Light On the Muhammadan Sunnah Or Defence of the Hadith

Abu Hurayrah Follows the Umayyads:

From the biography of Abu Hurayrah revealed before, it became clear that his company to the Prophet was only for satiating his belly as he himself stated recurringly, saying that he took al-Siffah as his shelter due to his poverty, eating in it like all its people, or eating in the house of the Prophet or with any of his companions. A person with such a state should undoubtedly be among the common companions who having neither status nor weight. He kept on such case during the lifetime of the Prophet (S) and rule of Abu Bakr and Umar, then during the era of Uthman, he began to show himself after choosing seclusion, and appear before people after being hidden.

When the war broke out between Ali and Mu'awiyah, or in other words when struggle erupted publicly between the Umayyads and Hashimites,

401  after being out of sight during the era of the Prophet and his two successors Abu Bakr and Umar, and Muslims were divided into several groups and sects, Abu Hurayrah tilted toward the side suiting his temper and agreeing with his self constitution and desire. And that was the side of Mu'awiyah which possessed all means of power, opulence, wealth, and ease that were not owned by the side of Ali that had nothing except poverty, starvation and asceticism. It is verily not strange for that who grew up and lived the same life and condition of Abu Hurayrah to shun the path leading toward Ali, and tread the course leading to Mu'awiyah in order to satiate his

gluttony from different sorts of his appetising foods, attaining his desire of his (Mu'awiyah's) gifts and splendour grants.

While indigence and hunger of Abu Hurayrah reaching a degree that he falls unconscious, 402  with people placing their feet on his neck! Would it be possible for him to forsake the Umayyad State with its broad domain and tasty foods, and turn toward Ali the poor ascetic man whose food was only cured meant? Such a behaviour is verily rejected by the human natural dispositions, and never agreeing with self instincts! except only those protected by the Lord, who being very few in number.

The Umayyads, recognizing his good action for them and appreciating his loyalty to them, showered him with their favours and extended to him their support and presents! Consequently, in a short time, his condition turned from distress into ease, from hardship into comfort, and from poverty into opulence. Besides, after he used to cover his body with a ragged garment, 403  he began to put on clothes of tissue of silk and wool, and stretched linen.

404

The first consideration made by the Umayyads toward Abu Hurayrah as a reward for his support to them, was appointing him a ruler over al-Madinah by Bisr ibn Arta'ah, after being delegated by Mu'awiyah to the people of Hijaz violating their rights and looting their and their descendants' properties. Further, Marwan used to depute him as a governor over al-Madinah. Then they increased in their generosity and abundant grants, building him a palace at Aqiq with granting him a land (as a fief) in Aqiq and Dhu al-Hulayfah. Being unsatisfied with all this, they even gave him in marriage Bisrah bint Ghazwan, the sister of the Emir Utbah ibn Ghazwan, whom he used to serve during the days of his destitution and poverty in return for filling his belly.

405

His vainglory and ostentation made him feel joyous, with his origin and descent making him transgress the boundaries of etiquette and veneration with this noble lady. This fact was indicated, after this marriage of which he never dreamt, when he was saying "I was a servant for Bisrah bint Ghazwan in return for satiating my belly, in a way that when she got on (the camel) I would lead the mount, and when she alighted I would serve her, while at the time being I get on and on my alighting (from the horse) she would serve me!".. and on reaching a plain land she would get down saying: I will never remain here till you make me a porridge! Here I am, whenever coming to any side of her place I would say to her: I will never stay here unless you make me a porridge!

Ibn Sa'd reported that he (Abu Hurayrah) said: I gave myself on hire for the daughter of Ghazwan in return for feeding my belly and for heel of my leg, and she used to task me with mounting the horse standing and come in barefooted. After that Allah gave her in marriage to me, when I imposed upon her to mount (the horse) standing and come in barefooted. 406

The favour Abu Hurayrah did for Mu'awiyah was not through striving (Jihad) with his sword or wealth, but was striving with traditions he disseminated among Muslims with the only aim being to disappoint supporters of Ali and defame him, making people deny and repudiate him, and extolling Mu'awiyah and his government. Among what he narrated were some traditions in regard of honour and merit of Uthman and Mu'awiyah and their likes who having kinship relation to Abu al-`As household and the Ummayads as a whole.

