FABRICATION OF TRADITION BY SAMUR-IBN-JUNDAB - The Role of Imams a.s. in the Revival of Religion (2) [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

FABRICATION OF TRADITION BY
SAMUR-IBN-JUNDAB

Abu Jafar Eskafi Mu'atazali, master of Abil-Hadeed, in
pursuit of his speech has mooted the story of
Samur-ibn-Jundab. He says: «Muawiya sent a hundred
thousand dirhams for Samur so that he would narrate a
tradition from the Holy Prophet that the verse,:

[Arabic text]

meaning:

«And among men is he whose speech about the life of
this world causes you to wonder, and he calls on Allah to
witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the most
violent of adversaries.»

«And when he turns back, he runs along in the land
that he may cause mischief in it and destroy the tilth
and the stock, and Allah does not love
mischief-making¹⁷⁸,
was revealed in connection to Amir-ul-Mumineen Ali (A.S.)
and hence is counted to be amongst the enemies of the
divine religion. Similarly, the verse:

[Arabic text]

«And among men is he who sells himself to seek the
pleasure of Allah,¹⁷⁹
has been revealed in honour of Abdul-Rahman-ibn-Muljim
Muradi, the killer of Imam Amir-ul-Mumineen (A.S.)!

Samur was not satisfied with this amount of money.
Muawiya increased the amount and sent two hundred
thousand dirhams.

Once again he refused to accept this amount until
Muawiya raised it to four hundred thousand dirhams.
Samur-ibn-Jundab accepted it and divulged Muawiya's wish
to the people in the form of a false tradition from the
Holy Prophet. ¹⁸⁰

This sinister tradition spread and left a deep
impression in the Islamic society during Muawiya's era so
much so that the «Khawarij» came to be called as
[Arabic text] (Sharah) i.e. those who have sacrificed
themselves in the path of Allah and have sold their soul
to Him. Thus, in this fabricated tradition, Ibne-Muljim
was fitted in verse 207 of Sura Baqarah and was reckoned
to be amongst those who sell themselves to Allah and
sacrifice themselves in His path. This was the first
negative effect of Samur's false tradition.

The second effect was that verses like 204 and 205
from Sura Baqarah with regards to Ali (A.S.) won fame
such that at the time of Imam Hassan's burial near his
great grandfather, when Ayesha came forward in protest of
this act and said that this house belonged to her and
Abdullah-ibn-Abbas argued (with her) that she was (only)
one of the nine wives of the Prophet where all of them
would receive one-eight from Hazrat's inheritence and
what could this amount represent? She replied [Arabic
text] you are people of dispute and hostility which is in
reference to the afore-mentioned verse which has come
down in the forged tradition and has been collated with
Imam Ali (A.S.)!

* * *

THE IDOLS SHOULD BE BROKEN

On several occasions, writers, scholars and learned
men have asked me whether there does not exist a
tradition on Ghadir-khum in the numerous and reliable
sources of the Caliphate school? Haven't the scholars of
the afore-said school come across the tradition of
«Yaum-ud-Dar» [Arabic text] and the day of [Arabic
text] i.e. the same tradition which had been previously
narrated under the verse: [Arabic text] wherein the Holy
Prophet had propagated the three fundamental Islamic
principles of «Tauheed» (Monotheism), «Nabuwwat»
(Prophethood) and «Imamate» / «Caliphate»
(Leadership)? What could I say? Yes, they have seen these
traditions but what can be done? As against the tradition
of [Arabic text] and [Arabic text] contradictory
traditions (although research shows it to be a forged
tradition) exists in different forms and with different
references. Verily, in the face of every tradition
related to the virtues of Imam Amir-ul-Mumineen and
Ahl-e-bayt, there exists numerous other (contradictory)
traditions with the objective of shattering and crushing
their credibility in reality results in the truth being
revealed from buried under the heap of falsehood and
fabrications. The seekers of truth in the Islamic history
are in need of something like archeology or are entangled
with numerous idols which have occupied his entire mind,
thought and eyes. Unless these idols are broken, the
truth cannot be discovered. What I intend to do is to
break the false, distorted and forged idols which have
been made by the criminals and brought up by the ignorant
so much so that they have become greater than the
greatest idols in human history and more invulnerable
than all the invulnerables.

