KHUTAB XI:10. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (3)

10. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (3)

8. Those who emigrated in the period between the battle of Badr and the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah, namely, between 17 Ramaḍān 2 AH/13 March 624 AH, and Dhū ‘l-Qi‘dah 6 AH/March 628 CE.

9. The participants of the Pledge of Riḍwān (أَهْلُ بَيْعَةِ الرِّضْوَان). In the month of Dhū ‘l-Qi‘dah 6 AH/March 628 CE the Prophet (ﷺ) accompanied by 1400 Muslims including his wife Ummu Salamah went to Makkah for ‘umrah (minor pilgrimage). They did not carry weapons for fighting, except knives and swords needed and carried by travellers. When they reached Dhū ’l-Ḥulayfah they changed their dress with pilgrims ones to indicate that they were being in the state of iḥrām to let others know that they were coming for ‘umrah, not to fight. But the Makkan Quraysh and many other tribes opposed their coming and completely blocked the road to Makkah. Two hundred horsemen tried to take the Muslims by surprise, but missed them, as they followed a rocky way.

As several negotiations failed the Prophet (ﷺ) sent ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affān who belonged to one of most powerful families in Makkah who would be expected to protect him. He told Abū Sufyān and other chiefs that they only wanted to perform ‘umrah and go back to Madinah. He also invited them to Islam and told them that Islam would prevail, but they were inflexible, that only ‘Uthman was allowed to perform the ‘umrah which he rejected.

As there was  rumour of the death of ‘Uthmān the Muslims took a solemn pledge that they would stand firm to the death in  the cause of Truth, started by Abū Sinān al-Asadī and Salamah ibn al-Akwa’. All of them pledged except Jad ibn Qays who was of the hypocrites. When ‘Uthmān arrived, he also made the pledge. For this occasion Allah revealed:

لَقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا

فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَنْزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَثَابَهُمْ فَتْحًا قَرِيبًا (الفتح:18)

Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers

when they gave their bay‘ah (pledge) to you

(O Muhammad) under the tree (Q. 48:18)

Eventually, a treaty was made, called “The Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah” (صلح الحديبية) where the Muslims postponed their pilgrimage to next year and would stay for three days only, and peace for the two parties for ten years. Whoever wanted to join any of the two parties was free to do so. Any fugitive from the Quraysh to Muhammad (ﷺ) he should be sent back to the Quraysh, but not vice versa. Despite this double standard, this treaty was called by Allah “a manifest victory”, and history proved it to be true.

10. Those who emigrated to Madinah after the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah and before the conquest of Makkah. In this period Amr Ibn al-‘Āṣ and Khālid ibn al-Walīd came to Madinah to convert to Islam. Khālid’s brother al-Walīd had invited him to Islam in his letter when he was doing the pilgrimage. Abū Hurayrah (603–681 CE) migrated to Madinah with his mother. He had converted to Islam in Makkah at the hand of al- Ṭufayl ibn ‘Amr before coming to Madinah when the Prophet (ﷺ) was in the conquest of Khaybar in 7 AH. Amr Ibn al-‘Āṣ and Khālid ibn al-Walīd were welcomed by the Prophet (ﷺ) who told them that by embracing Islam all previous sins were forgiven. These two warriors later became the Prophet’s generals.

The increase number of converted in this period can be seen by comparing those joined the Prophet (ﷺ) in the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah, and the conquest of Makkah, namely, from 1,400 to 10,000 men with about 8,600 men, over six times increase within two years.

11. Those who converted to Islam at the conquest of Makkah in 20 Ramaḍān 8 AH. Banū Bakr the ally of the Quraysh attacked the Khuzā‘ah tribe who was the ally of the Prophet. Nawfal, the chief of Banū Bakr chased and killed them, even in the sanctuary when blood should not be shed. The Prophet (ﷺ) demanded the Quraysh to pay blood money for the victims of Khuzā‘ah, to terminate their alliance with Banū Bakr, or to consider the truce to have been terminated. Abū Sufyān was sent to Madinah to renew the treaty, but failed.

With 10,000 fighters the Prophet (ﷺ) marched towards Makkah on 10th of Ramaḍān 8 AH. During his absence Abū Ruḥm al-Ghifārī was to dispose the affairs of the Muslims in Madinah. Accompanied by the Prophet’s uncle al-‘Abbās, Abū Sufyān came to the Prophet. The Prophet told him that it was time for him to bear witness to the Oneness of Allah and his being His prophet. Abū Sufyān begged him for pardon and forgiveness, and would convert to Islam. At al-‘Abbās’s suggestion, the Prophet (ﷺ) proclaimed that whoever entered Abū Sufyān’s house, beside entering the Holy Sanctuary and his own house, would be safe.

Several arch-enemies of Islam at the conquest of Makkah were forgiven: Waḥshī who had killed the Prophet’s uncle Ḥamzah and Hind who had chewed his liver; Habbār who had attacked and killed the Prophet’s daughter when she was on her way to Makkah to Madinah; Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah who had plotted to kill him, as well as Fūḍālah who had also attempted to kill him while he was doing ṭawāf in the Holy Sanctuary.

