In the last episode, we discussed what the infidels’ followers were like in opposition to the call of Islam. They left no stone unturned in satire, mockery, violence, hatred, character assassination, assault, and torture. In this episode, we will discuss the story of the persecution and sacrifices that befell the companions during their life in Mecca. It is undeniable that no one in the later era has sacrificed as much as the Muslims of the early era. Therefore, they are superior in terms of faith. Similarly, they excel in “Deen” or religious knowledge. Because they were raised directly under the supervision of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was near him. They saw the Holy Quran being revealed directly. So in any case, companionship is the best. The reason for saying this repeatedly is that today we are not following Islam in imitation of the Companions, but rather following the standards of the Western world. As if the ideals of Islam could be compared with the ideals of the Western world. This is undoubtedly a mistake. We must always remember that the wisdom of the companions is the right knowledge. So if we want to understand Islam, the Companions will be the ideal. Let’s start the discussion with a hadith from Tirmidhi Sharif.
It was narrated from Sa’d ibn Aqqas that he said to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): “O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), which of the people will be most severely reckoned?” He replied, “The prophets.” Then those who are next in rank Then his next count. A person is judged according to his religious precepts. If his religious precepts are correct, his test will be very difficult. And if he is flexible in religious discipline, he is judged accordingly. Then the servant is surrounded by various dangers. Finally, he is free from sin and walks the earth in a pure and holy state. From the narration of this hadith, we learn that faith and hardship go hand in hand. Allah tests a person on the level of his faith. Nowadays, by faith we only understand knowledge of some facts. Not from faith, but we think that just saying the Kalima on our lips is called faith. But faith is not such a cheap thing. Faith is something that will change people’s behavior and thinking. If we only say with our mouths that we have faith but there is no reflection of it in our actions, then that is not faith but something else. Faith is the most precious thing in the world. Those who have understood this have been able to give up everything for faith. Pharaoh’s magician is proof of how much faith can change a person. Pharaoh told them that if they could defeat Moses, they would gain prestige, wealth, and be able to live near Pharaoh. They came to be shown magic out of greed, but when they saw the miracle of Moses, peace be upon him, they understood the reality. They rejected Pharaoh and believed in Allah, the Most High. Seeing this situation, Pharaoh told them that he would kill you. Hearing this, all the magicians told Pharaoh that whatever you wish and whatever you do, you will do on this earth. Then all the magicians were killed and they became martyrs. All the magicians may have believed for a while, but it brought about a real change in them. And this is faith. This worldly life is a test and Allah Almighty has repeatedly reminded us of this in the Quran.
Allah Almighty says:
And it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that He may try you through what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.
(Quran 6:165)
He also said:
Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed.
(Quran 18:7)
Tests and success are intertwined. No nation can achieve success without passing tests. Allah tests believers in various ways. And only after passing this test do they become prosperous. Asman (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked which is better: lasting prosperity or calamity. He replied that no one can achieve lasting success without falling into disaster. Allah Almighty tested Noah (peace be upon him) and Moses (peace be upon him) and Muhammad (peace be upon him).
When they were patient during that test, Allah gave them peace. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that Paradise is surrounded by hardships. And hell is surrounded by instincts. The question is why does Allah test people? The answer is to first purify the hearts of believers and separate them from the hypocrites. Hard times reveal the true character of people. Times of danger reveal what a person really is like. In times of danger, people’s true faith and character emerge.
Allah says:
Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” and they will not be tried?
(Quran 29:2)
The second thing is what is inside people. God knows exactly what is inside a person. Only in special circumstances does its true form emerge.
