THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME WITH PROPHET MUHAMMAD THE PROPHET OF ALLAH 032 AFTER BADR by Khadeijah A. Stephens Copyright © 1984-2012 by Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com Khadeijah A. Stephens Bismillah Ir Rahman Ir Raheem After Badr Ka’b, Son of Ashraf Such was the disregard for their faith that many Jews had taken to marrying pagan Arabs, even though Judaism forbade it. Ka’b, Ashraf's son had been born of a Jewish mother and an idol worshipping father from the tribe of Tayy but on account of his mother being a Jewess, the Jews accepted him as one of their own into her tribe of An-Nadir. Ka’b was wealthy and known for his poetry, and over the years had become an influential An-Nadir tribesman. When he heard the news of the Koraysh defeat, with the demise of so many if its chieftains, he could not accept it and his tongue revealed his innermost thoughts as he exclaimed, "By Allah, if Muhammad has killed these, can the depths of the earth be better than its surface!" Ka’b could not accept the news to be true so he questioned those whom he knew to be reliable, but to his dismay all confirmed the same account. Despondent yet angered, Ka’b rode off for Mecca with the intention of inciting the Koraysh to revenge themselves by riding against the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) again, but this time to fight him in Yathrib. To add fuel to the fire he composed an impassioned poem in honor of the lamented Koraysh chieftains and their fallen tribesmen, which he knew would kindle the emotions of everyone in Mecca. The Death of Lady Rukiyah, May Allah Be Pleased With Her Although it was a time for great elation in Medina, it was also a time for great sorrow. Shortly before the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) left for Badr, his daughter, Lady Rukiyah, had been taken seriously ill. Her illness had been of such great concern to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) that he instructed her husband Othman to stay at her side and not to accompany them to Badr. Lady Rukiyah's illness proved terminal and on the very day Zayd and Abdullah brought news of the glorious victory, Othman and Osama buried her, may Allah be pleased with her. One of the first things the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) did upon his return was to visit her grave. Lady Fatima, the youngest daughter of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was very upset by the loss of her sister and so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) took her to visit her grave. As they approached the grave Lady Fatima could not withhold her sorrow and many tears rolled down her cheek whereupon the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) comforted her and dried away her tears with his cloak. There had been a misunderstanding over the Prophet's instruction regarding the extent of expressing one's bereavement. Omar had heard someone weeping for the martyred of Badr and then again for Lady Rukiyah and spoken harshly to them. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) learned of Omar's harsh words, he told him it was alright to let them weep, for what comes from the heart and from the eyes is from Allah and His Mercy. He explained that it was only the excess of the hand and tongue which was forbidden because these are the prompts of satan, the stone and cursed. By this he referred to the pagan custom where mourners would beat their chest, dig their nails into their cheeks, and scream in an uncontrollable manner. The Arrival of the Captives The Koraysh prisoners arrived in Medina the day after Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). They had been well cared for and the attitude of the Muslims towards them gave the Koraysh a chance to experience Islam in action. Not only had they been treated unexpectedly well, but they could not help but observe the considerate Islamic behavior of Muslims toward one another that had succeeded in breaking down what would have appeared to other Arabs as impregnable tribal differences and barriers. The Dilemma of What to do with the Captives The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) now faced a situation that had never presented itself before which was what to do with the captives so the Prophet consulted with Abu Bakr and Omar. Abu Bakr suggested that the captives be offered for ransom saying, “We are related to all of them, and the ransom money would strengthen us against the unbelievers, and perhaps Allah will guide them to Islam.” Omar on the other hand advised killing them saying, “They are the leaders of the unbelievers.” After having heard from both, the Prophet inclined to Abu Bakr’s suggestion rather than putting them to death and a ransom, according to the prisoner’s wealth, of between 4,000 and 10,000 dirhams was asked. It was also decided that those Meccans who were literate and could not afford to ransom themselves could do so if they taught ten Muslim children how to read and write. Once the children could read and write, the captive was free to go. From this example our attention is drawn to the importance the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, placed on acquiring Islamic knowledge and recall the instruction of Allah to him when Gabriel brought the first part of the Revelation which instructs: “Read (Prophet Muhammad) in the Name of your Lord who created, created the human from a (blood) clot. Read! Your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by