Al Nass Wal Ijtihad

45. Fasting At the Beginning of Islam =====================================

In Ramadan, at the beginning of Islam, a fasting Muslim could eat, drink, sleep with his wife and do the other permissible things since the sunset until he offered Isha’ prayer or he slept. If he offered Isha’ prayer or he slept, it would be impermissible for him to eat, to drink, to sleep with his wife or to do other things that were not permissible

[^1] Vol.1 p.20. [^2] Suffa means shed, in which the neediest people lived at that time. It was erected beside the mosque of the Prophet (s). [^3] Al-Bukhari's Sahih, vol. 1 p.19. [^4] Tareekh Falsafatul Islam (history of the philosophy of Islam) by Muhammad Lutfi, p.301.

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for a fasting one until the next night. But one night after Isha’ prayer Umar slept with his wife. He regretted what he had done. He came to the Prophet (s) and said to him: “O messenger of Allah, I apologize to Allah and to you my mistaken soul…” He told the Prophet (s) of what he had done. Then some men got up and confessed that they often did as Umar had done after Isha’ prayer. Then Allah revealed to the Prophet (s) this verse: “It is made lawful to you to go into your wives on the night of the fast; they are an apparel for you and you are an apparel for them; Allah knew that you acted unfaithfully to yourselves, so He has turned to you (mercifully) and removed from you (this burden); so now be in contact with them and seek what Allah has ordained for you, and eat and drink until the whiteness of the day becomes distinct from the blackness of the night at dawn, then complete the fast till night. Qur'an, 2:187” The verse showed clearly that they disobeyed Allah more than one time but Allah had forgiven them and accepted their repentance and He permitted them to practice what had been impermissible for them as mercy from Him.

46. Prohibiting wine

Allah has revealed three verses about wine; the first was: “They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: In both of them there is a great sin and means of profit for men, and their sin is greater than their profit. Qur'an, 2:219”

After this verse some of the Muslims drank wine and others refrained from drinking it until a man offered his prayer while he was drunk and so he mistook in reciting the verses in the prayer. Then Allah revealed: “O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are intoxicated until you know (well) what you say. Qur'an, 4:43” After the revelation of this verse some Muslims drank wine and some others gave it up. Some historians mentioned that one day Umar drank wine and then he took a jawbone of a camel and struck Abdurrahman bin Ouff on the head. Then he sat weeping for the killed people of the battle of Badr and reciting some poetry of al-Aswad bin Ya’fur:

“Is he unable to keep death away from me, or resurrect me when my bones become destroyed?

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Is there someone who tells the Beneficent that I have given up the month of fast?

Say to Allah to prevent me my drink And say to Allah to prevent me my food.”

The Prophet (s) was informed of that and he became very angry. He went out dragging his garment and he hit Umar with something he had in his hand. Umar said: “May Allah save me from His wrath and from the wrath of His messenger!” Then Allah revealed: “The Shaitan only desires to cause enmity and hatred to spring in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and to keep you off from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you then desist. Qur'an, 5:91” Umar said: “We desist! We desist!”[^1]

47. The Prophet (s) forbids from killing al-Abbas and others[^2]

During the battle of Badr the Prophet (s) said to his companions: “I know that some men of Bani Hashim have been forced to go to the battle (to fight against the Muslims) unwillingly. We have no need to fight them. When you meet any one of them (the Hashemites), you are not to kill him and if any one of you meets Abul Bukhturi bin

[^1] Al-Mustatraf fee Kulli Fanin Mustadhraf by Shihabuddeen al-Absheehi, vol.3 chap.74. It has also been quoted by some scholars from Rabee’ul Abrar by az-Zamakhshari. Al-Fakhr ar-Razi has referred to some of this event in his Tafsee al-Kabeer, vol.3 p.446 when interpreting the Qur’anic verse (The Shaitan only desires to cause enmity and hatred to spring in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance). He said: “It has been narrated that when Allah has revealed (O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are intoxicated), Umar said: “O Allah, declare to us a full declaration about wine! And when this verse (The Shaitan only desires to cause enmity and hatred to spring in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and to keep you off from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you then desist) was revealed, Umar said: “O our Lord, we desist!”

[^2] The Prophet (s) has forbidden from killing al-Abbas (the Prophet’s uncle). It has been mentionen in many true traditions and the books of Hadith are full of such traditions. All the historians, who have recorded the history of the battle of Badr, have mentioned this and mentioned that the Prophet (s) had forbidden from killing any one of the Hashemites.

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Hisham bin al-Harith bin Asad, he has not to kill him[^1] and if any of you meets al-Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib (the Prophet’s uncle) he has not to kill him because he has gone to war unwillingly.”

