An Incident of Great Lessons
Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmāni Sahib الله حفظه has shared an incident of Ameerul Mu’mineen Hazrat Umar رضي الله عنه. Once whilst travelling, he had exhausted his provisions and noticed sheep grazing in the wilderness. It was the custom of the Arabs that they received travellers with hospitality and presented milk to them.
Hazrat Umar رضي الله عنه approached the shepherd tending to the sheep and informed him that he was a traveller whose provisions were exhausted and requested him to let him have some milk to drink. The shepherd, however, excused himself saying; “I would have surely presented milk to you but the problem is that I am not the owner of these sheep; the owner is someone else. He pays me to graze the sheep which are a trust with me and their milk is also a trust. So, I am not permitted by Shariah to give their milk to anyone.”
Hazrat Umar رضي الله عنه decided to put the shepherd to a test. He said to him; “Listen to something of benefit to you. It will benefit both of us. Sell one of these sheep to me and you will get the money for it and I will get the sheep. I will milk it (the animal) whenever I feel hungry on the journey and you may keep the money. As for the owner, tell him that a wolf devoured one of the sheep. He will believe you because this does happen in the wilderness. In this manner, both of us will be satisfied.”
On hearing this, the shepherd exclaimed;
يا هذا فأين الله ؟
“O man! Where then is Allah Ta’ala?”
He meant to say that if he would do it, he might convince the owner but there is the Master of the owner too; what reply would he give Him when he is brought before Him? The shepherd said; “I am not prepared to do it.” Obviously, Hazrat Umar رضي الله عنه had put him to a test. When Hazrat Umar رضي الله عنه heard the response of the shepherd, he said; “As long as people like you are found in this world, no tyrant can oppress another person.
So as long as there is the fear of Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله in the hearts of men, and they have in their minds the Aakhirah (Hereafter) and standing before Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله, crime and oppression cannot take place.”
This is but one example of entering into Islam completely. Even in solitude, the shepherd remembered that he should desist from doing anything that displeases Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله. This is an essential part of religion. If a believer does not observe the demands of Islam, he cannot be termed as a Muslim in the true sense of the word. A Hadīth quotes Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم as saying;
لا إيمان لمن لا أمانة له
“He who betrays trust, does not believe.”
A Unique Incident….
Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmāni Sahib حفظه الله has said that a shepherd presented himself before Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم during the Battle of Khyber. He used to graze the sheep of the Jews. He had seen the Muslims encamped outside Khyber and decided to go and witness how they conducted themselves. He led the sheep towards the Muslim camps and sought their leader. He was told where Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم could be found; but what astonished him was the sheer simplicity of the tent made with date leaves. The shepherd imagined that a king would live in pomp and extravagance. He thereafter went into the tent and met Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم . The shepherd asked regarding the message of Islam. Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم explained to him the beauty of Islam. He then asked what will become of him if he embraced Islam and what position he would enjoy in life. Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم said to him; “You will be our brother when you join Islam and we will embrace you.”
The shepherd said; “You are joking with me. I am not your equal. I am an ordinary shepherd; a black man, my body stinks – how can you embrace me in that condition?” Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم told him; “We will embrace you surely. Allah Ta’ala will turn your blackness into brilliance and the stench into fragrance.”
On hearing this, the shepherd embraced Islam and recited the Kalimah Shahādah:
أشهد ان لا إله الا الله وأشهد ان محمدا عبده ورسوله
“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah Ta’ala and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah Ta’ala.”
The shepherd then asked Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم “O Messenger of Allah! What may I do now?” Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم said; “You have embraced Islam and the time of Salaah has not yet come that I may ask you to offer Salaah. It is not the month of fasting that I may ask you to fast and you are not liable for Zakaah. At this time only one form of worship is being performed and it is under the protection of the sword – Jihād in the cause of Allah Ta’ala!”
The shepherd said; “O Messenger of Allah! I will join the Jihād. One of two things can happen to the participant of Jihād – he may become a Ghazi (a heroic warrior) or a Shaheed (a martyr). Then, if I become a martyr in this Jihād, do offer me a guarantee.” Our Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to him; “I assure you that if you become a Shaheed in this Jihād, Allah Ta’ala will send you to Jannah and change the bad smell of your body into a fragrance and the blackness of your face into whiteness.”
We must remember that the shepherd had walked over to the camp of Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم while he was grazing the sheep of the Jews. Sayyiduna Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم asked him to return the sheep to them because they were a trust with him.
Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmāni Sahib حفظه الله has commented that this is indeed a lesson for us all. A battle was being fought with the enemy and the Muslims had surrounded them. The property of the enemy is war booty but in this instance, the property (sheep) were an agreement. Therefore Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered him to go and return the property and then come back to join the Jihād. The shepherd did as he was instructed and participated in the Jihād on his return. He attained the status of a Shaheed in the battle.
This is the true spirit of Islam that notwithstanding the height of hostilities; the rights of the enemies are not impacted upon.
Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmāni Sahib حفظه الله has shared the incident of Hazrat Huzaifah bin Yamān رضي الله عنه which has immense lessons for us to implement in our lives. When Hazrat Huzaifah ibn Yamān رضي الله عنه and his father embraced Islam, they were on their way to Madeenah Munawwarah. However, they were intercepted by Abu Jahl and he asked as to where they were going. Hazrat Huzaifah ibn Yamān رضي الله عنه told Abu Jahl that he was going to Madeenah Munawwarah to meet Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم Abu Jahl said; “Then I will not spare you because when you go there, you will join forces against us.” Hazrat Huzaifah رضي الله عنه replied; “Our purpose is only to meet Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم and to see him. We will not take part in the battle.” Abu Jahl then extracted a promise from them that they will only meet Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم and not take part in the battle.
When Hazrat Huzaifah ibn Yamān and his father reached Madeenah Munawwarah, Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم had already left with his companions for Badr. We must understand that the Battle of Badr was the first combat between truth and falsehood. The battle is termed in the Holy Qur’ān as يوم الفرقان . The participants in this battle are called Badrī and are they are regarded with great esteem and respect. Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم had given the glad tidings to the Badrī companions رضي الله عنهم of the forgiveness and special reward from Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله It was on this occasion that Hazrat Huzaifah bin Yamān رضي الله عنه promised Abu Jahl that he would not participate in the battle.
When Hazrat Huzaifah bin Yamān رضي الله عنه and his father met Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم they related to him what had transpired when they were confronted by Abu Jahl. Abu Jahl made them promise that they will not participate in the battle. On this occasion when there was a great need for the Muslims, Hazrat Huzaifah رضي الله عنه requested that they be allowed to participate in this memorable battle because he said that the promise to Abu Jahl was extracted with the sword on their throats. Hazrat Huzaifah رضي الله عنه further added that if they had not promised not to take part in the battle, they would not have been allowed to meet Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. They thus requested permission to join Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Sahaba رضي الله عنهم and gain the honour and excellence of being participants in the first battle between truth and falsehood.
(Al-Isabah, Vol:1 Page 316)
However, Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم said; “No! You have made a promise and he (Abu Jahl) has released you on the condition that you will see me but not join me in battle. So, I do not permit you to participate in the battle.”
There are times when man is put through tests and Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله sees how we honour our promises. If it were people like us, we would have put forward many excuses. We could have said that technically, there was no sincerity in the heart and it was due to compulsion that we had to make a promise. We could have said that the promise was made as an excuse to joining Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم in the battle against disbelief. Furthermore, each man was vital to Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم because the Muslim army was ill-equipped with only 313 men. They had only seventy camels, two horses and eight swords. The others had a baton, a stick or a stone. The Muslims were confronted by an army of a thousand men who were well armed. Each person was important but let us understand the temperament of Sayyiduna Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم and the truth of Islam; our Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم advised that what was given as an assurance will not be violated.
Many have misconceptions with regards to Jihād; there was no agenda to acquire territory nor was there a desire for leadership, but rather Jihād was to uphold the truth. How is it possible that one is involved in transgression and at the same time strive for the cause of Islam? Transgression and striving cannot be combined.
The failure of the Muslims today is that we seek to propagate and enforce Islam whilst being rebellious to the laws of Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله. We can offer thousands of excuses and we can say that due to circumstances, we can look for loopholes.
The difference between the Sahaba رضي الله عنهم and us is that they were only motivated and driven to attain the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله. There was no other objective; they were not after property nor did they desire to be called brave nor was it to even win the battle – the only aim was to please Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله and to be faithful to their promises. Thus, both Hazrat Huzaifah and Hazrat Yamān رضي الله عنهما were not granted permission to take part in the battle and deprived of the honour of being participants in Badr.
This is the Islam we are asked to enter into completely.