Syed Qutb (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Allah knows what is inside people. But he takes the test because he wants the inner state to be revealed on the outside. Which Allah already knew. This is so that people can be held accountable for their actions. People don’t have to answer for things they already know. This is a mercy from Allah. And at the same time, justice. Thirdly: To increase the faith of the believers. In difficult times, people have to give extra effort to survive. People fear Allah only when things get difficult. And he continues to rely on him. In this way, fitnah removes the gaps in faith from people. Fourth, in difficult situations, people discover their weaknesses. This is a best opportunity for him to overcome his own weaknesses. So that he can protect himself from greater dangers in the future. Fifth, this test is an opportunity to gain closeness to Allah. When a believer’s foot is thorn in the side, Allah either raises him up a step or removes a danger from him. Sixth, in times of hardship, people can realize their limitations and focus on Allah. He learns to appreciate Allah and to appreciate good times. Being patient in times of hardship is a kind of Islamic invitation. When unbelievers see a person who remains steadfast in their faith even after being truly hurt, it makes them wonder. So silence is for people in times of trouble. Now we will discuss the incidents of torture against the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) during his life in Mecca. Although we will discuss the persecution of the Companions, we must remember that in those days, being mentally strong was the greatest strength, rather than physical torture. In those days, converting to Islam meant separating from one’s clan and family. Being separated from one’s family and lineage means a life of uncertainty. The companions did not know what was going to happen next and they were few in number. It is impossible to ignore this pressure without great mental strength. We may not have spent a single day in our lives feeling neglected and humiliated. But the companions had to spend day after day in that condition. However, we will discuss a very small number of companions, but we must remember that they all had to face strong resistance. There was no one beside them except God.
Let’s start the main discussion. The persecution of the Companions at the hands of the Quraysh. We find three reasons why the Quraysh persecuted the Companions. First, to force them to abandon Islam by torturing them. Second, to suppress those who have already been attracted to Islam by highlighting their condition. So that they are not attracted to Islam. Thirdly, to oppress, driven by mere anger and hatred. First comes Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him). It was true that those who were oppressed were either slaves or non-Arabs. They did not have much status in Meccan society to speak of. In short, those who converted to Islam from the lower classes of society were the ones who were most persecuted during that time. However, there are many others besides him, such as Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and others. We have already discussed who Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is. He was a respected person among the Quraysh. But he also had to suffer for Islam. We will narrate the incident from the book Al-Bidaa wa Niha. Abdullah ibn Muhammad said that Abu Muhammad Imran narrated on the authority of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that: When the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gathered together, they numbered thirty-eight. Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) started arguing with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about going out in public. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “O Abu Bakr, we are few in number.” But Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) continued to press for the publication. Finally, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out of the house openly. Other Muslims leave the mosque and take shelter in their own tribes. Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) began to give public speeches. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was sitting right next to him. Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the first speaker who publicly called people to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The polytheists immediately began attacking Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Muslims. They started torturing Muslims in various places in the mosque. They threw Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) under their feet and made him lie on his back. And beat him brutally. The wicked Utba comes to him and hits him with his two old shoes. Hit him in the face with them. And stands up on his stomach. He was beaten so badly that he was unrecognizable. Upon hearing the news, the people of Banu Hashem quickly arrived there and rescued him. He wrapped her in a cloth and took her to her home. Everyone thought that Abu Bakr might not live anymore. Then the people of Banu Hashim returned to the mosque and said that if Abu Bakr dies, we will kill Utba. Then they returned to Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr’s father and the people of Taif, called him. Then he responded to their call and began to speak, first asking where the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was. How is he? Hearing this, his clan members abused him and left him alone. They tell his mother, Umm al-Khair, to try and see if she can feed him something. After they left, Umm Khair, the mother of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), insisted on feeding him. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was just asking how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was doing. His mother, Umm Khair, said, “By God, I know nothing.” Then he said, “Go to Khattab’s daughter and find out from her.” He went to Umm Jamil and asked about the Prophet (peace be upon him). Umm Jamil said that she did not know Abu Bakr and she did not know Muhammad. But if you think it’s okay, I can go to your son. Umm al-Khair said, “Come on.” Umm Jamil (may Allah be pleased with her) arrived with Umm Khair. Then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was lying in bed and dying. Kamal Jamela (RA) saw his condition and shouted, “A group of sinners have done this to you.” I am sure that Allah will surely take revenge for the injustice done to you. Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) asked how the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was doing. Umm Jamil (may Allah be pleased with her) said that her mother was with her. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said that there would be no problem with that. Umm al-Rahmah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was well. When asked where he was, Umm radiyallahu ta’ala anhu said that he was currently staying at Akram’s house.
