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THE EFFECT OF SUCH TRADITIONSON ISLAMOLOGY (THE BELIEFS AND THOUGHTS OF MUSLIMS)
Apart from what we have said, there are yet other effects
which are as follows:
A - The previously mentioned traditions and numerous
others like them which can be found in the Islamic
sources and references of the Caliphate school create a
special kind of belief for those believing in them.
(Which is commensurate with the traditions itself). For
example, the saying of some of the Islamic groups that
the Holy Prophet possesses no kind of privilege over the
others. I once heard the same from one of their learned
scholars when I was on a journey. (He said:
«Like me, Muhammad too was an ordinary man because
death befall him!!») This sect believes that the dignity
of the Messenger of Allah from the view-point of
conveying the divine Messengership from God to the people
is like the dignity of the one despatching letters (or
rather a postman). Just as a postman does not possess any
privilege over the sender or receiver of a letter and
only fulfills his duty of despatching the letters, The
Holy Prophet too in the same manner is regarded (only) a
conveyor of divine message and possesses no privilege
over the others! It is for this reason that this sect has
not thought as necessary, the respect due for Hazrat's
grave or his remains, and have rejected the matter of
seeking benediction from his holy shrine and seeking
intercession for him. Rather, they consider all these to
be acts of polytheism. With regards to the holy verses of
Quran and the traditions which have come down in this
connection and are found to be incompatible with their
aims and motives they have interpreted them esoterically.
B - Just as man is in need of system in his social
life so that he is aided in regulating his behaviour and
relationship with others, he is provided with guidance
about the manner of his dealings and association with the
people and he derives the maximum benefit from nature and
its pleasures and therefore being kept away from the
evils, in the same manner, he is in need of one model and
example where the (afore-said) system has been incarnated
in his existence. This is so that man by observing him,
can recognize his own way and path and will be able to
follow his manners easily.
This model or leader whether appointed by God or
coming from man's side 64
- will leave a great effect on his followers.
This matter is in conformity with the saying:
[Arabic text]
The people follow the path and religion of their
own rulers and kings.'
The rulers and kings are the very leaders of nations.
It is obvious that the ways of a leader who has been
divinely appointed is having a greater influence on his
followers than other leaders on their followers!!
Based on the above rudiment, if man believes that the
divine Prophets - right from Adam to Noah, Abraham
(Ibrahim), Jacob (Yaqub), Yusuf, Ayub, Moses, David
(Dawoud), Yunus, Jesus (Isa) and the last of the
Prophets, Hazrat Muhammad Mustapha (S.A.W.A.) - were all
sinners and for substantiating his own views he relies
and insists on the ambiguous verses of the Quran and even
interprets them esoterically (contrary to their external
outlook) in order to manifest them in accordance with his
own views and in this regard, he relies on those
traditions which attribute sins to some of the Prophets
whereas they were in reality free from such sins just as
they have narrated in the case of (David) (A.S.) with
Aurya's wife65 or in the
case of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) with Zainab66 and if he believes in the
authenticity of these traditions, then such a person with
such beliefs with regards to the Prophets and that they
are sinners and not vanguards of their personal desires
and do whatever they wish while they hold the highest
position of divine proximity, then how is it possible for
himself to avoid following his carnal desires and abstain
from committing sins!!?
In contrast to this school is the Ahl-e-bayt school
which insists strongly that right from infancy, the
Prophets have been under the bounds and protection of
divine immaculateness. This school refers to the clear
defined verses (instead of ambiguous verses) and derives
their correct meanings in addition to the fact that in
this school, there exists no traditions about the
sinfulness of any of the Prophets. Rather, the learned
scholars and followers of this school believe in the
immaculateness of the Prophets and their legatees
including the holy Imams (A.S.). In many of the
traditions from these great divine leaders, one can see
their magnanimity, their aloofness from carnal desires
throughout their life and their invitation of the people
towards chastity and purity. The testimony to the above
fact are the sermons of Amir-ul-Mumineen (A.S.) and the
invocations of Imam Sajjad (A.S.). Moreover, numerous
narrations have come about their unlimited piety, their
rampant weepings out of fear of God, their unilateral
attachment with God and their struggle in all dimensions
of Islam in order to achieve the satisfaction of God.
