of The Hour, it will be a fire that
will collect the people from the East to the West. As for the first meal which
the people of Paradise will eat, it will be the caudate (extra) lobe of the
fish-liver. As for the child, if the man's discharge precedes the woman's
discharge, the child attracts the similarity to the man, and if the woman's
discharge precedes the man's, then the child attracts the similarity to the
woman."
On this, 'Abdullah
bin Salam said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped except
Allah, and that you are the Apostle of Allah." and added, "O Allah's
Apostle! Jews invent such lies as make one astonished, so please ask them about
me before they know about my conversion to I slam . “The Jews came, and the
Prophet said, "What kind of man is 'Abdullah bin Salam among you?"
They replied, "The best of us and the son of the best of us and the most
superior among us, and the son of the most superior among us.”The Prophet said,
"What would you think if 'Abdullah bin Salam should embrace Islam?"
They said, "May Allah protect him from that." The Prophet repeated
his question and they gave the same answer. Then 'Abdullah came out to them and
said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped except Allah and
that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah!" On this, the Jews said, "He
is the most wicked among us and the son of the most wicked among us." So
they degraded him. On this, he (i.e. 'Abdullah bin Salam) said, "It is
this that I was afraid of, O Allah's Apostle. ( Sahih Bukhari Book 5
Volume 58 Hadith 275)
In
the incident mentioned above when Abdullah ibn Salam, claimed that Gibrael an
enemy of the Jews, Rusool Allah (saw) in response recited the ayat in Surat ul Baqarah (2:98)
“Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and His messengers and Gabriel
and Michael - then indeed, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers.”
You thus, cannot pick and choose
who you like and dislike. All of the angels are made by Allah and they all obey
Him. There is no such thing as an enemy or a friend angel. Rusool Allah (saw)
was correcting this error in Abdullah ibn Salam’s aqeedah.
Another thing to note is Rusool
Allah’s (saw) answer to the the second question. Now fish liver might not be a
very desirable meal in this world, but things in Jannah will be different.
Things may seem similar but are actually very different in Jannah. The answer
to the third question is now scientifically proven. Now science says that if
the gene of the father is dominant in the child then the child will resemble
the father and the same goes for the mother if the gene of the mother is
dominant in the child. This is what Rusool Allah (saw) is saying because the
genes are carried in the fluid; sperm of the man and egg of the woman.
The way the Jews had changed their
opinion of Abdullah ibn Salam shows the extent to which they lie. Incidents
such as this one are what contributed to the deterioration of the relationship
of the Muslims and the Jews. Jews were stubborn on refusing that Muhammed (saw)
as the messenger of Allah, and Islam is the true and final religion. Also they
would often talk against the Islamic state behind the scenes.
In an authentec narration Ibn
Abbas (ra) says that when Abdullah ibn Salam, Thalaba
ibn Saya, Usayd ibn Saya , Asad ibn Ubayd and some
other jews became Muslim, the other rabbis of the Jews said that these people
who have followed the religion of Muhammed
(saw) are the most evil among us. They thought that if they were
righteous they would not have left the religion of their fore-fathers.
Allah
Zaujal says in Surah AL-IMRAN (3:113)
“They are not [all] the same; among the People of the Scripture is a
community standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allah during periods
of the night and prostrating [in prayer].”
AL-IMRAN
(3:114)
“They believe in
Allah and the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong
and hasten to good deeds. And those are among the righteous.”
AL-IMRAN (3:115)
“And whatever good
they do - never will it be removed from them. And Allah is Knowing of the
righteous.”
Allah Zaujal is saying that not all the people of the book are
disbelievers, some of them did accept Islam. Allah praises people such as
Abdullah ibn Salam in these ayat. These ayat will apply to any christian or jew
who reverted to Islam and not only that but practiced Islam.
A very important event occurred
14 months after the hijra of Rusool Allah’s (saw), and that was the change of
the Qibla. In Mecca Rusool Allah (saw) would pray towards Jerusalem BUT the
Ka’aba would come in between, thus he would be facing the Ka’aba and Jerusalem.
But when they moved to Medina Ka’aba was then in the opposite direction of
Jerusalem. Rusool Allah (saw) wanted to face the Ka’ba but he didn’t dare ask
Allah Zaujal about it. Then in Medina Allah Zaujal revealed ayat telling the
muslims to face the Qibla of Ibrahim (as), the Ka’aba. Rusool Allah (saw)
prayed towards the new Qibla, and one of the sahabah who was with him went back
to his people who were a few miles outside of Medina. He saw that they were
praying Asr towards Jerusalem, while they were in salat, he said, “I bear
witness that I just prayed with Rusool Allah (saw) towards Mecca.” They all
turned in their salah, towards Mecca. This shows the obedience they had for
Rusool Allah (saw) and the trust that was present among the muslim community.
But this event also caused some
controversy, in fact it was a very controversial event. Allah Zaujal revealed
over 40 ayat in Surat ul-Baqarah dealing with this issue alone!! Ibn-ul-Qayyum says that this was a test from Allah
Zaujal for the people and of them, the mushrikeen. The mushrikeen said about
Rusool Allah (saw) that: ‘he has reverted back to our Qibla and he will revert
back to our religion’ because the Ka’abah was the Qibla of the pagan
worshippers in Arabia. Ibn-ul-Qayyum said that it was a test for the hypocrites
who said that Muhammed (saw) doesn’t know what he’s doing, and that he changes
his mind. It was a test from Allah Zaujal for the Jews, who said about Muhammed
(saw), ‘he has left the Qibla of the anbiya before him and that shows you that
Muhammed is not a prophet of Allah.” The jews considered Jerusalem to be the
Qibla of the anbiya. Also it was a test for the believers to see if there are
firm in following Rusool Allah (saw), in other words to see if they change the
Qibla with him or not. Thus it was a trial from Allah Zaujal for these four
groups.
Allah
Zaujal revealed AL-BAQARAH (2:142)
The foolish among
the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which
they used to face?" Say, "To Allah belongs the east and the west. He
guides whom He wills to a straight path."
Who
is the one who created Ka’aba, Mecca, or Jerusalem? All of it belongs to Allah
Zaujal... as the ayat says ‘to Allah belongs the east and the west’... therefore
it is up to Allah Zaujal to decide, towards which direction He wants his
followers to pray. He has the authority to tell where to face. The Jews would
say Allah can not change His mind, either the first Qibla was right or the
second was right. They would then go on to say that if the first Qibla is right
then your prayers now is wasted and if the second Qibla is right then all your
previous prayers are wasted. In response to this claim by the Jews, Allah
Zaujal revealed another ayat.
AL-BAQARAH
(2:143)
And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over
the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make
the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would
follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is
difficult except for those whom Allah has guided. And never would Allah have
caused you to lose your faith. Indeed Allah is, to the people, Kind and
Merciful.
Ibn
Kathir comments on this and says,”likewise We have made you the best of
nations, the very essence of the World. The most noble of all groups, the most
honorable of the ancient and the high
born , so that you may be witnesses on the Judgement day against those who
have combined against you, and so that they may give testimony on that day to
your great virtue.”Allah makes it clear in this ayat that a believer’s prayers
towards Jerusalem will never be wasted, thus rejecting Jew’s idea that if a
person died before this revelation, then all of his/her prayers are wasted.
AL-BAQARAH
(2:144)
We have certainly
seen the turning of your face, [O Muْammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with
which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-îaram. And
wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it [in prayer]. Indeed,
those who have been given the Scripture well know that it is the truth from
their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.
AL-BARARAH
(2:145)
And if you brought
to those who were given the Scripture every sign, they would not follow your
qiblah. Nor will you be a follower of their qiblah. Nor would they be followers
of one another's qiblah. So if you were to follow their desires after what has
come to you of knowledge, indeed, you would then be among the wrongdoers.
AL-BAQARAH
(2:146)
Those to whom We
gave the Scripture know him as they know their own sons. But indeed, a party of
them conceal the truth while they know [it].
AL-BAQARAH
(2:147)
The truth is from
your Lord, so never be among the doubters.
AL BAQARAH
(2:148)
For each [religious following] is a direction toward which it faces. So
race to [all that is] good. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you forth
[for judgement] all together. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.
AL-BAQARAH (2:149)
So from wherever you go out [for prayer, O Muhammad] turn your face toward
al- Masjid al-îaram, and indeed, it is the truth from your Lord. And Allah is
not unaware of what you do.
AL-BAQARAH (2:150)
And from wherever you go out [for prayer], turn your face toward al-Masjid
al-îaram. And wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces toward it in
order that the people will not have any argument against you, except for those
of them who commit wrong; so fear them not but fear Me. And [it is] so I may
complete My favor upon you and that you may be guided.
In
ayat 150, Allah Zaujal states an important concept ‘fear them not, but fear
Me!’ … People might blame or criticize things that are Islamic or righteous. In
every generation, there have been some people who criticize various factors of
Islam. Now they say Islam oppresses women, at one point they might say that
Islam gives too many rights. There are some who say Islam is a religion of violence
and so on and on and on. Allah Zaujal tells the believers to fear Allah and not
such people. We should do what Allah Zaujal wants from us and forget about what
people say. The ayat says ...’I may complete My
favour upon you…’
,every new command that comes from Allah, is a favour from Allah.
This
was the incident of the changing of the Qibla which was very controversial in
it’s time, in fact it was a test from Allah.
Rusool
Allah (saw) was developing the economic system of the new Islamic state so he
appointed an area next to Masjid ul-Haram to be Medina’s market place, the
central market of Medina. Rusool Allah (saw) devoted this place for the market
and he said that this is the market place of Medina, so no taxes will be
levied. Thus it was a tax-free market place.
Once the prices were very high so the sahabah came to Muhammed (saw)…
… Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
The people said:
Apostle of Allah, prices have shot up, so fix prices for us. Thereupon the
Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah is the one Who fixes prices,
Who withholds, gives lavishly and provides, and I hope that when I meet Allah,
none of you will have any claim on me for an injustice regarding blood or
property.
(Dawud: Book
23 Hadith 3444)
Thus
Allah is the one Who gives rizq, the price will be according to the supply and
demand. That will vary according to Allah’s will, He is the one Who fixes the
prices. The Apostle of Allah refused to interfere in Allah’s work. This shows
the freedom given by the Islamic economical system, which does not place
restrictions on how people buy and sell in their trade.
Then Allah Zaujal revealed ayat on the
rulings of fasting in AL-BAQARAH (2:183)
O you who have
believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you
that you may become righteous
So
the purpose or wisdom behind fasting is taqwa so that we may become righteous.
(We
are still within the first 2 years of hijra)
Rusool
Allah (saw) also married Aisha’a (ra) during that time or actually the
consummation of his marriage to her happened then. The actual marriage itself
happened towards the end of Rusool Allah’s time in Mecca when Aisha was 6 years
old and the marriage was consummated in Medina when she was 9 years old.
The
age of Aisha’a was very young, this is an issue that many raise against Islam
and the Prophet of Allah (saw) saying that your prophet married a child. The
wisdom behind all of Rusool Allah’s (saw) marriages was covered in the Meccan
period. One point to add here is that Rusool Allah (saw) was 54 years old when
he married Aisha’a, but he was young even though he was 54. When Rusool Allah
(saw) met the delegation of the tribe of Rabi’a, at that time he was 50 years
old, the head of the tribe went back to his people and referred to Muhammed
(saw) as a ‘young man’. It was because of his strength and active attitude by
which his age could not be told by looking at his face.
Another incident was that when Anas ibn Malik was narrating the story of
hijra, when Rusool Allah and Abu Bakr (ra) were walking in the desert and
people recognized Abu Bakr (ra) but not Rusool Allah (saw) because they didn’t
know what he looked like. Anas referred to Abu Bakr as an old man, who was
known while Rusool Allah (saw) was a young man, who wasn’t known. A comment by
Ibn Hajar aluf Kalam regarding this is that Abu Bakr’s age showed on him, or
that the way Abu bakr (ra) looked was according to his age, he did not look
younger or older. While Rusool Allah (saw) appeared to be a young man even
though he was 2 years elder to Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra).
This
was a point to be mentioned regarding Rusool Allah’s (saw) marriage to Aisha’a.
We know from the Sunnah, that Rusool Allah (saw) used to race Aisha’a.
Narrated Aisha,
Ummul Mu'minin:
While she was on a
journey along with the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him): I had a race with
him (the Prophet) and I outstripped him on my feet. When I became fleshy,
(again) I had a race with him (the Prophet) and he outstripped me. He said:
This is for that outstripping.
(Dawud:
Book 14 hadith 2572)
In
this hadith the word fleshy means when Aisha became heavier. And the adorable
part of this hadith is when Rusool Allah (saw) said, ‘this is for that
outstripping.’ Meaning this is a sort of tit for tat, for the time when Aisha
(ra) won. Thus Rusool Allah (saw) was a very healthy and active individual. And
he needed to be all that, to complete his mission being the Messenger of Allah
Zaujal.
The
Ghazwat (Battles)
Before
we start talking about the battles, first a bit about Jihad will be
spoken. This is important because during
the ten years in Medina, Rusool Allah (saw) had participated himself in 19
battles and he had sent out over 55 expeditions in which he didn’t take part.
So if we add there had been over 70 battles within 10 years. This is about 7
battles per year. Battles take time to prepare; you have to finance, mobilize
and organize the army… then time is spent in reaching the destination and then
time is spent in coming back. So this was actually a huge burden on the Islamic
state. The question is why Rusool Allah (saw) devoted so much time and energy
to this.
Another
reason why this needs to be discussed is that this issue has become very
controversial today. There is a major misconception on what Jihad really means,
and what is the objective and wisdom behind it.
The word Jihad itself means ‘struggle’ it comes from the word ‘Juhd’
which means exerting effort. So the linguistic meaning of the word is to exert
effort or to struggle. This word later on carried a specific Islamic meaning.
There are words in Arabic which had a linguistic meaning but then Islam gave a
new meaning to those words. For example the word ‘salah’ in Arabic originally
means supplication but now it carries a new meaning and that is prayer. This
word now is a terminology in Islam. Jihad fi Sabi lillah later carried a new
meaning and that is ‘to fight’ the enemies of Allah Zaujal, who object to His
religion. According to all the four mazahib it means, ‘to fight in the path of
Allah.’
Every war is an act of injustice and is evil with the exception of
fighting in the path of Allah Zaujal. So every blood shed is evil with this
exception, which is that the ONLY war which is allowed is to fight in the path
of Allah.
And the evidence for this is an ayat in
Quran, AL-NISA (4:76)
Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah , and those who disbelieve
fight in the cause of Taghut. So fight against the allies of Satan. Indeed, the
plot of Satan has ever been weak.
In
this ayat Allah is saying that there are two types of war. One type is fought
for Allah by the believers and the second type of war is for Taghut which is
fought by the disbelievers. Taghut means anything worshipped other than Allah
or it could mean those transgressors who assert the divine right of governship.
Thus if believers fight for Allah then that is a rewarding act and those
who disbelieve fight for Taghut. It doesn’t matter what the disbelievers state
their objective to be, it will always be evil. Even if they say that it is
fought for freedom from aggression it will still be evil. The ONLY war which is
righteous is the war fought under the banner of ‘la ilaha illAllah’. Islam is
against all types of aggression except if it is done for the sake of Allah…
Islam is not a violent religion.
Allah is the Creator, therefore He is the only one Who has the right to
designate the permissible and the impermissible, or what is preferable over the
other. For example the 7 days of the week, they are all equal from a scientific
point of view. However Allah Zaujal has told us that Friday is preferred over
the rest of the days of the week. There is no difference between the month of
Ramadan and the rest of the months in terms of the solar system, however Allah
Zaujal has picked Ramadan to be the most preferred month of the year, the same
goes for the first 10 days of Zil-Hujja in terms of the reward for the good
deeds done during those 10 days. Even last 10 nights of Ramadan are special and
out of those 10 nights, the odd ones and out of those odd ones He chose laila
tul Qadr to be the best night of the year. It is something that Only Allah has
the right to do.