The surprised Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “By Allah, I will not eat anything until I meet the Prophet (peace be upon him).” When everyone had left, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) rode on one of the two of them and went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) leaned towards him and kissed him. The other Muslims looked at him. The other Muslims looked at him. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “O Messenger of Allah, the place where Utbah struck me on the face is painful, but I was not hit anywhere else.” Please pray for my mother, that she may accept Islam and that Allah may protect her from the fire of Hell. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed for him and called him to Allah. He embraced Islam. This was the case of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
There are some lessons to be learned from this incident: Don’t ignore satire and incitement when preaching Islam. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) knew that when he went to preach Islam, people would not take it lightly. Will verbally and physically abuse him/her. And that’s what happened, but he faced it with courage. We often feel uncomfortable talking about Islam in front of non-Muslims and secular people. And I am afraid. We wonder how the early Muslims were so successful. The answer is Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Because he knew that Islam was the truth and he did not hesitate to speak the truth. Secondly, no one else could show the amount of love that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) showed for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). After regaining consciousness, Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him)’s first question was not how he was doing, but rather how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was doing. After regaining consciousness, Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him)’s first question was not how he was doing, but rather how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was doing. If his situation was like that, if it were us, we would have taken three or four months. But his strong love for the Prophet (peace be upon him) drew him closer to him. May Allah be pleased with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). May Allah be pleased with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Thirdly, we see from the events how strong the hereditary brotherhood was at that time. Despite Abu Bakr’s lineage being non-Muslims, they threatened Abu Dabbah. Because he beat up one of their tribe. Even if he is a Muslim, there is no division between tribes in Islam. However, if security within one’s own lineage benefits Islam, then there is no problem. The fourth companions were brave and at the same time they were cautious. Umm Jamil (may Allah be pleased with her) said at first that she did not know the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). But when he saw that he had no problem speaking the truth, he simply spoke. He made it safe to speak directly to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Because Abu Bakr’s mother had not yet converted to Islam. And they went to meet the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the evening because the number of people arriving was less then. These little things show the care of the companions. They walked with a balance between boldness and caution. The next companion was Ara ibn (may Allah be pleased with him). Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was a slave. It was as if he wasn’t even considered a human being. So the torture that was inflicted on him was not inflicted on anyone else. Because his master, Umayy ibn Khalaf, tortured him. And there was no one to protect him. Even if Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) or Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) were persecuted, their families helped to protect them. But there was no one to help Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him). There was no law in this society where the wicked could go and file a complaint. In a hadith, Abbas bin (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Seven people were the first to proclaim Islam. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) Ammanius bin Ra, Masum (may Allah be pleased with him), Shuaib (may Allah be pleased with him) Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) and Middat (may Allah be pleased with them). In fact, Allah Almighty saved the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from persecution through his uncle. And Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was protected by his tribe. The other companions were captured by the polytheists through their own tribesmen. And they put them in iron clothes and left them in the scorching heat. Finally, except for Hazrat Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him), everyone was forced to give speeches according to the preferences of the polytheists. But Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) also despised his life and lineage for the sake of Allah. As a result, the Mushfiqurs handed him over to the boys, who tied a rope around his neck and began to drag him around the streets of Mecca. He was still saying that Allah is One. Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was a devout Muslim and had a pure heart. Ibn Uzafa would drag him without Juma and leave him in the hot desert of Mecca. Ibn Uzafa would drag him without Juma and leave him in the hot desert of Mecca. Then he was told to abandon Muhammad (peace be upon him) and worship shame and shamelessness. Otherwise, it will continue like this until you die. But despite the severe torture, he continued to say that Allah is one. Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was tortured to the point where he became useless. Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was tortured to the point where he became useless. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) took advantage of that opportunity. Once Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was passing by him, and Abu Bakr’s house was near the tribe of Juma. Then he said to Umayy bin Khalaf, “What do you think about the helpless man as you do about Allah?” How long will this go on and then he said that you ruined him? You rescue him from the condition you see him in now. Okay, I’ll do that. I have a stronger slave than him. He is from your tribe and I will give him to you in place of Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him). Umaya said okay I agree. Abu Bakr (RA) said, “Okay, he is yours now.” He then bought Bilal (RA) in exchange for his slave and set him free. And in this way, Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was freed by Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu Bakr freed only Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) and six other slaves, the eldest of whom was his brother. Narrated by Ibn Hijab, Before he left for Medina, he freed Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) and six others. Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was the seventh of them. He freed Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) who fought in the Battle of Badr. And was martyred in the Battle of Bir-e-Mauna. He freed the slave girl Umm Marwa. He lost his eyesight by the time he was released. Seeing this situation, the Quraysh said that the three had lost their analytical powers due to the curse of the corpse and the corpse of Uzzat. Then Jillid (may Allah be pleased with him) heard this and said, “They are lying.”