Several times, eminent personalities and scholars have
asked me: «Why don't you write a research biography of
the Holy Prophet so that one can deduce the Islamic
ordinances confidently?» But what could I say?

Now, after this relatively long discussion and your
familiarity with these preliminaries, I can now unfold
the essential matter which is as such?

With the existence of such faked traditions and with
such texts (which apparently seem to be reliable but in
reality are false and full of lies) it is impossible for
me to write a biography of the Holy Prophet (SAW.A.).

With so many obstacles, how is it possible to bring
the life-history of the Holy Prophet i.e. a significant
part of Islam on paper?

Is it not that today, anyone who wishes to study the
life-history of the Holy Prophet - right from the
European Christians and Jews and the Egyptians or Iranian
Muslims refers first of all to «Seera Ibne-Hisham»?

But it is a matter of regret to state that after many
years of study and research I believe that a biographer
worse than Ibne-Hisham¹⁸¹
(from the view-point of concealment of the truth) has not
yet come into existence. ¹⁸²

Is it not that today, anyone desirous of doing
research in the history of Islam, refers to
Tarikh-e-Tabari¹⁸³ who
is regarded to be the 'Imam' (leader) of all historians
by the eminent scholars of the Caliphate school?

But, I believe that he has taken precedence over all
other historians in propagating falsehood.

If such books are taken to be first-hand sources and
references, then, how can it be possible to recognize
Islam? Verily, these idols which are the greatest
obstacles in the path of knowing Islam should be
shattered. I have till now written four volumes of books
and in them, I have critically analysed
«Tarikh-e-Tabari». I am thankful of this favour of
Allah Who has shattered a big idol through me - His
feeble slave. With these books i.e. two volumes of
«Abdullah-ibn-Sabah» and two volumes of [Arabic text]
Tabari has been vanquished in the eyes of those seeking
the truth!

In order to realize the truth, we have first of all to
know the falsehood and abandon it and it is very well
said: [Arabic text] - «Everything is recognizable
through its opposite». If night did not exist, day could
not be recognized. If there was not darkness, then light
could not be perceived. We should, before anything else,
recognize people like Abu-Huraira, Anas- ibn-Malik,
Muawiya and Amro-Aas so that the possibility of
recognizing the Holy Prophet of Islam and Imam
Amir-ul-Mumineen and such events like the battle of
Siffeen, Jamal and the like of them comes into existence.
Unless we recognize Muawiya and Yazid, we will not be
able to comprehend events like the peace of Imam Hassan
(A.S.) and the revolt of Imam Hussein (A.S.).

Moreover, unless we recognize the evil-teachers of
Islamic history and the fabricators and unless we do not
consider Tabari, Ibne-Hisham and their followers to be
unreliable, we will neither be able to recognize the
positive personalities of Islam nor its negative ones.

Up to now, these fabrications take place in the scene
of authentic Islamic traditions and Islamic history,
neither the God of Islam is recognizable nor the Prophet
of Islam and Ali of Islam nor Caliphate, Imamate and
Wasiyat (executorship) and nor finally the Ma'ad
(Resurrection) of Islam!

Thus, we do not possess any means for the recognition
of God, Islam and the truth except the way which we shall
pursue in these discussions! The Imams would follow these
very steps for their own special Shiites. Of course they
were needless of striving hard like us. Imam Sadeq (A.S.)
would determine his followers' path with one brief
sentence. When he would address his students with these
words:

[Arabic text] ¹⁸⁴

They would learn the path of perceiving the true and
untrue traditions. But today, if we are to prove this
matter, we are needful of writing numerous books and
doing elaborate researches and persistently studying and
doing research for several years in order to perceive the
words of Imam Sadeq (A.S.)

However, if we listen to the decisive will of the Holy
Prophet and accept it in its true sense which was often
repeated by him in different forms: («I am leaving
behind two invaluable things amongst you and as long as
you catch hold of these two and follow them, you will
never go astray.») and adopt this path, we shall be
delivered from all possible deviations and from the
danger of falling into all kinds of destructive pits. May
Almighty Allah grant us success in following this path to
the very last.

