26 February2012
Khaibar Falls (3);Intentions, Actions and Rewards

Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the Peace, Blessings and Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an

The use of catapults in warfare

Last week we briefly mentioned how the Muslim Army found a quantity of weapons stored in cellars, including some engines of war. These were brought out to be used in other assaults, a ballista (catapults) for hurling rocks and two testudos for bringing men up to the walls beneath an impregnable roof so that they could breach an entrance; thanks to these engines, the easier fortresses fell one by one. The first powerful resistance they encountered was at a stronghold named Na'im, Here the garrison came out in great force, and on that day every attack made by the Muslims was repulsed.

Shortly after this battle, the Jews moved to ’Abi Castle and barricaded themselves inside. The same events recurred; the Muslims besieged the new site for three days and then the great Muslim hero Abu Dujanah Sammak bin Kharshah Al-Ansari — of the red ribbon — led the Muslim army and broke into the castle, conducted fierce military operations within and forced the remaining Jews to flee for their lives into another fort, An-Nizar. An-Nizar was the most powerful fort, and the Jews came to the established conviction that it was too immune to be stormed, so they deemed it a safe place for their children and women. The Muslims, however, were not dismayed but dragged on the siege, but because standing at a commanding top, the fort was impregnable. The Jews inside were too cowardly to meet the Muslims in open fight but rather hurled a shower of arrows and stones on the attackers. Considering this situation, the Prophet* ordered that rams be used and these proved effective and caused cracks in the ramparts providing an easy access into the heart of the fort, where the Jews were put to rout and fled in all directions leaving behind their women and children. With these series of military victories, the first division of Khaibar was totally reduced, and the Jews in the other minor fortresses evacuated them and fled to the second division.

The catapult is a war machine that is used to demolish walls behind which the enemies fortify themselves. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used it to throw stones at those walls, but he most certainly did not employ snakes or fire. The intended targets were the fortifications and the enemy combatants who were fighting from their stations upon the fortifications and from directly behind them. The targets intended by the catapults were clearly not civilians, women, or children, though there was a possibility under those circumstances that some civilians could have been injured unintentionally. This, however, is quite different than intentionally attacking civilian targets, women, and children. Any direct attack against such people is categorically unlawful and had been expressly prohibited by the Prophet*. During the battles of those days a catapult served the same purpose as artillery serves in modern warfare.

Modern Western armies claim to fight with ‘Smart Weapons’ but many of these lead to the killing of innocent people – including aerial bombing, drone attacks, army tank fire, cluster munitions. Indeed, the greatest terror attacks in history (Nagasaki & Hiroshima atomic bombs) were clearly aimed to kill civilians and not just military persons. Hence, Muslims should be aware of the rules of warfare and other countries should not preach justice and fairness when they clearly do not care about innocents dying on or near a battlefield, or even far away from a battlefield (as with current US policy).

The little girl and the Prophet

A brief story about how a young girl, along with other female helpers who wanted to take care of the wounded during the battle, was sat with the Prophet* on his camel. When they dismounted the Prophet* noticed that she was curled up by the foot of the camel and he also saw some blood stain on the saddle. He* enquired whether this was the first time she had her menses and she said it was and he reassured her, and told her to wash the stain with salt and water – which she did. After the battle and the distribution of the spoils of war, the Prophet* sought her out by name and personally put a necklace around her neck. She later said that she never parted with the necklace and wrote in her will that when she died, as a sign of respect for the Prophet*, she wanted her body to be washed with water mixed with salt.

Khaibar falls

The last of the strongholds to make any resistance was Qamus. This belonged to the family of Kinanah, one of the richest and most powerful clans of the Bani Nadir. Some of them had long lived in Khaibar whereas others of the family, including Kinanah himself, had recently settled there after they had been exiled from Yathrib. It was they especially who had been counting on the help of Ghatafan, whose failure to keep their promise had been an unnerving disappointment for them; and they were still further demoralised by the bad news brought by all those fugitives who had now crowded into Qamus. They none the less held out for fourteen days; then Kinanah sent word that he wished to come to terms with the Prophet, who said he was willing to negotiate.

Ibn Abi Al-Huqaiq was despatched to the Messenger of Allah* to negotiate the surrender treaty. The Prophet* agreed to spare their lives on condition they evacuate Khaibar and the adjacent land, leaving whatever gold and silver they had in their possession. However, he stipulated that he would disavow any commitment if they concealed anything. So the chieftain came down from the fortress with others of his family; and it was agreed that none of the garrison should be put to death or made captive -neither they nor their families -on condition that they should leave Khaibar and that all their possessions should become the property of the victors. The Prophet then added a further clause, namely that his obligation to spare their lives and let them go free should be annulled with regard to anyone who might try to conceal any of his possessions. Kinanah and the others agreed to this; and the Prophet called on Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Ali and Zubayr and ten of the Jews to witness the agreement.

After the fall of Qamus the two remaining fortresses surrendered on the same terms. Then the Jews of Khaibar consulted together, and sent a deputation to the Prophet, suggesting that since they were skilled in the management of their farms and their orchards he should allow them to remain in their homes, and they would pay him a yearly rent of half the produce. To this the Prophet agreed; but he stipulated that if in the future he decided to banish them they must go.

Thus, the Muslims had a decisive victory. The Jews lost ninety-three (93) men while the loss on the Muslim side was only nineteen (19) men.

Stealing from the Spoils of War

Abu Hurayra said, "We went out with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the yea rof Khaybar. We did not capture any gold or silver except for personal effects, clothes, and baggage. Rifaa ibn Zayd presented a black slave boy to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, whose name was Midam. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made for Wadi'l-Qura, and when he arrived there, Midam was unsaddling the camel of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when a stray arrow struck and killed him. The people said, Praise be to Allah! The Garden!' The Messenger of Allah said, 'No! By He in whose hand my self is! The cloak which he took from the spoils on the Day of Khaybar before they were distributed will blaze with fire on him.' When the people heard that, a man brought a sandal-strap or two sandal-straps to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'A sandal-strap or two sandal-straps of fire!' "

Story of Kinanah

Shortly afterwards, the forts were handed over to the Muslims and all Khaibar was reduced and brought under the sway of Islam. This treaty notwithstanding, Abi Al-Huqaiq’s two sons concealed a leather bag full of jewels, and money belonging to Huyai bin Al-Akhtab, who carried it with him when Banu Nadir had been banished. But it soon became clear to both Jews and Muslims that much wealth was being hidden. Where was the famed treasure of the Bani Nadir which they had brought with them from Medina, and which they had so lavishly displayed in their procession through its streets? The Prophet questioned Kinanah about this, and he replied that since their arrival in Khaibar the treasure had all been sold to pay for more arms and armour and fortifications. The Jews knew that he was lying, and were all the more apprehensive because many of them now believed themselves to be in the presence of a Prophet. They held that they had no need to follow him, because he had not been sent to them; but it would be clearly vain to try to deceive him. One of them, who had Kinanah's welfare at heart, went to him and begged him to hide nothing, for if he did the Prophet would certainly be informed of it. Kinanah angrily rebuked him; but within less than a day the treasure was discovered, and Kinanah was put to death together with a cousin of his who was found to be privy to the concealment. Their families were made captive. Abi Al-Huqaiq’s two sons were killed in recompense for breaching the covenant, and Safiyah, Huyai’s daughter was taken as a captive.

