Section 8 – The Command of Allah to His creation to praise the Prophet. His protection of him and the removal of punishment on account of him.
Referring to the period when the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, lived in
Mecca Allah said, “But Allah was not to punish them whilst you were living in their midst.” 8:33.
After the Prophet’s migration from Mecca to Medina some Muslims remained in Mecca and the verse continues to say, “Nor would Allah punish them if they repeatedly ask forgiveness of Him.”
Several years later the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, led his unarmed
followers from Medina to Mecca on pilgrimage, however, before they reached Mecca they encountered resistance from the unbelievers of Mecca and were prevented from entering. Unknown to the Muslims of Medina there were converts who had yet to migrate still living in Mecca and because of them Allah sent down the verses, “If it had not been for certain believing men and certain believing women whom you did not know, you might have trampled upon them, and so sin reached you because of (killing) them while you did not know.” 48:25
From these verses the exalted position of the Prophet, praise and peace be
upon him, is clearly recognizable. If it had not been for him the punishment would indeed have immediately fallen on the Meccans, because Allah says, “And why should Allah not punish them” 8:34. Their punishment was postpone firstly on account of the Prophet’s presence amongst them, then because of the presence
of his followers. After all the Muslims had migrated to Medina before Mecca
was
opened the only people to remain in Mecca were the unbelievers, but upon its opening the victory of the Muslims was established and the unbelievers punished by having to accept defeat. It was then that the property of the Muslims
that had once been seized by the unbelievers was restored to their rightful
owners.
The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, “I am a guarantee for my Companions.” It has been said that this means against innovation whilst others are of the opinion that it means against disagreement and disorder. Another scholar said that the meaning of this quotation is that the Messenger, was during his life time, the greatest guarantee and he will be present as long as his way is followed and that upon its abandoning affliction and disorder are to be expected.
In chapter 33, “The Confederates” there is a verse in which Allah Himself makes
clear the value of His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, He says “Allah and His angels praise and venerate the Prophet. Believers, praise and venerate him and pronounce peace upon him in abundance.” 33:56. Note how He begins the verse by referring to Himself first in the praise and veneration of Prophet Muhammad, then Allah makes it known that the angels do the same. Finally, one becomes aware of the order that all believers are obligated to ask Allah to
praise and venerate our beloved Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
The saying of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, “The coolness of my eye is in the prayer” has been explained by Abu Balr, Furak’s son as meaning the praise of Allah, then that of His angels followed by the response to the obligation of his nation up until the Day of Resurrection. He went on to explain that the praise of the angels and his nation is the supplication upon him and the mercy of Allah towards him.
It has also been said that “believers, praise” the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, who taught his Companions the supplication of praising upon himself, he made a distinction between the Arabic words “salat” meaning praying to Allah, by bowing and prostrating and “salat” meaning praising the Prophet.
Chapter 19 “Maryam” opens with the mystical letters “KaafHa Ya’aeenSaad.” It has been explained that the letter “Kaaf” is from the word “kifayah” meaning suffice, and that Allah is sufficient for His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. This explanation is realized by the verse “Is it not that Allah suffices His worshiper” 39:36, with the letter “Ha” referring to the “hidayah” guidance of Allah
as in the verse “and guides you on a Straight Path” 48:2. “Ya” as in the word “ta’aed” means support, and refers to the support of Allah as in the verse “And remember how He gave you shelter” 8:26. As for the letter “Saad” it has been explained as meaning the praise of Allah for him as realized in the verse “Allah and His angel praise and venerate the Prophet.” 33:56. Allah also says “But if you support one another against him, (know that) Allah is his Guardian and Gabriel, and the righteous among the believers.” 66:4. There are two explanations for the phrase “righteous among the believers” one is that it refers to the prophets and the other is that the meaning is as it is read.
Once the opponents of Hadhrat Junaid raised a cry and attempted to to defame him. They persuaded the Caliph to send him his most
Miracle of the Saints
beautiful slave girl to test his character. The slave girl went to Junaid and began her coquettish tricks. Junaid raised his eyes, looked at her and again cast down his eyes. The girl continued in her quest Junaid then raised his head and blew a breath upon her. She fell dead instantly. The Caliph was pained greatly by her death and reproached Hadhrat Junaid saying, “How could you tolerate killing such a beauty of the world?” Junaid replied, “Just as you, the representative of Allah on earth could tolerate attempting to ruin my 40 years of spiritual practices!”
Junaid once said, my teacher Hadhrat Saqti ordered me to deliver sermons. I claimed I could not do so in his presence. During the night The Prophet Muhammed (saw) appeared to me in my dream and commanded me to deliver sermons. In the morning as I was going to convey the message of the Prophet to my teacher I found him waiting at the door expecting me. Immediately on seeing me he remarked, “Up until now you have wanted somebody else to tell you to deliver sermons before you would do so”. Surprised I questioned how he would know all that had happened to me. He replied that the Lord (Allah) had told him.