The purpose of Jihad fi sabilillah is to free the people from the
slavery of one another, and to become the servants of Allah Zaujal. So it is
much better to be a slave of The Creator rather than to be a slave of creations
(rock, idol, human being etc). It is also to bring the people under the blessed
rule of Islam, whether they become Muslim or not, because in Islam you cannot
force someone to become a Muslim. However there is an increased chance of more
people coming to Islam if people live under the Islamic rule.
Rusool Allah says in a hadith that Allah
Zaujal is amazed by people, who are dragged into Jannah in chains.
A scholar commented on this hadith and said that these people are
dragged into Islam even though they don’t want it, and that becomes a reason
for them to enter into Jannah.
In general people are not interested in hearing about religion. If you
announce to non-muslims that there will be a lecture on Islam, then people are
not going to show up. Even if they do show up they won’t really give you much
of a response, but if you make an announcement that whoever shows up will get
Rs. 2000 then people are going to rush for the lecture and eventually there
will not be enough seats. This situation is not only with the non-muslims but
even the Muslims. The masjids are packed for Juma’a but only about 10% of those
come for Fajr. Even here if you make an announcement that whoever shows up for
Fajr will get a 1000 rupee note then everybody will come.
To conclude people are least interested to talk about religion and that
is why when Rusool Allah (saw) called on the people of Mecca and gathered them
He then said, "I am a warner to you in
face of a terrific punishment." Abu Lahab said (to the Prophet) "May
your hands perish all this day. Is it for this purpose you have gathered
us?" (Sahih Bukhari: Book 6 Volume
60 Hadith 293)
Abu Lahab was upset because he closed his
shop and went to listen to Muhammed (saw), he thought that there was something
important that Rusool Allah (saw) had to say, even though it was important, but
Abu Lahab did not think so. When it turned out to be a matter of religion he
became furious.
That is when the ayat of Surat Al-Masad were revealed (111: 1-5)
Allah says that Abu Lahab’s wealth and
children will not benefit him; this wealth was what prevented Abu Lahab from
listening to Muhammed (saw) preaching Islam. It was because he had to close
down his shop that is why he became upset.
Anyway when the sahabah fought fi sabi llilah and bought people under
the rule of Islam that is when they listened. The people listen to the sahabah
attentively because they now ruled and had some authority. The sahabah had a
chance to do daw’a as a government and not as a preacher. This was when people
in multiples entered Islam. In Mecca when Rusool Allah (saw) was giving daw’a,
only a few people were interested, nevertheless when Rusool Allah (saw)
established an Islamic state the people, the tribes, and other nations were
listening and taking it seriously. That was when people became Muslim in
thousands. By the end of 13 years in Mecca Rusool Allah (saw) had followers in
hundreds, nevertheless in Medina the Muslims increased in thousands every year!
So in Fatah Mecca Rusool Allah (saw) had an army of 12,000 or 10,000, in Hajja
tul Wida 90,000 and when he passed away the ones who prayed his salah janaza
were over 114,000.
So what are the stages that Jihad went through? Ibn ul Qayyum says in
Zaad-ul-Maad, that in the beginning Jihad was prohibited, it was not allowed.
Rusool Allah (saw) used to tell the Muslims to be patient because they were not
given the permission to fight. So in the beginning it was patience, and then in
the second stage Jihad was merely allowed, it was not instructed, commanded, or
obligatory, it was just allowed.
Allah Zaujal revealed the ayat in surah
AL-HAJJ (22:39)
Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because
they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.
Thus
here permission was given to them. Now the following stage, as Ibn ul Qayyum
says is, then they were commanded to fight the ones who fight them. This was
the third stage and the ayat for that is the following:
Surah
AL-BAQARAH (2:190)
Fight in the way of
Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed. Allah does not like
transgressors.
So here the command came from Allah
Zaujal to fight the ones who are trangressors. Then came the final stage, in
which the final law was revealed by Allah Zaujal for the ummah. Ibn ul Qayyum
says about this stage that the Messenger of Allah was instructed to fight all
the disbelievers.
SURAH AT-TAUBA (9:36)
…And fight against
the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively…
There is also a
hadith narrated by over 20 sahaba of Rusool Allah (saw) and that is:
Narrated Ibn 'Umar:
Allah's Apostle
said: "I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until
they testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that
Muhammad is Allah's Apostle, and offer the prayers perfectly and give the
obligatory charity, so if they perform a that, then they save their lives an
property from me except for Islamic laws and then their reckoning (accounts)
will be done by Allah." (Sahih Bukhari: Book 1 Volume 2
Hadith 24)
These
were the four stages of Jihad fi sabi lillah
Objectives of Jihad
Some
ayat in Quran give us the objectives of fighting fi sabi lillah
·
Promotion
of Islam: To fight until Allah Zaujal’s religion prevails
Allah Zaujal says in AL-ANFAL (8:39)
And fight them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion, all of
it, is for Allah
·
For the protection of
rituals and worship places
Allah Zaujal says: AL-HAJ (22:38)
Indeed, Allah defends those who have believed. Indeed, Allah does not like
everyone treacherous and ungrateful.
AL-HAJ (22:39)
Permission [to fight] has
been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And
indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.
AL-HAJ (22:40)
[They are] those who have been evicted from their homes
without right - only because they say, "Our Lord is Allah ." And were
it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have
been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the
name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who
support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.
Notice here that Allah
Zaujal is saying , ‘were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of
others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, and synagogues,
and mosques…’ People are checked by fighting, this is called sunnat-ul-mudaafa’ah. Allah has governed the
lives of men, if it wasn’t for this fighting, churches, synagogues, and mosques
would have been would have been demolished. The
reason why churches and synagogues are mentioned is because we are not the
first nation to fight in the path of Allah. The first nation to fight fi sabi
lillah was Bani Israel. For the previous nations before Bani Israel fighting
was not prescribed. Allah would destroy the anbiya’s enemies through miraculous
events, thus the believers did not have to be involved in fighting themselves.
The followers of Musa (as) were the first nation to fight in the path of Allah.
Because they were the ummas which fought in the path of Allah (jihad),
synagogues and churches were protected. And ofcourse mosques are protected because
the ummah of Muhammed (saw) also practices this act of worship (Jihad).
AL-HAJ
(22:41)
[And they are] those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish
prayer and give zakah and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to
Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters.
·
Protecting the World from corruption,
thus when you fight fi sabi lillah it is not destruction but rather a form of
protection for the World. Allah
Zaujal’s ayat makes this very clear canceling the efforts of Shaitan to try to
make evil seem good, and good seem evil. The ayat of Quran cleanses our hearts
from the corruption caused by the media.
Allah Zaujal says in AL-BAQARAH (2:251)
… And if it were not for Allah checking [some] people by means of others, the
earth would have been corrupted, but Allah is full of bounty to the worlds.
·
Test
for mankind, it is a trial. Our entire existence in this world is a test from
Allah Zaujal and fighting in His path is a part of that test
Allah
Zaujal says in SURAH MUHAMMAD (47:4)
…That [is the command]. And if Allah had willed, He could
have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to
test some of you by means of others…
Thus armed struggle is a test for the believers and a test for the
disbelievers. Allah is testing the patience of the believers and whether they
can sacrifice for Allah. The biggest sacrifice that a believer can give for
Allah Zaujal is to sacrifice his soul and wealth. It is also a test of whether
you fear Allah more or His creations more.
It actually tests most of what you call ‘Amaal Quloob’, the deeds of the
heart. These diseases of the heart appear when the time of the sacrifice of
comes. For example the munafiqeen blended very well with the Islamic society,
but their reality was only exposed in the various battles. That is why Allah
Zaujal says about them:
Surah AT-TAUBA (9:126)
Do they not see that they are tried every year once or twice…
The average of the ghazwat of Rusool Allah (saw) was around one or two per
year, and in each battle their hypocricy would be exposed.
·
To
punish and humiliate the enemies of Allah Zaujal
Allah Zaujal says in AL-ANFAL (8:60)
And prepare against
them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may
terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do
not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah
will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.
Allah
Zaujal also says in SURAH AT-TAUBA (9:14) and (9:15)
Fight them; Allah will
punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them
and satisfy the breasts of a believing people
And remove the fury in the believers' hearts. And Allah
turns in forgiveness to whom He wills; and Allah is Knowing and Wise.
And
Allah Zaujal says in Surah AL-ANFAL (8:17) and (8:18)
And you did not kill them, but
it was Allah who killed them. And you threw not, [O Muhammad], when you threw,
but it was Allah who threw that He might test the believers with a good test.
Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
That [is so], and [also] that
Allah will weaken the plot of the disbelievers.
·
The sixth objective is to expose the hypocrites
Allah Zaujal says in AL-IMRAN (3:179)
Allah would not leave the believers in that [state] you
are in [presently] until He separates the evil from the good. Nor would Allah
reveal to you the unseen. But [instead], Allah chooses of His messengers whom
He wills, so believe in Allah and His messengers. And if you believe and fear
Him, then for you is a great reward.
Thus the way you can separate the
evil from the good is by fighting fi sabi lillah. These ayat were revealed
after ghazwa-e-Uhud, because Abdullah bin Ubay withdrew, along with his troops
which formed 1/3rd of the army.
·
It
is a defense against the aggression of the enemies of Allah. These enemies plan
to transgress against the ummah.
Allah Zaujal says in AN-NISA’A (4:84)
So fight, [O Muhammad], in the cause of Allah ; you are
not held responsible except for yourself. And encourage the believers [to join
you] that perhaps Allah will restrain the [military] might of those who
disbelieve. And Allah is greater in might and stronger in [exemplary]
punishment.
CD#4
In Mecca the believers were not allowed to fight back,
even thought the Kaafir had used all forms of aggression against the muslims.
It wasn’t easy for the Arabs to restrain themselves from fighting, they were
tribesmen they didn’t have an anti-war background. They were no peace activists
in those days like Martin Luther King or Gandhi. Generally if you fight against
a tribesmen then, then he would fight back. So for for them to restrain
themselves from fighting was very difficult. But it was a test of their
patience.
When the permission for fighting
can Abu Bakr (ra) said that i knew there was going to be fighting, ultimately
we would have to fight, there is no way we could get out of this situation
except by fighting in the path of Allah.
The permission was given during
the early days of Medina. Some say the permission was given before hijra but
the actual practice of it started from Medina.
To fight against the enemies of
Allah Zaujal, demanded preparation. That is why Rusool Allah (saw) trained the
muslims to fight. This training took two forms; physical and spiritual
training. This would now lead us to the fourth project.
ESTABLISHMENT
OF THE MUSLIM ARMY
The word army isnt really
accurate because they weren’t any professional soldiers, it was more of a
militia rather than a professional army. It says in the american dictionary
that a militia is a citizen’s army as the state from a body of professional
solidiers. So they weren’t any prefessional soldiers in the time of Rusool
Allah (saw). Everyone who fulfilled five requirements was expected to
participate in Jihad fi sabi lillah. There requirements were:
1.
Islam
2.
age of puberty
3.
sanity
4.
to be free of defects (that would prevent a
person from being able to participate)
5.
financial ability
Financial ability was important because Rusool Allah (saw) did not have the
ability to sponsor every fighter. Everyone had to finance themselves.
Also it says that the militia is
the whole body of physically fit male civilians legible by law for military
service. So the word militia suits more than the word army.
So Rusool Allah (saw) was
preparing the troops spiritually. Allah was doing the same thing via an ayat of Quran in Surat AT-TAUBA
(9:111)
Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their
lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They
fight in the cause of Allah , so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true
promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur'an. And who
is truer to his covenant than Allah ? So rejoice in your transaction which you
have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.
Then Allah teaches them to be patient in AL-IMRAN (3:140) (3:141)(3:142)(3:143)
If a wound should touch you - there has already touched
the [opposing] people a wound similar to it. And these days [of varying
conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allah may make evident those
who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs - and Allah does
not like the wrongdoers –
And that Allah may purify the believers [through trials] and destroy the
disbelievers.
Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made
evident those of you who fight in His cause and made evident those who are
steadfast?
And you had certainly wished for martyrdom before you encountered it, and
you have [now] seen it [before you] while you were looking on.
These were examples of ayat in which Allah was preparing the Muslims. There
are some ahadith for the same purpose.
Narrated Abu
Huraira:
A man
came to Allah's Apostle and said, "Instruct me as to such a deed as equals
Jihad (in reward)." He replied, "I do not find such a deed." Then
he added, "Can you, while the Muslim fighter is in the battle-field, enter
your mosque to perform prayers without cease and fast and never break your
fast?" The man said, "But who can do that?" Abu Huraira added,
"The Mujahid (i.e. Muslim fighter) is rewarded even for the footsteps of
his horse while it wanders bout (for grazing) tied in a long rope."
(Sahih
Bukhari: Book 4 Volume 52 Hadith 44)
Thus the reward of the mujahid is greater
than fasting and praying continuously. Fighting with the disbelievers is more
virtuous than Jihad-un-Nafs. Praying and fasting is part of Jihad un-Nafs. When
the Muslims came back from Battle of Tabuk, Rusool Allah (saw) said to Muadh bin
Jabal that if you want I will tell you about head of the affair, its pillar and
its peak. The head of the affair is Islam and its pillar is salah and its peak
is Jihad fi sabi lillah. This tells us that the peak of Islam is to fight in
the path of Allah.
Narrated Salim Abu
An-Nadr:
The freed slave of
'Umar bin 'Ubaidullah who was 'Umar's clerk: 'Abdullah bin Abi Aufa wrote him
(i.e. 'Umar) a letter that contained the following:--
"Once
Allah's Apostle (during a holy battle), waited till the sun had declined and
then he got up among the people and said, "O people! Do not wish to face the
enemy (in a battle) and ask Allah to save you (from calamities) but if you
should face the enemy, then be patient and let it be known to you that Paradise
is under the shades of swords." (Sahih Bukhari: book 4 Volume 52
Hadith 210)
It
has been narrated on the authority of Zaid b. Kbalid al-Juhani that the
Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Anybody who equips a warrior
(going to fight) in the way of Allah (is like one who actually) fights. And anybody
who looks well after his family in his absence (is also like one who actually)
fights.
(muslim:
Book-20 Hadith-4668)
There is also a hadith in Muslim in which
it says that ribat (to station or stay in) for one day in the path of Allah is
better than praying and fasting for one entire month.
All of these Ahadith were for the purpose of
preparing the muslims spiritually for whats coming. The muslims were being prepared
to face enemies from every direction. Rusool Allah (saw) was telling them about
the virtues of Jihad. There was also the physical preparation, and that is
military training.
The sahabah were not told to go jogging or lift weights, there lifestyle
was active anyway so there was no need for them to be told to be physically
fit. They were active because of the type of work they used to do. It wouldn’t
make sense to tell a farmer, who works from fajr till late in the day, to go
jogging after farming. However in the areas where the muslims were lacking,
Rusool Allah (saw) did specify for example swimming.
The arabs of Mecca and Medina were far away
from the sea. They never really got the chance to swim, thus Rusool Allah (saw)
told them to swim.
Rusool Allah (saw) also trained them for target shooting, marksmanship.
In his tafsir of the ayat in AL-ANFAL (8:60), he said strength is marksmanship
and he repeated that three times.
And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of
war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others
besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you
spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be
wronged.
Narrated
Uqbah ibn Amir:
I heard the Apostle
of Allah (peace be upon him) say: Allah, Most High, will cause three persons to
enter Paradise for one arrow: the maker when he has a good motive in making it,
the one who shoots it, and the one who hands it; so shoot and ride, but your
shooting is dearer to me than your riding. Everything with which a man amuses
himself is vain except three (things): a man's training of his horse, his
playing with his wife, and his shooting with his bow and arrow. If anyone
abandons archery after becoming an adept through distaste for it, it is a
blessing he has abandoned; or he said: for which he has been ungrateful.
(Dawud:
Book 14 Hadith 2507)
In a similar narration there are four
exceptions instead of three in which the fourth one is learning how to swim and
teaching it to others. So these four things are ibadah of Allah Zaujal, and any
other form of entertainment is a waste of your time.
So from these teachings we can notice that, there was what you call an
absolute war. Where there is a total mobilization of the society gearing all of
its resources towards the militarization, on order to defend the society. This
entire process was happening in the time of Rusool Allah (saw).
Rusool Allah (saw) told Muslims to fight the unbelievers with your
wealth arms and tongues all geared up to defend the newly formed Muslim state.