The Prophet (s) has forbidden his companions from killing any one of the Hashemites and then he has forbidden them from killing his uncle al-Abbas especially to confirm and to stress on that al-Abbas were not to be killed. When al-Abbas had been captured as prisoner, the Prophet (s) had spent that night sleeplessly. His companions asked him: “O messenger of Allah, why could you not sleep?” He said: “I heard my uncle writhing in his ties and I could not sleep.” They went and set al-Abbas free of his ties and then the Prophet (s) could sleep.[^2]

Yahya bin Katheer said: “On the day (the battle) of Badr the Muslims have captured seventy men of the polytheists, among whom was al-Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle. Umar bin al-Khattab was responsible for tying him. Al-Abbas said: “O Umar, by Allah, what leads you to tighten my ties is because of my slapping you for the sake of the messenger of Allah.”

The Prophet (s) heard the moaning of al-Abbas and he could not

[^1] Al-Bidayeh wen-Nihayeh by ibn Katheer, vol.3 p.284 and other books of history like Seera of ibn Isshaq. The Prophet (s) has forbidden his companions from killing Abul Bukhturi because he was one of those who had broken the bond (as-Saheefa) of the blockade against the Hashimites and he was among those who had not harmed the Prophet (s) or showed him what he disliked. The Prophet (s) intended to keep him alive so that Allah might guide him to the right path one day. In the thick of the battle al-Mujthir bin Ziyad al-Balawi met Abul Bukhturi and said to him: “The messenger of Allah (s) has forbidden us from killing you.” Abul Bukhturi had a companion with him. He was Junada bin Maleeha from bani Layth who had come with him from Mecca. Abul Bukhturi said to al-Mujthir: “Will my friend not be killed too?” Al-Mujthir said: “No by Allah, we will not leave your friend. The messenger of Allah has ordered us about you alone.” Abul Bukhturi said: “Then I will die with him. I do not let the women of Quraysh in Mecca say that he has left his friend alone for the sake of his own life.” They fought each other until al-Mujthir killed him. Then al-Mujthir came to the Prophet (s) and said to him: “I swear by Him, Who has sent you with the truth! I have insisted on him to be as prisoner to bring him to you but he refused except to fight me. We fought each other until I killed him.”

[^2] It has been mentioned by the historians who have recorded the events of the battle of Badr.

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sleep. The companions asked: “O messenger of Allah, what prevents you from sleeping?” He said: “How can I sleep while I hear the moaning of my uncle?” Then the Ansar set him free…”[^1]

All the Prophet’s companions of the Ansar, the Muhajireen and others knew well what high position Abul Fadhl al-Abbas had near the Prophet (s). When the Prophet (s) heard the word of Abu Huthayfa bin Utba bin Rabee’a bin Abd Shams, who fought with the Prophet (s) in Badr, when he said: “Do we kill our fathers and brothers and we leave al-Abbas free? By Allah, if I meet him, I will strike him with the sword” he became very angry for that and then he said to Umar provoking his zeal: “O Abu Hafs, is it right that the face of the Prophet’s uncle is struck with the sword?” Umar said: “By Allah, it was the first day that the Prophet (s) had called me as Abu Hafs.”[^2]

The war came to an end. The Prophet (s) gained victory and his army returned with honor. Seventy of the tyrants were killed and other seventy of them were captured. The prisoners were brought dragging their ties. Abu Hafs (Umar) began inciting to kill them with severe words. He said: “O messenger of Allah, they have (considered you as a liar) disbelieved in you, exiled you and fought you. Would you permit me to kill so-and-so (one of his relatives) and permit Ali to kill his brother Aqeel and permit Hamza to kill his brother al-Abbas?”

Glory be to Allah! Al-Abbas and Aqeel were neither among those who had considered the Prophet (s) as a liar nor among those who had exiled him nor among those who had harmed him! They were with him in the Shi’b during the long period of the blockade against the Hashimites suffering distresses with him. They had been taken to the battle unwillingly as the Prophet (s) himself had witnessed and the Prophet (s) had forbidden his companions from killing them under the heat of the war so how would they be killed while they were captives? As the withering of al-Abbas had worried the Prophet (s) and prevented him from sleeping, then how would he become if his

[^1] Kanzol Ummal, vol. 5 p.272, also mentioned by ibn Asakir. [^2] Al-Bidayeh wen-Nihayeh, vol.3 p.285.