Necessarily, the true Shi'ites (friends) of such leaders
will take lessons from their pure and sacred life and
from their precious and pleasant speeches and they will
follow them in all the spheres of their life.
THE WORST EFFECT WHICH THESETRADITIONS HAVE LEFT BEHIND
As mentioned before, the believers of these traditions
tend to have a special kind of belief with respect to the
Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) so far so that they believe that
the Messenger of Allah possesses no privilege or
superiority over the others. The greatest misfortune is
this that some of those very traditions create a mental
groundwork for its believers to believe that it is
possible for one non-Prophet to have privilege over the
Prophet. Amongst them are traditions which have come down
in the chapter of 'Manaqib'. For example:
The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) said:-
«The sun has not dawned on any person better than
Omar!» Therefore, he is supposed to be more superior
than all the noble Prophets and much more than the Holy
Prophet (S.A.W.A.) of Islam.!?
Then the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) said:-
«Truth has been placed in Omar's tongue. He speaks
the truth and his heart too. has become acquainted with
the truth. Faith is manifest on Omar's tongue.»
Then the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) says:-
«In the past nations, there were men who used to
converse with the Angels. If amongst my nation there
happens to be anyone like this, he is none other than
Omar.»
Again, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) has said:
«If there was to be a Prophet after me, he would have
been Omar-ibn-Khattab».!!
Then, they have narrated various instances of Omar's
agreement with God or in effect God's agreement with
Omar....
In these instances, Omar would present his views and
then immediate to this, Good would reveal the verses of
Quran in accordance with his views. In some cases, God
even revealed the verses exactly in accordance with
Omar's words!
They have also narrated that in certain instances when
differences would arise between the Holy Prophet and
Omar, God would reveal a verse in favour of Omar and
charge the Holy Prophet with the responsibility of
putting them into practice by following the Caliph's
views.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT THEY HAVE SAID:
«No event took place where people had uttered some
words about it and Omar too had uttered the same except
that Quran was being revealed as per Omar's sayings.
Also:
Verily, the views and opinions of Omar can be seen in
the holy Quran.
THE EFFECT AND RESULT OF SUCH TRADITIONS
When the Holy Prophet participates in gatherings of
song, music and dance;
When he forgets and consequently omits some verses of
Quran and Satan deceives him in uttering words of praise
for the idols and he recites them as part of the holy
verses of Quran;
When he curses and uses indecent words against the
believers without any proper reason;
When he prevents the people from insemination of the
date-palms while this command appeared to be a great
blunder;
and numerous other blunders of this kind.....'
And when Omar keeps himself aloof from music and dance
and Satan flees away from him.
When God has made the truth to spring from Omar's
tongue and faith is visible on his tongue and the angels
converse with him.
When Omar forbids the Holy Prophet from performing a
certain act but the Prophet performs it disregardingly
and consequently revelation comes and commands the
Prophet to follow Omar's sayings.
Such instances are repeated to such extent until the
people say:
«People did not say anything (people over here refers
to the Prophet) so that Omar too has spoken about the
same save that Quran was revealed in accordance with
Omar's views....!
IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT THEY SAID:
In the holy Quran, one can find the views and opinions
of Omar!
Therefore, the effect of these traditions and numerous
others like them will be this that this belief (present
among some of the Muslim sects) will continue - even
after the demise of the Holy Prophet.
For example if Omar, after the Holy Prophet's demise,
had said anything contrary to what the Prophet had said
during his life-time, then they would act as per Omar's
views and sayings and abandon the Prophet's sayings!
