Cautioning of Abdullah ibn Mas’ūd to one of his comrades

 

Abdullah ibn Mas’ūd said to one of his companions:

“You are living in an age in which scholars of jurisprudence are numerous, while those who recite [and memorize] the Qur’an are few, an age in which the limits set by the Qur’an are preserved in people’s memories though its specific words may be lost. It is an age in which those who ask are few, while those who have answers to give are many, in which they prolong prayer while keeping their sermons brief, and in which people show preference for [virtuous] action over whims and desires.

 

However, an age is coming in which scholars of jurisprudence will be few, while those who recite and memorize the Qur’an will be many. The words of the Qur’an will be committed to memory while the limits it sets will be lost. Many will be those who ask, but few will be those who have answers to give. Their sermons will be lengthy and their prayers brief, while they show preference for their whims and desires over the virtuous actions they might perform.”

[Narrated by Imam Malik with a chain of transmission traceable to Abdullah ibn Mas’ūd. See al-Muwatta’, the section entitled Jami al-Salah (“A Compendium on Ritual Prayer”)]

 

Indeed, both our academic and practical lives have been afflicted by many such imbalances and reversals in values and priorities.

The numbers of those who recite and memorize the Qur’an are on the rise while those who derive true knowledge and wisdom from it have grown steadily fewer.

 

There is an exaggerated emphasis on mastering forms and utterances, while the meanings which they were meant to convey and the rulings for which they form the basis are lost.

 

Attention is given to appearances and formalities, while objectives and essences are overlooked. Particulars rule the day while universals are, for all practical purposes, forgotten.

 

Traditions based on the example of the Prophet (ﷺ) are put to death while innovations are brought to the fore.

 

[Taken from “Theory of higher objectives and intents of Islamic law”, pg 16]

 

Umar’s advice to his son from his deathbed

Ibn Abi’-Dunya narrated that Yahya ibn Abi Rashid al-Basri said: Umar [radiAllahu anhu] said to his son,

“Be economical with my shroud, for if there is good for me with Allah, He will exchange it for me for that which is better than it. If I have been otherwise, He will strip me and be very fast in stripping me.

Be economical in the grave you dig for me, for if there is good for me with Allah, He will expand it for me as far as my sight can reach. If I have been otherwise, He will tighten it upon me until my ribs interlace.

Let not a woman go out with me (to the grave), and do not attribute to me a purity that I do not have, for Allah has more knowledge of me.

When you go out (with me to the grave) then hasten your pace, for if there is good for me with Allah, you will send me on to what is better for me. If I am otherwise, you will throw an evil you have been carrying down from your necks.”

[al-Khulafa’ ar-Rashidun, page- 166]

Khutbah [sermon] of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq [radiAllahu anhu]

 

Ibn Asakir narrated that Musa ibn Uqbah related that Abu Bakr as-Siddiq used to deliver the khutbah saying,

“Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the creatures, I praise Him and seek His aid, and We ask Him for generosity for that which is after death, because my term and yours have drawn near. And I witness that there is no god but Allah alone, no partner with Him and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger whom He sent with the Truth, as a bringer of good news and a Warner and an illuminating lamp so that he might warn whoever is alive and that the word would be realised on the disbelievers. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger is truly guided, and whoever disobeys them has gone astray into clear error.

 

I counsel you to have fearful obedience of Allah, and to cling strongly to the command of Allah which He has laid down for you and by which He has guided you, because the comprehensive summation of the guidance of Islam after the word of sincerity (the shahadah) is ‘hearing and obedience’ to whomever Allah has given authority over your affairs, for whoever obeys Allah and those who order the well-recognised virtues and forbid what is rejected, has succeeded and prospered, and discharged that duty with which he is obliged.

