(Friday Sermon - August 23, 2019 )

Background

Hazrat Asim’s father’s name was Adiyy and he belonged to the tribe of Banu Ajlaan bin Haritha who were confederates of the tribe of Banu Zaid bin Malik. Hazrat Asim^(ra) was the leader of the Banu Ajlaan and was the brother of Hazrat Ma‘an^(ra) bin Adiyy. The title of Hazrat Asim^(ra) is recorded as Abu Bakr, while according to some other narrations, he was also known by the titles of Abu Abdullah, Abu Umar and Abu Amr. Hazrat Asim^(ra) was of average height and he used to apply henna to his hair. Hazrat Asim’s^(ra) son’s name was Abul Baddaah. (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Saad, Vol. 3, pp. 354-355, Asim bin Adiyy, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 111, Asim bin Adiyy, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003)

Hazrat Asim’s^(ra) daughter’s name was Sahla, who was married to Hazrat Abdur Rahman^(ra) bin Auf and they had four children; three sons, Ma‘an, Umar and Zaid and one daughter, Amatur Rahman Sughra. (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Saad, Vol. 3, p. 94, Asim bin Adiyy, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990)

Appointment as the Amir of Aliyah

When the Holy Prophet^(sa) was about to depart for the Battle of Badr, he appointed Hazrat Asim^(ra) bin Adiyy as the Amir over Aliyah, which is situated on a terrain above Quba and Medina. According to one narration, the Holy Prophet^(sa) sent Hazrat Asim^(ra) back from a place called Rauha, and appointed him as the Amir of Aliyah. The Holy Prophet^(sa) sent Hazrat Asim^(ra) back but he counted him among the Companions of Badr and fixed a portion of the spoils of war for him. (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Saad, Vol. 3, p. 355, Asim bin Adiyy, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) (Al-Isaba Fi Tamyeez Al-Sahaba, Vol. 3, p. 463, Asim bin Adiyy, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1995)

In Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin by Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib^(ra), the details of this incident are recorded as follows:

“Upon departing from Medina, the Holy Prophet^(sa) appointed Abdullah^(ra) bin Ummi Maktum as the Amir of Medina in his absence. However, when the Holy Prophet^(sa) reached close to Rauha, which is situated at a distance of 36 miles from Medina, perhaps in the consideration that Abdullah^(ra) was a blind man, and news of the imminent arrival of the army of the Quraish demanded that in his own absence the administration of Medina should remain strong, the Holy Prophet^(sa) appointed Abu Lubabah^(ra) bin Mundhir as the Amir of Medina and sent him back. It was ordered that Abdullah^(ra) bin Ummi Maktum would only remain to be the Imamus-Salat, while Abu Lubabah would oversee matters of administration. Asim bin Adiyy was appointed as a separate Amir to oversee the additional population of Medina, i.e., Quba.” (Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad^(ra), p. 354)

Participation in Battles and Demise

Hazrat Asim^(ra) participated in all of the battles alongside the Holy Prophet^(sa) including the Battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq [the Ditch]. Hazrat Asim^(ra) passed away in 45 AH in Medina during the rule of Hazrat Muawiyyah^(ra). He was 115 years old at the time, whereas according to some he passed away at the age of 120. When the time of the demise of Hazrat Asim^(ra) drew closer, the members of his household started to cry. Upon this, he said, “Do not cry for me as I have lived a long life.” (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Saad, Vol. 3, p. 355, Asim bin Adiyy, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) (Al-Isaba Fi Tamyeez Al-Sahaba, Vol. 3, p. 464, Asim bin Adiyy, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1995)

Contribution for the Battle of Tabuk

When the Holy Prophet^(sa) ordered the Companions to prepare for the Battle of Tabuk, he also advised the affluent Companions to offer wealth and mounts in the way of Allah. Upon this, various people offered sacrifices according to their means.

On this occasion, Hazrat Abu Bakr^(ra) brought all of his wealth, which amounted to 4,000 Dirhams. The Holy Prophet^(sa) asked Hazrat Abu Bakr^(ra) whether he had left anything for the members of his household, to which he replied that he had left Allah and his Messenger^(sa) for them. Hazrat Umar^(ra) brought half of the wealth of his home. The Holy Prophet^(sa) enquired of Hazrat Umar^(ra), “Did you leave anything behind for your family as well?” Upon this, he replied: “I left half of it behind.” On this occasion, Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf gave one hundred auqiyah – One auqiyah is equivalent to 40 Dirham. Following this, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said that Uthman^(ra) bin Affan and Abdur Rahman^(ra) bin Auf are from among the treasures of Allah the Almighty on earth, who spend for the sake of Allah’s pleasure. Women also presented their jewellery on this occasion. Hazrat Asim bin Adiyy, the companion whose account is currently being mentioned, presented seventy wasq of dates. One wasq consists of sixty saa and one saa is equivalent to two and a half seir or kilograms. Hence, according to this, the total weight of the dates was two hundred and sixty-two mann. One mann is approximately forty seir (a measuring unit in Pakistan) and is equivalent to thirty-eight or thirty-nine kilograms. (Al-Sirat al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, pp. 183-184, Ghazwah Tabuk, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2002) (Lughaat-ul-Hadith, Vol. 1, p. 82, Awqiyah, Vol. 4, p. 487, Wasq, Vol. 2, p. 648, Saa’, Nashir Nu’mani Kutub Khana, Lahore, 2002)

In any case, Hazrat Asim^(ra) also contributed dates in a large quantity.

