14 November 2010

14 November 2010

Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the peace blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an


The Duel

The battle had actually started. Protected by armour and shields, Utbah bin Rabi‘a stepped forth between his brother Shaibah and his son Al-Waleed bin Utbah from the lines of Quraish. Three young men of the Helpers came out against them: Awf and Mu‘wwadh - the sons of Harith, and ‘Abdullah bin Rawaha. "Oh Muhammad, send forth against us our peers from our own tribe." The Prophet* had not intended anything else, but the eagerness of the Helpers (Ansar) had forestalled him. Now he turned to his own family, since it was above all for them to initiate the battle. The challengers were two men of mature age and one youth. "Arise, Oh Ubaydah," he said. "Arise, Oh Hamzah, Arise, Oh Ali!"

Ubaydah was the oldest and most experienced man in the army, a grandson of Muttalib, and he faced Utbah while Hamzah faced Shaybah and Ali faced Walid. The combats were not long: Shaybah and Walid were soon lying dead on the ground, while Hamzah and 'Ali were unhurt: but at the moment when Ubaydah struck Utbah to the ground he received from him a sweep of the sword that severed one of his legs. It was a triple contest, three against three, so Hamzah and 'Ali turned their swords on 'Utbah, and Hamzah gave him the death blow. Then they carried their wounded cousin back to their camp. He had lost a mortal quantity of blood, and the marrow was oozing from the stump of his leg. Ubaydah said that the words of Abu Talib related to him (that they wold lay down their lives for the Prophet* and then asked: "Am I not a martyr, Oh Messenger of Allah?" he said as the Prophet approached him. "Indeed you are," he answered placing him in his lap. This was the first time that the Muslims had fought the disbelievers in an open battle – a significant event. Hence, Ali would later say that the verse Allah revealed about the duel between Islam and Kufr related to him (& Hamzah) and that he would be the first to kneel in front of Allah on the Day of Judgement:

"These two opponents (believers and disbelievers) dispute with each other about their Lord." [TMQ 22:19]

The Prophet* used to pray to Allah ceaselessly and day and night to come to their succour. When the fierce engagement grew too hot he again began to supplicate his Lord saying: "O Allah! Should this group (of Muslims) be defeated today, You will no longer be worshipped." He continued to call out to Allah, stretching forth his hands and facing Al-Qibla, until his cloak fell off his shoulders. Then Abu Bakr came, picked up the cloak, and put it back on his shoulders and said: "O Prophet of Allah, you have cried out enough to your Lord. He will surely fulfil what He has promised you." Immediately Allah sent down angels from the heavens for the help and assistance of the Prophet* and his companions. The Qur’ân observes: "Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved." [TMQ 8:12]

The Help of the Angels
Allah, the All-Mighty, also inspired another message to His Messenger, saying: "I will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other (following one another) in succession." [TMQ 8:9] The Prophet*, in his trellis, dozed off a little and then raised his head joyfully crying: "O Abu Bakr, glad tidings are there for you: Allah’s victory has approached, by Allah, I can see Gabriel on his mare in the thick of a sandstorm." He then jumped out crying: "Their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs." [TMQ 54:45] At the instance of Gabriel, the Prophet* took a handful of gravel, cast it at the enemy and said: "Confusion seize their faces!" As he flung the dust, a violent sandstorm blew like furnace blast into the eyes of the enemies. With respect to this, Allah says: "And you (i.e. Muhammad*) threw not when you did throw but Allah threw." [TMQ 8:17]


Two men of a neighbouring Arab tribe had gone to the top of a hill to see the battle. A cloud swept by them, a cloud filled with the neighing of stallions, and one of the men dropped instantly dead. "His heart burst with fright," said the one who lived to tell of it, judging from what his own heart had felt.
One of the believers was pursuing a man of the enemy, and the man's head flew from his body before he could reach him, struck off by an unseen hand. Others had brief glimpses of the Angels riding on horses whose hooves never touched the ground, led by Gabriel wearing a yellow turban, whereas the turbans of the other Angels were white, with one end left streaming behind them.
Ibn ‘Abbas said: "While on that day a Muslim was chasing a disbeliever and he heard over him the swashing of a whip and the voice of the rider saying: ‘Ak-Din (giddy-up) Haizum’. He glanced at the polytheist who had (now) fallen down on his back. The Ansari came to the Prophet* and related that event to him. The Prophet* replied: ‘You have told the truth. This was the help from the third heaven." One of the Helpers captured ‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib, who said: "O Messenger of Allah, by Allah this man did not capture me. I was captured by a man who was bald and had the most handsome face, and who was riding a piebald horse, I cannot see him here among the people." The Helper interrupted: "I captured him, O Messenger of Allah." The Prophet* replied: "Be quiet, Allah the All- Mighty strengthened you with the help of a noble angel."