To me, reading such kinds of forged, false and
distorted traditions becomes a sort of spiritual
mortification in the face of reading the correct
traditions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) and Ahl-e-bayt
(A.S.) which is so much enjoyable to me that I cannot
describe my feelings. I wish we could spend our life only
in the path of examining the correct and authentic
traditions. But what can we do? Unless the idol is
shattered, God will not be worshipped and if the forged
traditions are not made known, the authentic traditions
will not be recognized.

I intended to make brief the discussion so that we
could get to our main topic. But as we once again realize
that unless the required illumination be not achieved we
are bound to continue the discussion. Perhaps we can
grasp the matter by the help of this example:- If we wish
to get to an ancient city and know its limits and
boundaries and perceive its characteristics then,
considering the existence of centuries - old debris over
it (i.e. the city) it is not possible and there is no way
other than pulling it out from the heap of debris, soil
and layers which has covered it over the centuries. Of
course this task requires intolerable sufferings and
innumerous knowledge.

The Islam which the Holy Prophet had brought has been
buried under the debris of false and forged traditions
and for knowing Islam too, we are needful of a kind of
archeological study. Here, we shall set forth one example
from all kinds of forged traditions so as to realize the
various dimensions of this great felony. Thus, the
traditions which we have assessed thus far are not all
that exists in this regard. Rather, on the basis of
perusals, we have presented from every kind of tradition
one example in order that we realize what has come upon
the rights of the innocent and what fate has befallen
them so that finally, we realize our path for recognizing
Islam which the Prophet has brought.

The Path which must and will remain until the Day of
Judgement.

184- As-Sadooq: Kitab al-Khisal /190;
Beirut print: There were three persons who

used to attribute lies to the Holy Prophet - Abu-Huraira,
Anas-ibn- Malik and a woman.

VERSES OF «TAYAMMUM» (DRY ABLUTION)

About the battle of Muraisi'h Mughrizi writes:

«The tradition of «Efq» eventuated in this battle
because the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.A.) had descended
in a house and he had not water with himself. In that
very place, Ayesha's necklace fell on the ground and got
lost. The Holy Prophet remained in that place till
morning searching for the necklace. Due to unavailability
of water in that area, the people fell in deep hardship.
They said: «It is Ayesha who has made us wait in this
arid land. Abu Bakr took umbrage at the remarks of the
Muslims and reproached Ayesha severely. At this moment,
the verse of «Tayammum» (dry ablution) was revealed....
Thereafter, the Muslims moved from this place and came
upon a land which had green pastures and trees! The Holy
Prophet said: 'O Ayesha! Are you ready to run a race with
me!?

Ayesha said: 'Yes'! Moments later, she pulled together
her clothes and so did the Holy Prophet. Thereafter they
ran and the Holy Prophet outran Ayesha. Then, he said:
I'm getting my own back for the last time you outran me.'
The story goes as such: The Messenger of Allah had once
gone to Abu Bakr's house, Ayesha too was present and held
something in her hand. The Holy Prophet said: Give that
thing to me! Ayesha refused and ran far away. The Holy
Prophet too ran after her. However Ayesha outran the
Prophet and went off her own way.

In this journey (battle of Muraisi'h) Ayesha was
mounted on a camel litter and Abu-Muwaihaba, the freed
slave of the Prophet, along with another man kept her
moving....¹⁸⁵
Thereafter, she narrates the story and hadith of
Efq [Arabic text]

Whatever Muqrizi and others have brought in these
three fold incidents has been narrated through Ayesha.

The first incident is the incident of the race:

RACE BETWEEN THE HOLY PROPHET ANDHIS WIFE!

Ahmad-ibn-Hanbal in his 'Musnad' narrates from
Hisham-ibn- Urwah-ibn-Zubair who narrates from his father
Urwah that Ayesha said:

«I accompanied the Holy Prophet in one of his
journeys. At that time, I was a young girl and had rather
lean built. During the journey, the Holy Prophet once
commanded his followers to advance ahead and they did so.
Thereafter, he said: 'Come forward and let us run a race
together! We ran and soon I overran the Prophet. The
Prophet did not utter anything. Sometime elapsed and I
grew bigger and heavier. I had forgotten all about the
race between the Prophet and myself.

