(Friday Sermon - January 11, 2019 )

Background and Acceptance of Islam

The name of Hazrat Uqbah bin Aamir’s^(ra) mother is Fuqaihah bint Sakan^(ra) and his father was Aamir bin Naabi. His mother had accepted the Holy Prophet^(sa) as well and had the honour of pledging allegiance to him. Hazrat Uqbah bin Aamir^(ra) was amongst the first six Ansar who accepted Islam in Mecca and later took the pledge of allegiance during the first Bai‘at that took place at Aqabah. (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 428, Uqbah bin Aamir^(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 8, p. 301, Fuqaihah bint Sakan^(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990)

Islam Reaches Medina

The details of this incident have been written by Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib^(ra) in Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin [The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa)] in which he explains how the message of Islam reached Medina through the efforts of the Holy Prophet^(sa):

“During the Ashhur-e-Hurum [sacred months in Islam], as per his custom, while the Holy Prophet^(sa) was visiting tribes, he found that a renowned man from Yathrab, Suwaid bin Samit was staying in Mecca. Suwaid was a famous man from Medina, who on account of his courage, generosity and other qualities was called ‘Kamil’; he was also a poet. Ascertaining his whereabouts, the Holy Prophet^(sa) reached his encampment and invited him to Islam. He said, ‘I also possess a special book named Mujallah Luqman.’  The Holy Prophet^(sa) responded, ‘Let me hear a portion of it as well,’ upon which he recited a portion of this scripture. The Holy Prophet^(sa) praised it saying, ‘There are good things in it, but the book which I possess is extraordinarily exalted and sublime.’ As such, the Holy Prophet^(sa) recited a portion of the Holy Quran to him. When the Holy Prophet^(sa) finished, he said, ‘Indeed, this is a very good book.’ Although he did not become a Muslim, he completely agreed with the Holy Prophet^(sa) and did not reject him. Alas, after his return to Medina, he did not receive much respite, and was killed in a conflict. This is prior to the Battle of Buaath.

“After that, during the same era, that is, prior to the Battle of Buaath, the Holy Prophet^(sa) was visiting tribes during the occasion of Hajj, when he suddenly spotted a few men. These people were from the Aus tribe, and had come to seek help from the Quraish against their idolatrous rivals, the Khazraj. This occurrence is also prior to the Battle of Buaath, thus, their seeking assistance was a part of their preparations for war. The Holy Prophet^(sa) went to them and invited them to Islam. Upon hearing his address, a young man named Iyas could not restrain himself and said, ‘By God, to which this man (Muhammad^(sa)) calls us, is greater than that for which we have come here.’ (i.e. it is better to turn towards God rather than our plea to assist us with the war). But the chieftain of that group took a handful of pebbles and threw them at his face, saying, ‘Be quiet! We have not come here for this purpose!’ and in this manner the matter was disposed of. However, it is written that when Iyas returned to his homeland and was about to die, theords of the Kalimah [Muslim declaration of faith] were upon his tongue.

“Sometime afterwards, when the Battle of Buaath had taken place, in Rajab 11 Nabawi, the Holy Prophet^(sa) happened to meet the people of Yathrab once again (this happened in the 11th year of his prophethood). When the Holy Prophet^(sa) inquired as to their genealogy, he found that they belonged to the Khazraj, and had come from Yathrab. In an extremely loving tone, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said to them, ‘Can you people listen to a few things I have to say?’ They said, ‘Yes, what do you say?’ The Holy Prophet^(sa) took a seat and invited them to Islam, recited a few verses of the Holy Quran and informed them of his mission. These people looked at each other and said, ‘This is our opportunity, lest the Jews excel us,’ and saying this, they all became Muslim. These were six people, whose names are as follows:

