Anecdotes from the People of the Book [Part II] (Ahadith 3070 – 3078)

Bismillah.

This is a continuation of the anecdotes collected in the Book of Prophets by Imam Bukhari. As mentioned previously, these are stories and statements made about the Jews & Christians and are there for us to take lessons from.

Chapter: The tale of three Israelites, a leper, a bald man and a blind man

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 670 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
That he heard Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) saying, “Allah willed to test three Israelis who were a Leper, a blind man and a bald-headed man. So, he sent them an angel who came to the leper and said, ‘What thing do you like most?’ He replied, “Good color and good skin, for the people have a strong aversion to me.’ The angel touched him and his illness was cured, and he was given a good color and beautiful skin. The angel asked him, ‘What kind of property do you like best?’ He replied, ‘Camels (or cows).’ (The narrator is in doubt, for either the leper or the bald-headed man demanded camels and the other demanded cows.) So he (i.e. the leper) was given a pregnant she-camel, and the angel said (to him), ‘May Allah bless you in it.’ The angel then went to the bald-headed man and said, ‘What thing do you like most?’ He said, ‘I like good hair and wish to be cured of this disease, for the people feel repulsion for me.’ The angel touched him and his illness was cured, and he was given good hair. The angel asked (him), ‘What kind of property do you like bests’ He replied, ‘Cows,’ The angel gave him a pregnant cow and said, ‘May Allah bless you in it.’ The angel went to the blind man and asked, ‘What thing do you like best?’ He said, ‘(I like) that Allah may restore my eye-sight to me so that I may see the people.’ The angel touched his eyes and Allah gave him back his eye-sight. The angel asked him, “What kind of property do you like best?’ He replied, ‘Sheep.’ The angel gave him a pregnant sheep. Afterwards, all the three pregnant animals gave birth to young ones, and multiplied and brought forth so much that one of the (three) men had a herd of camels filling a valley, and one had a herd of cows filling a valley, and one had a flock of sheep filling a valley. Then the angel, disguised in the shape and appearance of a leper, went to the leper and said, I am a poor man, who has lost all means of livelihood while on a journey. So none will satisfy my need except Allah and then you. In the Name of Him Who has given you such nice color and beautiful skin, and so much property, I ask you to give me a camel so that I may reach my destination. The man replied, ‘I have many obligations (so I cannot give you).’ The angel said, ‘I think I know you; were you not a leper to whom the people had a strong aversion? Weren’t you a poor man, and then Allah gave you (all this property).’ He replied, ‘(This is all wrong), I got this property through inheritance from my fore-fathers’ The angel said, ‘If you are telling a lie, then let Allah make you as you were before. ‘ Then the angel, disguised in the shape and appearance of a bald man, went to the bald man and said to him the same as he told the first one, and he too answered the same as the first one did. The angel said, ‘If you are telling a lie, then let Allah make you as you were before.’ The angel, disguised in the shape of a blind man, went to the blind man and said, ‘I am a poor man and a traveler, whose means of livelihood have been exhausted while on a journey. I have nobody to help me except Allah, and after Him, you yourself. I ask you in the Name of Him Who has given you back your eye-sight to give me a sheep, so that with its help, I may complete my journey’ The man said, ‘No doubt, I was blind and Allah gave me back my eye-sight; I was poor and Allah made me rich; so take anything you wish from my property. By Allah, I will not stop you for taking anything (you need) of my property which you may take for Allah’s sake.’ The angel replied, ‘Keep your property with you. You (i.e 3 men) have been tested and Allah is pleased with you and is angry with your two companions.”