Their support for inclining towards such a belief is a
tradition which they narrate from the Holy Prophet as
follows:
'If I had not been appointed (as a Prophet) amongst
you, then Omar would have been appointed'! and
'If there was to be a Prophet after me he would have
definitely been Omar.67
AN EXAMPLE OF PRACTICE OF THE
MUSLIMS WITH REGARDS TO OMAR'SIJTIHAD (INDEPENDENT JUDGEMENT)
THE INCIDENT OF ALI'S PROHIBITION OF
«UMRAH TAMATOO» (Preliminary Pilgrimage)
Amongst the various practices of Omar's Ijtihad
(independent reasoning) and his opposition to the
Prophet's 'Sunnah' (ways) was the matter of «MUTAH HAJ»
(lesser pilgrimage)
During the journey of his last pilgrimage, Messenger
of Allah (S.A.W.A.) propagated on Divine command the
necessity of «Umrah Tamatto». The Muslims, who were
approximately one hundred thousand in number performed
the «Umrah Tamatto» according to the Holy Prophet's
commands. Years later, when Omar was on the seat of
Caliphate, prohibited the Muslims from performing this
act. He said:
[Arabic text] 68
«I prohibit the two 'Mutah' which was in vogue during
the Holy Prophet's time. I shall prevent anyone from
performing the same and anyone found guilty will be
punished severely - One is the «Umrah Tamatto» and the
other the temporary marriage.»
After the issue of this commandment by Omar, the
Muslims separated Haj from Umrah (preliminary pilgrimage)
and performed Haj without Umrah - Of course for the sake
of. acting upon Omar's commandment and prohibition!!
This practice continued up to the time of Uthman's
pledge. Uthman too prohibited the performance of 'Umrah'
but Hazrat Ali ordered against the same.
In a journey, when these two met each other on the way
to Haj, Amir-ul- Mumineen addressed Uthman as such:
«Why do you prohibit something which the Messenger of
Allah had commanded and acted upon?»
Uthman replied: «Leave us alone.»
Hazrat Ali said: «I cannot do so.»
When Hazrat Ali witnessed this situation, he made one
intention for 'Umrah' (preliminary pilgrimage) and
'Tamatto' (greater pilgrimage) and performed them and
commenced the saying of 'Labbaik'. 69
In the pledge of Government of Abdullah-ibn-Zubair:
In the pledge of Ibn-Zubair, Abd ullah-ibn-Abbas would
command the people to perform the «Umrah Tamatto» while
Abdullah-ibn-Zubair would prohibit the same70
and say: Perform Haj without the Umrah and forsake
whatever this blind man says. 71
In reply, Abdullah-ibn-Abbas said: «The one whom
Allah has made blind is you and you alone.» «Why don't
you inquire this matter from your mother!»
Then, Ibn-Zubair sent someone too his mother and
inquired this matter from her. His mother replied:
«Ibn-Abbas has spoken the truth. We went for Haj along
with the Prophet and in the beginning we performed the
Umrah Tamatto. Thereafter, we came out of 'Ehram'
(pilgrims garb) and became free from all the acts which
are prohibited for one (clothed) in a pilgrim state -
even the prohibition of cohabitation. 72
This continued until the day approached for wearing
'Ehram' for the Haj-Tamatto.»
Urwah-ibn-Zubair, the brother of Abdullah-ibn-Zubair
told Ibn-Abbas as such:
«How far are you prepared to go into) deceiving and
deviating the people O' son of Abbass?»
He replied: 'O Urwah! What do you mean?' He said:
During the period of Haj, you command us to perform the
'Umrah' (prelimanary pilgrimage) whereas Abu Bakr and
Omar have prohibited the same.
Ibn-Abbass said: «This act has been performed by the
Prophet of Allah. 73
(and I am giving instructions on the basis of Holy
Prophet's deeds and commands).»
In another tradition it has come down as such: 'Ask
your mother!'
Urwah said: But Abu Bakr and Omar have not performed
this act!
Ibn-Abbass said: I am speaking from the Prophet's side
and you are replying on behalf of Abu Bakr and Omar. 74
It was very obvious that the passing of decrees as per
the Holy Prophet's 'Sunnah' but opposite to Omar's
'Sunnah' was reckoned by them to be a deviation. This was
because people like them had narrated that God has placed
the truth on Omar's tongue; that the faith speaks on his
tongue; that God has set his views and opinion - as the
legal judgements and revealed the verses of Quran one
after the other on the basis of his views and opinions to
such extent that the Prophet is ordered to follow Omar's
views even if it differed with his own!