the pen, taught the human what he did not know.” 96:1-5 As for those who were neither wealthy nor literate, the Prophet praise and peace be upon him, in his mercy released them. The Ransom of Suhayl Suhayl, Lady Sawdah's cousin and former brother-in-law was confined in the house of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) as was Al-As, the husband of Lady Zaynab, the Prophet's daughter. When Suhayl arrived, Lady Sawdah was not at home, she had been to visit Afra whose sons had been martyred, so upon her return she was taken by surprise to find him sitting in the corner of a room in her room with his hands bound. When Suhayl's tribesmen learned of his capture they made haste to Medina to negotiate his release, as he was considered by many to be the most able to lead the tribe of Aamir. Suhayl was Malik, the son of Al Dukhshum's captive, and so it was with him that the ransom was negotiated. The amount was agreed upon, however Suhayl's tribesmen had not brought the ransom with them, so he permitted Suhayl to return with them to raise the sum and left Mikraz, Haf's son behind as surety until their return. The Ransom of Al-Abbas When Al-Abbas was brought before the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) he was asked, "You are a rich man, why don't you ransom yourself Al-Abbas, and your nephews, Akil and Nawfal as well as Utbah, Amr's son?" Al-Abbas replied, "My tribesmen coerced me into joining them." The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) answered, "Allah knows best. However, it would appear you have acted against us, therefore a ransom is due." As part of the spoils of war Al-Abbas had been relieved of twenty pieces of gold, so he reminded the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) of them telling him to use that as his ransom. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) heard this he replied, "Allah has taken this away from you and given it to us." Al-Abbas insisted, "I have no money!" whereupon the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked, "Where then is the money you left with Umm Fadl, Harith's daughter when you left Mecca?" Al-Abbas was completely taken aback and exclaimed, "None except Umm Fadl knew of this!" whereupon Al-Abbas ransomed himself, his nephews, and Utbah. The Return of the Koraysh to Mecca The first people to reach Mecca with the news of the Koraysh defeat were Al Haysuman, son of Abdullah Al Khuzai, who bewailed the fact that so many of their chieftains had fallen on the battlefield of Badr. In the large tent of Zamzam, the converts Abu Rafi, the former slave of Al-Abbas freed by the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and Al-Abbas' wife, Umm Fadl sat sharpening their arrows. They had both been overjoyed to hear the news of the Prophet's victory, however they felt it was more prudent to restrain their happiness. As they sharpened the arrows, Abu Lahab, who had not taken part in the encounter but sent Al-As in his place, entered. His face looked as black as thunder as he sat himself down at the other end of the tent with his back toward Abu Rafi. Not long after, Abu Lahab heard some others in the tent saying, "Abu Sufyan, Al Harith's son has returned," whereupon he looked up, saw his nephew and called him. A small crowd gathered around the two as Abu Sufyan told his uncle, "The facts are that the Koraysh met our enemy and turned their backs. The Muslims put us to flight taking prisoners as they pleased, I cannot blame our tribesmen because they faced not only them, but men wearing white robes riding piebald horses, who were between heaven and earth. They spared nothing and no one had a chance." When Umm Fadl and Abu Rafi heard the news of the men in white riding between heaven and earth, they could no longer contain their happiness and Abu Rafi exclaimed for all to hear, "They were angels!" The Death of Abu Lahab Abu Rafi's outburst was more than Abu Lahab could bear, in a raging fury he forced Abu Rafi, who was frail, to the ground and struck him over and over again. Umm Fadl grabbed hold of a tent pole that lay nearby and with all her might hit her brother-in-law's head with it crying out. "Do you think that you can abuse him just because Al-Abbas is away!" She wounded him so severely that his head was split open and laid bare part of his skull. The wound was never to heal, it turned septic and its poison spread rapidly through his entire body erupting into open pustules that caused his death within the week. When he died, his family, fearing they might be afflicted with disease -- for they feared the plague and his condition resembled it -- were hesitant to bury him and so they left his decaying body decomposing in his home for two or three nights. It was only when someone rebuked them strongly saying, "It is disgraceful, you should be ashamed of yourselves to leave your father to rot in his house and not bury him from the sight of men!" that they did something. With great reluctance and from a safe distance, his sons threw water over his body, then removed his corpse and left it by a wall on a high piece of ground outside Mecca and threw stones over it until it was completely covered. Three Resolutions As the fragmented Koraysh army returned home, the extent of their unexpected and devastating loss became apparent to the Koraysh. Each day, the Koraysh waited anxiously for their kinsmen to return or learn from others whether they knew if their kinsmen were alive, dead or taken captive. It was feared, by the remaining Koraysh