Chapter: The tale of the Cave

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 671 :
Narrated by Ibn Umar (radiallaahu `anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Once three persons (from the previous nations) were traveling, and suddenly it started raining and they took shelter in a cave. The entrance of the cave got closed while they were inside. They said to each other, ‘O you! Nothing can save you except the truth, so each of you should ask Allah’s Help by referring to such a deed as he thinks he did sincerely (i.e. just for gaining Allah’s Pleasure).’ So one of them said, ‘O Allah! You know that I had a laborer who worked for me for one Faraq (i.e. three Sas) of rice, but he departed, leaving it (i.e. his wages). I sowed that Faraq of rice and with its yield I bought cows (for him). Later on when he came to me asking for his wages, I said (to him), ‘Go to those cows and drive them away.’ He said to me, ‘But you have to pay me only a Faraq of rice,’ I said to him, ‘Go to those cows and take them, for they are the product of that Faraq (of rice).’ So he drove them. O Allah! If you consider that I did that for fear of You, then please remove the rock.’ The rock shifted a bit from the mouth of the cave. The second one said, ‘O Allah, You know that I had old parents whom I used to provide with the milk of my sheep every night. One night I was delayed and when I came, they had slept, while my wife and children were crying with hunger. I used not to let them (i.e. my family) drink unless my parents had drunk first. So I disliked to wake them up and also disliked that they should sleep without drinking it, I kept on waiting (for them to wake) till it dawned. O Allah! If You consider that I did that for fear of you, then please remove the rock.’ So the rock shifted and they could see the sky through it. The (third) one said, ‘O Allah! You know that I had a cousin (i.e. my paternal uncle’s daughter) who was most beloved to me and I sought to seduce her, but she refused, unless I paid her one-hundred Dinars (i.e. gold pieces). So I collected the amount and brought it to her, and she allowed me to sleep with her. But when I sat between her legs, she said, ‘Be afraid of Allah, and do not deflower me but legally. ‘I got up and left the hundred Dinars (for her). O Allah! If You consider that I did that for fear of you than please remove the rock. So Allah saved them and they came out (of the cave).” (This Hadith indicates that one can only ask Allah for help directly or through his performed good deeds. But to ask Allah through dead or absent prophets, saints, spirits, holy men, angels etc. is absolutely forbidden in Islam and it is a kind of disbelief.)

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 672 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
That he heard Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) saying, “While a lady was nursing her child, a rider passed by and she said, ‘O Allah! Don’t let my child die till he becomes like this (rider).’ The child said, ‘O Allah! Don’t make me like him,’ and then returned to her breast (sucking it). (After a while) they passed by a lady who was being pulled and teased (by the people). The child’s mother said, ‘O Allah! Do not make my child like her.’ The child said, ‘O Allah! Make me like her.’ Then he said, ‘As for the rider, he is an infidel, while the lady is accused of illegal sexual intercourse (falsely) and she says: Allah is sufficient for me (He knows the truth).”

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 673 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “While a dog was going round a well and was about to die of thirst, an Israeli prostitute saw it and took off her shoe and watered it. So Allah forgave her because of that good deed.”

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 674 :
Narrated by Humaid bin ‘Abdur-Rahman
That he heard Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan (radiallaahu `anhu) (talking) on the pulpit in the year when he performed the Hajj. He took a tuft of hair that was in the hand of an orderly and said, “O people of Medina! Where are your learned men? I heard the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) forbidding such a thing as this (i.e. false hair) and he used to say, ‘The Israelis were destroyed when their ladies practiced this habit (of using false hair to lengthen their locks).”

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 675 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Amongst the people preceding you there used to be ‘Muhaddithun’ (i.e. persons who can guess things that come true later on, as if those persons have been inspired by a divine power), and if there are any such persons amongst my followers, it is ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab.”

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 676 :
Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Amongst the men of Bani Israel there was a man who had murdered ninety-nine persons. Then he set out asking (whether his repentance could be accepted or not). He came upon a monk and asked him if his repentance could be accepted. The monk replied in the negative and so the man killed him. He kept on asking till a man advised to go to such and such village. (So he left for it) but death overtook him on the way. While dying, he turned his chest towards that village (where he had hoped his repentance would be accepted), and so the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment quarrelled amongst themselves regarding him. Allah ordered the village (towards which he was going) to come closer to him, and ordered the village (whence he had come), to go far away, and then He ordered the angels to measure the distances between his body and the two villages. So he was found to be one span closer to the village (he was going to). So he was forgiven.”

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 677 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
Once Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) offered the morning prayer and then faced the people and said, “While a man was driving a cow, he suddenly rode over it and beat it. The cow said, “We have not been created for this, but we have been created for sloughing.” On that the people said astonishingly, “Glorified be Allah! A cow speaks!” The Prophet said, “I believe this, and Abu Bakr and ‘Umar too, believe it, although neither of them was present there. While a person was amongst his sheep, a wolf attacked and took one of the sheep. The man chased the wolf till he saved it from the wolf, where upon the wolf said, ‘You have saved it from me; but who will guard it on the day of the wild beasts when there will be no shepherd to guard them except me (because of riots and afflictions)? ‘ ” The people said surprisingly, “Glorified be Allah! A wolf speaks!” The Prophet said, “But I believe this, and Abu Bakr and ‘Umar too, believe this, although neither of them was present there.”

