Concepts, Islamic Culture, Side Feature

Steadfastness in hardship

When Ummul Mo’mineen Khadijah bint Khuwaylid saw Muhammad ﷺ getting tired because of fulfilling the responsibilities of Da’wa that he was given and in this path facing different types of harm, she said to the Prophet ﷺ, “Oh my cousin also take some rest!”. At this Rasool Allah ﷺ replied, «لا راحة بعد اليوم يا خديجة» La rahata ba’ad al yaum ya Khadijah!” “Oh Khadijah, there is no rest after today”.

Brothers, because the importance of Da’wa, he ﷺ proclaimed the desertion of rest and to put his ﷺ life at stake. On this path he ﷺ endured harm that no other prophet had endured. As a Da’wa carrier every shab should have the life of the Prophet ﷺ as his role model that calamities could be of all types. In this path one can face resistance from family and relatives before facing it from strangers. One can face oppression at the hands of people of power. One can lose avenues of livelihood in fact one might even lose his life.

Before the establishment of Islamic State, there is a great lesson for us in what the Prophet ﷺ and his companions had to go through in Makkah Mukarama. Indeed, who else could be a role model for us other than Prophet ﷺ and his Companions? The way Allah سبحانه وتعالى rewarded them with a magnificent state after a great struggle, in this there is hope and consolation for us, and Allah سبحانه وتعالى does not break His promise.

عن جبير بن نفير عن أبيه قالَ: جلسنا إلى المقداد بن الأسود رضي الله عنه يوماً فمرَّ به رجل، فقالَ: طوبى لهاتين العينين اللتين رأتا رسول الله r؛ والله لودِدنا أنا رأينا ما رأيت، وشهدنا ما شهدت ؛ فاستمعت – أي نفير – فجعلت أعجب! ما قالَ إلاّ خيراً. ثمّ أقبل عليه المقداد فقالَ: ما يحمل أحدَكم على أن يتمنى محضَراً غيّبه الله عزّ وجلّ عنه، لا يدري لو شهده كيف كان يكون فيه. والله! لقد حضر رسولَ الله r أقوامٌ – كبَّهم الله عزّ وجل على مناخرهم في جهنم – لم يجيبوه ولم يصدِّقوه، أو لا تحمدون الله إذ أخرجكم الله عزّ وجلّ لا تعرفون إلاّ ربكم مصدقين بما جاء به نبيكم r وقد كُفيتم البلاءَ بغيركم ؟ والله! لقد بعث النبي r على أشدّ حال بعث عليه نبي من الأنبياءِ في فترة وجاهلية ما يرون ديناً أفضل من عبادة الأوثان. فجاء بفرقان فرَّق به بين الحق والباطل، وفرق بين الوالد وولده، حتى إن الرجل ليرى والده أو ولده أو أخاه كافراً وقد فتح الله تعالى قفل قلبه للإيمان، ليعلم أنه قد هلك من دخل النار فلا تقر عينه وهو يعلم أن حميمه في النار: وإنها للتي قالَ الله عزّ وجلّ: ﴿ربنا هب لنا من أزواجنا وذرياتنا قرة أعين﴾ [الفرقان: 74]. [أخرجه أبو نعيم في الحلية، والطبراني بأسانيد في أحدها يحيى بن صالح وثقه الذهبي وبقية رجاله رجال الصحيح.

Jubair bin Nufair narrated from his father Nufair who said: “One day we were sitting with Al Miqdad bin Aswad and a man passed by him and said, “Let prosperity come to the eyes that saw Muhammad ﷺ , I wish we were present where you were!” I heard it (i.e. Nufair) and I liked it, he said a good thing. Then Al Miqdad came to that man and said, “Why does one of you wish to see a sight that Allah did not show you. You do not know what would have happened to you if you saw it. By Allah! There are people who saw Rasool Allah ﷺ whom Allah will throw in the Fire because they did not respond to him and believe in him. Why do you not thank Allah for creating you in a state where you recognized your creator in your childhood and you testified what your Prophet was sent with and you were saved from the trials? By Allah! Amongst all prophets, the Messenger ﷺ was sent in the most difficult times, this was the time of ignorance when people considered idol worshiping to be the best Deen. He ﷺ brought the Furqan that differentiated between Haq and Batil, that separated father and son. The situation became such that a person would be Muslim and found his son or father to be a Kaffir and would lose the coolness of his eyes by seeing his loved ones ending in hell fire. In which the Almighty Exalted said, “And they who say: O our Lord! grant us in our wives and our offspring the joy of our eyes, and make us guides to those who guard (against evil).” [al-Furqan: 74] (Extracted by Abu Nuaym, Tabarani)