In yet another journey, I accompanied the Holy
Prophet. During this very journey, the Prophet once again
asked his followers to move ahead and they did so. Then
he said: Come forward and run a race with me! We ran and
this time he overran me. Upon this, he laughed and
remarked: Tit for tat! ¹⁸⁶

In the same book, Abu-Salma¹⁸⁷
and Hisham-ibn-Urwah have narrated a somewhat similar
tradition¹⁸⁸ from their
father and Qasim-ibn-Muhammad, the grandson of Abu-Bakr
has narrated a much shorter account of the event from
Ayesha¹⁸⁹.

This is the tradition about the running-race and as
far as its period is concerned, we are unable to find any
trace of it. However, with regards to the place of the
running-race, it is said that it has taken place in
«Baidah». But the tradition about «Tayammum» and
«Efq» as per the saying of the Ibne Sa'ad, the author
of «Waqedi» has occured in the battle of Muraisi'h. He
says: «In this battle, Ayesha's necklace got lost as a
result of which the procession of the soldiers came to a
standstill.» Then, the verse of «Tayemmum» was
revealed and Osayyed-ibn-Huzair said: «This is not your
first blessing, O progeny of Abu Bakr and it was in this
very battle that the incident of Ayesha and the remarks
which the progeny of «Efq» uttered had occured and
Allah revealed a verse in confirmation of her chastity.¹⁹⁰

However, the tradition of «Tayammum» has come down
in the

books of 'Sahih' of the Caliphate school in the following
manner.'

HADITH ABOUT «TAYAMMUM» (DRY ABLUTION)

Bukhari in the book of «Tayammum» narrates from
Abdul-Rahman-ibn- Qasim who narrates from his father that
Ayesha, wife of the Holy Prophet said: «We had
accompanied the Prophet in one of his journeys until we
reached 'Baidah' or Zaatul-Jaish¹⁹¹.
There, I lost my necklace. The Holy Prophet and his men
remained in that desert area in order to find my
necklace!! There was no water to be found about and the
Muslim soldiers who were hard pressed for thirst
approached Abu-Bakr and said: «Do you see what Ayesha is
doing? She has made the Holy Prophet and his men stay in
a place devoid of water.»

Abu Bakr approached me in a state when the Messenger
of Allah had laid his hand on my knees and had fallen
asleep! He said: 'You have dissuaded the Prophet and the
people from moving forward while there is neither water
in this place nor have the people water with themselves!'
Ayesha says:

«Abu-Bakr reproached and blamed me in this regard.
Moreover, he pounded on my side and I could not move from
my place as the Prophet had laid his head on my knees.
Moments later, the Prophet awoke from his sleep. As there
was no water for fulfillment of the religious obligations
of the people, God revealed the verse of «Tayammum» and
the people performed «Tayammum» (dry ablution).»

Osayyed-ibn-Huzair who was from the Ansars said:

«This has not been your first blessing 'O progeny of
Abi-Bakr!»

Ayesha says: As we made the camel on which I was
mounting to move ahead, we found the necklace which laid
beneath her.¹⁹²

In 'Musnad' of Ahmad it is narrated from Abdullah
-ibn-Zubair that Ayesha said: «In one of the journeys, I
had accompanied the Holy Prophet. On the way we reached a
place called Turbaan¹⁹³
which was a few miles away from the city of Medina. This
place was arid and dry....»

In the end of the tradition it has come down that
Abu-Bakr addressed Ayesha as such: My daughter, I
did not know that you are so much of a blessing. Since
you dissuaded the Muslims from moving ahead and made them
wait in this desert, Almighty God resolved them with
blessing and comfort and revealed the verse of
tayammum for them. ¹⁹⁴