It was very obvious for the Muslims believing in the
authenticity of those traditions to act upon the
independent judgements and views of Omar and give them
preference over the decrees of the Prophet (S.A.W.A.)
just as we saw in the case of «Umrah Tamatto». There
are yet many other examples such as the matter of decree
of 'Khums', (one fifth levy)75
prevention of putting down the Prophet's traditions in
writing,76 the
distribution of public - treasury on the basis of class -
system, saying three times the word of 'talaq» (divorce)
in one sitting instead of divorcing for three times,
reciting the supererogatory (Nafila)prayers in
congregation in the month of Ramadhan and numerous other
cases where Imam Amir-ul- Mumineen (A.S.) mentions some
of them in the end of one of his sermons as follows:
'I swear by Allah that I commanded the people to
recite only the obligatory prayers in congregation in the
month of Ramadhan and I informed them that it is heresy
to recite the supererogatory prayers in congregation. I
saw that some of my army men - those who were fighting
along my side - were crying out: 'O the people of. Islam,
they have altered the 'Sunnah' of Omar! They prevent us
from offering the recommended prayers in the month of
Ramadhan! I feared that this group would bring about
unrest in certain sections of my army....
Similarly, they acted in accordance with the views of
the Caliphs from the 'Sahabah' (companions of the Holy
Prophet) such as Abu Bakr, Uthman and Muawiya by virtue
of the numerous traditions narrated in their favour.77 With regards to the
'Sahabah' (companions) too, they believed some way or the
other, in their immunity from sins although they named
this immunity as justice. They would say:
The justice of all the companions has been
proved and is something indisputable» and «All the
companions are just and one cannot say anything (wrong)
about them. 78
In the book 'Introduction to Mer'aat-ul-Uqool, we have
brought instances of judgements of the companions
(amongst the Caliphs) and also said: The only person whom
we have not found to express his own views and opinion
(i.e. pass judgements) against the 'Sunnah' and tradition
of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.A.) is Imam Ali Amir-ul
Mumineen (A.S.).
However, with regards to the other Caliphs who were
not the companions of the Holy Prophet, their views and
opinions have not become the 'Sunnah' (way) even though
the Caliphate school has strived with all its power to
uphold the position of Caliphate and degrade the position
of Prophethood and Messengership just as we shall see the
same in the following incidents:
A - Once Hajjaj in one of his sermons said: «Take
heed of the Caliph of Allah and obey him i.e.
Abdul-Malik-ibn-Marwan the chosen one of Allah.» While
addressing the people he said:
«Tell me; whether your sent One is more worthy in
your eyes or your successor in your family?79
(by this, he meant to say that the Holy Prophet is only a
sent one from God towards the people while Abdul-Malik is
the Caliph and representative of God amongst His
creatures). Therefore, as this Prophet is only a carrier
of message while the Caliph is the eldest son of a father
of a house who bears the responsibility of running the
affairs of the family in his father's absence, there
exists a vast difference between the two.»
B - Hajjaj too wrote a letter to Abdul Malik the
Ummayad governor and mentioned therein the lofty position
of Caliphate. He stated that the earth and the heavens
are set up due to the value and credibility of the
position of Caliphate and Caliph. As a matter of fact, a
Caliph is nearest to Allah than even the angels and is
more preferable and superior to the Prophet and
Messengers. This is because Allah created Adam with the
help of His own Hands and placed him in His Paradise.
Thereafter, He sent him to the earth and made him as His
Caliph and later sent the Angels as a Prophet towards
him!
This letter and the reasonings mentioned therein in
revealing the exalted position of Caliphate ecstasized
Abdul-Malik who said:
«I wish that the people from the Khawarij were
present before me. I would have argued and reasoned with
them with the contents of this letter.» 80
C - In one of those years Walid-ibn-Abdul-Malik
ordered Abdullah-ibn-Khalid, the Governor of Mecca to dig
a well in that particular city. A well was dug and fresh
water was obtained from it. Abdullah, the governor of
Mecca ordered that the water of well should be brought
out and amassed in a pond next to the 'ZamZam' water so
that the people would realize the superiority of that
particular well-water over the water of ZamZam.