 

Beware of following the whim of passion, for he is successful and prospers who is protected from the whim of passion, greed, ambition, and anger. Beware of boasting, for what boast can he have who is created from dust, and then will later return to dust, then later maggots will eat him, and he is today alive and tomorrow dead? So know a day by a day (the Last Day) and an hour by an hour (the Hour of the end). Protect yourselves from the supplication of the wronged one, and count yourselves among the dead, and be patient, for all action is by patience, and be on your guard, for watchfulness is useful. And act, and action will be accepted. Guard yourselves from that which Allah cautioned you about of His torment, and hasten to that which Allah promised you of His mercy. Understand and you will be understood, have fearful obedience (taqwa\ literally – self-protecting) and you will be guarded, for Allah has made clear to you that for which He destroyed those who were before you, and that for which He saved whomever He saved before you. He has made clear to you in His book His halal and His haram, and which actions He loves and which He deplores. I will not neglect you and myself, and Allah is the One from Whom aid is sought. And there is no power (to prevent evil) and strength (to do right) but by Allah.

 

Know that as long as you are sincere towards your Lord in your actions then you have obeyed your Lord and you have protected and guarded your portion, and you will be in a state of well being. And that which you offer voluntarily for your deen, then make it a free-will offering (which you send) before you and you will receive full payment for your loan, and you will be given your permanent daily allowance of food during your poverty and in your (time of) need of it.

 

Then reflect, slaves of Allah, on your brethren and your companions who have passed away. They have come to that which they sent before them and they are established upon that, and they are alone in the grief and the happiness in that which is after death. Allah has no partner, and there is no relationship between Him and any one of His creatures by which He will give him good or avert evil, excepting by obedience to Him and following His command.

 

Truly, there is no good in a good after which comes the Fire, nor any evil in an evil after which comes the Garden. I say this word of mine and I seek the forgiveness of Allah, for me and for you. Send blessings on your Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and peace be on him, the mercy of Allah and His blessings.”

[al-Khulafa’ ar-Rashidun, by As-Suyuti, page 108-110]

 

The First People to Enter Paradise

 

 

The first of mankind to enter Paradise will be our Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and the first nation to enter Paradise will be his ummah. The first member of this ummah to enter will be Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radiAllahu anhu).

 

Ibn Katheer quotes a number of Hadith [an-Nihayah, 2/213] that state this such as the report of Muslim from Anas (radiAllahu anhu) according to which the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said,

“I will be the first one to knock at the gates of Paradise”.

 

 

Muslim also reported from Anas that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:

“I will come to the gates of paradise and ask for it to be opened.

The gatekeeper will ask, “Who are you?”

I will say, “Muhammad”.

The gatekeeper will say, “I was ordered not to open the gate for anyone else before you””.

 

 

al-Bukhaari, Muslim and an-Nasaa’ee report from Abu Hurayrah (radiAllahu anhu) that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:

“We are the last, but we will be the first on the Day of Resurrection. We will be the first of mankind to enter Paradise”.

 

 

Abu Dawood reports from Abu Hurayrah (radiAllahu anhu) that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said,

“Jibreel came to me, and showed me the gate of Paradise through which my ummah will enter”.

Abu Bakr said, “O Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), would that I had been with you to see it!”.

The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “But you, O Abu Bakr, will be the first of my ummah to enter Paradise”.

 

[Source: al-Jannah wa an-Naar by Dr. Umar Sulaiman al-Ashqar, pg 50]

 

The Weeping of the Companions of Prophet Muhammed [sallallahu alaihi wasallam]

 

On the authority of al-‘Irbâd ibn Sâriyah (radiAllahu anhu) who said:

“The Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) gave us a profound admonition which caused our hearts to tremble and our eyes to shed tears.” (Abû Dawûd, at-Tirmidhî, Ibn Mâjah)

 

On the authority of Anas (radiAllahu anhu) who said:

“The Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) gave us a sermon, the like of which we had never heard before. He (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said “If you knew what I know you would laugh little and weep much!”. Thereupon the Companions of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) covered their faces, weeping and sniffing. [1]   (Bukhârî and Muslim)

 

The Weeping of Abû Bakr (radiAllahu anhu)

 

Abû Bakr’s recitation in prayer could not be heard due to his excessive weeping, as we have been informed by ‘Aisha (radiAllahu anhu) who said:

“During his illness the Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Order Abû Bakr to lead the prayer”. ‘Aisha said, “I told the Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) that indeed, if Abû Bakr stands in your place (to lead the people in prayer) the people will not be able to hear him due to his (excessive) weeping. So order ‘Umar to lead the prayer.” The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said again: “Order Abû Bakr to lead the prayer”. Then ‘Aisha told Hafsah: “Tell the Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) that if Abû Bakr stands in your place, the people will not be able to hear him due to his weeping, so order ‘Umar to lead the people in prayer”. So Hafsah did this and the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) replied: “Desist! Verily you are like the companions of Yûsuf[2]. Order Abû Bakr to lead the prayer.”” (al Bukhârî)

 

“Indeed Abû Bakr is a man of tender feelings, if he takes your place he will not be able to lead the people in prayer”. (al Bukhârî)

 

The Weeping of Umar (radiAllahu anhu)

 

The weeping of ‘Umar (radiAllahu anhu) could be heard from the last rows, as it has been reported to us by ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddâd, who said,

“I heard the sobbing of ‘Umar from the last rows while he was reciting the verse from the Qur’ân: “I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allâh”. (12:86) (al Bukhârî, al Bayhaqi (2/251), Sahîh)

 

 

The Weeping of ‘Uthmân ibn ‘Affan (radiAllahu anhu)

 

On the authority of Hâni, the freed slave of ‘Uthman, who said

“When ‘Uthmân ibn ‘Affan stood at a grave he wouls weep until his beard was wet. So it was said to him: “Indeed you make mention of Paradise and Hellfire and you do not weep, and you are weeping at this?”. He replied, “Indeed the Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Verily the grave is the first abode of the Hereafter, if one is saved from it then what follows is made easier for him. And if one is not saved from it, then what follows is more severe”. He also (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “I have never seen a sight more horrid than the grave”” (at-Tirmidhî -ghareeb, Ibn Mâjah)

 

 

The Weeping of ‘Aisha (radiAllahu anha)

 

Ibn al-Hârith the nephew of ‘Aisha (radiAllahu anha) the wife of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) narrated that she was told that ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr (on hearing that she was selling of giving a gift) said:

“By Allâh, if ‘Aisha does not give this up, I will make hijrah (ie boycott) from her.” She asked, “Did he say this?”. They replied, “Yes”. Then ‘Aisha said, “I vow to Allâh that I will never speak to Ibn az-Zubayr.” When this desertion was prolonged, ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr sought intercession with the people converning her but she said, “By Allâh I will not accept the intercesson of anyone on his behalf and will not commit a sin by breaking my vow”. When this state of affairs was prolonged on Ibn az-Zubayr (ie he felt it hard on himself), he spoke to al-Miswar bin Makhramah and ‘Abdur Rahmân bin al-Aswad bin ‘Abd Yaghûth, who were from the tribe of Bani Zuhrah, saying “I beseech you by Allâh to (help) me to enter upon ‘Aisha, for it is unlawful for her to vow to cut off relations with me [3] “. So al-Miswar and ‘Abdur Rahmân went with him wrapping their cloaks around themselves, they went to ‘Aisha and asked her permission (to enter) saying “Assalâmu alayki wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu! May we come in?” ‘ ‘Aisha responded “Come in”. They asked, “All of us?”. She replied “Yes, come in, all of you” unaware that Ibn az-Zubayr was also with them. So when they entered, Ibn az-Zubayr entered the place which screened (‘Aisha from the other men and embraced ‘Aisha and started requesting her to excuse him and wept. al-Miswar and ‘Abdur Rahmân also started urging her to speak to him and to accept his apology. They said to her: “You know what the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) forbade regarding deserting (not speaking to your Muslim brethren), for it is unlawful for any Muslim not to talk to his brother for more than three nights”. So when they increased in reminding her (of the superiority of having good relations with kith and kin, and of excusing others sins) and of the unhappy and unpleasant constrictions that are a consequence of breaking the ties of relationship, she started reminding them while she wept saying, “I have made a vow, and (the issue of a) vow is a different one”. They persisted in their appeal until she spoke to ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr and she freed forty slaves as an expiation for her vow. Later on whenever she remembered her vow, she would weep so profusely that her veil would become wet with her tears”. (al Bukhârî)

 

The Weeping of Umm Ayman (radiAllahu anha) and Her Stirring of Abû Bakr and ‘Umar to Weep