وعن أنس رضي الله عنه قالَ: قالَ رسول الله r: لقد أُوذيت في الله وما يؤذى أحد، وأُخفت في الله وما يخاف أحد، ولقد أتت عليّ ثلاثون من بين يوم وليلة وما لي ولبلال ما يأكله ذو كبد، إلاّ ما يواري إبْط بلال. [أخرجه أحمد وابن حبان في صحيحه، والترمذي وقالَ: هذا حديث حسن صحيح].

Anas (ra) narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ said, “Indeed I have feared for the sake of Allah, such that no one has feared, and I have been harmed for the sake of Allah, such that no one has been harmed. Thirty days and nights have passed over me, and there was nothing with Bilal and I that a living creature could eat, except what Bilal could conceal under his armpit.” (Ahmed, Ibn Hibban, Tirmidhi)

وعن عقيل بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه قالَ: جاءت قريش إلى أبي طالب فقالوا: يا أبا طالب! إن ابن أخيك يأتينا في أفنيتنا وفي نادينا فيسمعَنا ما يؤذينا به، فإن رأيت أن تكفَّه عنا فافعل. فقالَ لي: يا عقيل! التمس لي ابن عمك فأخرجته من كِبس [بيت صغير] من أكباس أبي طالب. فأقبل يمشي معي يطلب الفيء يمشي فيه فلا يقدر عليه حتى انتهى إلى أبي طالب. فقالَ له أبو طالب: يا ابن أخي: والله! ما علمت أن كنت لي لمطاعاً، وقد جاء قومك يزعمون أنك تأتيهم في كعبتهم وفي ناديهم تسمعهم ما يؤذيهم، فإن رأيت أن تكف عنهم. فحلَّق r ببصره إلى السماءِ فقالَ: والله! ما أنا بأقدر أن أدع ما بُعثت به من أن يشعل أحدكم من هذه الشمس شعلة من نار. فقالَ أبو طالب: والله ما كذب ابن أخي قط ارجعوا راشدين. [الطبراني وأبو يعلى ورجال أبي يعلى رجال الصحيح]

Aqeel bin Abi Talib said that Quraish came to Abu Talib and said, “O Abu Talib! Your nephew speaks such things in our parties and gatherings that hurt us. It will be better that you stop him”. On this Abu Talib said to me, “O Aqeel bring your cousin to me“, so I found him (Muhammad) ﷺ in one of Abu Talib’s small rooms. He came with me but was having difficulty in walking so he ﷺ walked with a support and reached Abu Talib. Abu Talib said, “Nephew, by Allah! I don’t know if you will listen to me or not, your people came, they think that you speak such things in the Ka’aba and other gatherings that hurts them. It will be better if you stop yourself from it.” Rasool Allah ﷺ looked at the sky and said, “By Allah! I am not any more able to leave what I am sent with than one of you is to bring a spark from the sun.” On this Abu Talib said, “By Allah, my nephew never lies so return to where you come from.” (At-Tabarani & Abu Ya’ala).

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قالَ: قالَ لما مات أبو طالب تجهَّموا بالنبي r فقالَ: يا عم ما أسرع ما وجدت فقدك [أخرجه أبو نعيم في الحلية]

Abu Hurairah (ra) narrated that after the death of Abu Talib, the pagans started attacking the Prophet ﷺ. On this the Prophet ﷺ said, “O uncle! How soon I feel your loss!” (Abu Nuaym).

Rasool Allah ﷺ faced many difficulties.