A PROBE INTO THIS TRADITION

In the tradition of «tayammum» we see that the Holy
Prophet makes the people stay in the arid desert and
plateau not withstanding the fact that the people have no
water with themselves. All the soldiers of Islam and the
animals accompaning them suffer hardship until morning.
All this occured for the sake of finding Ayesha's
necklace which was made out of sizzling stones. The Holy
Prophet keeps his soldiers waiting in the dry desert in
order to find his wife's missing necklace. The Muslims on
the other hand take their complain of hardship and
distress to Abu-Bakr. He in turn approaches his daughter
and reproaches and blames her for this doing and says:
«In all the journeys, the Muslims face hardship and
difficulty for your sake.» However when the Muslims
become perplexed in the matter of prayers, Almighty God
reveals the verse of «tayammum». Thus the Muslims
perform «tayammum» for the first time and offer their
prayers with tayammum. Right here, Abu-Bakr addresses her
daughter as such: «O my daughter, I was not knowing that
you are so blessed and full of goodness and blessing!
Since you have dissuaded the Muslims from moving ahead
and have been the cause of their waiting, God has
revealed goodness upon them! » Also, Osayyed-ibn-Huzair
says: «This is not your first goodness and blessing 'O
the progeny of Abi-Bakr!» After this too, the
compassionate God does not allow the matter of necklace
to be rendered futile. Rather, the next morning it is
found under the sleeping-place of the camel.

This event is the sign of abundant love and great
affection of the Holy Prophet towards his wife, Ayesha so
much so that the God of Islam too safeguards this love
and affection and reveals statutory blessings for the
Muslims due to the afore-said love.

A brief investigation into the various aspects of this
event reveals that this tradition does not conform to the
circumstances and conditions of the battle of Muraisi'h
or Bani-Mustalaq. This is because in this battle, due to
the dispute which arose between the Muslims of Ansars and
Muhajirs over the matter of water and the dangerous
speech which Abdullah-ibn-Obi Salool - a hypocrite - had
delivered on that occasion and there existed the
possibility of an internal unrest, the Holy Prophet
commanded his people to quickly advance forward towards
Medina such that the belligerent people had time only for
a short nap, prayers and food, and spent the rest of
their time in galloping towards Medina.

Moreover, just as it has come down in the tradition
narrated from Ayesha or the tradition forged in her name,
the decree of «tayammum» should have been much more
universal than for it to remain a secret for a selected
few. Thus the entire soldiers of Islam faced
unavailability of water in this battle and became needful
of «tayammum». The verse on «tayammum» too was
revealed on this occasion and all the soldiers acted upon
it and regarded this as one kind of goodness, blessing
and comfort which descended from the heavens and
congratulated and expressed their thanks to those who had
been the cause of bringing this blessing and comfort.
Considering the form of revealation of the decree and the
verse of «tayammum» and its universal aspect, the
matter of «tayammum» should not have remained hidden
from a person like the second Caliph, Omar-ibn-Khattab
and that should not a person like him be aware of this
common affair which has occured in his very presence!?
All have seen and are aware of this affair but not Omar-
ibn-Khattab! The same has come down in a tradition
narrated from Sahih-Muslim as follows:

A person approached Omar (during the latters
Caliphate) and said: «I had a wet dream and could not
find water to perform ablution. What was I supposed to
do? Omar said: «In such situations, keep away from
prayers!» Ammar who was present at that time said:

'O Amir-ul-Mumineen! Don't you remember that in
one of the journeys to war, both of us had to perform
ablution and could not find any water? On that day, you
avoided prayers but I rolled on the dust and then offered
my prayers and when we narrated this matter to the Holy
Prophet he said: «As for you 'O Omar! it was not right
on your part to abandon the prayers. As for you, 'O
Ammar! you should not have rolled on the dust just as
animals do. Suffice it was to strike your hands on the
dust and then rub them over your face and hands up to the
joints....¹⁹⁵

How come this common decree descended in the sight of
the common Muslims but remained hidden from the other
companions (of the Holy Prophet)? Just as
Omran-ibn-Husain narrates:

«The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) witnessed a man (from
his companions) keeping himself aside from the others and
refraining from performing prayers. He said: 'O so and so
person, Why don't you perform your prayers like the
others? He replied: 'O the Messenger of Allah. I have had
a wet dream and I have not yet performed the purification
ablution. He said: You only need to perform the
«Tayammum» if you have not any water available. ¹⁹⁶

Moreover, how can we reconcile the previous tradition
with the tradition which Urwah has narrated from Ayesha
and Nesa'ee has brought the same in his book? They say:

«The Holy Prophet sent Osaid-ibn-Huzair along with a
group to search for Ayesha's necklace whom she had lost
somewhere on the way. A long time passed in search for
this necklace and the time for prayers approached.
Incidentally they had no ablution and could not find any
water too for performing ablution, Helplessly they
offered their prayers without ablution.