This time was a very difficult time for the Muslims. The Quraish were
threatening them. For example as soon as Rusool Allah (saw) made hijrah to
Medina the Quraish sent a letter to Abdullah bin Ubayd telling him that the
people of Medina have given sanctualy to ‘assuba’ . They used a degrading term
for Rusool Allah (saw). They also gave them the option that you either hand
Rusool Allah (saw) over, or the Quraish will kill them and leave their wives as
widows and your children as orphans. So they were threatening the people of Medina.
Another example is when Sa’d ibn Muadh went to visit Mecca, he was
friends with Umayya bin Khalaq since Jahiliya. Sa’d went to Umayya and asked him
for a suitable time when he could make tawaaf around the Ka’abah. A time when
the people around are few. They waited for it to get late then they went to
make tawaaf. Abu Jahl saw them. Abu Jahl came and asked Umayya who the man with
him was. Umayya said that he is Sa’d bin Muadh. Sa’d bin Muadh was well-known,
he was the head of Al-Aus, which was one of the two tribes in Medina who became
Muslim. Abu Jahl told Umayya that he does not approve of Umayya helping this
man make tawaaf when his people have given sanctuary to Muhammed (saw).
Sa’d ibn Muadh then warned Abu Jahl, that if he will prevent him form
making tawaaf then Sa’d will prevent his caravan from reaching their
destination. This was because the Quraish caravans used to pass Medina. This
shows the constant effort by the Quraish against Rusool Allah (saw) and the
sahaba (ra). Thus the militarization was to protect the Muslim community.
After Rusool Allah (saw) received the permission to fight from Allah.
Rusool Allah (saw) started sending out what you call ‘saraya’. In the books of
seerah you have saraya and ghazwat. So you ghazwat Uhud or Badr and then there
is Sarayah Abu Ubaidah. Sarayah is when the militia was sent out, without
Rusool Allah (saw) participating in them. While a ghazwat is an army which is
led by Rusool Allah (saw). This is the difference. The linguistic meaning of ghazwat
is an army of conquest, while sarayah’s is just army.
The first ghazwa in which Rusool Allah (saw) participated in is called ghazwat
ul abwa. The army went out, but there was no fighting. Then Rusool Allah (saw)
sent out a sariya lead by Ubaidah ibn Harith, there were 60 muhajirun, who were
on foot. They would walk at night and hide during the day. During the sariya
arrows were exchanged but no one was killed. The first one to shoot was Sa’d
bin Abi Waqas (ra). He said that I’m the first one to strike an arrow in the
path of Allah.
Then there was sariya lead by Hamza bin Abdul Muttallib. The militia
comprised of 30 muhajirun, but this time they were riding camels. They went out
to raid a caravan full of belongings of Quraish, this caravan had many
guardians. Anyway no fighting occurred because one of the tribesmen in the area
had a peace agreement with Muhammed (saw) and Quraish. He ensured that no
fighting occurred. When this happened, Abu Jahl went back to his people and
warned them that Muhammed (saw) is after them. Abu Jahl also said that Muhammed
(saw) is like an angry lion because they had driven his people out of Mecca
like insects driven off the back of a camel. So he told his people to be
careful, and that Muhammed (saw) is out there waiting to lay his hands on their
caravans and them.
There was another ghazwat called Ghazwat Buwat. They also had set out to
intercept a Quraish trade caravan, but could not find it.
In Ghazwat Al Ashira too, they went to pursue a caravan but could not
find it. Then there was Sariya Sa’d bin Abi Waqas and Ghazwat Badr Oola. All of
these took place within the first two years of hijra, before the Battle of
Badr.
Then another sariya happened and this one is important because of the
consequences of it, and this Siriya was the Sariya of Abdullah ibn Jahsh (ra).
This was a small group of sahabah (ra) who were sent out to pursue a caravan
belonging to the Quraish. Abdullah ibn Jahsh, the leader, was handed a letter
by Rusool Allah (saw). That letter was sealed and Rusool Allah (saw) told
Abdullah not to open it, until after two days. So Rusool Allah (Saw) told him
to go to a such and such place and then read the letter after two days.
Abdullah ibn Jahsh (ra) opens the letter after two days and it states in there
Rusool Allah (saw) had instructed Abdullah ibn Jahsh to go to this place, which
was between Mecca and Taif, and ask the members of the sariya to follow him,
but it should be optional for the members to follow him. So this was a
voluntary sariya. Probably the reason was that this was a risky operation. They
had to go deep into the territory of the Kuffar. Now they had to raid the
caravans of the Quraish which were between Mecca and Taif, previously they had
been trying to raid caravans passing by Medina. This was a risky operation as
they would be very far from their base, Medina. Abdullah ibn Jahsh told the
members about the letter and said that he would go and that whoever wishes can
follow him. It was voluntary on all of them including Abdullah ibn Jahsh. They
all were willing to go with Abdullah ibn Jahsh. None of them stayed behind.
This tells us how willing they were to fight in the way Allah. It also
differentiates between someone who fights for greed, power or any other worldly
purpose and someone who fights for the sake of Allah.
Abdullah ibn Jahsh (ra) and his men eventually do spot the caravan of
the Quraish which was lightly guarded, there were only four guards. The caravan
was within a striking distance. But there was a dilemma. That time, it was a
day of the sacred month out of the four sacred months in which arabs did not
fight. It was the last day of the month of Rajab, which is one of the sacred
months. The Muslims agreed to follow this and took this seriously. The question
arises; why not just wait for another day? But the problem was that if they
wait for another day then this caravan would enter within the sacred limits of
Mecca, where they are not supposed to fight either. Either way they would be
violating either the sanctity of the four months or the sanctity of the limits
of Mecca. They decided to go ahead and attack in the month of Rajab. They shot
the arrows and one of the four guards was killed, AlHadrami, one ran away and
two were taken prisoners and the whole caravan was taken into the hands of the
Muslims. They then went back to Medina.
This was breaking news, everyone was talking about it. The Quraish made
a big deal about it; they took this opportunity and milked it as far as
possible. They went around saying that; Muhammed and his people are violating
the sacred months, they are shedding blood, and they are taking prisoners, and
stole our wealth during the holy months. This news was spread throughout the
country. When these men came back Rusool Allah (Saw) said that; I didn’t tell
you to fight during the holy month, I didn’t give you those instructions. The
Muslims were reproaching the sahabah asking them who told you to attack during
the holy months? The men of the sirya were in a very difficult situation, they
were very worried. They were very concerned about how this would seem to Allah
Zaujal. Rusool Allah (saw) refused to take the prisoners and the caravan. These
sahabah must be very desperate; they went out there and risked their lives and
all that they did was not being accepted, everyone was upset with them. The
Quraish were taking advantage of this…
and then ayat from the Quran were revealed SURAT AL-BAQARAH (2:217)
They ask you about the sacred month - about fighting
therein. Say, "Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting [people] from
the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] al-Masjid
al-îaram and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the
sight of Allah . And fitnah is greater than killing." And they will
continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are
able. And whoever of you reverts from His religion [to disbelief] and dies
while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in
this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire, they
will abide therein eternally.
‘They ask you about the sacred month-about fighting therein.’, so then
people started asking about the ruling of the fighting during the sacred
months. Allah said that what Abdullah and his men did was a great sin, thus
fighting in the sacred months was a great sin. Then Allah puts everything into
perspective, He sais that what the sahabah did was a sin but then Allah Zaujal lists four other sins.
- Averting
people away from the path of Allah- the people of Quraish were standing in
the way of people in becoming Muslim.
- Disbelief
in Allah- that too is a great sin, which the Quraish were committing
- Preventing
access to Masjid ul-Haram- The Muslims were not allowed to go to Mecca
- Expulsion
of the people therefrom- the muhajireen were driven out from Mecca by the
Quraish.
SubhanaAllah Allah says that these four
sins are greater than what Abdullah ibn Jahsh did. Allah Zaujal thus put things
in perspective.
Ibn Ishaac says, ‘the people of Quraish will seduce a Muslim until he
gives up Islam.’ This Ayat was clearing up the minds of the people. It
indicates what Abdullah ibn Jahsh did and then asks them to look at what the
people of the Quraish have been doing for 13 years. Allah does not want the Muslims
to make a big deal about what Abdullah ibn Jahsh did and forget about the sins
of the Quraish. Even though what Abdullah ibn Jahsh did was wrong, but what the
Quraish had been doing outweighs all that.
Abdullah ibn Jahsh and his followers were relieved that atleast Allah
mentioned the sins of the Quraish, and gave clarity to the issue. Abdullah and
his followers were now eager for some credit, so they went to Rusool Allah
(saw) even thought the ayat says that it was a sin too. Allah then revealed the
following ayat (2:218)
Indeed, those who have believed and those who have emigrated and fought in
the cause of Allah - those expect the mercy of Allah . And Allah is Forgiving
and Merciful.
SubhanAllah, Allah then says that Abdullah ibn Jahsh and his followers can
expect the mercy of Allah. Thus they can expect to be given the reward of a
mujahideen.
Abdullah ibn Jahsh and his
sariya were the first to take prisoners in the path of Allah, they were the
first to take booty of battle in the path of Allah, and they were the first to
kill a disbeiever in the path of Allah. This was an honour for them.
When these ayat were revealed
Rusool Allah (saw) took the caravan and took the two men as prisoners. The
people of Quraish came to ransom them. Two men of the sariya went to look for
their camels. Rusool Allah (saw) said that he will only give the two prisoners
back after the two men from the sariya come back. Rusool Allah (saw) was afraid
that the Quraish might kill them. This shows the care that Rusool Allah (saw)
had for his followers. This is how Muslims should be, they should never give one another up. After Sa’d
ibn abi Waqas and and Utba came back, Rusool Allah (saw) released the prisoners
in return of money. One of them, Al-Hakim Ibn
Keisan became Muslim. He stayed back. Al Hakim died as a shaheed later on.
While the other prisoner Othman Ibn Al-Moghira, went to Mecca and died as a
disbeliever.
LESSONS FRON THIS SARIYA
- The enemies of Allah will pick on a Muslim’s action and then
try to blow them out of proportion. They might try to twist the truth in
effort to present a Muslim in the worst form capable. So a Muslim needs to
be aware of this, he/she needs to study the reality of the situation and
put things in perspective. Just like what Allah did through these ayat of
surah Baqarah.
So if Muslims are ever accused of being terrorists, or that Islam
promotes violence then remind people that more than a million people were
killed in Iraq, Palestinians have been suffering for over fifty years. Muslims
in Kashmir, Chechnya, China, have been suffering for a very long time. The list
can just go on an on and on. Bring these things up and it will become clear
that EVEN IF the Muslims do something that is not justified it can never reach
the level of violence and evil against the Muslims from the disbelievers.
THINGS NEED TO BE PUT IN THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE...
Don’t be gullible and naïve, believing whatever the media says. The media is
not on the truth’s side. The enemies of Allah are not on your side.
A
Muslims needs to be aware, and should not just accept things as he/she hears
it. Look at what the Quraish did at their time and look at what the enemies of
Allah are doing to the Muslims today. Preachers, who are spreading the true
Islam, are being thrown in jail, are killed, or are subjugated to threats. If
Muslims try to present the truth then they are suppressed and restricted.
Muslim blood has become worthless!
- The
care that Muslims should have for one another. The way Rusool Allah (saw)
refused to hand over the prisoners until the Muslims returned, shows how
we should treat each other.
A few lessons regarding the
issue of sarayah in general
- A
few lessons regarding the issue of sarayah in general. These sarayah were
to establish the military presence of Rusool Allah (Saw) in the Muslims.
Rusool Allah (saw) sent sarayah in all directions to let people know that the
Muslims have forces and are capable of using it. In the old tribal system
of Arabia, if one tribe is weaker than another, then the stronger one
would take advantage of that. Rusool Allah (Saw) would send out sarayah as
a deterrent for others, for the Bedouins who surrounded Medina who still
have respect for the Quraish in their hearts. This is because the Quraish
was seen as the center of Arabia. They were the custodians of the Ka’aba,
so the Quraish were held in high esteem by the rest of Arabia. Rusool
Allah (saw) was trying to break that, he tried to tell the people that
there was now a rival power in the area
- Rusool
Allah (saw) was winning over tribes and establishing alliances. During
this time, Rusool Allah (saw) was allowed to establish alliances with the
mushrikeen , and he did. This was done through these sarayah.
- These
sarayah were mostly for economical reasons. Most of the time the sarayah
were sent out to raid the caravans of Quraish, that is because in the
Islamic Fiqah, if the Muslim state is in war with another in the cause of
Allah, then that makes the lives and the wealth of the enemy halal. So Rusool
Allah (saw) was attacked the economical network of the Quraish and this
was a serious threat to Quraish and this is what lead to the Battle of
Badr. Because it all started as an attempt by the Muslims to take over the
biggest caravan of the Quraish led by Abu Sufyan.
- These
sarayah was training for the Muslims, these sarayah were actually a great
chance for the sahabah to experience and to learn. They would learns
methods of reconnaissance, and learn how to ambush. They would get to know
the area, and the tribes around them. So they were benefiting greatly from
these expeditions. Overall they were quite successful. During this war
which carried on between the Quraish and the Muslims, it is noticed that
the Quraish did not have the tactic of sending out sarayah against the
Muslims. This was pretty much an Islamic way.
Rusool Allah (saw) wasn’t totally secure
in Medina. The number of Muslims was not that large. One night Rusool Allah
(saw) couldn’t sleep, and he wished that someone could guard him during this
night.
'A'isha
reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) lay on bed during one
night and said: Were there a pious person from amongst my companions who should
keep a watch for me during the nightt? She said: We heard the noise of arms,
whereupon Allah's Messenger (May peace is upon him) said: Who is it? And Sa’d
b. Abi Waqqas said: Allah's Messenger. I have come to serve as your sentinel.
'A'isha said: Allah’s Messenger (May peace be upon him) slept (such a sound
sleep) that I heard the noise of his snoring.
(Muslim:
Book-31 Hadith-5925)
Ibn
Hajar commented on this hadith and explained that this shows that Muslims
should not be careless when care is needed. Rusool Allah (saw) felt that there
was a threat then, and he wasn’t careless about it. He couldn’t sleep because
he wanted someone to be his guard. Thus a Muslim should not be carefree.
He also said that the Muslims should protect their leaders, guard their
Ulema, their military leaders.
The third thing he said was that Rusool Allah (saw) did this as a lesson
for his Umma, that they should be careful and alert and this carried on until
Allah revealed the ayat of surah AL-MAIDAH (5:67)
And Allah will protect you
from the people..
Allah was telling Rusool Allah (saw) that he does not
need a guard, Allah Himself takes the responisbility of the protection of His
messenger. And that is when Rusool Allah (saw) came out and told Sa’d to go
back.
The Muslims had a census. Rusool
Allah (saw) ordered to count the number of souls that profess Islam. The total
number of men of fighting age was 1500. The sahabah then wondered that if their
number is 1500 then they shouldn’t be afraid.
The Quraish were sending out
their major caravan to Ashsham, the caravan was headed by Abu Sufyan, one of
the leaders of Quraish. Rusool Allah (saw) heard of this, he sent out spies to
gain information on this caravan. Busaisah bin Umroo comes back, he enters the
house of Rusool Allah (saw). At that time there was ony Anas (ra) and Busaisah
at Rusool Allah’s (saw) house. Busaisah
gives him the news that the caravan of the Quraish has been spotted at
such and such place. (Having heard the news), the Messenger of Allah (may
peace be upon him) came out (hurriedly), spoke to the people and said: We are
in need (of men); whoever has an animal to ride upon ready with him should ride
with us. People began to ask him permission for bringing their riding animals
which were grazing on the hillocks near Medina. He said: No. (I want) only
those who have their riding animals ready. Rusool Allah (saw) wanted this to be
a speedy operation. He could not wait for people to go get their rides; there
was no time to wait for them to prepare themselves. That is why the people, who
could go, were very few, some say there were 317 troops and some say there were
319, but it wasn’t more than that.
