(Friday Sermon - February 8, 2019 )
Background and Participation in Battles
Hazrat Abu Burdah bin Niyar’s(ra) title was Abu Burdah. Although he was more commonly known by his title, his actual name was Hani. According to a narration, his name is also mentioned as Haris and in another narration, it is mentioned as Malik. He belonged to the Balli clan of the tribe of Banu Quza‘ah. Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) was the maternal uncle of Hazrat Bara bin Aazib(ra). According to another narration, Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) was the paternal uncle of Hazrat Bara bin Aazib(ra). He participated in the Second Bai‘at at Aqabah. Moreover, he also participated in all of the battles along with the Holy Prophet(sa) including the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq. On the day of the victory of Mecca, Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) was holding the flag of Banu Haritha. (al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 344, Abu Burdah bin Niyar(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) (al-Isabatu Fi Tamyiz al-Sahaba, Vol. 7, pp. 31-32, Abu Burdah bin Niyar(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1995) (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 5, p. 358, Hani bin Niyar(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003)
When Hazrat Abs(ra) and Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) accepted Islam, both of them destroyed the idols of the tribe of Banu Haritha, (al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 343, Abu Abas bin Jabar(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) that is, the idols belonging to their own tribe.
Incident before the Battle of Badr
Hazrat Abu Umama(ra) narrates that when the Holy Prophet(sa) decided to depart towards Badr for the Battle of Badr, Hazrat Abu Umama(ra) also made preparations in order to accompany the Holy Prophet(sa). Upon this, his maternal uncle, Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) bin Niyar said that he should stay behind in order to take care of his mother. His mother was ill at the time and he advised him to stay behind. Hazrat Abu Umama(ra) was passionate to go forth for battle as an attack had been launched against Islam. Hence, he replied, “She is your sister, therefore you should remain behind instead of asking me.” When this matter was presented to the Holy Prophet(sa), he instructed Hazrat Abu Umama(ra), i.e. the son, to stay behind and Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) went along with the army. When the Holy Prophet(sa) returned from the battle, the mother of Hazrat Abu Umama(ra) had passed away and the Holy Prophet(sa) offered her funeral prayer. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 6, p. 15, Abu Umamah bin Tha’labah(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003)
On the day of the Battle of Uhud, the Muslims had two horses. One horse, by the name As-Saqb, which was with the Holy Prophet(sa) and the other horse, by the name Mulavi‘, and this was with Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra). (al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 1, p. 380, Dhikru Khaili Rasulillahsa Wa Dawaabihi, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990)
Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) bin Niyar relates that the Holy Prophet(sa) went to visit some of the tribes and prayed for them. However, he left out one tribe and did not go to them. The people of that tribe felt apprehensive about this and wanted to find out why this was the case. Therefore, they searched the belongings of one of their people and found a necklace in his sack that he had stolen. Hence, they returned it and subsequently, the Holy Prophet(sa) came to them as well and also prayed for them. (al-Mu’jam al-Kabir Li al-Tabarani, Vol. 22, p. 195, Maa Asnadahu Abu Burdah bin Niyar(ra), Hadith 511, Dar Ihyaa al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, 2002)
Participation in Battles Alongside Hazrat Ali(ra) and Demise
Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) participated in all the battles alongside Hazrat Ali(ra). He passed away in the early part of Hazrat Mu‘awiyah’s(ra) era. There are various narrations regarding the year of his demise. According to one narration, he passed away in the 41 AH, while 42 AH and 45 AH have also been mentioned in other narrations. (al-Isabatu Fi Tamyiz al-Sahaba, Vol. 7, p. 32, Abu Burdah(ra) bin Niyar, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1995)
The Holy Prophet’s(sa) Instructions Regarding Sacrifice at the Occasion of Eid-ul-Adha
Hazrat Bara bin Aazib(ra) narrates that the Holy Prophet(sa) addressed them following the prayer of Eid-ul-Adha and stated, “The person who prayed in the manner we prayed and offered a sacrifice in the manner we did, he has indeed performed his sacrifice correctly. However, as for the person who offered the sacrifice prior to the prayer, then that will not be considered as a sacrifice, rather it is a mere slaughter for its meat.” If the sacrifice is offered before the prayer then that is equivalent to one who simply slaughters an animal for the purpose of its meat.
Upon this, Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) bin Niyar (the companion whose account is being mentioned), stood up and said to the Holy Prophet(sa), “O Prophet(sa) of Allah! I offered a sacrifice prior to the prayer and considered this day for eating and drinking. Therefore, I did this immediately and ate while also feeding my family and neighbours.” The Holy Prophet(sa) replied: “This goat was merely slaughtered for its meat. This is not a sacrifice on your part.” Upon this, Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) replied that he had some young goats that were a year old and they were better than two goats (i.e., they are nurtured well and even though they are only a year old, they are healthy and better than two mature goats). Will it be sufficient on my behalf to sacrifice them?” The Holy Prophet(sa) said: “Yes, you may do so. However, no one will be permitted to do this after you” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Eidain, Bab Kalam al-Imam Wa al-Nas Fi al-Khutbah al-Eid…, Hadith 983). That is, he was permitted to do so in that instance. However, no one after him had permission to do the same.
Other Ahadith [sayings of the Holy Prophet(sa)] also state the same, that is, firstly, the sacrifice should be offered after the Eid [prayer] and secondly, that the goat should be of a certain age. Nevertheless, in relation to this statement of the Holy Prophet(sa) in which he said that after Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) no one else would be permitted to do so, a question was once raised in a gathering with the Promised Messiah(as) as to what the age of a goat should be at the time of sacrifice. Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih I, Hazrat Maulana Nuruddin(ra) was also present and the Promised Messiah(as) asked him to reply to the question. Upon this, he said that according to the Ahl-e-Hadith sect, it should be at least two years old. (Malfuzat, Vol. 10, p. 100)
In our [Muslim] countries, the tradition is that it is necessary for the goat to have two large teeth visible at the front. Nevertheless, at that time the Holy Prophet(sa) said to Hazrat Abu Burdah(ra) that he would accept his sacrifice of the one year old goat. However, this would not be accepted from anyone else after him. The animal to be sacrificed should be a mature male or female goat. This is the very tradition that is followed by the Jama‘at and found in our edicts on this issue as mentioned by the Promised Messiah(as).