Upon Junaids death when the time arrived for the people to give the dead body its final bath the divine voice was heard “Keep water away from the eyes of our friend. They are closed in ecstasy and shall open when they are blessed with our vision. Do not attempt to open his closed fist; this has closed due to counting our name on his fingers. It shall open when We shall order so.” Shortly a pigeon flew in, sat on the coffin of Junaid and began to speak in a human voice. “My feathers are nailed to this coffin with nails of love. If you do not carry the coffin I shall fly with it to heaven. (Tadhkeratul Auliya)
The Battle of the Camel or Khuraiba, the 10th Jamad-al-Thani 35 A.H. (December 4th, 656 A.D.)
The two armies were encamped in the Wadi-us-Saba or ‘Valley of the Lion’ near the village of Khuraiba outside Busra, facing each other. When the regicides from Ali’s army fell upon the confederate camp great confusion arose. Neither side knew which of them had played false and attempts by both Ali and Aishah to stop fighting failed. Aishah, on the advice of some of her followers, went so far as to mount her camel and ride and down the ranks, urging the men to up battle. Some chroniclers say that it is in commemoration of this effort of hers to stop fighting that the battle is called “Jamal” or “Camel”. cease
Behind Aishah, rode a warrior holding the Qur’an aloft, but he was killed by an enemy arrow, falling to the ground with the Holy Book. Meanwhile the fighting amongst the ranks grew ever fiercer. It was a terrible thing to see Muslims cutting the throats of their brother Muslims and the Arab world once again split into factions. Sir William Muir’ writing about the battle, points out the strange nature of the engage- ment:-
“It was a strange engagement-the first in which Muslims had crossed swords with Muslims. It resembled a battle of the old Arab times, only that, for tribal rivalry, were now substituted other passions. Clans were broken up, and it became in some measure a contest between the two rival cities. The Ban ar-Rabi’a of Kufa fought against the Banuu ar-Rabi’a of Busra, the Banu Modar of the one against the Banu Modar of the other, and so on, with the various tribes, and even with families, on one part arrayed against the other. The Kufan ranks were urged on by the regicides who felt that, unless they conquered, they were all doomed men. The fierceness and obstinacy of the battle can be only
1. Sir William Muir-The Caliphate, its Rise Decline and Fall p. 248 Publishers, John Grant, Edinburgh. Ed. 1924.
thus accounted for. One of the combatants tells us that “when the opposing sides came together breast to breast with a furious shock, the noise was like that of a washerman at the riverside.”
Death of Talha and Zubair
Sir William Muir then goes on to contrast the fury of Ali’s troops with the half hearted attitude of the Meccan leaders. “The attitude of the leaders was in marked contrast with the bitter struggle of the ranks. Zubair, half hearted after his interview with Ali, left the battlefield according to his promise, but while on his way to Mecca, Zubair came across the detachment cf one Hanif Ibn Qais, who had remained neutral in the course of war, and was watching the course of the battle, anxious to join forces at the eleventh hour with the conqueror. Hanif was more inclined towards Ali than towards any of the Meccan confederates and when he saw Zubair passing in front of him, ordered his men to chase him. One of Hanif’s soldiers, Amr, followed Zubair, overtook him, and brought him before his master. They came face to face and began to converse with each other. Realising that the time of prayers had come, Zubair began to offer them. When he prostrated himself, Amr with one blow of his sword chopped his head off from his body. So, say the Sunnite writers, fell Zubair, attaining the death of a martyr-a man who could not give up prayers in his last hours.
Talha, meanwhile, disabled by an arrow in the leg, had been carried to safety in Busra. The house where he lay was one of the last to hold out against Ali’s men but Talha was to live only a short while longer. Mortally wounded and feeling his end to be near, he sought to renew his allegiance to Ali, calling out to one of Ali’s men, who was passing hideout, to approach him. Asking he man to come nearer, Talha then said, “Stretch forth your hands so as to enable mine to be put forth in and thus will I renew the oath of allegiance which I have yours
already taken to Ali.” No sooner had he uttered these words than he gave up the ghost.
Carnage in the Battle of Camel
Back on the main field of battle Aishah continued to plead with their troops to stop the carnage, but in vain. The dead and the dying lay piled in heaps and the appalling slaughter continued, until, bereft of the leadership of Talha and Zubair, the frenzy of the Meccan confederates began to abate, and they began to take stock of their position. The battle, they suddenly realised had reached a critical stage for them, also the Mother of the Faithful was in grave, personal danger. The Meccans, now much sobered, began to form a cordon around Aishah’s camel. For the regicides of Ali’s army this camel now became the main target. Showers of arrows were loosed at the beast which, Ali quickly saw, had now become the rallying point for the Meccan forces. Wherever the camel stood, there the battle was waged most fiercely and over seventy confederates are said to have lost their hands while holding its bridle. As long as that animal was standing, Ali realised, would the battle continue. He therefore deputed one of his men to cut off its legs. The warrior slipped behind the camel, did as he was bidden, and the poor beast thudded to the ground. Within a very short time the bugle sounded the end of battle. Alí, as always, having proved himself a master tactician.. Aishah escaped with her life, although the litter in and Ali which she had been sitting was so stuck with arrows and javelins that it looked like a hedgehog. It was lifted off the back of the dead beast and Aishah was borne to the safety of a nearby tent.