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 678 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “A man bought a piece of land from another man, and the buyer found an earthenware jar filled with gold in the land. The buyer said to the seller. ‘Take your gold, as I have bought only the land from you, but I have not bought the gold from you.’ The (former) owner of the land said, “I have sold you the land with everything in it.’ So both of them took their case before a man who asked, ‘Do you have children?’ One of them said, “I have a boy.’ The other said, “I have a girl.’ The man said, ‘Marry the girl to the boy and spend the money on both of them and give the rest of it in charity.’ “

More to follow in the future inshaAllah. :)

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Anecdotes from the People of the Book [Part I] (Ahadith 3059 – 3069)

Bismillah.

What follows is a collection of narrations about the Jews and Christians that have come to us from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and his companions. These narrations include stories about some of them, a few statements that were made about them, and comparison between them and the Muslim ummah.

What we should take from these stories and anecdotes is lessons for our lives. If it’s something good, we should be inspired to emulate it and if it’s something bad, we should try our best to stay away from it. May Allah be pleased with us and make us the best versions of ourselves.

Chapter: What has been said about Bani Israel

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 659 :
Narrated by Rabi bin Hirash
‘Uqba bin ‘Amr said to Hudhaifa, “Won’t you relate to us of what you have heard from Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam)?” He said, “I heard him saying, “When Al-Dajjal appears, he will have fire and water along with him. What the people will consider as cold water, will be fire that will burn (things). So, if anyone of you comes across this, he should fall in the thing which will appear to him as fire, for in reality, it will be fresh cold water.”

Hudhaifa added, “I also heard him saying, ‘From among the people preceding your generation, there was a man whom the angel of death visited to capture his soul. (So his soul was captured) and he was asked if he had done any good deed.’ He replied, ‘I don’t remember any good deed.’ He was asked to think it over. He said, ‘I do not remember, except that I used to trade with the people in the world and I used to give a respite to the rich and forgive the poor (among my debtors). So Allah made him enter Paradise.”

Hudhaifa further said, “I also heard him saying, ‘Once there was a man on his death-bed, who, losing every hope of surviving said to his family: When I die, gather for me a large heap of wood and make a fire (to burn me). When the fire eats my meat and reaches my bones, and when the bones burn, take and crush them into powder and wait for a windy day to throw it (i.e. the powder) over the sea. They did so, but Allah collected his particles and asked him: Why did you do so? He replied: For fear of You. So Allah forgave him.” ‘Uqba bin ‘Amr said, “I heard him saying that the Israeli used to dig the grave of the dead (to steal their shrouds).”

That one small good deed that we take for granted can tip the balance. Keep at it!

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 660 :
Narrated by ‘Aisha and Ibn ‘Abbas (radiallaahu `anhumaa)
On his death-bed Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) put a sheet over his-face and when he felt hot, he would remove it from his face. When in that state (of putting and removing the sheet) he said, “May Allah’s Curse be on the Jews and the Christians for they build places of worship at the graves of their prophets.” (By that) he intended to warn (the Muslim) from what they (i.e. Jews and Christians) had done.

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 661 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “The Israelis used to be ruled and guided by prophets: Whenever a prophet died, another would take over his place. There will be no prophet after me, but there will be Caliphs who will increase in number.” The people asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! What do you order us (to do)?” He said, “Obey the one who will be given the pledge of allegiance first. Fulfil their (i.e. the Caliphs) rights, for Allah will ask them about (any shortcoming) in ruling those Allah has put under their guardianship.”

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 662 :
Narrated by Abu Said (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “You will follow the wrong ways, of your predecessors so completely and literally that if they should go into the hole of a mastigure, you too will go there.” We said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Do you mean the Jews and the Christians?” He replied, “Whom else?” (Meaning, of course, the Jews and the Christians.)

Mastigures are spiny-tailed lizards.

This is what we need to keep in mind when we think some issues are non-issues. This is why we should make sure that whatever we do is somehow different (and better) from what the Jews and Christians did. This is why the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) ordered Bilal to give Adhan to call for prayer instead of bells and fires. This is why we were told to fast 9th and 10th or 10th and 11th of Muharram instead of just the 10th as Jews do. And there are other examples which you’ll come across in ahadith below and some future posts.

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 663 :
Narrated by Anas (radiallaahu `anhu)
The people mentioned the fire and the bell (as means proposed for announcing the time of prayer) and by such a suggestion they referred to the Jews and the Christians. But Bilal was ordered, “Pronounce the words of the Adhan (i.e. call for the prayer) twice and the Iqama once only.”