وعن عروة رضي الله عنه قالَ: سألت ابن العاص رضي الله عنه فقلت: أخبرني بأشدِّ شيء صنعه المشركون برسول الله r. قالَ: بينما النبي r يصلي في حِجْر الكعبة إذ أقبل عليه عقبة ابن أبي مُعَيط فوضع ثوبه على عنقه فخنقه خنقاً شديداً، فأقبل أبو بكر رضي الله عنه حتى أخذ بمنكبه ودفعه عن النبي r وقالَ: ﴿أَتَقْتُلُونَ رَجُلًا أَن يَقُولَ رَبِّيَ اللَّهُ وَقَدْ جَاءكُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ﴾ [سورة غافر: 28 والحديث للبخاري]

Narrated `Urwa bin Az-Zubair: I asked Ibn `Amr bin Al-As, “Tell me of the worst thing which the pagans did to the Prophet.” He said, “While the Prophet (ﷺ) was praying in the Hijr of the Ka`ba; `Uqba bin Abi Mu’ait came and put his garment around the Prophet’s neck and throttled him violently. Abu Bakr came and caught him by his shoulder and pushed him away from the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, “Do you want to kill a man just because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah?'” (Surah Ghafir: 28 and Hadeeth by Bukhari)

وأخرج أبو يعلى عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه قالَ: لقد ضربوا رسول الله r مرة حتى غشي عليه، فقام أبو بكر رضي الله عنه فجعل ينادي: ويلكم! أتقتلون رجلا أن يقول ربي الله، فقالوا: من هذا ؟ فقالوا: أبو بكر المجنون، فتركوا الرسول r وأقبلوا على أبي بكر. [رجاله رجال الصحيح، وأخرجه الحاكم أيضا وقالَ: صحيح على شرط مسلم، ولم يخرجاه]

Abu Ya’la narrated from Anas bin Malik (ra) that once Rasool Allah ﷺ was beaten so much that he fainted so Abu Bakr stood up and started calling out, “Woe on to you! Will you kill a man because he says Allah is my Lord.” People said,” Who is he?” They were told that it is Abu Bakr, the insane, so they left Rasool Allah (saw) and attacked Abu Bakr (ra). (Abu Ya’la, Hakim)

وعن عبد الله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه قالَ: بينا رسول الله r في المسجد وأبو جهل بن هشام وشيبة وعتبة ابنا ربيعة وعُقبة بن أبي معيط وأمية بن خلف ورجلان آخران كانوا سبعة وهم في الحِجر ورسول الله r يصلي، فلما سجد أطال السجود. فقالَ أبو جهل: أيكم يأتي جزور بني فلان فيأتينا بفَرْثها فنكفؤه على محمّد، فانطلق أشقاهم عقبة بن أبي معيط فأتى به فألقاه على كتفيه ورسول الله r ساجد، قالَ ابن مسعود: وأنا قائم لا أستطيع أن أتكلم ليس عندي منعة تمنعني فأنا أذهب، إذ سمِعتْ فاطمة بنت رسول الله r فأقبلت حتى ألقت ذلك عن عاتقه ثمّ استقبلت قريشاً تسبهم فلم يرجعوا إليها شيئاً) [أخرجه البزار والطبراني قالَ الهيثمي: وفيه: الأجْلَح بن عبد الله الكِندي وهو ثقة عند ابن معين وغيره، وأخرجه أيضاً أبو نعيم في دلائل النبوة]

It is narrated by Abdullah bin Masood that once Rasool Allah ﷺ was in prostration while Abu Jahal bin Hasham, Shaiba and Utba bin Rabia, Uqba bin Mo’eet, Ummayah bin Khalaf, and two more people were near Rasool Allah ﷺ when he ﷺ prolonged his prostration, Abu Jahal said, “Who will bring the remains of the slaughtered camel of Bani Fulan, and throw them on Muhammad”. Uqba bin Mo’eet, the worst and the most miserable man amongst them went and brought those and put them on Rasool Allah’s ﷺ shoulders. Muhammad ﷺ was still in prostration. Ibn Masood said, “I was standing there but could not even say a thing as there was no one to protect me. I was leaving when I saw Fatimah, the daughter of Rasool Allah, coming after hearing about it and moved those from Prophet’s shoulders and cursed the Quraish”. (Bazzar, Tabarani)

