KHUTAB III - 18. THA‘LABAH

18. THA‘LABAH

          The birth of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. has been commemorated recently in some Muslim countries. His biography is worthy to learn, as he is the model and example of Muslims’ behaviour. Allah says,

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ

 وَالْيَوْمَ الْآَخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا (الأحزاب  : ٢١)

 Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to

 follow for  him who hopes for (the meeting with) Allah and

 the  Last Day, and remembers Allah much.  (Q. 33:21)

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. is our example for modesty, patience, forbearance, compassion, and many other characters and behaviours. In facing our day-to-day’s problems, we are supposed to think what the Prophet would do if he himself is facing the same problems. Let the following story give us a precious lesson.

          In the history of Islam, there was a companion of the Prophet called Tha‘labah b. H.āt.ib. He lived in Medinah, among the ans.ār and came to the Prophet to ask help. As he was poor he asked the Prophet to pray to Allah for him to become rich. The Prophet said to him:

“O Tha‘labah, what is the matter with you!? A little wealth with shukr (gratefulness, thanks to Allah) is better than much richness without shukr.”

Tha‘labah fell silent upon hearing the Prophet’s statement, but was not satisfied with it. He came again to him, so that he would pray for him to become rich. Again the Prophet said to him:

“O Tha‘labah, it would be better for you to be like myself as an example. If I wished that the hills around me to become gold and silver, Allah would grant my wish. Therefore, it would be better to live a simple life.”

          Tha‘labah was still unsatisfied with the Prophet’s answer. He came again to the Prophet and said:

          “O Messenger of Allah, pray for me that I would become rich! By Allah Who sent you with truth, if Allah grants me richness, I would give the right of those who have right to it.”

          On hearing Tha‘labah’s promise and covenant, the Prophet prayed for him. O, Allah, O my Lord, give wealth to Tha‘labah.”

          Day after day Tha‘labah’s wealth kept increasing. His sheep kept breeding rapidly, that the streets of Medinah were full of them. In order to tend these sheep, he took them outside Medinah. What happened now? He could pray with the Prophet in the mosque on zuhr and ‘asr prayers only. Before, he had prayed with him the five-daily prayers; now, he did not attend the maghrib, ‘ishā, and fajr congregational prayers in the mosque any longer. As his sheep kept breeding very quickly he decided to move and live outside Medinah. Since then, he had time to come to Medinah once a week only to attend the Jum‘ah prayer with the Prophet. His sheep kept breeding, so that he decided to move further away from Medinah, that he could not  even attend the Jum‘ah prayer. He only waited for any news from people who returned from the Jum‘ah prayer. He became too busy with his sheep, that he had no time to leave them.

          One day the Prophet remembered Tha‘labah who had been absent from the mosque for a long time. He asked his companions,

          “Where is Tha‘labah now? Why he does not appear any longer?”    

          When they told him that Tha‘labah was being busy tending his sheep around the valley, he complained and sighed heavily, saying: “Why has it become like this, Tha‘labah, why has it become like this?”

          When the order to pay zakāh was revealed by Allah, the Prophet sent his men to collect it from people who were liable to it. He sent two people, one from Sulaym tribe and another from Juhaynah tribe to collect zakāh from Tha‘labah and the Sulaym tribe. The two men came to Tha‘labah reading a mandate and instruction from the Prophet. But Tha‘labah was reluctant to pay the zakāh. He said, “What kind of zakāh? This is like jizyah (tax levied on non-Muslims). Go first to the Sulaym tribe to collec zakāh from them, then come to me.” He kept postponing to avoid paying the zakāh. 

          The two zakāh collectors came to the Sulaym tribe who welcomed and treated them well. They chose their best camels for the zakāh. Then the zakāh collectors came again to Tha‘labah who had promised to pay the zakāh for his sheep. He asked them again to read the Prophet’s mandate.  After the reading, he said again: “This is not different from jizyah. Go first, and give me time to think it over.” Apparently, he wanted to avoid paying zakāh.

          The two zakāh collectors returned to Medinah with the camels as the zakāh of the Sulaym tribe. The Prophet prayed for the Sulaym tribe who paid zakāh. When he learned that Tha‘labah had not payed zakāh, he said, “Why has it become like this, Tha‘labah?” Shortly afterwards, revelation came as follows: 

وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ عَاهَدَ اللَّهَ لَئِنْ آَتَانَا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ لَنَصَّدَّقَنَّ وَلَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ. فَلَمَّا

آَتَاهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ بَخِلُوا بِهِ وَتَوَلَّوْا وَهُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ. فَأَعْقَبَهُمْ نِفَاقًا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَى

 يَوْمِ  يَلْقَوْنَهُ بِمَا أَخْلَفُوا اللَّهَ مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ (التوبة :٧٥-٧٧)

And of them are some who made a covenant with Allah

 (saying): “If He bestowed on us of His bounty, we will verily

 give sadaqah (zakāh and voluntary charity) and will be certainly

 among those who are righteous.” Then when He gave them of His bounty, they became niggardly [refused to pay sadaqah], and

turned away, averse. So, He punished them by putting

 hypocrisy into their  hearts till the Day whereon

 they shall meet Him and because they used

 to tell lies. (Q.  9:75-77).

          As usual, the Prophet cited every revelation he just received to his companions. When these verses were cited by the Prophet to his companions one of them who heard them was a relative of Tha‘labah.  He came to Tha‘labah and said, “Woe unto you, O Tha‘labah! Allah has sent revelation concerning you.” He was astonished and realized his carelessness. Immediately he came to the Prophet to pay his zakāh, but it was too late. The Prophet could not accept it any longer, as Allah had prohibited him from accepting it. He reminded him that he had advised him before, but he disregarded his advice. So, Tha‘labah returned home full of remorse and sadness.

          After the death of the Prophet, Abu Bakr became caliph. Tha‘labah came to Abu Bakr to offer him his zakāh, but Abu Bakr refused to accept it, saying,  “How could I accept your zakāh, when the Messenger of Allah himself rejected it?”

          After the death of Abu Bakr he was succeeded by ‘Umar, Tha‘labah came to him persuading him to accept his zakāh, but ‘Umar also rejected it, saying, “How could I accept your zakāh, whereas the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr themselves have rejected it?”

          After the death of ‘Umar he was succeeded by ‘Uthman r.a.  Tha‘labah came and persuaded ‘Uthman to accept his zakāh, but he also declined. So,  Tha‘labah died in the time of the caliphate of ‘Uthman taking with him his major sin, namely, breaking his promise with Allah and His Messenger.

This was the end of accumulated wealth that became the enemy of its owner. Wealth which is usually regarded as a means to obtain one’s ambition including power and authority can turn against its owner (Ind. “senjata makan tuan”). Many people promise that when they become rich they will do something good with it, to give charity and help the poor, but when they become rich they forget their promise, and would say, for example, “you are poor because you are lazy,” but Allah never forgets their promises.  Wealth could make people forget themselves, become arrogant with their wealth, whereas it is all from Allah and belongs to Him, and is only amānah, a trust, something entrusted to them to spend in His way. Like a double-edged knife, it could be a useful or a dangerous tool, depending on the intention of the one who uses it. 

          Muslims are enjoined to eradicate poverty which is a grave enemy to Islam, as it could lead to infidelity. One might say, for example, “If there is God Who is Merciful and Compassionate, then why am I living in misery?”  Muslims are enjoined seek wealth in order to pay zakāh as a means to fight poverty, to help the poor and the needy, to build and create prosperity in Muslim communities, and to defend Islam from its enemy. May Allah protect us from being ungrateful to Him. (ANUMA, 14 April, 06).