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 664 :
Narrated by ‘Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa)
That she used to hate that one should keep his hands on his flanks while praying. She said that the Jew used to do so.

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 665 :
Narrated by Ibn Umar (radiallaahu `anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Your period (i.e. the Muslims’ period) in comparison to the periods of the previous nations, is like the period between the ‘Asr prayer and sunset. And your example in comparison to the Jews and the Christians is like the example of a person who employed some laborers and asked them, ‘Who will work for me till midday for one Qirat each?’ The Jews worked for half a day for one Qirat each. The person asked, ‘Who will do the work for me from midday to the time of the ‘Asr (prayer) for one Qirat each?’ The Christians worked from midday till the ‘Asr prayer for one Qirat. Then the person asked, ‘Who will do the work for me from the ‘Asr till sunset for two Qirats each?’ ” The Prophet added, “It is you (i.e. Muslims) who are doing the work from the Asr till sunset, so you will have a double reward. The Jews and the Christians got angry and said, ‘We have done more work but got less wages.’ Allah said, ‘Have I been unjust to you as regards your rights?’ They said, ‘No.’ So Allah said, ‘Then it is My Blessing which I bestow on whomever I like. “

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 666 :
Narrated by Ibn Abbas (radiallaahu `anhu)
I heard ‘Umar saying, “May Allah Curse so-and-so! Doesn’t he know that the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, ‘May Allah curse the Jews for, though they were forbidden (to eat) fat, they liquefied it and sold it.”

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 667 :
Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Convey (my teachings) to the people even if it were a single sentence, and tell others the stories of Bani Israel (which have been taught to you), for it is not sinful to do so. And whoever tells a lie on me intentionally, will surely take his place in the (Hell) Fire.”

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 668 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “The Jews and the Christians do not dye (their grey hair), so you shall do the opposite of what they do (i.e. dye your grey hair and beards).”

Volume 4, Book 56, Number 669 :
Narrated by Jundub (radiallaahu `anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Amongst the nations before you there was a man who got a wound, and growing impatient (with its pain), he took a knife and cut his hand with it and the blood did not stop till he died. Allah said, ‘My Slave hurried to bring death upon himself so I have forbidden him (to enter) Paradise.’ “

 

More to come in the next post inshaAllah. :)

Dajjal, Jews and the End of Times (Ahadith 2571 – 2572)

Bismillah.

Ahadith 2568 – 2570 (below) are repeats. See linked text for related posts.

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 173 :
Narrated by Umaiya Ad-Damri (radiallaahu `anhu)
I saw the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) eating of a shoulder (of a sheep) by cutting from it and then he was called to prayer and he prayed without repeating his ablution.

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 174 :
Narrated by Az-Zuhri (radiallaahu `anhu)
As above (Hadith No. 173) and added that the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) put the knife down.

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 175 :
Narrated by Khalid bin Madan
That ‘Umair bin Al-Aswad Al-Anasi told him that he went to ‘Ubada bin As-Samit (radiallaahu `anhu) while he was staying in his house at the sea-shore of Hims with (his wife) Um Haram (radiallaahu `anhaa). ‘Umair said. Um Haram (radiallaahu `anhaa) informed us that she heard the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) saying, “Paradise is granted to the first batch of my followers who will undertake a naval expedition.” Um Haram (radiallaahu `anhaa) added, I said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! Will I be amongst them?’ He replied, ‘You are amongst them.’ The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) then said, ‘The first army amongst’ my followers who will invade Caesar’s City will be forgiven their sins.’ I asked, ‘Will I be one of them, O Allah’s Apostle?’ He replied in the negative.”

Today’s Ahadith:

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 176 :
Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “You (i.e. Muslims) will fight with the Jews till some of them will hide behind stones. The stones will (betray them) saying, ‘O ‘Abdullah (i.e. slave of Allah)! There is a Jew hiding behind me; so kill him.’ “

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 177 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. “O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him.”

Abu Umamah al-Bahili said, “The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) delivered a speech to us, most of which dealt with the Dajjal and warned us against him. He said, ‘No tribulation on earth since the creation of Adam will be worse than the tribulation of the Dajjal. Allah has never sent a Prophet who did not warn his Ummah against the Dajjal. I am the last of the Prophets, and you are the last Ummah. The Dajjal is emerging among you and it is inevitable. If he appears while I am still among you, I will contend with him on behalf of every Muslim. But if he appears after I am gone, then every person must contend with him on his own behalf. He will appear on the way between Syria and Iraq, and will spread disaster right and left. O servants of Allah adhere to the path of Truth. I shall describe him for you in a way that no Prophet has ever done before.