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uncle was killed for no reason? Al-Abbas had been a Muslim before that but he had concealed his faith for a wisdom behind which there was contentment to Allah and His messenger and goodness to him and to the umma.[^1]

48. Taking ransom from the prisoners of Badr

[^1] Ahmad Zayni Dahlan, the Mufti of the Shafiites, said in his book as-Seera an-Nabawiyya, vol.1 p.504 when mentioning al-Abbas during the battle of Badr: “Al-Abbas, according to what the scholars and historians had said, had become a Muslim a long time ago but he had concealed his faith. He became delighted when the Muslims obtained victory. The Prophet (s) often told him of his secrets when he was in Mecca and he always accompanied the Prophet (s) when going to invite the different tribes to believe in Islam. Al-Abbas always encouraged the tribes to support the Prophet (s). He had attended the homage of al-Aqaba which was between the Prophet (s) and the Ansar. All that showed that he was a Muslim. The Prophet (s) had ordered him to stay in Mecca in order to write to him the secrets and news of Quraysh. When Quraysh wanted to go to the war in Badr and called upon people to fight (against the Muslims) he could not but to go with them; therefore the Prophet (s) had said on the day of Badr: “He, who meets al-Abbas, has not to kill him because he has gone to the war unwillingly.

” This did not contradict the Prophet’s saying when he asked him for redemption: “Apparently you were against us” because his being apparently against them did not contradict his being with them in his innerness. The Prophet (s) treated him according to his apparent condition to please the hearts of the companions where he had treated their fathers, sons and tribes in the same way. Al-Abbas had properties and monies near the people of Quraysh and he feared that if he had announced his being a Muslim, his properties would have been lost among them. He had concealed his faith according to the order of the Prophet (s). The Prophet (s) himself had not told his companions about the faith of his uncle out of his kindness to his uncle and because he had feared that his uncle’s monies would have been lost.

The Prophet (s) had had another aim in concealing his uncle’s faith. He wanted him to be as a spy to bring him the news of Quraysh. But then when Islam prevailed over Quraysh on the day of conquering Mecca, al-Abbas declared his faith openly. He had not declared his faith until the conquest of Mecca. Al-Abbas often asked the Prophet (s) to permit him to immigrate to Medina to be with the Prophet (s) but the Prophet (s) wrote to him: “Your stay in Mecca is better to you.” In another tradition the Prophet (s) had written to him: “O uncle, stay in the place where you are. Allah will complete the hijra (emigration) with you as he has completed prophethood.” And it was so because al-Abbas was the last emigrant for he had met the Prophet (s) in al-Abwa’ where he had not known that the Prophet (s) had gone to conquer Mecca and then he went back with him…”Al-Halabi in his Seera has had clearer speech about the preceding faith of al-Abbas and his wife Umm al-Fadhl, who had immigrated to the Prophet (s) too early. Let you refer to that and to the sayings of the other scholars about this subject.

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When Allah has granted His servant and messenger with victory on the day of distinction, the day on which the two parties met; the prisoners have been brought to the Prophet (s). It seemed then that he would keep them alive so that Allah might guide them to His religion later on; and it happened by the grace of Allah!

But the Prophet (s) decided, after forgiving them, to take ransom from them in order to weaken them so that they would not be able to stand against him again and that he would be stronger than them with that ransom. This was the best for the two parties and it was the loyalty to Allah and to His people undoubtedly; “Nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed.” Though the Prophet (s) was merciful in nature and wherever he found a way he would not fail to show his mercy.

Umar thought that all of the prisoners should be killed as a reward because they had considered the Prophet (s) as a liar, harmed him, exiled him and fought him. Umar was too determined to do away with them and that they should be killed by their Muslim relatives. But the Prophet (s) had exemplified the word of Allah: “I follow naught but what is revealed to me; surely I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the punishment of a mighty day. Qur'an, 10:15”

The Prophet (s) forgave them and set them free after taking the ransom. After that those, who were ignorant of his infallibility and wisdom, became as if they “cannot arise except as one, whom the Satan has prostrated by (his) touch, does rise. That is because they say” that the Prophet (s), when keeping them (the prisoners) and taking ransom from them, acted according to his own ijtihad (opinion)[^1] whereas the right thing for him was to kill them and to get rid of their evil. They depended on false and fabricated traditions that neither reason nor custom would accept.

Among those false traditions was this one: “After the Prophet (s) had taken the ransom from the prisoners of Quraysh (and set them free), Umar came to him and found him and Abu Bakr crying. Umar said to them: “What are you crying for?” The Prophet (s) said: “We are about to be afflicted with a great torment because we have

[^1] Ad-Dahlani in his as-Seera an-Nabawiyya, vol.1 p.512.

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contradicted (Umar) ibn al-Khattab. If torment comes down, no one will be safe from it except ibn al-Khattab.”[^1] (they said) then Allah revealed: “It is not fit for a prophet that he should take captives unless he has fought and triumphed in the land; you desire the frail goods of this world, while Allah desires (for you) the hereafter; and Allah is Mighty, Wise. Were it not for an ordinance from Allah that had already gone forth, surely there would have befallen you a great chastisement for what you had taken to. Qur'an, 8:67-68”

“And they did not assign to Allah the attributes due to Him” when they went far in deviation and ascribed ijtihad to the Prophet (s) whereas Allah said: “It is naught but revelation that is revealed.” They were too ignorant when they thought that the Prophet (s) had been mistaken and they went astray to the full when they preferred the saying of other than the Prophet (s). They became confused with this verse and became blind before its intents. They said that it had been revealed to scold the Prophet (s) and his companions when they-as the fool had pretended-preferred the pleasures of this life to the afterlife by keeping the prisoners alive and taking ransom from them before they “had fought and triumphed in the land.” They pretended that no one innocent of that sin save Umar and if the great chastisement would come down, no one would be safe from it except Umar!