Zainab tries to poison the Prophet*

When all the terms had been agreed upon, and when the victorious army had rested, the widowed wife of Sallam ibn Mishkam roasted a lamb and poisoned every part of it with a deadly poison which she concentrated especially in the shoulders, having learnt on inquiry that the Prophet preferred the shoulder of lamb to the other joints. Then she brought it to the camp and set it before him, whereupon he thanked her and invited those of his Companions who were present to sup with him. It happened on this occasion that seated next to the Prophet was a Khazrajite named Bishr, the son of that Bara' who had led the Muslims of Yathrib to the Second 'Aqabah and who had been the first ever to pray the ritual prayer in the direction of Mecca. When the Prophet took a mouthful of lamb, Bishr did the same and swallowed it, but the Prophet spat out what was in his mouth, saying to the others: "Hold off your hands! This shoulder proclaimeth unto me that it is poisoned." He sent for the woman and asked her if she had poisoned the joint. "Who told thee?" she asked. "The shoulder itself," said the Prophet. "What made thee do it?" "Well thou knowest," she said, "what thou hast done unto my people; and thou hast slain my father and mine uncle and my husband. So I told myself: 'If he be a king, I shall be well quit of him; and if he be a Prophet he will be informed of the poison.' " The Prophet none the less pardoned the woman. The face of Bishr was already ashen pale, and he died shortly afterwards. Then it is narrated in some hadith that the lady was killed because of Bishr’s death.

Nawawi's Forty Hadith

Hadith 37: Intentions, Actions and Rewards

“… from among the sayings he relates from His Lord (glorified and exalted be He)”

This statement shows us that this is a qudsi hadith, in which the Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, directly related words of Allah, all praises and glory be to Him, that were not to be contained in the Qur’an.

 ”Verily, Allah recorded the good deeds and the evil deeds.”

Allah, all praises and glory be to Him, has already recorded and decreed which deeds are deserving of reward and which are deserving of punishment. In this narration of the hadith the wording is “Allah recorded” implying that Allah Himself recorded these things. In other narrations it states that the angels record the deeds at the command of Allah, which is the more common understanding, supported by other hadith.  These two understandings have been reconciled by some scholars who stated that the recording by Allah implies two matters. One is the recording of the good and bad deeds by Allah in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lauh al-Mahfoodh), which took place before any of the deeds were actually performed, according to Allah’s knowledge of when they will occur. The second recording is when the person actually performs the deeds, at which time they are recorded by the angels according to Allah’s justice and mercy. Imam at-Tabari said that in this hadith is evidence for the statement that the Two Recording Angels, [assigned to each person to write down the good and bad deeds of that person], write down not just the actions but also what the person intends to do of good or evil, and they know what he resolves to do in his heart. Other scholars think that the Two Angels only write down that which is apparent from the outward actions of the person, or from what they hear him say. It may be that the  Two Angels know all that which a person intends in his heart, and it is conceivable that Allah has granted for them a means to attain this knowledge [which is from the Knowledge of the Ghayb or Unseen], just as He has granted a means to many of the Prophets to attain knowledge of many things from the Unseen. However, we should not argue about these 2 possibilities as this is part of the Knowledge of the Unseen. The fact that all our good and bad deeds are recorded should be a reminder to us that anything we do and say should not be taken lightly. Nothing escapes Allah’s knowledge, and everything will be recorded as either a good or bad deed. This should cause us to pause before we act and ask ourselves, ‘Will this be recorded for me as a good deed or an evil deed?’ Call yourself to account before you are called to account.

“Then He clarified how [that recording should occur:] whoever decided to do a good deed but he did not do it, Allah records it with Him as a complete good deed.”

We can see from this hadith that Allah  has divided deeds into four categories: deciding to do good deeds and then not doing them, doing good deeds, deciding to do evil deeds and then not doing them and doing evil deeds.

1. The first concept to understand is al-haajis, which is a fleeting thought that occurs in one’s mind but does not stay. This kind of thought can occur to anyone and its content may be quite evil, but we are not held accountable for this. This hadith is not referring to this type of thought.

2. The second concept to understand is al-khaatir, which is a thought that comes into one’s mind, that a person gives some thought or consideration to, but then dismisses. This thought can also be quite evil, coming either from shaitan or one’s own soul, but once it has passed the person does not give anymore consideration to it. We are not held responsible for this type of thought either.

3. The third concept is ‘the speech of a person to himself’ and this goes beyond the other levels to contemplate whether or not we should actually perform this action. If we do not act on this then we will not be held responsible for this thought.

By the mercy of Allah we are not held accountable for any of the above listed type of thoughts. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, advised us: “Verily, Allah has overlooked for [the members of] my nation what their souls think about as long as they do not act on it or speak about it.” (Recorded in al-Bukhari and Muslim)  Although we are not held accountable, if evil thoughts do come to our minds we should refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan.

4. The next level is a decision or al-hamm, and that is what this portion of the hadith is referring to. This is where the heart is determined to do a specific act. It is a decision that is just short of a complete resolution to act. It is this type of intention that this hadith is referring to. So whoever decides in their heart, and becomes determined to do a good deed, but they are unable to do it, will have a reward with Allah that is equal to a complete good deed. This determination in the heart, it should be noted is different to having a fleeting thought, or lightly contemplating something. This special reward is reserved for those who had resolved in their hearts to do a good deed, for the sake of Allah, but were unable to do it. And Allah knows best what is in the hearts.

“And if he decided to do it and actually did it, Allah records it with Him as ten good deeds up to seven hundred up to many times over.”

SubhanAllah, such is the mercy of Allah that when we actually do a good deed, He not only rewards us for that, but He increases our reward at least ten times! Allah tells us in the Qur’an: “Whoever brings a good deed shall have ten times the like thereof” (Surah al-Anaam:160) How easy Allah makes it for us to make our scale of good deeds heavy on the Day of Judgement, all praises and glory be to Him. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, tells us in this part of the hadith, that some good deeds could actually receive up to seven hundred times the reward of the deed. We should immediately ask ourselves, what is it that secures a reward as great as seven hundred times? One deed that is specifically multiplied seven hundred fold, is the act of giving wealth for the sake of Allah. Allah, all praises and glory be to Him, says in the Qur’an: “The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is as that of a grain [of corn]. It grows seven ears and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allah is all-sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing” (Surah al-Baqarah:261) There is also the following example from the hadith: “On the authority of Abu Masood al-Ansaari who said: A man came with a camel and its reigns, saying, “This is for the sake of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “For you, on the Day of Resurrection, will be seven hundred camels, all of them with their reigns.” (Recorded in Muslim)  We also have hadith that tell us that a deed may be rewarded so many times over that the total amount is known only to Allah. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Every good deed that a human performs is multiplied ten times up to seven hundred. And Allah has said, ‘Except for the fast for it is done for My sake and I shall reward it [even more]. The person leaves his desires and food for My sake…” (Recorded in al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Patience and perseverance is another deed that is rewarded by an amount that is known only to Allah. Allah says in the Qur’an: “Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full without measure.” (Surah al-Zumar:10) In fact, the same deed may be performed by two different people and the reward for each of them may be totally different. We can see from this, that the amount of multiple reward is based on a number of factors, including the excellence of one’s Islam, one’s sincerity and purity in action, the excellence of the deed itself and the need for the deed done. In this way even a small deed may secure a large reward with Allah.

“If he decided to do an evil deed but he did not do it, Allah records it with Him as one complete good deed.”

If a person considers doing an evil deed, but fears Allah and changes their mind, a full good deed is recorded for them. From this we can see that restraining oneself from evil for the sake of Allah, is a good deed and deserves to be rewarded as such. If a person is able to make restraint for the sake of Allah a part of their character, Allah promises they be from among the inhabitants of Paradise: “But as for him who feared standing before his Lord and restrained himself from impure evil desires and lusts, verily, Paradise will be his abode,” (Surah al-Naaziaat:40-41)  It may be the case that someone decides not to perform an evil deed, simply out of fear of what others may think of them. In this case some scholars say that the person may be held accountable for this intention, because they put the fear of men over fear of Allah, and Allah knows best. If a person decided to perform an evil deed and is prevented from doing so simply by circumstance, they will still be held accountable for this evil intention. The question arises – if a person decides to do a good deed and it is counted as a good deed, shouldn’t the one who decides to do an evil deed have it counted as an evil deed? The answer is that this is part of the blessings and mercy of Allah, all praises and glory be to Him. Allah records the evil deeds of people and them responsible for it as an act of justice on His part. And He forgives other deeds and disregards the decision to do evil as an act of His mercy. We can see the wisdom behind this mercy when we consider that if a person knows they will be held accountable just for the evil thought, there is not much to stop them from actually committing the sin. But if that person restrains themselves, no evil deed will be recorded for them, in fact there is the incentive of achieving a good deed. Then, if they actually go forward and do the good deed, it will be multiplied for them many times. And Allah is the most Just, full of Mercy.