He said, “By Allah, the dead and the dead cannot do any harm or benefit.” Allah immediately restored his eyesight and freed Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and his daughter. They were both slaves from the Banu Abdul tribe. The woman was sending them both to buy flour and said that by Allah we will never free him. At this time, Abu Bakr (RA) was passing by. Then he said, “O mother of so-and-so, take back your oath and set them free.” Then the woman said, “I take back my oath. You have ruined them. You set them free.” Abu (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “How much will you sell them for?” Then the woman told them the price and Abu Bakr (RA) said that it was okay, I bought them. And they are free from now on and you return the carriage. They said, “O Abu Bakr, shall we return it now or shall we return it after completing the work?” They said, “O Abu Bakr, shall we return it now or shall we return it after completing the work?” Omar bin Khattab was a staunch opponent of Islam before he converted to Islam. Omar had a slave girl who used to beat him a lot. Sometimes he would get tired of beating her and say, “Don’t think I’m showing you mercy, I’m tired, so I stopped beating you.” Then the maid replied firmly that it was not so, but God had made you tired.
This slave was from the tribe of Muhammad. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) freed him too. He was ahead of everyone. The events show how big the heart of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was. He bought all the slaves for a price and is setting everyone free. His goal was to free these people and we do not stand by in the face of the dangers of our brothers and sisters. So that we can stay safe ourselves. This is the sad reality of the Ummah. When the people of Quraysh saw Abu Bakr’s slaves and freed them, they thought this man was crazy. That society was a high-value community, a slave. The Quraysh could not fathom how a man of high rank could buy slaves and free them. In their eyes, it was just a waste of money. If slaves must be freed, then why? They could have provided you with security. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, “Father, I am doing this work for the sake of Allah, not for any other country.” In Abu Bakr’s eyes, these people were like his own brothers. He had no intention of using her for his own gain. Even though they were slaves, they were religious brothers and sisters. There is no doubt that the glitter of the world cannot be greater than a Muslim slave. For the damned who don’t hesitate to put their Muslim brothers and sisters in danger for a small promotion. Allah Almighty says about this generosity of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him):
As for he who gives and fears Allah. And believes in the best [reward], We will ease him toward ease.
(Quran 92: 5-7)
Allah Almighty also says that:
[He] who gives [from] his wealth to purify himself. And not [giving] for anyone who has [done him] a favor to be rewarded. But only seeking the countenance of his Lord, Most High. And he is going to be satisfied.
(Quran 92: 18-21)
Now we will hear the story of Amman ibn Yasir, the son of Sumaiya.
This family is a family that converted to Islam in the early days of Islam. They endured unspeakable suffering for Islam. The father of this family was not from Mecca, he came from Yemen. Upon arriving in Mecca, he married Sumayyah, a slave girl from Banu Hashim. And become an ally in the tribe of Bonur. Or it could be said that the forest tribe gives him a visa. Amber was born into the family of Time and Yasir. It is understood that their status in society was not very high. When the entire family converted to Islam, they became targets of the Quraysh. Yas is tortured by his own tribe, the Bono Mushroom. They were subordinate to this tribe. The people of the Mausud tribe dragged them and threw them in the sun, carrying them in a suitcase. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to walk past them but he had nothing to do. They were not slaves that he would buy and set free. He didn’t even have the strength to resist the tyranny. He used to say, “O family of Yasir, be patient, for your place is in Paradise.”