Thereafter, Abdullah, the governor of Mecca said in his
sermon as such:
«'O people! Who is greater and more superior in
position? The representative and successor of a person
amongst his family or a messenger and the message he
carries for them? By Allah, if you do not know the
superiority of the position of Caliphate, then pay
attention to this incident:,
Ibrahim, the Friend of the All-Compassionate requested
Allah to provide him water and Allah too provided him
some salty water. On the other hand, the Caliph asked
Allah for some water and Allah granted him fresh water
(the water from well which he had dug on the Caliph's
order in contrast to the water of ZamZam).»
After this story, the water of that well dried up and
nobody knew what actually happened.» 81
D - When Wahid, son of Yazid, son of the corrupt Abdul
Malik assumed the Caliphate, Marwan-ibnMuhammad, the
governor of Armanistan wrote a letter to him and
congratulated and complimented him for his position of
divine Caliphate. 82
E - In one of the gatherings of Mahdi, the Abbassi
Caliph, it was said that Wahid-ibn-Yazid had been a
dualist. Mahdi said: The position of divine Caliphate is
that it can be much higher than entrusted to a dualist.
* * *
Those close to the Caliphate raised in this manner the
status of Caliphate from the Caliphate of the Messenger
of Allah (S.A.W.A.) to the Divine Caliphate itself and
took off from it, the condition of justice and the duty
of following the Islamic precepts. To prove this, they
have brought traditions like the one from Huzaifa which
can be seen in Sahih Muslim as follows:
The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.A.) said: 'After me
shall come the Imams who will neither follow my ways and
customs nor accept my 'Sunnah'. Amongst them are men
whose hearts are like the heart of Satan in a human body!
Husaifa says: I asked:- 'O the Messenger of Allah! If
I live till that time, then what should I do?
He said: «Pay heed and obey the leader even if he
lashes you and seizes your wealth.» 83
Also, they have forged on the words of Ibn-Abbass a
tradition from the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.A.) as such:
'Any one who sees anything abominable from his Imam
(leader) should be patient because, the one who keeps
himself aloof from the society by even one step or span
and then dies, has died the death of ignorance. 84
In another tradition, they narrate as follows: 'No one
shall pull back even by one step, from the bounds of
obedience of the government and the one who does so and
then dies, has died the death of ignorance. 85
At the time of onslaught of Yazid's army on Medina and
the massacre, plunder and violation of the chastity of
its people, Abdullah-ibn-Omar narrated as such: 'I heard
the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.A.) saying: 'The one who
breaks the link of obedience of the ruling government
will meet his Lord on the Day of Judgement in a state
where he will not have any proof or reasons for his
affairs and the one who dies and does not have the
allegiance of the ruler on his neck, has died the death
of ignorance. 86
Nuwi, the leader of hadith narrators while commenting
on this tradition says:-
'All the Ahl-e-Sunnat i.e. the jurisprudents,
traditionists and theologians have said:-
'A Caliph is not ousted from the seat of Caliphate for
the crime of debauchery, injustice and suppression of the
people's rights and one cannot revolt against him simply
for these reasons. Rather, it is necessary to advise and
admonish him and make him fear the divine punishment
because traditions in this regard command us to do the
same. 87
Elsewhere Nuwi says:
'As per the consensus of the Muslims, to rebel and
fight against the Caliphs even though they may be evil
and unjust is forbidden. Numerous traditions in this
regard substantiate each other and the Ahl-e-Sunnat
unanimously believe that a ruler cannot be dethroned just
because he is an evil-doer 88.
About the necessity of obeying the Caliph they set forth
the following verse of Quran as an evidence:
[Arabic text] 89
'O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Apostle
and those in authority from among you.'
A Hanafi jurist who was a great leader of this sect
living in the end of the third century says in his book
which he had written for the general public as such:
The seventh matter. It is lawful to pray behind every
ruler - whether a tyrant or a just one - because to obey
him is obligatory and to disobey him is a sin and
heresey. The one who does not obey his ruler is a
partisan since the Almighty Allah says:
[Arabic text]
'O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Apostles
and those in authority from among you.