Had told lies he who had pretended that the Prophet (s) had kept the prisoners and taken ransom from them before he (had fought and triumphed in the land). The Prophet (s) did that after he had fought and killed the heroes and tyrants of Quraysh like Abu Jahl bin Hisham, Utba, Shayba bin Abu Rabee’a, al-Waleed bin Utba, al-Aass bin Sa’eed, al-Aswad bin Abdul Asad al-Makhzoomi, Umayya bin Khalaf, Zam’a bin al-Asad, Aqeel bin al-Aswad, Nabeeh, Munabbih, Abul Bukhturi, Handhala bin Abu Sufyan, Tu’ayma bin Adiy bin Nawfal, Nawfal bin Khuwaylid, al-Harith bin Zam’a, an-Nadhr bin al-Harith bin Abd ad-Dar, Umayr bin Othman at-Tameemi, Othman

[^1] As-Seera an-Nabawiyya by ad-Dahlani, vol.1 p.512, other traditions having somehow the same meaning mentioned in as-Seera by al-Halabi and al-Bidayeh wen-Nihayeh quoted from Ahmad bin Hanbal, Muslim, Abu Dawood and at-Tarmithi all narrated from Umar bin al-Khattab.

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and Malik, the brothers of Talha, Mass’ood bin Umayya bin al-Mugheera, Qayss bin al-Faqih bin al-Mugheera, Huthayfa bin Abu Huthayfa bin al-Mugheera, Abu Qayss bin al-Waleed bin al-Mugheera, Amr bin Makhzoom, Abul Munthir bin Abu Rifa’a, Hajib bin as-Sa’ib bin Uwaymir, Ouss bin al-Mugheera bin Louthan, Zayd bin Malees, Aasim bin Abu Ouff, Sa’eed bin Wahab, Mo’awiya bin Abdul Qayss, Abdullah bin Jameel bin Zuhayr bin al-Harith bin Asad, as-Sa’ib bin Malik, Abul Hakam bin al-Ahnass, Hisham bin Umayya bin al-Mugheera…to the seventy heads of disbelief and the chiefs of polytheism. After all that how could the Prophet (s) have taken ransom before fighting? Would that they had minds! How did they dare to blame the Prophet (s) after his victories, O you Muslims?! Allah forbid! The Prophet (s) is too far above all what they have raved!

The fact was that the verse had been revealed to scold those who wanted to obtain the caravans and to capture their keepers as Allah had said about the event: “And when Allah promised you one of the two parties that it shall be yours and you loved that the one not armed should be yours and Allah desired to manifest the truth of what was true by His words and to cut off the root of the unbelievers. Qur'an, 8:7”

The Prophet (s) had consulted with his companions and said to them: “The people (the polytheists) have set out on their camels. Are camels more beloved to you or fighting?” They said: “Camels are more beloved to us than meeting the enemy.” One of them said to the Prophet (s) when he saw him insisting on fighting: “You have better told us about fighting so that we could get ready for it. We have come to obtain the camels and not to fight.” The Prophet (s) became too angry.[^1] Then Allah revealed: “Even as your Lord caused you to go forth from your house with the truth, though a party of the believers were surely averse. They disputed with you about the truth after it had become clear, (and they went forth) as if they were being driven to death while they saw (it). Qur'an, 8:5-6”

Then Allah wanted to convince them by justifying the situation of the Prophet (s) in his insisting on fighting and in his indifference to the

[^1] Al-Halabi’s Seera, ad-Dahlani’s Seera and other books of history.

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camels and their keepers when He said: “It is not fit for a prophet” (from among the prophets who had come before your Prophet Muhammad) “that he should take captives unless he has fought and triumphed in the land” so your prophet would have no captives “unless he has fought and triumphed in the land” like the other previous prophets before him. But you wanted, by taking the camels and capturing their keepers, to obtain the pleasures of this life but Allah wanted the hereafter by doing away with His enemies and Allah is (Mighty, Wise). Might and wisdom at those days required to do away with the power of the enemies and to put out their flame. Then Allah said scolding them: (Were it not for an ordinance from Allah that had already gone forth) to prevent them from taking the camels and capturing their keepers, they would have captured the people and taken their camels. If they had done so (surely there would have befallen you a great chastisement for what you had taken to) before fighting in the land!