1. The one who decides or just has the intention to do the evil act but then he refrains from doing it because of his fear of the people or does not like to be blamed by them. Some scholars say this person will be punished.

 2. The person decides to do the evil act but was not able to perform it because of external factors (qadr). For example, a person decides to break into a house to steal, but he does not succeed and runs away because a police car is driving around the area. Some scholars say that he will be punished though he did not steal.

 3. Someone who decides and has the intention to do the evil act, makes the effort but is not able to perform it because of his lack of strength or capabilities. Scholars say this person will be punished. For instance, if two Muslims fight each other with the intention of killing each other, as stated in the well-known hadith, both the killer and the one who has been killed will be in the Hellfire. The Companions asked: "O Messenger of Allah, this is the killer - what about the poor person who has been killed?" The Prophet*, said he had the intention to kill his friend or brother but was not able to because he was killed himself.

 4. Someone has the intention to do an evil act and talks to others about it but does not do it. Some scholars say that he will be punished just because of his bad intention. Other scholars say he will not be punished unless the sin itself is the impermissible kind of speech like slander, backbiting or lying.

”If he decided to do it and he actually did it, Allah records it as one evil deed.”

Allah is not unjust to any of His creation. If a person commits an evil deed, it is recorded as one bad deed without any multiplication. Allah, all praises and glory be to Him, tells us in the Qur’an: “Whoever brings an evil deed shall have only the recompense of the like thereof, and they will not be wronged.” (Surah al-Anaam:160) From above, that when a person intends to do a good deed, this is in itself considered a good deed, and if they then go on to perform the deed, the reward is multiplied a minimum of ten times. If a person intends to do an evil deed, but does not do it, a good deed is recorded for them. If they actually perform an evil deed, it is only counted as one evil deed with no multiplication. We should note though that evil deeds do differ in their weight and gravity. So whilst they are only counted as one evil deed, some of these deeds may be graver than others. Very grave sins include destructive sins such as adultery, murder, shirk and so forth. The time at which the sin is committed may contribute to the gravity, such as wrongdoing committed during the Inviolable Months, being worse than that committed at other times. The sanctity of the place where the wrongdoing was committed also increases the gravity of the sin. Allah says of sins committed in the Inviolable Mosque: “And whoever inclines to evil therein or to do wrong, him We shall cause to taste a painful torment” (Surah al-Hajj:26)

The nobility of the person, or the fact that they are taken as an example can also make the sin graver. Allah says: “O wives of the Prophet! Whoever of you commits an open illegal sexual intercourse, the torment for her will be doubled. And that is easy for Allah.” (Surah Al Ahzaab:30)

Many scholars have also noted that if a person shows pleasure at having committed a sin the enormity of the sin would be considered greater. The sin is also made greater by telling others about what you have done. The Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, said: “All of my Nation are to be forgiven except those who publicise their sins. Publicising the sins includes a person doing something during the night and then in the morning, although Allah had kept that act concealed for him, he says, ‘O so and so, last night I did such and such’. He spent the whole night being concealed by his Lord and in the morning he uncovered what Allah had kept concealed for him.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

The enormity of the sin is also greater when there is little excuse for the person to commit the sin. This means that the act was not committed by a person who was overcome by their desires. The Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, said: “There are three [categories of people] to whom Allah will not speak [any pleasing words], for whom Allah will not cleanse of their sins and at whom Allah will not look and they shall have a grievous punishment. [They are] an old man who commits illegal sexual intercourse, a lying king and an arrogant impoverished person.” (Recorded by Muslim)

If we consider how merciful Allah is with recompensing our deeds, we will see that the only ones who are destroyed are those who destroy themselves willingly. If a person restrains themselves and then does a good deed, they will find their reward multiplied by Allah. And Allah is the Most Just, the Most Kind.

Children's Feedback:

What we should expect from our Islam

What are we good at?

19 February 2012

Khaibar Fighting (p2), Hadith 36 (p2)

Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the Peace, Blessings and Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an

The Khaibar Campaign: Assorted Stories

On their way down a valley, the Muslims began to entertain Allah’s Greatness: shouting at the top of their voices: “Allah is Great, Allah is Great, there is no god but Allah.” The Prophet* asked them to lower down their voices saying: “The One you are invoking is neither absent nor deaf; He is close to you, All-hearing.”

The following morning, at sunrise, the Muslims encountered the Jews when they had come out about their jobs with their axes, spades and strings driving their cattle along. They began to shout in surprise: “Muhammad has come along with his force!” The Messenger of Allah said: “Allah is Great, Khaibar shall face destruction. Behold! When we descend in the city centre, it will be a bad day for those who have been warned (but have not taken heed).” For encampment, the Prophet* had chosen a certain plot of land he deemed suitable to serve as the headquarters of his army. However, a veteran fighter of his called Hubab bin Al-Mundhir suggested that they, under the exigencies of war requirements and for the sake of providing maximum logistic facilities, shift to another place. On approaching the vicinity of Khaibar, the Prophet* ordered his troops to halt, and began to invoke his Lord saying: “O Allah! Lord of the seven heavens and what they harbour beneath, Lord of the seven earths and what lies in their wombs, Lord of devils and whomsoever they have led astray; we beseech You to grant us the good of this village (Khaibar), the good of its inhabitants and the good that lies in it. We seek refuge with You from the evil of this village, the evil of its inhabitants, and the evil that lies in it.” Then he ordered, “Now march (towards the village) in the Name of Allah.”

The Jews held a hurried council of war. But despite the warning of one of their chiefs they decided to trust to their battlements. There was no comparison, they said, between the fortresses of Yathrib and their own mountain citadels, as they liked to call them. This decision to fight in separate groups was largely based on their greatest weakness, which was lack of unity. What the Revelation had told the Prophet* about the Jews of Yathrib was also true of the people of Khaibar: III feeling is rife amongst them. Thou countest them as one whole, but their hearts are divided? It was their misfortune to be now suddenly faced by an army which, though small, was penetrated with the discipline implied in the revealed verse: Verily God loveth those who fight for His cause in ranks as if they were a close-built block.' an army of men whose souls delighted in the promise of the words: How many a little band hath overcome a multitude by God's leave! And God is with the steadfast:'

On the first day when the Prophet* attacked the nearest fortress, the garrisons of the others did not march out in a body to attack the besiegers but remained behind their own walls and busied themselves with strengthening their fortifications. These tactics reduced the disparity of numbers, but they put the steadfastness of the Muslims to the test of a long campaign on alien territory and many battles instead of one. The men of Khaibar were amongst the most expert marksmen of Arabia. Never before had the Muslims had such severe training in the use of their shields; and at the outset of the campaign the women in the camp were kept busy treating arrow wounds. Of the Prophet's wives the lot had fallen a second time in succession to Umm Salamah; and amongst the other women who accompanied the army to tend the wounded and keep up the supply of water behind the lines were the Prophet's aunt Safiyyah, Umm Ayman, Nusaybah and Umm Sulaym, the mother of Anas.

Fighting starts

The Prophet* began the campaign by reducing the minor strongholds one after the other. The first fort he was to attack was Na‘im, the first defence line with a formidable strategic position. Marhab, the leader of the fort, invited ‘Amr bin Al-Akwa‘ to meet him in combat (see last week). Yasir, Marhab’s brother, then turned up challenging the Muslims to a fight. Az-Zubair was equal to it and killed him on the spot. Real fighting then broke out and lasted for a few days. The Jews showed courage and proved to be too formidable even to the repeated rushes of the veteran soldiers of Islam. However, they later realized the futility of resistance and began to abandon their positions in An-Na‘im and infiltrate into the fortress of As-Sa‘b. Al-Hubab bin Al-Mundhir Al-Ansari led the attack on As-Sa‘b fortress and laid siege to it for three days after which the Muslims stormed it with a lot of booty, provisions and food to fall to their lot therein. This victory came in the wake of the Prophet’s* invocation to Allah to help Banu Aslam in their relentless and daring attempts to capture that fort.