He will start by saying that he is a Prophet, but there will be no Prophet after me. Then he will say, “I am your Lord,” but you will never see your Lord until you die. The Dajjal is one-eyed, but your Lord, glorified be He, is not one-eyed. On his forehead will be written the word Kafir, which every Muslim, literate or illiterate, will be able to read. Among the trhewill bring will be the Paradise and Hell he will offer; but that which he calls Hell will be Paradise, and that which he calls Paradise will be Hell. Whoever enters his Hell, let him seek refuge with Allah and recite the opening Ayat of Surat al-Kahf, and it will become cool and peaceful for him, as the fire became cool and peaceful for Abraham.

“He will say to a Bedouin, What do you think if I bring your father and mother back to life for you? Will you bear witness that I am your lord? The Bedouin will say Yes, so two devils will assume the appearance of his father and mother, and will say, “O my son, follow him for he is your lord.”

“He will be given power over one person, whom he will kill and cut in two with a saw. Then he will say, ‘Look at this slave of mine, now I will resurrect him, but he will still claim that he has a Lord other than me. Allah will resurrect him, and this evil man (the Dajjal) will say to him, ‘Who is your Lord? The man will answer, ‘My Lord is Allah, and you are the enemy of Allah. You are the Dajjal. By Allah, I have never been more sure of this than I am today.”

Abu Said said, “The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, ‘That man will have the highest status among my Ummah in Paradise.”

Abu Said said, “By Allah, we never thought that that man would be any other than ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, until he passed away.”

Al-Muharibi said: “Then we referred to the Hadith of Abu Rafii, which said, ‘Part of his Fitnah will be the fact that he will pass through an area whose people will deny him, and none of their livestock will remain alive. Then he will pass through a second area whose people will believe in him; he will order the sky to rain and the earth to bring forth crops, and their flocks will return from grazing fatter than they have ever been, with their flanks stretched, their udders full. He will pass through every place on earth – except Makkah and Madinah, which he will never enter, for there are angels guarding every gate of them with unsheathed swords – until he reaches al-Zarib al-Ahmar and camps at the edge of the salt-marsh. Madinah will be shaken by three tremors, after which every Munafiq (hypocrite) will leave it, and it will be cleansed of evil, as iron is cleansed of dross. That day will be called Yawm al-Khalas (The Day of Purification).”

Umm Sharik bint Abil-Akr said, “O Messenger of Allah, where will the Arabs be at that time?” He said, “At that time they will be few; most of them will be in Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), and their Imam will be a righteous man. Whilst their Imam is going forward to lead the people in praying Salat al-Subh (the morning prayer), Jesus son of Mary will descend. The Imam will step back, to let Jesus lead the people in prayer, but Jesus will place his hand between the mans shoulders and say, ‘Go forward and lead the prayer, for the Iqamah was made for you. So the Imam will lead the people in prayer, and afterwards Jesus (alayhe salam) will say, ‘Open the gate. The gate will be opened, and behind it will be the Dajjal and a thousand Jews, each of them bearing a sword and shield. When the Dajjal sees Jesus, he will begin to dissolve like salt in water, and will run away.

Jesus will say, ‘You will remain alive until I strike you with my sword. He will catch up with him at the eastern gate of Ludd* and will kill him. The Jews will be deflated with the help of Allah. There will be no place for them to hide; they will not be able to hide behind any stone, wall, animal or tree – except the boxthorn (al-Gharqarah) – without saying, ‘O Muslim servant of Allah! here is a Jew, come and kill him!” The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, “The time of the Dajjal will be forty years; one year like half a year, one year like a month, and one month like a week. The rest of his days will pass so quickly that if one of you were at one of the gates of Madinah, he would not reach the other gate before evening fell.”

[Taken from Ibn Kathir’s “The Signs before the Day of Judgment”]

Note: this hadith is found in Sunan Ibn Majah and graded weak, but other sahih ahadith confirm some of its parts.

Invasion of Banu Qurayzah (Hadith No. 2461)

Bismillah.

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 68 :
Narrated by ‘Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa)
When Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) returned on the day (of the battle) of Al-Khandaq (i.e. Trench), he put down his arms and took a bath. Then Gabriel whose head was covered with dust, came to him saying, “You have put down your arms! By Allah, I have not put down my arms yet.” Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Where (to go now)?” Gabriel said, “This way,” pointing towards the tribe of Bani Quraiza. So Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) went out towards them.