The purpose of this army was to take over the caravan of Quraish led by
Abu Sufyan. Rusool Allah (saw) told the people that: This caravan is of the
Quraish and will carry much wealth, attack it, may Allah present it to you. Abu
Sufyan was very careful and as we mentioned earlier, Abu Jahl had already
warned his people about possible attacks by Muhammed (saw). Thus Abu Sufyan too
had sent out spies to gather the whereabouts of Muhammed (saw). Abu Sufyan
reached Badr, which is 150 km from Medina. He held some camel manure in his hand
and crushed it. He sensed that the manure had the animal feed of Medina in it.
He figured out that Muhammed’s followers were pursuing him. Abu Sufyan sent out
an urgent message to the Quraish, informing them about the threat to the
caravan and called them to come and protect it. He sent the message with Amr bin Umayya Dhamri but before we talk about what Amr does when he hoes
to the Quraish lets go back to Mecca.
In Mecca, Atika bint Abdul Muttallib, the
aunt of Rusool Allah (saw) saw a dream. She saw that a man rushes into Mecca
riding his camel and he screams to gather the people of Mecca around him. His
camel stands on top of Al-Ka’aba and after that it stands on top of a mountain
in Mecca. He then warns the people of Quraish that: In three days you will
perish. This man then takes a rock and throws it from on top of the mountain;
it explodes as it lands in the valley of Mecca. Every house in Mecca is hit by
a fragment of that explosion.
Atika was worried about this dream so she
told her brother Al-Abbas about it, but told Abbas not to tell anyone about it.
Al-Abbas heard the dream and said that it was a vision, he told Atika to keep
quiet about it. Now Atika told her brother not to tell anyone, however Al-Abbas
the next came across his friend Waleed bin Utba, and told him about the dream.
Al-Abbas tells Waleed not to tell anybody about it. Waleed bin Utba goes and
tells his father and soon the news is all over Mecca. Al-Abbas said: I woke up
early to make tawaaf around Ka’aba and there was Abu Jahl sitting with a group
of Quraish leaders sitting and discussing the vision of Atika. When Abu Jahl
saw Al-Abbas he asked him to join the discussion after his tawaaf. Abbas joined
them after tawaaf and Abu Jahl said: How long has your family of Abdul Muttalib
had this female prophet? Abbas pretended he didn’t know what Abu Jahl was
talking about. Abu Jahl said that he was talking about Atika’s vision. Abu Jahl
then sarcastically asked that: aren’t you Abdul Muttalibs satisfied with your
men becoming prophets, has it got to be your women now? Abu Jahl then said that
Atika gave the time of three days. Abu Jahl warned Abbas that the Quraish will
keep a close eye on them for three days and if what she said is true, so be it.
But if it turns out to be false then they will call him one of the biggest
liars of Arabia.
So Abu Jahl here had insulted the Abdul
Muttalibs, insulted the Al-Abbas and Atika claiming that they are liars.
Al-Abbas went back home and every woman of Abdul Muttalibs visited and said:
Have you agreed to let that dirty old reprobate attack first your men and then
your women while you just listened? Didn’t anything you heard, offend you?
Al-Abbas said: I would have done something but I never had a problem with him
before. I swear I will confront him. If he repeats this, I will confront him
for you. So after three days Abbas goes to haram and walks by Abu Jahl so that
Abu Jahl can call him, and then he could get a chance to argue back and take
revenge for what happened.
Al Abbas says: On the morning of the third
day after Atika’s vision, I was extremely angry feeling that I have let him get
away with something I should have put a stop to. I went into the mosque and saw
him; I swear I was moving towards him to confront him, to get him to retract
what he had said. He was a slight man with a sharp face, a sharp voice and a
sharp gaze. When he hurried of towards the door of the mosque, I asked myself,
‘what could be the matter with the fellow?’ and whether he was doing this
because he feared I was about to confront him? But actually he had heard
something I had not; he had heard the voice of Damdam Ibn Amr Al-Ghafari, who was out in the center of
the valley standing by his camel. The man, who was sent by Abu Sufyan, arrives
three days after the dream of Atika. Damdam Al-Ghafari comes into Mecca in a
scene. Just by looking at him it was enough to strike fear in the hearts of
people. He came in and he cut the nose of his camel and he turns its saddle
upside down, and he tears his shirt. He stands in the middle of the valley
screaming calling to the people and saying, ‘Oh Quraish! The caravan! The
caravan! Your goods being brought by Abu Sufyan have been raided by Muhammed
and his men. I don’t think you can save them. Help! Help!’
Al- Abbas said: ‘and so all this diverted
us from our personal conflict.’ This was an emergency situation now; everyone
was trying to defend their caravan. The people of Quraish mobilize to go and
fight Muhammed (saw) in order to protect their caravan.
Rusool Allah (saw) made shura (to consult)
with the sahabah (ra), he asked for counseling from his troops. Abu Bakr (ra)
spoke, Umar (ra) spoke but it seemed as if Rusool Allah (saw) didn’t take
interest in what they had to say. Sa’d ibn Muadh said, that it seems Rusool
Allah (saw) want the ansar to speak. Rusool Allah (saw) said yes. Sa’d bin
Muadh said: O Messenger of Allah, if you want us to lead our horses towards the
sea, we will do that, and if you want us to lead our horses towards Bark
ul-Ghamad which was at the tip of Arabia, we will do so (muslim: Book 19 Hadith
4394). This made Rusool Allah (saw) very happy. The reason why Rusool Allah
(saw) didn’t pay heed to what Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra) had to say is because
he wanted to hear what the ansar had to say because the pledge or allegiance
that was given by Al-Ansar to Rusool Allah (saw) was to protect him, and this
protection could possibly (not necessarily) apply only within the boundaries of
Medina. But at that time Rusool Allah (saw) was leading an army outside of
Medina to raid a caravan belonging to the Quraish. Rusool Allah (saw) wanted to
know what the ansar were thinking. The ansar COULD have interpreted their
agreement with Rusool Allah (saw) that the agreement to protect only applied
within Medina. Rusool Allah (saw) was very glad with the attitude of Al-Ansar,
and it shows us the understanding that the ansar had, about the importance of
the protection of Rusool Allah (saw).
Rusool Allah (saw) heads forward but on
his way he had to return some of the sahaba because they were too young to
fight He returned Abdulla bin Umar Khattab (ra),he returned Al-baraa. This is
in contrast with soldiers of today who would take any chance to escape fighting
and who are just in the army because of all the free services they get like
education. Rusool Allah (saw) was dealing with people who were very eager to
fight fi sabi lillah.
It has been narrated on the
authority of A'isha, wife of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him), who
said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) set out for Badr. When he
reached Harrat-ul-Wabara (a place four miles from Medina
(Muslim:
Book 19 Hadith 4472)
Financially the Muslims were
going through a hard time, so every camel was shared by three men. These men
would take turns. Rusool Allah (saw) like evrybody else shared a camel with two
other sahabah. When their turn approached they would ask Rusool Allah (saw) if
they could keep walking and Rusool Allah (saw) ride on the camel. Rusool Allah
(saw) said to them that : You are not stronger than I am, and I am in need of
reward just as you are.
So Rusool Allah (saw) was just
like anybody else in the army. Rusool Allah (saw) went towards the direction of
Badr to pursue the caravan, however Abu Sufyan was cautioned and he was able to
divert the caravan and get away.
CD#5
Abu Sufyan was very alert, he himself was scouting the area, he passed
next to the wells of Badr and he asked the people there, who were drawing water
from those wells. He asked the people if they saw somebody here who seemed
foreign or distinguished. They responded that they saw two men there, Abu
Sufyan went to where their camels were and he then held some of the camel
manure in his hand and he crushed it. He could tell by crushing it that the
food of the camels was crushed dates, and that is the food of the camles in
Medina. He recognized that these two men came from Medina; he rushed towards
the coast changing his course thus was able to evade the Muslims. He sends a
letter back to Mecca saying: You came out to do battle in order to protect your
caravan, people and wealth. Allah has now saved these, so go back.
Abu Sufyan said that there was no point in fighting because the caravan
was now free of threat. Abu Jahl said: By Allah we will not turn around until
we reach Badr.
Badr was a place where the arabs would hold a fare and a market each
year. Abu Jahl went on and said: We sill stays there three days, slaughter some
camels eat well, drink whine, and entertainers will play music for us. The
Bedouin will get to hear of our journey and our gathering there and they will
respect us for it. Let us proceed ahead.
So for Abu Jahl this was nothing but a show of the strength of the
Quraish. Allah Zaujal says in AL-ANFAL
(8:47)
And do not be like those who came forth from their homes insolently and to
be seen by people and avert [them] from the way of Allah . And Allah is
encompassing of what they do.
So the people came out with
insolence and arrogance. They wanted to boast there power and strength. Rusool
Allah (saw) realised that the caravan is trying to get away and he thought that
instead of facing around 40 men with the caravan they might have to face an
army of thousand men.
Rusool Allah (saw) held a
shura and asked the companions what they think. Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) stood and
spoke, Umar (ra) did the same, then Maqdad said something and in response
Abdullah bin Masood (ra) said: Al-Maqdad stood up and spoke some words, I would
sacrifice the World to be the one who spoke those words. Al Maqdad stood up and
said:O Messenger of Allah go forth to what Allah Zaujal has commanded you to do
and we are not going to say like the children of Israel told Musa (as): Go and
fight with your Lord we are going to stay here. Al-Maqdad went on to say: But
we will fight infront of you, behind you, on your right, and to your left. And
we will say ‘go forth and fight with your Lord, we will fight with you’.
On hearing this the face of
Muhammad (saw) lit up, shined and then
he stood up. These words of Al-Maqdad (ra) strengthened the sahabah, but that
wasn’t the case with all of them Some of the troops were not prepared to fight
a war. This is because they had left Medina with the intent to raid a caravan,
though they were armed, they were not mentally prepared to face an army. That
is why some were reluctant and inside their heart they wished they could just
raid the caravan. It is to be noticed that the only way we know today what was
in their hearts is via the Quran. Allah Zaujal knows what is in the hearts of
people. Unlike a historian writing history, he can only write what he observes
he can never know about the thoughts or feelings of people. So Allah Zaujal
says in AL-ANFAL (8:5)
[It is] just as when your Lord
brought you out of your home [for the battle of Badr] in truth, while indeed, a
party among the believers were unwilling
Allah Zaujal is telling us that
some of the believers were unwillling, (there was no other way we would have
found out). By the way the people we are talking about here was part
of the cream of Muslims, they were the best. Despite them being the cream, some
of them were unwilling. This was because fighting is something disliked and
this was their first time, some of them may not have had to face an enemy
before. Obviously fear of fighting was also present. So understandaby fightins
is something disliked. Allah Zaujal says in AL-BAQARAH (2:216)
Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps
you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is
bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.
Allah Zaujal then says in
AL-ANFAL (8:6) and (8:7)
Arguing with you concerning the truth after it had become clear, as if they
were being driven toward death while they were looking on.
Remember, O believers], when Allah promised you one of the two groups -
that it would be yours - and you wished that the unarmed one would be yours.
But Allah intended to establish the truth by His words and to eliminate the
disbelievers
That He should establish the truth and abolish falsehood, even if the
criminals disliked it.
In the ayat (8:7) Allah Zaujal
talks about two groups, these are; to raid the caravan or to defeat the enemy.
‘And you wished that the unarmed one would be yours.’ People wanted the
caravan, which had the money of the muhajireen in it.
So Allah had a plan, and the
Muslims had a plan, but the plan of Allah was superior. The muslims wanted to
raid the caravan and take over its wealth while Allah Zaujal wanted this battle
to be the first meeting between good and evil, and for it to be ‘The Day of
Furqan’, the criterion.
So Rusool Allah (saw) was
gathering information on the whereabouts of the army of Quraish and also the
whereabouts of the caravan. Rusool Allah (saw) met .
Then Rusool Allah
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) stopped near Badr with one of his Companions, Ibn Hisham said this
Companion was Abu Bakr, they stopped by an old man of the Bedouin and inquired
about, Quraish and about Muhammad and his Companions and what he had heard
about them. The old man said, “I won't tell you before you tell me which party
you belong to.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) said, "If you tell us we will tell you." The man said,
"Should this be for that?" Yes, he replied. The man said, “I have
heard that Muhammad and his Companions went out on such-and-such a day. If that
is true, today they are in such-and-such a place, [referring to the place in
which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) actually
was]; and I heard that Quraish went out in such-and-such a day, and if this is
true, today they are in such-and-such a place.” Meaning the one in which they
actually were. “When he had finished he said, ‘Of whom are you?’ the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said, “We are from
Ma."
Then he left him,
while the old man was saying, "What does 'from Ma' mean? Is it from the
water of Iraq? Rusool Allah (saw) walked away so that the man would not ask him
more questions. What he meant by his answer was that we are from water, because
Allah Zaujal says in the Quran that man is created from water.
Rusool
Allah (saw) got some valuable information on the location of the Quraish. This
old man was reliable because he gave the precise location of Muhammad (saw) and
his companions. The Messenger of Allah (saw) returned to his Companions and he
sent Ali Ibn Abi Talib, Az-zubair and Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqas with a number of his
Companions in quest for news. They found a servant belonging to the army of the
Quraish; they arrested him and took him along. When they reached Rusool Allah
(saw) was praying. They asked him who he belongs to; he responded that he
belonged to the army of Quraish The sahabah then beat him up badly and ask him
about the location of Abu Sufyan, but the servant did not know where Abu Sufyan
was. The sahabah then asked asked him who he knows about. He said that he knows
the whereabouts of Abu Jahl, Abu Ummayya bin Khalaf, Utba bin Rabi’a and some
other prominent members of the army of Quraish. They then would start beating
him up to know about Abu Sufyan, so the man would agree to give information
about Abu Sufyan, when the beating stopped he would then say that he doesn’t
know. Having completed his Prayer, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said,"When
he told you the truth, you beat him: and when he lied, you leave him alone.” So
Rusool Allah (saw) said that when the man sais the truth that he doesn’t know,
you beat him but when he lies that he will tell them, the sahabah leave him
alone. And then Rusool Allah (saw) interrogated himself because the sahabah
were not asking the right questions.
The
Messenger of Allah (saw) asked him how many are they, and he said,
"Many," Rusool Allah (saw) wanted a more specific answer so he asked
for the number, but he did not know; so he asked them how many camels do they
slaughter every day, so the man said one day they would slaughter 10 camels and
the next day they would slaughter nine, the Messenger of Allah (saw)
said, 'The people are between nine hundred and a thousand.” The actual
number was 950 for the Quraish while the Muslim army was a little over 300. So
the Muslims were 1/3rd of the army of Quraish! The muhajirun were 86
in number, Al-Aus were 61, and Al-Khazraj were a 170. The reason why Al-Aus
were much fewer than Al-Khazraj was because the dwelling of Al-Aus was in the
upper part of Medina and when Rusool Allah (saw) mobilized this army he said
that the ones who have their rides ready can join the army. So due to the fact
that Al-Aus lived a bit far away, they weren’t able to join the army.
In
Bukhari Al-Baraa bin Aazib (ra) said: We the companions of Rusool Allah (saw), when
we would talk about the battle of Badr, we would say that ‘the number of people
who participated in the Battle of Badr is equal to the number of people who
participated with Talut, after they passed the trial of the river. And the only
ones who passed were the believers; we were al little over 310.’”
The
fact there was a coalition between the muslims at the Battle of Badr and the
Banu Israel who participated with Talut and the fact that Al-Baraa here
mentions that these are the ones who pass the test and joined Talut tells you
that the believers who were in the Battle of Badr were also the best. These
were the ones who passed the trials of this world. So they are the best of the
best. Rusool Allah (saw) had banners, flags, slogans, and battle cries; this
was all to encourage the soldiers to fight. The banner for the army during the
Battle of Badr was white and it was handed to Musab ibn Umair. Rusool Allah
(saw) also had two black flags; one of them was called Al-Uqab, this was
standard it was carried by Ali ibn abi Talib and the other black flag was given
to one of the Ansar.