1. Abu Umamah As‘ad bin Zurarah^(ra) who was from the Banu Najjar, and was the very first in his affirmation
2. Auf bin Harith^(ra) who was also from the Banu Najjar, which was the tribe of the maternal kindred of Abdul-Muttalib, the grandfather of the Holy Prophet^(sa)
3. Rafay bin Malik(ra) who was from Banu Zuraiq. On this occasion, the Holy Prophet^(sa) bestowed the entirety of the Holy Quran to him, which had been revealed thus far
4. Qutbah bin Aamir^(ra) who was from the Bani Salamah
5. Uqbah bin Aamir^(ra) who was from the Bani Haram (the incident is in relation to him); Uqbah bin Aamir^(ra) was a Badri Companion
6. Jabir bin Abdullah bin Riaab^(ra) who was from the Bani Ubaid

“After this, these people took leave of the Holy Prophet^(sa) and upon their departure, said:

‘We have been greatly weakened by the civil war, and there are many disagreements between us. We shall go to Yathrab and preach Islam to our brothers. How remarkable would it be that Allah the Exalted may gather us again through you! Then we shall be fit to assist you in every way.’

“Therefore, these people left, and due to them, Islam began to find popularity in Yathrab.

A Ray of Hope Shines in Medina

“This year was spent in Mecca by the Holy Prophet^(sa) in concern and anticipation for the people of Yathrab with regard to their physical means. The Holy Prophet^(sa) would often think, ‘Let us see the outcome of these six converts, and if there are any signs of success in Yathrab or not?’ For the Muslims as well, with respect to physical means, this era was one of concern and anticipation. At times, there would be a flicker of hope, and at times no hope at all. They saw that the leaders of Mecca and the chieftains of Ta’if had sternly rejected the mission of the Holy Prophet^(sa), and one by one, the various tribes of Arabia had also put a stamp on their condemnation. A ray of hope began to shine in Medina, but who could figure that this ray of light could stand before storms of affliction and torture, against the cyclones of hardship?

“On the other hand, the cruelties of the Meccans were growing day by day, for they understood well that now was the time to erase Islam. But even in this delicate era (such a vulnerable era had not befallen Islam), the Holy Prophet^(sa) and his Companions stood in their place like a firm mountain. At times, the determination and steadfastness of the Holy Prophet^(sa) would even put his enemies to astonishment: after all, what kind of inner-strength does this man possess? For nothing seems to move him from his place. Rather, in that era, the words of the Holy Prophet^(sa) especially possessed a kind of power and awe (when the Holy Prophet^(sa) would speak, he would do so with power and awe) and in these fierce storms, the Holy Prophet^(sa) would become even more courageous. On one side, if this sight astonished the Quraish, on the other, it also made their hearts tremble. With regards to these days, Sir William Muir writes:

‘Mohammad thus holding his people at bay; waiting in the still expectation of victory; to outward appearance defenceless, and with his little band (i.e. the followers of the Holy Prophet^(sa)) as it were in the lion’s mouth; yet trusting in His Almighty power whose Messenger he believed himself to be, resolute and unmoved’

“Sir William Muir further says:

‘Mohammad stood unmoved with such determination that nothing could displace him. This presents a spectacle of sublimity paralleled only by such scenes in the Sacred Records as that of the prophet of Israel when he complained to his master, ‘I, even I only, am left.’

“He further writes:

‘Nay, seeing Mohammad in this manner is in one point of view even more amazing than the prophets of Israel. The following words of Mohammad were said on this occasion: “O my people! Work ye in your place. Wait in expectation; WE too in expectancy are waiting.”’

The First Bai‘at at Aqabah

“Therefore, this was a vulnerable era for Islam, in that there was no expectancy from the Meccans. But a ray of hope was developing in Medina, and the Holy Prophet^(sa) keenly had his eyes set in that direction. Would Medina also reject the Holy Prophet^(sa) like Mecca and Ta’if, or did it hold a different destiny? Therefore, when the occasion of Hajj came, the Holy Prophet^(sa) very avidly left his home and reached Aqabah, near Mina, and looked here and there. Suddenly, the Holy Prophet^(sa) noticed a small group of the people of Yathrab, who immediately recognised the Holy Prophet^(sa). They came forward and met the Holy Prophet^(sa) with extreme love and sincerity. This time there were twelve people, among whom five were converts of the previous year and seven were new. They belonged to both the Aus and the Khazraj. Their names are as follows:

1. Abu Umamah As‘ad bin Zurarah^(ra)
2. Auf bin Harith^(ra)
3. Rafay bin Malik^(ra)
4. Qutbah bin Aamir^(ra)
5. Uqbah bin Aamir^(ra) (Uqbah bin Aamir came this year as well. The incidents are being narrated about his life, he returned for the Hajj this year as well)
6. Mu‘az bin Harith^(ra), who was from the Bani Najjar
7. Zakwan bin Abdi Qais^(ra) from the Banu Zariq tribe
8. Abu Abdur-Rahman Yazid bin Tha‘labah^(ra) from the Bani Balli tribe
9. Ubadah bin Samit who was from the Bani Auf branch of the Khazraj tribe
10. Abbas bin Ubadah bin Nadlah from the Bani Salim tribe
11. Abul-Haitham bin Tayyihan from the Bani Abdil-Ashhal and
12. Uwaim bin Sa‘idah who was from the Bani Amr bin Auf clan of the Aus tribe.

“The Holy Prophet^(sa) met these people separately in a valley. They informed him as to the state of affairs in Yathrab and this time they all took Bai‘at at his hand. This Bai‘at served as a foundation stone for Islam in Medina. Since Jihad of the sword had not yet been ordained, the Holy Prophet^(sa) took Bai‘at only in the words in which he would take Bai‘at from the women after Jihad (by the sword) was obligated. In other words, ‘We shall believe in one God, shall not associate partners with God, shall not steal, shall not commit adultery or fornication, shall abstain from murder, shall not defame anyone, and shall obey you [the Holy Prophet^(sa)] in everything good.’ After the Bai‘at, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said:

‘If you remain true to this pledge in honesty and steadfastness then you shall receive paradise. But if you show weakness then your matter is with Allah the Exalted, for He shall do what He wills.’

“In history, this Bai‘at is renowned as ‘The First Bai‘at at Aqabah’, because the place where this Bai‘at was taken was called Aqabah, which is situated between Mecca and Mina. The literal meaning of Aqabah is an elevated mountainous pass.

“Whilst departing from Mecca, these twelve new Muslim converts requested, ‘Please send an Islamic tutor with us, who can teach us Islam and can preach Islam to our idolatrous brothers as well.’ The Holy Prophet^(sa) sent Mus‘ab bin Umair^(ra), a very devout young man from the Abdud-Dar tribe along with them. An Islamic preacher was referred to as a Qari or Muqri in those days, because the majority of their work was to recite the Holy Quran, as this was the best method of preaching. As such, Mus‘ab^(ra) was also renowned by the name Muqri in Yathrab. The second Bai‘at at Aqabah took place in 13 Nabawi and 70 Ansar participated in it.” (Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad^(ra), pp. 221-225 & 227)

Participation in Battles and Martyrdom

Hazrat Uqbah bin Aamir^(ra) participated in all the battles alongside the Holy Prophet^(sa) including the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq. He was noticeable in his armour on the day of Uhud because of his green clothes. He was martyred in 12 Hijri during the battle of Yamama which took place during the Caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr^(ra). (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 428, Uqbah bin Aamir^(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1995)

Prayer of the Prophet^(sa) to Acquire Allah’s Blessings

Hazrat Uqbah bin Aamir^(ra) states: “I came before the Holy Prophet^(sa) with my son who was very young at the time. I said to the Prophet^(sa) of Allah, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for your sake, please teach my son those prayers which he can recite before God and acquire His blessings.’ The Holy Prophet^(sa) stated: ‘O child! Recite:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْئَلُكَ صِحَّةً فِي اِيْمَانٍ وَ اِيْمَانًا  فِيْ حُسْنِ خُلُقٍ وَ صَلَاحًا يَتْبَعُهٗ نَجَاحٌ

Which means, “O Allah! I seek wellbeing in my state of faith and good disposition whilst in my state of faith, and pray for success after attaining virtue.” (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 4, p. 25, Uqbah bin Aamir(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003)