وعن عروة بن الزبير رضي الله عنهما قالَ: ومات أبو طالب وازداد البلاء على رسول الله r شدة فعمِد إلى ثقيف يرجو أن يؤووه وينصروه، فوجد ثلاثة نفر منهم سادة ثقيف وهم إخوة: عبد يا ليل بن عمرو وخُبيب ابن عمرو ومسعود بن عمرو ؛ فعرض عليهم نفسه وشكا إليهم البلاء وما انتهك قومه منه. فقالَ أحدهم أنا أسرق ثياب الكعبة إن كان الله بعثك بشيء قط، وقالَ الآخر: والله! لا أكلمك بعد مجلسك هذا كلمة واحدة أبداً، لئن كنت رسولاً لأنت أعظم شرفاً وحقاً من أن أكلمك ؛ وقالَ الآخر: أعَجَزَ الله أن يرسل غيرك ؟ وأفشَوا ذلك في ثقيف: الذي قالَ لهم، واجتمعوا يستهزئون برسول الله r وقعدوا له صفين على طريقه، فأخذوا بأيديهم الحجارة فجعل لا يرفع رجله ولا يضعها إلاّ رضخوها بالحجارة وهم في ذلك يستهزئون ويسخرون. فلما خلص من صفَّيْهم وقدماه تسيلان الدماء عمد إلى حائط من كرومهم، فأتى ظل حُبْلة من الكرم فجلس في أصلها مكروباً موجعاً تسيل قدماه الدماء فإذا في الكرم عتبة بن ربيعة وشيبة بن ربيعة، فلما أبصرهما كره أن يأتيهما لما يعلم من عداوتهما لله ولرسوله وبه الذي به فأرسلا إليه غلاماً عدَّاساً بعنب وهو نصراني من أهل نِينوى. فلما أتاه وضع العنب بين يديه فقالَ رسول الله r: بسم الله، فعجب عداس ؛ فقالَ له رسول الله r: من أي أرض أنت ؟ يا عدّاس! قالَ أنا من أهل نينوى. فقالَ النبي r: من أهل مدينة الرجل الصالح يونس بن متَّى ؟ فقالَ له عداس: وما يدريك مَنْ يونس بن متَّى ؟ فأخبره رسول الله r من شأن يونس ما عرف، وكان رسول الله r لا يحقر أحداً، يبلِّغه رسالات الله تعالى. فقالَ عداس: يا رسول الله! أخبرني خبر يونس بن متَّى. فلما أخبره رسول الله r من شأن يونس بن متَّى ما أُوحي إليه من شأنه خرّ ساجداً للرسول r، ثمّ جعل يقبل قدميه وهما تسيلان الدماء. فلما أبصر عتبة وأخوه شيبة ما فعل غلامهما سكتا.

فلما أتاهما قالا له: ما شأنك سجدت لمحمّد وقبلت قدميه ولم نرك فعلت هذا بأحد منا. قالَ: هذا رجل صالح حدثني عن أشياء عرفتها من شأن رسول بعثه الله تعالى إلينا يُدعى يونس بن متَّى، فأخبرني أنه رسول الله؛ فضحكا وقالا: لا يفتنْك عن نصرانيتك، إنه رجل يَخدع؛ ثمّ رجع رسول الله r إلى مكة). [أخرجه أبو نعيم في الدلائل].