During the process of the war operations, extreme hunger struck the Muslims. They lit fires, slaughtered domestic asses/donkeys and be to cook them. When the Prophet* inquired about the fires and cooking, he ordered that they throw away the meat and wash the cooking pots, forbidding the practice of eating such meat.

The Jews, meanwhile, evacuated An-Natat and barricaded themselves in Az-Zubair fort, a formidable defensive position inaccessible to both cavalry and infantry. It crowned a high mass of rock with a steep approach to the gates and sheer cliffs on all the other sides. Most of the fighting men who had escaped from the other fortresses had joined the citadel's garrison, which remained firmly within the walls. The Muslims besieged it for three days, but in vain. For several days nothing was achieved; but on the sixth night, when Umer was in command of the watch, a spy was caught in the camp, and in return for his life he gave them valuable information about the various fortresses including this fort which had a hidden resource which would enable them to hold out almost indefinitely; and he offered to tell him the secret, on condition that his life and property and family should be safe. The Prophet* agreed, and the man showed him where he could dig down to dam an underground rivulet which flowed beneath the rocks of the citadel. They had steps leading down to it from within, and since the stream was never dry they kept no stores of water. So when it was cut off they were soon driven by thirst to come out and fight, and after a savage battle they were defeated. The spy also told them about the other forts and which they could capture most easily and suggesting that they should begin with one which was not well guarded and which had a quantity of weapons stored in its spacious cellars, including some engines of war that had been used in the past against other fortresses, for like Yathrib - Khaibar had often been plagued with civil discord. The next day the fortress was taken and the engines brought out to be used in other assaults, a ballista (catapults) for hurling rocks and two testudos for bringing men up to the walls beneath an impregnable roof so that they could breach an entrance; thanks to these engines, the easier fortresses fell one by one. The first powerful resistance they encountered was at a stronghold named Na'im, Here the garrison came out in great force, and on that day every attack made by the Muslims was repulsed.

The Prophet’s Banner

In his previous campaigns the Prophet* had used relatively small flags as standards. But to Khaibar he had brought a great black standard made from a cloak of'A'ishah's. They called it "the Eagle. "Tomorrow," said the Prophet, "will I give the standard unto a man whom God and His messenger love. God will give us the victory by his hands; he is not one who turneth back in flight."  “The banner”, the Prophet* declared “would be entrusted to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger and they (Allah and His Messenger) love him.” All the Muslims came forward in the following morning hoping to be granted the honour of carrying the banner. The Prophet* called for ‘Ali bin Abi Talib whose eyes used were stuck together and the Prophet rubbed his spit on them and they were cured, and then handed the banner to him. Umer said that he never wanted any position of authority in his life except on that day! Hence, Muslims should not seek positions of power as the love of power and love of money are two things taht corrupt men – just like sending 2 hungry wolves in to a pack of sheep! ‘Ali, on his part, pledged he would fight the enemies until they embraced Islam. The Prophet* answered him saying: “Take things easy and invite them to accept Islam and brief them on their duties towards Allah. I swear by Allah that if only one should be guided through your example, that would surely outweigh the best of our camels or spoils of war.”

Khaibar, it seems, was split into two parts with five forts in the first: Na‘im, As-Sa‘b bin Mu‘adh, the castle of Az-Zubair, ’Abi Castle, and An-Nizar in Ash-Shiqq; three others were in part two: Al-Qamus, Al-Wateeh and As-Salalim.

Shortly after this battle, the Jews moved to ’Abi Castle and barricaded themselves inside. The same events recurred; the Muslims besieged the new site for three days and then the great Muslim hero Abu Dujanah Sammak bin Kharshah Al-Ansari — of the red ribbon/headband — led the Muslim army and broke into the castle, conducted fierce military operations within and forced the remaining Jews to flee for their lives into another fort, An-Nizar.

Ghatafan Tribe do not show up to support Khaibar

"Where are the Bani Ghatafan?" was a question that was being asked throughout Khaibar, but not answered. They had in fact set out with an army of four thousand men as promised. But after a day's march they had heard during the night a strange voice-they did not know whether it came from earth or heaven -and the voice cried out three times in succession: "Your people! Your people! Your people!", whereupon the men imagined that their families were in danger, and hastened back whence they had come, only to find everything in order. But having returned, they were unwilling to set out a second time, partly because many of them were convinced that they would now arrive too late to have a share in the defeat of the enemy.

The Bedouin’s wish

A bedouin came to the Prophet* and after accepting Islam expressed his wish to accompany him in the expedition. The Prophet* asked some of his companions to take care of him and settle his needs. When the Muslims captured one of the forts and won a large booty, the man had taken out a herd of cattle for grazing. The spoils were distributed among the combatants apportioning the Bedouin also of his share. When he was given his part, he took it to the Prophet* and asked, "What is this?" The Prophet* explained that it was his share of the booty of war, but he said, "I didn't come to you for it." Then pointing to his throat he continued, "I followed you hoping that I would be hit by an arrow, entitling me of Paradise."The Prophet* replied, "If you desire it so, God will do likewise."Then, in a subsequent battle at Khaibar the Bedouin was among those killed in the encounter. The Prophet* asked, "Is it the same man?" When the companions replied in the affirmative, the Prophet* remarked, "He was true to God and God made his wish come true." The Prophet* shrouded his corpse with his own mantle and recited the funeral service for him. Thereafter, he said, "O Allah, thy servant had come to migrate in Thy way and was killed for Thy sake. I bear witness to it."{Zad al-Ma'ad, Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah (rh), Vol. I, p. 394}

Hadith:
Second half of Nawawi's 40 Hadith, Number 36
Hadith 36: Part 2 ~ Importance of Seeking Knowledge

On the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Prophet said: "Whosoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Judgment. Whosoever alleviates [the lot of] a needy person, Allah will alleviate [his lot] in this world and the next. Whosoever shields a Muslim, Allah will shield him in this world and the next. Allah will aid a servant [of His] so long as the servant aids his brother. Whosoever follows a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. No people gather together in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, without tranquility descending upon them, mercy enveloping them, the angels surrounding them, and Allah making mention of them amongst those who are with Him. Whosoever is slowed down by his actions will not be hastened forward by his lineage." [Muslim] 

Last week we covered the first part of this wonderful hadith.

This is a great hadith that encompasses all the branches of Knowledge, and the Principles [of the Religion], and the Excellent Manners. In it is found the virtue of fulfilling the needs of the Muslims, and benefitting them, from what is possible for one, of Knowledge, or wealth, or aid, or guidance towards that which will correct their affairs, or advice. or other than that. And the meaning of "alleviates the need" is removing it. We see that in this hadith the obligations towards other Muslims are emphasised and the fulfilment of brotherhood is again stressed.

This indicates that doing deeds are the means of getting the rewards and that will lead a person to Paradise. Allah says: "For all shall be judged against their actions". If the good deeds are not enough, the person's lineage or ancestry will not benefit him. This is because Allah made rewards related to good deeds and not lineage. No ties of kinship will prevail amongst them. [Surah al-Mu'minun: Ayah 101]

“Whoever follows a path in order to seek knowledge thereby, Allah will make easy for him, due to it, a path to Paradise.”

