Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ni’ma Vol. 1

Chapter 20: Report of Zaid bin Amr bin Nufayl

Zaid bin Amr bin Nufayl was also in search of the Hanif religion and he had information about the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (S). He was in anticipation of his advent and he went out in search of him and was killed on the way.

1 -Narrated to us Abul Hasan Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Husain Bazzaz Nishapuri that: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Yaqoob bin Yusuf that: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Abdul Jabbar Utaridi: Narrated to us Yunus bin Bukair from Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar Madani that he said:

“Zaid bin Amr bin Nufayl had investigated Judaism and Christianity properly and did not like any of these faiths. So he came out of Mecca in search of the Abrahamic religion. When his wife Safiya binte Hadhrami learnt of his intention, she informed his uncle, Khattab bin Nufayl so that he may restrain him but he set out in search of the Abrahamic religion and passing through Mosul and other Arab islands and reached Damascus. Whenever he came to know about a scholar or a monk he used to go and meet. Finally, he came to know about a hermit in Balqa who possessed complete knowledge of the Christian faith. So he went to meet him and inquired from him about the Abrahamic faith.

He said apparently there was no one having correct information about this religion as it was a very ancient faith. But very soon a prophet will arise in the same town from where you have come. He shall be on the Abrahamic faith. So you must hurry back to your hometown as the time of his advent is now. And it is even possible that he has already appeared. Upon hearing this, Zaid started on the return journey with speed but was killed on the way. When Waraqa bin Naufal who also followed the same faith, came to know about his death he cried much and recited the following elegy in his honor:

O Amr you have achieved guidance and gained the bounty. And you have saved yourself from the blazing fire.

By choosing such a Lord who has no equal and by abandoning the disobedient idols who remain as they were.

And the mercy of his Lord reaches man even though he may be sixty layers beneath the earth.”

2 - From the same chain of narrators from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar Madani that he said: Narrated to me Muhammad bin Khattab and Saeed bin Zaid that they said:

“O Messenger of Allah (S), shall we pray for forgiveness of Zaid? Yes, he said, you must pray for forgiveness of Zaid as on the Judgment Day he will be raised as a separate community.”

3 - Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Husain Bazzaz that: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Yaqoob bin Yusuf: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Abdul Jabbar from Yunus bin Bukair from Masudi from Nufayl bin Hisham from his father that his grandfather, Saeed bin Zaid that he asked the Messenger of Allah (S) about his father, Zaid bin Amr:

“O Messenger of Allah (S) Zaid bin Amr was as you have seen. He had heard the reports about you and if he had reached you he would have accepted faith. Shall we pray for his forgiveness?

The Messenger of Allah (S) replied: Yes, you must pray for his forgiveness. On the Judgment Day he will be raised as a complete community. He had belief (in me) and was in search of the true religion; and he died while in pursuit for it.”

The author says: Before the proclamation of prophethood the circumstances of the Holy Prophet (S) were same as they are of the Master of the Time (a.t.f.s.) in this age we are in. At that time also only the hermits and scholars had information regarding the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (S) and Islam was in a poor state, such that when a prophet used to pray for the advent of the Holy Prophet (S) the ignorant and deviated people used to make fun of him and said: When will that prophet arise, who according to your view will be the owner of the sword?

Whose call shall spread in the east and the west and to whom will submit the kings of the world? It is just as the ignorant people tell us today: When will this Mahdi, in whom you believe, appear? A group denies him and another group accepts him. And the Holy Prophet (S) has said: “Islam certainly began strange and it will revert to being strange. Thus blessed be the strange ones.”

Thus according to the statement of His Eminence, Islam has reached a poor state in the present age but with the reappearance of the Wali of Allah and His Proof it will again become powerful like it was strengthened by the advent of the Prophet of Allah and His Messenger and will cool the eyes of those who await for him and those who have faith in his Imamate in the same way as were cooled the eyes of those who anticipated the advent of the Messenger of Allah (S) and those who believed in him after he had appeared. And indeed Allah, the Mighty and Sublime will fulfill the promise He has made to His Awliya (saints) and exalt His word and complete His light even though the polytheists may be averse.

4 - Narrated to us Ja’far bin Ali bin Hasan bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Mughairah Kufi (r.a.) that he said: Narrated to me my grandfather Hasan bin Ali from his grandfather Abdullah bin Mughairah from Ismail bin Muslim from As-Sadiq Ja’far bin Muhammad from his father from his ancestors from Ali (a.s.) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“Islam certainly began strange and very soon it will revert to being strange. Thus blessed be the strange ones.”

5 -Narrated to us Muzaffar bin Ja’far bin Muzaffar Alawi Amari Samarqandi (r.a.) that he said: Narrated to us Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Masud from his father Muhammad bin Masud from Ja’far bin Ahmad from Amaraki bin Ali Bufaki from Hasan bin Ali bin Faddal from Ali bin Musa Reza from his father Musa bin Ja’far from his father Ja’far bin Muhammad from his father Muhammad bin Ali from his father Ali bin Husain from his father Husain bin Ali from his father Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“Islam certainly began strange and very soon it will revert to being strange as it started. Thus blessed be the strange ones.”