Thereafter, they related the incident to the Holy
Prophet and for this very reasons, God revealed the verse
of «tayammum».

Osaid-ibn-Huzair said: 'O Ayesha! May Allah bestow you
with goodness. I swear by Allah that no event has occured
which was distasteful to you except that Allah set
goodness and blessing in it for you and the Muslims.»¹⁹⁷

In Sahih Bukhari, this tradition has come down in the
following manner. «The Holy Prophet despatched a
person....»

How can we reconcile this tradition from Ayesha with
the first tradition while we see a vast difference
existing between the two?

The first tradition mentions that the Prophet, in a
journey back from war, came down to a house located in an
arid land. The Muslims too had no water with themselves.
Thus they complained their hardship to Abu-Bakr, In the
morning too, after the revelation of the verse, everyone
performed «tayammum» and offered their prayers with
«tayammum» for the first time. At the time of
departure, Ayesha's necklace too was found underneath the
camel. But the second tradition mentions that the Holy
Prophet despatched one or more persons in search for
Ayesha's necklace which had been left behind in some
house. These persons who were sent for this task could
not find water during this journey and hence offered
prayers without ablution. This was because the verse of
«tayammum» had not yet been revealed and they were
unaware of its decree. Thereafter, when they returned
back to Medina and related their story to the Holy
Prophet the verse of «tayammum» was revealed.

If we wish to believe in the authenticity of all the
traditions present in the «Sihahs», we don't know how
to bring a reconciliation between these two traditions!?

* * *

Moreover, how is it possible to reconcile these two
traditions under our discussion with what Ibn-Saad has
narrated in «Tabaqat» about the life- history of
Maimum-ibn-Sanbaz Asla where the narrator, Rabii says:
«I heard from my father who heard from his father that a
Muslim man by the name of Asla once narrated as such:, 'I
was doing service to the Holy Prophet and saddling the
ride for him.' One night the Holy Prophet said: 'O Asla!
arise and make ready my horse! I said: 'O the Prophet of
God. I have had a wet dream! Thereafter he kept silent
for a few moments. Then Jibra'eel descended and brought
the verse of [Arabic text] i.e. the verse of «tayammum»
wherein the word of [Arabic text] (dust) can be found.¹⁹⁸ Then, the Holy Prophet
called me and displayed to me the manner of performing
«tyammum». I did the same and then attended to his
horse....

Later when we came across water he said: 'O Asla,
arise and perform «Ghusl» (major ablution).¹⁹⁹

* * *

Similarly, in what manner can we reconcile Ayesha's
traditions with the tradition which Ibn-Jarir Tabari has
brought under the exegesis of the verse: ²⁰⁰
[Arabic text] Ibn-Jarir narrates from Yazid-ibn-Abi
Khabib that the houses of some of the people from the
Ansars had their doors facing the mosque. Sometimes it
would happen that they would experience wet dreams and
would also face the problems of unavailability of water.
Under these circumstances, they could not even leave
their houses for the sake of procuring water and
performing «Ghusl» (major ablution) because they could
not pass through Prophet's mosque in the state of
«Janabah» (major ritual impurity) and also there
existed no other way. Therefore, God revealed the verse
of tayammum. ²⁰¹

Similarly, Ibne-Munzar and Ibne-Abi Hatim narrate from
Mujahid that in explanation of the verse: ²⁰² [Arabic
text] he (i.e. Mujahid) says: This verse has been
revealed about a man from Ansars who was so sick that he
was not able to stand and perform ablution. Moreover, he
had no one to assist him prepare his means for ablution.
This man approached the Holy Prophet and explained his
condition to him. On this occasion too, God revealed the
verse of 'tayammum'. ²⁰³

Similarly, Ibne-Jarir narrates from Ibrahim Nakh'ee
who said:

«The Holy Prophet's companions suffered wounds in one
of the battles. The number of injured men were many.
Later too, a few of them experienced wet dreams. This was
reported to the Holy Prophet.

Thereafter the blessed verse: .... [Arabic text] was
revealed in its full form.