The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.A.) said:
«Cursing the rulers is hersy and said:
'O Lord, bestow goodness upon the rulers.
Do not allow the ignorant to dominate them!.... and
you should not be like the 'Rafezis' who disobey and
stand against their ruler. Under no circumstances you
should rebel against the ruler. If he acts with justice,
he shall be rewarded and if he rules unjustly, he shall
receive chastisement. Thus, he should be obeyed under all
the circumstances and the one who does not do so, will be
from the Khawarij'. 90
CONCLUSION OF THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS
The conclusion which we can draw from the
aforementioned traditions is as follows:-
The Muslims should obey whatever the Caliphs
command!!?
Here we shall set forth some examples of the beliefs
of the Muslims about absolute obedience of Caliphs along
with historical events:
A - Masoudi in his book 'Murawwij'-az-Zahab' writes as
such:
Haseen-ibn-Numair along with the Syrian army who were
under his command put up their ballista and war engines
over the mountains overlooking Mecca. They fired their
canons in the direction of the Holy Ka'aba until the
House of Allah got partially damaged and its building put
on fire. In this regard, the citizens of Mecca were
reciting epic verses like:
'The son of Numair has taken an evil step
He has set on fire the standing-place of Ibrahim and the
place for prayers!'91
B - Yaqubi says:
«Obaid-ibn-Umair Lisee, the orator and speaker of the
government under Abdullah-ibn-Zubair stood on the roof of
Ka'aba at the time when the two armies were holding back
from their fight and cried in a loud voice: 'O you
Syrians! this is the sanctuary of Allah which had been
the haven for all the beasts, birds and reptiles during
the period of ignorancy. 'O the people of Syria, fear
Allah! In reply the Syrians said: Obedience....!
Obedience of the Caliph's command..... Attack....! Attack
before evening..... ! 92
While accounting for their action, some of the Syrian
army-men said:
The reverence for the House of Allah and the
matter of obedience of the Caliph clashed with each
other. Obedience and submission before the Caliphs
command prevailed over the matter of respect for the
Ka'aba!! 93
C - In Tarikh-e-al Khamees and Tarikh-e-al Khulafa of
Suyuti we read as such:
'As a result of shelling by the Syrians in the
direction of the House of Allah, the curtain and roof of
Ka'aba caught fire. The horns of the sheep which Allah
had sent to be sacrificed in place of Isma'eel and which
had till now been hanging over the Ka'aba was also
destroyed in the fire. 94
Tabarani and others too have said:
'They set the House of Allah as the target (of their
ballista and set it on fire and then recited the
following epic:
[Arabic text]
We will shell this mosque with ballista which
resembles a drunk camel with foam collected over its
mouth.
Another braggart recited:
[Arabic text]
How do you review the usage of ballista which fall
over those who are present between Safa and Marwa.
D - Battle between Hajjaj and Abdullah-ibn-Zubair:
Zahabi narrates that Hajjaj, the commander of the
Syrian army set up five ballistas over the hills
surrounding Mecca. He made the House of Allah its target
and shelled it with stone and fire from all directions
until the curtains of Ka'aba caught fire. At that moment,
dark clouds covered the sky and it rained as a result of
which the fire was put out. Lightning too struck and
destroyed the war-engines of the Syrian army along with
fifty of their men.
Hajjaj said: «This incident should not scare you.
This is a place of lightnings and thunderbolts and
whatever has taken place has been the doing of nature.! 95»
Thereafter he cried out: 'O the Syrian people!