The following account has been taken from the Sealed Nectar, the first paragraph highlighting how Banu Qurayzah broke their treaty with the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and the rest is about the invasion itself. Happy reading!

During the process of fighting, Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh was shot by an arrow that pierced his artery. Perceiving his end approaching, he invoked Allâh saying: “Oh, Allâh, you know nothing is closer to my heart than striving in Your way against those people (disbelievers) who belied Your Messenger and banished him from his town. Oh, Allâh, I deeply believe that You have decreed that we should fight them, so if there is still more fighting to go with them, let me stay alive in order to strive more against them. If it has settled down, I beseech you to ignite it again so that I breathe my last in its context.”He concluded his supplication beseeching Allâh not to let him die until he had had full revenge on Banu Quraiza. In the midst of these difficult circumstances, plottery and intrigues were in fervent action against the Muslims. The chief criminal of Bani Nadir, Huyai, headed for the habitations of Banu Quraiza to incite their chief Ka‘b bin Asad Al-Qurazi, who had drawn a pact with the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) to run to his aid in times of war. Ka‘b, in the beginning resisted all Huyai’s temptation, but Huyai was clever enough to manipulate him, speaking of Quraish and their notables in Al-Asyal, as well as Ghatfan and their chieftains entrenched in Uhud, all in one mind, determined to exterminate Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and his followers. He, moreover, promised to stay in Ka‘b’s fort exposing himself to any potential danger in case Quraish and Ghatfan recanted. The wicked man went on in this manner until he later managed to win Ka‘b to his side and persuade him to break his covenant with the Muslims. Banu Quraiza then started to launch war operations against the Muslims especially the secluded garrisons that housed the women and children of the Muslims.

INVADING BANU QURAIZA:

Archangel Gabriel (Peace be upon him) on the very day the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) came back to Madinah after the previous battle, and while he was washing in Umm Salama’s house, visited him asking that he should unsheathe his sword and head for the habitation of the seditious Banu Quraiza and fight them. Gabriel noted that he with a procession of angels would go ahead to shake their forts and cast fear in their hearts.

The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) , immediately summoned the prayer caller and ordered him to announce fresh hostilities against Banu Quraiza, institued Ibn Umm Maktum as a ruler of Madinah, and entrusted the banner of war to ‘Ali bin Abi Talib who marched towards the appointed target and came close enough to hear the Jews abusing the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him), who on his part set out at the head of three thousand infantry men and thirty horsemen of Ansar (Helpers) and Muhajireen (Emigrants). On their way to encounter the enemy, the afternoon prayer was due. Some Muslims refused to observe it until they had defeated the enemy, while others offered it in its proper time, as usual. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) objected to neither. When they reached the habitations of Banu Quraiza, they laid tight siege to their forts. Seeing this terrible situation they were in, the chief of the Jews Ka‘b bin Asad offered them three alternatives: to embrace Islam, and consequently their life, wealth, women and children would be in full security, and reminded them that such behaviour would not be incongruous with what they had read in their books about the veracity of Muhammad’s Prophethood; to kill their children and women and then challenge the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his followers to the sword to either exterminate the Muslims or be exterminated, or as a third possibility to take Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and his people by surprise on Saturday — a day mutually understood to witness no fighting.

None of those alternatives appealed them, so their chief, angrily and indignantly, turned to them saying: “You have never been decisive in decision-making since you were born” The gloomy future already visible, they made contacts with some Muslims, who had maintained good relation with them, in order to learn about their fate in the light of the current circumstances. They requested that Abu Lubaba be despatched to them for advice. On his arrival, the men began to implore, women and children to cry desperately. In answer to their demand for advice he pointed to his throat saying it was homicide awaiting them. He then immediately realized that he had betrayed the Prophet’s trust, so he headed directly for the mosque in Madinah and tied himself to a wooden tall pole swearing that no one would untie him save the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him), and added that he would never enter the habitation of Banu Quraiza in recompense for the deadly mistake he made. When the Messenger (Peace be upon h im) was informed of this incident, he said, “ I would have begged Allâh to forgive him if he had asked me, but since he had tied himself out of his own free will, then it was Allâh Who would turn to him in forgiveness.”

The Jews of Banu Quraiza could have endured the siege much longer because food and water were plentifully available and their strongholds were greatly fortified, whereas the Muslims were in the wild bare land suffering a lot from cold and hunger, let alone too much fatigue consequent on endless warfare operations that had started even before the battle of Confederates. Nevertheless, this was a battle of nerves, for Allâh had cast fear in the the Jews’ hearts, and their morale had almost collapsed especially when two Muslim heroes, ‘Ali bin Abi Talib and Az-Zubair bin ‘Awwam (May Allah be pleased with him) proceeded with ‘Ali swearing that he would never stop until he had either stormed their garrisons or been martyred like Hamza (a former Muslim martyr).

In the light of this reluctance, they had nothing except to comply with the Messenger’s judgement. The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) ordered that the men should handcuffed, and this was done under the supervision of Muhammad bin Salamah Al-Ansari while the women and children were isolated in confinement. Thereupon Al-Aws tribe interceded begging the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to be lenient towards them. He suggested that Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh, a former ally, be deputed to give verdict about them, and they agreed.

Sa‘d meanwhile stayed behind in Madinah due to a serious wound he sustained in the Confederates Battle. He was summoned and brought on a donkey. On his way to the Prophet (Peace be upon him), the Jews used to exhort him to be lenient in his judgement on account of former friendship. Sa‘d remained silent but when they persisted he uttered: “It is time for Sa‘d not to be afraid of the blame of the blamers.” On hearing this decisive attitude, some of them returned to Madinah waiting for desperate doom.

On arrival, he alighted with the help of some men. He was informed that the Jews had agreed to accept his verdict about them. He immediately wondered if his judgement would pass on all the people present, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) included, turning his face away in honour of him. The reply was positive.

He decided that all the able-bodied male persons belonging to the tribe should be killed, women and children taken prisoners and their wealth divided among the Muslim fighters. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) accepted his judgement saying that Sa‘d had adjudged by the Command of Allâh. In fact, the Jews deserved that severe punitive action for the ugly treachery they had harboured against Islam, and the large arsenal they have amassed and which consisted of one thousand and five hundred swords, two thousand spears, three hundred armours and five hundred shields, all of which went into the hands of the Muslims. Trenches were dug in the bazaar of Madinah and a number of Jews between six and seven hundred were beheaded therein. Hot beds of intrigue and treachery were thus exterminated once and for all.

Huyai, a chief criminal of war, a devil of Bani Nadir and Safiyah’s father, had joined the ranks of Banu Quraiza when Quraish and Ghatfan defected, was admitted into the audience of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) with his hands tied to his neck with a rope. In audacious defiance, he declared obstinate enmity to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) but admitted that Allâh’s Will was to be fulfilled and added that he was resigned to his fate. He was ordered to sit down, and was beheaded
on the spot.

Only one woman of the Jews was killed because she had killed a Muslim warrior by flinging a grinding stone upon him. A few elements of the enemy embraced Islam and their lives, wealth and children were spared. As for the spoils of the war, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) divided them, after putting a fifth aside, in accordance with Allâh’s injunctions. Three shares went to the horseman and one to the infantry fighter. Women captives were sent to Najd to be bartered with horses and weaponry. For himself, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) selected Rehana bint ‘Amr bin Khanaqah, manumitted and married her in the year 6 Hijri. She died shortly after the farewell pilgrimage and was buried in Al-Baqi‘.

Expulsion of Jews and Christians from Arabia (Hadith No. 2388)

Bismillah.

Ahadith 2386 – 2387 (below) are repeats. See linked text for related posts.

Volume 3, Book 50, Number 888 :
Narrated by Ubai bin Kab (radiallaahu `anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Moses the Apostle of Allah,” and then he narrated the whole story about him. Al-Khadir said to Moses, “Did not I tell you that you can have no patience with me.” (18.72). Moses then violated the agreement for the first time because of forgetfulness, then Moses promised that if he asked Al-Khadir about anything, the latter would have the right to desert him. Moses abided by that condition and on the third occasion he intentionally asked Al-Khadir and caused that condition to be applied. The three occasions referred to above are referred to by the following Verses: “Call me not to account for forgetting And be not hard upon me.” (18.73) “Then they met a boy and Khadir killed him.” (18.74) “Then they proceeded and found a wall which was on the verge of falling and Khadir set it up straight.” (18.77)