The entire army had only two horses one was with Zaubair and the other
with Al-Maqdad bin Amr (ra). The Muslims had 70 camels; each camel as shared by
three people. Rusool Allah (saw) shared his camel with Ali Ibn Abi Talib and
Marthad Ibn Abi Marthab. They offered to give their turns to Rusool Allah
(saw), Rusool Allah (saw)
said to them that: You are not stronger than I am, and I am in need of reward
just as you are. SubhanaAllah this was their leader and their teacher. Rusool
Allah (saw) would not even let them give up their turns for him. This is why
the sahabah loved Rusool Allah (saw) so much. No followers have ever, or will
ever love their leader as much as they loved Rusool Allah (saw).
When Rusool Allah (saw) chose
the location of the army Al-Habbab bin Al-Mundhir (ra) (one of the ansar) said: O Messenger of Allah! Is
this the place about which Allah revealed to you, that; we should not advance
beyond or stop before, or is this a question of opinion in warfare tactics?
Look at how al-Habbab stated the question
… if this was a wahi from Allah, then Al-Habbab was satisfied but if it’s a
question of tactics then Al-Habbab had something to say. Rusool Allah (saw)
told him that it is a matter of warfare tactics. Al-Mundhir suggested that the
army should go ahead till they get to the well of Badr and stop there, stop up the wells
beyond it, and construct a cistern so that they would have plenty of water;
then they could fight their enemy who would have nothing to drink. The
Messenger of Allah (saw) agreed that this was an excellent plan and they acted
accordingly.
The night before the battle started Rusool Allah (saw) saw a dream, and
these are the dreams which the mujahideen fi sabi lillah see in which Allah
Zaujal strengthens them. In the dream Rusool Allah (saw) saw that the army of
Quraish very few in number than what it really was. Now why would Allah Zaujal
make Muhammed (saw) see the Quraish army fewer than what it really was? Allah
Zaujal wanted to strengthen the hearts of the believers. The army of Quraish
army was three times more in number than the Muslims, their morale could have
been weakened by this. If soldier goes to the battlefield knowing that they
have no chance, he will be weak in the battlefield. Allah Zaujal is hence
showing the Quraish as few in number. Allah Zaujal says in AL-ANFAL (8:43)
Remember, O Muhammad], when Allah showed them to you in
your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many, you [believers]
would have lost courage and would have disputed in the matter [of whether to
fight], but Allah saved [you from that]. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within
the breasts.
So the dream was to strengthen them, and this was the night before the
battle. The following morning it rained, though it was not a rainy season. I
Ibn Ishaq said that the valley was soft brown; the water from the sky
dampened the earth for the Messenger of Allah and his force but did not impede
their progress but the Quraish had such rain fall upon them that they could not
move ahead.
This was rain that showered on both; the Muslims and the non-muslims,
but for the Muslims it dampened the Earth and made it firm while for the
Quraish the Earth became muddy and sticky which impeded their progress. So
subhanAllah, the same rain had differing effects on both sides. This was a
miracle from Allah Zaujal also some of the Muslims woke up in a state of
impurity because they had wet dreams. SubhanAllah, a Muslim does not feel
comfortable in a state of impurity, he/she wants to purify themselves as soon
as he/she can. So to spare the Muslims of this uncomfortable feeling, Allah
Zaujal sent down water to cleanse them. This was spiritual cleaning in addition
to the Earth becoming firm for them to march over. Allah Zaujal says in AL-ANFAL (8:11)
[Remember] when He overwhelmed you with drowsiness [giving] security from
Him and sent down upon you from the sky, rain by which to purify you and remove
from you the evil [suggestions] of Satan and to make steadfast your hearts and
plant firmly thereby your feet.
Ali ibn abi Talib said about the night
before the battle that all of the Muslim army was asleep; this sleep was a
blessing from Allah as mentioned in the ayat ‘He overwhelmed you with
drowsiness’. Usually right before the battle you would expect people to be
anxious, tensed, worried, and afraid… but the sahabah (ra) were asleep! Ali ibn
Abi Talib said that each one of the soldier was in deep sleep. SubhanaAllah
that is why our scholars say that sleeping before a battle is a sign of emaan,
while sleeping during salah is a sign of hypocrisy As Allah Zaujal says that
when the munafiqeen go to pray they go in state of laziness. The scholars say that
feeling drowsiness before or suring battle is a sign of emaan, because it shows
the confidence of the heart.
Ali ibn abi Talib said that the only one who was awake that night was
Rusool Allah (saw). SubhanAllah Rusool Allah (saw) was standing and making du’a.
As
mentioned in the ayat, Shaitan was whispering to the Muslims about how they can
fight when they are impure… Allah Zaujal removes such suggestions of Shaitan by
cleansing the Muslims with rain. Thus this rain had served those purposes as
mentioned by the ayat.
Allah
Zaujal talks about the scene in AL-ANFAL
(8:42)
[Remember] when you were on the near side of the valley, and they were on
the farther side, and the caravan was lower [in position] than you. If you had
made an appointment [to meet], you would have missed the appointment. But [it
was] so that Allah might accomplish a matter already destined - that those who
perished [through disbelief] would perish upon evidence and those who lived [in
faith] would live upon evidence; and indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
What does ‘appointment’ mean in this ayat? Allah Zaujal is saying that
meeting the army of Quraish wasn’t by appointment, the Muslims did not have an
appointment with the Quraish and the Quraish did not make an appointment with
the Muslims. The Muslims wanted the caravan but Allah Zaujal had set a date for
the meeting of the Muslims with the Quraish. ‘If you had made an appointment [to meet], you would have missed the
appointment.’ … the Muslims did not want to meet the Quraish nor did the
Quraish want to meet the Muslims. Abu Sufyan and some other Quraish were
telling the army to go back , some of the Quraish were afraid because they knew
that they were fighting the Messenger of Allah (saw), but they were too arrogant
to be his followers. This kind of kufr is called Kufr ul Istikbar, disbelief
because of arrogance. And as we mentioned earlier many of the Muslims didn’t
want to fight because they werent prepared for battle, they had left their
homes with the intention of raiding the caravan.‘that those who perished [through disbelief] would perish
upon evidence and those who lived [in faith] would live upon evidence’; This battle ground was the ultimate test of emaan and of Kufr.
Sa’d ibn Muadh (ra) had a suggestion
to make, he went to Rusool Allah (saw) and suggested that a portico should be
built for Rusool Allah (saw), and camels and guards should be ready for the
Prophet (saw). Sa’d said that if Muslims won then that is what is desired but
if the Muslims are defeated then he suggested that Rusool Allah (saw) should go
back to Medina to join
the people who are left behind, for they were just as deeply attached to
Muhammed (saw) as they were. And then
Sa’d said about the Muslims in Medina that had they known that the Muslims
would be fighting they would not have stayed behind. Sa’d here was probably
talking about Al-Aus, who wanted to join Muhammed (saw) but couldn’t. He then
went on to say that Muhammed (saw) can go back and fight with the Muslims, to
carry on his mission.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
thanked him and blessed him. Then a booth was constructed for the Messenger of
Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and remained there. Abu
Bakr Siddiq (ra) was his bodyguard.
Ibn Ishaq said that when the Messenger of
Allah saw them (Quraish) coming forward into the valley from their position
behind the sandhill at Aqanqal the Messenger of Allah said, “O
Allah! Here come Quraish in their vanity and pride contending with you and
calling your Messenger a liar. O Allah! Grant the help, which you have promised
me. Destroy them his morning!” This was what Rusool Allah (saw) said when he
first saw the army.
One
of the Kuffar from Quraish was riding a red camel, looking at him Rusool Allah
(saw) said, “If there is any good in any of them, it will be with the man on
the red camel: if they obey him, they will take the right way.” Rusool Allah
(saw) was referring to Utba bin Rabi’a. Why did Rusool Allah (saw) say this? …
The Kuffar of Quraish had sent Umar ibn Wahab to scout on the strength and
number of the Muslim army. Umar did do that and he went back to the Quraish and
said that he said: O Quraish! What I saw was camels bearing deaths, there are
people whose only aid and refuge are their swords. I swear I don’t foresee any
of them being killed before he kills one of you and if they kill of you a like
number as their own, what good will it be to live after that? Consider
carefully.
Thus
Umar ibn Wahab had gone and saw that the Muslim army was quite small, but when
he looked in their faces he saw death. He saw men willing to die. Hakim Ibn
Hizam goes to Utba bin Rabi’s, one of the prominent leaders of Quraish, and
sais: O Utba! Shall I suggest something, if you do, you will carry the honour
of this day unti l the end of time. Utba asked him what he wanted to say. Hakim
said: You withdraw this force back to
Mecca, you take care of the blood of your ally, Hadhrami. (Hadhrami was the
guard of the caravan who died during the Sariya of Abdullah ibn Jahsh)
So
another reason for this battle was to avenge the death of Hadhrami. Utba was an ally with Hadhrami, so Hakim was
telling him to spare the battle and instead give the blood money of Hadhrami to
the Quraish. Utba liked this idea; however they needed to get the agreement of
Abu Jahl.
Utba then stands up and sais: Oh Quraish! By
fighting Mohammed’s companions you will accomplish nothing, if you do attack
him, each of you will always be looking at others who will always dislike
looking back at you. You will be known to have killed their cousin or a member
of their tribe. Go home, and leave Muhammed up to the other Arabs. If they kill
him that will be accomplishing your aims and if otherwise, he will find you not
to have been exposed to the risk of what you now plan.
So
what Utba was saying is that to fighting Muhammed (saw) that would mean
fighting their own people also that if the Arabs kill Muhammed (saw) then that
is good, while if Muhammed (saw) wins then they won’t come and take revenge
from the Quraish.
While
Utba was speaking to the Quraish, Hakim ibn Hizam went to convince Abu Jahl.
Hakim says what he has to say and says that this was the message from Utba. Abu
Jahl says that: Utba didn’t find anybody else to send but YOU!? Hakim in
response said that Utba could have sent someone else, but he wouldn’t have been
a messenger for someone except for Utba.
And then Abu Jahl said: I swear his lungs are
filled with terror when he saw Muhammed and his men, by Allah we will not
return until Allah decides the issue between us and Muhammed, Utba is not
sincere in what he says. He sees Muhammed and his men as fodder for camels
awaiting slaughter and his own son is there among them He is scaring you for
his own sake.
The
meaning of the words of Abu Jahl ‘He sees Muhammed and his men as fodder for
camels awaiting slaughter’… means that he was saying that the Kafir will
slaughter the Muslims and that the disbelievers will win, Abu Jahl was saying
that Utba is afraid because his son is a Muslim, so he doesn’t want his son to
be killed. That is why Utba was trying to make everyone withdraw.
And
then Abu Jahl goes to the brother of Amr bin Hadhrami and says to him that: Your
ally, your protector, Utba wants to withdraw the army back, go and inspire the
army to fight.
So
the brother of Amr bin Hadhrami goes to the army and screams, “Woe to Amr! Woe
to Amr!”… he marches infront of the army inspiring them to fight.
Ibn
Ishaq says that the mood for warfare became heated, and the attitudes of the
forces hardened and they became determined to fight, while Utba’s advice was
ignored. Utba said, “That fellow with the filthy yellow backside
will find out whether its me or him whose lungs are filled
with terror.”
Not
only did Abu Jahl sweep the entire army with anger but he also made Utba angry,
and to prove Abu Jahl wrong he was the first one to stand forth and ask for a
duel with a Muslim. This shows you how effective this devil Abu Jahl was.
Let’s
stop here and comment on this Rusool Allah (saw) said about Utba that “If there
is any good in any of them, it will be with the man on the red camel: if they
obey him, they will take the right way.” So brothers and sisters among the camp of
disbelievers there are voices of reason, there are men of wisdom, there are
people who are moderate, however when it comes to it being a battle against
Islam, when it is a religious war with the intention of defeating the truth,
the religion of Allah … these voices of reason and moderation are swept aside
while the voices of fanaticism and extremism gain the upper hand. This is important
to mention because sometimes Muslims think that: since among the enemies of
Allah there are people who are anti-war, moderate, or there are people who are
supportive of Muslim causes then we think that such people’s voices will
overcome the other voices of extremism that could be the case when the battle
is between Kufr and Kufr. But we have to understand that when it comes to
fighting with the anbiya of Allah Zaujal or the followers of the anbiya of Allah,
the case is then different.
Abu
Sufyan! Didn’t he urge the army to go back? Wasn’t he representing a voice of
reason, didn’t Banu Zahra withdraw? Banu Zahra were lead by Akhnas bin Shuraiq,
who refused to fight in the Battle of Badr. They refused to fight with their
own brothers. Didn’t Utba and Hakim try?
Infact
I will mention another incident, to show how the disbelievers are when it comes
to Islam. Abu Sufyan’s son was taken a prisoner of war, by the Muslims. Abu
Sufyan was told to go and ransom him but he refused, because the Muslims had
killed one his sons, he refused to go and ransom the other. He preferred that
his son stays there. The people of Quraish used to really respect and honor any
pilgrim who would come to Mecca. This respect and honor was based on them
showing generosity to the pilgrims. There was a Muslim member of one Arab
Muslim tribe, who went to Mecca for pilgrimage, this Muslims was taken as a
prisoner by Abu Sufyan.
Ibn
Ishaq says: Quraish only ever treated well those who came as pilgrims. So this
was the first time they violated that law, Abu Sufyan took that pilgrim as a
prisoner. The family of the prisoner went upto Rusool Allah (saw) and told him
about the situation. Rusool Allah (saw) eventually had to free Abu Sufyan’s
son, then Abu Sufyan freed the pilgrim. The reason why this is important to
bring up is because when the Kuffar, deal with the Muslims, they deal with them
in a different standard.
So
even if among the Kuffar, you have people who are wise, peace activists,
moderate they change when it comes to dealing with Muslims. This is because
Shaitan is out there convincing his followers that the followers of Islam need
to be wiped off the face of the Earth.
So
as we mentioned Allah blessed the Muslims with sleep the night before, and the
earth was firm (due to the rain) for them to walk on. Allah blessed the Muslims
with something else. Rusool Allah (saw) saw a dream that the Quraish were few
in number, and when the Muslims actually confronted the Quraish, they still saw
the Quraish as few!! SubhanAllah J
…Allah Zaujal says in Al-Anfal (8:44)
And [remember] when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your
eyes, and He made you [appear] as few in their eyes so that Allah might
accomplish a matter already destined. And to Allah are [all] matters returned.
So we’ve already talked about why
Allah would make the enemy seem fewer in the eyes of the believer, but the
above ayats also talks about how Allah made the Muslims seem few in the eyes of
the disbelievers. Now why would Allah Zaujal do that? Allah gives the
explanation in the same verse ‘so that Allah might accomplish a matter already destine.’ Allah wanted this battle to happen, so when the enemies
heard the Muslims were few, it made them more eager and anxious to fight. This
was because they thought that they had a greater chance to defeat the Muslims.
But what this also did was make the Kuffar careless and overconfident. So this
was like a bait, to bring them to fight. But once they truly realise the
strength of the Muslims, it will be too late.
So what was the strategy of Muhammed (saw) in fighting?
Rusool Allah (saw) used a tactic that wasn’t used by the arabs before. It might
have been used by other nations but not the arabs. The arab method of fighting
was Al-kurru
wulfur , Al kuroo wulfur is to attack and withdraw, then attack again then
withdraw… this happens repeatedly. This is a very disorganised attack.
However Rusool Allah (saw) employed the
method of ranks. He would line up the army in one, two, three or four ranks
depending on the number of troops. Rusool Allah (saw) had the first rank armed
with lances and he would have the ranks in the back armed with arrows or
archers. So the archers would fire from behind while the front rank would
prevent the enemy or the cavalry from advancing. As mentioned before this was a
new tactc for the Arabs. Allah says in Surat As-saf (61:4)
Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they
are a [single] structure joined firmly.
This method of fighting in ranks
is called Zahf, which also probably emplyed by the Romans and the
Persians. This method gives the leader a greater control over the army rather
than just attacking and withdrawing in a disorganised fashion. And that is how
Muhammed (saw) fought in the majority of his battles.
Rusool Allah (saw) also
encouraged and inspired the army because that was instructed to him by Allah
Zaujal. Allah says in AL-ANFAL (8:65)
O Prophet, urge the believers to battle. If there are among you twenty [who
are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one
hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of those who have
disbelieved because they are a people who do not understand.
So Rusool Allah (saw) stands up infront of the army and
says: Every man who fights them bravely and advances without retreating will
have Allah give him entry into Paradise.