hierarchy, that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) would soon learn that the people of Mecca were deeply affected by their defeat and grief-stricken, so a meeting was convened in the House of Assembly. It was proposed that none should make an open issue of their grief and in an effort to make the matter appear light, the council of chieftains agreed that the Koraysh must delay sending the ransom money to free their kinsmen. As a matter of bravado in support of this resolution, Amr's father shouted out, "Must I lose twice! They have killed Hanzalah, now I must pay for the ransom of Amr! Let him stay with them, they can keep him as long as they wish!" During the meeting it was also agreed that the profit from the sale of the caravan's merchandise would be spent on rebuilding their army. The consensus was that it should be larger, better equipped, and more powerful than ever before and from now on their women folk should accompany them into battle to encourage them. It was also agreed to send messages to all their allies throughout the length and breadth of Arabia, explaining why, in their opinion, they should unite with them against the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). The Breaking of the Resolution For the majority of Koraysh tribesmen, the matter to delay sending the ransom for their loved ones proved too difficult, so they broke the resolution and sent fellow tribesmen to Medina to secure their release. Jubair, Son of Mut’im Jubair, Mut’im's son had been sent to Medina to ransom his cousin and two tribal allies. Before and after meeting with the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), Jubair had a chance to wander around Medina where he saw the small community of Muslims going about their daily business, sharing, loving and caring for each other in a way he had neither seen nor yet experienced before. There was an air of unity, a sense of tranquility, devotion to Allah, and great love for His Messenger everywhere he went. When he met the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), he told him why he had come to Medina, whereupon the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) spoke with soft words and told him that if his father had been alive and come to ransom them he would not have accepted it, rather he would have released them without ransom. As the daylight faded and evening approached, Jubair watched the believers make their way to the Mosque to offer the Maghrib prayer. Jubair felt drawn to the Mosque but did not enter though listened to the prayers from outside. That evening, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) recited the chapter "The Mount" which warns at it’s beginning of the Day of Judgement, its consequences, and the punishment of the Fires of Hell for those who belie it. The chapter then expounds the delights of Paradise with its serenity and rich, unending rewards. Jubair heard how Allah challenges mankind with His Ability to create and then draws attention to mankind's inability to do so: "Or, were they created out of nothing? Or, were they their own creators? Or, did they create the heavens and the earth? No their belief is not certain! Or, are the treasures of your Lord in their keeping? Or, are they the controllers?" Koran 52:35-37 "So leave them till they encounter their Day in which they shall be thunderstruck. The Day when their guile shall not relieve them a thing, and they shall not be helped. For the harmdoers there is indeed, a punishment before that, but most of them do not know. And be patient under the Judgement of your Lord, surely, you are before Our Eyes. And exalt with the praise of your Lord when you arise, and exalt Him in the night and at the declining of the stars." Koran 52:45-49 When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) reached the words: "And be patient under the Judgement of your Lord, surely, you are before Our Eyes. And exalt with the praise of your Lord when you arise, and exalt Him in the night and at the declining of the stars." Jubair said later that it was then that the light of belief was sown in his heart. However, he put it to one side for the time being, as the grief he felt for his beloved uncle Tu’aymah, killed by Hamza during Badr consumed him for there was, in his opinion, a matter of honor to be settled. The Ransom of Waleed Waleed, the chieftain of the Makhzum had been killed on the battlefield and his youngest son, also by the same name, had been taken captive and given to Abdullah, Jahsh's son and some of the other companions for ransom. Waleed had two other brothers, one full blood and the other half, both of whom had made their journey to Medina to pay for his release. When his half brother, Khalid learned that Abdullah would accept no less than four thousand dirhams, he was unwilling to pay such a large amount. Hisham, his full blood brother rebuked him, saying, "Indeed, he is not your mother's son!" Thereupon, Khalid felt ashamed and agreed to pay the amount. However, before the final agreement was reached, Abdullah was advised that he should also ask for their deceased father's coat of armor and weapons. When Khalid learned of this, he expressed yet again his reluctance to part with his father's possessions, but Hisham persuaded him to part with them and so the armor and weapons were brought from Mecca so they could not longer be used against the Muslims. The ransom was now paid in full and the three brothers left for Mecca. They had traveled for quite a while when they felt the need to