Volume 3, Book 50, Number 889 :
Narrated by Urwa
Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa) said, “Buraira came to me and said, ‘My people (masters) have written the contract for my emancipation for nine Awaq ) of gold) to be paid in yearly installments, one Uqiyya per year; so help me.” Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa) said (to her), “If your masters agree, I will pay them the whole sum provided the Wala will be for me.” Buraira went to her masters and told them about it, but they refused the offer and she returned from them while Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) was sitting. She said, “I presented the offer to them, but they refused unless the Wala’ would be for them.” When the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) heard that and ‘Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa) told him about It, he said to her, “Buy Buraira and let them stipulate that her Wala’ will be for them, as the Wala’ is for the manumitted.” ‘Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa) did so. After that Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) got up amidst the people, Glorified and Praised Allah and said, “What is wrong with some people who stipulate things which are not in Allah’s Laws? Any condition which is not in Allah’s Laws is invalid even if there were a hundred such conditions. Allah’s Rules are the most valid and Allah’s Conditions are the most solid. The Wala is for the manumitted.“

Today’s Hadith:

Volume 3, Book 50, Number 890 :
Narrated by Ibn Umar (radiallaahu `anhu)
When the people of Khaibar dislocated Abdullah bin Umar’s (radiallaahu `anhu) hands and feet, Umar (radiallaahu `anhu) got up delivering a sermon saying, “No doubt, Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) made a contract with the Jews concerning their properties, and said to them, ‘We allow you (to stand in your land) as long as Allah allows you.’ Now Abdullah bin Umar went to his land and was attacked at night, and his hands and feet were dislocated, and as we have no enemies there except those Jews, they are our enemies and the only people whom we suspect, I have made up my mind to exile them.”
When Umar (radiallaahu `anhu) decided to carry out his decision, a son of Abu Al-Haqiq’s came and addressed ‘Umar, “O chief of the believers, will you exile us although Muhammad allowed us to stay at our places, and made a contract with us about our properties, and accepted the condition of our residence in our land?” ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu) said, “Do you think that I have forgotten the statement of Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam), i.e. “What will your condition be when you are expelled from Khaibar and your camel will be carrying you night after night?” The Jew replied, “That was joke from Abu-l-Qasim.” ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu) said, “O the enemy of Allah! You are telling a lie.” ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu) then drove them out and paid them the price of their properties in the form of fruits, money, camel saddles and ropes, etc.”

At the time of his death the Holy Prophet had expressed the view that in Arabia there should be only one religion, namely Islam. During the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, all the tribes in Arabia had accepted Islam. There were only a few pockets of non-Muslims, the Jews in Khyber, and the Christians in Najran.

During the caliphate of Abu Bakr, many tribes who had accepted Islam apostatised. As a result of the apostasy wars, all the apostate tribes were defeated and they once again accepted Islam. During the brief period of his office, Abu Bakr allowed the status quo to continue with regard to the Jews and the Christians.

At the time of the conquest of Khyber, a treaty was executed with the Jews whereunder they were allowed to cultivate the lands on the payment of one half of the produce to the Muslim state at Madina. The treaty also provided that the Jews could be turned out of Khyber, whenever the Muslim state deemed it necessary.

When Umar became the Caliph he deputed his son Abdullah to Khyber to collect the revenue. As Abdullah lay sleeping on the roof of a house in Khyber at night, his bed was overturned by the Jews causing him an injury in the arm. Umar investigated the matter and found that the Jews were bent on mischief. Umar accordingly passed orders expelling the Jews from Khyber. They migrated to Syria. They were allowed to carry their movable belongings with them. Their immovable property in Khyber was distributed among the Muslims.

The Christians of Najran near Yemen had a pact with the Holy Prophet “hereunder they were allowed to live in peace unless they indulged in any hostile activities against Islam. It was also stipulated that they would not indulge in usury. When Umar became the Caliph it was brought to his notice that the Christians of Najran had violated the peace pact in as much as they were indulging in usury, and were also guilty of activities hostile to Islam.

Umar summoned the representatives of the Christians of Najran, and apprised them of the charge of violating the terms of the treaty. In a vainglorious mood the deputationists said “If that was that, they might be expelled.” Umar accordingly passed orders for their expulsion. Arrangements were made for their settlement in Iraq. They were allowed to carry their entire movable property with them. Their immovable property was acquired by the state on payment.

Umar instructed his officers in Iraq that all possible assistance should be provided for the settlement of the refugees from Najran in Iraq. The Christians were exempted from the payment of Jizya for the first two years.

With the expulsion of the Jews and the Christians from Arabia, the country became an exclusively Muslim land. Umar has thus the distinction of being the first ruler under whom Arabia became the exclusive preserve for Islam.

Source: Hadrat Abu Bakr, Umar, Usman, Ali (ra) 4 Vol. Set