And in Muslim Rusool Allah (saw)
stands up infront of the army and says, “Go forth towards the Garden the size
of the heavens and Earth combined.” So
one of the sahabah, Umar Bin Al Hamman said, “Oh messenger of Allah! Could a garden really be the
size of the Heavens and the earth combined?” Rusool Allah (saw) said yes. Umair
then said, “Fine fine”, Rusool Allah (saw) asked umair what made him say that,
he replied, “Oh messenger of Allah! It is only my hope of being one of its people.”
Rusool Allah (saw) told him that he certainly will be. So Umair bin Al Hamman
stands up draws his sword, and then he had some dates which he took out from
his pocket, and started eating those dates. Then Umair bin Al Hamman said, “If
I live long enough to eat these dates, it would be a long life.”
Umar was so inspired by the words of Rusool
Allah (saw), that he was in a hurry to die in the path of Allah. He was in such
a hurry that he thought that if his life lasted till the time he finished his
dates then that would be a long life! He then rushed in to the Battle.
Narrated 'Abdullah
bin Mas'ud:
From Sa’d bin
Mu'adh: Sa’d bin Mu'adh was an intimate friend of Umaiya bin Khalaf and
whenever Umaiya passed through Medina, he used to stay with Sa’d, and whenever
Sa’d went to Mecca, he used to stay with Umaiya. When Allah's Apostle arrived
at Medina, Sa'd went to perform 'Umra and stayed at Umaiya's home in Mecca. He
said to Umaiya, "Tell me of a time when (the Mosque) is empty so that I
may be able to perform Tawaf around the Ka'ba." So Umaiya went with him
about midday. Abu Jahl met them and said, "O Abu Safwan! Who is this man
accompanying you?" He said, "He is Sa’d." Abu Jahl addressed
Sa’d saying, "I see you wandering about safely in Mecca inspite of the
fact that you have given shelter to the people who have changed their religion
(i.e. became Muslims) and have claimed that you will help them and support
them. By Allah, if you were not in the company of Abu Safwan, you would not be
able to go your family safely." Sa’d, raising his voice, said to him,
"By Allah, if you should stop me from doing this (i.e. performing Tawaf) I
would certainly prevent you from something which is more valuable for you, that
is, your passage through Medina." On this, Umaiya said to him, "O
Sa’d do not raise your voice before Abu-l-Hakam, the chief of the people of the
Valley (of Mecca)." Sa’d said, "O Umaiya, stop that! By Allah, I have
heard Allah's Apostle predicting that the Muslim will kill you." Umaiya
asked, "In Mecca?" Sa’d said, "I do not know." Umaiya was
greatly scared by that news.
When Umaiya returned
to his family, he said to his wife, "O Um Safwan! Don't you know what Sa’d
told me? "She said, "What has he told you?" He replied, "He
claims that Muhammad has informed them (i.e. companions that they will kill me.
I asked him, 'In Mecca?' He replied, 'I do not know." Then Umaiya added,
"By Allah, I will never go out of Mecca." But when the day of (the
Ghazwa of) Badr came, Abu Jahl called the people to war, saying, "Go and
protect your caravan." But Umaiya disliked to go out (of Mecca). Abu Jahl
came to him and said, "O Abu Safwan! If the people see you staying behind
though you are the chief of the people of the Valley, then they will remain
behind with you." Abu Jahl kept on urging him to go until he (i.e. Umaiya)
said, "As you have forced me to change my mind, by Allah, I will buy the
best camel in Mecca. Then Umaiya said (to his wife). "O Um Safwan, prepare
what I need (for the journey)." She said to him, "O Abu Safwan! Have you
forgotten what your Yathribi brother told you?" He said, "No, but I
do not want to go with them but for a short distance." So when Umaiya went
out, he used to tie his camel wherever he camped. He kept on doing that till
Allah caused him to be killed at Badr.
Bukhari:
Book-5 Volume-59 Hadith-286)
Even though Umaiya was a disbeliever, he sill believed Rusool Allah
(saw), this shows that deep inside their hearts they knew that it was Rusool
Allah (saw) was the last and final messenger. So Umaiya said that he would not
leave Mecca, now when the call came to respond to the battle of Badr, Umaiya
didn’t want to leave. So Abu Jahl brings him a mubkhura
, mubkhura is this thing in which you burn the oudh
. Abu Jahl made fun of him by saying that Ummaiya is an old woman, and that he
should use this like old women do. Abu Jahl indicated that Ummaiya was a
coward. Abu Jahl tried until he convinced Umaiya to go with him. Umaiya went
back home to prepare for the journey. His wife asked him if he forgot what his
friend from Medina (Sa’d) told him. He responded that he remembers but he will
just go with the Quraish and then come back. Ibn Kathir said that whenever the
Quraish would stop on their way, Umaiya would make the intention that it was
their last stop, but he eventually ended up entering the fray of the battle
himself.
So Umaiya ended up being captured by Abdur Rahman bin Auf. Abdur Rahman
bin Auf narrated the story himself. He said that he had a bunch of coatnails with him as armor. Abdur Rahman had
collected them one by one as booty. Umaiya sees him and says “O Abd Amr!” Abdur
Rahman didn’t respond. Abdur Rahman and Umaiya were friends in Mecca and before
Abdur Rahman became Muslim his name was Abd Amr. Abdur Rahman refused to listen
to him when he called him by his previous name. So Umaiya said, “When I call
you ‘Abd Amr’ you refuse to respond back, and I do not recognize Abdur Rahman
so I cannot call you ‘Abdur Rahman’, so how about you choose a name for
yourself just for me and you.” Abdur Rahman told Umaiya to go ahead and choose
a name, so Umaiya have the name ‘Abdul ilah’, the servant of God. They agreed
to this.
When Umaiya and Abdur Rahman were walking to the site of Badr, Umaiya
asked Abdur Rahman, “who was that man, who had an ostrich feather across his
chest?” Abdur Rahman ibn Auf said, “That is Hamza bin Abdul Muttallib.” Umaiya
bin Khalaf said, “This is the man who ruined us.” So Hamza (ra) was truly the
lion of Allah.
In another narration in Bukhari Abdur Rahman said that he had an
agreement with Umaiya bin Khalaf that Abdur Rahman will take care of his
business interests in Medina, while Umaiya will take care of Abdur Rahman’s
business interests in Mecca. Abdur Rahman said that he didn’t respond when
Umaiya called him ‘Abd Amr’ but then Umaiya said ‘Abdul Ilah’ so then Abdur
Rahman responded. Umaiya asked Abdur Rahman if he wanted something better than
the coatnails that Abdur Rahman had been carrying. Abdur Rahman asked him what
that was. Umaiya said, “me and my son.” Obviously Umaiya was rich so his ransom
would bring a lot of money.
Abdur
Rahman said that he threw the armor from his hand and held Umaiya and his son,
Ali. Thus Umaiya and Ali were Abdur Rahman’s prisoners of war. This was a good
deal for Abdur Rahman because he would get the ransom. However someone spots
Umaiya bin Khalaf, and that was Bilal (ra), the former slave of Umaiya. Bilal
was tortured by Umaiya. So when Bilal saw him he screamed, “Umaiya! The head of
the disbelievers”, Abdur Rahman said “hey Bilal! He is my prisoner.” Bilal
says, “I will not live if he does.” Then Abdur Rahman tries to tell him that
Umaiya is his prisoner. When Bilal realized that Abdur Rahman is not going to
give Umaiya up, so then he goes to the ansar and tells them, “That man is
Umaiya bin Khalaf, the head of the disbelievers. I am not going to live if he
does!” Abdur Rahman said that the Ansar then attacked, he was afraid that they
would catch them, so he left Umaiya's son for them to keep them busy but the
Ansar killed the son and insisted on following Abdur Rahman and Umaiya. Umaiya
was a fat man, and when they approached them, Abdur Rahman told him to kneel
down, then Abdur Rahman laid on him to protect him by his own body, but the
Ansar killed Umaiya by passing their swords underneath Abdur Rahman, and one of
the Ansar even injured his foot with his sword. And the sub narrator said,
“‘Abdur Rahman used to show us the trace of the wound on the back of his
foot."
Abdur Rahman would then say, “May Allah
have mercy on Bilal, he made me lose my armor and my prisoners. I lost them
both.”
So that was what happened with Umaiya bin Khalaf who was an Imam of
disbelief. Anas ibn Malik (ra) tells us the story of Al
Kaleed he says: “The Messenger of Allah ordered on the day of the battle
at Badr, that 24 of the chiefs of Quraish be thrown into a dirty refused laden
old well.” So the 24 leader’s bodies were dragged into this place.
When they were pulling the body of Utba bin Rabi’a his son Huzaifa was
watching, so Rusool Allah (saw) looks into his face and sees that he was sad.
Rusool Allah (saw) asked Huzaifa if he was very upset at his father’s fate. Abu
Huzaifa responded back, “I swear oh Messenger of Allah, I have no problem with
my father’s fate, but I once knew him as a man of reason, judgment, and
goodness and hoped those qualities would lead him to Islam. When I saw what his
fate was and how he had died in disbelief, despite my hopes for him, I was
saddened.” Rusool Allah (saw) then made dua for him.
The issue of guidance is in the hands of Allah, nobody can control it.
Huzaifa was saying that his father was a wise man with reasoning, judgment and
goodness. But things did not turn out as Huzaifa expected and that was the case
with Abu Talib as well. Abu Talib the uncle of Rusool Allah (saw) had all these
qualities; in fact he protected Rusool Allah (saw) during until the day he
died. But Abu Talib did not become Muslim. So in the issue of guidance you
can’t really tell who will be guided and who won’t. While Umar bin Khattab was
so evil, but he became Muslim. There was even an incident in which one of the
sahabiat was expecting Umar to become Muslim because he spoke to her softly; he
said that the donkey of his father would become a Muslim before he does. And
Umar (ra) became one of the best Muslims. So the issue of guidance is something
under Allah’s control, we cannot judge anyone. We cannot say that he might
become Muslims, and we also cannot say that someone won’t become a Muslim. At
the end Abu Talib dies as a Kafir and Abu Sufyan dies as a Muslim. Abu Talib
who supported Rusool Allah (saw) all of his life dies as a disbeliever while
Abu Sufyan who fights Rusool Allah (saw) for most of his life ends up being a
believer. So such issues should b left in the hands of Allah Zaujal.
And that is why Rusool Allah (saw) says, “You don’t guide the ones you
want, the ones you love, the ones you like, but it is Allah who guides the one
He wants.”
This incident of Huzaifa also tells us that our love should be for Allah
only. Even though Huzaifa was very upset about his father’s fate, that sadness
didn’t cause him to leave Islam, or to blame someone or something. Instead he
accepted Allah’s will. We should be contempt with what Allah gives us or does
to us. So we should do our best in da’wa but then we shouldn’t become
overwhelmed or upset if they don’t become Muslim, we should Accept it as
Allah’s will. If they do become Muslim, then say Allhumdullilah that Allah
Zaujal has guided them.
So Rusool Allah (saw) ordered these bodies to be thrown into this well...
Narrated Abu Talha:
On the day of Badr,
the Prophet ordered that the corpses of twenty four leaders of Quraish should
be thrown into one of the dirty dry wells of Badr. (It was a habit of the
Prophet that whenever he conquered some people, he used to stay at the
battle-field for three nights. So, on the third day of the battle of Badr, he
ordered that his she-camel be saddled, then he set out, and his companions
followed him saying among themselves." "Definitely he (i.e. the
Prophet) is proceeding for some great purpose." When he halted at the edge
of the well, he addressed the corpses of the Quraish infidels by their names
and their fathers' names, "O so-and-so, son of so-and-so and O so-and-so,
son of so-and-so! Would it have pleased you if you had obeyed Allah and His
Apostle? We have found true what our Lord promised us. Have you too found true
what your Lord promised you? "'Umar said, "O Allah's Apostle! You are
speaking to bodies that have no souls!" Allah's Apostle said, "By Him
in Whose Hand Muhammad's soul is, you do not hear, what I say better than they
do." (Qatada said, "Allah brought them to life (again) to let them
hear him, to reprimand them and slight them and take revenge over them and
caused them to feel remorseful and regretful.")
(Bukhari:
Book-5 Volume-59 Hadith-314)
So Allah made the bodies listen to this,
just to add to their punishment.
CD#6
Rusool Allah (saw) sends Abdullah bin Rawaha and Zaid bin haritha to
deliver the news to the people of Medina. Abdullah bin Rawaha went to Awali,
the upper region of Medina and delivered the news in the house of each Ansar,
while Zaid bin Haritha went to the center of Medina to deliver the news.
Now Zaid ibn Haritha was riding on the camel of Rusool Allah (saw), as
he entered he was naming all the people who were killed during the battle like
, “Utba bin Rabi’a was killed, Abu Jahl was killed …” When Zaid was mentioning
all the famous leaders of Quraish who were killed, the munafiqeen and the Jews
said,” This man doesn’t know what he’s talking anout, he’s confused and he has
run away from the battle field, And Muhammed himself was killed and the
evidence is that Zaid is riding his camel.” And they all started spreading this
news.
Osama and Uthman stayed behind to take care of Ruqqayya the daughter of
Rusool Allah (saw). So Osama went to his father (Zaid bin Haritha) and said: O
father! Is the news that you’re delivering true?” He said yes to his son.
People would go up to ask Abdullah bin Rawaha if the news Zaid was delivering
true. And he would say yes it is true and tomorrow Rusool Allah (saw) is going
to bring the captives.
People had such a difficult time in believing what happened. A force a
little over 300 defeats a 1000 and then kills the most famous leaders of them!
The news was too good to be true. The next day Rusool Allah (saw) enters medina
with the prisoners. The prisoners were kept in a specific location. When
Sawdah, the wife of Rusool Allah (saw), saw Suhayl bin Amr’s hands tied to his
neck, she said, “Why didn’t you die as noble men?” Rusool Allah (saw)
overlooked that statement and said, “Are you asking them to fight Allah’s
Messenger?” He said this because what Sawdah question meant was that why didn’t
you fight, instead of being defeated. And obviously if he would fight, then he
would fight against Muhammed (saw). Sawdah apologized for she said, “Oh
Messenger of Allah, when I saw him in that state, I couldn’t help but make such
a statement.” Her emotions overwhelmed her when she saw Suhayl. This tells us
how humiliated the leaders of Quraish were that day, because of their disbelief
and Kufr and the way they dealt with the Muslims.
Rusool Allah (saw) stopped at Roha to
receive congratulations from all of the people who were coming to visit him and
when the people were doing this, one of the Ansar said, “What are you
congratulating us for? We have only met old bald men like camels awaiting
slaughter and we slaughtered them.” Rusool Allah (saw) told the Ansar not to
say that, because the people who were killed were the chiefs. Now this Ansar
was saying that it was so easy, because those people whom they fought were old
men who didn’t know how to fight. But it was Allah who sent angels to assist
them and help them. The Quraish were strong and had it not been for Allah’s help
the Muslims would have lost.
The news was delivered to Mecca by a man called
Al-Haythuman Khuzai . Al-Haythuman Khuzai rushes into Mecca and mentions
all those of the Quraish who were killed. Safwan ibn Umayya was listening and
he said, “This man has lost his mind; ask him about me, to make sure he isn’t
crazy.” They asked him what happened to Safwan, he said, “Safwan is sitting
right there and I have seen the death of his father and his brother with my own
eyes.” For the people of Mecca this news was too bad to be true. They could not
imagine how the strong leaders of the Quraish be killed.
Abu Lahab was one of those who stayed behind but he sent a person in his
place to fight. Rafa says that he was a servant
of Al-Abbas and that their household was Muslim. Rafa, Al-Abbas, and Umm ul-Fadal, she was the wife of Abbas; they all were
Muslim. Rafa used to make arrows. One day he was sitting in the pavilion around
Ka’aba, sharpening arrows. Abu Lahab was sitting with his back towards Rafa
when a fighter of the Quraish approached. Abu lahab said to that fighter, “Come
and tell us the news of what happened.” The man came and said, “As soon as the
fighting started we handed them over ourselves to be killed and to be taken as
captives. But I don’t blame them for it, because we were facing men in white
clothes on horses between the heavens and earth, and nothing can stop them.”