 

On the authority of Anas who said: “Abû Bakr said to ‘Umar, after the death of the Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam),

“Let us go and visit Umm Ayman (the nursemaid/servant of the Prophet saw during his childhood), as the Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) used to visit her.” When they finished visiting her (and were about to leave) she began to cry. So they asked her: “What is it that makes you cry? Is not that which is with Allâh better for the Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)?” So she replied, “I am not crying because I am unaware that that which is with Allâh is better for the Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) but I am crying because the revelation from the heavens has stopped.” This moved them to tears, so they both began to weep with her.” (Muslim)

 

 

The Weeping of ‘Abdur Rahmân ibn ‘Auf (radiAllahu anhu)

 

On the authority on Sa’d ibn Ibrahîm, that his father said,

“‘Abdur Rahmân ibn ‘Aud was brought some food when he had been fasting, and he remarked: “Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr has been martyred, and he was better than me. His shroud was so short, that if his head was covered (with it) then his legs showed, and if his legs were covered, then his head showed, and I witnessed this.” He also said, “Hamzah was martyred and he was better than me. And now the world has been spread out for us.” Or he said: “We have been given the Abû ndance of the world, and we fear that we have been rewarded for our good deeds here (quickly in this world only)”. Then he began to cry, such that he left his food” (al Bukhârî)

 

 

The Weeping of Salman al-Farsi (radiAllahu anhu)

 

On the authority of Anas (radiAllahu anhu) who said,

“Salman was suffering from illness, so Sa’d visited him and saw him crying, so he said to him, “What is it that makes you weep, O my brother? Did you not accompany the Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)? Is that not so, is that not so?!” Salman replied, “I am not weeping for either of the following reasons: I am not weeping for the sake of the world nor out of hate of the Hereafter. Rather the Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) entrusted me with a pledge, and I can only see myself as having transgressed.” So he asked, “What were you entrusted with?” He replied, “He entrusted me with a pledge that the provision of a traveller should suffice anyone of us, and I see myself as only having transgressed. And as for you, O Sa’d! Fear Allâh with your ruling when you make a judgement, and fear Him with your distribution when you distribute, and fear Him with your intention when you intend to do something.”” (Ibn Mâjah and others)

 

Thâbit said:

“I heard that he only left twenty dirhams from the money that he had (after his death)” (Sahîh Sunan Ibn Mâjah)

 

 

The Weeping of Abû Hashim ibn ‘Utbah (radiAllahu anhu)

 

On the authority of Samurah bin Sahm, who said:

“I went to Abû Hashim ibn ‘Utbah and he had a knife wound. So Mua’wiyah came to visit him, and Abû Hashim was crying. So Mua’wiyah asked: “What is it that makes you cry, O Uncle?! Is it the pain or is it for the world (that you are crying)?” He replied, “Neither, but the Messenger of Allâh entrusted me with a trust and I wish that I had carried it out.” He said, “Verily you may attain some of the wealth which will be divided between the people. Indeed, sufficient for you is: a servant and a riding animal for the sake of Allâh.” So I did attain this wealth and accumulated it (ie he acquired more than what the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) advised him to suffice himself with).” (Ahmad, at-Tirmidhî, an-Nasâ’î, Ibn Mâjah)

 

Footnotes:

(1) The sound of weeping without sobbing. The Arabic word used is khaneen, meaning a sound which issues from the nose (an Nihayah). Al Hâfidh says in al-Fath, It is reported as Haneen with a “h” by msot of those who related Sahîh al Bukhârî and al-Kashmihani related it as khaneen; the first refers to the sound that emanates from weeping of the chest and the second, from the nose.

(2) al Hâfidh said in al-Fath: “The similarity between ‘Aisha and the people of yusuf was that the wife of the ‘Aziz had invited some of the women (of her town) to honour them with a royal feast but her real motive was that she wanted to exhibit the beauty of Yusuf (alaiahissalam) to them. And ‘Aisha’s apparent motive for requesting the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) to spare her father from the responsibility of leading the people in prayer was that (due to his being a very sensitive man) the faithful would not be able to hear his recitation due to his weeping (whilst reciting). However the more complete meaning here is (her real motive is that she feared) that other people might see a bad omen in him (in case of the death of the Prophet saw). It is reported by al-Bukhârî, on the authority of ‘Aisha who said, “I persisted in my request to the Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) with regards to this as much as I could. Because it never entered my heart that the people could ever love a man who took the Messenger of Alllah’s place, so I wanted the Messenger of Allâh to change his mind about Abû Bakr” (also in Muslim).