Urwah bin Zubair narrated, “When Abu Talib died, Rasool Allah’s ﷺ trials became more severe so he ﷺ traveled towards Thaqeef to seek Nusrah, met with the three leaders of Thaqeef  who were brothers, Abd or Lail bin Amr, Khubaib bin Amr and Masood bin Amr and put presented himself to them and told them about his people and their calamities. One of them said that, “If Allah has sent you as a messenger then I will steal the cover of Ka’aba.” The second one said, “By Allah! After today I will never speak even a word with you again if you are a messenger, because then your status is very high.” The third one said, “Allah could not send anyone else other than you?” And then they began a propaganda in Thaqeef against himﷺ. They collected Banu Thaqeef, made two rows, in the way and started making fun of him ﷺ. They picked up stones in their hands and as he ﷺ took a step, threw stones on his ﷺ feet and made fun of him ﷺ. When he ﷺ moved forward from there his ﷺ feet were soaked in blood. He ﷺ took cover by a wall, while walking he ﷺ reached the garden of Utba bin Rabia and Shaiba bin Rabia. He ﷺ got worried on seeing them, as they both were enemies of Allah and Rasool Allah ﷺ. They both sent their slave Udas to Rasool Allah ﷺ with grapes, this slave was a Christian and was from Neneveh. As he came to the Prophet ﷺ and put the grapes near him ﷺ, Rasool Allah ﷺ said, “Bismillah” at this he got surprised, so Rasool Allah ﷺ said, “Are you from the area of the pious man Younus bin Matti?” Udas said, “How do you know Younus bin Matti?” then he ﷺ told him about Younus (as). Rasool Allah ﷺ didn’t think anyone to be worthless and gave Allah’s message to everyone. Udas said, “O Prophet of Allah! Tell me about Younus bin Matti.” When Rasool Allah told him about Younus bin Matti and about the revelations that were sent to him, he (Udas) fell in prostration in front of Rasool Allah ﷺ and kissed his blood soaked feet. Utbah and his brother stayed quiet at this action of the slave. When the slave came back to them they said, “Why did you prostrate in front of Muhammad and why did you kiss his feet? You have never done any of this to any of us. He said, “He is a Pious man he has informed me about Allah’s prophet Younus who was sent to us as a Prophet by Allah. He also told me that he was a prophet.” Both the brothers laughed and said, “He may make your religion (Christianity) a trial for you, he is a deceitful man.” Then Rasool Allah ﷺ came to Makkah.  (Abu Nuaym)

وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: قالَ أبو بكر: لو رأيتِني ورسول الله r إذ صعدنا الغار فأما قدما رسول الله r فتقطّرتا دماً وأما قدماي فعادت كأنها صَفْوان (الحجر الصلد الذي لا ينبت) (أخرجه ابن مردويه، كذا في كنز العمال)

Aisha (ra) narrated that Abu Bakr said, “When Rasool Allah ﷺ and I were climbing the cave, one should have seen our state, Rasool Allah’s ﷺ feet were bleeding and my legs were numb like rocks,” (this is narrated by Ibn Marduya and it is also mentioned in Kanz ul Iman).

These are the few examples of persecution faced by the Prophet ﷺ at the hands of his people while his companions were also persecuted severely, which are well known.

One example is what Ibn Hajar narrated from Masood bin Kharash (ra) in al-Isaba, “One day we were pacing between Safa and Marwa, we saw some people walking. A man around with his hands tied to his neck. I said, “Why are they doing this to him?” People said, “This is Talha bin Ubadullah and he has left his deen.” I asked, “And the woman who is running after him and cursing and abusing him, who is she?” They said, “She is his mother Sa’bat bint Al Hadrami.”

These are only a few examples but it is important to understand that steadfastness and patience does not only mean that the Da’wa carrier bears persecution and torment. It is not a must for everyone to go through trials. In some areas there are no restrictions on Hizb and no one is facing any persecution there. A Mu’min should not wish for it in fact, he should seek Allah’s refuge from it. Steadfastness and patience means that, whatever the situation may be trials or not, easy or hard, in all situations one must occupy oneself in Da’wa.

It is not wise that the Da’wa carrier wishes for persecution in this path. Only Allah knows what test is good for whom. Who should be tested with wealth, who should with their lives and who should be saved from all tests.

This is why Abu Bakr used to say, “If my right foot is in Jannah and the left foot is still outside even then I will not become carefree of Allah’s tests.” Ibn Abbas used to say, “O Allah! Don’t test us and if you test us, keep us steadfast and do not dishonor us.” A Da’wa carrier must be thankful to Allah Almighty in all circumstances, worrisome or favorable he should make Da’wa to be his lifestyle. This is called steadfastness.

O Allah! Don’t put us in any tests and if you do, keep us steadfast and do not dishonor us.

O Allah! Whoever amongst our brothers is facing trials keep them steadfast. O Allah! Fulfill your promise and make your Prophet’s glad tiding come true at our hands. O Allah! It is not difficult for you. And all praise is for Allah.

 

Sarwar Uddin, Pakistan