This is the meaning of the verse and it cannot be interpreted into other than this meaning. I do not know that there is someone preceding me in this interpretation when I have mentioned this verse and explained it in my book al-Fusool al-Muhimma (the important chapters).[^1]

49. Prisoners of Hunayn

When Allah made His messenger defeat the tribe of Hawazin in Hunayn and granted him with that great victory, the caller of the Prophet (s) announced: “No prisoner is to be killed!” Umar bin al-Khattab passed by a tied captive called Ibn al-Akwa’ who had been sent before by the tribe of Huthayl to Mecca as a spy on the Prophet (s) to convey the news of the Prophet (s) and his companions. When Umar saw him, he said: “This is the enemy of Allah. He had been spying on us. He is a captive here. Kill him!” One of the Ansar beheaded him. When the Prophet (s) was informed of that, he scolded them for doing that and said: “Have I not ordered you not to kill any captive?”[^2]

[^1] Chap.8. [^2] Sheikh al-Mufeed’s Irshad, chap. the battle of Hunayn.

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After killing this one, they killed Jameel bin Ma’mar bin Zuhayr. The Prophet (s) sent for the Ansar while he was very angry. He said to them: “Why did you kill him whereas my messenger has come to you ordering you not to kill any prisoner?” They apologized and said that Umar had ordered them to kill the prisoner. The Prophet (s) became angry and deserted them (Umar) until Umayr bin Wahab interceded with him (for Umar) and then he forgave them.[^1]

Among those, who had been killed in Hunayn, was a woman from Hawazin. She was killed by Khalid bin al-Waleed. The Prophet (s) became very angry when he passed by her body, around which many people had gathered. The Prophet (s) said to one of his companions: “Follow after Khalid and said to him that the Prophet (s) orders you not to kill women, children or employees.” It has been narrated by ibn Isshaq.

Ahmad bin Hanbal said: “Abu Aamir bin Abdul Melik narrated from al-Mugheera bin Abdurrahman from Abu az-Zinad from al-Muraqqi’ bin Sayfi that his grandfather Rabah bin Rabee’ had told him that once the Prophet (s) had come back from one of his battles where Khalid bin al-Waleed was the leader of the army. Rabah and the companions of the Prophet (s) passed by a killed woman, who had been killed by of the front of the army. They stopped looking at her astonishingly. When the Prophet (s) arrived, they spread out. The Prophet (s) stopped, looked at her and said: “She would not have fought!” He said to one of his companions: “Follow after Khalid and say to him not to kill a woman or an employee.”[^2] It has also been mentioned by ibn Dawood, an-Nassa’iy and ibn Maja from al-Muraqqi’ bin Sayfi.

50. The fleers from jihad

Allah has prohibited fleeing from jihad at all by this verse: “O you who believe! when you meet those who disbelieve marching for war, then turn not your backs to them. And whoever shall turn his back to them on that day, unless he turn aside for the sake of fighting or withdraws to a company, then he, indeed, becomes deserving of

[^1] Sheikh al-Mufeed’s Irshad, chap. the battle of Hunayn. [^2] Al-Bidayeh wen-Nihayeh by ibn Katheer, chap. The battle of Hunayn.

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Allah's wrath, and his abode is hell; and an evil destination shall it be. Qur'an, 8:15-16” It is a clear and absolute text in a clear verse of the holy Qur'an. But some of the companions have interpreted it according to their own opinions preferring the benefits to obeying the holy texts. In fact they have violated this clear text in many occasions.

One of those occasions was on the day of Uhud. Ibn Qam’a attacked Mus’ab bin Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him) and killed him thinking that he was the Prophet (s). He returned to Quraysh telling them that he had killed Muhammad. The polytheists began bringing good news to each other. They said: “Muhammad was killed! Muhammad was killed! Ibn Qam’a killed him.” The Muslims were frightened and they fled unknowing what to do as Allah has said expressing their state: “When you ran off precipitately and did not wait for any one, and the Messenger was calling you from your rear, so He gave you another sorrow instead of (your) sorrow. Qur'an, 3:153”

The Prophet (s) was calling upon them: “O slaves of Allah, come to me! O slaves of Allah, come to me! I am the messenger of Allah. He, who attacks the enemy, will be in Paradise!” He was calling upon them while he was at the rear but they did not turn to any one at all (while fleeing). Ibn Jareer and Ibnul Atheer mentioned in their Tareekh: “The defeat of the fleeing group of the Muslims, among whom was Othman bin Affan and others, took them to al-A’was. They stayed there for three days and then they came back to the Prophet (s) who said to them when he saw them: “You have gone where you liked!”[^1]

Ibn Jareer and Ibnul Atheer also mentioned that Anass bin an-Nadhr, who was the uncle of Anass bin Malik, met Umar, Talha and some of the Muhajireen, who had put their weapons aside and given up fighting. He asked them: “Why have you given up fighting?” They said: “The Prophet (s) has been killed”. He said to them: “Then what do you do with life after him? Die for what the Prophet (s) has died for!” Then he attacked the polytheists and fought them until he was

[^1] These details have been mentioned by all the historians who have talked about the Battle of Uhud.