Destruction of the Zirar Mosque

Hazrat Asim^(ra) bin Adiyy was among those Companions, who were commanded by the Holy Prophet^(sa) to destroy Masjid Zirar. The details of this have been mentioned in the following manner:

Hazrat Ibn Abbas^(ra) narrates that Banu Amr bin Auf built the Quba Mosque and sent a message to the Holy Prophet^(sa) requesting him to come to the mosque and offer prayers. When some individuals from Banu Ghanam bin Auf saw this mosque, they said that they would also construct a mosque just like the Banu Amr. Abu Amr Fasiq, who was a bitter opponent and a mischievous person, said that they should also build a mosque and store therein as many weapons as possible. His intention was to make it a centre for spreading mischief. He said, “I am going to see the Caesar – the Byzantine King – and will return with an army and exile the Holy Prophet ^[sa] and his Companions from here.”

Once the mosque was completed, these individuals went to the Holy Prophet^(sa) and said that they had constructed a mosque for the convenience of the elderly and the physically impaired as they were not able to travel far in order to offer their prayers. Along with this, they also requested the Holy Prophet^(sa) to come and lead the prayers in this mosque. The Holy Prophet^(sa) replied: “At present I am occupied in preparations to embark on a journey.” He was preparing to go on a journey. “Once we return, I will Insha’Allah [God willing] lead prayers there.” This was the journey for the Battle of Tabuk. After returning from the Battle of Tabuk, the Holy Prophet^(sa) stayed in a place called Dhi Awan which was approximately an hour’s distance from Medina. There, he received a revelation about Masjid Zirar, which is mentioned in Surah al-Taubah in the Holy Quran as follows:

وَالَّذِیۡنَ اتَّخَذُوۡا مَسۡجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَّ کُفۡرًا وَّ تَفۡرِیۡقًۢا بَیۡنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ وَ اِرۡصَادًا لِّمَنۡ حَارَبَ اللّٰہَ وَ رَسُوۡلَہٗ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ ؕ وَ لَیَحۡلِفُنَّ اِنۡ اَرَدۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡحُسۡنٰی ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ یَشۡہَدُ اِنَّہُمۡ لَکٰذِبُوۡنَ

“And among the hypocrites are those who have built a mosque in order to injure Islam and help disbelief and cause a division among the believers, and prepare an ambush for him who warred against Allah and His Messenger before this. And they will surely swear: ‘We meant nothing but good;’ but Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars.” (Surah al-Taubah, Ch.9: V.107)

Following this, the Holy Prophet^(sa) called Malik^(ra) bin Dukhsham and Ma‘an^(ra) bin Adiyy and ordered them to destroy Masjid Zirar. In some narrations it is mentioned that the Holy Prophet^(sa) also sent Hazrat Asim^(ra) bin Adiyy, Amr bin Sakan, Wahshi –  who martyred Hazrat Hamza^(ra), and Suwaid bin Abbas for this purpose. In Sharah Zarqani it is written that it is possible that the Holy Prophet^(sa) initially sent two individuals and then sent another four individuals in order to help them. The Holy Prophet^(sa) told them to go to Masjid Zirar and to destroy it by burning it to the ground.

He narrates further that all of them quickly reached the tribe of Banu Salim, which was the tribe of Hazrat Malik^(ra) bin Dukhsham. Hazrat Malik said to Hazrat Ma‘an^(ra) to wait so that he could bring some fire from his house. Hence, he lit a dry date branch and brought it from his home. Following this, they reached Masjid Zirar between Maghrib and Isha, set it on fire and it burnt to the ground. Some aspects of this incident have been mentioned in relation to Hazrat Malik^(ra) bin Dukhsham as well.

Nevertheless, those who had constructed the mosque were present at that time. However, after it had been set on fire, they ran away. When the Holy Prophet^(sa) returned to Medina, he wished to give the plot of the mosque to Asim^(ra) bin Adiyy – the companion who is being mentioned – so that he may build his house there. However, Asim^(ra) bin Adiyy apologised and said that he would not take the plot as Allah the Exalted had already revealed His verdict regarding this place, that is, it had become a place for which Allah the Almighty had expressed His displeasure. Therefore, he did not wish to take it. Hence, the Holy Prophet^(sa) gave it to Thabit bin Aqram, who did not have a home. In fact, Asim^(ra) bin Adiyy said that since he already had a home and was also reluctant, therefore, he apologised and said it would be better if it was given to Thabit bin Aqram and as he did not have a home and could build one there. Hence, the Holy Prophet^(sa) gave the mosque, i.e. the plot of the Masjid Zirar, to Thabit bin Aqram.

According to Ibn-e-Ishaq, the names of the hypocrites who constructed Masjid Zirar are as follows: Khaizam bin Khalid, Muatib bin Qushair, Abu Habiba bin Az‘ar, Ibad bin Hunaif, Jariya bin Aamir and both his sons, Mujamma bin Jariya and Zaid bin Jariya, Nufail bin Harth, Bakhzaj bin Usman Wadiyya. These were the people who were with Abu Aamir Rahab whom the Holy Prophet^(sa) had labelled “Fasiq” [an evil transgressor]. (Subul-ul-Huda Wal Irshaad, Vol. 5, pp. 470-472, Ghazwah Tabuk, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1993) (Sharh Zurqani Alaa al-Mawahib al-Deeniyyah, Vol. 4, pp. 97-98, Thumma Ghazwah Tabuk, Darul Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1996)