(3) al-Hâfidh said “Because he was her nephew and she was mainly responsible for his upbringing”.

[Book: Weeping from the fear of Allah, page:13-18]

Justice and humility of Uthman bin Affan [radiAllahu anhu]

 

‘Uthman had the quality of justice. It was narrated from ‘Ubayd-Allah ibn ‘Adiyy ibn al-Khiyar that he entered upon ‘Uthman [radiAllahu anhu] when he was being besieged and said to him: You are the leader of the people, and there has befallen you what you see, which is that a man who led us in prayer is the leader of this turmoil – meaning ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Udays al-Balwa – but I shall refuse to pray behind him. ‘Uthman said to him:

Prayer is the best thing that the people can do. If the people do something good then join them in that, and if they do something bad then avoid their bad deeds.

[al-Bukhari, no. 695]

 

 

Ibn Shabbah narrated with his isnad that ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan entered upon a slave of his who was feeding his she-camel, and he saw something in the feed that he disliked, so he took hold of the slave’s ear and tweaked it. Then he regretted it and said to his slave: Settle the score. The slave refused, but he did not leave him alone until he had taken hold of his ear and begun to tweak it.’Uthman said to him: Pull hard, until he thought that (the slave) had pulled as hard as he had done. Then ‘Uthman [radiAllahu anhu] said:

How easy it is to settle a score before it is settled in the Hereafter after.

[Akhbar al-Madinah by Ibn Shabbah, 3/236]

 

[Taken from: The Biography of ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan Dhun-Noorayn, page-157]

Patience of ‘Uthman bin Affan [radiAllahu anhu]

 

‘Uthman [radiAllahu anhu] bore the characteristic of patience, as is indicated by his steadfastness at the time of fitnah. His attitude in facing the  events that befell him and the Muslims was the highest example of self-sacrifice that any person could offer for the sake of preserving the community and the honor of the ummah, and preventing Muslim blood from being shed.

 

He could have protected himself if all he cared about was saving his own life without caring about the ummah. If he had been selfish he would have urged the Sahabah and the sons of the Muhajireen and Ansar who came to his defense to go and fight the outlaws who had rebelled against his rule. But he wanted to keep the ummah united, so he offered himself as a sacrifice. ‘Uthman [radiAllahu anhu]  announced that he would face the overwhelming fitnah with patience[1] , in obedience to the words of Allah:

“Those (i.e. believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said, ‘Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them.’ But it (only) increased them in Faith, and they said : ‘Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs for us)”

(Aal ‘Imran 3:173)

 

 

Uthman [radiAllahu anhu] had strong faith in Allah and was noble-hearted, with deep insight and patience, so he sacrificed himself to save the ummah. That is one of the greatest of his virtues in the eyes of the Muslims.[2]

 

Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) said:

It is well-known via tawatur that ‘Uthman was a person who refrained the most from bloodshed, and he was the most patient of people with those who would tarnish his honor and who planned to shed his blood and kill him. They besieged him with the aim of killing him, and he knew that they wanted to kill him; the Muslims came to support him and advised him to fight, but he kept urging the people to refrain from fighting. He told those who would listen to  him not to fight.