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killed. Seventy stabs and strokes were found in his body and no one could know him save his sister. They mentioned that Anass bin an-Nadhr had heard some of the Muslims, among whom were Umar and Talha, saying when they heard that the Prophet (s) had been killed: “Would that Abdullah bin Abu Salool come to take safeguard for us from Abu Sufyan before they kill us!” Anass said to them: “O people, if Muhammad has been killed, the Lord of Muhammad has not been killed. Fight for what Muhammad has fought for! O Allah, I apologize to You for what these people say and acquit myself from what they do!” Then he fought until he was martyred.[^1] Blessings of Allah be upon him.

And another one of those occasions was “on the day of Hunayn, when your great numbers made you vain, but they availed you nothing and the earth became strait to you notwithstanding its spaciousness, then you turned back retreating. Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers. Qur'an, 9:25-26” who kept to the Prophet (s) when his companions fled; the companions among whom was Umar as al-Bukhari said in his Sahih[^2] when mentioning a tradition that Abu Qatada al-Ansari had said: “…on the day of Hunayn the Muslims fled away and I fled with them. I saw Umar among the fleers. I said to him: “What is the matter with the people?” He said: “It is an affair of Allah…”

And another occasion; when the Prophet (s) marched to conquer Khaybar, he sent Abu Bakr at the head of the army. He was defeated and came back.[^3]

Imam Ali (s) said: “The Prophet (s) marched to conquer Khaybar. He sent Umar at the head of the companions (the army). He and his companions were defeated and came back; one cowarding the other…”[^4]

[^1] This story has been mentioned by the historians who have detailed the events of the battle of Uhud. [^2] Vol.3 p.46. Al-Bidayeh wen-Nihayeh by ibn Katheer, vol.4 p.329 from al-Bukhari, Muslim and others. [^3] Mustadrak of al-Hakim, vol.3 p.37, Talkhees al-Mustadrak by ath-Thahabi. [^4] Mustadrak of al-Hakim, Talkhees al-Mustadrak of ath-Thahabi.

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Al-Hakim mentioned in his Mustadrak[^1] that Jabir bin Abdullah had said: “The messenger of Allah said: “Tomorrow I will send a man, who loves Allah and His messenger and they love him. He will not turn his back (to the enemy). Allah will grant him victory.” The men looked forward to it. Ali was sore-eyed on that day. The Prophet (s) asked him to set out with the army. Ali said: “O messenger of Allah, I can see nothing.” The Prophet (s) spit in Ali’s eyes and gave him the banner. Ali asked: “O messenger of Allah, what shall I fight them for?” the Prophet (s) said: “To witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. If they do, they will spare their bloods and monies and their reward will be with Allah.” He fought them (the people of Khaybar) and defeated them.”

Al-Hakim, after mentioning this tradition, said: “Al-Bukhari and Muslim have agreed on the tradition (of the banner) but they did not mention it in this way.” So has been said by ath-Thahabi in his Talkhees after mentioning the tradition.

Iyass bin Salama narrated that his father had said: “We have fought with the Prophet (s) in Khaybar when he spit in Ali’s eyes and they recovered and then the Prophet (s) gave him the banner. Marhab came out to Ali reciting:

“Khaybar has known that I am Marhab, Expert hero with sharp weapons When wars come flaming.” Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came out to him reciting:

“It is me, whom my mother has called me Haydara, like a lion of forest with bad look. I kill (many of) you with the sword.” Ali struck Marhab and split his head and then the victory came.”[^2] And another occasion during the battle of as-Silsila in the valley of ar-Raml (sand); it was like the battle of Khaybar. First the Prophet (s) sent Abu Bakr and then he came back defeated with his army.

[^1] Vol.3 p.38. [^2] Mustadrak of al-Hakim, who said it was a true tradition according to the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim. So was said by ath-Thahabi in his Talkhees.

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Then the Prophet (s) sent Umar who came back with defeat too. After that the Prophet (s) sent Imam Ali (s) who came back with victory, booties and captives.[^1]

The battle of as-Silsila is other than the battle of Thaat as-Salasil, which was in the seventh year of hijra under the leadership of Amr bin al-Aass. Abu Bakr, Umar and Abu Ubayda were among the army on that day according to all of the historians.

There were some problems between Umar and Amr bin al-Aass as al-Hakim has mentioned in his Mustadrak.[^2] Abdullah bin Burayda narrated that his father had said: “The Prophet (s) had sent Amr bin al-Aass to the battle of Thaat as-Salasil as the leader of the army, in which Abu Bakr and Umar were as soldiers. When they arrived at the place of the battle, Amr ordered his army not to light any fire. Umar bin al-Khattab became angry and tried to attack Amr but Abu Bakr forbade him from doing that and said to him that the Prophet (s) had appointed Amr as the leader because he knew that he was expert in the affairs of the wars and then Umar became quiet.”