rest. As the brothers took their rest, Waleed slipped away and returned to Medina where he went directly to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and embraced Islam. When his brothers awoke, they searched for Waleed, then decided to follow his tracks which led them back to Medina. Upon reaching the City they searched for their brother and upon finding him, Khalid who was extremely angry, demanded to know why he had let them pay the ransom and surrender their father's armor when all the time he intended to convert to Islam and stay with the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) in Medina. Waleed's answer was direct, he told them that he had no wish for people to think that he had converted in order not to pay the ransom; it was a matter of honor. Unwisely, Waleed decided to return to Mecca with his brothers in order to bring his belongings to Medina. As soon as he arrived home he was imprisoned and placed under heavy guard by Ikrimah, Abu Jahl's son, whose uncles Ayyah and Salamah had embraced Islam. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) learned of Waleed's pitiful condition, he included him in his supplications along with the other Muslims who were unfortunate enough to be incarcerated in Mecca. Umair and his Son The hearts of Ubayy from the tribe of Jumah, his nephews Safwan and Umair, as well as many others, had not softened toward the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and his Message. Ubayy had lost his brother Umayyah as well as his close friend Uqbah during the hostilities. This grief, coupled with the humiliation of loosing the encounter in which their numbers far exceeded those of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) only accentuated their hatred and bitterness. Umair felt further humiliated as he was already heavily in debt and now that his son had been taken captive he expected to have to pay a ransom. Umair's very being was consumed with resentment and bitterness to the extent that he was prepared to die attempting to kill the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). However, the matter of his debt restrained him as he did not wish to leave his family destitute. Safwan, the next in succession to the tribe of Jumah since the killing of his father, spoke in secrecy to Umair. He told him that, if as he had said, the only thing holding him back from riding out to kill the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was the fact that he did not want to leave his family destitute, he would bear the debt for him, and in the event that anything should happen to him, he would look after his family. Umair was agreeable and both Safwan and Umair swore never to disclose their arrangement to anyone until after the event. Umair returned home to prepare himself for the journey and as he sharpened his sword, he smeared its blade with poison and carefully placed it in its sheath then told his family he was going to Medina to ransom his son. When he reached Medina, he found the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) sitting in the Mosque. Omar immediately suspected Umair's intentions when he saw him wearing his sword and told some of the Ansar, who were nearby, to go and sit close to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and to be on their guard as he felt Umair was their enemy; a person not to be trusted. Umair concealed his intention under the guise of politeness and greeted the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) in the way Arabs usually greeted one another. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) responded saying, "Allah has given us a better greeting than this Umair, it is 'Peace' which is the greeting of the people of Paradise." Then the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) inquired about the nature of his visit, so Umair told him that he had come on account of his son, whereupon the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked why he wore a sword. Unexpectedly, Umair cursed the sword, exclaiming, "Have they done us any good!" The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) spoke gently to him, asking, "Tell me the truth Umair, why have you come?" Umair repeated his reason, then much to his astonishment, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) informed him verbatim of the conversation he and Safwan exchanged in Mecca. Umair cried out, "Who has told you this, by Allah there were only two of us present -- no one else!" Whereupon the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told him that Gabriel had informed him of their conversation. Umair was in awe of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and said, "We called you a liar when you brought us news of Paradise, praise be to Allah who has guided me to Islam. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger." It was a time for thanksgiving and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked his Companions to teach their new brother in Islam how to pray and to free his son. The light of guidance had certainly shed itself upon Umair. Sometime after, when he was more knowledgeable of Islam, he asked the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) for his permission to return to Mecca so that he might tell his family and friends. And so it was that Umair was blessed to guide many of his tribe to Islam. However, his one-time best friend, Safwan refused to have anything to do with him and viewed him as a traitor. Such was the love of Umair for the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) that he could not bear to be away from him for long and so several months after his return to Mecca, he and his family migrated to Medina. The Necklace of Lady Khadijah Lady Zaynab had married Al-As before the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had been given the command to preach and as a wedding gift her mother, Lady Khadijah gave her daughter a most beautiful necklace, her favorite necklace, one which she wore often. Much to Lady Zaynab’s dismay Al-As had not been among the early converts to Islam and their relationship had not been as close as it had once been. When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) migrated to Medina, Al-As refused to allow her to migrate with her sisters and this had caused her to grieve. Then in more recent days, their relationship had become even more strained when Al-As sided with his fellow tribesmen to fight against her beloved father, and now Al-As found himself a captive in Medina. When Lady Zaynab learned of her husband’s capture, she sent the necklace given to her by Lady Khadijah as part of the ransom to secure Al-As’ release. However, when the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) caught sight of the necklace, he immediately recognized it as having once belonged to his dearly beloved wife Khadijah and tears of loving remembrance swelled up and flowed from his eyes, then gently ran down his noble face as he softly said to his Companions, “If you would like to let her have her captive husband and return the ransom you may do so.” The Companions realized the significance of the necklace and remembered that Lady Khadijah was their mother and the first person to embrace Islam. They were so overcome with emotion, that the necklace, together with the ransom were returned to Al-As and he was free to return to Mecca. When Al-As returned to Mecca, he told Lady Zaynab that she and their young daughter Umama were free to join her father. Lady Zaynab was delighted and started to make preparations for the journey. One day Hind, Utbah's daughter happened to see her packing and asked whether she was leaving for Medina. Lady Zaynab was unsure whether to trust Hind, so she replied with an evasive answer even though Hind offered to give her money as well as provisions for the journey. A month had now passed since the encounter at Badr and so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked Zayd, Haritha's son and a companion to journey to the valley of Yajaj, which lies eight miles out of Mecca, and wait for Lady Zaynab and her daughter there, then accompany them onto Medina. The time to leave had arrived, and so Lady Zaynab’s brother-in-law, Kinanah brought her canopied camel for her and little Umama to ride and led the way out of Mecca with his bow in hand. When the Koraysh learned of Lady Zaynab's departure, a party of them rode after her and finally caught up with them at a place called Dhu Tuwa. Habbar, Al-Aswad's son was the first to approach and threatened her menacingly with his lance as she rode the camel. Kinanah armed his bow and cried out, "By Allah, if any one of you comes near us I will put an arrow through him!" The Koraysh knew Kinanah was in earnest and withdrew. Shortly afterwards, Abu Sufyan arrived with several other Koraysh chieftains and asked him to disarm his bow so that they might talk things over, and Kinanah agreed. Abu Sufyan rebuked Kinanah for taking Lady Zaynab out of Mecca in broad daylight for all to see and asked why he had done such a thing. "Didn't he know their predicament and might it not be taken as a further sign of humiliation and weakness on their part?" he asked him. Abu Sufyan told him they did not want to keep her, however she must return until things died down and then leave discreetly to join her father. And so, Lady Zaynab and Kinanah returned to Mecca and waited until the time was right, then set off once again on their journey to Yajaj where arrangements had once more been made for Zayd and his companion to accompany the holy family on to Medina. The Elderly Ansar and Abu Sufyan In an attempt not to lose face among the Koraysh, Abu Sufyan continued to refuse to send money for his son's ransom. However, during the pilgrimage season of the following year, Abu Sufyan seized and elderly Ansar on his return to Medina from his pilgrimage and sent word that he would not release him until Amr was released. It was not an honorable act to capture one so elderly and without hesitation the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) agreed to the exchange and both were reunited with their families. Seven Days after Badr It was now the month of Shawwal, when news arrived that the tribe of Saleem of the Ghatfan were planning an attack. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) wasted no time and rode out with his Companions to a place called Al Kudr to mount a surprise attack. However, the tribe of Saleem had received news of their coming and fled leaving behind five-hundred camels which were distributed between the Companions as spoils of war. After Badr 032 Back Cover Subtitles Ka’b, Son of Ashraf The Death of Lady Rukiyah The Arrival of the Captives The Dilemma of What to do with the Captives The Ransom of Suhayl The Ransom of Al-Abbas The Return of the Koraysh to Mecca The Death of Abu Lahab Three Resolutions The Breaking of the Resolution Jubair, Son of Mut’im The Ransom of Waleed Umair and his Son The Necklace of Lady Khadijah The Elderly Ansar and Abu Sufyan Seven Days after Badr