So this fighter was saying that yes it is
true that the Quraish lost but the credit doesn’t go the Muslims but to this other
force of people in white, who could not be defeated. When Rafa heard that he
said, “In the name of Allah, those are the angels.” Abu Lahab turned around and
punched him in the face. Rafa then started fighting back, but Abu Lahab was
much stronger than him. Abu Lahab sat on Rafa and was beating him up when Umm-e- Fadl came with a
rod and hit Abu Lahab on the head. Then she said to Abu Lahab that he was
taking advantage of the fact that his master is not around. Abu Lahab then
left. Rafa said that a week later Abu Lahab caught a disease because of which
he died. This particular disease terrified the people of the Quraish. People
wouldn’t go near anyone who had that disease. Abu Lahab died, and his body lay
in his house for three days until his body started decomposing. Nobody wanted
to bury him. The people of the Quraish went up to the two sons of Abu Lahab;
and told them to have shame because their father’s body has been in the house
for three days, and they didn’t bury him. They said that they are afraid of
that disease. So what they did was drag the body of Abu Lahab next to a wall
and then threw stones over him to cover his body … they didn’t even dig a grave
for him. This was the humiliation that he suffered, even after his death!
In order to minimize the happiness of the Muslims on their victory, the
people of Quraish prevented any one from crying in public, so there was no
wailing allowed. Also they refused to allow anybody to investigate the issue of
ransoming the prisoners. So Muhammed (saw) would not raise the price of ransom.
Ibn Kathir comments on this he said, “I observe that Allah’s forcing them to
forego mourning for their dead was part of the totality of the punishment of
those of them that remained alive at that time, for weeping for the dead
contributes to the recovery of the grieving heart.” So this prevention of
mourning was in fact more of a punishment for the people of the Quraish.
And then ibn Kathir says that Ibn Ishaq stated that Al-Aswad Abdul Muttallib was inflicted with the loss
of three of his sons. This was an old man who was already blind; he lost three
of his sons. This man also wasn’t allowed to mourn their deaths. So one night
he hears a woman weeping, so he said, “Go and see if mourning has become
permissible, are Quraish now be wailing their dead? Perhaps now I will be able
to lament the loss of Abu Hakim (his eldest son), for I am in great pain.” So
they went to find out why the woman was crying… and they found that she was
crying because she lost her camel. So Al-Aswad Abdul Muttallib sais his poetry,
“Is she weeping because of a camel of hers has gone astray, and so insomnia
keeps her from sleeping. Do not weep over a young camel but over Badr that
ruined all hopes, over Badr and the elite of Banu
Husais and Makhzoom and the tribe of Abul Waleed
and weep if you weep at all for Abu Aqeel and
Harith the lion of lions. Weep for them all and do not hold back for
there is none the like of Abu Hakina , after
them it is other men who rule and had it not been for Badr, they would not have
come to lead.”
So this poor old man wasn’t even allowed to weep for his own three sons.
Why? So Muhammed (saw) doesn’t get the news that the Kuffar were suffering.
They wanted to show that they didn’t care about the dead or of the ransom of
the captives. Surat AL-ANFAL was revealed after the ghazwah of Badr.
Ubadah bin Saamit says about the first verses of Surah
Al-Anfal, “they were revealed about us, the Muslims at Badr, when we disputed
the issue of booty with one another.” What happened was that the Muslims were
in three groups; one group was protecting Rusool Allah (saw), the second group
was pursuing the enemy and the third group was collecting the spoils of war. So
the ones who collected the spoils of war said, that the booty belongs to them.
The ones who protected Rusool Allah (saw) wanted their share of the booty
because they were protecting the Prophet (saw). And the ones who pursued the
enemy said that if it wasn’t for them, there wouldn’t be any spoils of war for
the Muslims. So they all disputed. To this Allah Zaujal revealed the ayat of
surah Al-ANFAL (8:1)
They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the bounties [of war].
Say, "The [decision concerning] bounties is for Allah and the
Messenger." So fear Allah and amend that which is between you and obey
Allah and His Messenger, if you should be believers.
So the decision of the bounty was for Allah and His Messenger. All the
spoils of war were given to Muhammed (saw). All of it. This ayah goes on to
teach the mujahideen to ‘fear Allah....’ that they should have taqwa, you
cannot fight fi sabi lillah without taqwa, and it tells them to ‘amend that
which is between you…’ … thus the Muslims have to have unity. The third lesson
was that to be a believer you have to obey Allah and His Messenger. There needs
to be discipline among the mujahideen. So these are the three essential
qualities that a mujahideen fi sabi lillah should have; taqwa, unity, and
obedience.
And then Allah Zaujal gives the grooming regarding ho the spoils of war
should be divided. Allah Zaujal says in Al-ANFAL (8:41)
And know that anything you obtain of war booty - then
indeed, for Allah is one fifth of it and for the Messenger and for [his] near
relatives and the orphans, the needy, and the [stranded] traveler, if you have
believed in Allah and in that which We sent down to Our Servant on the day of
criterion - the day when the two armies met. And Allah , over all things, is
competent.
So the ruling regarding the spoils of war is as follows;
They are divided into five equal portions. Four of those five portions are
distributed among the fighters. So 80% of the spoils of war are split among the
fighters. The foot soldier recieves one share and the horse men receive three
shares. The remaining 20% is then divided into 5 portions. That means 4% each.
4% goes to Allah
4% goes to Rusool Allah (saw)
4% goes to Rusool Allah’s near relatives
4% goes to orphans, the needy
4% goes to the traveler.
Now the 8% percent for Allah
and Rusool Allah (saw) in invested in anything for the betterment for Islam ,
such as musajids, roads or whatever. It is upto the Imam of the Muslims to
distribute that.
Another issue dealt by Allah in
the ayat of surat AL-ANFAL was the issue of the prisoners of war. Rusool Allah
(saw) had 70 prisoners of war, so he invited the sahabah for shura. He listened
to various opinions. Abu Bakr’s opinion was, “O Messenger of Allah! These are
our relatives, these are our tribes, ask for ransom. This ransom will
strenghthen us. And maybe these people will become Muslim.
Umer bin Khattab opinion was,
“O Messenger of Allah! They exiled you
and called you a liar bring them close and strike their necks.”
In another narration, it says
that Abu Bakr said, “O Messenger of Allah! These are your close relatives, your tribal brothers. I think you should
accept ransom from them. What we receive from them will give us power against
the unbelievers and Allah might well give them guidance, so that they become
allied to us.” Then Umer said, “ I don’t agree with Abu Bakr, I think you
should hand over to me so and so (referring to one of his relatives) and I’ll
strike his neck and you hand over Aqeel to his brother Ali, so he can strike
his neck, and you hand over to Hamza so and so (his brother) so he can strike
his neck. That way Allah will know that we feel no leniency towards the
mushrikeen. These men are their chieftains, their very leaders.”
And in another narration
Abdullah bin Rawaha spoke and he said, “I suggest oh Messenger of Allah, you
find a valley of many trees make them enter it, and then set them on fire. You
burn them in that valley.”
Rusool Allah (saw) said, “Allah
softens the hearts of men concerning Him. So that they become softer than soft
and Allah hardens the hearts of men, so that they become harder than stone. You
Abu Bakr are like Ibrahim who said, ‘whoever follows me, is of me and whoever
disobeys me, then You are forgiving and merciful.’ You Abu Bakr are like Jesus
who said, ‘If you punish them, they are your servants, if you forgive them then
You are all powerful and wise.’”
Rusool Allah (saw) said that Abu
Bakr (ra) was simillar to Ibrahim (as) and
Isa (as), who were lenient with their people. Then Rusool Allah went on
and said, “You Umer are like Nuh who said, ‘Oh Lord, do not leave on the Earth
any place for the unbelievers’ and Umer you are like Musa who said, ‘Oh Allah!
Destroy their wealth and make their hearts hard for they will not believe until
they see the painful punishment.’”
And then Rusool Allah (saw)
said, “Let none be exempt from either ransom or having their head smitten.”
So Rusool Allah (saw) was
inclined to adopt the opinion of Abu Bakr (ra) and he was willing to accept
ransom. The following day Umer bin Khattab (ra) said, “I went to the Prophet
early in the morning, he was with Abu Bakr and they were weeping, I asked ‘Oh
Messenger of Allah, tell me why you and your companion are weeping, if I find a
reason to weep I will do so, if I don’t
I’ll pretend to weep at your weeping.’ Rusool Allah said, ‘I am weeping
at how your companions proposed to me that I accept ransom, your punishment for
doing so was proposed to me and it was closer than this tree.’” Rusool Allah
(saw) meant that Allah Zaujal wasn’t happy of the Muslims’ decision to accept
ransom. Why? Allah Zaujal revealed ayat in AL-ANFAL (8:67) (8:68) (8:69)
It is not for a prophet to have captives [of war] until he inflicts a
massacre [upon Allah 's enemies] in the land. Some Muslims desire the commodities
of this world, but Allah desires [for you] the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted
in Might and Wise.
If not for a decree from Allah that preceded, you would have been touched
for what you took by a great punishment.
Two things ayat (8:67) and
(8:68) tells us. First is that Allah says that Rusool Allah (saw) should have
executed them all. That is what would have pleasd Allah Zaujal. To execute all
of the prisoners. Why? Because Allah sais: It is not for a prophet to have captives [of war] until
he inflicts a massacre [upon Allah 's enemies] in the land. A newly formed state needs to show its strength in the
beginning. Asking for ransom shows a less strong position of the Muslims
compared to what it would have been had they executed them. However Allah
Zaujal says in the following ayat (8:68), that Allah has made asking for ranosm
halal, therefore what the Muslims did was allowed. Otherwise they would have
been punished.
According to Mujahid At-Thauri ‘If not for a decree from Allah that preceded, you’ means in forgiving them, while the majority opinion is
as Ibn Kathir states that it is the allowing of ransom.
So consume what you have taken of war booty [as being] lawful and good, and
fear Allah . Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
As we mentioned Rusool Allah (saw) adopted
the method of formal ranks in the battlefield rather than the method of the
traditional arab warfare, iin which they would attack and withdraw in a very
disorganised manner.
Rusool Allah (saw) was straightening the
lines of the ranks as if he was straightening the lines for prayer and he was
holding an arrow in his hands. He came up to one of the soldiers , Sawad bin Ghuazzaiyya , who was protruding a bit from the line.
So Rusool Allah (saw) slighty nudged him back with his arrow. Sawad said, “Oh
Rusool Allah (saw) you hurt me, I want to retaliate.” This was just before the
battle. Here was one soldier who was saying to the prophet of Allah that he
wants to retaliate with him. So Rusool Allah (saw) exposed his stomach to Sawad
and said: go ahead and retaliate. Rusool Allah (saw) didn’t get angry, he
didn’t ask his soldiers to throw him in prison, because a soldier is talking to
the head of the military in such a fashion. He simply allowed him to retaliate.
So Sawad (ra) hugs Rusool Allah (saw) and he kisses his stomach. That was his
retaliation. Rusool Allah (saw) asked Sawad why he did that? Sawad (ra) said,
“Oh Messenger of Allah, you can see what is about to happen. I wanted my last
contact with you. To be my skin touching yours.”
Sawad (ra) was saying that he might die
during the battle, they were facing death then. The last thing he wanted in
this world was to make his skin touch Rusool Allah’s (saw) skin. This was how
much they loved Rusool Allah (saw). Sawad (ra) who was accidently hurt by
Rusool Allah (saw) used this oppurtunity to kiss and hug Rusool Allah (saw).
The Muslims did not think that because of Rusool Allah (saw) they were having
to fight or even death. They all were willingly ready to face death for the
sake of Allah Zaujal and his servant and messenger, Muhammed (saw). Rusool
Allah then made dua for Sawad. It is this love for Muhammed (saw) that we need
to develop. Love for Muhammed (saw) isnt words, poetry, or singing. Love for
him means putting everything on the line for Muhammed (saw); our wealth,
family, money, children, our talents, everything that we can sacrifice. We
should love Rusool Allah (saw) ‘s message , his way, and his sunnah. We should
also ask Allah Zaujal to make us love his shari’a.
In a hadith Rusool Allah (saw) said that
we can never taste the sweetness of emaan until we prefer to thrown in fire,
rather than go back to kufr.
Rusool Allah (saw) after he did his best
in terms of preparation, arranging the army, choosing the location and making
shura… when all the worldly means had exhausted he then put his trust in Allah
Zaujal and made dua. This is what
‘tawaqqul’ means.
It means you do your best by worldly means
and then after that you throw the matter into the hands of Allah Zaujal. You
then leave it to him. So after everything, Rusool Allah (saw) went to a side,
raised his hands and started making dua, which took him a long time. He was
very involved in it, he said, “Oh Allah! I appeal to your pact and to your
oath, if you wish it, you will not be worshipped again after this day.” He said
this because , this was it, those were the Muslims, if they get killed no will
remain to worship Allah. Rusool Allah went on and on making dua to Allah Zaujal.
Abu Bakr (ra) felt sorry for Muhammed (saw), he went up to him held his hand
and said to him: “that’s enough Oh Messenger of Allah.”
Ibn Kathir gave the reason why Abu Bakr
(ra) said that, “By saying these words, he was in effect asking, ‘why are you
so exhausting yourself? Allah has made you a promise of help.’” May Allah bless
Abu Bakr, he was a tender hearted man with great empathy and compassion for the
messenger of Allah (saw). Rusool Allah (saw) then went outside his portico
walking vigorously and his armor was speaking the verse AL-QAMAR (54:45) (54:46)
Their] assembly will be defeated, and they will turn their backs [in
retreat].
But the Hour is their appointment [for due punishment], and the Hour is
more disastrous and more bitter.
Allah Zaujal has promised Rusool Allah (saw) victory, after his long dua Allah Zaujal says in SURAH AL-ANFAL (8:9)
[Remember] when you asked help of your Lord, and He answered you,
"Indeed, I will reinforce you with a thousand from the angels, following
one another."
So this was the response of
Rusool Allah’s (saw) dua from Allah. Allah Zaujal gave him the news that He
will send him 1000 angels. Now even one angel would be enough. We know that
Jibrael (as) destroyed the people of Lut with the tip of his wing. So then why
one thousand? The point here was to give comfort to Rusool Allah (saw). If
Allah wanted he couldve destroyed all the Qurasih. But here Allah Zaujal is
giving comfort to the Muslims and Allah
Zaujal says in AL-ANFAL (8:17)
And you did not kill them but it was Allah who
killed them and you threw not (O Muhammed) when you threw, but it was Allah who
threw that He might test the believers with a good test indeed Allah is Hearing
and Knowing.
In this ayat
the portion: and you threw not (O Muhammed) when you threw, but it was Allah who
threw… this could apply to any situation of war in which a Muslim was
fighting his enemy. However the scholars of tafsir mention a specific incident
after which this ayat was revealed.
They say that Rusool Allah (saw) held in
his hand some dirt and he threw it towards the enemy of Allah Zaujal and one
particle of that sand flew into the eyes of each of the disbelievers there. And
after this Allah Zaujal revealed this ayat.
Al-Aswad Al-Makhzumi was an evil
bad-charactered man from the people of Quraish. He made an oath that he will
reach for the wells and drink from them. The wells were under the control of
the Muslims. Aswad marches forth towards the wells and Hamza (ra) comes forth and
strikes his leg. Al-Aswad’s leg seperated from his body … and he fell on his
back. Al-Aswad was so stubborn that he continued crawling in order to fulfill
his oath. But Hamza (ra) struck him again causing Al-Aswad’s death.
Utba bin Rabi’a his son Al-Waleed bin
Utba, and his brother Shayba, all three stood infront of their army and
challenged the Muslims for a dual combat. Three young men from among the Ansar
jumped forth; Awf
and Mu'adh, Ibn Aafra as well as Abdullah Ibn Rawahah. When they approached,
Utba asked, “Who are you?” They told them that they were from the Ansar. Utba
said, “We’re the opponents, however we want to meet our peers from among our
own people.” Utba is saying to these men that they have no quarrel with the
you, they have a problem with the men of Quraish, who then became Muslim. Utba
was asking to fight the peers of the Quraish.