 

It was said to him: Go to Makkah, but he said: I will not be one who causes the sanctuary to be violated. It was said to him: Go to Syria, but he said: I will not leave the land to which I migrated. It was said to him: Then fight them. He said: I will not be the first of the successors of Muhammad to confront his ummah by the sword. The patience that ‘Uthman showed until he was killed was one of the greatest of his virtues in the eyes of the Muslims. [3]

 

 

Footnotes:

[1] Siyar ash Shuhadah by al Sakhistiyani, p. 57,58

[2] Tahqeeq Mawaqif al-Sahabah min al-Fitnah, 1/472

[3] Manhaj as-Sunnah, 3/202, 203

A Sermon by Abu Bakr As-Siddiq [RadiAllahu anhu] on Sincerity and drawing Lessons

 

Abu Bakr As-Siddiq [radiAllahu anhu] gave a speech once and started it with praising Alláh and thanking Him, then said:

“Verily, Allah does not accept deeds except those which were performed for the Sake of His face only. Therefore, seek Alláhs face by your actions. Know that whatever action you do with sincerity to Allah is an act of obedience that you performed, a good share that you earned, a duty that you fulfilled, and a reserve that you keep from perishable days to everlasting days. At that time you will be most in need and in anticipation (for these good deeds).”

 

O slaves of Alláh! Draw a lesson from those who died before you. Think about those who lived before you. Where were they yesterday? Where are they today?

Where are the tyrants who were noted for the wars they waged and earned victories in battle?

Time has eliminated them and they disintegrated to dust. The only things that remain from them are their evil statements, and verily, evil statements are for evil people and evil people are for evil statements.

 

 

Where are the kings who ruled on the earth and inhabited it?

They have become a thing of the past and their memory has been forgotten. They have become nothing. Yet, Alláh the Exalted and Most Honored has kept for them the evil burden of their deeds, but ended their streak of lusts. They perished, but the deeds they committed remained theirs even though the world has become for others.

We were created after them, so if we draw lessons from their fate we will attain deliverance. Otherwise, if we were deceived by all of this, we will earn a fate similar to theirs.

 

 

Where are the bright faces of those who were deceived on account of their youth?

They have turned into dust, but what they committed of shortcomings remained with them as cause for sorrow.

 

Where are those who built cities, fortified them with walls and collected wonders? 

They left all this for those who came after them; there you see the  remains of their cities, they have not been inhabited after them.

Meanwhile, they are in the darkness of graves:

“Can you find a single one of them or hear even a whisper of them?” (19:98)

 

Where are those whom you knew among your forefathers and brethren?

Their lifetimes came to an end and they joined their deeds and actions. They are residing after they died either in the dwelling of happiness or misery.

 

“Verily, Alláh is One and has no partners in worship. There is no tie of kinship between Him and any of His creation that warrants granting goodness or fending off evil on account of that kinship. There is only the obedience of Alláh and abiding by His Commandments. Know that you are subservient slaves (of Alláh) and that what He has can only be earned through obeying Him. Is it not time for one of you that the Fire be taken away from him, while Paradise is not made far from his reach?

 

[Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, by Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir, and At-Tarikh, by At Tabari, vol. 3, p. 311]

 

Related Links:

® Abu Bakr to his son: “I would not have veered away from you.”

® Abû Bakr(RadiAllahu anhu) to ‘Umar(RadiAllahu anhu) on his Deathbed

 

 

Ali’s [radiAllahu anhu] treatment of the Kharijites.

 

Amir al-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (radiAllahu anhu) treated the Kharijites as Muslims, both before and after the battle. No sooner had the battle ended but he issued orders to his troops, saying:

“Do not pursue anyone who is fleeing, do not finish off anyone who is wounded, and do not mutilate anyone who has been killed.”

 

Shaqeeq ibn Salamah, who was known as Abu Wa’il, one of the jurists of the Tabi’oon who was present with ‘Ali during his battles, said: ”

‘Ali did not take any female prisoners either on the day of the Camel or on the day of Nahrawan.[1]“

 

After the battle of Nahrawan, he took the property of the slain to Kufah and said: “Whoever recognizes anything, let him take it.” The people started taking things until there was one pot left, then a man came and took it.[2]  ‘Ali (radiAllahu anhu) did not divide anything among his troops except what the Kharijites had brought into battle with them: weapons and horses only.

 

Amir al-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (radiAllahu anhu) did not regard the Kharijites as disbelievers. Before the battle, he tried to bring them back to the main body of Muslims, and many of them did come back. He exhorted them and reminded them of the seriousness of fighting.