Verily, how can one reconcile with so many different
and diverse traditions and reckon all of them to be
correct and true?

With utmost regret, we have to say that the traditions
which have been narrated from Ayesha and which is
ascribed to her and comprises the incident of revelation
of the verse of «tayammum», has been falsely propagated
and spread. Even the European and Western Orientalists
and Islamicists have had access and paid interest to them
and drawn support from them under the topic of
«tayammum» in their book of 'Encyclopedia of Islam.' ²⁰⁴

THE REALITY OF THIS MATTER

If we take into consideration the nature and
territorial make-up of 'Hejaz' (Saudi - Arabia) and know
about its severe scarcity of water (just as what I have
witnessed in my numerous journeys to this holy land)and
also realize this fact that 'Salt' (prayers) had been
made obligatory immediately after the Holy Prophet's
appointment, we will arrive to this conclusion that it is
impossible for the divine legislation of the law of
«tayammum» to have been postponed all this time (about
eighteen years) and its decree to have been revealed in
the year 5 A.H. or 6 A.H. The Muslims out of compulsion,
had been in need of something as a substitution for water
where they could resort or «Ghusl» (major ritual
ablution). This need had certainly arisen hundreds and
thousands of times right from the outset of Islam until
the year 6 A.H. Moreover, whenever a Muslim was faced
with any problem, he would approach the Prophet and the
latter in turn would explain the divine law for him. This
was the natural structure of this matter. However, if we
resort only to the Holy Quran, we will see the story
being different from what has come down in the aforesaid
traditions. In the Holy Quran, the decree of «tayammum»
has come down next to ablution and «Ghusl» (major
ritual ablution) as a substitution to them.

(i) In Sura Nisa:

[Arabic text] ²⁰⁵

«O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you
are intoxicated until you know (well) what you say, nor
when you are under an obligation to perform a total
ablution - unless (you are) travelling on a journey until
you have washed yourselves; and if you are sick, or on a
journey, or one of you come from the privy or you have
made love to your women, and you cannot find water,
betake yourselves to pure dust, then wipe your faces and
your hands; surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving.

(ii) In Sura Maeda:

[Arabic text] ²⁰⁶

«O you who believe! When you rise up to prayer, wash
your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your
heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you are under
an obligation to perform a total ablution, then wash
(yourselves) and if you are sick or on a journey, or one
of you comes from the privy, or you have made love, and
you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure dust and
wipe your faces and your hands there with....»

The meaning of these verses is this that «Wuzu»
(ablution) and its substitution with «Tayammum» (dry
ablution) and «Ghusl» (major ritual ablution) and its
substitution with «Tayammum» (dry ablution) had already
been once legislated and its decree revealed continuously
one after the other in one verse. This inevitability
should have been much before what Ayesha has said and
much before her marriage to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.).
Wisdom too deems expedient such a state while we know
that «Salt» (prayer) had been legislated right from
the outset of the Holy Prophet's appointment to the post
of Messengership and along with it, Gibra'eel had taught
the manner of performing Wuzu (ablution).²⁰⁷

Thus «Ghusl» (major ritual ablution) and
«Tayammum» (dry ablution) too must have immediately
followed «Wuzu» (ablution) in being legislated.

Of course, it can be said that these three decrees
were perhaps revealed far from the common Muslim's
perspective because basically there did not exist more
than two or three Muslims at that time. Therefore, it is
not much of a concern if majority of them were unaware of
the union of «Tayammum» with «Wuzu» and «Ghusl» and
had not heard the aforesaid verse. Whenever anyone
amongst them encountered unavailability ofwater or faced
any such problem, he would approach the Holy Prophet and
explain his condition. The Holy Prophet too would either
practically teach him the obligation of «Tayammum» or
recite for him the holy verse of Quran. It was in this
manner that the reality of the matter had been concealed
for a person or had been forgotten by him.

This analysis is a solution as we see it. However,
that such a needed decree had not been revealed until the
year 5 A.H. or 6 A.H. and the time of its legislation was
when the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) remained in the desert
with his soldiers for a long duration until he found his
wife's valualess necklace seems to be against common
sense and custom and is incompatible with the supreme
level of the Holy Prophet's disposition.