The majority of commentators on this hadith, state that what is meant by ‘knowledge’ here is knowledge of the religion, although some do assert that is incorporates other types of knowledge as well. Certainly knowledge of the religion is one of the most important types of knowledge that we can attain, and it would seem that it is this type of knowledge is the most likely to facilitate us on the path to Paradise. The meaning of the phrase ‘follows a path’ used by the Prophet* is understood by Ibn Rajab to incorporate both the actual physical following of a path, as well as the non-physical means by which one attains knowledge. This statement would therefore include all acts such as travelling, walking or driving to attend lectures or meet scholars to learn from them, as well as reading, studying, memorizing, contemplating and so forth. All of these are ‘paths’ by which one seeks knowledge. The words, ‘Allah will make easy for him, due to it, a path to Paradise’, could mean that Allah will make the seeking and attaining of knowledge easy, and that it is this knowledge that will lead us to Paradise, or that Allah will facilitate the seeker of knowledge in acting on what they have learnt, and is this way it will be a cause of their guidance which will lead them to Paradise. Allah knows best. If a person acts on the basis of knowledge, Allah will bestow upon them new knowledge that they did not possess. We can see this concept articulated in the statement of Allah: “And Allah increases in guidance those who walk right” (Surah Maryam:76)

Another interpretation is that this part of the hadith refers to the physical path to Paradise in the Hereafter, and that Allah, all praises and glory be to Him, may make this particular journey easier for the seeker of knowledge. In fact, the path of knowledge, when truly applied, is the only path that leads directly to Allah and His Paradise. It guides us out of ignorance and confusion towards the light. As Allah says: “Indeed there has come to you from Allah a light and a plain Book wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings then out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to the straight way.” (Surah al-Maaidah:15-16)

It also deepens us in our knowledge of and love for Allah, all praises and glory be to Him, and increases our love for Him, as well as our fear and hope in Him. Allah has said: “It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves who fear Allah” (Surah Faatir:28)

We know from other hadith that seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim, but it does not come without effort. We must sacrifice and struggle to gain knowledge and when we do this, Allah will make easy for us to attain that knowledge and follow it to Paradise. We can see many beautiful examples amongst the most knowledgeable of Muslims, the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah have mercy on them all. The Prophet* made a special dua for ibn Abbas, that Allah should grant him knowledge and understanding of the Qur’an. But how did he attain this knowledge? Did it just come to him? No, he made sacrifices. He would sit outside the doors of the older companions, in the heat and the wind, waiting patiently to ask them about hadith. When they would come to him, they would say ‘Why didn’t you send someone for us?’ and he would say ‘No, it is more proper that I come to you’. Or the example of Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, who would divide the night into three portions, one for sleep, one for prayer and one for studying hadith. Later scholars would travel for one month to hear a single hadith.

Unfortunately, these days, many of us want knowledge to fall into our laps, or to gain it when it easy and convenient for us. We are no longer willing to sacrifice in order to gain knowledge. We would rather shop than attend lectures, we complain of having no time, and we want Islamic literature to come for free. Is it any wonder then that there are very few people with deep knowledge of the Islamic sciences left today? This knowledge is something very precious and we must preserve it. Allah willing, it will lead us no where other than Paradise. Surely that is worth sacrificing for?

Here we can find the encouragement of Islam in seeking and gaining knowledge. The knowledge seekers will be rewarded if the knowledge is beneficial to oneself as well as for the betterment of the Muslim community. This statement of the hadith can be interpreted in 3 ways:

1. Allah will make it easy for the knowledge seeker to gain the knowledge that he is seeking.
2. Allah will make it easy for the knowledge seeker so that he will benefit from the knowledge he is seeking. This means that he will benefit from the knowledge and this will lead him to enter Paradise. There are many people who seek knowledge but there are no blessings in the knowledge they seek. The crucial point here is the person should seek knowledge with good intentions.
3. For the one who seeks knowledge with good intentions, Allah will safely help him go through the horrible incidents and situations on the Day of Judgment.

Ibn Rajab classifies ilm (knowledge) into two types:

• The outcome of knowledge is placed in the heart. That is the knowledge about Allah and His attributes that implies fearing Allah, glorifying Him, and loving Him.
• The knowledge that we merely memorise or speak about - without our hearts being influenced or affected. This means that if the person does not abide by the knowledge that he has already obtained, then he is in a very critical situation where the he may be subject to the punishment of Allah.

“No people gather together in a house of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquillity descended upon them, mercy covers them, the angels surround them and Allah makes mention of them to those in His presence.”

SubhanAllah, this part of the hadith is so beautiful. Who would not like to have tranquillity, and the mercy of Allah, and be surrounded by angels, whilst Allah mentions us specifically to those is His presence? The Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, is telling us how we can achieve this. The key to these blessings is the study of the word of Allah, the Qur’an. Indeed, in another hadith the Prophet* stated, “The best of you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” (Recorded by al-Bukhari)

Here the hadith implies a preferable act: to go to the mosque, to recite and study the Qur'an, or attending lectures. Ibn Rajab says that this can be applied to all branches of knowledge and not just the Qur'an. The hadith mentions four rewards for those who gather in the mosque:

1. Tranquillity - this is a great reward which includes relief from stress and being calm.
2. The Mercy of Allah over them.
3. The angels surrounding them.
4. Allah making mention of them amongst those who are in His presence.

But the purpose of the Qur’an is not simply recitation. We note that the Prophet* referred in particular to those who gather to read and study the Qur’an. The Qur’an is a source of guidance for how best to live our lives and as such, it must read with the purpose of pondering over its meaning in order to understand and apply what it teaches us. As Allah, all praises and glory be to Him, has said: “[This is] a Book that We have revealed to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over its verses and that men of understanding may remember.” (Surah Saad:29) We note that Allah refers to men of ‘understanding’, those who have sought to understand the verses and be reminded by them, but we do not have to be scholars to gain the blessings mentioned in this hadith. The Prophet* said “No people…”, and the way he said was in the indefinite, implying that any type of people who come together to study the Qur’an will receive this blessing, as long as their intention is sincere for the sake of Allah, all praises and glory be to Him.

The Prophet* also mentioned people gathering “together in a house of the houses of Allah”. Some of the scholars have suggested that the use of this phrase, rather that ‘masjid‘ or mosque in particular, is so that places that are used for the purpose of pleasing Allah through study rather than prayer, could also be included. This would therefore incorporate buildings that house madrassas and so forth. Others say that the Prophet* did not mean anything specific by the use of this term, and that people gathering in any type of place to perform this act would receive this blessing. According to the majority of scholars, gathering in a group in the mosque to study the Qur’an is the preferred method for learning. However, Imam Malik disapproved of gatherings in which all people are reciting at the same time, because the teacher is unable to tell who is reciting correctly. The practice of the early scholars is that they would read one at a time, clearly and in a comprehensible fashion. The most important point that we can gain from this part of the hadith is that there are blessings for those who gather to recite the Qur’an and study its meanings. One act is not complete without the other. We cannot expect to gain the blessings of tranquillity and an eased path to Paradise if we do not understand what Allah is telling us, and what His guidance is for how we should live our lives. We may be a hafiz of Qur’an, but if we do not understand a word of what we recite, how can the meaning affect our hearts? We learnt in a previous hadith, that the Qur’an is either an evidence for us or against us. It is frightening to consider that the Qur’an could be an evidence against us if we do not apply what it teaches. How can we apply what it teaches if we do understand its message? How many of us have read the Qur’an from beginning to end in a language that we understand? How many of us know intimately what guidance Allah has sent? How can we be guided if we do not seek to understand?

And his* statement "No people gather together in one of the Houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves" is a proof for the virtue of gathering in the masjid for the recitation of the Qur’an. And regarding the word 'Sakeenah' mentioned here, then some people have said that it means 'Mercy', but this interpretation is weak due to the separate mention of Mercy in the next part of the hadith. And it has been said that it means Tranquillity, Peacefulness and Dignity, and this is better.