Remember Allah! Remember Allah!.... and obey the Caliph! 96
He further said: Woe be upon you! Are you not aware
that calamity and heavenly lightnings used to descend
upon the past nations and sacrifices would lead them to
the fire. This itself was the sign of acceptance of their
sacrifices by God and if it was not that your sacrifices
(too) has been accepted by God, calamity would not have
befallen you. 97
E - After victory, Hajjaj severed the head of the Holy
Prophet's companion, Abddullah-ibn-Zubair and a group of
other Muslims and sent them to Medina. The severed heads
were kept before the public eyes for a period of time in
this city. Thereafter, he sent them to Caliph Abdul-Malik
in Syria. The Caliph donated five hundred dinars to the
Carriers of these heads and then, as a thanksgiving
gesture cut short his hair and his children's hair. (like
the custom practised during the Haj ceremony). 98
WHAT DID THEY DO TO THE HOLYPROPHET'S SHRINE
With regards to the House of Allah (Ka'aba), they
acted according to the Caliph's order in the manner which
we have already described. Now let us see how they have
treated the Holy Prophet's shrine and grave.
F - In this regard, Tabari says:
'Yazid ordered the commander of his own army to permit
his army-men to kill, loot and violate the chastity of
the citizens of Medina for a period of three days. He in
turn acted upon these instructions and declared the city
of Medina to be free and open for his army-men for a
period of three days. They killed the Muslims, plundered
their wealth and violated the chastity of their women so
much so that they raped a thousand virgin girls as a
result of which they became pregnant. A countless number
of people were killed in this event. Amongst the dead
were approximately seven hundred great Muhajirs, Ansars
and patrons and ten thousand other Muslims. Moreover,
seven hundred men who had memorised the Quran by heart
had also been killed.
After three days of killing and plunder, the Commander
of the Syrian army took allegiance from the people of
Medina that they would be Yazid's slaves. He addressed
each one of them in this manner: 'Give allegiance,
because you will have the right to receive your special
share of war-booty from Amirul-Mumineen Yazid. He is
having a right over your wealth and children. If anyone
desists from such an allegiance and says that he would
not give allegiance will be beheaded as per the decree of
the Book of Allah and the 'Sunnah' of His Messenger!
Thereafter, he sent the severed heads to Syria for
Yazid. When the heads were dropped on the ground before
Yazid, he recited the poem of Ibn-Zuba'air, 99 a polytheist poet:
I wish that my fore-fathers who were killed in Badr
were present today
And would witness the helplessness of this Khazraj tribe.
And would become overwhelmed with joy and would say: 'O
Yazid, Bravo!
F - After exterminating the people of Medina, the
Syrian army advanced towards Mecca in order to quell the
uprising of its people against Caliph Yazid. On the way
death was hanging over Muslim-ibn-Uqba, the commander of
the army and when he was just about to depart from this
world, he implored his Lord as such:
'O Lord, if after submission to thy Caliph Yazid-ibn
Muawiya and the massacre of the people of Medina. Thou
punish me, I will be a very wretched person! O Lord,
after bearing witness to thy Oneness and bearing witness
the Prophethood of Muhammad (S.A.W.A.), I do not know any
act more lovable and promising for my Hereafter than the
killing of the people of Medina (on the path of obedience
of Caliph). If after performing this deed, I am (still)
put to Hell, I shall be the most wretched one. 100
99- Ibn-Zubair was an apostate poet for the Quraish
during the
period of ignorance and has recited the
afore-mentioned poem
with regards to the Muslim martyrs of the battle or Uhud
and
expressed a feeling of satisfaction from those killed in
the battle
of Badr.
TREATMENT WITH THE PEOPLE OF MEDINA
H - After killing Abdullah-ibn-Zubair, Hajjaj went to
Medina. He settled there for three months and severely
tormented and persecuted its citizens and derided them.
In particular, he humiliated the companions of. the Holy
Prophet and branded them with the seal of bondage. 101 For example, he sealed
Jabir-ibn-Abdullah's hand and Anas-ibn-Malik's neck with
the seal of bondage and in this way he wanted to degrade
them.
He summoned Sahl-ibn-Sa'ad and said:
Why didn't you help Amir-ul-Mumineen, Uthman?
He replied: I have done so!
Hajjaj said: You are telling a lie.
Thereafter, he gave orders too put a seal on his neck.
102
101- During the reign of the caliphs, they
used to brand the neck and hands of Hajjaj with leaden
scal in order to show that that animal was belonging to
the Government. Branding the companions or their hands
(too) was to reveal that they were the special property
of the Government.