Al-Bayhaqi reported that when Abu Hurayrah entered the house of Uthman at the time of being besieged, he asked permission to speak. When he permitted him, he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: You will verily

face after me a sedition and disagreement, when someone inquired him: To whom we should take shelter then, O Messenger of Allah? ... or what do you order us to do then? He replied: You have to shelter to the trustworthy and his companions, pointing to Uthman. (this hadith was reported by Ahmad with reliable chain of transmitters).

As soon as Uthman transcribed the masahif, Abu Hurayrah entered upon him saying. 407  You have verily hit the mark and succeeded! I testify that I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: The staunchest and strongest in loving me among my Ummah, are people coming after me, believing in God and me without seeing me, and acting according to the hanging papers... till seeing the masahif. This hadith pleased Uthman, who ordered to award Abu Hurayrah ten thousand (dirhams).

This hadith is verily one of his strange narrations, that undoubtedly indicating its being composed and ephemeral.

In regard of Mu'awiyah he fabricated a hadith reported by al-Khatib that he said: The Prophet (upon whom be God's peace and benediction) handed Mu'awiyah a share saying to him: Take this share and keep it till meeting me with it in the heavens.

Further, Ibn Asakir, Ibn Adi and al-Khatib al Baghdadi reported from him as saying: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: Allah verily entrusted His revelation to three men: me and Gabriel and Mu'awiyah. In another narration. 408  From Abu Hurayrah, with a chain of transmitters, (the Messenger of Allah said:)" The trustworthy men are three: Gabriel and me and Mu'awiyah.

It is reported that Abu Hurayrah gazed at A'ishah bint Talhah, who was known with being so pretty, saying: Subhan Allah (Glory be to God), how best your family nourished you! by God I have never seen a face better

than yours except the face of Mu'awiyah when being on the minbar (tribune) of the messenger of Allah. 409  There are numerous reports in this regard.

He exaggerated in backing and supporting the Umayyads to the extent that he was urging people to pay the alms-due requested by them (Umayyads), warning them against slandering or insulting them.

Al-Ajjaj al-Rajiz is reported to have said: Abu Hurayrah said to me: Wherefrom are you? I said: I am from the people of Iraq. He said: The speckled of the Sham 410  are about to come to you and collect your alms. When they come go and receive them, and if they enter (the house) you have to be in the farthest place, leaving a distance between you and it (alm-sadaqah). Be careful and never slander them, as by so doing your reward will verily vanish while they taking your Sadaqah, and if you be patient this sadaqah will be placed in your scale on the Day of Resurection.

411

  1. Refer to my book on Abu Hurayrah, in which you can find a separate chapter titled "How the Umayyad State was Established?"

  2. The words uttered by Abu Hurayrah, as reported by al-Bukhari, were : I was falling down between the minbar of the Messenger of Allah and room of A'ishah, swooned, when people would come and put their feet on my neck, thinking me to be lunatic while I was not foolish, but what I was feeling being only hunger.

  3. In al-Hilyah, it is reported that he said: I have taken off a cloak of my back and spread it before him (S), when I witnessed, the lices creeping on it. He used to fasten this cloak to his neck, and when it would reach his two legs he would gather it so as not to let his private parts appear to the seer.

  4. In Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd it is reported that Abu Hurayrah used to wear cloths made of tissues of silk and wool, and teak embroided with pure silk. Al-Bukhari reported that he used to put on the combed linen.

  5. What indicating that Abu Hurayrah remained poor and destitute till the last days of caliphate of Umar, can be learned from the fact that when Umar summoned him from al-Bahrayn, after committing wrongs necessitating his deposing from its governorship which he undertook in 21 H., he said to him: Do you know that from the time I appointed you as a governor on al-Bahrayn and you be without sandals!!

  6. Do you see how this speech is devoid of any manliness and dignity, as he is boasting of disgracing his wife and avenging himself upon her! Can a noble man do so?!

  7. Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-nihayah, vol. VII, p. 216.

  8. Ibid., vol. VIII, p. 120.

  9. Al-Iqd al-farid, vol. VI, p. 109.

410 The biq'an (speckled) of Sham are their servants, slaves and mamalik.

  1. Ibn Qutaybah, al-Shi'r wa al-shu'ara', p. 572.