Al-Hakim said, after mentioning this tradition, that it was true and ath-Thahabi said the same after mentioning the tradition in his Talkhees.

Note

The Prophet (s) had wise ways in announcing the virtues of Imam Ali (s) and in preferring him to the rest of the companions. The researchers knew that well. Among these ways was that the Prophet (s) had never appointed any one as a leader over Imam Ali (s) neither in war nor in peace whereas the other companions had been under the leadership of others.[^3] The

[^1] Refer to al-Irshad by Sheikh al-Mufeed for more details. [^2] Vol.3 p.43. [^3] Once al-Hasan al-Basri was asked about Imam Ali (s) and he said: “What shall I say about one, who has obtained the four aspects; being entrusted with the sura of Bara’a, what the Prophet (s) has said about him in the battle of Tabook… if he missed any thing of virtues other than prophethood, the Prophet (s) would exclude him, the saying of the Prophet (s): …the two weighty things; the Book of Allah and my family and that no emir has ever been appointed over him at all whereas the emirs have

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Prophet (s) had appointed Amr bin al-Aass as the emir over Abu Bakr and Umar in the battle of Thaat as-Salasil. When the Prophet (s) left to the better world, Ussama bin Zayd, although he was too young, was the emir over the heads of the Muhajireen and the Ansar like Abu Bakr, Umar, Abu Ubayda and their likes.

When the Prophet (s) appointed Imam Ali (s) as a leader of an army, he joined to his army famous personalities but when he appointed other than him, he excluded him from those armies and kept him to be with him.[^1] When the Prophet (s) sent two brigades; one under the leadership of Imam Ali (s) and the other under the leadership of another one, he ordered them that when the two brigades gathered together, both would be under the leadership of Imam Ali (s) and when they separated again, each one would lead his brigade.[^2]

The Prophet (s), more than one time, had sent other than Imam Ali (s) on the armies but they came back unsuccessfully and then the Prophet (s) sent Imam Ali (s) to obtain great victories[^3] and in this

commanded other (companions) than him…” Refer to Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol. 1 p.369. [^1] As he had done in the battle of Khaybar when he appointed Abu Bakr and then Umar as the leaders but he was not under their leaderships but when he appointed Imam Ali (s) as the leader, they both were under his leadership. Praise be to Allah for all of that!

[^2] Ahmad bin Hanbal mentioned in his Musnad, vol.5 p.356 that Burayda had said: “The Prophet (s) had sent two armies to Yemen; one of them was under the leadership of Ali bin Abu Talib and the other was under the leadership of Khalid bin al-Waleed. He said to them: “If you meet together, Ali will be the leader of the two armies and if you separate, each one of you will lead his army.” We met the tribe of Zubayda and we fought each other. The Muslims defeated the polytheists. We killed the warriors and captured the women. Ali chose a woman from among the captives to himself. Khalid sent a letter with me to the Prophet (s) telling him about that. When I came to the Prophet (s), I gave him the book. It was read to him. The sign of anger seemed on the face of the Prophet (s). I said: “O messenger of Allah, you have sent me with a man and ordered me to obey him and I did as I was ordered.” The Prophet (s) said: “Do not involve yourself with Ali in any problem! He is from me and I am from him and he is your guardian after me.” This tradition has been mentioned by other scholars of Hadith. Refer to our book al-Muraja’at, no.36.

[^3] As in the battle of Khaybar and the battle of Thaat as-Salasil mentioned above.

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way the virtue of Imam Ali (s) appeared better than if the Prophet (s) would have sent him from the first. The Prophet (s) might have sent other than Imam Ali (s) in a task, to which the necks stretched, and then Allah revealed to the Prophet (s) that: “No one is to carry out your tasks save you or a man from you” meaning Imam Ali (s) as it was with the matter of the sura of Bara’a and breaking the covenants of the polytheists on the day of the great hajj.[^1]

51. The Prophet (s) orders his companions not to answer Abu Sufyan in Uhud

On the day of Uhud, the Prophet (s) and his companions stopped at the bank of the valley and they let the mountain behind them. The polytheists were three thousand and seven hundred armored warriors and two hundred knights. There were fifteen women with them. The Muslims were two hundred armored fighters and two knights.

The two armies got ready to fight. The Prophet (s) (and his companions) turned his face to Medina and left the mountain of Uhud behind him. He made the archers, who were fifty men, behind him and appointed Abdullah bin Jubayr as their emir and said to him: “Keep the knights away from us by the arrows. Do not let them attack us from behind. Keep on your places whether we win or lose for we will not be attacked except from this defile (shi’b); the defile of Uhud.”

