Weapons in Haram (Ahadith 781 – 782)

Assalamu`alaykum,
Bismillah.

Volume 2, Book 15, Number 781:

Narrated Said bin Jubair:

I was with Ibn Umar when a spear head pierced the sole of his foot and his foot stuck to the paddle of the saddle and I got down and pulled his foot out, and that happened in Mina. Al-Hajjaj got the news and came to enquire about his health and said, “Alas! If we could only know the man who wounded you!” Ibn Umar said, “You are the one who wounded me.” Al-Hajjaj said, “How is that?” Ibn Umar said, “You have allowed the arms to be carried on a day on which nobody used to carry them and you allowed arms to be carried in the Haram even though it was not allowed before.”

Volume 2, Book 15, Number 782:

Narrated Said bin ‘Amr bin Said bin Al-‘Aas:

Al-Hajjaj went to Ibn Umar while I was present there. Al-Hajjaj asked Ibn Umar, “How are you?” Ibn Umar replied, “I am all right,” Al-Hajjaj asked, “Who wounded you?” Ibn Umar replied, “The person who allowed arms to be carried on the day on which it was forbidden to carry them (he meant Al-Hajjaj)”.

As for the background of this particular incident, history books can shed some light on it iA. The crux is, Ibn Umar saw al-Hajjaj as a tyrant, and disapproved of him. He wasn’t the only one, though.

At al-Hajjaj’s death in ad 714, the people of Iraq rejoiced openly in the streets. Umar II (caliph, 717 – 720) thanked God for removing a “tyrant” and Hasan al-Basri said “O God, it is You who killed him; please, put an end to his habitual practices”. [Wikipedia]

Ayyub said: “I asked Nafi’ how Ibn ‘Umar died, and he said: “He was injured between two of his fingers by a supporting beam in the middle of the crowd during the stone-throwing of the Hajj, and this made him sick. So, al-Hajjaj came to visit him, and Ibn ‘Umar closed his eyes. al-Hajjaj spoke to him, and he would not reply.””

No judgement intended.

Coming back to the the Ahadith mentioned above, it is not allowed to carry weapons in the vicinity of Haram, because that place is sacred, and anything that could potentially violate its sanctity is forbidden. If one wants to carry a weapon to protect himself, let him know that countless security guards are already doing that job. :)

See, these men have been appointed for our safety. ^_^

What’s forbidden is forbidden. No one can make lawful what Allah made unlawful, not even scholars. So Ibn Umar was angry at al-Hajjaj because he had allowed people to carry arms in Haram, although it was forbidden to do so. Allahu A`lam.

Wassalam.