 

Ibn Qudamah said:

“He did this because his aim was to restrain them and fend off their evil, not to kill them. If it was possible to achieve this by talking, that should take precedence over fighting because of the harm that may be caused to both parties as a result of fighting. This indicates that the Kharijites were a group of Muslims, as was stated by many of the scholars.”[3]

 

‘Ali (radiAllahu anhu) was asked whether they were disbelievers.

He said: “They have fled from disbelief.” He was asked: “Are they hypocrites?” He said: “The hypocrites only remember Allah a little.” He was asked: “What are they?” He said: “They are people who transgressed against us, so we fought them.” [4]

 

According to another report:

“They are people who transgressed against us, therefore we prevailed over them.” According to a third report: “They are people upon whom a fitnah came, and they became blind and deaf.”[5]

 

Ali (radiAllahu anhu) also offered this advice to his army and to the Muslim Ummah after him:

“If they go against a just ruler, then fight them, but if they go against an unjust ruler, do not fight them, because they have a reason.”[6]

 

It may be noted that ‘Ali (radiAllahu anhu) regretted and was grieved by the fighting in the Battle of the Camel and Siffeen, while he expressed satisfaction and contentment about fighting the Kharijites.

 

Ibn Taymiyyah [Rahimahullah]said:

“The texts and scholarly consensus differentiate between the two cases. He fought the Kharijites on the basis of a text from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and was happy about that, and none of the Companions objected to that. As for his fighting on the’ day of Siffeen, he showed a great deal of sorrow and regretted it.”[7]

 

Footnotes:

[1] Sunan al-Kubra/Baihaqi [8/182]

[2] Al-Talkhees ul Habeer [4/47]

[3] Fath ul Bari [12/300,301], Nayl al-Awtar [8/182]

[4] Musannaf Abdur Razzaq [10/150], Musannaf ibn Abi Shaybah [10, 332]

[5] Musannab ibn Abi Shaybah [10/320,324], Al aitisaam/ Shaatibi[1/62]

[6] Musannaf ibn Abi Shaybah [10/320], Fath ul Bari [12/301]

[7] Majmoo al-Fatawa [28/514]

[Taken from: Rightly guided Caliphs by Dr. Ali Sallabi]

 

Download PDF: [E-Book] The most correct opinion concerning the takfeer of Khawarij

A story of one of the early Muslims and their Islah/rectification between them and Allah

 

Abu Mihjan was one of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (may Allah be pleased with them).

 

 

This Sahaabi was suffering from an addiction to drinking wine. He was brought and flogged, then brought and flogged again, but he knew that this problem did not relieve him of his duty to strive for the cause of Islam.

 

So he went out with the Muslims to al-Qaadisiyyah as a soldier, seeking martyrdom on the battlefield. In al-Qaadisiyyah he was brought to the commander of the army, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas [radiAllahu anhu], for having drunk wine. Sa’d [radiAllahu anhu] detained him so that the Muslims ranks would be cleansed of such a person.

 

 

This detention was a harsh punishment which caused Abu Mihjan a great deal of anguish. When he heard the sounds of swords and spears, and the neighing of the horses, and he knew that the jihad had begun, and the gates of Paradise were open, he was filled with longing for jihad. He called to the wife of Sa’d ibn Abi Waaqqas saying,

“Let me go and I promise Allah that if I come back safe and sound, I will put my own feet in the chains, and if I am killed, then you will be rid of me.”

 

She felt sorry for him, so she let him go, and he leapt onto a horse belonging to Sa’d which was called al-Balqa’. Then he picked up a spear and set off. He did not attack any group of enemy soldier but he scattered them.

 

Sa’d was supervising the battle and he was surprised and said, “This is the running of al-Balqa’, and the style of attack is that of Abu Mihjan, but Abu Mihjan is in chains.”

 

 

When the battle was over, Abu Mihjan went back and put his feet in the chains. The wife of Sa’d told him this wonderful story, so Sa’d admired this man and his care for Islam and his longing for jihad, so he himself went to this wine-drinker, released the chains with his own hands and said,

“Get up, for by Allaah I will never flog you for drinking wine again.” Abu Mihjan said, “By Allaah, I will never drink it again.”

[See al-Isaabah fi Tamyeez al-Sahaabah, 4/173-174; al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah, 9/632-633]