Utba bin Rabi’a was one of the leaders of the Quraish; he came out with
his brother and his son. Utba here was trying to prove that he wasn’t a coward,
as Abu Jahl claimed he was. Al-Amawi one of the
scholars of seerah, said that Rusool Allah (saw) was not happy when he saw that
three men from among the Ansar responded to the challenge by Utba. Rusool Allah
(saw) wanted his own relatives and his family to go forth. This was because
this was the first time the Muslims and the Mushrikeen were standing face to
face in battle. There had been skirmishes before, but this was the first
battle. This was a very significant event.
In fact Ali ibn Talib (ra) says, “I will be the first person who kneels
before Allah, the All-Mighty among the adversaries on Judgment Day.” Ali (ra)
is saying that he will be the first person to kneel infront of Allah on
Jedgment day when Allah will Judge among the adversaries, among the people who
disputed in this duniya. These tree men are not fighting over land, they are
not fighting over wealth or power. They are fighting for Allah. So Allah Zaujal
revealed in surah AL-HAJJ (22:19)
These are two adversaries who have disputed over their Lord. But those who
disbelieved will have cut out for them garments of fire. Poured upon their
heads will be scalding water
The scholars of tafsir have said that this ayat is
referring to the dualing that happened on the Day of Badr.
So when told the Ansar to go back, Rusool Allah (saw) said, “Oh Hamza
stand up! Oh Ubaidah Stand up! Oh Ali stand up!” Ubaidah here is Ubaidah bin
Harith bin Abdul Mutallib, the cousin of Rusool Allah (saw). Rusool Allah (saw)
asked these three men to go forth. So Ali (ra), Hamza (Ra) and Ubaidah (ra),
rushed to face Utba, Shayba , and Al-Waleed. Ubaidah was the eldest among them
so he said he will face Utba, since Utba was the oldest among the mushrikeen.
Ali (ra) stood in front of Al-Waleed, these two were the youngest. Hamza (ra)
faced Shayba. Ali (ra) and Hamza (ra) immediately killed their opponents. But
Utba and Shayba bothed exchanged blows and fell down. Each of them was hurt so
they couldn’t carry on fighting but they were not dead. Ali (ra) and Hamza (ra)
then attacked Utba then killed him. Ali (ra) says, “Rusool Allah did not
reprimand us for doing that.” Meaning it was an acceptable thing in a dual.
They then carried Ubaidah back to Rusool Allah (saw). Rusool Allah (saw)
honored him; by placing Ubaidah’s head on the thigh of Rusool Allah (saw). Abu
Talib the uncle of Rusool Allah (saw) would say, “We will serve the messenger
of Allah until we are laid out before him uncaring even of our sons and our
wives.” Ubaidah bin Harith (ra) said to Rusool Allah (saw) while he was lying
on Rusool Allah’s (saw) lap, “Oh Messenger of Allah if Abu Talib could only see
me, he would know that it was to me his words applied.” Ubaidah bin Harith (ra)
had given his life for the Messneger of Allah (saw), Ubaidah then passed away.
Rusool Allah (saw) said, “I testify that you are a shaheed.”
Allah Zaujal also revealed these ayats HAJJ
(22:20) (22:21) (22:22) (22:23) (22:24)
By which is melted that within their bellies and [their] skins.
And for [striking] them are maces of iron.
Every time they want to get out of Hellfire from anguish, they will be
returned to it, and [it will be said], "Taste the punishment of the
Burning Fire!"
Indeed, Allah will admit those who believe and do righteous deeds to
gardens beneath which rivers flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets
of gold and pearl, and their garments therein will be silk.
And they had been guided [in worldly life] to good speech, and they were
guided to the path of the Praiseworthy.
These are the ayat related to
the dualing of Badr. Allah u Akbar three Muslims killed three mushrikeen in
single combat. This enraged the Quraish. They started to advance towards the
Muslims. Rusool Allah s(saw) instructed his army to not attack until the enemy
comes close. He did not want random random arrows being shooted haphazardly.
Rusool Allah (saW) told his troops to preserve their arows, and in another
narration he asked them to gather their arrows.
In another narration Abu
Dawud, Rusool Allah (saw) says, “and do
not draw out your swords until they are near to you.” SubhanAllah when the
battle started the mushrikeen started seeing the Muslims double in number.
First it was mentioned that Before the battle started the mushrikeen saw the
Muslims, less than what they really are. Now when the battle started the
mushrikeen saw them as double to what they were. So the Mushrikeen were 1000,
so they saw the Muslims as 2000. Allah
Zaujal says in AL-IMRAN (3:13)
Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met - one
fighting in the cause of Allah and another of disbelievers. They saw them [to
be] twice their [own] number by [their] eyesight. But Allah supports with His
victory whom He wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for those of vision.
So in the beginning the
disbelievers see them less in number, so that they would be careless, but when
they begin to fight they see them as double in number… so this would destroy
their morale.
The Muslims had a battle cry and
that was, “Ahad! Ahad!” meaning ‘ONE’. Muslims in their battles would have a
fixed war cry that they would keep on repeating.
Haritha (ra), who was one of the
ansar was shot by a stray arrow. So he was killed by a friendly fire. When the
battle was over his mother met Rusool Allah (saw), she asked Rusool Allah (saw)
to tell her whether Haritha is in Paradise or not. If he is then she will be
happy, but if he isnt then she will cry for him. Rusool Allah (saw) asked him,
if she is crazy J .. he said that there are several gardens in Paradise, and that Haritha is
in the highest of them.
And already had Allah given you victory at [the battle of] Badr while you
were few in number. Then fear Allah ; perhaps you will be grateful.
[Remember] when you said to the believers, "Is it not sufficient for
you that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand angels sent down?
Previously the number ,
mentioned was 2000, but that was the minimum. It could be more than that.
Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah and the enemy come upon
you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels
having marks [of distinction].
And Allah made it not except as [a sign of] good tidings for you and to
reassure your hearts thereby. And victory is not except from Allah , the
Exalted in Might, the Wise –
This ayat meant that , the
Muslims didn’t really need the angels, but it was a sign of good tidings and to
provide comfort to the Muslims.
So in what form did the angels participate in this battle. Jibrael himself
joined in. Rusool Allah (saw) says, “I saw Jibrael taking his horse by the
reins and leading it.”
All of the angels were wearing a
white turban except Jibrael, he was wearing a yellow one, to distinguish him.
He was the leader of the army of the angels that day. In Sahih Muslim it says,
while one of the Muslim warriors was vigorously pursuing one of the unbelievers
ahead of him, he heard above him the noise of a whip striking,and a rider’s
voice saying,’giddy-up-hayzoom! Uqdim hayzoom!’ When the Muslim warrior looked at the polytheist infront of him,
he found him prostrating against the ground, examining his closely he found
that the man’s nose had been smashed and his face split apart by a blow from a
whip. This was a whipp of fire. TheAnsari went to Rusool Allah (saw) and told
him about this, Rusool Allah (saw) said, “You speak truth that was help from
the third heaven.” So this was an angel that was riding a horse called
‘hayzoom.’
Ibn Ishaq narrates another story
he said, “A ghafari man said, ‘I and a cousin of mine were present at Badr, though we still
polytheists then. We were up on a mountain waiting for the battle to take place
and to see who would win, when a cloud approached, when it drew near the
mountain we heard the sound of horses galloping and a voice saying,’Uqdim Hayzoom! Giddy up Hayzoom!’, my companion suffered a heart attack and died
on the spot. While alomost expired but later recovered.’”
Al Mazuni says that, “While I was pursuing one of the mushrikeen
infront of me, suddenly his head flew off, so I realised that he was killed by
someone other than me.” The casualties caused by the Muslims was
distinguishable by the casualties caused by the believers. Anas ibn Malik said,
“Our mens could differentiate the ones the angels had killed from those they
had struck by the blow, having occurred above their necks, and by their finger
tips looking as though they have been burned by a branding iron.”
The strikes of the angels were clean-cut
and it was black as if it was burned. Not only did the angels kill, but they
also captured prisoners of war, Al-Abbas says, “Oh Messenger of Allah! This is
not the man who captured me, a bald fine looking man on a piebald horse who I had not seen with your
men. It was he who took me prisoner.” So the Ansari said, “No, it was I who
captured him, Oh Messenger of Allah!” and then Rusool Allah (saw) said, “keep
quiet, Allah gave you help of a noble angel.”
Ibn Abbas (ra) said, “The only
battle in which the angels participated was at Badr. At the other battles they
constituted auxiliaries and reinforcements, they did not actually fight.”
Death toll was 70 mushrikeen,
and 70 were taken prisoners of war. Among the Muslims there were no prisoners
of war, and there were 14 deaths. 6 from Muhajirun, 6 from Al-Khazraj and 2
from Al-Aus.
An incident during the battle:
Abdur Rahman bin Auf (ra) said
that he was flanked by two young men. Now soldiers usually want strong and good
soldiers on your right and left, who would be good fighting companions by your
side. Abdur Rahman bin Auf (ra) wasn’t happy that he had these two kids next to
him. Abdur Rahman said that the boy to his right whispered to him and said, “Oh
uncle, show me which one is Abu Jahl.” Abdur Rahman bin Auf said, “Oh my son,
what do you want with Abu Jahl?” This young man said, “I swore to Allah, that
if I saw him I would kill him, or die in front of him.” After hearing this
Abdur Rahman (ra) started to change his mind about who was flanking him. This
tells us that we should not make judgments based on looks. Abdur Rahman pointed
out Abu Jahl to this young man.
Now the young man to Abdur
Rahman’s left whispers in the ear of Abdur Rahman bin Auf (ra) and asks him the
same question. The reason why they were whispering was that these two brothers
were competing with each other. They were whispering so that the other one
doesn’t hear. After Abdur Rahman pointed Abu Jahl to these young men, in a
crowd… Abdur Rahman (ra) said, “They flew at him as falcons and they struck him
down.” These two young men according to one narration are Muadh ibn Amr bin
Jamuh and Muadh ibn Afra. The two are brothers. In another narration it says
that when they attacked Abu Jahl, one of them struck the foot of Abu jahl it
cracked and then it flew off. Iqramah saw that, so he struck Muadh, tearing off his arm. The arm remained
hanging from his body. Muadh said that he then carried on fighting, and when
his arm started to bother him while fighting, he then stepped on his arm and
tore it off. So Abu Jahl was killed or disabled by these two young ansari men.
Abu Jahl was laying there on the ground during his last moments.
Rusool Allah (saw) asked the
sahabah, “Who would find out for me, what happened to Abu Jahl?”Abdullah bin
Masood said, “So I went and when I realised that the man laying in front of me
was Abu Jahl, I put my fut over his neck, he had once held me captive in Mecca
and hurt me and kicked me.” And then Abdullah asked him, “so Allah has put you
to shame then you enemy of Allah.” Abu Jahl said, “And how has he shamed me?
Arent I the most noble man, you have ever killed? Tell me, which side won the
day?” So even thought Abu Jahl is in his last moments he wants to know the
results of the battle. Abdullah bin Masood said, “It went to Allah and His
Messenger.”
In another narration it says
that Abdullah bin Masood said that Abu jahl was laying on the ground holding a
fine sword and protecting himself, while I had a poor sword. So he struck his
arm so that his sword fell and then he carried his sword. Abdullah then sat on
Abu jahl’s chest to sever his head and when I was over his chest he said, “You
have climbed very high for having being just a herdsman.” Abu Jahl was even
being arrogant even when he was dying. He was saying to Abdullah that for
Abdullah to be on his chest is too high of a place for him. Abdullah bin Masood
said, “I then severed his head, and took it to the Messenger of Allah.”
Abdullah said that he was very happy to present the head of Abu Jahl infront of
Rusool Allah (saw) when he was walking, he felt as if he was walking on air.
Abdullah bin Masood (ra) said, “This O Messenger of Allah is the head of Alla’s
enemy.” Rusool Allah (saw) said, “Is it really by Allah, other than whom there
is none?” Abdullah said , “yes.” Abdullah then dropped the head of abu jahl
infront of Rusool Allah (saw)… the narration of Imam Ahmed of Rusool Allah
(saw) said., “Allhumdullilah, Allah has disgraced you, you enemy of Allah! This
man was the Pharoah of his people. Every nation has a Pharoan and the pharoan
of our nation is Abu Jahl.”
Ibn Kathir comments on the death
of Abu jahl and he said, “The death of Abu jahl came about at the hands of a
youth from Al-Ansar, there after Abdullah bin Masood was placed over him.By
this Allah comforted the believers and this was more effective than if He had
made a bolt of lightning strike Abu Jahl down or made the roof of his house
fall upon him or if he had died a natural death ” And then he recited the ayat in AL-ANFAL (9:14) (9:15)
Fight them;
Allah will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you
victory over them and satisfy the breasts of a believing people
Thus this ayat says that Allah
will punish them ‘by your hands’ not as Ibn Kathir says, not by lightning or
natural death.
And remove the fury in the believers' hearts. And Allah turns in
forgiveness to whom He wills; and Allah is Knowing and Wise.
There is an element of revenge
here, because Muslims have been tortured and oppressed for a very long time. So
Allah is saying that it will ‘satisfy the breasts’ and to ‘remove the fury’
from the hearts of the believers… when they see the fate of the enemies of
Allah.
One of the famous fighters of
Al-Mushrikeen, Abul Kirsh, the one with the potbelly. He was covered in armor, you could only see
his eyes. So Az-Zubair bin Al-Awwam (ra) attacked him Abu Kirsh was a man
covered in steel from head to toe. Az-Zaubair bin Al-Awwam (ra) was able to
strike him with his javelin right in the opening, in Abu Kirsh’s eye. The
opening was so small that the javelin could not go through so Az-Zubair had to
step on his javelin with his foot and forces it deep into the head of Abul
Kirsh. When he pulled out his javelin, his blade was bent so bad. Rusool Allah
(saw) asked to keep that javelin as a souvenir. This shows the strength of
Az-Zubair (ra). SubhanAllah when Rusool Allah (saw) passed away Abu Bakr
(ra) asked for it, and when Abu Bakr passed
away Umer (ra) asked for it and when Umer (ra) passed away, Az-Zubair (rA) got
it back again. But then Uthman (ra) asks Az-Zubair to give it to him, so then
Az-Zubair hands it to the Khalifa at that time, Uthman (ra). And when Uthman
passes away Ali (ra) takes it. And after Ali (ra) passes away, Abdullah ibn
Zubair, the son of Zubair gets it.
Abu Al-Bukhturi, was one of the
noble men of the Quraish, though he was a disbeliever he wasn’t cruel against
the Muslims. In fact he was one of the
men who particiated in the ending of the seige (the 3 year long seige against
Banu Hashim and Banu Muttallib in Mecca) against the Muslims. So Rusool Allah
(saw) was greatful to him and he asked the Muslims not to kill him, if you see
Abu Al-Bukhturi in battle. There is a lesson for us here, that if there are
disbelievers but they do good to you , then we should reciprocate. One of the
Ansar who saw Al-Bukhturi in battle, he told him that Rusool Allah (saw) told
the Muslims not to kill him. Al-Bukhturi said, “What about my companion?” The
Ansar said that they will not spare his companion. Abu Al-Bukhturi said that he
will then fight to protect his companion. Thus the Ansari was forced to fight
Al-Bukhturi and he was killed.
The Ansari went back to Rusool
Allah (saw) and said, “I swear by Him, Who sent you with the truth. I did try
to take him prisoner, to bring him to you but he insisted on fighting me so I
fought back and killed him.”
So look at who Allah chose to kill
Abu Jahl. Two young men from the Ansar and Abdullah bin Masood. Abdullah bin
Masood who was belittled by Abu Jahl, he was a very thin person. One day he was
climbing a palm tree and there was wind blowing, which caused him to shake with
the wind. The sahabah laughed when they saw the thinness of the legs of
Abdullah bin Masood, so Rusool Allah (saw) said, “Are you laughing because he
has very slim legs? In the name of Allah they are heavier on the scale on the
Day of Judgment, than the mountain of Uhud.”
We shouldn’t look at worldly
standards, about how strong the soldier is how muscular he is. A Muslim soldier
is supposed to prepare but not to depend on them. They should only depend on
Allah.
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