Wednesday, September 08, 2004

Administrivia
Subscribe: Peace_Now_2005-subscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk
Unsubscribe: Peace_Now_2005-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk

Assalamu alaikum W.W. Muslims are oppressed today wherever we look - no doubt about it. There is a stark divergence of views on how to tackle this issue. There are various praiseworthy avenues which may be taken.
On the other hand, there are some who vow to mete out oppression being victims to oppression. For them, blind revenge and vengeance is the menu of the day - by any means necessary they cry. Is this correct or rather is this warranted by the Noble Shaari'ah? Nope. Whilst we can see why such victims would become a party to such actions they are nonetheless totally incorrect and punishable.

Look at the lifestyle of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihe Wasallam and how injustice was dealt with. His daughters Radhi-Allahu Anhum were given Talaaq in the market place by Abu Jahl's sons but did he commit injustice? - absolutely impossible. How Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihe Wasallam was taunted, spat at, boycotted, mocked and countless other injustices yet he never turned to oppression in desperation. What injustices were not mete out to these illustrious personages and they responded in the best manner possible. And do you know what? This is what eventually attracted those very oppressors to Islaam. In short, I'itidaal ( moderation - The trait of avoiding excesses) is utterly essential and we must not lose sight of this. Otherwise, every injustice that is perpetrated will be accompanied by a honey slipstreamed vindication, justifying the unjustifiable. Muslims must not be a party to such idiocy. Remember we must FEAR ALLAH.

We will relate a story from the noble Sahaabah to highlight these issues. The first part will involve the oppression of Sahaabah Radhi-Allahu-Anhum. The second part, Insha-Allah Ta'ala will conclude with the an amazing act of justice from Khubaib Radhi-Allahu-Anhu.

Was-Salaam

Martyrdom of Hadhrat Khubaib, Hadhrat Zaid and Hadhrat 'Asim (Radhiyallahu anhum)
The Qureysh writhed with fury and rage at the loss of some of their greatest men in Uhud. Sulaifah, whose two sons had fallen in action, had taken a solemn vow that she would drink wine in the skull of 'Asim (Radhiyallaho anho], who had killed both of them, if she could get possession of his head.

She had proclaimed a prize of one hundred camels (a stupendous sum for the place and the time) for the person who brought 'Asim's head to her. Sufyan bin Khalid worked out a plan to secure the prize. He sent a few men of Adhal Waqarah to Madinah, who pretended to embrace Islam: they besought the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) to detail some persons to accompany them to their locality to preach Islam to the populace. They made a special request for 'Asim (Radhiyallaho anho) saying:

To return to the fight, when seven out of the ten Saha-bah (Radhiyallaho anhum) had attained martyrdom and the remaining three, Khubaib, Zaid bin Wathnah and Abdullah bin Tariq (Radhiyallaho anhum) were still sticking to their position on the hill-top, the enemy again called out to them:

"You three should come down the hill; of course we would do no harm to you."
The three trusted them and came down the hill, but the enemy immediately pounced upon them, and pinioned them with the gut strings of their bows. Upon this, Abdullah bin Tariq (Radhiyallaho anho) protested:

"So this is the very first breach of your solemn promise. I would rather join my martyred brothers than go alive with you."

He then refused to follow them in captivity. They tried their best to make him walk, but could not, and ultimately perceiving that he would on no account budge an inch from the spot, despatched him there and then. The two remaining captives were taken by them to Mecca and sold to the Qureysh.

Safwan bin Umayyah paid fifty camels for Zaid bin Wathna (Radhiyallaho anho) to kill him in revenge for the death of his father Umayyah in 'Uhud*. and Hujair bin Abi Ahaab bought Khubaib (Radhiyallaho anho) for one hundred camels to avenge the fall of his father in the same battle.

Safwan made over Hadhrat Zaid (Radhiyallaho anho) to his slave to be killed outside the limits of the Haram. A crowd followed them to watch Hadhrat Zaid (Radhiyallaho anho) meet his end, and Abu Sufyan (Radhiyallaho anho) also happened to be one of the spectators. When Zaid (Radhiyallaho anho) stood prepared to meet his doom, Abu Sufyan asked him thus:

"Don't you wish Muhammad (Sallallaho alaihe wasal-lam) to be in your place today, and you be let off to enjoy life with your family?"

Zaid's (Radhiyallaho anho) reply amazed them all:

"By Allah!" he said, "the very thought of enjoying life with my family is unbearable to me, if the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) were even to suffer a thorn-prick in his foot for that."

The Qureysh simply could not understand this reply, and Abu Sufyan (Radhiyallaho anho) remarked:

"There is absolutely no parallel, anywhere in the world, to the love that the companions of Muhammad (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) bear him."

Hadhrat Zaid (Radhiyallaho anho) was then martyred.

Source: Sheykhul Hadeeth Haafiz Muhammad Zakariyyah Rahimahullah Alaih - Stories of Sahabah.

To be continued.....

No comments:

Post a Comment