THE DAY OF GHAMIZA

THE DAY OF GHAMIZA

After the conquest of Makka the Prophet (s.a.) was still there when he arranged to send delegations to various places in the neighborhood to propagate the Message of Islam. For this purpose Khalid bin Waleed was sent to Jazima with a group of 350 persons. He was strictly told not to pick up a fight with anyone. He was asked to restrict himself to the task of

propagating the Faith. Ibne Saad writes:

“The Prophet (s.a.) sent

Khalid ibne Walid

to Bani Jazima

to propagate the Message of Islam

and not to fight with them.

Ref: Tabaqaat, Vol 2, Page 147 In the period before Islam, Khalid’s uncle Fakeha ibne Mughira and Abd ar Rehman’s father Auf were killed by some youths of Bani Jazima on their return journey from Yemen. The Qureish, to avenge these killings, attacked them, but they paid the blood money and settled the claim. Now that Khalid chanced to go there at the head of the delegation, his desire for revenge revived and he couldn’t control himself from fulfilling his vile wish. When the party reached the Well of Ghamiza, at a distance of two stages from Makka, they broke journey there. This well was the property of Bani Jazima and they lived in its environs. When they saw Khalid camping with his men near the well, they feared that he intended to fight with them. They therefore armed themselves and got ready to fight. When Khalid saw them in readiness to fight, he asked themwho they were? They replied that they were Muslims, they had constructed a mosque in their neighborhood, give regular call (Adhaan) for prayer and regularlyoffer prayers in the mosque! Khalid said if they were Muslims, why they were carrying arms with them? They expressed their fear that on account of the past enmity, he might start fighting with them. He assured them that he had no intention of fighting and asked them to unarm themselves. They replied:

“When we are Muslims,

we shall not take to arms

against Allah and His Prophet (s.a.)”

Ref: Tareeq e Yaqoobi, Vol 3, Page 47

Saying this they started unarming themselves. One person from their tribe, Hajdam, asked them to think before they unarmed. He thought that after disarming them, Khalid would tie them up and then execute them to death. He said that in no event he would disarm and wanted his people to do the same. His people told him the period of battles was over and they shouldn’t disturb the peace again. They said that Khalid was now a Muslim and there was no need to fear him. Thus they all removed their arms and kept them aside. When Khalid saw them unarmed, he asked his men to charge and overwhelm them. He asked the men, who were mostly from his own tribe, to tie them securely with ropes and confiscate their arms. Then he got them executed one after the other. Abd ar Rehman ibne Auf, who was a member of the delegation, was very upset with the act of Khalid. Both had an altercation and Abd ar Rehman said:
“You have committed an act of the period of ignorance in the times of Islam!

Khalid said, ‘I have avenged your father Auf!’ Abd ar Rehman said, ‘You are a liar! I have myself killed my father’s killer! You have avenged the killing of your own uncle Fakeha ibne Mughira!””

Ref: Taariq e Tabari, Vol 2, Page 32 The historian Yaqoobi writes:

“Abd ar Rehman ibne Auf said, ‘By Allah! Khalid has killed those persons who had embraced Islam!’ Khalid told him, ‘I have avenged the killing of your fatherAuf!’ Abd ar Rehman said,’ You have only avenged the killing of your uncle Fakeha ibne Mughira!””

Ref: Tariq e Yaqubi, Vol 3, Page 47

When the Prophet (s.a.) learned about the killingof the people of Bani Jazima, he was very sad, turned towards the Kaaba and said: “Oallah!

I express in Your Presence

my displeasure over the act of

Khalid ibne Walid.’

Ref: Tariq e Tabari, Vol 2, Page 242

Then he asked Hazrat Ali (a.s.) to go with the cash received from Yemen to Bani Jazima at the well of Ghamiza and pay the blood money for every life lost by them. Hazrat Ali (a.s.) went there, paid the blood money to every family and made good their losses. In the end he asked, if they had any more claims? They said they didn’t have any further claims. Then Hazrat Ali (a.s.) said that some more money was left with him and he didn’t want to take it back. Therefore he distributed the money to them on behalf of the Prophet (s.a.). After completing the task, he returned to the Prophet (s.a.) and reported on the visit. The Prophet (s.a.) said:

“I sacrifice my father and mother on you!

I liked what you have done

more than the red haired camels!”

Ref: Tariq e Yaqubi, Vol 2, Page 47

The act of Khalid ibne Walid was absolutely against the norms of Islam. Islam doesn’t permit killing even an infidel without valid reason. Even in the arena of battle, if an infidel recites the Kalima, he shouldn’t be attacked. Once Ossama bin Zaid killed a person when, during the battle, he had recited the Kalima. When the Prophet (s.a.) learnt about this, he reprimanded Ossama. Ossama said that the person had recited the Kalima out of the fear of the sword. The Prophet (s.a.) said angrily, “Did you peep into the heart of the person?” Imagine killing of Bani Ghamiza by Khalid, who had built a mosque and offered prayers, only to avenge a killing of his relative during the Period of Ignorance! At the time of the Conquest of Makka the Prophet (s.a.) abolished the practice of avenging killings that was

prevalent in the Period of Ignorance, saying:

“The avenging of blood,

the tribal pride

and unnecessary shedding of blood

of the Period of Ignorance

I have trampled under my feet!”

Ref: Tareeq e Kaamil, Vol 2, Page 170

After the sad killings, Hazrat Ameer al Momineen (a.s) not only paid the blood money for every life lost, but paid them more than their legitimate right. If their feelings were not ameliorated in this manners there was a danger of their recanting the Faith because they had newly embraced Islam. The heinous act of Khalid could have had a very bad effect on the others who were still brooding over the prospect of coming into the fold of Islam. The healing touch of the prophet (s.a.) and Hazrat Ali (a.s.) had a salutary effect on the people!