And his* statement "No people gather together" is in the indefinite, general form, as though he ((SAW)) meant to say "Any people" who gather for this, then they will receive all of the Virtue what he has mentioned. And he ((SAW)) did not lay a condition here that the people must be scholars, or ascetics or possessors of High Stations. And the meaning of "and the angels surround them" is similar to that mentioned by Allah in His Noble Book : "And you will see the angels surrounding the Throne (of Allah) from all round" [Soorah az-Zumar, 75], that is they will encircle and encompass them from every side. And so it will be as though the angels will be so close to them, so as to completely encircle them, and no gap will be left between them through which Shaytaan may enter.

And as for his* statement "and Mercy envelops them" then the word 'envelop' is not used except when all the parts of the object are completely covered from all sides. And Shaykh Shihaab ad-Deen bin Farj said : "And the meaning of this, from what I see to be correct, is that the Envelopment of His Mercy is such that it encircles and embraces all previous sins, insha'Allah".

And his* statement "and Allah mentions them amongst those who are with Him" implies that the mentioning of Allah is amongst the Prophets and the Most Honourable of the Angels, and Allah knows best.

“Whoever is slowed by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage.”

All of mankind originated from the same source. Allah, all praises and glory be to Him, tells us: “O mankind, fear your Lord who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and from them spread forth many men and women” (Surah al-Nisaa:1)  We all share this common lineage from the soul of Adam, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. Although we may appear different on the surface, we are from the same source, with the same constitution, and have been created for the same purpose, the worship of Allah, all praises and glory be to Him. The only thing that distinguishes us is taqwa, or fear of Allah, all praises and glory be to Him, which is manifested in our deeds. Allah says: “O mankind, We have created you from a male and female and We have made you into nations and tribes, so that you may recognise one another. Verily, the most honorable of you  with Allah is he who has the most taqwa. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” (Surah al-Hujuraat:13)

On the Day of Judgement, we will each stand before Allah alone. All the relations of this world will be forgotten and there will be no-one to help us. Allah says: “Then, when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask [about one another].” (Surah al-Muminoon:101)  The only thing that will matter to us will be the good deeds that we performed in this world, for the sake of Allah, all praises and glory be to Him. Allah tells us: “For all there will be ranks according to what they did. And you Lord is not unaware of what they do” (Surah al-Anaam:132)  If we have not put forth any good deeds for this day – deeds that were done for the sake of Allah alone and in accordance with the Sunnah of His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him – what rank do we think we will find ourselves in? How do we think our scales will look? Being from a high ranking family from a particular race or region will be of no assistance to us whatsoever. Actions that we did for the sake of the people and what they thought of us, will have no value.

The Prophet* has detailed in this hadith some of the actions that we can perform, with the right intention, that will be of benefit to us on that Day. When should help our brothers and sisters when they are in need, assisting them in distressful situations. We should forgive debt when someone is in dire circumstances, and conceal our brothers and sisters’ sins.  Further, we should strive to seek knowledge, and gather to recite and study the glorious Qur’an. These are just some of the important acts that we can perform, after the obligatory and recommended ones. These acts must be performed for the sake of Allah alone, whether we are from the noblest or lowest of families, so that Allah may be pleased with us, and enter us into His Paradise.

Children's Feedback:

• Adam and Eve
• Muslim Invention: Universities
• Bullying
• Abu Bakr

12 February 2012

Refuting magic on Prophet, Khaibar (p1), Hadith 36 (p1)

Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the Peace, Blessings and Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an

Refuting the story of magic on the Prophet* and The start of the Khaibar Campaign

The story of magic on the Prophet

The following story is mentioned in the biography of the Prophet* compiled by Martin Lings. I will print what he says (based upon hadith) and then mention why many scholars do not believe this to be authentic.

In these same weeks after the return of the pilgrims there was an attack on the Prophet's life by a means which had not yet been used against him. In every generation of the Jews in Arabia there could be found one or two adepts in the science of magic; and one of these was amongst the Jews still living in Medina, Labid by name, an expert sorcerer who had also instructed his daughters in the subtle art lest his own knowledge should die with him. Labid now received a heavy bribe to put as deadly a spell as he could upon the Prophet*. For this purpose he needed some combings of his hair, which he or one of his daughters contrived to procure, possibly through the intermediary of an entirely innocent person. He tied eleven knots in the hair, and his daughters breathed imprecations upon each knot. Then he attached it to a sprig from a male date-palm which had on it the outer sheath of the pollen, and threw it into a deep well. The spell could only be undone by the untying of the knots.

The Prophet* was soon aware that something was seriously wrong. On the one hand his memory began to fail him, while on the other hand he began to imagine that he had done things which in fact he had not done. He was also overcome with weakness, and when food was pressed upon him he could not bring himself to eat. He prayed God to cure him, and in his sleep he was conscious of two persons, one sitting at his head and the other at his feet. He heard one of them inform the other of the exact cause of his infirmity and of the name of the well. When he woke Gabriel came to him, and confirming his dream he gave him two surahs of the Qur’an, one of which contains five verses and the other six. The Prophet* sent 'Ali to the well, telling him to recite over it the two surahs. At each verse one of the knots untied itself until all were untied and the Prophet* recovered his full strength of mind and body.' The Prophet* ordered the well to be filled up and another to be dug near at hand to replace it. He sent for Labid, who confessed to having placed the spell upon him for the sake of a bribe, but he did not take any action against him.

The first of the two surahs is: ‘Say: I take refuge in the Lord of daybreak from the evil of that which He hath created, and from the evil of dusk when it dimmeth into night, and from the evil of the women who breathe upon knots, and from the evil of the envier when he envieth,' The second is: Say: I take refuge in the Lord of men, The King of men, the God of men, from the evil of the stealthy whisperer, who whispers in the breasts of men; from Jinn and from men.'

According to many authorities these two surahs which were recited on this occasion were not then newly revealed but had been given to the Prophet* in Mecca before the Hijrah.

These surahs are placed last of all in the Qur’an. They are called "the two takings of refuge", and are recited continually for protection against all manner of evil.

Comment

There are khabar ahad (singular) narrations that say the Prophet* was affected by magic but the meaning of these cannot be accepted as they contradict the definite matter of infallibility of the Prophet* and that he could not be influenced by Shaitan or evil in any way. The Prophet* is infallible with regards to the Deen. Furthermore, if a speculative (zanni) matter contradicts a definitive (qati) matter then the definitive must be taken even if there is a zanni narration upon the issue. This means that we should accept the principle of infallibility of the Prophet(s) above any narration as there may be error in the narration.

Secondly, the actual authenticity of the narrations regarding magic influencing the Prophet* themselves have been doubted by scholars. We talked about this topic when discussing ‘The Satanic Verses’ many months ago.
We find that the chains of transmission of this story can be divided into two categories:
A) Hisham – his father ‘Urwah – ‘Aishah
From Hisham several people (Yahya, ‘Isa, Abu Usamah, Ibn Numayr etc) narrate the story, so we can take it back to him with considerable confidence. But we have no way to verify that Hisham heard the story from ‘Urwah, since he is the only one to attribute it to him. And if we do accept that Hisham did relate it from ‘Urwah we cannot be sure that ‘Urwah heard it from ‘Aishah, since he is the only one to attribute it to her.
Hisham was a resident of Medina, although he later moved to Iraq and died there. Imam Malik, also from Medina quotes many traditions from him but he does not quote this one. One explanation of this fact is that when he was residing in Medina in early part of his life Hisham either did not know this story or he did not give credence to it. It is reported by scholars that Hisham became very feeble-minded in his later years. Thus ‘Uqayli says: he mentally degenerated in the last part of his life. It may be that Hisham heard the story from some unreliable narrators in his earlier years and in his later years his feeble-mindedness led him to attribute it to ‘Urwah. This would explain why no other narrator transmits the story from ‘Urwah or from ‘Aishah. This is one explanantion.
B) The second category of chains of transmission has: Abu Mu‘awiyah – al-A‘mash – Yazid bin Hayyan – Zayd bin Arqam
These chains are even more problematic than those from ‘Aishah. They are found only in two of the nine collections of Hadith: Nasa`i and Ahmad and allow us to take the hadith back with some confidence only to Abu Mu‘awiyah who died in 195. We have only his word that al-A‘mash (d. 147) narrated the story and the same is true about two earlier narrators: Yazid bin Hayyan and Zayd bin Arqam.