All’s treatment of Aishah
After the battle, Ali repaired to Aishah’s cam where he treated her with the greatest deference, said he, “respect must be shown to her because she is the spouse of the Holy Prophet in this life and in the life to come.’ Aishah, who had at this time, reached the age of forty five an age which by the Arab standards of the day might be considered advanced, was still very vigorous. When Ali, in his greeting to her said, “May the Lord show mercy to thee, and forgive thee for what you have done. “She retorted without the slightest sign of repentence, “And to thee, also”.
Aishah’s brother Muhammad son of Abu Bakr, who had fought bravely for Ali also went to Aishah’s camp to visit his sister and was overjoyed to discover that she had escaped without injury, though quick to point out to her how meaningless had been the conflict which she had done so much to provoke.
In the care of her brother, and under the command of his own two sons Ali then sent Aishah to Medina. She was shown every deference and given forty handmaids. Ali himself accompanied her retinue on foot for a short distance, before bidding her farewell. “It befits your dignity”, Ali said to her, “to remain in your house and not to meddle in politics or to share the rough life of the battlefield, nor to join any party in future which may tarnish the glory of your name, or become the authoress of a second rebellion.” To this Aishah replied, “By God! there existed no enmity between Ali and me, save a few petty domestic squabbles.” Ali replied, “Ye People! the Mother of the Faithful has spoken the truth. There existed no difference between her and me, except a few petty quarrels of the family.” led a life of seclusion,
On her return to Medina, Aishah devoting most of her time to the compilation of “Sunna” (traditions of the Holy Prophet) and becoming one of the chief sources of the Traditions or Table Talk of Muhammad (may peace be upon him). She is said to have died in 678 A.D., at the age of sixty-six.
Ali Grieves for the Fallen
With the capture of Aishah the battle soon came to aclose. Some of the Busarites had already gone over to Ali’s side, under the leadership of Ibn Qais, who had intercepted Zubair. Those that remained, rapidly lost heart and fled. Ali ordered his men not to pursue the fleeing enemy and his forces soon left the field, completely victorious.
Just before sunset, Ali went out to inspect the battleground, which was piled high with some ten thousand corpses. Among the fallen were many outstanding heroes of Islam who had fought in the wars of the Holy Prophet. Then they had been companions-in-arms of Ali, fighting with him on the same side, the side of Islam. Deeply moved, Ali offered funeral prayers for all the slain before they were laid in their graves.
When Amr, who had killed Zubair, came to Ali and, in the expectation of a great reward, presented him with the head of the rebel leader, the sight of the gory head of the old warrior, who had been a faithful friend of the Holy Prophet was too much for Ali to bear. Unable to hold back his tears, he said to Amr, “Verily your lot is hell-fire”. Amr greatly surprised at this unexpected turn of events replied with some heat, “You are an evil judge of men. If someone delivers you from your enemies, you pronounce the judgment of hell- fire on him; and if any one kills your followers he becomes the friend of the devil.” Bitterly resenting what he felt to be a great injustice, Amr then drew his sword and, without uttering another word plunged it into his own breast. So passed away the murderer of Zubair without any remorse for what he had done.
Sir William Muir’ on the Battle of the Camel
Sir William Muir comments on the Battle of Camel as follows:-
“The carnage in the ill-starred Battle of the Camel (for so it came to be called) was very great. The field was covered with 10,000 bodies in equal proportion on 1. Sir William Muir -The Caliphate, its Rise, Decline and Fall. p. 250.either side, and this, notwithstanding that the victory was not followed up. For Ali had given orders that no fugitive should be pursued, nor any wounded soldier slain, nor plunder siezed, nor the privacy of any house invaded. A great trench was dug, and into it the dead were lowered, friends and foes alike. Ali encamped for three days without the city, and himself performed the funeral service. It was a new experience to bury the dead, slain in battle not against the infidel but Believer fighting against Believer. Instead of cursing the memory of his enemies (too soon the fashion in these civil wars), Ali spoke hopefully of the future state of such as had entered the field, on whatever side, with an honest heart. When they brought him the sword of Zubair, he cursed the man who took his life; and, calling to mind the feats displayed by the brave man that wielded it in the carly battles of Islam, he exclaimed:-
“Many a time hath this sword driven care and sorrow from the Prophet’s brow. The Muslims might well mourn the memory both of Talha and Zubair, remembering how on the field of Uhud, the former had saved the life of the Holy Prophet at the peril of his own; and how often the latter had carried confusion into the ranks of the idolaters of Mecca.
Ali’s treatment of the people of Busra
Ali was determined to show mercy to the people of Busra, and, when some of his followers said, “Since the people of Busra had taken up arms against the lawful Caliph the survivors ought to be distributed as slaves. amongst the soldiers of the army”, Ali refused to accede to their request. “I cannot allow you”, said he “to make slaves of Muslims in “Dar-ul-Islam”. Whatever arms and equipment the Busarites brought on the battlefield to fight against us, can be treated as “Ghanima” (booty captured on the battlefield) but whatever lies in their homes belongs to them, and you are not entitled to any share in it.”
Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi 