(Friday Sermon - May 3, 2019 )

Background

Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Sahl belonged to the Bani Zaorah tribe who were confederates of the Bani Abdil Ashal tribe. It is also reported that he was Ghassani [i.e. belonged to the Ghassan tribe]. According to some narrations, Hazrat Abdullah’s grandfather’s name has also been reported as Zaid and Rafay. Hazrat Abdullah’s mother was Thaba bint Tayyihan, who was the sister of Hazrat Abu al-Haitham^(ra) bin Tayyihan.

Participation in Battles and Martyrdom

Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) was the brother of Hazrat Rafay^(ra) bin Sahl and took part in the Battle of Badr. His brother, Hazrat Rafay^(ra), also took part along with him in the Battle of Uhud and Khandaq. Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) was martyred during the Battle of Khandaq when an individual from the Banu Awaif tribe caught him with an arrow. (al-Sirat al-Nabawiyyah li Ibn Hisham, p. 464, al-Ansar wa man ma’ahum, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001) (al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 236, Abdullah bin Sahl, Dar-Ihyaa al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, 1996) (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 269, Abdullah bin Sahl, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2008)

Mughaira bin Hakeem relates that he asked Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) whether he participated in the Battle of Badr. Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) replied, “Yes and I was also part of the pledge that took place at Aqabah.” (Majmua al-Zawa’id wa manba’ul Fawa’id li Ali bin Abi Bakr, Vol. 6, p. 108, Kitabul Maghazi wa al-Siyar, Bab Qad Hadara Badran Jama’ah, Hadith 10044, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001)

Incident From the Battle of Hamraa-ul-Asad

The following account is recorded in Subul-ul-Huda, a book on the life of the Holy Prophet^(sa), in relation to Hazrat Abdullah’s participation in the Battle of Hamraa-ul-Asad, which is situated around eight miles from Medina (Mu’jamul Buldan, Vo. 2, p. 181):

“Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Sahl and Hazrat Rafay^(ra) bin Sahl were two brothers from the Banu Abdil Ashal tribe. Upon returning from the Battle of Uhud, they were both severely injured, however Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) had sustained more injuries out of the two. When they heard about the Holy Prophet’s^(sa) instruction to go for the Battle of Hamraa-ul-Asad, one of them said to the other, ‘By God! We shall be greatly deprived if we are not able to take part in this battle alongside the Holy Prophet^(sa)’ (they both were injured but despite this they had an intense passion and strength of faith). They then said, ‘By God! We do not even possess any means of transport and nor do we even know how we can secure any means of transport.’ Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) then said, ‘Come with me and let us go on foot.’ Hazrat Rafay^(ra) responded, ‘By God, I do not even have the strength to walk owing to my injuries.’ Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) then said to his brother, ‘Come along, we shall walk slowly and head in the direction of the Holy Prophet^(sa).’ Thus, they both set off, staggering along the way. When Hazrat Rafay^(ra) would feel extremely weak, Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) would carry him on his back and then after a short while they would again start walking. Thus, despite having sustained more injuries, Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) would carry his brother on his back and they would continue heading towards the Holy Prophet^(sa) (he would become so severely weak that he would at times not even be able to move any part of his body). They continued to walk in this way until they reached the Holy Prophet^(sa) in the evening. At the time, the companions^(ra) had camped for the night and were lighting a fire. They both came before the Holy Prophet^(sa) and that night Hazrat Abaad^(ra) bin Bishr was standing guard of the Holy Prophet^(sa). The Holy Prophet^(sa) enquired as to what had prevented them from coming and they both then informed the Holy Prophet^(sa) of their situation. Upon this the Holy Prophet^(sa) prayed for them both and said, ‘If you are given a long life, you people shall witness for yourselves that horses, donkeys and camels shall be granted to you as means of transport. Today, you have walked here with such struggle, but if you live long, you shall see that all those means of transport will be granted to you.’ However, along with this, the Holy Prophet^(sa) also stated, ‘But you walking here whilst undergoing such pain and struggle will be far better than these means of transport that you will be granted. The reward and blessings of this will be far greater.’” (Subulul Hudaa wa al-Irshad fi Sirat Khair al-Ibad li Muhammad bin Yusuf, Vol. 4, p. 310, Vol. 14, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1993)

What was the Batte of Hamraa-ul-Asad in which these companions followed after the Holy Prophet^(sa)? Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib^(ra) has written some details regarding the battle of Hamraa-ul-Asad, which was an expedition that took place whilst the Muslims were returning from the Battle of Uhud:

“This night was a night of great fear in Medina, because although the army of the Quraish had apparently taken to Mecca, it was apprehended that this move may be a plot to catch the Muslims off guard, (although they had been victorious at Uhud and it seemed as though they were heading to Mecca, however the Muslims feared that this maybe the strategy of the Quraish) and suddenly return to attack Medina. Hence, on this night an arrangement was made for security in Medina (for safety concerns owing to this apprehension) and the Companions particularly stood guard all night long at the residence of the Holy Prophet^(sa). The next morning it was discovered that this apprehension was not mere speculation, because prior to Fajr Salat, the Holy Prophet^(sa) received news that the army of the Quraish had stalled at a few miles from Medina and a heated debate was taking place amongst the chieftains of Mecca, that making use of this victory, why not attack Medina. Some of the Quraish were taunting one another saying:

‘You did not kill Muhammad^[sa], nor did you take the Muslim women as slaves, nor did you seize their wealth and possessions; rather, when you gained dominance over them and received the opportunity to destroy them completely, you just left them and turned back, so that they may collect strength again. There is still time, let us return and attack Medina and uproot the Muslims once and for all.’

“In contrast to this, the others argued:

‘You have attained victory. Consider this to be good fortune enough and return to Mecca, lest we lose this repute as well, and this victory is turned to defeat. Now if you return and attack Medina, the Muslims shall indeed fight with all their strength, and those who did not participate at Uhud shall come forth in the field of battle as well.’

“Ultimately, however, the opinion of the passionate ones prevailed and the Quraish prepared to set back to Medina. When the Holy Prophet^(sa) was informed of these events, he immediately announced that the Muslims should prepare, but along with this he also ordered that except for those people who had participated at Uhud, no one else should set out with them. As such, the warriors of Uhud, most of whom were wounded, tied up their wounds and betook to the company of their Master. It is written that on this occasion, the Muslims set out with such joy and zeal, as if they were a triumphant army which sets out in pursuit of the enemy. After travelling a distance of eight miles, the Holy Prophet^(sa) reached Hamraa-ul-Asad, where the dead bodies of two Muslims were found laying on the plain. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that these were the two spies whom the Holy Prophet^(sa) had sent in the footsteps of the Quraish. Upon finding an opportunity, the Quraish had executed them. The Holy Prophet^(sa) instructed that a single grave be dug, and both of the martyrs were buried together. Now that it was evening time, the Holy Prophet^(sa) instructed that camp be set up at this very location. He further instructed that fires be lit at different places throughout the plain. As such, in no time, 500 fires were lit in the plain of Hamraa-ul-Asad, which struck awe into the heart of any spectator from afar (so that people going past would assume that it was a vast army which had set up camps at different places). Most probably, on this occasion, an idolatrous chief of the Khuza‘ah tribe named Ma‘bad presented himself before the Holy Prophet^(sa) and offered his condolences for those who had fallen at Uhud, where after he continued on his way. On the following day when he reached Rauha’, (this is a place which is situated approximately 40 miles from Medina) lo and behold, he found the army of the Quraish encamped there and that preparations were underway to return to Medina. Ma‘bad went to Abu Sufyan at once and said:

‘What are you about to do? By God, I have just left behind the army of Muhammad^[sa] at Hamraa-ul-Asad, and never before have I seen such an awe-inspiring army. They are so passionate due to their regret for the defeat at Uhud that they shall reduce you to ashes on sight.’

“Abu Sufyan and his followers were so awe-struck by these comments of Ma‘bad that they abandoned the idea of returning to Medina and made haste to Mecca at once. When the Holy Prophet^(sa) received news that the army of the Quraish had fled in this manner, he thanked God and said, ‘This is the awe of God, which He has struck into the hearts of the disbelievers.’

“After this, the Holy Prophet^(sa) remained in Hamraa-ul-Asad for another two or three days, and after an absence of five days, he returned to Medina.” (Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad^(ra), pp. 504-505) (Lughat-ul-Hadith, Vol. 2, p. 149)