At one point where the resistance of Quraysh was at its strongest a sword broke in the hands of a believer, whose first thought was to go and ask the Prophet* for another weapon. The Prophet* gave 'Ukkashah a wooden club saying: "Fight with this, 'Ukkashah." He took it and brandished it and it became in his hand a long, strong, gleaming sword. He fought with it for the rest of Badr and in all the Prophet's other battles, and it was named al-'Awn which means the Divine Help.


Some of the other miracles or astonishing events from Badr:
- The changeing of the numbers preparing to do battle on both sides
- The way the rain affected the two camps
- The help of the angels

- Ukkashah’s Sword
- The sound sleep of the Muslim Army
- Eye of Qatada
- The prophesy of death on Umaiya and where the Quraishi leaders would be slain
- The prophesy of Wahab's assissination plot & where al-Abbas had buried his treasure

Hadith
Nawawi's 40 Hadith ~ no.9 (Questioning in Islam):
On the authority of Abu Hurairah 'Abd-ur-Rahmaan ibn Sakhr (ra) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah* say: "What I have forbidden for you, avoid. What I have ordered you [to do], do as much of it as you can. For verily, it was only the excessive questioning and their disagreeing with their Prophets that destroyed [the nations] who were before you". [Bukhari and Muslim]
Many Scholars say that avoiding the Haram is more important and virtuous than other acts of worship as it relates to abstaining. Much like abstaining from food (and other things) during the fast in Ramadhan. Human beings are weak and can easily give in to temptation and so being constantly strong to avoid temptations and the Haram requires effort / struggle. This battle with our Nafs is an important act of worship and many scholars say this is more important than recommended acts of worship - like praying Sunnah or keeping additional fasts. For example, keeping a voluntary fast is not as important as avoiding cheating, backbiting, disobeying parents etc ! Avoiding these sins (Haram) pleases Allah and helps us to avoid the punishment of Allah.
The Prophet* said: "O People! Hajj has been made obligatory upon you, so perform the Hajj." So a man asked: "Is that every year, O Messenger of Allah?" So the Prophet* remained silent until the man repeated his question three times. Then he said: "If I had said 'yes' then it would have become obligatory upon you [i.e. every year], and you would not have been able to do so. Do not ask me about that which I have left [unspecified], for verily the nations before you were destroyed by their excessive questioning and their disagreeing with their Prophets. So if I order you with something then do as much of it as you are able, and if I forbid you from something then keep away from it."
"What I have ordered you [to do], do as much of it as you can" is an important Principle of Islam, and is from his* concise speech. And based upon this principle are many other rulings - such as the prayer of one who is unable to complete some of its pillars or conditions, then he performs what he is able to from that which remains. And the one who cannot wash all the necessary limbs of wudoo', washes that which he is able to. And in the case of removing evil, then if one is not able to remove it entirely then one removes what one is able to. And this hadith is similar to the statement of Allah: "And have taqwa of Allah, as much as you are able"; And as for His statement: "O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared".
"and what I have forbidden you from then avoid it" then this is to be taken to apply generally in all situations, except if one has a necessity, such as eating meat from an animal which has not been correctly slaughtered if one's life is in danger or what is similar to that, then that is not considered to be forbidden.
And in his* statement: "verily the nations before you were destroyed due to their excessive questioning and disagreeing with their Prophets", then this was mentioned after his saying "Do not ask me about that which I have left [unspecified]". And this implies that we should not be excessive in questioning, as then we would be similar to the Banu Israeel when it was said to them: "Sacrifice a cow". So if they had taken these words upon their apparent meaning and sacrificed any cow they would have fulfilled the command. But because they insisted on asking many questions regarding its colour, its appearance, its work etc, the matter became difficult for them, until they were able to find a suitable cow only after a great search and paying a large sum of gold. So they were blameworthy for this, and our Prophet* feared the same for his Ummah.

Some of the questioning that the Prophet didn't like was:
- asking about purely theoretical matters that have not occurred
- asking questions just to show off, ridicule, argue or pass the time
- asking questions that concern matters that have not been revealed by Allah
The sincere questioning of the ignorant person is encouraged as they need to know matters in order to improve their Deen - but it has to be done properly. Infact, the Sahabah used to gather round when a Bedouin would ask a question of the Prophet* because the Bedouin would often ask things that they wanted to ask but were too shy to ask.


News Topic
Piracy
A Brief discussion about the wroings of piracy (being a pirate or bandit). It is glorified in Hollywood but the reality of being a pirate is wrong. There are modern day pirates that we hear about - like the recent case near Somalia, or others in the Indian Ocean or the Far East. Piracy has been going on for many centuries and some nations even helped to build their empires on the spoils of piracy (like the Europeans, including Britain!).
Islam talked about the evils of being a pirate or bandit and there are specific punishments (Hudood) for bandits.
In modern times there are other instances when people take things from others without permission. People get mugged on the streets, in their cars (even their whole cars like the Formula 1 racer) or even get things stolen in the playground - whether its the newest mobile phone, iPad or trainers! Stealing is a sin and should be avoided.