Talha bin Othman, the bearer of the polytheists’ banner, came out calling: “O companions of Muhammad, you claim that Allah will hasten us to Hell by your swords and He will hasten you to Paradise by our swords. Let some one of you, who wants to hasten me to Hell by his sword and to be hastened to Paradise by my sword, advance!”

Ibnul Atheer said in al-Kamil: “…Ali bin Abu Talib came out to him and struck him and his leg was cut. He fell to the ground and his private parts appeared. He begged Ali and Ali left him alone. He

[^1] We have written a good research on this subject in our book Abu Hurayra. Please refer to p.157-188, tradition no.18.

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weltered in his blood until he died. The Prophet (s) said: “Allahu akbar-Allah is great. The (ram) of the battalion!” The Muslims began crying: “Allahu akbar” after the Prophet (s). The Prophet (s) said to Ali: “What prevented you from finishing him off?” Ali said: “He begged me by Allah and kinship. I felt shy to kill him after that.”

After that Imam Ali (s) withstood. He killed the bearers of the banner one after the other. Ibnul Atheer and other historians said: “The Muslims killed the bearers of the banner and it remained thrown on the ground; no one approached it. Then Amra bint Alqama al-Harithiyya took the banner and raised it and then Quraysh gathered around the banner. Then a slave of bani Abd ad-Dar, who was very strong, took the banner and he also was killed. He, who had killed the bearers of the banner, was Ali bin Abu Talib. Abu Rafi’ said that.”

People fought severely. Hamza, Ali, Abu Dijana and some of the Muslims had done well in the fight. Allah granted them victory and the polytheists were defeated. The women of the polytheists fled to the mountain. The Muslims entered the camp of the polytheists to rob their properties. When the archers saw their fellows robbing, they left their places in the defile and hastened to rob too forgetting what the Prophet (s) had ordered them of.

When Khalid bin al-Waleed, who was with the polytheists on that day, saw that the archers in the defile were a few, he killed them and attacked the Prophet’s companions from the rear. The fled polytheists came back again with activity and fought the Muslims and defeated them after killing seventy of Muslim heroes, among whom was Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib, the lion of Allah and of His messenger. On that day the Prophet (s) fought severely until all his arrows finished. His bow was broken and he was injured in his cheek and his front. One of his teeth was broken and his lip was cut. Ibn Qam’a attacked him with his sword and was about to kill him.

Imam Ali (s) and five men of the Ansar, who were martyred then, fought before the Prophet (s) and defended him. Abu Dijana made himself as armor for the Prophet (s). The arrows stuck into the back of Abu Dijana while he was covering the Prophet (s) with his body. Mus’ab bin Umayr fought bravely and then he was martyred. He was

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killed by Abu Qam’a, who thought that he had killed the Prophet (s). He went back to Quraysh saying: “Muhammad is killed.” The people began crying: “Muhammad is killed! Muhammad is killed!” The Muslims fled aimlessly. The first one, who recognized the Prophet (s), was Ka’b bin Malik. He shouted at the top of his voice: “O Muslims, this is the messenger of Allah. He is alive. He is not killed.” The Prophet (s) asked him to keep silent.[^1]

Then Imam Ali (s) and his companions took the Prophet (s) to the defile, in which he protected himself. Imam Ali (s) and his companions surrounded the Prophet (s) defending him.

Ibn Jareer and Ibnul Atheer in their Tareekhs and other historians said: “…the Prophet (s), while he was in the defile, saw some polytheists. He said to Ali: “Attack them!” Ali attacked them, killed some of them and scattered the others. The Prophet (s) saw another group of the polytheists. He said to Ali: “Do away with them!” Ali attacked them, killed some of them and scattered the others. Gabriel said: “O messenger of Allah, this is the assistance!” The Prophet (s) said: “He (Ali) is from me and I am from him.” Gabriel said: “And I am from you both.” Then a voice was heard saying: “No sword save Thul Faqar[^2] and no youth save Ali!”

Imam Ali (s) began bringing water with his leather shield to wash the Prophet’s wounds but the bleeding did not stop.[^3] Hind (Abu Sufyan’s wife) and her fellow women went to the martyrs of the Muslims and began mutilating their bodies. They made from the ears, the noses and the fingers of the martyrs necklaces and rings. She had given Wahshi her rings and necklaces for his killing Hamza. Hind cut open the chest of Hamza and took out his liver. She chewed it but she found it unpleasant and then she emitted it. Then Abu Sufyan came near to the Muslims and said: “Is Muhammad among you?” He repeated that three times. The Prophet (s) said to

[^1] That the enemy might hear him and might attack the Prophet (s) again. [^2] Thul Faqar was the name of the famous sword of Imam Ali (s). [^3] After that Fatima (s) burnt a piece of a straw mat and put some of the ash on the wound and then the bleeding stopped. She had attended the event. She embraced her father while he was wounded and she was crying.