The reason this family suffered more than anyone else is that their tribe was headed by Abu Jahl. Abu Jahl’s excesses against Islam surpassed everyone else. He was the leader of the criminals. He was the best at committing crimes. It made everyone angry against Muslims. Encouraging Muslims to persecute. Such an example of such a sincere hostility is rare in the world. The strategy was dehumanization. His aim was to dehumanize, that is, to humiliate Muslims in front of others. So that if a Muslim dies or something wrong happens to him, there is nothing to be done. To establish such a feeling in people’s minds. According to Abu Safi, Abu Jahili is the person who incited the Quraysh against the Muslims. Whenever a person of a high caste converted to Islam and he found out, he would be told that you have abandoned the religion of your fathers. Your father was much better than you. We despise your failed religion. We will divide you. I will mix you with the soil. I will not let you live with honor. If a businessman were Muslim, he would tell him that we will boycott all transactions with you. And if that person were a helpless person, they would physically torture him. He would also call others to beat him up. May Allah destroy Abu Jahl and punish him.
One day, Abu Jahl taunted Sumaiya and said, You believed in Muhammad because you fell in love with him. Naturally, Sumaiya gave a fitting reply to Abu Jahl’s dirty words. Then Abu Jahl, overcome with anger, struck Sumayya in the private parts with his sword, killing her. Through this, Sumaiya became the first martyr of Islam. The most precious thing for a person is his life, and Sumaiya Radella Anhu sacrificed this life for Islam. Shortly after this, her husband Yasir was killed. Husband and wife both martyred in the path of Allah.
It is not possible for any child to endure this brutal torture on their parents. But Amber had to go through two terrible dreams. He saw his parents tortured and killed before his eyes. When Ambar was severely tortured, did he utter any words against the Prophet (peace be upon him) under the torture.
When the torture stopped, he was overcome with regret. With a heart heavy with sorrow, he ran to the Prophet. The Prophet, who was their ultimate refuge in happiness and sorrow. He told her the whole story.
Allah Subhanatala revealed the verse in the Holy Quran
Whoever disbelieves in Allah after their belief—not those who are forced while their hearts are firm in faith,1 but those who embrace disbelief wholeheartedly—they will be condemned by Allah and suffer a tremendous punishment.
(Quran 16:106)
The next companion was Musa bin Umayyah. Mu Saeed was the ideal son of a wealthy family. Mu Saeed was the ideal son of a wealthy family. The handsome young man wore the most expensive clothes and used expensive perfumes. He was his mother’s obedient son. His mother loved him so much that when he slept, she would leave dates and cheese next to him so that he would not be hungry for a moment when he woke up. Their relationship was so wonderful. Musat had no idea what hardship and hardship were. But Moses changed and so did his exposure to Islam. If someone knows about the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He converted to faith and kept it a secret for a while. But one day his mother found out somehow. He became a Muslim, then his clan arrested him and imprisoned him. After that, he was not seen on the streets of Mecca for a long time. One day, seizing the opportunity, he ran away. Then he migrated with the first group of emigrants to Abu Siniya and went to Abu Siniya.
Islam changed Usad. The day he embraced Islam, he abandoned the luxury of ignorance. The captive Musab’s waist became dry and rough. But the more he was persecuted, the more his faith grew. The history of this young man in the early days of Islam is truly wonderful. This companion was sent by the Prophet (peace be upon him) to invite people to Islam. By the will of God, Moses accomplished this task with extraordinary success. His final fate in life was extraordinary and it was on the plain of Uhud. This story will be discussed later, InshaAllah.
The name of this next companion is Ibn Akkas. We previously discussed the story of Saat bin Akkas in another episode. Even though he was not physically abused, he was mentally abused. His mother told him that he wanted to abandon his father’s religion and if he did, he would not accept any food. I will not drink water and I will not sit in the shade.
If I die, you will suffer. People will say you are responsible for your mother’s death.
In response, Chand said in a very calm voice, “Mom, if you have 100 spirits and they keep coming out one after the other and I have to leave Islam to protect them, I won’t do it.”
So come inside and put some food in your mouth. Seeing the monk’s determination, the monk’s mother gave him water to drink.
A verse was revealed about him in the Quran.
We have commanded people to honour their parents. But if they urge you to associate with Me what you have no knowledge of,1 then do not obey them. To Me you will ˹all˺ return, and then I will inform you of what you used to do.