Ummu Ḥakīm bint al-Ḥārith, the wife of ‘Ikrimah accepted Islam. She told the Prophet (ﷺ) that her husband ‘Ikrimah had run away to Yemen, fearing his persecution, and asked him to grant  him amnesty. When he did, she looked for him until she reached one of the coasts of Tihāmah, but he had already boarded a ship. As one of the sailors said to him to say “there is none worthy of worship but Allah,” he replied, "It is from this that I am fleeing." As they spoke, Ummu Ḥakīm arrived started waving a cloth and shouted that the Prophet (ﷺ) had forgiven him. So, they came to the Prophet. Before they arrived, the Prophet (ﷺ) had advised his people that ‘Ikrimah was coming, and not to curse his father, Abū Jahl, as cursing would only hurt the living, and would not reach the dead. His conversion to Islam pleased the Prophet. He promised that every expense he bore opposing the Islam, he would spend double that amount in the path of Allah, and every battle he fought opposing it, he would fight double the number of battles in Islam. He participated in all the battles after his conversion to Islam. He was sent by Abū Bakr to lead an army in Yemen, then he was sent to Syria. In the battle Yarmūk in 15/636 70,000 fighters of the enemy were killed, whereas among Muslims, there were 3,000 fighters fell martyrs. In this battlefield Ḥārith ibn Hishām, ‘Ayyāsh bin Abī Rabī‘ah (cousin of Khālid ibn al-Walīd) and ‘Ikrimah were wounded. Ḥārith cried for water. When it was brought to him, he saw   ‘Ikrimah looking at it. He asked the person to give water first to ‘Ikrimah, but when it was brought to ‘Ikrimah, he saw ‘Ayyāsh looking at it. He told him to give it first to ‘Ayyāsh.  But when the water was brought to Ayyāsh, he had died before drinking it. Then the person turned toward ‘Ikrimah and Ḥarith to give them water, but both of them had passed away.

12. Those who convert to Islam after the conquest of Makkah. With the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet (ﷺ) became the de facto ruler of Arabia. Many people embraced Islam, even from distant places came to the Prophet (ﷺ) proclaiming their conversion to Islam. They were all considered ṣaḥābah, including children, and those who saw him and in one occasion or another. Allah refers to it as follows:

إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ. وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا.

فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا (النصر:1-3(

When there comes to Help of Allah (to you, O

 Muhammad against your enemies) and the Conquest

 (of Makkah). And you see the people enter Allah’s

 religion (Islam) in crowds. So, glorify the Praises of

your Lord, and ask His forgiveness. Verily, He is

 the One Who Ever accepts repentance

and Who forgives (Q. 110:1-3)

          At this time more delegations came to the Prophet (ﷺ) in Madinah. For example: Bali Delegation came in Rabī‘ al-Awwal 9 AH. They embraced Islam and stayed in Madinah. Their leader Abū ‘l-Dubayb asked the Prophet (ﷺ) whether hospitality was rewarded by Allah. When the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed it, he asked about the stray ewe. The Prophet (ﷺ) answered: “It is either yours or your brother’s: otherwise it goes to the wolf.” When he asked about the stray camel, he answered: “It is none of your business. Leave it alone until its owner finds it.”

          The Thaqīf delegation consisting of six people came to Madinah. They would make a treaty between him and the Thaqīf, that they would be allowed to commit fornication, drink wine, and deal with usury. They asked him not to injure their idol al-Lāt or to perform the prayer. As the Prophet (ﷺ) rejected all of their requests, they asked him that the destruction of al-Lāt not to be done by them, but by the Prophet, which he accepted. The delegation of Banī Fazārah consisting of over ten men came to embrace Islam and complain about the drought. To this the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed for rain.

          Five days before the Prophet’s death he praised his companions (ṣaḥābah) the Helper (al-Anṣār), the people of Madīnah, reminding people of their favour. He said,

أُوصِيكُمْ بِالأَنْصَارِ فَإِنَّهُمْ كَرِشِى وَعَيْبَتِى وَقَدْ قَضَوُا الَّذِى عَلَيْهِمْ وَبَقِىَ

الَّذِى لَهُمْ فَاقْبَلُوا مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ وَتَجَاوَزُوا عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ  (رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِىُّ(

I admonish you to be good to Al-Anṣār (the Helpers).

They are my family and with them I found shelter.

They have acquitted themselves credibly of the

responsibility that fell upon them and now there

remains what you have to do. You should fully

acknowledge and appreciate the favor that they

have shown and should overlook their

faults. (reported by al-Bukhārī)

The Prophet (ﷺ) knew that by the lapse of time the number of the Anṣār would decrease, and again he wanted people to recognise and appreciate their contribution to Islam. He said:

إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَكْثُرُونَ وَتَقِلُّ الأَنْصَارُ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا كَالْمِلْحِ فِي الطَّعَامِ،

فَمَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْكُمْ أَمْرًا يَضُرُّ فِيهِ أَحَدًا أَوْ يَنْفَعُهُ فَلْيَقْبَلْ مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ

وَيَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ» (رواه البخاري(

The number of believers would increase, but the

number of Helpers (al-Anṣār) would decrease to

the extent that they would be among man as salt

in the food. So, he who among you occupies a position

of responsibility and is powerful enough to do harm

or good to the people, he should fully acknowledge

and appreciate the favor that these benefactors

have shown, and overlook their  faults.

(Reported by al-Bukhārī)

                                                          (CIVIC, 11 November, 2016)

المراجع:

 المكتبة الشاملة

تفسير الطبري (ت. 310 هـ(

تفسير القرطبى (ت. 671 هـ(

تفسير ابن كثير (ت. 774 هـ(

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri. The Sealed Nectar

Dr. Shauqi Abu Khalil. Atlas of the Qur’ān.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Hudaybiyyah

http://www.islamicweb.com/history/sahaba/bio.

ABU_HURAYRAH.htm

http://sohabih.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/ikramah-ra-bin-abi-jahal-accepts-islam.html