To conclude, although these stories are mentioned in some books of hadith we reject the stories partly because they contradict the Qur’anic promise of Allah to protect His Messenger and partly due to the weakness in the chain of narrators. Hence, there is doubt both in the text and transmission.

The Start of the Khaibar Campaign

Khaibar was a spacious strongly fortified territory, studded with castles and farms, lying at a distance of 60-80 miles north of Medina, now a village known for its uncongenial climate. After Al- Hudaibiyah Treaty, the major party of the anti-Islam tripartite coalition — Quraish, the bedouin horde of Najd tribes and the Jews — was neutralized, therefore, the Prophet* deemed it an appropriate time to settle his affairs with the other two wings — the Jews and the Najd tribes — in order that peace and security could prevail and the Muslims may devote their time and effort in propagating the Message of Allah and calling people to embrace it. Khaibar itself had always remained a hotbed of intrigue and conspiracy, and the Jews had always constituted it a source of military provocations and war instigation centre, so it was given a top priority on the agenda of the Prophet’s compelling exigencies. The Jews of Khaibar had united by an ancient alliance with the Confederates, triggered Bani Quraiza to practise treachery, maintained contacts with Ghatafan and the Arabians and they even devised an attempt at the Prophet’s life. In fact, the continual afflictions that the Muslims had sustained were primarily attributable to the Jews. Envoys were repeatedly sent to them for peaceful settlement, but all in vain. Consequently the Prophet* came to the conclusion that a military campaign was a must in order to forestall their hostilities. Interpreters of the Noble Qur’an suggest that capturing Khaibar had been a Divine promise implied in Allah’s Words: · “Allah has promised you abundant spoils that you will capture, and He has hastened for you this.” [48:20] i.e., Al-Hudaibiyah Peace Treaty and the surrender of Khaibar.

The hypocrites and people weak of heart had hung back from joining the true Muslims in Al- Hudaibiyah campaigns, so now Allah, the All-Mighty inculcated the following words in His Prophet’s ears: · “Those who lagged behind will say, when you set forth to take the spoils, ‘Allow us to follow you.’ They want to change Allah’s Words. Say: ‘You shall not follow us; thus Allah has said beforehand.’ Then they will say: ‘Nay, you envy us.’ Nay, but they understand not except a little.” [48:15]

For this reason, the Prophet* invited only those who were willing to fight in the cause of Allah to accompany him in his march against Khaibar. 1400 men only, who had sworn allegiance in response to his call. Meanwhile, Siba‘ bin ‘Arfatah Al-Ghifari was chosen to run the affairs of Medina.

The hypocrites of Arabia took notice of the fresh Islamic intentions so they began to alert the Jews to the imminent military activities. Their chief, ‘Abdullah bin Ubai delegated an envoy to the Jews of Khaibar warning them against the d angers approaching, and nerving them to resist the Muslims as they outnumbered the latter and were better equipped. On hearing the news the Jews despatched Kinanah bin Abi Al-Huqaiq and Haudha bin Qais to their former allies, the tribe of Ghatafan requesting military assistance, promising to grant them half the yield of the fruit that their farms could yield if they managed to beat the Muslims.

The Prophet* marched by way of Isra Mountain and then went forward with the army till he halted in a valley called Ar-Raji‘, encamping between Khaibar and Ghatafan so as to prevent the latter from reinforcing the Jews. The guides accompanying him led him to an intersection from which branched out three roads with different designations; all leading to his destination. He abstained from following the first two roads on grounds of their ominous designation and chose the third for its propitious indications.

Amr bin Al-Akwa’s martyrdom

It has been narrated on the authority of Salamah bin Al-Akwa‘, who said: We marched upon Khaibar with the Messenger of Allah*. We journeyed during the night. One of the men said to my brother ‘Amir: Won’t you recite to us s ome of your verses, ‘Amir? So he began to chant his verses to urge the camels, reciting: O Allah, if You had not guided us, We would have neither been guided rightly nor practised charity, nor offered prayers. We wish to lay down our lives for You; so forgive You our lapses, And keep us steadfast when we encounter (our enemies). Bestow upon us peace and tranquillity, Behold, when with a cry they called upon us to help.

The Messenger of Allah* said: “Who is this driver (of the camels)?” They said: “It is ‘Amir.” He said: “Allah will show mercy to him.” A man said: “Martyrdom is reserved for him; O Messenger of Allah, would that you had allowed us to benefit ourselves from his life.” The Prophet’s Companions had already known that he would never invoke Allah’s mercy upon a close Companion but to single him out for martyrdom.

The Prophet* began the campaign by reducing the minor strongholds one after the other. The first fort he was to attack was Na‘im, the first defence line with a formidable strategic position. Marhab, the leader of the fort, invited ‘Amr bin Al-Akwa‘ to meet him in combat and the latter responded; when ‘Amr struck the Jew, his sword recoiled and wounded his knee, and he died of that wound. Some people claimed, based on this action, that Amir ‘commited suicide and lost all his good deeds’ and this made Salamah unhappy. The Prophet* noticed this and later said: “For him (‘Amir) there is a double reward in the Hereafter.” He indicated this by putting two of his fingers together. ‘Ali bin Abi Talib then undertook to meet Marhab in combat, and managed to kill him. Yasir, Marhab’s brother, then turned up challenging the Muslims to a fight. Az-Zubair was equal to it and killed him on the spot. Real fighting then broke out and lasted for a few days. The Jews showed courage and proved to be too formidable even to the repeated rushes of the veteran soldiers of Islam. However, they later realized the futility of resistance and began to abandon their positions in An-Na‘im and infiltrate into the fortress of As-Sa‘b.

Hadith:

First half of Nawawi's 40 Hadith, Number 36

Hadith 36: Part 1 ~ Helping Brother Muslims 

Hadith No.36 (Nawawi's 40 Hadith): On the authority of Abu Huraira from the Prophet* who said: “Whoever relieves a believer’s distress of the distressful aspects of this world, Allah will rescue him from a difficulty of the difficulties of the Hereafter. Whoever alleviates [the situation of] one in dire straits who cannot repay his debt, Allah will alleviate his lot in both this world and in the Hereafter. Whoever conceals [the faults of] a Muslims, Allah will conceal [his faults] in this life and the Hereafter. Allah is helping the servant as long as the servant is helping his brother. Whoever follows a path in order to seek knowledge thereby, Allah will make easy doe him, due to it, a path to Paradise. No people gather together in a house of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquillity descended upon them, mercy covers them, the angels surround them and Allah makes mention of them to those in His presence. Whoever is slowed by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage.”[Muslim]

We see that in this hadith the obligations towards other Muslims are emphasised and the fulfilment of brotherhood is again stressed. The previous hadith talks about the prohibitions regarding a Muslim’s duties towards their fellow Muslims, and this talks about the more positive elements of Brotherhood and its responsibilities. This is a great hadith that encompasses all the branches of Knowledge, and the Principles [of the Religion], and the Excellent Manners. In it is found the virtue of fulfilling the needs of the Muslims, and benefitting them, from what is possible for one, of Knowledge, or wealth, or aid, or guidance towards that which will correct their affairs, or advice.

“Whoever alleviates [the situation of] one in dire straits who cannot repay his debt, Allah will alleviate his lot in both this world and in the Hereafter.”

The Day of Judgement will be a very difficult day with many hardships. The only way to be rescued from difficulties on that Day is by obtaining the grace and mercy of Allah, all praises and glory be to Him. In this part of the hadith, the Prophet* has informed us about one of the ways in which we can attain the mercy of Allah. Relieving our fellow Muslim of their debt is an act beloved to Allah that may earn us His mercy, and an alleviation from trials in this world and the Hereafter. Here, it is not wise or appropriate for a Muslim to demand his money back from a poor or needy Muslim who honestly cannot afford to pay him. He should either give him a chance until he is able to repay his money or forgive him.