(Quran 29:8)
Finally, we will discuss the story of Khattabin Arab. A slave in the book, he worked under a woman. He could make a good sword. So Umm Anwar benefited greatly from Khabbab. But that profit didn’t last long. One day, Khabbab embraced Islam and it became known. The terrible torture has begun. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was the Caliph at that time. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was the Caliph at that time. After one story after another, the time for poetry came, but he didn’t say anything. She only removed her clothes and showed her back. Seeing him, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was shocked and asked, “What happened to you, Khabbab?” I’ve never seen anything like this. There was a deep hole in Bhabhabha’s back.
He described the events of life in Mecca. It was no longer possible to tolerate this torture on Khabbap. One day he went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who was sitting leaning against the wall of the Kaaba. Then Khabbab went to him and said, “O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you pray for us?” He wasn’t complaining in any way, but rather asked me to pray for the oppression that was being inflicted on Muslims. But the Prophet (peace be upon him) became angry, his eyes and face turned red with anger, and he stood up. He said: “There were servants before you whose flesh was removed from their bodies with iron combs.” They were sawed in two from head to toe. Yet, couldn’t they be turned away from Islam? And you are in a hurry. By Allah, he will surely make his Islam victorious. There will come a time when a traveler will travel a long distance but will not feel any fear.
Shaykh Wada has some opinions regarding this hadith. He asked why the Prophet (peace be upon him) was speaking so strongly to his companions. He was questioning him for a blessing. Rather, he was kind to his ummah. When the companions were asking why you weren’t praying for us ? There was a reality behind this saying.
That is, their life signs were different, their minds were restless due to suffering. Life was surrounded by dangers, so they wanted to escape from this difficult danger. And they felt that God’s help was slow to come. But the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) knew that everything has its appointed time. And before relief, there is pain. Prophets also had to face difficult trials.
But the end result was happiness, as Allah Almighty says:
[They continued] until, when the messengers despaired and were certain that they had been denied, there came to them Our victory, and whoever We willed was saved. And Our punishment cannot be repelled from the people who are criminals.
(Quran 12:110)
Khabbab was not only physically abused, but he was also oppressed in other ways. He used to get some money from Aj Bin Wad. When he asked for money, he replied, “You will not get any money unless you abandon Muhammad (peace be upon him).” Khabbab, he also goes no less, he replied, “You will die yourself.”
He then said in mockery, “So I will be resurrected after death, okay, when I come back to life after death, I will return the money to you.” Allah Almighty revealed the verse in this regard:
Then, have you seen he who disbelieved in Our verses and said, “I will surely be given wealth and children [in the next life]?”
Has he looked into the unseen, or has he taken from the Most Merciful a promise?
No! We will record what he says and extend for him from the punishment extensively.
And We will inherit him [in] what he mentions, and he will come to Us alone
(Quran 19:77-80)
And do you not know the consequences of Umm’s torture of Khabbab? Is Umm Amman dead or is she dying of a strange disease? The severe headaches were driving him crazy and there was no way to relieve the pain. His children were forced to hold a hot iron plate to his head. He died suffering just as he had caused Khabab. We conclude this episode by discussing some lessons learned from this incident.
First, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to be patient. No matter how much suffering you have to endure, you cannot give up. Secondly: There are some sources of Islam Qa’im. Which Allah Almighty has ordained. The Muslim Ummah must walk that path step by step to establish Islam. There are no exceptions or shortcuts to this.
We must walk the same path of crisis that the companions had to walk. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted his Ummah to be the best, so his Ummah will be more patient than the Ummah before him. If the next generation is strong, this generation must also be stronger. Therefore, it is the responsibility of Muslims to live according to the Prophet’s expectations.
And thirdly, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that Allah will make his day victorious so that a traveler can travel a long journey safely. And there will be no fear in their hearts except for Allah. Now the question may arise, why did the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) mention these two things about Yemen instead of Mecca? During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the tribes of Yemen were at war with each other. When the light of Islam entered Yemen during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Yemen became peaceful under the light of Islam. The beauty of Islam is that everything is safe and secure in the presence of Islam.