There are basically two ways in which we can relieve another’s debt. If we have leant money, and we know that someone is not able to repay the loan, we can wait until they have the means to repay it. This is in fact an obligation commanded by Allah, when He says: “And if the debtor is on straitened circumstances, then grant him time until it is easy for him to repay” (2:280)  A second option would be to reduce the debt or forgive it completely, and that is better for us, as Allah says: “But of you remit it [the debt] by way of charity, that is better for you if you did but know. And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly” (2:281)

Also included is the concept is giving the one in debt charity or a gift to help them pay off their debts. The Prophet* said regarding this: “Whoever would be pleased to have Allah save him from distress on the Day of Resurrection should then relieve one in straitened circumstances or completely remove his debt.” (Muslim)  Ibn Uthaimeen points out that if a Muslim does the opposite of this, and demands the debt, making life difficult for that person, then Allah may make life difficult him both in this life and the next. We can see that caring for our fellow Muslims, and seeking to alleviate their stresses and strains, be they financial or otherwise, not only serves to strengthen the ties of the brotherhood and sisterhood, and alleviate distress, it also benefits us though the removal of trials and tribulations either in this world, or on the Day of Judgement. The Prophet*, says in one of his great hadiths: "A man of the previous nations was very rich and people used to borrow money from him. Not only did he lend them money, which is indeed a good deed, but he also asked his sons to alleviate and forgive those who could not repay the money." The Prophet*, says that in the Hereafter Allah will reward him and forgive his sins because of his generosity. Allah says in Surah al-Furqan, Ayah 26 that "it will be a very hard day for the disbelievers". This means that there is a situation where a person who is kind to those in need and Allah will relief that person by rewarding him a great reward from Allah's Mercy and Help.

“Whoever conceals [the faults of] a Muslim, Allah will conceal [his faults] in this life and the Hereafter.”

The matter of concealing the faults of others is mentioned in numerous hadith of the Prophet*. In particular, we find the following: “O gathering who believe with their tongues but faith has yet to enter into their hearts, do not backbite the Muslims. And do not search into their private matters. Whoever searches for their private matters will have Allah follow up his private matters. And whose private matters Allah follows, He will expose him even [if his act were done] in his house.” (Ahmad and Abu Dawood)

And this is with regards to hiding the sins that they may have committed in the past, and which are over. On the other hand, if they are caught red-handed performing a sin then it is obligatory to admonish them and forbid them from it. And if they are unable to do so, then they must raise the matter to the Authorities, if they do not fear any evil repercussions from this. In general, a believer in Allah and the Last Day, would not like their mistakes and faults to be broadcast to others. If we make a mistake or commit a sin, it is better that we keep the matter to ourselves and ask Allah for forgiveness than to tell others about we have done, perhaps inadvertently encouraging them to do the same. If, may Allah forgive us, we are happy at having committed the sin, then it is a sign of a shortcoming in our faith, and we should repent to Allah and ask Him to guide us to what is better. Allah, all praises and glory be to Him has told us in the Qur’an: “Verily, those who like that lewd sinful acts should propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter” (Surah al-Noor:19)

Those Whose Sins Should be Concealed

There are essentially two types of people. One is religious and performs the obligatory and recommended acts and remains away from what is forbidden. The other openly admits commits sins and acts that are forbidden by the shariah. In the light of the teachings of this hadith, the actions with respect to each type of person is different. The first type of person, who is not known to commit sins, should have shortcomings concealed by others. However, conditions must be met for this approach to be followed:

1) The sin that the person committed must be one related to the ‘rights of Allah’ and not the rights of mankind. That is, if you see them do something that will not harm anyone else, you should conceal that. But if what they are doing concerns others, such as stealing, then you cannot remain silent because another person’s rights have been violated.

2) The sin must have already been finished. In other words, if see someone in the act of committing a sin, you should try to stop them, even if it means telling others about it, but if the acts is done, then it should be concealed.

3) The person whose fault is being concealed must be a religious person who is not known to perform evil deeds, thus the act could be considered a slip.

4) The concealment must not be in a situation where one has been called to be a witness to what has occurred, or to the character of the accused.

5) The benefit of concealing the person’s sin must outweigh the benefit of letting the sin be known. If the benefit and the harm seem of an equal level, the sin should be concealed.

According to ibn Rajab, the one who comes privately to the authorities, full of repentance and sorrow, asking for punishment without explicitly stating which type of sin has been committed, should also have their sin concealed and be told to repent privately to Allah. This was the practice of the Prophet*.

Those Who are Not Deserving of Intercession

The second category of people, who openly and repeatedly commit sins, are not deserving of having their sins concealed. Instead, others should be told about them so that they take precautions against them. They should also be reported to the proper authorities in order to try and curb their evil, and one should not intercede on their behalf. When all this is considered, we can see that this teaching serves to protect the honour of the pious Muslim who may have slipped and committed a sin against the rights of Allah. But if the act committed was against the rights of a person, or committed openly with no shame, then there is no concealment and the action should be dealt with appropriately. Allah is all-Forgiving and He loves to Forgive, and we should never despair of His Mercy, but neither should we openly commit sins or harm the rights of another person, otherwise we cannot hope for Allah to conceal our own faults, in this life, or more importantly, in the Hereafter.

“Allah is helping the servant as long as the servant is helping his brother.”

This statement is a principle. Before this statement, the Prophet*, gives us three examples of Allah helping those who help others. We can see from this statement of the Prophet* that Allah rewards His servants in a manner similar to the deeds that they perform. If we are helping our brother or sister, Allah will help us in return. Some of the virtues of helping one another were discussed in detail in the commentary of Hadith Number 26, but this particular hadith gives us further cause for reflection. Allah promises to be our helper if we help one another, and who could be a better helper than Allah? If Allah is helping us, would we need for anything? This also shows us what the ideal Islamic society should look like. It is a society in which its members help each other and support each other and encourage each other to do what is best. Allah commands us: “Help one another in acts of piety and righteousness. And do not assist each other in acts of sinfulness and transgression. And be aware of Allah. Verily, Allah is severe in punishment” (al-Maaidah:2) Hence we should help each other to do good and avoid helping others in acts that would displease Allah.

A hadith of the Prophet* illustrates the reward of helping one another. Anas narrated that the Prophet* and his Companions were on a journey, and some of the Companions were fasting whilst others were not. Those who were fasting were struggling to perform the chores of feeding the animals and preparing the food and so forth, so those who were not fasting performed these tasks for them. Although fasting is an act that is extremely pleasing to Allah, the Prophet* said of their situation:“Those who were not fasting took all of the reward today.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim) Those who were not fasting received such a great reward because they were helping their brothers who were in need.

Helping one another is not limited to doing a deed on another’s behalf, it also includes the other deeds previously referred to in this hadith, including relieving someone in a distressful situation, relieving debt or interceding on their behalf. We should therefore use our physical and material means as well as other means such as our reputation and authority to help those in need. When we do this, we will find the most blessed of things, Allah as our helper. But should we confine ourselves only to the needy mentioned in the hadith? Of course not. The Prophet*, wants to convey to us that we should help our brothers in any way possible. There are hundreds of forms of need. For example, helping the blind to cross the street or any of the great and charitable acts that are mentioned in Hadiths 25 and 26. The greater the help, the greater the reward. This is something that Muslims should take seriously because if we have a community which care about each other and help one another, then there would be no needy. This should be our attitude - we should seek to be motivated to offer our help at any time to our Muslim brothers.

This is a generalisation whose detailed explanation must include the case where the Slave [of Allah] resolves to help his brother Muslim [by admonishing him], whereupon it becomes required of him not to be cowardly of speaking the Truth to him, believing, all the while, that Allah will help him and protect him from any evil repercussions of doing so.

The second half of the hadith will be covered next week, Insha’Allah

No News Topic

Children's Feedback:

Muslim Inventions: Windmills